Chapter Four

The meeting

Five months later bus number four had been Lucky’s home. Sammy had taught her a lot about the business and Pappy had even let her drive the bus once. She had adjusted well to the lifestyle.

“Ok, so how long has it been Lucky?” Sammy asked from across the table where they had just finished lunch. Lucky slouched down and blushed, she looked at Winston who was watching the road.

“Pappy cover your ears.”

“Will do” he joked back not paying them much attention.

“Spill it girl.”

“Ok… six months and two weeks. Happy now?”

“Oh my goodness.. You haven’t had sex this whole tour?!” she yelled.

“Shhhh… please lower your voice.”

Sammy cracked up and fell back in the bench seat laughing. Sitting with her back to the window and her legs on the bench, she acted embarrassed.

“It wasn’t that funny.”

“Yes it was! That is one of the perks of being out on the road.”

“So when was your last… Ms. Thang?” Sammy fell silent and started looking around for an escape. She stood up and walked to the media room.

“Oh no, your not getting out of this” Lucky followed.

“I know, I know… It was last night.”

“WHAT?” Lucky gawked laughing. Sammy had to go details on how she and Shawn Carter left a little something at the Omaha civic center.

They made it to the venue at six o’clock that night. This would be the last show for a week. Nelly had planned a huge after party at the hotel at which attendance was necessary. Sammy’s cell phone rang, as Lucky’s people were finishing up.

“Give her five minutes, sure. Bye.” Lucky swatted the makeup girl back and wiped off a little too much blush.

“L. Nelly wants you to come over to his dressing room he has some people for you to meet.”

“Alright I’m, ready.” Lucky stood up and adjusted her new blue top.

Max let them into the room. “Here she is boss.”

“Lucky come in, Sammy you too.” Nelly spoke from a group he was in. Lucky quickly recognized some of the people. “Guys this is Lucky” she shook hands with them and flashed a million dollar smile.

“Oh now I know I’m in trouble,” Justin teased.

“Down boy. How ya doing Ms. Lucky, I’m Lance. This is J.C. and the one in heat is Justin.”

“Hey guys.”

“They came to see the show,” Nelly informed her.

“That’s great” she stopped and turned to the boys. “But Nelly don’t you think we should make them earn it. Front row seats, backstage passes, meet and greet.”

“Yeah baby girl you got a point.” The room laughed as Justin fell down on his knees in front of her.

“What exactly would you like me to do baby?” Lance and J.C. also listened intently for further instructions. The door opened “Lucky five minutes” the stage manger called.

“You guys come dance with me.” She joked.

“What on stage? J.C. asked.

“I’m in” Justin raised his hand still sitting in the floor. “Me too…” Lance sounded off. “I don’t know ya’ll” J.C shook his head.

“Come on J.C., you’ll be in a Mobey video but you won’t dance with me for a minute.” Lucky pleaded.

“I’m in” he said with a blank look on his face. When he broke into a smile he said “And when I’m done you are going to give me a kiss right here.” he tapped his cheek and cut back over to where Nelly was.

The show started and during the second song, she gave them their cue. One by one they came out, J.C. gave her a run for her money when he incorporated a dance off between them. Finally she shut him down and sent him packing. Lance came out carrying a daisy like flower and pulled her into a slow grind. When Justin thought they were a little too close he ran out. Grabbing a microphone on the way he b-boxed to Lucky’s flow and lance bowed out. At the end of the song all three came out a waved to the crowd. 

 Chapter Five

Back at the hotel, the penthouse was pumping with party people. “Who’s here to turn it out?” Nelly yelled when he came through the door. The scene was straight out of a movie. Lucky made her way to the bar when arms wrapped around her. Turing around she saw it was Lance sporting a Prada tee shirt.

“What are you doing baby?” she played with a sweet voice.

“Trying to pick up where I left off.”

“Umm…”

“Lucky!” J.C. yelled from a few feet away. “Girl you forgot my kiss” he staggered a bit over to the couple.

“If I do it tomorrow it would mean more.”

“You probably right” he smiled as his torso grew arms. Ananda giggled as he pulled her around.

“Lucky great show.”

“Thanks, are you covering the tour?”

“Not at the moment…” she busted out laughing while J.C. whispered in her ear.

“Bye-bye” she sneered as they disappeared into the crowd.

“Do you want to go talk or something?” Lance asked her.

“I want to go do something” she pulled him down the hall into her suite. She clicked on the lights and sat down her drink. They settled on the couch overlooking the city out of the picture window.

“So was that your first hip-hop concert?” she asked.

“What would give you that impression?”

“Oh, I read your first show was Reba McIntyre.” She tried not to laugh.

“Very funny! HaHa. Let’s see you’re a rapper right?”

“I try.”

“Wasn’t your first concert and I quote Billy Ray Cyrus.”

“Damn teen people! That’s not cool man.” They laughed and he rubbed his face a bit,

“You ok?” she asked scooting close to him.

“Yep” he answered happy to see her in reaching distance.

“Good” she said almost in a whisper. He took the invitation and kissed her. They continued in a fluid motion as he lay her down on the couch. She held on to his neck when he brushed some hair off her face. She adjusted her hip so their legs were tangled. He started kissing her neck, she closed her eyes and ran her fingers through his hair. A moment later she ached where he had been kissing. Yanking on his jaw she made him stop. He opened his eyes and she laughed at his confused look.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well Lestat that is pretty intense.”

“I’m sorry, I just go carried away.”

“I kind of like it”

“Oh really?” he kissed her playfully.

They were still making out when the door opened. A crash startled them as the lay quite for a moment.

“I spilled my drink,” a girl’s voice poured out. (“That’s Sammy.”) Lucky whispered in Lance’s ear.

“It’s cool I got a six pack.” A guy replied. (“That’s Justin.”) Lance recognized. “Come here sexy chocolate” Justin slurred his demand.

“I’m about to turn you out white boy” Sammy invited. Lance and Lucky fought not to bust out giving up their cover. (“We have to get out of here”) he said. (“But how?”) She asked in a whisper.

“Do you have a condom?” Sammy said.

“That’s how!” Lance said almost yelling. “Ya’ll hold up…”he said standing up.

“Ahhh!!” Sammy screamed searching for a shirt to cover her chest.

 “Lance how’d you get in here?”

“I had the key…” Lucky said walking around the couch and heading for the door.

“Girl what happened to your neck?” Samantha gawked.

“Never mind that…. Why aren’t you in your room?”

“Because there are three couples in there. Ughh I don’t even know.”

“We are leaving, so uh, sorry or something.” Lucky stumbled over her words at the sight of seeing Justin in only a pair of un-zipped jeans. Lance and Lucky made it to the other side of the door and busted out laughing as hard as they could.                                                                              

“Where are we going to go?” he asked her.

“Your room?”

“Nah, J.C. and Ananda are in there.”

“Hey I know…” they took the service elevator to the garage. Searching the jacket she had taken from the room, she found a set of keys.

“How did you do that?”

“This is Sammy’s jacket she has keys to everything. They unlocked the bus and climbed on. “Home sweet home.” She joked dropping the jacket on the table.

“Tell me about it.” Lance said walking around feeling nostalgic.

“There are some bunks here, but there is a big bed in the back.”

Chapter Six

The next morning

“Is that your phone?” Lucky groggily nudged Lance to answer the ring. Sitting on the edge of the bed he rummaged through his jeans for the annoying device. She sat up behind him with only a sheet between them. He answered the phone as she kissed his bare shoulders.

“Hello? Yeah… where are you? I’m on my way. Uh? Yes she is with me… bye” She stopped to hear one side of the conversation. He lay back down and pulled her down on his chest.

“They were just looking for us.”

“I guess we should get back huh…”

“Sure… What are you going to do over your break?”

“I don’t know. I figure since I’m this close I’ll go home for a while.”

“You sound disappointed.”

“No, I’ll go home I just don’t want to stay home all week. Between my mom and sister, I will be anxious when I come back. We have a big show at the Roxy in New York. Everybody is going to be there I need to be on for that performance.”

“So don’t stay the whole week,” he simple stated.

“An do what instead?”

“Come see me in Orlando. I have some work to do, but it shouldn’t take all week.” Lucky studied the ceiling and consider the invitation.

 “What would everyone think if I came just to spend time with you?”

“For one I don’t give a shit, and second we could make something up if it bothers you that much.”

“Like what?”

“Uhh… I don’t know. We could write a song together. J.C. could produce it.”

“Whoa, slow down boy.” Lucky seemed to whirl at the idea. He might put up such a facade to spend time with her.

“Slow down?” he frowned and twisted to get in her face. “That’s not what you said last night.” She kissed him deeply and wrapped her arms around him. He held her tighter and tighter until his phone started ringing again.

 Going Home

“Hey momma.”         

“Tatum, sweetheart your home.” Dallas came across in a thick accent. “Hello. Who are you? Will you be staying with us?” she asked the large black man. Who was handing Lucky her bags.

“Oh no momma, this is Mouse he is my body guard.”

“How are you ma’am?” he extended his hand to her.

“I’m fine darling. Won’t you come in for a glass of tea.” She pulled them into the kitchen before they could answer. “Tatum get everyone some ice, sweetie… I can’t believe you have a body guard.”

“Yes mom, I have a body guard, two #1 singles, and a nickname you seem to have forgot.”

“Well excuse me Tatum, don’t forget who you are talking to. Now don’t show out we have company.” Dallas spoke with out looking up from the lemons she was cutting. Mouse tried not to laugh from his seat at the island counter. Lucky set he glasses on the tray on took her seat next to him. She mimicked her mother’s attitude behind her back making Mouse laugh even more.

“So how is tour going?”

“Good I’ve been meeting a lot of great people. Nelly said I’m doing a good job.”

“Well you listen to him he knows what he’s talking about. Now Mr. Mouse… tell me how my nineteen year-old has been behaving.” Lucky laughed at her mother’s unfitting manners.

“Please ma’am just Mouse. Luck---Tatum has been a good girl. She eats right, exercises and get plenty of sleep.” He quickly lifted his drink to take a sip. Dallas folded her arms and smirked.

“I’ll double what she paid you to say that.” They all laughed and Lucky’s face went blank

“He pleads the fifth” she cracked.

 Later that night

 “Where’s Blue?” she asked her mother from the lazy-boy in the den. Entering the room Dallas took a seat on the couch and propped up on a pillow.

“She will be here tomorrow, she had a photo shoot in Washington.” Lucky pictured her sister modeling for some snobby photographer in the cold. “Phillip may get her a television deal soon.” Rolling her eyes she tried to sound excited at her mother’s news. The truth was Blue’s agent was a money-grubbing bottom feeder. He had promised the world to Dallas as long as she continued to sign his checks.

 “That’s great, I hope it works out.” At her words, Dallas became enraged and started yelling.

“At least she is trying Tatum! At least your sister is working!”

“What did I do?”

“You are being so vindictive! Sydney is making a name for herself.”

 What the hell do you think I’ve been doing for the last six months?” Lucky pleaded with her.

“Quit trying to hog the spotlight. Sydney is the next big thing.” Dallas shouted as Lucky stood up and headed for the door. “Don’t you walk out on me!” she yelled again.

“Why not you left me a long time ago.” With that Lucky grabbed her purse and keys. Dallas chased her to the garage. Lucky started the civic up and burnt out of the driveway.

“I hate your music!” Dallas screamed over the squealing tires.              

Lucky drove as fast as she could to get away from that woman and that house. The words that her mother said cut her insides. 75 south was her ticket to freedom. The tears were streaming down her face as she cut in and out of traffic. She drove to the SoSo def studio in College Park. When she pulled into the parking lot she saw J.D.’s rover. In the dark it all seemed to blur together. She wiped her face and pulled her hair into a tight bun. She pulled her cell out and asked for someone to let her in.

“Girl what happened?” Jermaine directed her to a chair in his office.” Lucky realized how rough she looked. “You look like you’ve been crying.”

“I had a fight with my mom… I didn’t know where to go.”

“It’s ok that you came here.”

“I left in a rush…”

“Hey, it’s going to be cool. First thing we have to do is tell Mouse where you are. You can stay at the house in lake Lanier tonight, but what will you do tomorrow. You can’t run forever.” Lucky put her head back and took a deep breath.

“I was suppose to go to Florida for a few days then I’ll be back on tour.”

“Florida?”

“Yeah my friend invited me down to Orlando.” Lucky sat up and peered over the desk at Jermaine.

“Would that have anything to do with that stunt you pulled in South Carolina?”
“ What makes you think it’s him?”

“Busted… I didn’t say anything about a him.” Jermaine laughed and leaned back in his chair. Lucky smiled for the first time in two hours and tried not make eye contact.

“Yeah well…”

“Lucky I’m telling you now I don’t like it.” The tone in his voice changed and Lucky’s smile faded.

“Why? We are just friends.”

“If it gets out kiss your career goodbye. You will be is little bitch. Plus the public would never accept it.”

“But what about…?”

“Nope they are both pop stars. You are different, a new category. Hip-hop is rough and true to it’s form. If you are linked to him then every bit of street credit you ever had will vanish. I know you’ve worked too hard to just throw it away.”

“I want to do a song with him. We already started writing.” Lucky tried to speak solidly. He let the idea sink and decided it might work.

“Ok… but nothing goes out with out my approval. If I don’t like it then this whole crazy thing is over. Got it?”

“Yes… I understand.”