An emAgency
We've all been thrown a massive curve ball here at NY-Mag as Ama Jenkins does it yet again. Being preoccupied by the ongoing elections did not get in the way of this beauty Queen, Oh No!
As we all know, today was polling day, the day everyone has been itching for. After watching our many candidates go neck and neck, trying to win us over, we finally get a say. But what we weren't expecting was this bombshell of a business deal.
And what what exactly did the self made billionairess do. Well let's begin with a modelling agency!! She is now a partner in the fresh new 'VKJD Agency of Talent and Expression'. The partnership being between Ama Jenkins, Yulia Kochkov, Phoebe Dracoll, And a new face, DonAntonio Verma.
And no, that isn't the only deal she's made, it has been announced that Ama has also handed, yes handed, Yuffles Cafés over to the mysterious Verma, claiming it would be better in the hands of someone with more passion for the trade.
And it doesn't stop there. Ama and Graham have come to a partnership on the company Royal, hoping to expand and promote their cause.
Who says you can't mix business and love?
"I still can't believe no one recognizes the name Verma." Donny grumbel, slapping the paper down onto the coffee table. "That name used to have people at there knees."
"This is not Italy Don." Ama chided, returning to the lounge area after seeing Graham off. "And you are not your father."
"You know, you act like such an uncooth bone head, I forget you're rich." Yulia mumbled, tapping her heels, a nervous habit.
"Hmm, you're lucky you look the part today, I can't find anything on you to insult."
And it was true, Yulia mostly opted for jeans and a shirt or wore cute oversized things. Today she wore wore blue-grey pants with a matching fitted low shoulder blazer a cream turtle neck and burgundy stilettos. She wore shiny burgundy lipstick and her light brown hair was styled into a neat Bob.
"I always look the part." She smile, batting her long mascara clad lashes.
Ama chuckled at their squabbling and went out to the balcony, so much had changed in the past months, her world didn't seem so glum anymore she felt liberated. Maybe because she'd fallen in love. Maybe because of the campaign, all she'd learnt. For the first time in a long time, it felt good to be alive.
Out the corner of her eye, Ama spotted a car pulling up to the building, a red convertible that belonged to Richie. And sure enough, her brother slid out the car and strode inside, Bulldog following close behind.
Within a few minutes, he burst into the lounge, demanding to know where Ama was. She whipped around just in time to see him come through the door, dressed casualty in a brow sweater, black khakis, with a small satchel over his shoulder and mirrored shades.
"Sis..." He squeaked. He'd been crying, or was about to.
He peeled off the shades to show his red puffy eyes. He'd definitely been crying.
Ama said nothing, just embraced her brother as he started to sob again.
"It's ok, let it all out. Come let's sit." She soothed, guiding him to a couch.
As soon as the others say his face, Yulia and Donny rushed out, coming back with ice-cream and other snacks while Phoebe set her laptop down and went for a box of tissues. Ama looked over to Bulldog for some sort of answer, he only shrugged as he undid his tie, frown deepening as Richie started wheezing.
Once he'd calmed down a bit an the room was silent, Ama asked what was going on.
"Are you ready to tell us what's wrong now." She said softly, rubbing his back.
"God I'm so pathetic." He gasped.
"Tell us what's going on and then we can decide if you are." Phoebe said.
Richie sighed. "It's my mother."
Everyone's faces scrunched up in distaste, except Donny who wore a grim expression. Elenore was back...
"What did good for nothing bitch do now?" Yulia all but spat out.
"Well it all happened about three weeks ago, while you were still in the Salt Lake City, I got an email from her saying that she wanted to meet up. I thought I could just ignore it like I usually do, until I realized that she'd sent it about twenty times. I was so pissed and curious, so I called her and told her to leave me the fuck alone, but she insisted on meeting me as there was something very important she needed to tell me."
"I didn't know what to do, so I called Donny and he offered to go with me. We met her at a cafe in the Old Time Square estate and we talked. She was... Nice to me, she didn't call me name's look at me weird and apologized for everything she's done. Then she came out with the oh so big news that she was remarried."
"Fuck!" Bulldog exclaimed, accidentally spilling hot tea on himself.
Yulia choked on her pastie and Phoebe swallowed her wine wrong, making it come back out her nose.
"She what!"
"Since fucking when!"
"Almost two years now, but that's not what got to me. Her husband is my ex! Fucking Lennon Kilton. And they have a child a fucking son together." He choke out, starting to sob again.
"What the actual motherfucking hell." Phoebe mumbled, more to herself.
"She said that she would've told me earlier, since he was almost 9 now, but she knew that it would just complicate things."
"Almost 9..." Bulldog muttered. "That means..."
"So that means Lennon did cheat on you. Lying ass bitch motherfucker." Ama stated.
"Anyway, I asked if I could meet him, and she agreed. So a week later I went to meet them at a country club. His name is Jude and and he looks just like his father. And seeing how my mother showered him with so much love and affection. That's shit hurt, I was thinking of all the times she used to harass me and wondering why she couldn't have just loved me like she loved Jude."
"Then Lennon showed up and it got a little awkward. But they all looked so happy together, like their own little family. I was so disturbed by it that I left. But then Lennon showed up at home this morning, after you lot left..."
"What did he want?" Donny asked.
"He said he wanted to explain. He claimed that he didn't know about his son until he bumped into him when he ran off from his mother in a store... Six years ago. In trying to be a part of his son's life he fell in love with my mother and they got married.
"When I asked him why he really broke off our engagement, he said he felt guilty after he'd slept with my mum and also realized that I was too good for him. He went on about how 12 years was too much of an age gap and that he still wasn't ready for such a commitment. He told me that he was really in love with my mother and she made him happy.
"When I asked him if he ever loved me, he shook his head and said that he did, but not as a lover, or a spouse should have. Then he went on saying how he's moved on now and would appreciate if I looked at him as if he were an uncle and not a lover. Then he left."
Ama was fuming, and the worst part was that she couldn't fault them. Yes Elenore had not been the best mother. Yes Lennon had cheated on Richie while they were engaged. But having a child and falling in love were things that were out of one's control.
Everyone sat in silence for a while, trying to process the new info, there was nothing much they could really do about it.
"Well at leas she's trying to make an effort at being you mum though, right?" Phoebe said.
"I guess, she asked if it was okay for us to meet more often... Which I'm cool with. But she still needs to apologize for what she did to us, I mean she tried but I stopped her."
"Why?" Bulldog growled out.
"Because she did it to all of us, so she has to apologize to all of us. So I may or may not have invited her to the Late Autumn Gala next month."
"Richie! Papa will have your neck!" Ama cried.
"Hey, I also told her to ask extra permission. I didn't promise anything."
"Enough of this!" Donny suddenly exclaimed, jumping from his seat. "Let's go shopping, I need new hoodies for the winter, and something for Christoph's belated birthday celebration in the evening."
"Yeah! And we need to get Bethany's and Mataio's Birthday presents too." Yulia chimed in.
"My cousins birthday isn't until the middle of November Yulia. Besides, you know he won't like anything you get him."
"Hey what's that supposed to mean!"
Bulldog shook his head as they headed out of the building. "How can those two possibly be together."
"Well it's not official yet." Phoebe pointed out.
"Hey, speaking of being together and such, is Bethany still not over Alex yet?" Richie asked.
"Last I spoke to her, which was on the weekend, she was locked in her room sulking because she was being harassed by his new girlfriend. Something about how Alejandro was only with her out of obligation or some this like that." Ama explained.
"Well I have an idea!" Richie exclaimed. "Graham's cousin Christoph is single right. He's only nineteen, handsome, smart, likes music, gaming, fashion. He is polite, sweet, we should hook them up."
"That's not such a bad idea." Bulldog nodded in approval. "I'm sure Aunt Efi won't mind entertaining a few more house guests."
Phoebe snorted. "Not like she has much choice. My father is already interrogating me about Francis and I'm not sure how long he'll last if I brought him home. The only people who aren't at my neck for details are my mother and Adrian."
"That's because Adrian is the only one who didn't enlist." Ama pointed out. "You know all the your brother's have a soft spot for you."
"Even Quinn. Even if he's drop dead gorgeous, he's as cold as a grave." Richie grumbeled.
"Oh give the guy a break. He's a medic and is constantly seeing people die." Bulldog said.
"Well at least he's not as bad as Yuri."
"Who! W-where!" Yulia cried ant the sound of her brother's name, making Donny scoff.
"Chicken."
He held the comb steady on his scalp and sprayed as much hairspray as he could bare over his head. He gently placed the can down as he slowly ran the comb all the way back.
"Ha! It worked." He said, smiling at his reflection. The cowlick popped out and hung on his for head.
Graham deflated.
"I honestly don't know why you even try to get that thing under control." Francis chuckled from his place on the bed. "Besides, you know she likes it anyway."
Graham smiled at that, she didn't just like it, she loved it. And found great amusement in watching him try and fail to get it under control.
"Alas, it the one trait of mine that in am not so delighted my father passed on to me." He chided, leaving the room.
"Hey, you'll have to be meeting her parents soon." Francis called after him.
"Yeah, I'm going with her when she leaves for France."
"Phoebe won't tell me anything about meeting her parents. Every time I ask about it, she just shrugs and changes the subject."
"Well what do you already know about her family."
"I know that she has 4 older brothers, and that she and the youngest, Adrian, are the only ones who haven't enlisted." Frank furrowed his brows. "But that shouldn't be a big issue right. So she comes from an army family, we're all still people at the end of the day."
Graham rubbed his chin in thought. "Maybe it's what they do in the army."
"Well I know her dad was an army General, her mom was in the navy. Xander, the oldest, is a pilot in the air force. Quinn is a medic and Lucian is a mechanic and weapons man."
"What does Adrian do?"
"He's a journalist."
That was quite a family.
The two men continued to chatter idley about their girlfriends, contemplating on what sort of experiences were ahead of them. A few minutes later, Christoph came sauntering past them, whistling a little tune.
Frank and Graham stopped and eyed him curiously. This was the first time they'd seen the brooding teenager in a good mood for a while. They followed him to his room where he'd left the door slightly ajar. He stood in front of his mirror, white t-shirt tucked into his jeans and running a comb through his black hair.
"He has so met a girl." Frank mumbled under his breath.
"Are you two going to keep spying on me or are you too pussy to enter." Chris smirked.
"Hey, your the one who always kicks us out. You don't even let mom clean your room anymore." Graham chuckled as he came to stand by his cousin. He was almost the same hight now.
"Auntie May knows I can take car of myself, I'm not like Francis."
"Hey, I have more important things to think about, I couldn't care less if I slept in a pigs stay."
Graham raised an eyebrow at Frank. Everyone knew he was a huge control freak when it came to his personal space. Even if it looked a mess, it mustn't be tampered with.
"So are you going to tell us why you're in a good mood or are you just going to pretend the smile in your eyes doesn't exist."
Frank snorted when his brother furrowed his brows in feigned confusion. "You can't hide shit from us bro. Spill it out, is it a girl?"
"Look, I have no clue what you're... Graham don't give me that look." Chris scowled.
"What? The 'thats complete bullshit and we all know it' look. Because I won't stop until you spill. C'mon man, who is she? Do we know her?"
"No you do not know her, and neither do I really, she doesn't live in this country." Christoph shrugged.
"So it is a girl!" Frank exclaimed.
"Oh please Frank, she's just a fellow gamer."
"She doesn't sound like a 'fellow gamer' to me. What's her username?" Graham probed.
"..."
"Chris..."
"If I tell you, you must promise not to stalk her, and don't ask your girlfriends to either. It won't work out anyway and we're just friends."
"Well what is it then!?"
"... It's... BettyBoo202." Graham had to stifle a snicker when he noticed a small blush creep up his neck. Francis was not to subtle.
"Are... Are you blushing."
"Shut up!" He growled back.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CHRISTOPH... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!"
Ama, Yulia, Phoebe and Missy all stood at the door all grinned from ear to ear.
"Blue Eyes!" He cheered, going to hug Ama.
"Little Boy!" She cried in return.
"Okay maybe not."
"Shush up and give us a hug."
A pout set on Graham's lips as he watched the women enclose Chris in a group hug.
"You look like a pimp." He scowled.
"And you look like a pussy deprived bitch." Chris grinned back, making Ama cackle in approval.
"That's true. Anyway, there's a surprise waiting for all three of you downstairs so hurry you Pussy-deprived asses downstairs."
Ama watching closely as Graham cradled the tiny baby in his arms. He stared down at the child with so much love and care. She could already imagine the kind of father he'd be.
"She smiled!" He gasped, smiling down at his niece.
"He's going to spoil my daughter rotten." Veronica muttered, giving her brother the stink eye. She'd come back a few days ago with her husband Gustavo, an olive skinned man with brown curly hair and piercing hazel eyes. The Nerval Therapy had been a miracle to them and now he was almost back to normal.
Their daughter Giselle-Marie had been born but 3 days ago, with Veronica having gone into labor mere minutes before the plane touched down.
"And I am in full support of him." Cynthia-May countered. "He'll be an amazing uncle... And father one day."
Ama's eyes widened. Had she heard he thoughts, or did she notice the how she was looking at Graham. But before Ama could pretend she didn't know what they were on about, she felt Graham snake his arm round her waist and bring her to his chest.
"I missed you." He mumbled onto her hair. She smiled, they'd seen each other in the morning and it felt like days.
"I missed you too." She replied, kissing his chin.
"Aww, you two are so cute." Veronica gushed.
"Don't you have a husband." Cynthia-May remakes.
"I could ask you the same thing mom."
Not wanting to hear them bickering, Graham took Ama to the kitchen where he showered her in kisses.
"Gray! Stop it." She giggled.
"Somebody is pussy whipped to a whole new level." The pair turned just in time to see Christoph leave with a plate full of cheese and cucumber sandwiches.
"That boy is so quite that I forget how bad mouthed he is when he does open that God forsaken trap of his." Graham grumbled.
Ama laughed. "He's only like that because he hasn't got the right girl yet. When that happens, he'll have a better use for that mouth of his."
"Well that may not be far away now. Don't breath a word of this to him or he'll try and choke me with his eyes."
"My ears are open and lips are sealed."
"Apparently, there is a gamer girl that has snagged his attention."
"Ooh, what's her name?"
"All we know is her user name. BettyBoo202."
Ama froze, she knew exactly who that was.
"Hey, what's wrong? Do you know who-"
"Sshshhsh!!" Ama quickly bought his ear to her mouth and whispered hushly. "That's my sister Bethany. But it's okay, me and the others were planning on setting them up when we got home."
A Cheshire cat smiled spread across Graham's face. This was fate, there was no other explanation.
"Babe..."
"Yes..."
"Can we have a baby..?"
Ama scrunched up her nose. "You're only saying that because you have the easy part"
"Please..." He begged, giving her puppy dog eyes.
"Maybe... If we ever get married in the future." Ama mentally face palmed, how could she agree to this.
"Great." Next thing she knew she was thrown over Graham's shoulder and was heading out of the kitchen.
"Hey! I made no promises! Graham put me down."
"Don't worry muffin. I'm only going to show my future baby mama some TLC."
Future Baby Mama...
Ama liked the sound of that.