I followed the hostess on the rooftop lounge that offered the night skyline view of Dallas. We approached, and I could spot her from a mile away. She stared out at the inspiring view below, her gold skin tone glimmering naturally. Her dress was long and accentuating to her gorgeous body and high-priced. This woman never wore anything cheap, or even twice. She was good for giving away her high fashions away to charity for free.
That exquisite, yet hood gorgeous goddess—Golden "Goldie" Bishop—was a prominent businesswoman in Dallas. It was no secret I have had sex with women as well, but Goldie was the first real relationship I ever had with a woman. Our relationship was special. I loved her genuinely. But the longer we were together, Goldie became a woman version of Kut when it came to trying to control me.
It was either Goldie's way, or the highway, and since Kut was out of my life and in prison, I became this free spirited person and I enjoyed it too much to let it go. I wasn't going to deal with being in that kind of situation anymore.
"Miss Bishop," the host called and those eyes of Goldie set on me and a smile curled up on one side of her mouth. "Your guest has arrived."
Goldie dismissed the host with one nod. "Joie Smith."
"Golden Bishop." I walked up, standing beside her with a smile.
Goldie stared me up and down attentively. "Goodness, you look gorgeous. Two years felt like twelve."
"Would've been longer."
"Thanks to you reaching out." Goldie winked, "I ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon."
"Great. I'll take one."
Goldie poured her and myself a glass of the expensive champagne and gave me a glass. We sipped on it and held eye contact the whole time.
I cleared my throat softly. "Zephyr, how is he?"
My questioning about her twelve year old son Zephyr Bishop made her smile. He was a child Goldie decided to give birth to with a old male best friend of hers the IVF route.
"Zephyr is, very great." Goldie said, "He just turned twelve and so tall. He's playing soccer now. And it's actually crazy that you called the day you did because he just asked about you."
The thought of sweet Zephyr made me smile. "Did he?"
"He does, all the time. I mean, photos of you, us, are still there." Goldie let me know. "You were a big part of our lives, and you left."
"You know why I left."
"You could've stayed."
"But I didn't and I wasn't." I took a sip of the Dom, "And I have no intentions of coming back. I love where I'm at right now."
"Hmm, and where are you?"
"A free woman with no attachments to nobody," I said.
"And?"
"And raising my brother and sister, running JNC."
"Hmm. You felt you didn't have freedom with me?" Goldie asked.
I chuckled a little. "You know I didn't have the freedom I have now when I was with you. You were controlling, wanting things to go your way. You were Kut in female form."
"Kut? Really? I never put my hands on you."
"You didn't have to."
Goldie glanced off to the side. "My love for you was just...deep." She looked me back in the eyes, "I didn't want anyone else to have you."
"And that was the main issue with you and Kut." A soft chuckle crept between my lips. "I'm not this doll you can just hide in the toy bin and control who plays with me. I'm a grown ass woman that's going to do what she wants. You and Kut still saw me as that young girl. I'm not her anymore."
"No, you are not." Goldie smirked, moving closer to me. She took my hand and caressed it gently. "I do miss you. And I do love you."
"Goldie.."
She was close to me, caressing my arm and chin. I can tell what she wanted, so I switch topics. "Andi, so, the conversation went well?"
Goldie chuckled a little, recognizing my convo switch as I swallowed more champagne. "The conversation went great. She's great and I'm going to fund her program."
"And how do you feel about the program?"
"Well, at first I was just going to do it for you." Goldie admitted and I gave her a look. "But, I was actually interested once she told me about it. She had her business plan ready for me. She's clearly great with money."
"She is. She used to be a bank manager at Gordon Bank."
"Interesting."
My brows furrowed. "Why's that?"
Goldie shrugged. "Just a small world. I'm close with Caroline; his wife."
"Hmm." I swallowed the rest of the champagne and knew to limit my conversation pertaining to the Gordon's and the info I know. "So, why am I really here, Golds?"
"I missed you," She took the empty glass and sat it on the nearby table with hers. "And I wanted to see you."
"Well, you see me."
Grabbing my hands and eying me softly, bringing her face in close to mine. She was reading me to see if I would back away. But I let her in, allowing her to kiss me.
It was soft and gentle for a moment, then I kissed back.
Before I knew it it's the next morning and I was waking up in the California king bed inside Golds picturesque estate. Goldie wasn't in bed so I got up and dressed my nude body back into my dress from the previous night and collecting my heels and phone and it was dead. I was walking to leave out the door when Goldie was coming out of the in-room bathroom.
"Are you gonna call Kwame to drive me home?" I asked.
"He's already waiting on you because I knew you try to creep out. I know you, a lot."
"Great seeing you Golds."
"You'll see me around." She smiled, "I am working with your best friend. I think I'll be more hands-on with this business venture. What do you think?"
I don't really know what attracts me to individuals like Kut and Goldie. My mother just ain't raise me right.
I released a chuckle. "You are funding it. Do what you like."
Goldie leaned off the wall, smirking. "I love you Joie."
"Bye Golden."
The driver that picked me up from JNC, Kwame, drove me home. I didn't plan to stay overnight with Golden, but luckily, Aqua was over and the kids weren't alone.
I was just about to walk inside when a car pulled into the driveway. I knew it was Aqua since this was around the time I would pull up after dropping them off at school.
Aqua hopped out a new vehicle. "And where the hell you been?"
"With a friend." I said staring at the taupe car, "Uhm, a Ferrari?"
"You like it?" Aqua grinned at the car, "My baby ordered it while we were in Greece and it just got here yesterday. Wanna take it for a spin?"
"Uhm, no. I do want to know is this car in your name?"
"Yup, in my name, paid off and all of that."
"And you've seen the paperwork?"
"Joie," She smacked her lips. "Yes, girl. It's in my glove compartment."
"What? I'm just making sure. Anything happen, you don't want your shit confiscated."
"Here you go." Aqua said following me in, "You do know I'm not stupid right? I know what Taveus and Kyan are into. I'm smart about what I do and the way I move. The one going backwards is you."
I made a face. "Me?"
"Yes. You. Jackie told me about the laundromat." Aqua mentioned, "You do know the only reason that it's getting open is to clean money."
I shrugged. "Not my business."
"But FBI find out, you'll be in freaking prison, Joie."
"I don't have nothing to do with that. It's not my business. And I'm not talking about this. I'm going to shower. Help yourself to the kitchen and make me some breakfast or something."
"Girl, please."
I went to shower and when I came out in my robe, I couldn't find Aqua in the kitchen, but in the half bath near the kitchen and heard her speaking in a low voice. I walked up quietly to listen. "No, nothing—Well, you're just gonna have to fucking wait—What do you want me to do, make it obvious?" She stopped to listen to the person on the other end.
The secrecy was in full affect and I don't like that in my house. I pushed open the door and she quickly hung up on the person and my brows furrowed. "Who are you talking to?"
She shrugged, placing her phone in her jeans. "Taveus."
"What is he wanting you to do that you can't be obvious?"
I raised Aqua. I know when she was about to lie. She does this lip bite when she does. "It's nothing, really. You want french toast?"
She was about to leave out, but my body blocked her. "Aqualetta. Shanice. Smith. If I find out you are up to some no good bullshit when it comes to Taveus—because I will find out—I will cut you out of my life so fast. You won't even exist to me. Believe me, I can do that with no problem. So if there's something you need to tell me. Say it."
Aqua was holding back something. I can tell. But she said, "It's really nothing, Sissy. So, french toast?"
Aqua squeezed out passed me and scurried off to the kitchen.
The sound of my phone rung took me off Aqua for a moment and I went to grab it. The name that came up took me by surprised, but I answered. "Hello. Hey, Cristal."
"Hey, lovely." Cristal spoke in my ear, "I thought I was doing the video call but I failed at it."
"You will have to press the FaceTime button."
"Hold on; lemme put this on speaker chile if I can do that. These damn phones." I chuckled lightly at her comment, then soon the call was switching to FaceTime. "I do it?"
Cristal came on the screen wearing her reading glasses. "You gotta show me ya whole face, Ma. Not just mostly your forehead."
"Oh." Cristal pulled back the phone to give me a clear view of her beautiful face. "There?"
"Yeah. I see you. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"
"Well, the Crawford family reunion is the first weekend of May—next month, and I'd like it if you come and bring the kids. We're gonna have it at the park, as usual. It will be barbecue, music, you know how the Crawford reunions go."
"Uhm, Kyan told me about it—"
"So, are you coming? Please say you are. Chile, I already told Toni and Evette." Cristal mentioned her sister's that I loved dearly. "And you know they will drive down there and come get you personally, so, you coming?"
"I will—let me get everything together with my brother and sister and we'll come."
Cristal smiled. "Good. I'm about to call Toni and Evette right now."
I laughed. "See you then, Cristal."
"See you."
I hung up with her and went to the kitchen where Aqua was actually cooking and listening to Drake's new album. She was too focused to worry about her phone that was near me so I picked it up and unlocked it. I went to her call log, dialing in the last number on my phone she spoke to, and went somewhere to call it.
It went to voicemail and I was about to hang up, then I heard the male's voice on the voicemail. "You've reached Agent Douglas Harris. I can't answer the phone right now. Leave a message and call back as soon as I can."
I hung up before I heard the beep. What the fuck? I looked in at Aqua dancing in the kitchen. Why in the world is she talking to a federal agent?
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