"I would never post videos to bring down my daughter. She may have lied on me in her li'l documentary but I'd never stoop that low. I'm not evil." SHE LISTENED TO THE VIDEO of her mother speaking on their interview on The Breakfast Club. When she found out about her Mother and sister being in New York at the same time as her, she immediately found out why. They appeared on one of the top morning shows in America. Shantey suspected that soon enough, they would make themselves East to tell more lies on the radio speaking about the recent videos that have been posted of her.
"Before anything, she is my daughter; my first born. The lies in her documentary—"
"I think that's bullshit!" Charlemagne tha God chimed in. "Excuse my language but seriously, I don't feel nothin in her documentary was a lie. None of it. What child would lie about a grown man— her mother's boyfriend— touching her?"
"If we're being honest here," she heard her sister Tajana speak up, "she was high in pills—"
"So that gives him the right to touch on little ass girl? That's bullshit... yet again. And how are you her sister and not know that she didn't start the pills until she was twelve? The molesting happened when she was younger. Did either one of y'all actually watch the documentary or did you just watch the clips of it being about y'all to hear how of truth she actually spoke?"
Closing the video on Jasmine iPhone screen, Shantey handed back her device as the vehicle pulled to the back entrance of the venue. She definitely had to commend Charlemagne for being loyal to her and not falling for their lies and bullshit. It may have been times she wanted to smack him during interviews for his smart remarks, but who haven't? She's thankful that he respected their own friendship to chew them out.
"I'm focusing on this show." Shantey spoke as the driver Hector stepped out of the truck. "Whatever they have to say, that's on them." Shrugging, she got out of the truck when Hector opened the door for her.
Jasmine followed suit of getting out the truck. "Should we have security look out for them during the concert?"
"Yeah," she confirmed as they walked into the venue. Then, she changed her mind. "You know what, never mind don't. If they want to come in, let them."
Jasmine looked at her as if she lost her mind. "Are you sure?" She asked for reassurance while Shantey removed her fur coat and handed it to her. "I don't want you to have the worry about drama."
"I'm good. I have to work on my soundcheck." Shantey says dismissing the conversation and walking on stage. Her band is already on stage and her creative director is making sure everything is in order with the lights. "Let's start with Fairplay." She informed her band.
Shantey start singing as the band played the correct instruments.
Now I got your attention
Let me ask a question
Did you learn—
"Wooooo!" Shantey heard over the instruments when she looked ahead of her to familiar faces she haven't saw in a while. She's completely shocked that she could only smile and be stuck as the Father and Daughter danced...
"What the fuck are you guys doin here?" Shantey asked through her laughter.
"Keep it goin' mami!" the daughter shouted and recorded a video for her phone. Shantey continued to vocalize her lyrics and waved at them. She looked out at the wide smiles they held. Shantey finished the soundcheck for Fairplay and decided to speak to them— Nico Gutierrez and Tayler. Nico happened to be the first father figure she's ever had in her life. When she was young and pregnant, Nico lived across the street from her aunt Sunni; being the Panamanian family that raised her to embrace the Spanish side of her. And his daughter Tayler Gutierrez is a few years younger than her and she's been more of a sister than her own.
Shantey barely saw Nico because he's always stationed overseas in the Navy. For her to lay eyes on him and Tayler after a long while, she was happy they traveled so far to come see her.
She rushed off stage, pulling Nico and Tayler into a warm embrace...
"Oh my goodness, your hair!" Shantey excitedly squealed, ruffling Tayler's head full of blonde curls. "I fucking love it! And you're getting thick, you bitch."
"Me? Look at you!" Tayler beamed a smile.
"I am getting a little thick huh?" Shantey twerked lightly on Tayler. "But no foreal, let's go talk in my dressing room." She leaded them there and they plopped down the couch. Shantey lays her head against Nico as Tayler sat on the other side of him.
"I'm going to be in L.A. in the next few shows. Y'all couldn't wait?"
"I go back to base tomorrow afternoon. That's why we popped up at this one because I knew I wouldn't make it to that one." Nico enlightened receiving a head nod from Shantey. "Mama will be there." He referred to his wife.
"Really? I'm ready to see her, too."
"Your documentary... Whew!" Nico released a sharp breath. "I'm not going to lie Bebita. . . I cried."
Shantey looked at him, repelled. "Seriously? I've never seen you even shed a tear, Papa Nic."
"Believe him, he cried." Tayler confirmed with a light chuckle. "He video called me from base and cried again."
"Aww!" Shantey laughed shortly.
"That was one of the best documentaries I've ever watched. It was real and uncanny. If no one shed at least one tear off that, they cold hearted. You've been through hell and back and here you are. On your headlining tour, an amazing Mother, an artist— you're just killing it right now. And I know if I never told you enough, I'm fucking proud of you."
"Thank you Papa."
"Now, how are you doing?" Tayler questioned with her elbow resting on back of the couch and her head laying on the palm of her hand. "I know with everything going on in the blogs; the videos and all of the nonsense."
"I'm... okay— dealing best way I can by ignoring and not responding. I told my truth and they don't like it." Shantey disregarded. "It's a shame that the woman that gave birth to me and a sister I raised when her mother was out running streets with her pedophile boyfriend, is really doing everything they can to take me down. It's sick. I tried doing for my mother. She stole from me. I tried doing for my sister plenty of times and her kids, she fucked up my house. I've given up on trying with them along time ago." She vented to them both...
"Some people on this earth just don't know how accept an Angel in their lives even after what she put you through throughout your childhood. You provided her a new home, car, and even money. But she ran off with yours and disappeared. Karma always come around for people like them. But don't allow them to steal your joy. You're a winner. And if they don't want to love an Angel like you, I love you with my heart Bebita." Nico voiced, hugging her and kissed her forehead...
"I love you, too, Papa."
"Aww, I want love, too!" Tayler says raising from the couch and hugged both her father and Shantey.
Shantey snickered hugging Tayler back when she remembered their was something she's kept hidden from them. "Oh yeah, I'm having another baby."
Nico and Tayler separates from the hug abruptly and looked at Shantey.
"No fucking way!" Tayler watched as Shantey rubbed her stomach. She screamed in excitement once she realized it was real. "You stupid whore! How far along?"
"Shh, the public doesn't know," she shushed her. "I turned four months a few days ago."
Tayler gasped. "And you didn't tell me sooner?" She asked, hitting her arm. "You whore! I cannot believe you."
"Sorry." Shantey laughed, "I promise I was gonna tell you guys but I wanted to know what I was having before saying anything. With everything going on with the blogs I couldn't risk it getting out to the public."
"We wouldn't have told anyone. But I understand honey." Nico assured her. "Having a safe and healthy pregnancy is what's important."
"Shantey—" Anissa walked in the dressing room and stunned to see her longtime neighbors Nico and Tayler in with Shantey. She knows them, but doesn't have the close relationship like Shantey does. "Oh hey, Mr. Gutierrez and Tayler. This is a surprise."
Nico and Tayler both stood from couch and exchanged brief hugs with Anissa.
"How are you mami?" Tayler questioned. "It's been a while..."
"Honey making sure this woman here stays straight and not going off on social media for me to fix." Anissa referred to Shantey as they shared short laughter.
"My social nets gone right now. Nothing to worry about there."
"Thank God." Anissa playfully rolled her eyes. "I hate to mess up you guys conversation but you have meet and greets to get to. Your fans are waiting."
"Alright let's go. You guys staying for the show right?"
"Of course. We traveled all the way here and we watching this show."
Shantey beamed before leaving her dressing room behind Anissa. A sight of her the fans in line screamed and being sure to stand behind the rope. Sino stood near Shantey since a few shows ago one of her fans ran out of line and was only seconds away from jumping on her for a yearning hug. Sino caught the fan in time before a finger laid on her. She may not have known Shantey being pregnant, but Sino does and he's even more protective over her and his niece or nephew.
Shantey loving her fans entirely, she didn't allow Sino to throw her out. She made sure her fan calmed down from her excitement than gave her the embrace she was yearning for and let her go back in line. Sino, however, sternly informed the rules to the fans telling them if anyone else jumped out of line they would be kicked out. Rules were followed and the meeting continued.
"Hey bitches!" Shantey waved at her fans, standing in front of her backdrop.
An hour of a meet and greet, Shantey's finally on her last fan.
"I just wanted to express to you that I understand everything you went through with your pill addiction. I had one myself a few months ago and overdosed. I was in the hospital when I watched your documentary on Netflix. I heard the things you've been through and I could relate so, so much." Her fan started to tear up, "I remember being in the hospital that day with a bottle of pills hidden about to end it all but you stopped me from doing that. I listened to your early song One Of Those Days and it prevented me from swallowing those pills. So thank you so much."
"Oh my gosh," Shantey pulled her into a long embrace. "Listen mama, I didn't do that. You did. I was just a soundtrack. You were the strong one to pull yourself away from that horrible disease."
"Thank you for saying that. I love you so freaking much."
Shantey hands touched her chest. "Of course mama. Thank you for supporting me and being here tonight." Her fan hugged her once again.
"Shantey." Jasmine called, grabbing her attention and tapping her watch.
"Alright I want you to enjoy the show tonight and my best friend Amanda is opening for me. You have her song Ransom?"
"Oh yes, definitely."
"Alright I love you mama and enjoy the show tonight."
Shantey walked away with Jasmine and back to doing soundcheck for the next few hours and being sure to eat her food that was bought backstage for her and her team. Shantey dressed in her performance outfit before it's time for her to go on stage, she has to inhale the medicine from the mini vaporizer that was prescribed by her doctor since she's still dealing with a bit of chest congestion for her to breath right during her performance.
Band played the strings of Heavy as she walked onto stage with her fans screaming. Purple hue lights shined on her tawny skin and on her fans.
"You guys ready to cry, yeah?" Shantey spoke into the microphone while her fans shouted yeah as their response. The band continued to play. "Sometimes we need a good cry. It's okay." She grabbed the nearby stool and sat on it. "Let's have a heart to heart with one another real quick. Can I do that?"
Crowd cheered and she placed the microphone on the stand.
"Almost a week ago I went through a depressive state even while I was on stage performing, looking as if I was happy. But honestly, I wasn't. Everyone has seen the blogs and the headlines of me. Old videos of me that I'm not proud of. I was young and detached from myself..." Shantey tapped herself on the chest.
"I opened up to you guys, my fans because I felt you all deserved that. You guys have been more of my family these past years, sticking by me and if I never mentioned how much I genuinely appreciate you all, I do. Even with my own blood attempting to bring me down and I'm still standing. Shantey ain't going nowhere or allowing anything to bring me down because I'm a badass bitch!"
The crowd cheered loudly as Shantey smiled at their hooting and hollering.
"Before we get into Heavy, I want to remind you that when you're feeling at your lowest of lows, you can only go higher." Her fans proceeded to cheer, "when you're feeling your worst, it can only get better. If you know this sing every word with me."
I don't got my priorities straight
Don't know who I'm gonna be today
I'm no victim
But I deal with shit on the daily
A PERFORMANCE FULL OF tears and energy, Shantey finished her New York performance for the night. Going back to her dressing room Nico and Tayler were there with her team and congratulated her on her performance. This is the first time she's performed since being sick and as bad as she killed the stage, no one could ever tell she was dealing with a sickness or still partially congested tonight.
Shantey showered and dressed herself in one of her merch hoodies with spandex biker shorts and Chanel slides. Nico and Tayler had to leave back to California before he went back overseas.
Her dressing room door opened and Dave walked in, shaking hands with a few people on her team...
"Ledé!" He beamed while he walked towards her.
"You saw the show?" Shantey smiled hugging him whenever he neared her and kissed him.
"Yeah, I got here when Amanda performed. You sounding back to yourself." Dave commented running his fingers through her hair.
"I know." She smiled with her head laying on his chest. Her eyes closed from exhaustion and his fingers massaging her scalp. "Where's Cru?"
"At the pad. You free?"
"I have a day before I go to D.C. I want to Cruz to come with me and be at my last show in L.A."
"Coo'," he raised her head in his big hands. "You tired?"
"Hell yeah."
"Then you should get some rest... Cupcake."
A shiver runs up Shantey spine when she heard the familiar feminine voice calling her the nickname she hated with everything in her body.
She turned around and it's who she expected to see— her mother and sister with mischievous grins.
"Long time no see... Sister."
You know what... I'm not finna punish my loyal commenters! Believe me I know who comments every chapter and who doesn't. I'm finna see a whole lotta ghost come out the next few chapters LMAOOOO. Watch.
Anyway, enjoy nie ❤️😉