October 14, 2019
AFTER ANOTHER LONG NIGHT in the studio, Dave walked through the front door. Tossing his keys on the nearby table, he spotted the light on in the kitchen and overheard pans rattling. He strolled up the stairwell to start the process of awakening his children to start their day for school. Footing to his daughter's room first, since she's easier to wake, the light is already flicked on and sound of a movie playing. He peaked in to his mother parting her granddaughters hair as Kairi sipped on her juice and watched Trolls.
"Shoulda known you was up mama," he mentioned, walking into her bedroom. Leaning downward, he pressed his lips against Kairi forehead. "Mornin' babygirl."
"Morning Daddy." She uttered with her attention remaining on the television.
Dave grunted as he stretched his long, and toned arms in the air. "Where Cru?"
"Where else?" Francesca rhetorically asked before saying, "That boy in there knocked. He like you when it came to waking you for school."
He chuckled and says, "I got 'em."
Dave turned out of Kairi bedroom and footed to the room two doors down. Flicking on the light, he spotted his son tangled in the comforter and snoring lightly. A chuckle eased out his mouth, "Getcha ass up! It's time for school li'l homie!"
Cruz shuffled under the covers at his loud tone as he walked to the bedside. Only thing that would awake Cruz quicker than having to fuss with him for about a hour, he scooped his body from the mattress and wiggled him around. His son annoyed groans turned into laughter when he start being tickled.
"You gon' go brush yo' breath and get ready fo' school right?" Dave asked as he continued to tickle Cruz.
"Yes!" Cruz laughed obnoxiously, "Me brush teeth!"
"Aight then," He stopped tickling, hanging him over his shoulder. "Let's go get you ready li'l homes."
In the bathroom, Cruz stands on the sink counter as Dave got his Spiderman toothbrush ready with the toothpaste. When he handed it to the three year old, Cruz asked, "Where you brush?"
"Right hea," he pointed to toothbrush holder. "I brushed mine."
"Do 'gin wif me."
Dave knows he would continue to ask him to do it if he don't. So he grabbed his toothbrush and brushed with him, while doing their morning dance in the mirror. Once they finished, Francesca got Kairi ready as Dave helped Cruz with his outfit.
"You gon' let Nana braid yo' hair?" Dave asked. He walked down the stairwell carrying Cruz in his arms with his hair wild and curly. When he shook his head against his shoulder, Dave chuckled. "Why? You can't go to school like dis."
"Yes huh."
"Nuh uh."
Francesca and Kairi were already in the kitchen, eating on food.
"Can you put two braids in his hair?" Dave asked his mother, sitting his son down in the island chair beside Kairi, who munched on her eggs and french toast.
Francesca nodded and sat the plate of french toast in front of Cruz. She rounded the island and started on the fussing three year olds hair.
"Noo!" Cruz fussed, pulling his head away.
"Cru..." Sternly he called, "sit there and get yo' hair done, B. Why you trippin?"
Cruz didn't give her anymore fuss, but he held the scowl on his face. Seconds his two braids were done and Cruz sat on top of the island with an expression proving how over the morning he was...
"Why you tight dis mornin'?" He asked, leaning down in front of Cruz.
"Bubba fussy, Dada." Kairi uttered, stuffing her mouth with french toast.
Cruz relaxed his head on his father's forehead. "Me want mommy."
"She comin' today Papa. She'll be here when you outta school then you get go wit her for her show." He informed resulting in Cruz to grin, "only if you be good at school. We gotta deal?"
Cruz raised his head and shook his small hand into his father's.
"Alrighty kids, let's ride!" Francesca clasped her hands together, "Breakfast finished. We got five minutes to this school and he better have a cheerful attitude."
"He good now, Ma."
"Like I used to say to you and Errol, five minutes ain't gone make or break ya." Francesca quoted, holding out both of their backpacks.
Dave kissed both of his kids before helping them down and sending them off with his mother. Upstairs, he showered and went to his room to sleep off the exhaustion. A loud ring chimed around the quiet bedroom. The vibration trembled beside him on the mattress. He exhaled deeply, opening his eyes, and reaching for his device. Bright screen irritates his drowsy eyes as he looked at the picture of he and Shantey take over the iPhone screen.
"Yeah?" He answered, letting his head fall back on the pillow and closed his eyes. "You touch down?"
"No, I will soon." Her angelic voice eased through the line, "I'm meeting you at Rolling Loud later."
"I thought you was gone be hea sooner than that?" He questioned Shantey.
"Shit changed. I'll be there around that time though."
"Aight I'm goin' back to sleep. I'ma see you when you here."
"Yeah aight." The phone call ended.
Between his long needed sleep, hours breezed by and he had to be in Queens for Rolling Loud festival. Accompanying him is his mother, Shooter, Bully, Hood, and Errol in the Mercedes sprinter. Sun beamed down on them when they stepped out of the sprinter and music jamming from a distance. A red styrofoam cup in his hand filled with enough liquor to get him buzzed, but not fully intoxicated to where he can't perform.
"Yo, East!" A voice called, grabbing his attention. When his eyes landed on Shiggy from Instagram and chuckled as the social media star motioned him over. Dave footed over to him.
"Shiggy!" Dave says, slapping hands with the social star. He spotted the microphone and camera, "Fuck is this? A interview? You do interviews now?"
"Yeah, man. We got Dave East in the building. Y'all know he afflicted wit Nas and whatnot. What's goin' on witchu man?" He questioned Dave, holding microphone up to him.
"I'm good; it's lit. You from Queens?"
"Yeah. Y'know I'm from Queens. We been ova' this." Shiggy responded resulting in Dave to crack laughter.
"We lit. Rolling Loud, we outside. Eastside, Harlem. Queens. We here."
Sucking his teeth, Shiggy tapped his arm before he could walk off. "Relax bro. Don't be tryna dip off."
"That's all I'm doin'. That's it."
"That's all you doin?" Shiggy questioned, "aight I'ma catch you after."
"You doin interviews now?" Dave inquired in amusement.
"Yeah, I'm doin' allat."
"You don't do interviews man."
"Yes I do. Look!" Shiggy chuckled, pointing at the camera.
"Dis nigga don't do no interviews man. Since when?"
"Since bout... two months ago." He replied as Dave snickered, leaning on him and laughing. "Why you playin' wit my career like this?"
"I'm lit. I ain't tryna be on this camera right now, B."
"Aight, you gone talk to me again... afterwards."
"We not doin' no interviews. You don't do no interviews." Dave says wagging his finger at him.
"Yes I do!" Shiggy laughed through his statement, "I gotta work and interview mo' people. I'ma see you after. Mama sure he come back."
"I got you baby," Francesca promised, a smile stretched on her lips.
"B is hilarious man," Dave says as he walked away. He checked his phone and realized Shantey informed that she was at Rolling Loud. "Yo, I gotta do mo' interviews right quick and Shantey hea. Bring her ova here wit y'all Bully."
Bully nodded and went to find Shantey, while Dave continued his interviews.
When he finished up with an interview, Shantey walked in his direction, dressed in a hoodie dress fitting loosely on her body with Prada Nomad Embroidered Platform Sport sandals, showcasing her pedicure toenails. Her curly hair touched her shoulders, blowing with the light breeze and blocking her two-toned eyes were Prada oversized shades with mirrored lenses and aviator frame. Amanda and Sino accompanied her to Queens, walking with Bully.
A smiling Dave opened his arms to Shantey, but she only stared blankly and stood in front of him. "What up? You gotta attitude?"
"I'm good." She spoke in a unconvinced tone. He may not be able to see her eyes through the mirrored shades, but her body demeanor says it all.
His eyebrows knitted. "There must be a issue if you walkin' up on me not wanting to hug me and shit."
Shantey frowned. "Cause I'm not obligated to hug you."
"Alright my nigga," he waved her off, "I gotta performance to do and I'm not finna be worried bout yo attitude."
Shantey snickered. "That's nothin new... fuckin' clown."
"Alright y'all, not here." Francesca chimed in, looking around at the crowd of people. "David go perform. Shantey we can go get something to eat."
"Negative ass energy man." Shaking his head, Dave approached the stage. He refused to let her attitude, for an unknown reason, ruin the energy he bring on stage for his fans.
After his lit performance of putting all his energy into his fans and hopping off stage with them, Dave had to do a interview with woman that worked for Bossip, a gossip site. He finished and went into his trailer. The first thing he heard when he walked on is Shantey, "You surely do like 'em ugly."
"Why you gotta attitude for?" Dave questioned. Eyebrows knitting and face frowned. "You comin' fuckin up the vibes wit dis, B."
"And," she shrugged, "You fuck up mine every time I see you."
"No foreal..." Placing his cup down, he walked over to where Shantey was seated and holds both side of the chair with his face right in front of hers. "Say that shit. What's to you?"
"I'm good." Shantey chuckled, pulling pieces of the chicken from the bone and put it in her mouth.
"So really you just wanna start shit wit me?" Dave quipped as he laughed, "I'm not givin' you what you want Ledé. I'm lit. I'm vibin' wit the vibes at Rolling Loud. If you want pipe, ask for it. You ain't gotta start shit."
Shantey chuckled, moving his face back with the palm of her small hand. "Get outta my face. I can start whatever the fuck I want to with you."
"Until I have yo' ass on punishment and you won't be receiving shit."
"Boy bye." Shantey rolled her eyes, "Are you telling me take Cruz for my L.A. performance?"
Pressing his lips together, he inhaled deeply by his nose. "Ion' know. . . let me think bout it."
"Finna piss me off."
He shrugged when his trailer door opened. "Yo, you givin' me dis second interview or not?"
Dave lays eyes on Shiggy and snickered. "Man, here I come."
"Thank you kindly." Shiggy eyes moved to Shantey and he grinned flirtatiously, "How you beautiful?"
"Shig— I will fuck you up." Dave threatened in a joking, yet serious manner.
"Aight aight, just come on." He backed out the trailer and shut the door.
Dave faced Shantey again. "I'm really think bout it. Word to mommy."
"Whatever, East."
October 19, 2019
LAST AND FINAL SHOW, it was in her second hometown Los Angeles. She had her few days of a break to wine down and get her mind together after her New York show with all the fighting backstage with Tania and Taj. As she expected and suspected, a video surfaced of the ordeal. Shantey knows her mother more than she knows herself. She knew Tania only strategically popped up at her show with her lapdog to cause drama to have something new for the blogs to post. While they done interviews about the incident, Shantey ignored everything about it. She refused to waste her energy for their benefit.
On the Saturday morning, Shantey planned on meeting someone at a casual café Downtown. With her Bentley Bentayga parallel parked, Shantey walked the sidewalk towards the café. Bell chimed when she entered Poppy and Rose. Her eyes landed on the familiar face quickly, the woman spotting her too. She rushed up from the chair and immediately pulled her into a tight embrace...
The woman being Tayler's mother and Nico's wife, Heather Gutierrez. When they separated Heather almost rubbed her stomach, but remembered she couldn't in public. "Goodness, I forgot. I'm so happy. Daddy told me all about the news honey. You look so beautiful."
"Are you about to cry Mama?" Shantey snickered, watching her mother figure's eyes pool with tears.
"Yes because I missed you."
"I missed you, too. But no crying today." Shantey grabbed her hand, sitting her at the same table Heather stood from.
The waitress was over to their table within seconds. "What would you ladies like to drink?"
"Strawberry limeade for me." Shantey ordered for herself.
"I'll just have a organic matcha with vanilla syrup."
The waitress nodded about to walk away, but Shantey stopped him. "Can we order now? I'm hungry."
"Of course."
Shantey nodded and ordered herself the two egg breakfast plate as Heather got avocado toast for her.
"So... When are telling?"
Shantey was aware of what she was referring to. "One of these days. I have a surprise for my fans along with this. I just don't have time for everyone to know this right now especially the public. Shit they're knowing enough right now with what's going on."
"And how are you with that?" Heather asked, holding eye contact with Shantey. "I know it's been a lot."
"And it has been..." Shantey admitted, as the plates were sat on the table. "My so-called blood doing anything to destroy me. They piss me off to the point I forgot I was... you know, and tried to fight her."
Heather eyes popped out of her head. She may have heard about what goes on, but she doesn't follow social media how everyone else does. And a video wasn't recorded of her. It was only the short fight in the hallway.
"Fight? You can't do that."
"I know. I didn't get to touch her. It really pissed me off Mama foreal. I just feel like... Why?" She questioned, "Especially with Taj. I legit raised her and Monae. Even with the shit I was dealing with I put my mental state aside to care for them. It's ridiculous."
"She's the baby out of you guys and feel she's obligated to follow what her mother is doing because she's looking for that Mother's love, but doing it the wrong way." Heather shook her head, "You don't tear down someone who went through hell and back to do for you."
"She's a mini Tania. She'll never understand nor do she care."
"That's on them mami. You can't keep allowing them to take you outta character. You have a career to think about as well as your children. Fuck them. You've came a long way and I refuse to see you fall back into that darkness."
Shantey glanced out the window, nodding her head. "The fact that I actually am still here is a blessing. A lot of it has to do with you," she chuckled lightly, "With how much you pushed me. Even as a child when I was that disrespectful little girl not knowing how to accept that motherly love. But you was patient with me and always reminded me I'm more than what I went through."
"You're seriously gonna make me cry right now. This isn't even a joke." Heather admitted with a light laugh.
"But it's true. You raised me to be strong and independent woman. You taught me how to be the best Mother I could be and always reminded me there's no perfect mother. You can only do the best you can while giving your children the love they need and deserve."
"That's right."
"I can remember the time I needed you the most is when I went all out to please Tania— a big ass house in Tulsa on a better side of town, a luxury car, etcetera. I done for her before even doing for my own son. When I woke up that morning and found out all of my money was gone, you was there. You mentioned to me how money is nothing but something you can earn back and how talented I am."
Heather listened attentively as Shantey continued to speak. . .
"Even after everything I put myself through — with relapsing, I'm here. I'm not broken.."
"No you're not." Heather smiled proudly with eyes watering with tears. "You're strong. Very. Aww, give me a hug babygirl."
With a light giggle, Shantey stood from the chair as Heather did and pulled each other into a hug.
"I love you Ledé." Heather spoke rubbing her back.
"I love you too."
HER SHOW AT THE NOVO starts in only a few minutes. She swallowed the hot tea down her throat and blew raspberries back and forth. Shantey heard the sound of giggling making her redirect her attention to the couch that's occupied by Romeo, Sino, and Cruz. Since it was her last show, Dave decided to compromise with her and let her have Cruz for her last show. A light laughter eases from between her lips when she saw the three year old's teeth on display. "What are you laughing at Papi?"
"You Mommy," Cruz laughed leaning on his brother. "Why you make dat noise?"
"This noise?" Shantey blew raspberries again and Cruz laughed harder. "It helps me. Okay, y'all let's loosen this around my stomach a little."
Jasmine and one of the women on her style team loosened her bottoms of her two-piece...
"Glad this is your last show?" Jasmine questioned.
"Yes," she breathed our in relief. "I need a break. Plus I can tell my stomach is becoming unhide-able. Tour ending at the right time."
"Shantey," Anissa extended the microphone to her. She thanked him and grabbed it from him. "Nico, Heather, and Tayler should be here soon. You'll be on stage. You ready?"
"When arent I."
"That's right." Anissa smiled, "C'mon you're about to go on."
"Mommy is about to go out." Shantey walked over to her son's and kissed their foreheads.
"Kill it Mommy."
"You know I am." Shantey done the handshake she made with her son's before finally leaving the dressing room and heading to the stage...
A mixture of the band playing Can I and the screaming fans filled Shantey ears, warming her heart. Whenever she performed in Los Angeles, it was important to her because this city is her second home. Majority of her life she's lived there. And to sell out at the venue where big names in the music industry have performed for her own show, nothing could beat that nor kill her joy.
Fans erupted in louder cheers when sight of Shantey appeared with the purple hue light shining on her skin...
Made a mistake
I keep it straight with you
I wasn't capable of keeping away from you
I can't even flex. . (. .)
Cause I would like to see you
Can I
Need to find a way to your body, oh yeah
Maybe I'm out of line, out my mind
Woo...