𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟏: 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫
Baby, all I gotta say, nobody get they way faster
Claimin' that you're here to stay, we'll see how it plays, actor
Boy, you say you're done with games and more
We gotta get deeper now
Deeper and deeper now
𝐎𝐌𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓
𝐁𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐘 𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐒, 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐀
December 𝟔𝐭𝐡, 𝟔:𝟑𝟎 pm
|| You acting like youn remember what happened right before I left ma, and you know I ain't scared to remind you... ||
— 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆
ఌ
"You look so pretty baby, pose for mommy." Amerie poked her bottom lip out, seeing how adorable Malani looked in her cream colored dress.
She wore a custom Balmain dress, curtesy of her father, who had it made to Amerie's liking. Her jewelry, all custom and unique, were cut specially for the event by Amerie who made sure every bracelet, necklace, and earring her baby wore were like none other as she sported white cut diamonds in totality. Her hand that didn't hold her mother's latched onto a small, cream, Fendi purse just for show.
Amerie held her daughter's hand to allow security to handle the black truck, knowing they'd be parking in the reserved spot she had for herself and family tonight. And she was thankful she'd done that, considering how packed the garage of the building was.
As always, she walked with security per Syre's request whenever she was anywhere, but especially when she had Malani with her. He only emphasized that at night, and was iffy about it for a while considering there were times they didn't protect Amerie in ways he needed, but he made it clear how consequences would range if anything happened to her. Only worse if anything happened to his daughter, and those words alongside his actions, proved he wasn't telling any jokes or making empathy threats just to scare anyone.
She held her dress up with one hand, and her hand held Malani in the other. They were escorted towards the private elevators that Amerie requested to be sectioned off, not wanting her baby amidst the chaos of everyone flooding into the building.
"Look mama!" Malani jumped excitedly at their reflections that looked back at them from inside the elevator. She ignored the security who was in there with them to zone in on just her and Amerie.
Smiling to herself, Amerie pulled out her phone to crouch next to her daughter, who didn't even need to be told to pose. Her little hands fisted along her hips, with her hip poked out and wide grin along her face bringing her dimples deep into her cheeks.
"Look at the diva, okay girl." Amerie laughed, pressing multiple kisses into Malani's cheek as she snapped away at a countless amount of pictures. "My pretty girl, you look just like ya fine a- fine momma."
"I see?" Malani stood to her tippy toes to try and get to Amerie's level for her to see the pictures herself. Glancing up, Amerie watched the elevator numbers stop going up, letting her know they were on their respective floor.
"I'll show you when we get a little settled baby, let's just get through this part okay?" She looked down to Malani who only nodded, just as the elevator doors slid open.
"Mhmm...and send to dada." She requested of Amerie, making her mother giggle to herself from the demanding nature of her child.
"Okay princess, I'll send to daddy." She leant down to kiss Malani's forehead gently, assisting her daughter in walking off of the elevator.
"Tanks." She nodded, before walking off between the security guards who escorted her.
Shaking her head, Amerie couldn't do anything but follow behind and let her lead the way. Her little self being so independent was the most adorable thing to her, seeing as Malani had the so big of a personality to be a person in such a tiny body.
She greeted whoever was along her way of walking towards the area where photos would be taken. She honestly didn't have any desire to take them, as she never did, but from the way Malani got into position almost instantly, she knew she didn't have much of a choice.
Releasing a harsh breath, Amerie stepped along the purple carpet to stand next to her daughter. They posed in all kinds of different ways for the photographers to capture one of the greatest milestones and achievements of Amerie's life, and one that she had the most important person in her life to celebrate with.
"Mama." Malani tapped Amerie's leg, bringing her mother's attention down towards her.
"Yes baby."
"Alone...pwease." She gently pushed at Ameries leg, making her mouth drop with a gasp while everyone else laughed at the little girl.
"Malani- you know what." Amerie raised her hands in surrender, not even having it in her to go back and forth with the child. "This why you going over your father's house tonight, since you clearly hate ya mother." She shook her head, bringing Malani to a fit of giggles that didn't stop her light pushing.
Shaking her head, Amerie walked off to the other side of the carpet to allow Malani her moment. She took a short video of it, before going to Syre's contact in her phone.
Text to Lani's dad:
*1 attachment*
Look at your child, why she
kick me out the pictures
Text from Lani's dad:
You was fucking up my princess shot,
tell her daddy said good job
Text to Lani's dad:
Boy fuck you
The sound of Malani's short heels clicking pulled Amerie's attention from her phone to eye her mini me. "Oh, you done now?" She raised an eyebrow, looking down to her daughter who only cheesed up at her.
"Mhmm, we go." She pointed for Amerie to start on walking.
Eyeing Malani for another minute, she could only laugh to herself as she grabbed her daughter's hand to start on walking again. She felt like her life was being run by this 3 year old, who she didn't have a choice in raising.
With the more steps they took, Amerie could hear the loud chatter amongst people over the soft jazz music that played from the live band setup. Every footstep deeper, was a step closer to her new reality of what was a dream come true.
Every step signified how far she'd come, how hard she worked, and how much everything was finally paying off. Every step she took, in the building she now owned, felt like she was just walking into her future and the next chapter to her life that she'd worked so hard to get to.
Walking into the room, within the presence of everyone who came out to support her, was too surreal. Her heart raced from the emotion that consumed her, seeing how many people filled up the space she'd utilized for her grand opening to her company. She wanted to cry, tears of joy, but she quickly blinked it back to refrain from messing up her makeup.
"Hi gorgeous!" Kimora's loud voice sounded over the thoughts that spoke through Amerie's head, bringing her focus over to her best friend who rushed up towards her with Nariah along her hip.
"Ki!" Amerie breathed out, her arms immediately wrapping around Kimora tightly. She needed her best friend for comfort in the moment, one of the only people who'd watched her really build from the ground up.
"Amerie I am so fucking proud of you, and I hope you're proud of yourself seeing all of this here right now." She spoke softly in her friends ear, before the two pulled away from one another just as Nariah began to whine and reach for her aunt. "Okay girl, calm all that down. Fake ass baby, I'm tired of her." Kimora rolled her eyes, seeing the way her daughter hugged up against Amerie who didn't hesitate in grabbing the baby girl.
"Don't talk about my baby like that." Amerie furrowed her eyebrows as she pressed a kiss into her nieces cheek. She gushed at how adorable the baby looked, with her purple sparkly dress and shoes. Alongside a purple bow that clipped into her short curly hair that coiled along her head.
Everytime she held her, it was such a bittersweet feeling. Baby fever didn't stop because one was told they couldn't carry anymore, instead it'd gotten worse because it seemed the entire opportunity was just stripped away. She was to a point in her life where she found such peace and solitude in her one child, that she wished she could experience such feelings multiplied.
Her nieces and nephews were amazing to have around, and she loved them like they were her own. But it was incomparable to that of her own child, who busied herself with hugging up on Kimora.
"Kimora I can't believe all of this, like this is all for me." She breathed out, looking around to all of those who socialized.
Everything was on theme of a gala, considering she wanted the event to be nice and formal, which everyone seemed to adhere to. She was thankful for the excessive amount of photographers and videographers she'd hired, because she needed to see everything from any angle possible.
"All for you, and don't let anyone take away from your moment. My CEO, girl can you share your dope ass mommy please?" She glanced down to Malani who immediately shook her head no with a small pout lined along her lips.
"My mama...only." She spoke seriously, clearly not laughing and joking anymore.
"This little possessive child, lord she's gonna wear me the hell out." Amerie shook her head at her child who clung onto her legs. Laughing, Kimora reached out to grab back Nariah since she knew Amerie had to do her due diligences in going around to greet everyone, and make her presence known throughout the event.
"She get that from the man she came from-."
"Oop." Amerie smirked while covering her mouth, before her and Kimora both burst out laughing.
Giggling to herself, Amerie gently ushered Malani to get from around her legs so she could make her way throughout the event. "Stay with Ki so I can say hi to everyone. Keoni, Xy, and the rest of your cousins should be on their way." She told Malani who nodded in understanding, allowing Amerie to break off from them and walk around.
She hugged and greeted anyone who came into view, every single person wanting to stop and speak with her from her life-changing work. From investors, to her employees, to people who just came to support the cause of what exactly she was doing and the impact she was making with her work.
She never experienced such an outpour of love from so many people, to the point it began to feel overwhelming. Everywhere she turned she was being praised for all of what she'd accomplished, her face and her name everywhere, all to celebrate her and her business that she'd put so much time and hard work into.
"Hi momma." Amerie smiled, giving her mother a hug once she finally managed to break away from some of the people, "Hey pops." She greeted Adrian after, allowing him to rock them from side to side in a tight hug.
"Hi sweetheart, this is all so gorgeous." Veronica gushed as she looked around the venue once more.
Green was the thematic color, as it represented mental health awareness. Different shaded drapes hung all along the high ceiling in different designs, supporting the chandeliers and low hanging lights that hung from the ceiling above everything. The only light in the room came from the dimness of them, reflecting somewhat of an orange burn-like color that set a calming sensation over the large room and atmosphere.
Every table sported a thick, long, white tablecloth that matched those of the covered chairs. Atop the tablecloth sat centerpieces of white, pink, or red roses in a very specific pattern that Amerie requested.
An open bar hung by the back, and those who worked the building walked around with different hors d'oeuvres for people to take from. The front of the space by the big stage had multiple flower displays as decoration, alongside the lights that plastered along the floor of the stage to provide some more illumination to the space.
"It better had been gorgeous, it was so expensive...$8 million spent on this event alone." She sighed, hearing Adrian dramatically gasp.
"Amerie we could've had this shit in the church basement for all that, 8 million for what?!" He looked around in shock. It was beautiful and everything was very nice, but there was no possible way it took 8 million. "You didn't even have to rent out the building, it's yours."
"No, but I did have to pay everyone, pay for all of the food, pay for all of the decorations and everything, and I'm paying my staff for this to officially be counted as their first day since everything opens officially on Monday." She sighed as she fixed her dress a little bit. "I mean, it's not putting a dent in anything, but still." She mumbled.
"It's gorgeous baby, I love it. And this band is perfect." Veronica gestured towards the jazz players who played the biggest part in setting the calming atmosphere.
Smiling, Amerie nodded in agreement. "I also have lavender incense all over, can you smell it?" She wafted the air that immediately washed the perfect smelling lavender over her mind. "It has calming properties, I've been using incense a lot for peace of mind." She smiled, and Veronica could only stare at her with so much love and genuinity in her eyes.
She held both sides of Amerie's face to pull her daughter closer, pressing the most gentle of a kiss along her forehead. "I am so proud of you and happy for how far you've come, I love you so much and you are doing everything you were put on this Earth to do." She spoke softly, giving Amerie another kiss that only made her smile widen out.
"Thank you momma, seriously." She breathed out, her eyes once more scoping out the entire scenery before her in admiration. Her eyes looked to every single person they could possibly fall upon, until making it to the end of the room.
She looked to Kimberly who sat with Elias, except they didn't speak to one another as their focus stayed on Malani who sat in Elias' lap. After Syre, her grandfather was undeniably her favorite person in the world, possibly even more than her father.
"I'm gonna go say hi to Syre's parents, I'll be back...hopefully." She waved to them, before excusing herself away to walk towards the other side of the room. In the process, she greeted and hugged some of Syre's family that came to support her, until she finally approached Elias and Kimberly who were occupied by Malani.
"Thank you guys for coming tonight, it really does mean a lot to me. Honestly." She placed her hands along her chest, looking between the parents of her ex boyfriend who looked up at her. Her daughter's grandparents who'd be in her life forever, no matter what.
Smiling small, Kimberly extended her arms for Amerie to lean down and wrap her arms around her in a hug. "We are so proud of you beautiful, you deserve all of this. Honestly." She whispered in the girls ear, just before the two pulled away.
"Thank you so much." Amerie sighed out such a weighted breath, as if she was finally allowing herself to take into account the true reality of all of this.
Standing with his parents specifically, with their daughter all over them, set into reality just how far she'd come. She remembered, vividly, the first time she'd met Syre's parents with no intention of taking things far with their son. Only for him to become the most important moment of her life, which lead to where she was now.
She didn't place all of her credit in him, knowing it still took her own drive and faith. But, she'd be lying had she said him coming into her life didn't kickstart everything. She found herself, she found purpose, she found happiness, she found love, and she gave birth to her everything.
"You doing yo thing kiddo, keep it up forreal." Elias saluted Amerie who smiled from his words, so simple yet they meant so much to her.
She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a small tap to her shoulder. Knitting her eyebrows together, Amerie turned around where she was met with the main person she wanted to see tonight.
Gasping, she immediately wrapped her arms around the slightly older woman who laughed at Amerie's reaction to her presence. "Angelaaaa, oh my God!" She whined, feeling her eyes begin to water from seeing the woman again.
"Hi honey, how are you?" Angela smiled as the two of them pulled away, the smiles never faltering from either of their faces.
"I'm good, how are you? You told me you were out the country and couldn't make it."
"Cause I wanted to surprise you, I wouldn't miss this for the world. Not after seeing how hard you've worked, I'm so proud of you." She smiled genuinely to Amerie whose lips pursed.
Angela was someone she found so much peace and comfort in. They'd reconnected just a couple months back when Amerie found herself going into another weird place, needing just a little guidance to keep herself on track.
Then from there, Angela helped her out to further contribute to helping build up her business. Giving her different ideas and input, that ultimately helped for everything to be put into place perfectly in the exact ways Amerie could have envisioned.
"Thank you so much, seriously. I didn't even-." Her words caught in her throat once she got a glance at the entryway where she seen two individuals entering.
Her body visibly tensed up and heart began to race, bringing Angela's head to turn and see exactly what Amerie was looking at. Her eyebrows raised in surprise, watching Syre enter into the space, especially after everything Amerie had come to her about regarding him within the past year.
"I didn't know you invited him Amerie, with one of his lady friends-."
"That's actually his girlfriend, who I told you about during our last meetup." She informed Angela whose eyes widened as she quickly turned back towards Amerie. "Yes, they've been together the entire time. From since I was still seeing you in rehab, actually." She nodded with a small chuckle leaving past her unamused lips.
"Oh wow, and-."
"But Layton's coming tonight, so hey." She shrugged, making Angela's eyes widen out again, just as Malani's little body emerged between the two to stand in front of Amerie.
"Mama, we see daddy pwease." She urged Amerie whose hand she began to pull at anxiously.
Glancing down to her daughter, Amerie only sighed. "Yeah, come on." She nodded to Malani who jumped up excitedly, despite Angela's surprised look that Amerie only sighed out at. "We'll talk sometime in the next couple days, promise." She gave Angela another side hug, before leading the way with Amerie to go towards where Syre stood.
He was amongst his cousins by the bar, with Jaileen in the ladies room. Amerie could see the way he smiled and laughed while talking to Remi and Isaiah who stood with him.
"She always somewhere dancing, lil mama happy as hell." Syre laughed, watching Nariah who did her baby bounce as usual, with her small arms flailing wildly.
"You wouldn't even guess Kimora the child's momma." Isaiah shook his head, making Syre throw his head back laughing while Remi cut his eyes at his cousin.
"Watch yo mouth bitch ass nigga." He pointed as he leant down to pick Nariah up, seeing she was starting to try and run off. "And where the hell you going?" He raised an eyebrow to his daughter, who laid her head down along his shoulder.
Shaking his head, Syre sipped from the Long Island iced tea in his hand for just a little buzz. His finger tapped his rings along the bar countertop to the melody of the music.
"Dada!" Malani shrieked, her hand immediately breaking from Amerie's to race up towards her father who turned around just as she approached him. Syre's face lit up at the sight of his daughter who he picked up as soon as her little arms raised up for him.
"Hey mama." He mumbled, kissing all over her face making her loud, wild giggles sound. "You look so pretty baby." He smiled to his daughter, eyeing the outfit she wore and the way her hair was neatly done to hang around her face.
"Tanks." She cheesed, laying her head up against her father's shoulder just as Amerie approached them. She admired Syre's attire as she always did, dressed simple in a white button down collared shirt with the sleeves halfway up, under the black Givenchy blazer he wore that folded up to the elbows also.
The two top buttons being undone allowed his chest tattoos to peek out, intertwining with those that crept up and around his neck. The bottom half of both his arm sleeves seemed more prominent from the dimness of light that shone down on everyone, that same light highlighting his facial features and the jewelry he sported.
She could see his eyes doing the same thing hers did to him, except his lingered on her face much longer. Taking in how perfectly sculpted and in place everything seemed, that along with her seamless hair that didn't have a strand out of place.
"You look beautiful." He nodded in Amerie's direction once she approached him fully. His body leant up against the wall behind him with his head slightly tilted, forcing the eye contact she couldn't break.
"Thanks, you look good too." She nodded, and the words made Malani's head raise to look between her parents with a bright smile. "Girl what are you looking at?" Amerie folded her arms, bringing Syre's focus to their daughter who only giggled as she lay her head back down on her father.
"She got all this hair, you straightened it today?" He spoke to Amerie while running his hand through Malani's long, full hair. He'd never seen it without her curls, which already went all down her back as is.
"Mhmm, she asked for it cause she seen it on a YouTube video-."
"Hell nah, I teach you to be a follower?" Syre raised an eyebrow down to his daughter who paid him no mind. Instead, she fiddled with the array of chains that hung around his neck, her small fingers dancing along the diamonds that flashed from the lights that hit them.
"She not even paying you no mind for speaking foolish to her, my baby's cute." She mumbled, kissing Malani's cheek gently.
She could feel Syre's eyes looking past her, making Amerie turn her own head to see exactly what he stared at. "Yo bitch here." He laughed, nodding in the direction of Layton walking in. The amusement in his voice, and his hand that crept to her waist said enough.
Hitting his hand off of her quickly, Amerie eyed him with a look that said so much, yet meant so little to him. "I'm gonna go greet more people." She muttered, her body sliding from in front of him to walk off just that fast.
He watched her move further and further, her body so evidently displaying the fit of tension his words put her in. His tongue ran over his lips slowly, eyes trailing down to watch the way her ass moved in the dress that sculpted around her every curve so perfectly.
"Bebe dada." Malani's voice snapped him away from the attention he placed upon her mother to point over towards Nariah. "Mama have bebe?" She questioned, looking up towards Syre who only knitted his eyebrows together.
"She plotting G." Remi nodded to Syre who scoffed.
"Ion know what she plotting on when her momma taking plastic, but aight." He nodded, making his cousins, laugh although Malani didn't understand why. Nor did she care, so she went to the next option.
"Jai." She pointed towards Jaileen who sat at a table close by, making Syre look at her even more crazy for suggesting something like that.
"Hell nah."
"Nigga hate his girl yo." Isaiah laughed, not feeling bad for the girl in the slightest since everyone knew what that was all about.
"It ain't even that, I'm just straight with my two. Ion want no more, and ion want kids with no one I don't see myself marrying...Cheyanna trapping ass was the one and only exception. I'm tryna be present for these two, especially this one who growing fast as hell. She starting to call me daddy and not dada, imma have a fucking heart attack." He sighed, "She gon be four in less than a year, that don't even make sense man." He shook his head, watching his daughter who moved around independently in her own little world once shimmying out of his arms.
"Speaking more clearly and shit too." Remi nodded to Syre who did the same, his eyes never leaving his baby girl who still remained in close proximity.
"I know, that's exactly the shit I'm talking bout. She starting to go from mama to mommy, starting to figure out more stuff for herself and-."
"Yo Syre!"
Furrowing his eyebrows, Syre turned around to see Keoni standing off to the side, motioning for him to walk in that direction. "Boy who the fuck you talking to? Niggas bout to turn 10 and don't know how to act." He eyed his nephew once he approached where Keoni stood with Amerie.
"I can't believe my first pumpkin is about to be 10, I'm gonna cry so bad on your birthday. I remember when I first met you." Amerie sighed to the little boy who she wished could stop growing, the same way she felt about Malani.
"How old was I?" He questioned Amerie who leant up against the wall.
"2, freshly two. We used to be besties till you got all grown and shady." She folded her arms, making Keoni laugh to himself.
"Oh yeah, I remember when you and Sy was together. Years and years and years-."
"It's been 3 and half, shut the hell up boy." Syre mushed his nephews head, watching as he flicked him off before running away as fast as he could while being cautious of other people. "Imma bust that boy in his fucking head." He cursed, finally placing his eyes on Amerie who already stared at him. Considering Keoni's lack of presence left them two, alone.
"Imma go say-."
"Youn think having my girl here and your bitch here ain't a lil disrespectful to them? You on some scandalous ass shit Amerie." He smirked, quickly grabbing her wrist before she could walk away from him.
"You don't think being here with your girl is a lil disrespectful? I'm not on a damn thing, you did not have to come- I would have rathered you not." She spoke clearly and stern, although with the way he looked at her, he'd been better off just laughing in her face for how much he couldn't care less.
"Why wouldn't I come watch you open something I invested in, that don't sound silly-."
"You didn't invest in anything." She quickly corrected him, considering all of it was paid for with her money. Regardless of if he gave her the money or not prior, it was still hers in her eyes.
"You paid for this shit with money I gave you, so- and why the fuck she here." He nodded towards Cheyanna who came walking through the door with Xyden clasped along her hand.
Looking back herself, Amerie giggled teasingly. "I invited her." She smiled small, finally having the leverage to turn on her heels and strut off towards the woman who held her son's hand.
Cheyanna...things flipped completely within a span of about 365 days, a little over that. Amerie approached the woman who gave her a small smile, holding her arms out to embrace the woman in a hug which Amerie accepted from her.
"Hey, I'm glad you could make it." Amerie smiled, before placing her attention down on Xyden who was dressed in a cute button up and jeans. "And hi baby, you look so cute." She leant down to wrap her arms around her daughter's older brother who returned the hug.
"Thanks, bye." He waved to his mother and his sisters mom, before running off in the direction he seen all his cousins. Shaking her head, Amerie watched him run off until Cheyanna's voice captivated her attention.
"He's so rude, but thank you for inviting me. Oddly enough it feels like a full circle moment, with you starting as my therapist before I started to act a fool." She laughed lightly, which Amerie joined in with her for.
"Don't stress it mama." She waved off, allowing Cheyanna the room to say whatever she wanted.
"We've talked and all that but now that we're here, I do want to thank you for the time you took on me originally. It's been years, but you're amazing at what you do and you deserve this. Seriously." She nodded, her words coming out extremely genuine to Amerie who nodded herself.
After about 6 months of taking time for herself, her happiness, and her healing, Amerie finally allowed herself to have a real sit down with Cheyanna. She didn't expect too much out of it, honestly just expected things to go South. But it couldn't be any farther from that.
And as time passed, they managed to build their own relationship with the main reasoning being for the sake of their children. Their father traveled a lot, with it picking up more and more as he was actively working to expand his business...which meant communication had to lie in the hands of the mothers for their children to still see each other constantly.
Amerie still wasn't at the point where she trusted Cheyanna alone with her daughter, but it was nothing personal when really nobody got such privileges. She was just very protective over her daughter, and nobody took offense to that.
"Thank you so much Cheyanna, it means a lot. Truly." She smiled to the girl who she engaged deeper in conversation with.
The gala went on for hours, allowing everyone to eat the main course meals and network with one another throughout the night. The sectioned off kids area was put to good use, despite the fact that Malani, alongside Amerie's nieces and nephews, weren't fans of being around anyone but their family throughout the night.
She felt so showered in nothing but love, and couldn't do anything but show her deep gratitude for everyone who showed up to make the evening possible. Especially those closest to her, being that it showed they cared.
"All this shit came out pretty baby, seriously." Layton smiled over at Amerie who smiled back at the gorgeous girl next to her who wore a long dress.
"Thank you my love." She kissed her cheek gently, as she fed Malani another spoonful of rice from her plate. "You look so pretty in this dress, it's been a minute." She spoke nearly inaudibly, only low enough for Layton to hear the words of her girlfriend who eyed her with a very telling gaze.
Her legs crossed over one another, feeling the affect Amerie's words had on her already. "Are you going home alone tonight, or is Lani-."
"Lani's going by her grandparents, it can just be us and a glass of wine with candles." Amerie mapped out to Layton whose grin widened along her cheeks, thinking on the lost time they'd had from how much Amerie had been working.
"Say less beautiful." Layton flirted back to Amerie who eyed her for a minute, until glancing over at the clock along the wall that read 9:30 pm on the dot.
Standing up, she kissed Layton's cheek again before helping Malani stand to her feet. She was right on track and on schedule in the way she'd planned, everything moving along in the exact ways she wanted them to.
"I'm gonna go and do the presentation part of the night, I'll be back. If you have to step out, just text me. I know you said your sister was having a birthday party tonight." She spoke softly to Layton who nodded.
"I won't leave until you're done." She promised Amerie who smiled small at the gesture. She gave the girl a small thank you, before placing her focus on Malani who eyed her tiredly.
"Can you come on stage with mommy?" She smiled small with her hand extended out for Malani to latch onto. She couldn't help her smile from widening at the feel of the smaller palm that rested in the middle of hers, Malani garnering loads of 'aww's from everyone who watched her small body that walked next to her mothers.
Amerie patiently helped her daughter up the stairs, before leading them towards the podium that sat in the middle of the stage. She crouched down to straighten out Malani's dress and hair, knowing the photographers were already lining up to get shots and videos.
"Mommy's gonna talk for a little bit, can you be quiet for me?" She spoke quietly to her daughter who only nodded in understanding. Nodding herself, Amerie leant forward to kiss Malani's forehead gently, before standing to her feet with Malani turned to face everyone. She kept both her hands on her daughter, keeping her close in front of her.
Clearing her throat, she looked out at the hundreds of people who filled the building. She could feel the race of her heart that began to beat uncontrollably, feeling her anxiety begin to rise but she swallowed it down to take that step forward.
"Good evening everyone!" She gathered the attention of all the people confined in the large space, bringing every eye to her. "I hope you're all having an amazing time, and I first want to just thank you all for coming. I never host events and stuff to this capacity, so I was nervous nobody would show even with the RSVPs, but you all have surpassed the expected number so thank you so so so much." She smiled, looking to everyone in the room, dragging her eyes from left to right.
"I brought my baby up here with me to calm my nerves, but she's playing the shy game too so it's looking like we're both nervous." She laughed, glancing down towards Malani who had her face buried in her mother's legs.
Everyone laughed and cooed at the little girl who was seen through the glass podium. Shaking his head, Syre leant back in his seat because Malani wasn't shy any other time and was probably faking for attention now.
Clearing her throat, Amerie paused to allow the formulation of her words. She was saying everything off the dome, wanting to speak the words that came to her heart and not something that was prewritten.
"Opening something like this was never in my plans, I didn't expect to be doing this at all. I went to school to become a therapist as I love helping other people, and that's what I planned out for myself. But so much has happened in my life from since I graduated school to now where, I had to remap the entirety of it. I won't stand up here and tell my entire story, but I've been through a lot. So much to where I didn't even think I'd live to see the day I can create impact and change on people, or be living the life I have now and I am so grateful for everything and everyone that has entered my life." She paused, releasing a small breath with the gradual fall of her tense shoulders.
"I was admitted into prison about 4 years ago where I spent 2 years of my life. At the time, I had just given birth to my one and only child, my baby here." She smiled down to Malani who now cheesed and waved to everyone, sounding aww's around the crowd making Amerie smile herself. "She was about 2 months when everything happened, and that was the hardest part of my life when I was told I'd be spending years away from my child for something that didn't happen the way it was told. I was suicidal, depressed, I'd lost so much weight to an unhealthy level of being under 100 pounds at one point, and I genuinely felt like everything was over."
"When I came out, I just knew nobody would hire someone that's now considered a felon. Regardless of what happened, to the state of California, I am a felon no matter what. So before even attempting to try and get a job and be denied because of a record, while knowing my capabilities, I chose to create my own company named after my daughter." She smiled, hearing the claps and cheers as the backdrop behind her finally fell to reveal the official logo and name of her company...'Willow's wellness reneweal.'
"This 10 floor building, alongside the resort in the back, encompasses a little bit of everything. The first four floors of the building we are in now will be used for ranging therapy and psychiatry based on the needs of individuals and the service they are inquiring about. My diverse staff has all genders, sexualities, religions- any classification that one may need to feel more comfortable is provided. The fifth snd sixth floors will be free child care for whoever may need such accommodations." She smiled, using the clicker she held to flip to the respective slides as she spoke.
"Daycares are expensive, and it's hard for many, which is why I felt it's a very important addition. To share a little more about myself, I had to leave my daughter for 3 months as I was in rehab just last year. Thankfully her father is an equal parent, as well as having her grandparents and family, but I know how hard that was for me and so many don't have those villages behind them to help out. And childcare is something I'm also very passionate about, so there's that." She summed up to click to the next slide.
"The resort in the back is a fully modern 15 story rehabilitation center, with hotel-style living suites, a 24 hour running cafeteria despite free room service, a complete basketball and tennis court, an open field with a park for visitation, a complete pool and mini water park, a gym inside, entertainment rooms, playrooms for children, and many other amenities. And like this building, people can give requests for where they want to be to feel more safe and comfortable. The experience is about you, mental health relies on you, you must feel comfortable and that's my main goal with all of this." Her hand encircled the space to gesture exactly what she was talking about as she went on.
"With proof of needed aid, I have implemented programs that can fund and cover different individuals who may need it. These can range from aid of any amount necessary if people are not able to pay. It's so necessary for me to provide a space that allows access to those who may deem something like this inaccessible because of funds. I've been blessed to where I would never want to deny anyone help that they need, or have anyone denied help that they need, because of money when I've worked hard to build enough to give back just for this." She smiled small, clicking to the next picture that shown her signing the check for the building.
Taking a deep breath, she eyed her family who surrounded her throughout the moment that still felt unreal. Such a life changing event she'd never forget.
"I want to thank everyone who has helped me and who has pushed me along this way. But I want to give 3 very special thank you's. The first being to my previous and current therapist, Angela." Amerie smiled, gesturing towards Angela who wore the proudest smile one could seem to muster up.
"Angela, thank you so much for believing in me, thank you for helping me, thank you for helping me become the woman that I am right now. We met during a time of so much vulnerability and uncertainty to me, I was so lost and you pulled me out of the darkest tunnel I'd found myself falling into. I've been through so much that you know of, and I honestly do not think I'd still be breathing if it wasn't for you. Thank you for everything, and for inspiring me to further do what you've done for me." She blinked away her tears, despite the ones Angela leaked from her eyes.
"I love you sweetheart." She spoke softly, although the silence allowed for Amerie to hear the words loud and clear as she dabbed at her own eyes.
"I love you too! The next one is for my baby." She smiled down to her daughter who stared up at her with her big, bright two toned eyes, "Thank you for not being upset or complaining when mommy had to be gone for long hours, or sometimes wasn't even coming home from being swamped with trying to get this done. Thank you for being my best and favorite little cheerleader. Thank you for changing my life and helping me to understand I do have purpose. Thank you for being my biggest encouragement just from existing, and thank you for being my 3 year old bestie." She leant down to kiss Malani who kissed her back.
"Ice cream mama?" She looked up to Amerie who only laughed with a nod to her head.
"We can get ice cream before we go home baby." She smiled, raking her hand over her daughter's hair before looking back up to everyone.
All of the phones out and people recording gave her anxiety, undeniably. But she coached herself to understand that this was her calling, this was her finally stepping out of her comfort zone to flourish.
She'd spent her entire life just lost, confused, and hurt. She spent even more time running behind a man who in the process, she gave her sole purpose to. She was finally at a point in her life where everything she did was for her, and the extension of her who hung off of her arms and hugged at her legs.
"Everything I do at this stage of my life is for her, this is who my entire soul is dedicated to." She blinked quickly to push back the water that began to build in her eyes. "I couldn't be any more thankful for the unconditional love and motivation she gives me, especially to only have been in my life for 3 years now." She sighed out, having to press another kiss into her daughter's forehead for her own comfort.
Clearing her throat, her eyes danced throughout the crowd until landing on the last individual. He stared at her with eyes that, surprisingly, weren't hidden by the usual shades he'd wear. Allowing for her own eyes to lock in on his that stared so intently with his hardened gaze, except his eyes read enough of what his mind spoke.
"And last but not least, thank you to the father of my daughter, King." She gestured to Syre who sat amongst his girlfriend and his cousins, yet it seemed like only they were in the room from the way their eyes never left one another.
"Daddy!" Malani jumped up to whip her head around and point towards her father, "my dada." She told everyone, before Amerie's hand came down to cover her mouth making everyone laugh again.
Syre's lips curved up into a smile with his body leant back into the seat slouched. The happiness his name alone brung out of his daughter was a feeling no one else could understand, because it ignited a deeper love than what he could make out.
"Thank you for pushing me and always encouraging me with all of this. I remember when I was pregnant, you were the first person to even introduce the idea of me running my own company and I shut it down because I didn't believe in myself at the time. But you never gave up on any of this, even when I originally proposed it to you. You're the reason all of this happened so fast and so perfectly, and I thank you so much and I love you." She spoke loudly and confidently, her eyes never leaving the captivating stare of his.
"I love you too." He spoke back to Amerie who smiled small, finally placing her attention back on the crowd of people before they could get too caught up in anything.
"Okay, I won't hold y'all any longer with my talking, please have a good rest of the evening! Thank you!" She called out, causing an eruption of claps and cheers as she shimmied her way off of the stage with Malani who jumped down excitedly.
She couldn't even grab her daughter who immediately went running off to go play with her cousins, which Amerie allowed if it meant she'd keep herself entertained until she tired herself out.
Her eyes danced around until looking to the same direction she'd just gave attention to. But his eyes weren't on her anymore, his shades sat back on, and his body language showed annoyance in whatever his girlfriend sat next to him trying to subtly go off about.
"It's not even just disrespectful, it's humiliating that you can so easily express your love to another woman. Yet when it's me you act like I'm asking your hand in marriage. To do that shit in public while I've been hanging off of your arm the entire night, seriously?" Jaileen looked to him in disbelief.
Their relationship was easy to keep private, hiding the bad parts while they stayed up under each other when they went out. That mainly being to a club or so, where he'd proclaim to any eyes watching that he claimed her.
"Jaileen, don't start man." He shook his head, tired of her throughout the whole night. His dismissive nature, his eyes that wouldn't even spare a glance in her direction, told her all she needed to know.
Nodding, she began to gather her things together that sat atop the table, ignoring the stares from his cousins on them. "I'm on call right now and I'll have to go in tonight. So I'm gonna leave." She mumbled to Syre who only chuckled to himself.
She'd went back to work, which Syre was skeptical of, but he'd made enough threats to not care. If she did have intentions that weren't pure, she knew what would happen and she believed him.
He only stared at her, watching her get her things together. "You helping them niggas get all my corner boys, ion like that Jai. Every time something don't go yo way, you running to that fucking job like I won't give them niggas a part two with you in it this time." He eyed her, watching her body language that remained the same.
"I try my best, I can't put my job on the line for your street shit-."
"You already put that shit on the line when I had you on hands and knees in my cell, restricted by yo own handcuffs." He spoke low into her ear, causing a tenseness that bucked her body. "Next nigga under me who got to go to trial, that's yo ass Jaileen. I already told you this shit." He pointed, making her eyes cut over in his direction again.
"And I already told you I have a job to take care of, you don't come before that-."
"Till I leave and you at my crib bawling yo eyes out, you would think we ain't go down this road again, and again, and again. Shut the fuck up talking to me man." He shook his head, finally standing up to dismiss the conversation he felt like he had with her every day.
She watched him walk away, feeling water gloss over her eyes that she quickly blinked away. Shaking her head, she continued on packing her bag with the things she brought. And one of those tears she'd thought she flushed down managed to trickle down her face, making her wipe at it quickly.
"Are you okay?" Kimora spoke to the girl who glanced up at her briefly, plastering the fakest of a smile along her face seeing the girl who held her baby along her lap. She looked to Nariah who was in her own little world chewing on her teething ring, then back to Kimora.
"Yeah, my lashes started bothering me." She smiled small, as she stood from her seat with her purse rested in the crook of her arm. "Um, I have to get to work. If you see Amerie can you tell her this was a beautiful event, and thanks for the invite." She smiled to Kimora, who was the only one at the table to acknowledge her, before walking off.
Raising an eyebrow, Kimora turned her attention towards Remi and Mook, who were the other two at the table. Mook shook his head, while Remi kept his eyes glued down to his phone texting away.
"So what's the relationship dynamics of Syre and Jaileen?" Kimora casually spoke to Remi who gradually raised his head to eye her.
"What you mean?"
Adjusting Nariah in her hold, she crossed her legs over one another. "Like, are they happy and shit, or-."
"I'm in a relationship with you or them Kimora? How I'm 'pose to know what they got going on, that don't got nun to do with me." He dismissed the conversation, as he always did when it came to other people's drama he couldn't care less about.
Rolling her eyes, she sat with a small pout along her lips despite the blankness of Remi's stare. His body leant back slightly to press a kiss into her neck, right where he knew her makeup covered the love marks he'd left on her from the night prior.
"I would hope this ain't no attitude you bout to try and keep up." He muttered, pressing another kiss into her skin as his eyes fell on his daughter's bright eyes that stared up at him.
"Da." She whispered out, holding her arms out to Remi who pulled her small body from her mother's arms. He could hear Kimora's frustration from the way she groaned and mumbled things under her breath.
"You can't watch yo daddy love on me for 2 seconds before you making ya presence known, what is your issue with me?" She folded her arms to her daughter who sat drooling on herself through her teething ring. A wide smile spread along her face as she curled into Remi who lowered his head to kiss the top of hers.
The evening progressed quickly, with people eventually beginning to leave out around 11:30 pm. The kids were some of the first to go with their grandparents, who all happily took them to give the parents a break. The success of the evening was inevitable, and Amerie of all deserved to have a night for herself.
"I was going to give you a little shoutout, but I don't want any relationship shadowing my moment right now." Amerie spoke to Layton who nodded in complete understanding.
"You're good beautiful, I'm so proud of you man."
"Thank you baby." Amerie smiled, allowing her girlfriend to lean forward and place a quick peck along her lips. That small peck slowly turning into something deeper, until Amerie pulled away with a small smirk traced against her lips. "Later, I promise." She whispered to Layton whose low eyes said she wanted it right now.
"Imma hold you to it when I come by, I'm gonna run by my sister and I'll meet you at your place." Layton spoke to Amerie who nodded.
She pecked her girlfriend one more time and said goodbye, before the two parted ways. With Layton going towards the exit, and Amerie going to the table where her closest people crowded around.
"We finna hit a club to celebrate you black queen, you sliding?" Ghost looked to Amerie, bringing all eyes on her.
"To celebrate me, or to get drunk and find bitches to cheat on my baby Raven with?" Amerie raised an eyebrow, placing her hands along Kimora's shoulders who she stood over.
"That's exactly what I said." Kimora nodded, bringing Amerie's focus down towards her.
"But I bet you was the first to agree?"
"Hell yes, we be consumed with them damn children all the time. We deserve to go out and get drunk so let's go." Kimora stood up, while the rest of them started on getting their things together from what sounded like confirmation they'd be hitting a club.
"Wait but I didn't drive here, and I have to go change." Amerie pursed her lips, looking to Kimora for an offer to go with her, but her best friends teeth clenched apologetically.
"And Remi drove his two seater today cause the kids met us here with their grandparents..." She trailed off.
"So-."
"Come on." Syre nodded his head towards the exit, not even waiting to hear what Amerie had to say about it. It was either she come or didn't, and he had no plans on sticking around to try and listen to her throw a fit or argue about something that had only one solution.
He grabbed her hand in his to lead out of the building that still was packed with many people. Amerie turned, searching for Kimora who she couldn't see nor stop to find, from how quick Syre's footsteps walked through everything.
He made them take the stairs rather than the elevators that were too busy with people trying to leave. His hand never left hers to escort them out, surrounded by his security that surrounded their bodies.
Amerie's heels clacked loudly along the parking lot pavement to keep up with Syre's bigger strides. It was like her body moved without the thought of her mind that screamed to break away and just go home. But she couldn't. Because just as fast as she found herself following him, she was seated in the passenger seat of his low car within the blink of an eye.
Her body stiffened up once both doors of the darkly tinted vehicle closed, leaving just them in the space. Alone...again. Her eyes stared forward, despite seeing the way he looked to her. She didn't want to engage in whatever she knew he'd bring up, just to be petty as he found amusement in it all.
"How long you gon act like ain't shit happen between us?" The raspiness of his low voice finally broke the silence between them, eyes staring so deep into the side of Amerie's face between the darkness of his shades.
"Can you just drive, please?" She spoke softly, but those words weren't enough for him. Not when it was clear the thoughts that circled her head moved in the same way they encompassed his.
His hand reached out to grab her face, forcing her head to turn in his direction where her emotion filled eyes looked into his. "You acting like youn remember what happened right before I left ma, and you know I ain't scared to remind you..."
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