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After two weeks of hard work getting ready for the Labor Day weekend concert with Normani, Chris and Giovonni were working with the dancers on the new routines. Since Normani wouldn't be in Atlanta until the following week, everything was being live-streamed and videotaped for her.
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When they got an opportunity to take a break, Giovonni left the dance studio to bring in Domineke, who was carrying his daughter. They watched Giovonni, Chris, and backup/background dancers go through the choreography together. Gabby danced along with them, trying her best to mimic what she liked. She instantly stole all the attention. At the unscheduled break, everyone in the studio gathered around her and Domineke to express how adorable she.
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Zerick: she's so gorgeous.
Domineke: yeah, she's a little princess.
Zerick: how old is she?
Domineke: she's two, going on twelve.
Zerick: [giggles] that's cute. [reaching out towards Gabby]
... hey pretty lady. [Gabby retreats to Domineke's arms]
Domineke: aww, it's okay little mama. [hugging Gabby]
... she'll only come to you if she knows you like that.
Giovonni: [walks over] hey baby.
Zerick: hey Giovonni.
Domineke: [chuckles to himself, as it sounded like Zerick was replying to Giovonni] thank you for letting me watch y'all rehearse. Plus, Gabby was showing the family talent.
Giovonni: no problem. [walks back over by Chris and Deshone]
Zerick: [sits next to Domineke] can I ask you a personal question? Nothing messy though.
Domineke: sure, but whether I answer, depends on the question.
Zerick: [giggles] what's it like being a babysitter or nanny?
Domineke: more like a nanny. But it's fine, a bitch got bills to pay.
Zerick: I know Chris' nanny lives them. Do you live there with Giovonni? Cause ...
Domineke: ... [chuckles] ... no I don't live there. I do have a place to sleep if I need to stay for the night. But I share it with the other nanny. [shakes his head]
... Chris' nanny is on a whole another level. I can't give up my life like she did. But, she's banking so more power to her.
Zerick: really, maybe I need to be some sexy guy's live-in boy nanny.
Domineke: [laughs] okay, maybe Chris Brown is looking for one?
Zerick: nah, Trey Songz is more my type.
Domineke: oookaaaay! I see what u putting down and Trey can definitely get as deep into this as he wants.
Zerick: [giggling] oh my God, yes!
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After the rehearsal was completed, everyone went their separate ways. Giovonni and Domineke walk outside together. When Giovonni asked how did Domineke get there, he found out that Erica dropped him off. After they got Gabby strapped in the back, Domineke was going to sit in the back seat.
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Giovonni: where you going? This ain't no taxi, get your ass up front.
Domineke: [giggles] I'm sorry.
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If it weren't for the radio playing, the car ride would have been in complete silence. Giovonni glanced in the rearview mirror and sees that Gabby was knocked out.
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Giovonni: thank God this baby rides like a dream. [rubbing the dashboard when he does Domineke giggles and covers his face]
... what? [laughing at Domineke]
Domineke: why do y'all love your cars that way ... well if I had something like this, I'd be rubbing on it like that too.
Giovonni: [laughs] ... so I saw you chatting it up with Zerick. I can set you up if you want?
Domineke: hmm, I don't think I'm his type?
Giovonni: why not? I mean you look ... you know.
Domineke: [blushing] my God! [covering his face]
... hmm, well let's just say he likes certain things very big and I'm not ... that way? [giggling]
Giovonni: damn, like that? [glancing over at Domineke, Giovonni's eyes dart towards his crotch]
Domineke: [giggles again] no, he's looking a fat wallet to go along with the other fat thing. [when Giovonni goes "ooh" and starts to laugh, Domineke drops some observations on him]
... he was asking a lot of questions about my job. [giggles]
... he's probably looking to fill a position.
Giovonni: [laughs loudly] really, that sounded all kinds-a filled with hints.
Domineke: [laughs along with Giovonni, before another long awkward silence] I want to apologize for that night we all got drunk. Erica told me what happened. I felt so embarrassed.
Giovonni: shit, I barely remember that night. Chris said I was wasted and getting on his nerves.
Domineke: okay, good.
Giovonni: whatchu do?
Domineke: I did ... what you remember.
Giovonni: [laughing] ... hmm.
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Chris was doing a bunch of talk shows and podcasts to promote the tour and his solo shows. After flying to New York to appear on one of the late-night shows. Chris performed Frank Ocean's Godspeed.
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Chris: I will always love you how I do
Let go of a prayer for ya
Just a sweet word
The table is prepared for you
(Oh-oh-oh)
(Ball so hard, boys for sex) 4x
Wishing you Godspeed, glory
There will be mountains you won't move
(Oh-oh-oh)
Still I'll always be there for you
(Oh-oh-oh)
How I do
I let go of my claim on you, it's a free world
You look down on where you came from sometimes
But you'll have this place to call home, always ...
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Trevor: Great performance! Ladies and gentlemen Chris van der Berg. [clapping as he leads Chris over to the seats]
... that was wonderful. As some of us know, like ninety-nine point nine percent of people. [chuckles]
... we know about the concert tours coming. But we were all in shock three months when that senseless and horrible act happened. But you've recovered and back to being "Mr. Falsetto."
Chris: [giggles] thank you so much.
Trevor: so how was this healing and recovery process?
Chris: It was extremely tough. I was in a really dark place for a long time, but I put on a happy face and smiled my way through it. It's another thing that isn't talked about in our community. The last few months of my senior year in high were horrible. I was accused of doing something to someone that's so extremely disrespectful. My absolute best friend in the world watch his father die on live tv and I didn't know how to help him. Then a week later, I came out to my mother and she literally passes away hours later. So, when I was at one of the lowest points of my life, Clay basically stopped his grieving process and helped me get through mine. I will forever be grateful to him for that, more than I have the words to express.
Trevor: Wow! A support group is everything.
Chris: I had Clay, his beautiful and wonderful mother, my two lovely sisters, and my two little kings. I love them from here and beyond. [pausing for a moment]
... okay, now back to what I was trying to say. That within the black community, certain things aren't talked about. Sexuality and mental health are just a few of them. Whatever the reasons may be, I feel that avoiding it eventually makes it worst. Especially when it comes to mental health. So ...
I was speaking to a therapist for a few months now. After I was attacked in Richmond, I blocked out so much of it. My therapist believes that my mind was trying to protect me from reliving that. She said that everyone goes through challenging times, some experience less and some have to work through more than I did. Everyone deals or copes with stress differently. I know she's on point with that, because ever since that happened to him, I'm remembering more and more things. As more and more things come to light, it's revealing that he became who he was because he had his own mental health issues that were never addressed.
Trevor: so you believe he was suffering from some form of unaddressed or unknown mental health issues?
Chris: oh, of course. Yes! Most definitely.
Trevor: and believing that can you ... forgive him or his actions.
Chris: Oh hell no! Never. Because he planned everything he did, he hid it. Doing that is an acknowledgment that he knew what he was doing was wrong. People don't bury bodies on their property. People don't attack people in the middle of the night and leave them bleeding out on a tour bus.
Trevor: some of the reports have indicated that the victims showed signed of sexual abuse. We spoke about this beforehand, and I'll let you take it from there.
Chris: thank you, I didn't want this next question to come across as you "digging" for dirt or that you're trying to be petty in any way. So, there wasn't any evidence of him doing anything to me like that. Personally, I don't believe he did. I hope he didn't. But if he did, that's not on me, that's not my fault. It's not anyone's fault when someone violates them.
Trevor: we also agree not to say his name, but since your partnership with Giovonni is so much successful than with him. Do you believe that you were attacked and the videos of Giovonni getting released were connected?
Chris: Giovonni and I sat down and he a very long talk about that. He did the research and the videos were posted after I got attacked. It's just more proof that he had some major issues. I don't want to speak for anyone. This entire situation is beyond strange. So many people are connected because of one person's evil deeds. [takes a deep breath]
... sorry, but this is still hard for me to talk about.
Trevor: I know these are very difficult issues to talk about, so thank you for being so open and honest with me. Now the last few questions are all about Mr. Chris van der Berg's habits. What shows are you currently watching?
Chris: several cities of the Real Housewives. [giggling]
Trevor: which ones?
Chris: all of them!
Trevor: [chuckles] Okay, which one is your favorite and least favorite?
Chris: my favorites are Potomac and Atlanta. My least favorites are New York City and Orange County. Exactly, I like Dallas too. [giggling]
... Oh yeah, I'm also watching Married to Medicine L.A.
Trevor: [covering his face as he gathers himself after laughing] Why aren't you a fan of the NYC and the OC? Also, would you ever do a reality show?
Chris: [shaking his head] oh no. I would never subject my sons to that life. Plus, I have other people in the house that don't want to be under that kind of scrutiny.
And the reason I'm not a fan of NYC and the OC, because they're too old to be so toxic towards each other. I mean, at a certain age, the "mean girl" phase looks childish. But we're here for the drama, so I'll continue to watch them until it's not fun anymore. [laughing]
Trevor: [laughs] everybody loves a bit of drama from time to time.
Chris: just as long as it's someone else's.
Trevor: [chuckling as he extends his hand to shake Chris'] thank you for stopping by.
Chris: thank you for having me.
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A DAY LATER
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Luis TEXTING: I was talking to Keidrick and we wanna see you like old times
Carl TEXTING: I don't kn bout all dat now
Luis TEXTING: Y?
Carl TEXTING: I don't trust him, Clay said he was tryna get him
Luis TEXTING: get him? how?
Carl TEXTING: can't tell u, but he was
Luis TEXTING: secrets ain't always good
Carl TEXTING: yeah but y he wanna meet up all a sudden?
Luis TEXTING: we wanna see you
Carl TEXTING: well this da typa shit he keep sending me, begging to come see me. So NAH!
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Luis TEXTING: 😘 damn his ass is so fucking good.
Carl TEXTING: u can have him.
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Luis thinks as he was about to bring up the fact that Carl still has the photo saved on his phone or still hasn't deleted the message that the picture was in.
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Luis TEXTING: ok I understand, he promises not to record anything so ...
Carl TEXTING: so he showed you that and I shouldn't be suspicious???
... This bitchified nigga tryna blackmail me and Clay.
Luis TEXTING: he just thirsty for the dick. I know I wanna feel it too, but this nigga saying he gonna get it one way or another.
Carl TEXTING: and again you telling me not to be suspicious
... you be on some shit sometimes stop thinking with ur ass n dick. I don't want nothing to do with him.
Luis TEXTING: iight
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Carl calls Clay immediately to tell what happened just happened. Clay flips out as Carl expected.
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Clay: I wanna beat his motherfucking ass so bad right now.
Carl: I wanna kill his ass.
Clay: hey, hey, I know how you feel but don't say that shit!
Carl: he never gonna stop. He gonna keep bugging me, he gonna keep bugging you.
Clay: [sighs] ... umm.
Carl: you was ready to do it for ... [sighs] never mind, you right.
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When Carl abruptly ends the call with him, Clay debates whether he should talk to his mother about what's going on. Quickly deciding that his mother would just ask too many questions and make the situation more complicated. Clay calls the one person he feels he can trust about this issue. Giovonni says that he can meet him somewhere away from the house to talk about it. Clay tells him to meet him at his mother's house.
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LATER THAT NIGHT
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Clay leads Giovonni into his mother's house. Carl was out with Sheryl and Cindy was out investigating a case.
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Giovonni: I know what he got on you, why he going after your brother? He want your dick that bad?
Clay: [sighs and reluctantly begins to tells Giovonni about Carl] ... long story short, Keidrick got audio out him and my brother having sex.
Giovonni: damn that fucked up. But, it's only audio, then he can say it ain't him.
Clay that nigga probably got more than that.
Giovonni: true, true.
Clay: I'm ready to just fuck this nigga and beg him to delete all that shit.
Giovonni: you know that motherfucker got back-up copies. He probably gonna try and record you again. Then he got more shit to use. I think your brother's right, he needs to go. He never gonna stop.
Clay: what if he signs a contract?
Giovonni: with who? And even if he agreed to sign one, nothing gonna prevent him from making them public. Look what Latroy did to my ass. [chuckles]
... my dick actually.
Clay: [sucks his teeth] be serious man!
Giovonni: my bad, you right ... we gotta do it Clay. We got to!
Clay: [placing his head in his hands] ... I guess.
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{can't believe I didn't show this earlier}
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A few minutes later, Clay hears the familiar sound of his father's former truck that Carl took after his death. Giovonni hears the engine revving loudly. When asks Clay what it was, Giovonni gets lead outside to see Carl's truck. When Giovonni and Clay get outside, Carl jumps out of the truck and walks over to Giovonni's white 2017 Audi R8 Spyder and begins to gaze at it. When Carl saw that Giovonni was there, he figured that the car must have been his and definitely not Clay's.
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Carl: [gesturing towards Giovonni's car] shoulda known this wasn't Clay's. [looking inside the convertible that had its top opened up]
... I was thinking Chris bought it for him, cause he was giving him that "good-good!" [laughing at his own joke]
Giovonni: [laughs along with Carl] I heard he was!
Clay: nigga that "good-good" runs in the family, don't be putting my stroke down!
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All three men stand outside, laughing their behinds off. Giovonni looks at Carl's truck and says that he was never into pick-up trucks like that, but Carl's truck looks nice. Seeing the way that Carl ogling his car, Giovonni offer to let him take it for spin. Carl jumped at the chance to drive a $200,000 supercar.
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After Carl whips the supercar back into the driveway, he hops out and proceeds to tell Giovonni how "fucking sweet: his supercar was. Carl stated that that when he makes it in the majors, he was going to buy a supercar to race against Giovonni.
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Giovonni: iight bet. [dapping it up with Carl]
Carl: [chuckles] I'mma smoke that ass.
Clay: when my training center opens up, I'mma be swimming in the cash. Then I'mma beat the both of y'all.
Carl: [after the three men share a long laugh about fast cars, Carl questions why Giovonni was at his house] ... so what you doin' here? [gesturing as if the house was something beneath Giovonni]
Giovonni: [hesitating slightly] ... umm ... [looks at Clay]
... maybe you should tell him?
Carl: tell me what?
Clay: [sighs] it's about Keidrick.
Carl: don't talk bout that motherfucker round me. [suddenly it dawns on him that Clay may have told him about the video]
... you ain't tell him, did you? [turning away from Giovonni as the embarrassment hits him]
Giovonni: [tries to comfort Carl] ... I got video of that rapey nigga touching me and putting his fucking nasty little dick in my mouth. So trust, I don't wish that shit on nobody! We was asking that nigga for help, taking Latroy out. Fa good!
Carl: [exhales by blowing at air out of his nose] ... so what you think we should do; I say we kill that little dick hungry fa ... nigga. [catching himself from calling Keidrick a "faggot" in front of Clay]
Clay: fuck that bitch ass faggot ass blackmailing motherfucker.
Giovonni: I agree with your brother, man!
Clay: what, you don't think I want this motherfucka gone? But even if we figured out a way to do it, how we gonna make sure it don't come back on us? Any of us know that we gonna be able to live with the fact we killed somebody?
Giovonni: we were gonna do it to Latroy, but whoever did it, did us a fucking massive favor.
Carl: If he keeps fucking bothering me, I'll probably just do it my fucking self.
Clay: yeah, I hear you but how? If we figure a way to do it and not get caught. Then I'm all for it. Right now he got us with trying to get Latroy killed, so that's some jail time right there. All he got on you is some video that only got sounds of ... you know.
Carl: still, that's gonna fuck with me career. He gonna start blackmailing me. How you think it's gonna look if that shit comes out.
Clay: YO! We shouldn't be talking bout that shit in our mother's house.
Giovonni: yeah, he right. Cause me and him the ones that was asking to get someone killed.
Clay: [finally remembering that Keidrick was behind the execution of Jamie, Luis' rapist] ... oh the fuck I forget that he the one that's behind that guy getting killed. We got him too.
Carl: you got proof?
Clay: [sighs] no.
Giovonni: [shakes his head] I gotta go, see you later. [dapping Carl and Clay before leaving]
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After Giovonni leaves, Clay and Carl sit down and have a long talk. Clay used this time to ask Carl about the elephant in the room.
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Clay: look, I'mma just say it ... cause it needs to be said.
Carl: [getting defensive] ... what?
Clay: now, I'm not judging you, but ...
Carl: [cuts Clay off] Nigaa, I'm not gay or bi or nothing! And, oh yeah, I'm fucking pissed you told your fucking friend. Now I gotta worry bout more people talkin' bout me!
Clay: hey, I'm not saying you gay or nothing like that. Plenty of people try shit just to see how it feels. You admitted to doing what you did with Lou and then I find out bout you and Keidrick. Maybe you just like fucking and don't care how you get that nut.
Carl: man fuck you. FUCK YOU!
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Clay shakes his head and Carl storms off towards his room, slamming the door repeatedly until he can be heard yelling, "FUCK!" As Clay began to walk towards Carl's room, he heard loud crashes, of what sounded like furniture falling over. By the time Clay reaches his brother's room, he sees that the lower portion of Carl's door is broken.
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Clay: [speaking from the other side of the barricaded door] THE FUCK MAN? How you gonna explain this to Mom? [when Carl doesn't reply, Clay sighs]
... move it from the door, I'll be right back.
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Clay heads to the garage and grabs the power tools. He heads back upstairs and begins to help his brother switch out the broken door that leads to his bedroom with the one for his bathroom. Just as they finished getting the door from the bathroom onto the trim leading into Carl's bedroom, they hear the mother calling out to them.
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Cindy: hello. Clay? You didn't say you were coming.
Clay: [nervously yelling back down the hallway as hears his mother] ... um yeah.
Carl: [whispering with intense urgency in his voice] hurry up!
Cindy: what's going on?
Carl: [nervously] umm, nothing.
Cindy: [approaching Carl's room and hears the drill tightening the final screw into the door] ... what in God's name?
Clay: umm, we were play fighting and knocked this over. [touching the chest]
... we'll fix it ... I mean replace it tomorrow.
Cindy: you betchur asses you will. [shakes her head]
... hey, I'm tired ... fix this shit or else. And neither onnua you better not say or else what.
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Clay and Carl chuckle at what just happened and at the fact that their mother bought the lie that Clay came up with. Almost immediately after sharing a moment together, Carl sits on his bed and shakes his head in disbelief.
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Carl: I'm not gay, okay!
Clay: I never said you was, but okay. I won't talk bout it again. [trying to reassure his little brother, who's bigger than him now]
... damn, you grew since I saw you last? [questioning Carl as he exams Carl's shoulder and then his bicep and triceps with his fingers]
Carl: [swiping Clay's hand away] quit it, prev!
Clay: you quit it! ... Stop calling me a prev, you prev! [laughing]
Carl: [laughs along with Clay] honestly, we both are. [shaking his head]
... woulda never imagine that we woulda had, doing that in common. [sighs as he lays back in bed]
Clay: [chuckles and he sits on Carl's bed and lays back next to his brother] fuck nah. But I just love him so much ... it's crazy and can't explain it. [glancing over at Carl and clears his throat]
... bro listen, there's nothing wrong with doing anything that ain't hurting nobody or illegal. [Carl rolls his eyes and lets out a quick breath]
... hear me out though. We all do shit in the moment that might feel good as fuck, when we doing it. Then next thing we know, we feeling fucked up bout what we just did. Shit, I was doing that a lot last year.
Carl: [sighs] I know, I was either drunk or high or both every time I did it. [thinks about what Clay just said]
... what fucked up shit you did last year?
Clay: [blushing] ... um. [laughs]
... I was drunk a few times, but I actually wanted to do it ... I almost fucked that guy. That one that let me stay with him and Luis told us what he and Chris did. He was pretty much throwing it at me.
Carl: [chuckles] really? Throwing it, and you didn't catch it?
Clay: ... I ... at first, I wanted to. Just to get back at Chris. Plus, he's something like a pro compared to me and Chris.
Carl: I knew it, I knew y'all was more than friends. Almost fucked, just admit it, you smashed little dude? [playfully elbowing Clay]
Clay: [laughs] just ate on the booty.
Carl: [looking at Clay with disgust] ... eww. Ain't you worried bout ... [gags as he thinks about how it would feel and taste to have solid human waste in his mouth]
... I couldn't. [shaking his head]
Clay: [chuckles] it ain't for everybody. But that shit is like eating a chick out, getting her all her wet, she be ready to fuck!
Carl: nah, that's still a booty hole. I'll put my dick in it but not my fucking tongue. Eww, ass mouth motherfucker.
Clay: whatever, you had your dick in a booty way before me.
Carl: [becomes serious as he looks at Clay with a straight and unflinching face while Clay giggles to himself] ... shut up, at least I ain't been ...
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Quickly choosing not to finish his statement, because he remembers that he was the one that told Keidrick that "I wanna bust like a firehouse, the way you do."
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Carl: [chuckles] when we was still in Columbia, I saw you and Chris. Well, Chris in you. [chuckles]
... can't believe you doing, that. But you in love, you happy, and I'm happy for you. But then again, mom keeps saying I ain't happy with Sheryl.
Clay: are you?
Carl: yes and no. Yeah, cause she hot as fuck, she loves sucking dick, she a deep throat specialist. PhD in Suckology.
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Carl and Clay laugh the loudest they had at any point during their conservation.
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Carl: [after catching his breath] but nah, she's a right now girl, and not the right girl. Not everybody can fall in love with they best friend, especially when they working with the same shit you got.
Clay: yup, and that shit feels good.
Carl: eock!
Clay: nigga, how many times I gotta remind you, you fuck a dude first.
Carl: [laughs] it was like that, it was only in him for a little while.
Clay: long enough to know it was feeling good.
Carl: [chuckles] yeah ... it felt good.
Clay: [chuckles] I still can't believe that shit. [shaking his head and lays on the bed for about thirty seconds]
... we need to do something bout that nigga! If I knew we'd get away with it, I'd choke that motherfucker out my damn self.
Carl: nah, you can't do that, cause I woulda already did it!
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The brothers fist bump each other as they silently agree that something needs to be done about Keidrick.
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