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whose last interaction with you was aggravated assault?”
“But why now? She’s known all along what KSR was about. If she was going to be pissy about that altercation, maybe she shouldn’t have taken Tristan’s settlement.”
“I guess she was holding out to see if we were going to be successful or not. She says there’s buzz about us in the industry now or something.”
“I don’t know, girl. You better watch her. I don’t trust her as far as I can throw her. She snubbed us big time at the last few events we attended together. Now she wants to be friends again?”
Jada had a point, and I begrudgingly admitted it. “We don’t have to be best friends or anything. I’ll work with her because we can use some of her fan support for our rap artists.”
“Yeah, but keep that chick closer—like an enemy. She hasn’t shown herself to be a friend at all.”
“I’ll feed her out of a long-handled spoon, as Mama likes to say.”
“Good.” Jada plops in a chair in front of my desk. “So, Tracey says we’re having a huddle this afternoon.”
I sigh. “Yeah. It’s about time I apologized to everyone for my behavior. They shouldn’t be treated unfairly because I’m having Tristan White withdrawals.”
“If the White twins are identical in every way , I can truly commiserate with you there, girlfriend.”
I glower at her. “Don’t rub my nose in it.” 
“Aw, Keisha, before Tristan, you hadn’t had any in years. If anybody can work this drought, I know you can.”
I ball up a piece of sheet music and throw it at her head.
“Don’t get violent with me because you sabotaged your own supply of Vitamin D.” She catches the wad of paper and juggles it between her two hands as she speaks.
Jada played basketball in high school, so she’s pretty decent handling round balls. I cringe when she threatens to throw it back at me.
“Ha! I’m not going to kick you while you’re down. I’m just happy you’re going to make things right with the staff.”
“This really isn’t me, and I hope they know that.”
“I think they’ll be fine once you’ve huddled with them.”
“One more thing. Now that I have Princess Danai to work with as well as the orchestra the next couple of weeks—not to mention Mama’s wedding preparations—can I hand the management reins entirely over to you and Jorge for the next month or so?”
“Sure. If it’ll take some of the stress off. I’m down, and I’m sure Jorge will be, too.”
“And I’ll be in the studio this afternoon, so I’ll close tonight. As long as either you or Jorge will be around to give me a ride home.”
Jada grins. “I vote for Jorge.” Then she tamps down her excitement for my benefit. “I’m going to Nate’s game tonight.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right. Please give him my best. I like Nate and still want to be his friend even though I’m not his brother’s submissive anymore.”
By the look on her face, I’m sure my best friend doesn’t believe me. In fact, I’m sure she believes that about as much as I would believe she didn’t want to be Nathan’s submissive anymore, and I’m grateful she doesn’t call me on it.
     
~*~
     
“Keisha, you left those satin lavender pumps you wore to Javier Jr.’s wedding in your old room. I think I’ll use those as my something old,” Mama says while flipping through a bridal magazine.
“Have at ’em,” I say. “I can’t imagine ever wearing them again anyway.” Nina had chosen those chunky old-lady-looking, dyeable shoes for her bridesmaids while she’d worn an elegant pair of designer shoes. We’d all been pissed, but apparently Mama likes them.
“Are you sure they’re the right color, Clara Lee?” Mrs. Searles looks over the edge of her reading-slash-doing-intricate-stuff glasses.
“Yes, Thelma. I held them up to my dress in the light, and they’re a perfect match. I guess my dress will be my something new.”
My mother is so happy, it’s scary. Seriously, she’s just not her usual