On the crisp morning of February 15th, 1991, the tour was in full swing, and the anticipation was evident. Taiyon found himself in a moody and groggy state as he boarded the tour bus. With Atlanta, Georgia, in the background, the journey began. The hours on the road faded away, before long, a pit stop was made at a olde roadside diner settled in the heart of Louisiana.
As the early morning sun cast a warm glow over the environment, the tour crew detrained from the bus, their bodies longing for a stretch after the long drive. The fresh air refreshed them, and they took a moment to appreciate the natural beauty around them.
Stepping into the diner, the cheerful chime of the bell above the entrance welcomed them, setting a cozy and inviting tone for the experience ahead. The vibrant chatter filled the building, along with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sizzle of various breakfast foods being cooked on the grill. Inside the diner, a mix of locals and travelers occupied the space, watching TV, engaging in conversations, enjoying their meals simultaneously. Seating themselves in a booth, they waited for a server to attend to them.
Soon enough, a friendly server approached with a welcoming smile. "Good morning, folks. What can I get for y'all today?" he greeted.
Before they could respond, his expression transformed to stunned, a spark of recognition igniting in his eyes. "Hold up a min, ain't you Taiyon Bennett?"
Taiyon grinned, responding, "You got it, my brother. How's it going?"
"It's going good man! A pleasure to meet you, can I get your autograph?'
"Absolutely." Taiyon reached for a napkin, and Vicky handed him a pen from her purse. After he signed it he gave it to the young man. Then, he took their orders and retreated back into the kitchen.
His buzz spread to his co-workers, "Y'all won't believe who's in the house right now!"
"Who?" they chimed in with curiosity.
"Taiyon Bennett!" he hollered out, filled with excitement. They poured out of the kitchen, following the guy to Taiyon's booth. Handshakes were exchanged, autographs were scribbled, and Taiyon even rose up to his feet to take a group photo with them. As their food was being prepared, several people also approached Taiyon for photos, and shortly afterward, their orders were brought out to the table.
Two of the servers brought their food out. Taiyon ordered a lot. He got biscuits and gravy, grits, bacon, eggs and sausage and a crispy hash brown. Others around the table went with waffles or pancakes, paired with eggs, sausage and bacon. As they were finishing up, the young man approached them with a framed photo of their group photo. "Mr. Bennett, would you mind signing this for us? We're going to hang it up on our wall as a memory of this amazing day." Taiyon happily signed the picture, and the young man carefully placed it on the wall, displaying it as a cherished moment.
The rest of the staff came back out to interact with them, and Taiyon's entire crew was incredibly cordial. One of the staff members' eyes lit up with recognition as they realized where they knew Shantae from.
"You're Shantae! Oh my goodness I loved you in that movie 'Into The Dark' " she exclaimed.
Shantae gleamed, "Thank you so much!". They enjoyed a bit more time in the diner before preparing to hit the road again. Their stomachs were full, and their hearts were bursting with joy from the lovely hospitality. After exchanging goodbyes with the staff and diners, they bid farewell to the diner and continued their trip.
After a lengthy nap, Taiyon woke up to find that they had reached Houston, which was a few hours from their arrival time of 1:30 PM at the hotel. Stepping off the bus, he gazed at the beautiful surroundings. The hotel itself was beyond extravagant. Feeling still a bit tired, he decided to take another step to assure he'd be energized for the show scheduled for 8:30 PM.
Shantae eventually woke him up so he could start preparing for the show. For the evening, he chose to wear a smooth white and black suit, while Shantae donned a matching white dress to accompany his attire. Taking a moment for rehearsals, they tuned up their performance in his hotel room. With his preparations complete,Taiyon was now fully ready for the significant moment.The day's lineup was filled with slow songs, creating a laid back atmosphere for the crowd. He performed "Be My Girl" and "Hear Me Calling".
Once the show culminated, Shantae took a flight back to Atlanta for her rehearsals, rather than choosing the drive back. She assured Taiyon that she'd be back by morning. With a warm hug and soft kiss, they said their goodbyes. Afterward, Taiyon resided in his dressing room, when Daniel entered.
"Aye bro, you good?" Daniel asked as he sat beside Taiyon.
He exhaled a breath of content, "Yeah man, I'm fine. Being on that stage and hearing the people chanting my name feels amazing. Then there's that lingering feeling of what if I'm not enough for them?"
"T, this is just the beginning, man. You have a long road ahead of you. I know this is a lot, but you need to take it step by step. You're doing fine," he said, patting him on the back.
"Thanks, Daniel."
As they got back to the hotel, Taiyon couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with his finances. The tour had brought with it a glaring spotlight on these suspicious activities. The next morning, while on his way to pick up Shantae from the airport, he constructed a plan to address the issue with his team. Shantae noticed the tension in his behavior as she entered the car.
"Hey baby, are you okay?" she asked with concern.
"No, babe, something's off. My money is disappearing at an alarming rate, and I can't figure out why," Taiyon shared his worries.
"Well, baby you are on tour, isn't that normal?" she tried to justify.
"It's not the usual spending, babe. There are larger transactions that I can't account for." he explained.
They drove in silence, the mystery weighing heavily on their minds. Taiyon became increasingly committed to assembling a team meeting and resolve the financial mystery. They all gathered in a hotel conference room—Vicky, Derrick, Daniel, Maya, Shantae, and the background singers—each puzzled about the situation.
"I know you're all curious as to what's going on, and I'm here to shed some light on it. We're going to have to tighten our budget."
"What? Why, T?" Vicky's worry was evident.
"There have been some unusual disbursements, larger than necessary, and I need to get to the bottom of it," Taiyon explained.
Vicky squirmed in her seat, her discomfort clear.
"Vick, could you provide an explanation for these financial irregularities?" Taiyon asked directly.
Derrick's frustration erupted,
"What are you accusing my aunt of?" he yelled out, slamming his hands on the table.
"I'm not pointing fingers, but if anyone would have insights, it's her since she's handling the tour funds," Taiyon answered calmly.
"I, uh I don't know. I'd have to investigate further," she stammered nervously.
Their eyes locked, and Taiyon's suspicion grew.
"Everyone leave the room."
Initially hesitating, the room remained frozen. "Now!" Taiyon yelled, his frustration and urgency piercing the air.
The room emptied quickly, but Taiyon's frustration remained. As the door closed, he turned his gaze back to Vicky. "Vick, tell me what's been happening to my money."
"T," she began, her voice trembling.
He interrupted, his tone hardened, "I'm not playing games. Tell me."
"Okay, okay. I've been sending money to your father." she confessed in a hushed tone.
"You've been doing what? How could you betray me like this?" Taiyon's anger flared.
"T, I'm sorry, I thought it would bring you two closer," Vicky pleaded.
"By giving him my money without my consent? How does that make any sense?" Taiyon's frustration boiled over.
"Get out, right now!" he yelled.
Vicky stood, her eyes teary, and quietly left the room, leaving Taiyon to grasp the reality of betrayal. The atmosphere during the Houston leg of the tour remained charged with tension, yet Taiyon's continued to enthrall the audience with their brilliance. Amongst the external success, he grappled with a sense of betrayal that seemed to surround him. In spite of not speaking to his mother, Taiyon found himself sending her money, a gesture that stirred up complicated feelings and memories from his past. Shantae, too, was deeply affected by Vicky's actions, her displeasure mingling with Taiyon's.
Within the group, a lurking tension simmered beneath the surface, amplifying the strained relationship between Taiyon and Derrick. The dynamics between them were further drained by Derrick's return to drinking, casting a shadow over their relationship and deepening the growing rift.
Among one of his performances, a startling and unexpected turn of events unfolded as Derrick, his own cousin, stormed the stage and initiated an attack on Taiyon. Reacting in self-defense, Taiyon found himself engaged in a physical altercation with Derrick. The shocking event quickly made headlines, with media outlets reporting the confrontation under headlines such as "Rapper Derrick Jones, Cousin of Singer Taiyon Bennett, Launches On- Stage Attack on Taiyon, Sparking Media Hysteria." As the aftermath of the incident unfolded, the media frenzy that ensued cast a dark shadow over what was supposed to be a victorious tour. The series of events that transpired during this tour division left Taiyon extremely shocked and unsettled.
Back at the hotel, Shantae's comforting presence offered him consolation as she tended to his bruises.
"I can't believe how hectic the first part of your tour has been," Shantae remarked compassionately.
Taiyon nodded in agreement, his emotions still raw from the recent disruption. "You're right. It's been a lot to process."
A soft kiss from Shantae conveyed her steady support. "No matter what, I'm here for you," she reassured him.
With the Houston leg of the tour now behind them, the focus shifted to the next city, and the trip continued.