The Decks and the Road
Renegotiating
Kaylin
Chapter 5- Not As Glamorous As it Appears
Kaylin- Instead of
a four hour drive north to my school in Central Florida, I’m heading just about
twenty minutes east. It’s early still,
and I’m ready to face my brother and all his expectations for my life. I’ve considered Kayla’s stance, and if this
doesn’t go well, I still have my monthly allowance, and the nearly twelve
thousand dollars I received for my birthday to support me in following my
heart. When I pull into the driveway, my
brother’s car is already in reverse and the car stops just short of my front bumper. We’ve already hugged and kissed and my visit
is unexpected. Tayeton emerges after a
couple long seconds, and we meet in the small space between the two cars. I can read the look on his face, and likewise
the face of Kat whose head is hanging out of the passenger side and turned
towards me.
“Is
everything okay… we weren’t expecting you?”
My brother is surprised, but not disturbed.
“Everything’s
okay… it’s just that I’ve thought about it, and I don’t want to return to school.”
“Are you
serious? Kaylin you have a powerful
opportunity, and you’re in the perfect position to do something both mom and
myself wish we could have. I mean… “Where
is all this coming from?”
“Well, I
want to pursue my music, and I met someone who can help me.”
“Help you? The industry isn’t going anywhere
Kaylin. College can help you.”
“Nor is
college going anywhere.” I’d begun to
walk out from the small space and pace.
“So you
come home, and then what? Who’s this
person, and what are they promising?”
“There’s
no promise… it’s not laid out like that, but all the connections are there.”
“But you’re
not a singer; you’re a writer. So how do
you break through?”
“I don’t
have any of those answers Tayeton. I
just want to follow my heart. I can stay
with Kayla while I figure it all out.”
“I don’t
know….” I’m now standing still. All my cards are on the table, and there’s nowhere
to go, but there’s been an exchange of emotion and now Tayeton’s pacing. His hands are on his hips, and he continues
to shake his head back and forth from right to left.
“Why don’t
you wait… finish school, and then I can make some phone calls. I’m sure there’s someone in my network that can
put us in contact with the right people.”
I listened as I absorbed all the disappointment and disapproval I
could. I turned the ignition off, and
sat on the front of the car where I tried to consider my brother’s wisdom, but
everything in me said no, though I didn’t feel like it was appropriate to utter
the words. After the first few tears hit
the middle of my skirt, my brother joined me.
He wrapped his arm around me, and then looked me in the eyes.
“Everything
is not as easy and glamorous as it appears.
There are things that go on that I couldn’t begin to share with you. I’m just trying to protect you.”
“I get it.”
“No you don’t. And that’s okay. I’ll give you my blessing if you’re going to
be by Kayla. If not, you’re here with
me. Those are the terms.”
“Terms
accepted.” I didn’t know when my tears
stopped or my skirt dried, but things had gone as best as they possibly could,
and I was driving away with my whole future in front of me. And to be clear, my future as I understood it
was full of success. These were non-negotiable
terms; terms I could not part with.
I’d
already counted on it going my way, and I’d called Johnaya to collect the
personal things she’d left behind in the room we shared at Kayla’s. The room had been laid out much like a dorm
room, and we’d used it almost equally.
Now, it would be mine, and I had my own thoughts on how I wanted the
room to look. I hadn’t given it much
thought until she’d arrived, but I hadn’t seen much of her father in the last
two days. Once she entered the house I
could sense that something was different.
She hadn’t been in the room even five minutes, and hadn’t put but two
things into the box she brought with her before Kayla stole her away. I’d expected it to be just a few minutes, but
it was quite a while, and I started loading the box myself. When she returned, she totally didn’t mind
and sat on small bed that still occupied her corner of the room.
“I guess
it had to happen sooner or later.” She
looked sad and partially upset. I knew
it wasn’t the room. We’d already
discussed it.
“What’s
going on?”
“It’s
Kayla and my dad. They’re splitting up.” Before she could get all the words out of her
mouth, she already broke into tears.
These were tears that had managed not to fall loose before, but were now
ready to be free.
“Actually,
they’ve already split up, and we’ve been avoiding the issue.”
“So, what
now?” I asked as I moved beside her.
“They’re
pretty much saying the same thing…. We’ll always be family. We love each other, and we love you… it’s
just sometimes things don’t go as planned.”
“And what
are you saying?”
“It will
take some time to get used to. I can’t
imagine what’s so complicated that they need to split up. Even my mom is surprised at the news.”
“Well, you
know we’ll always be the best of friends right?”
“Right!” I see the break of a smile, and I know we’ll
get through it. We continue to fill the
box, and we agree that whatever she leaves behind is up for grabs.
Shortly
after she leaves, I push everything to one side of the room, and lay with my
eyes closed. I’m thinking of all the
things that have transpired since the night before I left to come home. I’m wondering if they’re at all connected,
and I’m remembering the first reasons why I’m coming home. I’m thinking of the things that were revealed
to me in prayer, and though I’m intimidated by what I’ve been called to do, I’m
also excited to know what my life will look like on the other side of it
all. Before I can consider everything a
second and then a third time, I see his text…
Chapter 6- Peeking Through
Radiance- My first
album was successful. That’s lingo in
this industry not for “a hit”, but to say “not a total loss”. I’m still on the roster, and I’m still the
forerunner but this album had better be a hit, or I could lose my position and
be shelved. It’s no hard feelings; it’s
the business I’m in, but most of the reviews are in, and my popularity has
increased almost in the blink of an eye.
The hype feels real, and the circuit I’m on is not letting up. Today, I’m at Ample to meet with Reece. I think she just wants to check in and see
that we’re on the same page. She’s happy
to see me as always. I’m still the
artist that won her the pitch, and got her the position, and there’s something
special that we share. I’m not so green
anymore and there’s been enough ups and downs to sober me up, yet I still find
a way to hold on to my confidence, and she’s a lot to do with it. I take a lot of notes from her, and I never
let them see me sweat unless it’s in the burrow above my upper lip. She greets me at her door with a high five,
and I know that the hype is real.
“So radio
is buzzing. ‘Coming Together’ is spinning. I’ve been jumping stations all morning, and I’ve
already heard it five times. I just got
off the phone with the social media team and people are checking for you. Right now your whole month is booked, and we’re
already getting requests for album screenings.”
She’s so boss… and her suit jacket is speaking her truth. It’s her signature thing… a boss jacket, and
a killer pair of shoes. That’s her in
office get up, but the levels change and industry events is where she really shows
her knowledge of fashion. Actually she’s
really becoming known for her style, and I’ve spotted her in at least three
magazines in the last six months.
“Nice.” It’s my answer to it all, and it does feel
nice.
“So where’s
Eaton?”
“Who
knows. He shot me a text earlier. You know he’s relentless; probably meeting
with potential talent.”
“Okay good…
you’ll get a look at the final cover sometime this week. Check the business email, and if there’s any
big news, you’ll get a text from me.”
That was the extent of the meeting, and her next appointment was already
waiting. That was the extent of most of
my meetings. They’re usually short, with
a lot of run downs, but it’s my work behind the music. It’s something about the culture. Everyone wants to meet in person, shake
hands, and get a sense of where you are.
I embrace it, just as they embrace the fact that I’m not as in your face
as I appear to be. It’s something about
the red heart-shape glasses that gets them off guard. I haven’t parted with them nor has the label,
and we’re working on something special for the fans, but first is the business
of this album and whether the buzz translates to bucks.
I get back
to the car and I hear the song for the first… now that I’m listening to the
radio. I’m thinking of how clutch the
song was, and I know it was a gift from heaven.
I look up and take a moment to recognize the true powers that be. My next stop is to get my tints a little
darker. Yeah it’s at that point, and I’ve
been advised, although the red hearts tend to peek through.
Renegotiating Kaylin, a novel
Copyright
2019 by Natisha Renee Williams and Grace Call Communications, LLC
All Rights Reserved, including the right of reproduction in
whole or in part in any form.
Comments
Post a Comment