Prince's POV
A week has gone by and Genevieve's meeting is tomorrow. We flew in to LA yesterday. I've been doing press and hitting the studio since we got here. She's been sitting in the hotel. Every time I come back to the hotel room she's doing the same thing, sitting by the window thinking. I try to convince her to come out with me to enjoy the city but she won't. Not until the meeting.
"Will you at least come eat dinner with me? I know you're tired of room service." I have a seat beside her wrapping my arms around her.
"I didn't order anything today."
"You haven't eaten today?"
"How can I eat when the biggest meeting of my career so far is happening at 9am tomorrow?"
"Easy. Let's go." I stand up and grab her arm pulling her with me across the room. "Shoes. Now. Let's go." She begrudgingly slips into a pair of sandals and follows me out the door.
"What do you want to eat?" She asks softly still in her head.
"I'm not sure. Let's ask Ronnie." I knock on the door beside ours and it immediately opens.
"Yes, sir?"
"She hasn't eaten all day. Where should we go eat?" Ronnie was a security guard out here before he worked for me. He knows everything about this city and has never failed to give me great advice when I come out here.
"There's a taco truck down the street if you're walking."
"Tacos sound good to you?" I ask looking over at her.
"I don't care. I'm not hungry."
"Your stomach says otherwise. You coming Ronnie?"
"Yes, sir." He closes and locks his door and walks with us to the elevator. He leads us through the hotel and down the street. With crossed arms and a sour face she walks beside me her eyes growing dark. When we arrive at the taco truck we all look over the menu.
"Anything sound good to you, Genevieve?"
"The fish tacos."
"Great choice." Ronnie smiles. She tries to smile back but her face snaps back too quickly.
"I'm gonna go sit on that bench." She says pointing across a little ways down the street. Before I can ask why she leaves.
"Will you go watch her? I'll order for everybody." I ask Ronnie as our turn in line comes up. He nods and jogs after her.
Genevieve's POV
Sitting on the bench I look at my surroundings. Storefronts and palm trees and streets with wide sidewalks fill my eyes. It's a beautiful city I just wish I was here for a better reason.
"What's eating you?"
"They don't want me to dance to any of the new songs. They just want me to shake a tambourine and smile."
"That's what you're big meeting is about?" I nod.
"I just want to get my start and I think this could be it if they just gave me a chance."
"Cavallo is a tough cookie. He doesn't really listen to anyone but himself but I think you have a strong case. Do you know what you're going to say?"
"Yes, I've been practicing since last week."
"Then you've done all you can do for now. I know it feels impossible but if you start to believe it, it will be."
Prince walks over holding three boxes. He hands us each a box and takes a seat beside me. I open my box and gasp at the five tacos looking back at me. I look over at him angrily and he shrugs.
"I don't want to hear it. You haven't eaten."
"I'm not gonna finish these!"
"Try." His sternness is upsetting. I just want to get this over with. I look down at the tacos and examine them. They seem fine. I lift one to my mouth and take a bite. My stomach relishes this first bite considering I haven't eaten since this time yesterday. The taco is good and the seafood tastes fresh. We sit in silence eating our tacos and watching the people go by. My stomach starts to get full and I close my box. "How many did you eat?"
"Four. You want the last one?" He shakes his head and holds his stomach. I look over at Ronnie who at this point has slumped over in satisfaction. I stand up taking the boxes from their hands and putting them in the nearest trash can. When I return everyone is standing and we begin the walk back to the hotel. Prince wraps his arm around my waist making me smile.
"There she is." He smiles back. "We don't have to do anything else tonight but I'm glad you ate something."
Back in the hotel, I didn't want to do anything. I changed out of my day clothes and into a long night gown. Tomorrow is the big day and I need to rest. I lie down in bed and he comes and lays beside me. Before I know it, I'm asleep.
Prince's POV
When I wake up the next morning, Genevieve is already up. She's already done her hair and makeup for the day but she's still in her pajamas. From the neck up she kind of looks like lawyer. The sleek bun on top of her head and the simple makeup accent the sharpness of her face. Scribbling away in a solid black notebook she seems laser focused.
"Morning." I say with a stretch.
"I ordered you breakfast. It should be here soon." I look at the clock and see it's around 7:15.
"How long have you been up?"
"An hour." In all this time she hasn't looked up from her notebook. The deepest wrinkles are forming in her face from concentration.
"Genevieve mama, come here." She sighs and walks over to the bed having a seat beside me. I sit up and stretch before wrapping my arms around her. I just hold her there for a second with my head on her shoulder and my chest pressed against her back. Together we take a few deep breaths and I can feel her tensions being released.
"No matter what he says you'll still get to go and you'll still get to dance. I'll make sure they know your name. I won't let you get swept aside." She sighs and nods. A knock on the door pauses the moment. She immediately gets up and opens it. A woman offers her a tray. She smiles and takes it before returning to bed.
"French toast, eggs and bacon, fruit salad." She says lifting the lid from the tray.
"This what you had?" She shakes her head.
"I had oatmeal."
We spend the next hour getting ready. She puts on a skirt suit completing the lawyer look and I throw in a ruffle shirt and pants. Ronnie knocks three times telling us it's time to leave and he's bringing the car around. Slipping in our shoes, we hurry down stairs and get into the SUV. When we arrive at Warner Brothers, I hold her hand leading her through the building. We ride the elevator up to the third floor and wait to speak to the receptionist.
"Do you have an appointment?" She drags chewing gum behind the counter.
"I have a 9 o'clock appointment with Bob Cavallo." She checks the time on the clock and stands up with a sigh.
"Right this way." She leads us down a bleak hallway stopping at a large wooden door. She opens it and presents us to Bob before leaving.
"Prince, what is this about?" Genevieve steps forward clutching her bag tightly.
"I want to know why you don't want me to dance."
"Great, this again. Look, sweetheart.."
"My name is Genevieve." She interrupts.
"Genevieve, this tour is more about the movie than the music. People want to see Apollonia 6." Genevieve reaches into her bag and pulls out thick a stack of magazines and newspapers throwing them on the table. They slide in his direction and he looks at them confused.
"Each of these publications spoke about our mini tour in the Midwest and mention my performance." She reaches in her bag again and pulls out several highlighted pages stapled together. "These are transcripts from the last six interviews Prince has done. I am mentioned in each of them. "Prince's new dancer is electric and brings a fierceness we haven't seen on the stage in a long time. The newest member of The Revolution is a dancer in a league all her own." She quotes various highlighted sections and tosses the packets across the table. He examines them briefly and looks back at her. "They're asking about me and they don't even know my name. So tell me again why I cannot dance."
"This show isn't about you it's about him, his band, and Apollonia 6."
"I have already been announced as a member of the band. When they see The Revolution and Apollonia 6 they will recognize my choreography and ask where I am. So tell me again why I cannot dance." She's pushing him to say something but I'm not sure what. The anger in both of their faces is evident. Neither of them wants to back down.
"We've already done this once. A new girl in the band, a new love interest for him, another girl trying to claim her spot."
"I assure you any relationship we have is built on something other than our careers. My talent speaks for itself."
"That's what the last one said."
"Belly dancing is a niche. I offer jazz, ballet, contemporary and gymnastics. I also play several instruments and sing. If you wish to compare me to someone at least pick someone that stands a chance." Bob cracks a bit of a smile and nods.
"Alright. You think you're hot shit. I want to see what you've got. I'll plan an extra concert in one of our target cities. You can do whatever you'd like. If the crowd receives you well by all means perform your way, but if I get one complaint you'll be stuck with a tambourine."
"In 12 years of performing, I've never received a complaint."
"We'll let's hope it stays that way." He leans back in his chair and dismisses us. "Actually, not you." He says pointing to me. Genevieve looks at me and I give her a reassuring look. The door closes behind her and I turn to face him. "Man, you sure can pick 'em." He laughs. "Where's she from?"
"Trinidad and Tobago."
"Where'd she live after that?"
"New York." He nods a little.
"She seems pretty sure of herself. What have you promised her?"
"Nothing. She's on contract like everyone else."
"You must trust her."
"She's good." I say matter of factly.
"She's pretty, too." I feel the confusion on my face as he continues talking. "Which head were you thinking with when you hired her?"
"Huh?"
"We've all heard the rumors. Come clean."
"It's not like that and she's not like that either."
"But you are. You've brought plenty of girls to me. What makes this one different?"
"She wants it. It's the only thing she wants to do."
"To be famous?"
"To dance." He nods.
"Well, I'll give her a chance but I won't give too many more. I want her ready a month before the tour starts."
"She will be."