Chapter 21 – Bonds
Christopher Brown | May 22nd 2020 | Richmond, VA
I removed my headphones sliding them down to my neck. I sat up and stretched feeling a few bones pop then yawned. I looked out the window still seeing it was darker than what I expected. I checked my phone seeing its only 3:12 AM. I took an early flight to avoid paparazzi since I had Royalty with me. I looked over at her and she was fast asleep with her faux blanket over her.
"It's the driver here as yet?" I asked the attendant who came from the back of the jet. "Unfortunately the gates won't be open until 4:30. We did talk to the person in charge and they said that that's the earliest they could get them open." I nodded my head.
I looked behind me seeing Darren fast asleep. Since we got on this flight he had been on both his phone and laptop working his ass off. For his workload, I sometimes forget he's just an assistant. He's was doing so many things that other departments were to be doing.
"Amma have to give him a raise." I chuckled, sitting back down. I unlocked my phone and opened Twitter. I reloaded my feed and Beyoncé was the first thing that popped up.
"Beyoncé and JAY-Z Divorce! Is Chris Brown the cause or was it the abuse?" I spoke to myself. I scrunched my face up, clicking on the link to the article.
I rolled my eyes seeing it was by TMZ but the title got my attention. I read it and didn't even believe half of it but then a video of Jay and Bey standing in the backyard of their home got my attention. I clicked it and all I heard was yelling and clanging on the skillet to bone.
"What the fuck?" I whisper yelled. I closed the app and opened Beyoncé's contact. I called her requesting a FaceTime and she answered after the fifth ring.
"Christopher do you see the time?" She asked in a groggy voice. I must've woken her up or she was just really tired. "Sorry baby but you just out here beating niggas now?" I asked. She smiled then shifted her position on the bed. The camera lowered and I saw a head full of hair on her chest.
"He deserved it. I'm just upset the video got out 'cause then this will be in the court cases." She sighed but I still couldn't believe she beat this nigga with a skillet.
"A skillet? Who the fuck does that shit?" I now laughed and she did too. "Shut up! It was a heated skillet so it hurt twice as much." She spoke in a matter of fact tone. I deadpanned at her and she just laughed.
"Beyoncé, that is even worse. Remind me not to fuck wit'chu like that." I shook my head sipping the water that was in front of me.
"Deal but where are you anyway?" She asked, looking around in the camera. "I'm on my jet. Just landed in Virginia and the gate isn't opened as yet so I have another hour until we can get off." I informed her. I heard ruffling and everything her phone camera was displaying fuzzy and blurry images. Shortly after her face was back in view and I just stared.
She was makeup free and her hear was in its beautiful, wild but curly state. She looked absolutely breathtaking and I felt my heart pounding heavier in my chest.
"Why are you staring at me Christopher?" She furrowed her eyebrows looking at me then back to whatever else has her attention. "You're just beautiful Giselle. One of—if not, the most beautiful women I've ever got the chance to know." I spoke with honesty. She really was a work of art and there was nothing that could change my mind on it.
"Thank you." She spoke softly with that captivating smile on her face. "Let me paint you." I spoke with seriousness in my voice.
"I don't mind..." She shrugged. "Do I gotta wear clothes tho'?" I chuckled but she was all serious. "I would love that but we agreed nothing sexual right now." I reminded her. Even though I would love to see the grown woman body she now has, I was sticking to what I said.
"Fine! But whenever I can take my clothes off you better be prepared." I smirked licking my lips. "I'm a Taurus baby, I'm always ready." I popped my imaginary collar and she laughed.
"What time you comin' out?" I asked her. "Should be this afternoon." I nodded propping my feet up on the leather chair in front of me.
I heard shuffling and I looked over seeing RoRo changing her position and rubbing her eyes. I looked out the window seeing the sky was now a lighter shade than it was before.
"Well I'll see you when you get here." I told her licking my lips once again. "Get some cocoa butter chapstick." She hung up and I just chuckled.
"She always hanging up on you." I laughed hearing Darren's voice. "She gon' know who's in charge real soon." I smirked cockily leaning back in my chair.
"I think your songs describe your sex life vividly. Ion wanna know anymore." I laughed louder than I intended. "You ain't gotta say it like that."
Beyoncé Knowles | Tappahannock, VA
I walked downstairs out of the room hearing small chatter from downstairs. I walked down the steps and the chatter was more so rapping. I turned the corner seeing Myles with headphone on as he rapped the lyrics that was on the pad in front of him. I had to admit he was real talented but still had some work to do. I walked into the kitchen to get me something to drink and a small snack. I opened the fridge and got myself a bottle of water then into the pantry to get a fruit cup.
I walked back into the living room and sat next to Myles. He took off his headphones and put them beside of him.
"You sound good." I told him while dipping my spoon into the tasty treat. "Thanks. I've been working on a few things here and there." I smiled watching the passion behind his eyes.
"You told Christopher yet?" I asked scooping more of the fruits on the cup. "Not as yet. When it comes to music, Chris is something different. He has ears like moths, sharp as fuck." I laughed. He wasn't lying. He had a musical ear and you could hear it within his harmonies and the different keys he could sing in.
"That's accurate." We both laughed. It shortly died down as we sat in silence. "I want to tell him but he'd be so hard on me. I don't wanna deal with so much pressure as yet. I'm still trying to feel my way through some things." I nodded my head agreeing with him.
"I think he's gonna be hard on you so you don't face what he has from the industry. He's so underrated yet legendary at the same time." Chris has come a long way music wise. He had developed a signature sound and you'd know it's his before the music starts.
There so many artists that Chris had inspired. Many of them had the young sound and swag when it either came to delivery or song writing. He has impact and so much more than he is every credited for. Sitting with him and just writing so many songs you could tell he can easily adapt to anyone. He's so versatile that you can't fit him in one box. RnB will forever be the backbone of his music but it's deeper than the explicit language and complex dance moves.
"He's like a mentor to me...I look up to him so much so I wouldn't wanna disappoint him." I moved closer to him and rest my hand on his shoulder.
"You have seen him on his worst and best. If anything he'll be proud that you can fall and still get back up again." He turned to me and I gave him a genuine smile to match my words. "As long as I've known him, he was always about not giving up. He went through one of the toughest situations a teenager could ever face and then released an album that won him his first Grammy." I watch as the smile formed on his face.
"Don't settle for what other people say. Never let them influence your motivation in a negative way. Take what they say and put it into your work and I guarantee that you'd feel better about what you have accomplished." He nodded his head taking in my words.
"Thanks Bey." His hands wrapped around my shoulder pulling me into him. I laughed as he squeezed then shook us. "No problem babe." I kissed his cheek then got up. "I'm going back to bed. When Chris gets here don't tell him in here." I pointed at him and walked back upstairs to his room.
I walked in the room and pushed Blue over to the corner of the bed then got in behind of her. I then pulled her into my chest as she slept peacefully. I turned the fight off then laid my head on the plush pillow.
Omniscient
Finally getting off the jet and into the SUV, Chris sighed. The rain was pouring down and he couldn't wait to get to his home to finally take well needed sleep. He's been up for more than 24 hours making sure that everything leading up to his concert was right. Things were going smoothly now that he has voiced his opinions and other critiques. It's hard to express your vision to other people when they themselves can't see what you see. That was stress in itself but they all had to envision what he sees at some point in time.
They cruised down the highway after making their exit that leads to Tappahannock. Waiting on the jet wasn't much of a bother but it became boring after sitting in a chair doing nothing. He wrote a few songs but there wasn't much else he could've done.
Darren was on the other side of him, face attached to his phone. Replying to emails and unanswered messages. Apart from being Chris Brown's assistant, he was also juggling college as well. A degree in Marketing wasn't one that came easy. It required much attention but he hasn't been able to really focus on his studies the way he had hoped. All he knew was when he got to the house he'd have his face glued to a computer screen once again. It was surprising his eyesight hasn't changed.
Darren sighed locking his phone and rested it on his lap. He was exhausted but knew work had to be done. Chris glanced at him and saw his slump shoulders. He could tell the younger was overworked and he felt sorry for him. He knew that he placed a lot on him but it was never intentional. Darren always showed that he could get the work done so this defeated spirit he had now really concerned him.
"Darren you good man?" Chris asked with genuine concern laced in his voice. "Yeah I am." His voice was raspy and was a clear indication that he was no where good.
"You ain't gotta lie." They chuckled but Darren started coughing cutting off the light moment they had.
"Look you have been with me for the past 4 years and I have never seen you this way. You need to rest and I'm serious." Chris stated. He sighed listening to the older. He knew he was right but for some reason he felt like he was not only letting himself down but also his boss. Someone he looked up too since he first got on the scene.
"I know but I can't help myself. All I've known was work. I was raised in the hood, had parents who had enough but still had their points where they struggled. I became content with what I had but then I just wanted things for myself. I had to hustle—selling anything that I knew could make me money so this is nothing new to me." He explained. "But I know your craft is something you take pride in so if I have to work through whatever is it so you don't get the 'we got a problem' call then I'll do it." The respect Chris had for him just increased. He knew that very little about him so what he was learning now made a soft spot in his heart.
"Now you're telling me this and I feel like you're more that my assistant. You're like a little brother to me man." Chris smiled. Those words made Darren smile as well, he never really opened up to people but he felt the need to do so.
"Take the time off and relax. Focus on other things and just be free for a moment." Darren was ready to protest but decided against it. Chris was the type for whenever he said something, he meant it.
"Fine but if shit pops off you know I'm finna be there." They laughed as the sunlight shined through the tinted windows of the vehicle.
>>>
After an hour of driving, they finally were at pulling into the driveway of Chris' home. He saw another vehicle in the driveway but assumed that Myles had a girl over or something. Getting out of the car, they 6:30 sky was brighter than before. The sun wasn't fully out but you could feel the heat even though the air was chilly.
He had his daughter in his arms as he walked to the front door. He unlocked it seeing Myles knocked out on the couch. He smiled and walked upstairs along with Darren.
"This is your room." He pointed to the first door on his left. The journey to the door that was opposite his own and pushed the door open. The small glow in the dark stars illuminated the room along with the night light. He laid her on the bed and carefully removed the jacket and boots she had on. She tossed slightly but still remained asleep. He placed her in the bed and pulled the covers over her. With a kiss to the forehead, he left out of the room.
Opening his door he turned on the flights and jumped back. He scrunched his face up in confusion as he watched the curvy figure in his bed. His eyebrows knitted together as he got closer. He leaned over and a smile tugged at his face once he saw the moles that kissed the side of her face. He chucked leaning down and kissed her cheek. She moaned snuggling deeper within the sheets. He did the same to the little girl that was snuggled to her arms. He left out of the room and walked back into his daughter's room. He got in behind of her and she automatically rolled her body unto his chest. She never did it before so it took him off guard but never complained. If it gave her a sense of security then so be it.
Everyone asleep in this house had a specific bond and it was heartwarming. Being in the public eye, it was hard to get close to people because of the preconception of what celebrities are and how they act. However, they do have a few that fit the category perfectly but not all are the same. In order to know more about someone, bonds have to be built just like bridges.