Episode 4- False Imposition
Cookie sat at the table in Lucious office.
"Well, I went to see Titan's mother."
Lucious poured her a drink at the mini bar. "Did you?"
"Yeah, she's serious, Lucious." Cookie takes the drink from him. "I mean, bean pie, prayer rug, covered hair, all of that, serious." He had a seat close to her. "She raised Titan in the Nation of Islam."
"Titan is a part of the Fruit?"
"Yeah, that's what I'm telling you."
Lucious scoffs. "Nothing but racist views."
"And?" Cookie retorts. "So is America." She shakes her head. "Every day, I worry about my sons, and daughter, don't you? Hell last night should have proved how crazy it is with Mariah being caught right in that damn mess. Where is she?"
"Avoiding you." Lucious sipped his drink.
"Me?" Cookie lowered her glass. "I ain't yell at her."
"Yet."
"Whatever. She going to hear my mouth regardless." Cookie waves it off. "I know how bad you wanted Titan, but I'm not losing my daughter over it. They're gonna break his ass in prison. You lose your soul when you feel like the world's forgotten you."
Lucious hand touched her dress. "I never forgot about you. Couldn't." He nods to himself. "I did some things
that I had to do in order to make sure that when you got out, you would have all of this stuff."
"This stuff," Cookie shows the rings and stuff on her hands. "meaning this material stuff?" He looked up when she said this. "You just stopped coming. No calls, no letter, no explanation, just left me twisting in the wind."
"Remember our first Christmas?
It was cold.
"We didn't have nothing, we didn't need anything. You wrote me a song."
"You tried to get me to steal a Christmas tree." Lucious remembers.
"Yeah, and you punked out."
"I made inroads.
Cookie sighs. "I'm-a go back and talk to Titan's mother. I think I can get her to see the light. But getting in bed with Titan means inviting the Nation
back into your life.
"Doesn't matter."
"I mean, this is business, it's not personal."
"The Nation killed your father." Cookie said this and watched his look change. She puts her cup down and goes to leave. "Just let me know if you want me to go talk to his mother."
Lucious looked back. "You know," Cookie stopped and look back. "I never forgot about you."
Cookie rolls her eyes. "Keep telling yourself that, Lucious."
Outside the office...
Mercedes opened the door to see Becky at her desk.
"Hey girlie," Becky greets her.
Cookie walked out.
"Hey Beck-oooh nope, nope!" Mercedes twirled back around to leave.
"Aht!" Cookie shouted making her stop from opening the door. "Don't your dare leave. Turn around."
"Heyyy, ma." Mercedes smiles but Cookie only glared looking at her. "You look so nice."
"Save it," Cookie stopped her. "I have been calling your butt all morning and you were supposed to be in the studio yesterday like I told you. Instead you out here in this mess-"
"But I-"
"Get you butt in that studio." Cookie says making eyes roll. "If you going to roll them, I suggest you start walking to the studio while you're at it." A hard stare to her daughter. "Move." Mercedes turned around with Cookie walking right behind her. "I ain't your father or boo-boo kitty, you got the right one. Walk slower I'm in heels!"
Becky watched Cookie slam the door, Lucious looked out his office door.
"You sure giving her to Cookie was a good idea?"
"Couldn't name a better one." Lucious nodded to her. "Lets get ready for the meeting coming in five."
Later...
"It don't make no sense the way I had to call you like you owe me money?" Cookie calmly paced while talking. Mercedes sat back in the chair with her fingers pressed to her forehead from the headache. "I'm thinking you here, and you were in Philly?" Cookie stopped to face her. "What were you doing there, huh?"
"I-"
"Girl, hush." Cookie stopped her making Mercedes throw up a hand and look off. "Then you come back and take your behind to where your father is, are you crazy? You could have gotten your ass shot. Do you know what-" Cookie sighs to herself and has a seat on the couch next to her. "I'm not trying to yell at you."
Mercedes eyes go wide, narrowing them to look at her mother from the side. "You could have fooled me."
"Don't start." Cookie pointed a nail making Mercedes sigh under her breath. "Mariah you scared the hell out of me and even Lucious. What if Legend wasn't there?"
"I know how to duck."
"Girl." Cookie gives her a look.
"To soon?"
Cookie brow raised making Mercedes nod. "I'm serious Mariah." This made her daughter look over to her. "You could have really gotten hurt out there being in the middle of that mess. Why didn't you call me?"
Mercedes looked down. "I know you heard me. I'm here too, it's not just your father. If you think for one second you can't call me-"
"It's not that."
"Then what is it?"
"I just sometimes forget that I can call you." Mercedes admits making Cookies gaze soften. "I'm still trying to get used to the fact that I actually have you here. Running to dad is just what I'm used to, I don't mean to do it."Cookie eyes go down for a moment as she took it in with a nod. "I know that isn't your fault, but I can't help going to who I feel the safest with. He was all I knew before you came back home."
Cookie hand rested over Mercedes, an understanding in her gentle squeeze.
"As low down as your father can be, he is all you knew." Cookie hated to admit it. "But he isn't all you have. I would go to war with anyone over you and sit back right in a cell if I have to."
"I would never want you to do that."
"But I would." Cookie says making Mercedes give her a sad smile. "Prison isn't a place I would ever want to be but I don't think anything is more worse than loosing one of mine."
Mercedes reached over and hugs her making Cookie chuckle and hug her back, holding back the tears that wanted to fall. The memories of being in a cell and away from them, she would never want to relive it but for any of her kids, it would be in a heartbeat.
Cookie pulls back, Mercedes smiles until she got a slight smack to the side of her face.
"Ah!" She held her cheek. "Now what-"
"That's for not answering my calls." Cookie tells her. "And what was your butt doing out Philly anyway?"
"If you let me show you instead of attacking me." Mercedes leans back, still holding her face. "You need to learn to use your words."
"Show me why you were out there and stop playing." Cookie waves her off. Mercedes goes to lean up but stopped and lean backed when Cookie moved. This made her double take. "Mariah nobody going to hit you again, come on."
"Okay, okay," Mercedes leans up. "Need to put that in writing with you."
Cookie smirks and takes the phone from her. "This better be something good for you to be ignoring me all damn day."
"It is." Mercedes grins. "You know Meek Mill?"
Cookie brow raised giving her a look for this.
Meanwhile...
Hakeem raps in the booth with Lucious and the engineer and Lucious looking on.
"She brag about the way I give it to her." He says but Lucious still wasn't feeling it. "Uh, I do it sort of
like a ruler. That's a cutie. E-Executor-"
"Stop, stop." Lucious gave the word and pressed the mic. "You're doing it too hard."
"It's a G-rated song." Hakeem tells him. "I had to put
intense stuff on it."
"Look, you have to be romantic.You have to be seductive now."
Hakeem puts up the headset.
Lucious opened the door, walking inside.
"Look," he says making Hakeem turn around. "I don't care how you feel about your mother. She knows music. So you're gonna rerecord this. You're gonna go to her house," Hakeem already rolled his eyes. "Tiana will be waiting for you there. You'll listen to it together, and when Cookie signs off, we'll go to mix."
"You got to be kidding me." Hakeem gives him a look. "First you give her Cedes, now you making me work with her."
"I still have a say in what happens with your sister just as much as your mother." Lucious corrects him. "But she is writing music from a place that only Cookie can help her with. Mariah wanted your mother as her manager."
"Cause you pissed her off." Hakeem points. "She would've never even been there if not for you and Anika."
"This isn't about Mariah, this is about you." Lucious tells him to an eye roll. "Hakeem, I can't make
you love your mother, but you will respect her. Because she's lived through a hell that you have to understand if your music is ever gonna elevate to the place of poetry where it resonates in the hearts of its listeners."
"Like your boy, Titan?"
Lucious nods. "Yeah, like Titan." He goes to leave but stops and looks back at him. "You know why I let your sister have more freedom in her music and career? She knows her audience and her sound, and when she loses herself, she knows where to go to get it back. Take some advice from her and maybe you'll see why she is one of Empire's best. She didn't get there because she is my daughter or your sister, she got there because of her talent. Which is where I'm trying to get you. Maybe if you stop arguing with her and start working with her, maybe that can't happen."
Hakeem looks off when he says this making Lucious just give him a certain gaze before leaving.
Later that night,
Walking around the backyard, a few men sat around talking. Legend and Kirk make their way pass a few people who were at the small gathering.
One of the men take the cigarette from his mouth. "I know that ain't little boy Carter and Kirk."
"Tank," Legend smile curves. "Been looking for you."
"Oh I know." He nods to the woman on his lap. "I'll talk to you later." She gets up as the men at his table took their looks to Legend and Kirk. "You must have been something pissed. Three of mine Legend? You should have known I wouldn't have believed that story."
"I only needed one to tell you that I needed to talk." Legends hands go in his jacket. "Did you a favor. A lot of them looked like snitches."
"Ooh I wouldn't be so quick to use that word. People still wondering how you got out and WAR still sitting behind bars."
"Can't be mad at me that his lawyer wasn't as shady." Legend simply says. "How I got out didn't involve saying any names. I just know there are other ways to getting what you need. Just got to know some skeletons in a closest. Same I could say about you."
"Daddy taught you well." He blew out the smoke. "Kirk," Tank smiles at him. "The hell you get back."
"A week ago." Kirk nods to Legend. "Had to come back and help him stay out of things."
"Off to a tough start huh?" Tank puts out the cigarette and sits back. "So. What did I do to get a visit from you and your boy?"
"Come on, Tank." Legend says with not so friendly smile. "Let's not play the dumb game. You know exactly why I'm here."
"If it's to apologize for the shooting-"
"That is half the reason." Legend stops him. "This with you and Titan. You got to put an end to that."
"When a bullet is in him, sure."
"No I mean now."
"He shot one of mine that has been with me for years." Tank frowns. "I'm supposed to look pass that cause he rap some good rymes."
"Sound mad about that last part."
"Fuck you," Tank says to Legend slight chuckle. "He knew what he started."
"And burning down his rec?" Kirk brow raised. "What did that have to do with it?"
"Called a proper payment. He was told to pay and didn't, so my boys helped him make a decision."
"All that did is land one in a grave and the other in jail." Legend says to a glare from Tank. "That's how it always ends. You tried to play like God, and ended up losing a life. Was that shit worth it?"
"He sitting in jail scared."
"And that man's mother had to bury him." Legend retorts. "You call that fair?"
"To me it is."
"Okay." Legend nods. "I'm going make it more fair. You call this even between you two and let this petty shit go now. Titan is cool but none of you are going to have mines in the middle." The smile of his gone. "That's when anybody can get a bullet, I don't care who did what."
"You going to start a war over one person?"
"Not a war if there is nobody to fight against." Legend simply says catching the attention of the men. "I'm making it simple. Cut the games and leave each other alone."
"Titan still owe me,"
"How much?"
"What?"
"I said, how much?" Legend asks in a more calm tone. "Very simple question."
"25 grand."
"That's it?" Legend brow raised. "You starting a war for 25?"
"I don't play about my money."
Legend hummed to himself. "That's funny because I remember when you were 30k short against War. You would have been shot dead in a minute. All this, Cashville gangster, would you have it if he would have killed you?" Tank looked off. "I looked out for you. I even made sure when you wanted out, I gave you out. See you don't want to remember your favors because you think you're above them."
Tank looked back at him. "So you want to just let it go?"
"I knew you since I started this game and I'm not going to have petty stuff start. That's how more people get involved and beefs start. So I'm going to give you your money on Titans behalf." Legend nods, he looked to Tank. "I got no problem, but again I say, that means this is over. We got a deal or not?"
Tank looked to his boys, one of them nod. "Yeah—yeah Legend we got a deal."
"Good." Legend took the check once Kirk wrote it out and hands it to him. "Come on over here and get this check."
Tank chuckles and gets up, he takes the check before pulling Legend in a brotherly hug. Legend pats his back and talked low so only he could hear him. "You take my money, that means this is over. Lie to my face and I will use that same money to buy your damn casket."
Tank pulled back looking at him in a bit of fear but Legend only smiled to save face.
"We good?"
Tank looked to Kirk who gives a slight smirk. "We good."
"I'm going to say hi to the family and head out. Y'all stay out of trouble." Legend says, his eyes went to Tank. "See you around T."
"See you Legend." Tank nods, he looked to his guys before those fearing eyes went back to Legend.
Not many could put fear into people but it was something about how he walked in with just one person, no fear, no care, just to handle business and be on his way. That smile from his had something cold behind it always and it was a never threats that he told, everyone who knew him, always knew it is promises.
Kirk and Legend walked up the steps to the home.
"Think he got the message?"
"Either he gets it now or when I shake his mother hand at his funeral." Legend adjusts his collar. "I did my part. She just need to do hers."
At Laviticus
Lucious sat in his section with on the couch by the women with him.
Vernon sat down putting away his phone. "Yo. Just heard from my boy over at BCC."
"Uh-huh." Lucious took a sip of his drink.
"Titan's in solitary." Vernon says. "Can't nobody touch him."
"It's good for him. He needs to be protected." He says. "But I changed my mind, I ain't going after him."
Vernon lowered his champagne. "Why? 'Cause of the drive-by?"
"No. Hell, no." Lucious looked over with his shades. "Uh, Cookie said that she was talking to his mama, and
he's heavily involved with the Fruit of Islam."
"The Nation?"
"Mm-hmm." Lucious looked to girl next to him. "Baby, you like fruit?"
"Look, son, all I'm saying is, stay on Hakeem. He's got the goods. He can compete with any of these clowns
out here, including Titan."
"He ain't ready."
"Listen, you definitely don't need to be messing with Beretti."
Lucious smiled at the woman in front of him. "I'm messing with this right now."
"It's bad timing-" Vernon stops when he hears a voice.
Beretti and his security were at the entrance to the section, trying to get through.
"Speaking of the devil..." Vernon smirks.
Lucious lowered his shades. "Is that Beretti?" He laughs along with an amused Vernon. "Hey, no, no, no! Jay, let him in. Let him in." Beretti walked in with one of his men. "Him and his girlfriend. Is that you plus one?" The women looked over trying not to laugh.
Beretti walked over to him. "It's been a long time." He took a seat as the women cleared out. "You know, I have tried to find it in my heart to forgive you."
"To forgive me?" Lucious propped up his foot taking off his shades. "You were the one that broke the trust between us." He let's them fall on the table and sits back. "That's why I left you. That's the whole story."
"No, the whole story is without me, you'd still be
selling CDs out of the trunk of your car." Beretti says to an awe sarcastic nod from Lucious. "The whole story is, without me, you don't have the maid to look after your sons. You don't get into the studio. You don't have me shape the album."
"Did you write one lyric on that album?" Lucious asks. "No. Or play a single note?" Beretti looks off for a moment. "Was it you that performed it all around
this planet and made it famous? No, but you saw fit
to put your name on my words without even consulting me." He looks to Vernon. "You know how I found out?" Lucious glare went back to his old friend.I was looking at the cover of my CD and read the credits. You're not an artist, Bill." He sits up and rest his elbows onto his knees. "I don't care how many artists you steal from by putting your name on their credits.
You will never be an artist."
Beretti nods. "I never said I wanted to be Lucious."
This made him sit back. "I'll make you a deal, Bill. If you promise not to exploit Titan, I won't steal him from you." Beretti gives him a look for this. "You're a powerful man, Bill. You can use your power to help him get out of prison instead of letting him twist in the wind while you capitalize off of his, um..."
"Misfortune." Vernon adds.
"Yeah, his misfortune." Lucious nods.
"I'm not here to negotiate with you." Beretti says.
"What the hell are you here for?" Lucious asked amused. "Give me my music back?"
"Only when I stop making money from 'em."
"Good for you."
"I'm here to tell you not to go public." Beretti says. "I'm here to tell you, cancel your IPO."
"Or what?" Lucious glares from the sound of a threat coming.
"If you go through with it I will dig up the dirt of your past and bury your Empire and everyone in it. Starting with Mercedes." Beretti stands up, Lucious and Vernon watch him. "And I think I'm gonna change the name of this place. I'm gonna call it Cookie's."
Lucious smiles a bit but the glare in his eyes remained as he watched him start to leave.
"Get your ass out of here, Beretti." Vernon dismissed him.
Lucious waved a hand. "Bye, Bill."
They both chuckle.
"I've changed my mind." Lucious sat up next to Vernon. "I'm gonna go visit Titan in the prison tomorrow with Mercedes." A glare in the direction they left in. "I'm about to decimate Beretti's ass."
Cookies Apartment...
"Mercedes don't burn up my damn kitchen!"
"Mam, I know how to boil water for tea!"
"Mhm." Cookie went to the table she had setup.
Tiana chuckles from her seat. "I swear now that I met you, I can see where Mercedes gets it from."
"Please, half of that is all her father." Cookie smiles sitting down, she put the napkin in her lap. "So, your big mama helped raise you?"
"Yeah." Tiana nods. "Big Mama was real strict."
"It explains the good head on your shoulders." Cookie takes a drink of wine. "I remember the day I had big mouth in there. I was happy to have Hakeem to, but raising a girl? I always wanted to raise a daughter." She looks down. "Hurts to know she already kind of grown up without me."
"You wouldn't know the way you two act around each other." Tiana admits. "People always say your mom is you first best friend. I always get that from two of you."
Mercedes comes out. "Ma," they look over. "You got all this expensive stuff and no tub ware?"
"You don't look for nothing, in the cabinet by the sink."
"Oh!" Mercedes ran back towards the kitchen.
Tiana snorts.
Cookie sighs. "And you better not take the new ones Mariah, I'm not playing with you! Didn't even bring back the last ones."
"Name one black person who do and I'll give you my car!" She calls out.
Cookie waves it off and laughs. "Gets on my nerves."
Tiana shakes her head. "I swear, Cedes and Hakeem is really lucky to have you back."
Cookie smiles. "You know I was about your age when I met Lucious."
"Really?"
"Mm-hmm." Cookie rests her arms on the table. "He was freestyling down on the corner of 23rd." Mercedes walked back in; hearing the story. "Uh-huh. I started doing the Wop. You two don't even know what that is."
"You met dad dancing?"
"Yeah," Cookie nods. "He tried to outdance me, girl. Next thing I know, we got three sons and a daughter." A smile over to Mercedes who returned it. Cookie smile dropped. "I said not the new ones,"
"It's not!"
Tiana checks her phone. "Where is Hakeem?"
"He's always been late."
"And an ass." Mercedes scoffs.
Cookie gets up. "Let's eat these dumplings before they turn."
Tiana nods. "Okay."
Mercedes takes out her phone and sees the text
Legend- It's done.
Ignoring it for a minute, she tries to call Hakeem but gets sent to voicemail.
Jaw dropped, she looked at the phone. "Now what if I was jumping?"
Another text popped up.
Marquis: Yo, we going to Legend club tonight. You in?
Mercedes looked over at her mother preparing a plate and seen the empty seat that Hakeem was supposed to be seated in.
She watched her mother go through all the work to make a dinner for Tiana and Hakeem to come over. It hurt her heart to see Cookie trying to cover up how hurt she was by him not showing up.
Sending a quick text back.
Mercedes- You guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you a little later
Slipping it in her back pocket, she walked over to the table.
Cookie looked up. "Baby I thought you were leaving, you said you had stuff to do tonight."
"Got canceled anyway." Mercedes waves it off. "I'm only staying if I can keep my to-go plate I had already made."
"Girl sit down." Cookie says. Mercedes giggles and walks over, giving her mother a side hug making Cookie smile and cozy up to her. "Thank you."
Later that night...
Sitting in the hot tub with Camilla, Hakeem pulled back from her.
"Let me ask you something." He says making her head tilt. "Being a designer.."
"Mhmm..."
"When you're out there doing your thing, do people try to put you in a box? Or compare you to others? Especially when you're bringing your new game."
Camilla hand goes to his face. "People are threatened. The more talent you have, the more they're gonna
keep you in a box."
"That's exactly what they're trying to do." Hakeem says. "Everybody want me to be what they want me to be. Or compare me to Mercedes. It's not gonna happen, I know I'm better lyrically."
"Your sisters sound is just like a lot of others looking for attention. Doing things to stay in the public eye."
"She does do a lot that always has my dad attention on her."
"There's a book I'm gonna give to you."
"Yeah?"
"I read it when the industry tried to savage my 2009 spring collection, and it changed everything for me." Camilla moved the bubbles to hold his hand. "It's called 48 Laws of Power."
The sound of the door unlocking made his neck whip as Camilla looked up in shock.
"Hey." Tiana walks inside but didn't yet see as she was still typing on her phone. "You're such a douche bag."Tiana sat down her bag and walked to turn on the lamp. "Your mother went through a lot trying to make us dinner. Mercedes stayed and-"
Looking up to see him and Camilla together. Tiana said nothing as she turned back and snatched up her things on her way out.
Camilla sighs when the door slammed shut. "I can't believe you gave that little girl the keys to your apartment, Hakeem." She splashed the water on him. "Amateur mistake."
Meanwhile....
The black Lincoln pulling up had got some people attention outside of the club who were in line.
Mercedes opened the door getting the people standing by reactions as they shouted and started taking pictures.
A wave to everyone, she smiles going up to them—taking pictures with a few and signing some things for them.
Mercedes walked to the door, the bouncer moved with no hesitation. Taking out her phone when she heard it ring and seeing the name Tiana.
Confusion crossing her face as she had just left her not to long ago at Hakeem's.
"Cedes!" Destiny called out over the music.
Mercedes puts her phone away and walked over to her friends section.
"You made it?" Gigi jumps on her.
"Oh!" Mercedes had to brace herself, she looked to them. "How much as she had?"
"A lot." Kirk nods. "Destiny act like she scared to drink."
"I just don't like these drinks."
Marquis sucks his teeth.
"Shut up." Destiny points.
"You only saying that cause the truth come out when you drunk." Marquis said it anyway.
"See this why you need to be put down." Destiny says.
Mercedes chuckles. "Where is Legend?"
Marquis pointed to the back. "Had to take a call."
Mercedes went to leave but Gigi was still holding on. "Okay. Somebody get her." Destiny pulled her off. "She so affectionate when drunk."
"That's why she not allowed to leave without me." Destiny says.
"I know, I know!" Gigi rolls her eyes.
"Watch them." Mercedes points.
"We got it." Kirk salutes before taking the rest of his drink back.
Mercedes drew back, she looked to Marquis. "Watch, all of them."
"Got you."
Mercedes moved through the people and looked up to the second level to see him.
Taking the stairs up, she looked around the corner. Leaned against the railing, texting on his phone.
"You can come closer, I don't bite." Legend looked over at her, a slight smirk as he looked back at his phone. "All the time."
"You're not funny." Mercedes walked over to him.
A slight laugh from him as he puts his phone away. "Is Titan going to be good when he comes out?"
"I said it's done."
"I know, I just needed to hear you say it." Mercedes says. "Especially since my dad going to see him tomorrow and letting me go."
"You asked?"
"He wants me to go."
Legend brow raised. "Why the change of heart?"
"Did you say my father and heart in the same sentence?"
"You right."
"I think you mean who pissed him off." Mercedes says.
"Beretti?"
"Maybe." Mercedes sighs. "I'll just happy when this mess is over."
"It almost is, and I told you I would be just fine."
"It's not about you being fine."
"Then what's it about?"
"You are trying to build your life away from a lot of this stuff. Pulling you back in it isn't helping."
A slight smirk as he folds his arms over his chest, showing their tattoos. "I can say no at any given point."
"So why don't you?"
"I don't want to."
"You need to."
A head shake. "Mmm-mmm, I'm good." Mercedes looks off annoyed. "I would t leave you hanging like that. Wouldn't sleep well if I did."
"I'm sure you sleep just fine without me."
A humming thought. "Debatable."
"Legend."
"Mariah."
A look from her made him just chuckle. "You think I sleep well without you?"
"You had to for a while."
"Doesn't mean I did."
Mercedes breaks the eye contact to look away but that didn't phase him. With ease he turned her chin back to look at him. Those eyes of hers always telling him what he needed to know.
The slight smile from him made hers show as she shakes her head and pulls her chin away from him.
"They playing your boy." Legend nods down to the speaker.
Mercedes listened and heard the Shine intro by Meek Mill playing.
"Was it a request?"
A smirk from him. "Maybe."
Mercedes shows an honest smile as she hugged him. She wouldn't tell him the relief that ran through her and hoped the hug was enough.
"Thank you,"
"Oh we giving out hugs?" Legend hugged her back making her laugh. "Since when we're you a hugger."
"Shut up."
He chuckles, holding onto her as he looked out at the full club.
"I told you I got you..."
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