long·ful :
"You are a horse running alone and he tries to tame you,
Compares you to an impossible highway,
To a burning house,
Says you are blinding him that he could never leave you,
forget you,
want anything but you,
You dizzy him.
You are unbearable every woman before or after you is doused in your name,
You fill his mouth his teeth ache with the memory of taste,
His body just a long shadow seeking yours but you are always too intense frightening in the way that you want him, Unashamed and sacrificial;
He tells you that no man can live up to the one who lives in your head..."
_ _ _
"Tay!" Symphani shouted breaking Tayla out of her trance she was pulling her attention from the window in her office to her friend.
"What?"
"Girl, you been zoning out all day. You good?" She asked and she sighed nodding her head putting her attention back on her laptop which displayed the email she read a million times over in the past half hour.
She didn't know whether to call her lawyer or just handle this alone.
And it was looking like the latter.
"Fine," She answered back in a blunt tone scanning the email one more time.
"You don't seem-"
"I said I'm cool. Can you just make sure everything runs smoothly for the next two or so hours? I got something to take care of real quick." She spoke packing up her phone, laptop, and paperwork leaving her best friend speechless but also having no choice but to say yes considering she was the boss as Tayla made her way out the building quickly.
She climbed into her Range Rover and started the car immediately making her way to the main destination in her mind getting there in under fifteen minutes and during the time that was requested for her presence.
She parked her car and got out with her stuff, her heels clicking against the sidewalk and the inside of the building as she entered the record label going straight to the elevator. It dinged and her finger pressed the button she remembered taking her to the top. It didn't take too long before she made it, allowing her shoes to click on the marble floors again.
Everybody that worked there on that floor looked at her wondering what she was doing there. She didn't have an employee badge or a visitors badge but they all knew better than to stop her.
Her feet pulled her all the way to the office at the end and she entered seeing the person she was looking for leaning against the desk with his phone in his hand sending a text to his mom about taking her out to dinner tonight along with his daughter he shared with the woman that just entered the room.
He looked up at her and his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree happy to see her while the rest of his kept it's composure. They haven't seen each other in three weeks since her birthday.
Tayla was good at avoiding.
"$35 million? What the fuck?" She asked him almost shouting but luckily for them the office they were in had soundproof walls and windows that was frosted allowing nobody to see in or out of for privacy along with a drastic view of West Los Angeles from the window.
"You want me to raise it higher because I can." He suggested picking his phone back to call his lawyer only for her to stop him.
"No, why the fuck are you offering $35 million dollars, Chris?"
"You want the label, right?"
"I want half of the label. Everything I put into this for you and your company, I wanted it back but not $35 million dollars, are you stupid?" She asked him making him sigh and stand up straight.
"Tay-"
"No! It didn't matter that I was suing you, it wasn't for your money. I just wanted back what was mine and here you go trying to pay me off." She spoke angrily as he pinched the bridge of his nose becoming irritated.
"Tayla, I'm not fuckin' paying you off! I'm giving you what you want. You want some part of the label so here, take the office." He gestured around the empty office space that held nothing but a plant and a long modern desk in the middle of the room.
Her face went from hard to soft as she looked around not realizing they were standing in a empty room.
The office was almost as big as his owns considering they were right across the hall from each other's. Nobody had used this space in years and he was finally giving it to her.
"Chris-"
"You got yo' own shit, I already know which is why I'm negotiating with you. You become the Co-Chief alongside me and help run this shit whenever you have the time, make your own schedule but you want some of it so bad so you gone have to work with me on it then, babygirl." He spoke and she just stood there confused and in shock. Her eyes diverted around the office space and she took in, already imagining how she was going to decorate.
"But shit since you here, it's a meeting in five minutes and you can either stay or go, your choice." He spoke with his head in his phone texting the group chat back between him and his friends.
"I'll come," She said, it coming out just above a whisper.
Chris nodded his head and exited her now new office with her behind him as they walked down to the giant meeting room where he liked to hold his main important meetings.
Chris entered first letting his eyes fall on to his top employees and their own eyes widen at the sight of his ex-wife, wondering what she was doing here. Michael and Anthony both sat up now intrigued on what was taking place.
Tayla took the seat just next to Anthony and greeted her kindly as she gave him a smile in return while Chris stood at the head of the table, all eyes on the boss.
"Aight, first and foremost. We doing good with the current artists we just signed earlier this year. The stats is nice, Spotify and Apple Music streaming stats is doing good but not great. The GP isn't giving them the replay status we need which means we need to conduct more exposure for them. Performaces, maybe appearances at events like Fashion Week, Brand parties - something to get people interested." He spoke while twirling a pen in his hand looking around the room.
"Sorry to say but we signed a rapper and a singer who was discovered on Tiktok. People not interested because they all sound the same, we don't got real artists nowadays." Damien, a person who's been working for Chris for four years in the A&R department and grew to be a friend of his spoke making Chris hum in response.
This was the part of the meeting where he let his staff talk strategies, hearing everyone's thoughts before picking the best one himself.
"Take Justin Bieber for example, they discovered him from YouTube, maybe we just need to go back to the early 2000s strategy-" Abigail, another person apart of A&R said and another friend suggested.
"And discover niggas singing in cursive the way they do nowadays? You can't find real talent anymore especially when everyone think one sound is okay," Anthony interrupted, "It's harder doing it that way for that reason alone. What we should do is a talent show,"
"Motherfucker, this is not America's Got Talent. Be fucking for real," Michael spoke making the whole room snicker including Chris.
His newly hired assistant - a man by the way - took notes of everything just in case Chris wanted to try any of these out.
"You can try finding people in person," Tayla spoke up making every single eyeball in the room fall on her. A but of nervousness rushed through her body but she pushed it to side and locked eyes with her now business partner, "LA is the city of "dreams" after all and there's some good jazz clubs and bars and whatever around that has those talents in there waiting for someone to walk in and find them."
Damien chuckled and scrunched his face thinking it was a bad idea, "Nobody is performing for zero pay nowadays. Why you think everyone turns to social media? That's a lost cause-"
"No, it's not." Chris spoke up for the first time since he entered the room. "She's right, you do gotta get hands on to get what you want and if that means finding someone at a Karaoke joint or on the corner of Slauson then so be it." He encouraged.
His eyes locked to Tayla's, who gave him a small smile happy to know he was supporting her idea. After all, she was the one who brought his first four artists to them and now they're popular as can be.
And if it was anyone he knew that could do it, it was her.
Which was why now he didn't mind sharing his business with her.
"If you don't know, the mother of my child, brought me our first signed artists when just starting from the very bottom and now here we are. So if it's anyone's advice I'd take it's her," He shrugged and the rest of the room nodded understandably all except Damien.
Chris nodded his head and left out a breath, "I'll make a list and figure out who I'm sending to go scout in the meantime, get back to work." He let everyone go and the only people left in the room is Chris, Tayla, Michael, and Anthony.
"Damn, so we finally got the big Tay in the building, huh?" Anthony spoke giving Tayla a side hug making her chuckle.
"Shit, I thought Brown's raggedy ass wasn't gonna make it happen," Michael inserted.
"Aight, chill. I'm still y'all boss."
"Who you tryna scare?" Michael laughed out dapping up Anthony who was also laughing.
"Nigga, think we supposed to go run in a corner and hide because he sit in the big seat." Anthony laughed in. Tayla covered her giggling with her hand over mouth making Chris suck his teeth.
There was four people who wasn't scared of him. The three right here and his mother.
"Gotta be a mental problem-"
"Aight, get out before I fire y'all for real." Chris spoke in a assertive tone making them chuckle but this time actually comply. Michael gave Tayla a hug as well before leaving the two now Co-Chiefs alone.
"I love them," Tayla smiled and Chris sighed taking a seat in a chair and shook his head.
"They stress me out,"
"But they good for business,"
"Extremely."
"So, who you thinking about sending on the mission?" She questioned looking at him as he shrugged staring at the window in the room before looking at her.
"Ion know." He said and she hummed. "Somebody that got a good eye for shit, I don't want nobody coming back saying they found the next Beyonce and it's actually a bitch that can't sing."
"I was asking because I was thinking we'd do it." She smiled lightly making his eyebrow raise. Tayla had a good eye for finding rare and amazing talent so he was surprised at himself for not making that the first choice.
"We?"
"Yeah....you and me. So you can see my process like how I used to way back when. I am why your net worth is $150 million now." She smirked and he chuckled nodding his head thinking about his success that happened due to the help of his wife.
I mean... Ex-wife.
"$230. Forbes just updated it." He gloated as she stood up from her seat making her own eyebrow raise now.
"Really? Well let me hold an extra $20 million then." She joked and he smiled leaning back in his chair loving the interaction between them currently without any yelling, eye rolling, huffing and puffing or cursing taking place for the time in months.
Praying to himself it stays like that.
"Shit, you know it ain't a problem." He smirked and she snickered shaking her head while standing up from her seat. His eyes traveling her body taking in her appearance for the first time since she's arrived.
Tayla was dressed in a Burgundy Versace pant suit, her black bralette lightly peeking through if you stared too hard - which Chris was doing right now. Her heels was red bottoms with a butterfly necklace that Chris had brought her for her birthday last year followed by a charm bracelet he gave her for their anniversary five years ago.
She was dressed like a CEO. Always is.
She looked good to him. He was always attracted to her, it never stopped. But it seems like it grew since their little time on her birthday.
"But let me know when you down to do our little work date." He smiled at her politely making the left side of mouth lightly twitch up in a almost smile.
"It's not a date."
"M'kay." He smiled making her shake her head.
"I'm going back to my main job for the day but I'll see you Wednesday."
"Damn, so we the side bitch to you?" He teased standing up himself.
"You would know all about that, huh?" She joked making him roll his eyes but he didn't get mad at it and instead just laughed it off. "No, but I gotta balance both equally without tiring myself out."
"Good luck with that." He spoke making her hum. "While you do that, I'mma go pick up our five year old."
"Give my baby a kiss for me."
"Daddy want a kiss too." He puckered his lips up at her making her look at them for a second before snorting loudly and exiting the room.
She definitely knew better now compared to her birthday.
Tayla Smith (Brown)
My heels clicked across the floor as I made my way to the table. A small smile lit my face the closer I got and the first person to lay their eyes on me stood up excitedly.
"Tay!" She beamed brightly making me squeal as we embraced each other. "I missed you, boo."
"Same here. How've you been?" I hugged Deanna tightly while we rocked back and forth.
"Surprisingly good." She smiled.
Deanna was Chris's cousin. I met her at his graduation back in college and we've been cool since. I even had her as my bridesmaid for my wedding.
Love her dearly.
"That's good. How's the twins?"
"Annoying but adorable," I giggled at that. Deanna had twin babygirls and even though they were twins, the only difference was their eye color making it easy to tell them apart. I was surprised when I found out twins even ran in his family.
His father's sister had twin boys as well so it must be a new common thing in the Brown's.
"How's little A? Last time I seen her, she was too busy telling me about her dance lessons." She playfully rolled her eyes and I snickered.
"She's still taking them and she's getting better as time goes on. She's so talented though and she actually has a dance recital coming up this Friday."
"Really? I'm not surprised she's getting all them good genes from the two of you. That little girl is gonna be something else-"
"Oh my God. Deanna?" a voice cut her off and we both looked up seeing a girl who I definitely didn't know but apparently she did. I could see her eyes widen in shock as I just sat here in confusion.
The girl had caramel skin. Her hair was brown but you can tell she dyed it recently. Her eyes was pretty hazel color which complimented her complexion and she had a dimple on the left side of her face along with freckles.
"Savannah?"
"Long time no see, D!" The girl who's name I now know is Savannah beamed. Deanna chuckled awkwardly and stood up giving her a hug.
I've never felt so out of place than I did right now.
"I know. How're you? I didn't know you were still in LA."
"I'm fine and I'm not. I'm actually just visiting but I should be gone by Friday if my sister doesn't convince me to stay longer." She spoke and her eyes finally diverted over to me for the first time since she stepped over here.
She looked at me with a certain look in her eyes.
Like she knew me.
"You must be Tayla." She smiled nicely and I returned it like the nice person I am.
"I am,"
"I heard so much about you. It's good to know Chris found his forever person afterall, your daughter is adorable." Now I'm sure she didn't mean it in a malicious way and was just being nice but I was wondering why shorty was speaking to me like she knew me.
Deanna cleared her throat and looked at me sweetly, "Tay, this is Savannah. Savannah used to go out with Chris in college. I'm sure you knew,"
My eyebrows raised and a light chuckle left my lips, "No, I didn't know."
"It was only a year and some change but I'm happy he ended up with the love of his life like he told me back then."
"Did he? Well I'm happy you two ended on a positive note." I smiled nodding my head only making her snicker and shake her head.
"I wouldn't say that," She chuckled and I hummed jerking my head back a bit as she put her attention back on Deanna. "I gotta get going but it's good seeing you, D."
She left us and I looked at Chris's cousin who brought the glass of wine to her lips avoiding eye contact with me. I smirked and crossed my arms leaning against the table.
"Ex from college? Why didn't nobody tell me I had a before?"
"Girl, she was quick, you heard her. Until he found out about you being in Cali as well, he broke up with her and moved onto you. It's nothing to worry about."
"I'm not worried. It's just interesting is all...how was their break up?" She twisted her lips almost like she didn't want to tell me making me lean back in my seat.
It was almost like she didn't want to tell me and I don't know why.
Chris and I were together for the past thirteen years. Five of them we spent married and as parents. The rest we were just dating with a gap year in between because of the breakup beginning our junior year of college.
So I'm definitely not worried.
"I don't think it's my business to share but it's the past, Tay. Anyways, speaking of my cousin. How is he? Y'all still hate each other?" I chuckled at the subject change but didn't stress it and just answered her question.
"He didn't hate me but to answer your question no. We actually just became business partners so we'll be seeing each other much more to my liking outside of our child so," I shrugged and grabbed the glass of champagne bringing it to my lips.
"Well good. Hopefully you two can rekindle that friendship back up and be little besties again. I know he misses you,"
"And that's nice."
"Tayla-"
"No, seriously. I just don't want to jump the gun."
I won't lie and say how little interaction today wasn't nice. It reminded me of old times and it felt nice for a change, I just didn't want feelings coming up too soon for either of us and by that, I mean him.
But I did miss my best friend.
Deanna snickered and squinted her eyes at me like she was trying to read me making me chuckle and her furrow ny brows, feeling my forehead crease. "What?"
"So if the feelings ever do come back, hypothetically, will you pursue them again or just let it go to the grave?"