David 'Vido' Fields in the media.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I stepped out of the elevator to the fourth floor. It was Casual Friday and I had on a pair of black joggers that I dressed up with a blazer and some Giuseppe Zanotti heels that I bought last week.
“Good morning,” Nina greeted me with a wide smile on her face.
“Why are you so perky this morning?” I asked striding over to her desk.
“Because you're going to see your love interest after work. And I'll be right there beside you as your wingwoman.”
I laughed. “Girl you’re too much.”
“Am I?”, she raised an eyebrow at me. “You're the one wearing these tight cotton pants to help accentuate your rear end.”
“Lemme go to my office. I have a ton of work to get through if I want to leave on time today.”
“Have you forgotten that you’re CEO? You can leave anytime you want to. You could’ve even taken the whole day off to spend with Drake.”
“If I abuse my power all the time then I would never get any work done,” I said while walking away from her and towards my office.
I unlocked the door with my key and went to my desk. As usual, I set my handbag in the draw under my desk, but not before pulling out my cell phone and resting it on top of the desk. I logged onto the desktop computer. Automatically my ‘Stay Focus’ playlist, as I named it, started playing. It consisted of songs that were upbeat enough to keep me from falling to sleep on the job. Also, I ensured that they were never too upbeat to cause me to start singing and get completely distracted.
A few hours later my cell phone vibrated and the screen lit up notifying me that I had a text message from Vido.
Vido: Aint I told yo ass stop movin’ my shit without askin’?
Avery: What’re you bitching about this time?
Vido: My fucking money. Only you know where I keep it.
My brother was literally a human ATM for me. Whenever I need money, no matter how great the amount, I could always count on him and his stash. Of course, I had my own money, but I rather spend his. What else are older brothers for?
Avery: How much is missing?
Vido: Fuck you mean HOW MUCH! You aint know how much you took?
Avery: Chill! You aint got to type in caps to me. I dont remember moving anything recently.
Vido: 3 mil Avery! You remember now?
Vido was obviously not joking. He never uses my real name unless he is really pissed at me. Honestly, I couldn't remember removing that much money. I took a couple grand last week but it was no where near a million, let alone three.
Avery: Damn. You sure you ain't moved it and forgot? Maybe you was stoned or something.
Vido: You tryna say I move my own shit & dont remember? Fuck I look like? Some crazy nigga?
Avery: Im just trying to help you! But I swear I ain't move your money.
Vido: Then who tf did?
Avery: That’s what we gotta find out.
~~~~~~~
An hour later it was about ten minutes to four o'clock, meaning that I had an hour and a half left before I told Aubrey that we’d meet him at his video shoot. I got up from my desk and walked over to a set of cabinets and unlocked one. I pulled out a bottle of Patrón Dark Cocoa and put it in my handbag, thankfully I had brought a big one today.
I logged out of my computer, grabbed my belongings and left my office, locking the door behind me.
Nina looked at the big clock on the wall. “This isn’t what I meant by leaving early”, she said in a mocking tone.
“I have something I need to take care of”, I informed her. “We’ll meet up at my place in an hour”, I said while heading towards the elevator.
~~~~~~~~~
I pulled up into the parking lot of the cemetery. A few other cars were there, probably of custodians and persons who came to pay respects to their loved ones. I got out of the car and walked to where my Dad was buried.
“Hey dad,” I said as I pulled the bottle of Patrón out of my bag. “I brought your favorite. I haven't tasted this stuff since the last time I visited you...which was a few weeks ago. I know I should visit more often but I've been so busy. Of course, that’s no excuse. Remember when you first …”, I paused.
A lump formed in my throat. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the top of the bottle off and turned some to my head.
Swallowing the chocolate and coffee tasting liquor I tilted my head back and looked up. The sky was a light blue shade with a few clouds scattered here and there.
I sat on the bench that my siblings and I put here.
“When you were first buried, I used to visit you every single day. Sometimes yelling and crying and weeping and begging you to come back. I guess it's somewhat true that time heals on wounds. It still hurts to know that I'll never see you again but I guess that Im somehow starting to accept that fact.”
I took another large gulp. “I honestly wished that I could share this with you.”
“You really think he can hear you?”, a deep voice asked from behind me.
I nearly jumped out of my skin and turned to see my brother standing behind me.
“Calm down. It’s only me.”
I rolled my eyes. “You tryna scare somebody”, I said. “But, I don't know. I just pretend that he can, you know? Like he's right here seated on the bench beside me.”
Vido came and sat next to me. He took the bottle from my hand and turned some to his head.
“I always hated this shit”, he scowled.
“No one hates tequila!”, I protested.
He leaned back and stretched an arm on the bench behind me and I leaned into him.
“How’d you know I was here?”, I asked him.
“I didn’t. I came here for me”, he paused as if rethinking his next sentence. “You just hear having a big ass conversation with Pops?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Something like that. What do you do?”
“Just sit here and stare at his grave forever, man. Like he's gonna jump out or some shit. I mean I'd like to do how you do but…”
“But?”
“I dunno what to say.”
“Just say the first thing that comes to mind.”
He looked as if he was unsure.
“Come on,V, this is Dad. Who's more easy to talk to than him?”
He moved his arm from around me and leaned forward. Resting both elbows on his knees, he propped his head up on his hands.
“Aight. The first thing I that comes to mind when I think about Pops is...is how much I miss him.”
“Don’t say it to me, tell him”, I instructed.
“Seriously?”, he looked back at me. “This shit dumb. Fuck I look like talking to a dead man?”
“He’s not a dead man. He’s our Dad!” I firmly cupped my hand around his chin and positioned his head back to the grave.
He smacked his teeth and ran a hand through his bleached blonde curls.
“Pops, I miss you. I really fucking miss your ass.”
“No. No. You wouldn't talk to him with all that cursing. He would've popped you in the mouth.”
The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
“And he would’ve cursed back at me like, ‘watch ya fucking mouth, young blood’”, Vido added.
We both laughed and each took another shot of tequila.
“We bout to get real fucked up in this graveyard”, Vido said.
“When last have we hung out together? Just the two of us?”
“Been a minute. We used to be the closest”, he said while stroking his beard.
“I mean we still are in some ways and I know I can talk to you about anything if I need to.”
He nodded.
“You just gotta stop being so overbearing sometimes.”
“Fuck you mean?”
“How you're so controlling. You treat me like Im still a kid sometimes.”
“What you talkin bout?”, he asked, as if he was really clueless.
“For example, the whole Drake situation. You make it seem like I'm not old enough to make decisions. Do you trust me?”
“I trust you, Tweety. It’s him I don't trust.”
“You don’t even know him!”, I exclaimed.
“I can't trust a nigga I dont know.”
He had a point there.
“Well he’s in Miami right now. You wanna meet him?”, I asked.
“He’s here?”
I nodded. “Me, Allie and Nina are partying with him tonight actually.”
“Damn. This nigga got my two sisters and my babymomma hooked,” he commented. “Aight. I wanna meet him.”
I was about to take another shot, but I could feel the effects from the previous ones starting to set in. I better not since I'll have to drive home.
“Do you trust this guy?”, V asked.
I didn’t answer right away. “I can't say that I trust him completely yet, but I know I soon will. I still have my guard up, of course, cause I mean it could just be act. And he does have a reputation for being a fuckboy, but I mean that’s what tabloids say and they dont know the real him.”
“And you do? You know the real him?”
“I'm getting to.”
“If you really serious about him, lemme meet him. Invite him over for dinner on Sunday.”
I smiled. That reminded me of a scene in a movie or tv show where a guy has dinner at his girlfriend’s home to meet her family. The difference is that he wouldn't get to meet my parents. He might miss out on being grilled by my father but between my two brothers, they'll be sure not to miss that out.
“So about this money that went missing. What you gonna do?”, I asked breaking the silence
“I gotta find somewhere to hide the rest before someone else finds it.”
“How about put it on my bank account. Ill make you a joint partner so you'll have all access to it.”
He gave me a look that I couldn't read.
“It’s not like you can walk into a bank and open a bank account with your illegal money and all. I already have a couple millions on my account and proper statements saying where my money comes from. So if you put it on my account it's safe. I promise I won't spend it. That's option one.”
“What’s option two?”
“We go home for a couple. You go on business. I'm going for a vacation.”
“The Bahamas?”
“Where else? We live less than two hundred miles away and haven't been in a while. Deposit your money in an offshore bank. No questions asked and it's hard to trace.”
He smiled. “I like the way you think. Imma do both”
“Both?”, I questioned.
“Yea. Im gonna do 50/50. Half goes in your account so I can get money whenever I need to. The half goes in the offshore bank.”
I smiled big. “When are we going? I gotta go bikini shopping.”
“As soon as possible. Next week. This your plan, you make the reservations”, he instructed.
“You're so bossy.”
Even though I shouldn't, I decided to take a celebratory shot. I raised the bottle to my lips and swallowed a big gulp.
“But I gotta find out who took my shit”, Vido said between greeted teeth. “When I catch that motherfucka he goin wish he never thought about crossing me.”
“Why you so sure it's a guy. It could very well be a girl”, I pointed out.
I took out my phone to check the time and saw I had six missed called and eleven text messages. I had put my phone on silent when I came into the cemetery. It was fifteen minutes past the set time I had scheduled to meet up with Nina. Where did the time go? All of the missed calls were from her.
“Oh shit. I got to go”, I told Vido.
I went to get up from the bench and stumbled. My legs felt jelly like and my head was spinning a bit. Vido held on to me and sat me back down.
He laughed. “How many shots did you have?”
I started counting on my fingers. “Like five.”
“Sit down and wait a bit. You cant even walk. Let alone drive.”
I took out my phone and read through Nina’s texts. They were all threats telling me to get my ass home.
Avery: I'm having a little problem right now. Sit tight. I'll be home when I can.
I had one text from Aubrey. It was just of the location of the video shoot and of the after party. We hadn't spoken all day, but I knew he was fully occupied with the filming of the video. I decided to send him a text to let hin know what's going on.
Avery: Something came up so Im gonna be a little late. But don’t think Im cancelling. Im still coming tonight.