ONE:
THE EMPIRE.
EMPIRE RECORDS was overwhelming. From the busy noises to all the hustling and bustling people that were running around. Edythe couldn't believe this is where she was working. She also couldn't believe she was actually walking in the heels Cookie had gotten for her. Her white blouse stood out against her asymmetrical black pencil skirt, and her cheetah print heels, picked out by the Queen Cheetah herself, clicked against the floor as she jogged to catch the elevator door. She held two coffees in her hands as well as Cookie's purse and fur coat. She caught her breath and sighed, waving a hand of thanks.
"Thank you," she sighed as a female looked at her as she pushed the button to the floor she needed to go onto.
"You got it?" she asked, turning her nose up. Instantly, Edythe's guard went up faster than the girl could sneeze from the dust that was going up her big nostrils.
"Yeah," she said boldly, not showing any signs of insecurity. "You got it or did you have a hard time holding the door open, honey?"
She rolls her eyes and folds her arms over her chest. Edythe wasn't faced by the girl's pettiness and she curved her lips in a smirk.
"Do you know who I am?" she finally asked.
"Nope, and quite frankly, I don't care." Edythe replied coolly. "By the way, at least my hair is natural because your weave is either so tight or so old, ya scalp is showing, boo."
The elevator dinged as Edythe walked out the elevator without another word or glance. She walked down the hall and pushed the door open with her hip, her voice an octave louder than usual. "Miss Cookie?"
"Right here, honey." Cookie came from around the corner, dressed in a black dress with a cheetah printed skirt and a long gold necklace around her throat. "Jesus, bless this child," she said, raising her hands in what Edythe had learned was an expression of gratefulness. "How was your test, E?"
"Fine, ma'am," she said, handing Cookie her coffee as she sat the woman's coat and purse down in Cookie's chair.
"You pass?" she asked, raising a brow as she sat down, crossing her leg over her knee.
"I believe so." she said, sipping from her own cup of coffee.
Just as they began to have a decent conversation, Anika walked in her nose turned up and her hand on her swollen stomach. Edythe had only been around for three months at Empire but she couldn't stand the woman Cookie always called Boo Boo Kitty. At the thought of the nickname, Edythe snickered to herself.
"Has anyone seen Hakeem?" Lucious came in, throwing the doors open. "Or Laura?"
"Was that the sassy little Latina girl?" Edythe said, her brows raised.
"Yes," Cookie said, holding a finger up at Lucious, not wanting him to speak to her.
"I think she was going to the next floor."
"They supposed to be plannin' this wedding," Lucious grumbled, getting on his phone.
Edythe glanced to Cookie who sighed, shaking her head. "That boy."
"You want me to go get him?" Edythe asked.
"Yes, please, E."
Edythe opened the door with her hip, her coffee in hand as she jogged through the floor, weaving between the crowd of artists. She glanced to the packed elevator and hissed, turning to the flight of stairs. She went through the door, jogging up the stairs. She got to the doors of the floor that had all the recording studios, and pushed open the first one. Her nose scrunched open as she watched Laura and Hakeem make out against the table. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, exhaling loudly.
"Hakeem, ya mama wants both of y'all."
Hakeem made some kind of noise, and Edythe smirked, leaning against the door. "Trust me, I don't want to see ya bony ass either."
She stood up properly, and let the door shut, walking back to the elevator. A few seconds later, Hakeem was there, standing across from her.
"Sup, baby girl?"
The blonde, dipping her middle finger in her whipped cream of her coffee. She licked it, before holding her middle finger at him as she sipped from her straw.
"I will get you," he whispered as the elevator doors shut and went down.
"Keep trying baby boo boo." She grinned, pursing her lips towards his face. Hakeem breathed in her perfume, his eyes glancing down at her neck where her necklace rested against her collarbone. She pushed his nose away from her, resting her finger against his forehead.
As the doors opened, she slipped out the door, a confident sway in her hips. Her lips curled in a grin as the doors open, her fingers tucking a curl of blonde back in her bun.
"Miss Cookie, here's Hakeem," Edythe said, tossing her cup in the trash. Hakeem watched her move, his eyes looking her up and down and staring at her toned calves, to the cut in the side of her skirt, revealing toned, muscular thighs.
"Damn, baby," he whispered in her ears, squeezing her bicep. Edythe narrowed her eyes at him, her lips curling in a smile.
"Eyes up here. And not a chance, baby," she laughed, standing behind Cookie's chair.
Edythe fiddled with the necklace around her neck, a parent for her younger sister. Her phone vibrated in the pocket of her skirt and Cookie glanced at her with worry in her eyes.
"Is everything okay, E?"
"Let me see, may I?"
Cookie nodded, and Edythe walked off, her heels clicking with each of her steps. She could hear Lucious talk, questioning Cookie again on who Edythe was.
And Cookie, who acted like Edythe's mother or guardian, refused to tell. As far as Lucious knew, she was a swimmer and Cookie's personal assistant.
Edythe walked out the conference room, and answered her phone. "Hello?"
It was her coach, wondering where she was. "Edythe, where are you?"
"Working," she murmured. "Is something wrong?"
"No, I have some news for you though."
"Okay, fire away." Edythe took a deep breath and swallowed, her hand on her chest.
"You've gotten into trials. The Olympic trails. You pass these, you're an Olympian."
"Are you serious?" she asked, excitement feigning on the edge of her voice.
"Yes. Trials is at Syracuse University, next Thursday at six."
"Next Thursday?" she asked. "That's fine."
She hoped Cookie wouldn't mind. After all, it was just a small dinner she'd be late to, but this was her dream she was about to reach. Her dream, just like Hakeem's was to make it big in the rap game.
"Good. We need to practice, so just show up Friday, Saturday, and Next Tuesday and Wednesday. We need to be on the top of the game."
Edythe nodded, "Absolutely." Her coach hung up, and she put her phone back in the pocket of her skirt, walking into the conference room with a smile on her face.
Cookie stood to her feet, knowing what that smile meant. Cookie had been Edythe's biggest rock, even driving to or attending some of Edythe's most serious competitions.
"So?" Cookie asked.
"I'm in trials! They're next Thursday at six. I'll be late for the dinner but-"
Cookie squealed excitedly, throwing her arms around Edythe. Edythe laughed and hugged Cookie, the older woman's excitement contagious.
"Trials?" Lucious said, on edge.
Instantly, Edythe thought of her brother, who was a FBI agent.
Edythe pulled away from Cookie as his features hardened in suspicion.
"I'm a swimmer. I made Olympic trials. I win this, I go to the Olympics this year." she said, folding her arms over her chest.
Anika raised a brow behind her hands, as Hakeem sat on the table. "She's going to the Olympics?" he laughs as if it's a joke. Edythe, however, rolls her eyes and looks at Cookie.
"Miss Cookie, I've got practice Friday, Saturday, Next Tuesday, and Wednesday."
"I'll take you," Cookie volunteers. "And for the last time, E," she smiles playfully, "It's just Cookie."
"Thank you," Edythe exhaled.
"Sweetheart," Cookie smiled, fiddling with one of Edythe's curls. "You've been such a help round here. And if you win this trial, which you will, you'll show all them white people that us black folks are more than just gangbanger and thieves."
"You talk better to her than you do me, Ma." Hakeem scoffs and Edythe swears she sees a pout from him. "You sure you didn't birth her?"
"I wish I did," Cookie replied. "She's got her head screwed on straight. Maybe she can teach you a lesson on how to behave, boy."
Lucious snorted. "Cookie, you are pouring more of your time with her than your own kids."
"No, Lucious, I'm not. Edythe is my backbone and she is what keeps me from kicking your ass sometimes."
Edythe and Hakeem both snickered for a second, before Edythe played it off as coughing. She folded her arms over her chest and smiled at Hakeem teasingly.
"No worries," she told him. "I'll still be at your dinner and your wedding to slap you if you get cold feet."
Cookie smiled at Edythe, who looked at the papers Cookie had been messing with.
"Look girl," Lucious started. "You win them damn trials, and you credit us, you hear me?" he demands at Edythe.
As she began to reply, Cookie beat her to it. "She ain't got to credit no one but her mama and Jesus. And you are not going to threaten her or I will shoot your ass."
Edythe flushed, a bit embarrassed as Cookie defended her. But Cookie was like a mom to her and nothing could stop how defensively Cookie was about her. Cookie turned to her and squeezed her hand. "You credit whoever you want, Edythe. You hear me? You just focus on winning these trials and going to the Olympics. And I will be in the crowd cheering you and holding your dress for that dinner afterwards."
"Yes, ma'am," Edythe nodded, a timid smile on her face.
"Now come on, you and I are going to get lunch," Cookie said, taking Edythe's hand, and grabbing her purse and coat.
"It's only eleven, Cookie!" Lucious yelled as Cookie laughed.
"Perfect time for brunch!" she said, both Edythe and her walking out the door. The older woman waved as the door closed behind them, leaving that hot mess standing and staring at the glass.
"Are we really going to brunch?" Edythe asked Cookie.
"Yes, and to find you a gown for the dinner and the wedding. You're going to be sexy and I'm going to make it happen."
Edythe laughed as Cookie smiled at her, leading her to the car.
Cookie had no idea how grateful Edythe was for her, especially when Edythe was longing for a mother.