Coco came in at four with two pumpkin pies, and when Scarlet strode in a half hour later she was not pleased to find Roman and me in the kitchen. "I need to put this ham in for an hour." She had preped a ham the night before, all it needed now was to sit in some heat for an hour. Her boyfriend Jean Claude Philippe came over, he was dressed immaculately in a black linen suit. He had that famous French nose, too long with an ugly bump, but other than that he was handsome. Jean Claude's family owned a vineyard in the French countryside, he and Scarlet met at an art gallery two weeks ago, but if you met them you would swear that they've been together for decades.
Dinner was two hours late, we intended to begin at six but we didn't start until eight. Kitty Kat walked in just as Roman started cussing her out every way he knew how, he gave her a sour look when he realized that she'd brought company. "Who's this?" Roman began his interrogation.
"This is my friend Shane D'Angelo Cooper, he's a performer at this underground club, you should come sometime. Angel, you remember Brooklyn, this guy with the sour face is Roman, he's just a bit peeved because this is our first Thanksgiving without our friend JQ. That's Scarlet and her boyfriend JC, Coco, never underestimate her, trust me, and Dom."
"Wow," Dom said strolling toward Archangel with her large booty swaying seductively. "Kitty always knows where to find the fine ones. Come'ere and sit next to me."
We gathered around the table, there was more food than we initially started with since every time a roommate came home they brought something with them. We sat at a round glass table that was rarely used, it sat five so a couple of chairs had to be drawn up. Roman said a quick prayer, thanking God for family and friends and then we started sharing food.
For JC, this was his first Thanksgiving away from his family. "Hopefully next year you'll celebrate with your wife." Kitty winked at him and Scarlet blushed.
"Next year you'll all be coming over to my penthouse. Maybe I'll have an Emmy or at least have gotten nominated." Roman grinned.
"Here, here!" I raised a glass of wine, Roman touched his glass to mine and we took a big swallow.
"Next year JQ won't be missing." Coco put in, "Here, here." We clinked our glasses together.
"And Dom will finally beat out Lambskin Dildo for the Woody! Here, here!" Dom joined in the glass clinking, I had to refill before I could swig again.
"Y'all are really strippers and porn stars?" Archangel asked, his eyes bouncing between Kitty and me.
"They're all strippers, except for Dom who's an adult film actress, Coco is retired, she's a club manager now and I'm a designer and in charge of Kandy Shoppe's promotions."
There was a lull in conversation while platters and bowls were being passed around, it was Scarlet who broke the silence. "I haven't spoken to Braxton yet so I didn't want to say anything, but you are my family and it's only fair for you to be the first to know." My heart sank, "JC and I just got together but there's a lot of love between us. JC's family are very prominent, and I see him in my future so I'm going to have to do what's necessary. I'm quitting Kandy Shoppe and stripping. That part of my life is past now, and I'm excited to become a wife and mother."
As sad as I was about her leaving, I was overjoyed that one of my girls had found someone to settle down with, someone who made her happy and would love her unconditionally. We all told her how proud we were of her and congratulated her and JC on their future. She would be moving to France in a month. It hit me that I'd already lost JQ, and Roman already dropped the bomb that he'd be gone in January and now Scarlet was leaving as well.
"Mr. Cooper," Roman drawled, "What do you do?"
"Officially I'm an officer with the K-9 unit of the NYPD, but I do some work--mostly behavioural and training--with the SPCA."
"Uh oh! Mr. Officer!" Dom laughed and bumped her shoulder into him.
Coco scrunched up her face, "You're a cop? I didn't get that vibe from you."
"I'm on leave right now."
"Why?" Bold Dom asked.
"My last case involved a conflict of interest and I also lost my dog so..."
Poetic Justice, a movie in the 90s which starred Tupac Shakur and an all star cast about a poet named Justice. But Angel had to be the full package, he is a cop who recites poems so deep that they touch your soul. My mother has two phrases which she used often to describe whether she liked or disliked a person, either her spirit took to them or it didn't, and my spirit took to Shane D'Angelo Cooper. There was a calm to him, despite everything he went through, and it was infectious. There was something else that drew people in to him and I could see Roman battling it, he hated getting close to anyone he didn't know, hated letting his guard down and Angel's mere presence was making him.
"What did you do?" Dom pressed.
"I'm not allowed to talk about it." Just like that he dismissed the topic.
"Since it's Thanksgiving we should all say what we're thankful for." Roman announced, "I'll start. I'm thankful for everyone here, even the ones I just met. I'm thankful to know all of my girls, each of you brought something to my life that I've been missing since I was sixteen, you are my family now. Even Dom when she's being a pain in the ass." We all laughed. "I'm thankful to have met JQ, he was somebody who understood what I was going through, he understood why my mood shifted so quickly and he taught me how to relax and let people in, from that moment it's been easy and I'll continue to pray for him and his family every day."
Coco was next, "I feel the same about each of you, there's a reason you're all in my life, some more temporary than others but each having an impact. I'm thankful for good friends and an extended family. I'm thankful that this thanksgiving I'm not fighting with my sisters over the leftovers that Ma brought home with her from the restaurant she worked at. I'm thankful for where I am today, I had given up on myself but God hadn't given up on me."
Kitty grinned, "I'm thankful that I get to be Kitty Kat, a person who I always felt like on the inside but was too afraid to be. I'm thankful for my friends and family and this food that Roman didn't cook so I know we won't die of food poisoning tonight." We chuckled. "I'm thankful that my family continues to grow and even when things seem lost we manage to overcome and we get closer together because of it. I'm thankful for Angel and JC, there are people out there daring enough to enter our house of sins and real enough not to judge us. Here, here!" We toasted and swallowed.
It was Dom's turn next and I was curious about what she would say. "I'm thankful for a job, for roommates like you and your friendship, and for this bangin' body that God gave me." She giggled and my roommates and me made disagreeing sounds in our throats and laughed at our crazy Dom.
Angel said, "Despite everything I'm thankful for where I am, I'm not where I need to be but thank God I'm not where I used to be."
JC nodded, he said what he was thankful for but in French, then he said, "I am thankful for the opportunity to get to know you all, I'm thankful for the woman beside me."
Scarlet blushed, "Well, I'm thankful for the man beside me and everyone at this table. I love y'all! Here, here!" Glasses clinked and wine was swallowed.
It was my turn, "I'm feeling Angel right now, I'm thankful for where I am, it's a hell of a lot better than where I've been. I'm thankful that I'm not the person that I used to be, when that Brooklyn came here, she was a frightened, insecure little girl who was away from her mommy for the first time, now she's bolder, more comfortable with the person that she is and she would have never become this person without all of you." I sipped some wine, Roman chastised me with a grunt, "I've overcome my share of obstacles since I'm been here, and I'm thankful that I didn't crumble and fall. I'm thankful for my promotion but I'm not going to take it, like I said, I'm thankful for where I am."
"You are crazy as hell." Dom told me. "You'll be working with Azari and maybe next in line to run the NY office."
"I didn't come to New York to be the boss. I came here to figure out how to be a more independent Brooklyn and I've done that. So for now, I'm good with graphical design and promotions." The new Mr. Braxton would not be pleased at all about having to have all of my things moved back down to my corner office, and I'm not sure how Mr. Braxton senior would take me declining his offer, but I needed to do what was best for Brooklyn and Brooklyn was not ready to be a boss, she was still getting over what happened in L.A. and Stone's betrayal while dealing with JQ's departure and the 'what if' phenomenon.
"Brooklyn," Angel said, "You sound as if you're not done yet, you say you'e gained your independence yet you're not ready to be in a leadership position, what's next for you? If you don't mind me asking, I'm just curious."
I smiled, that was a good question, something I hadn't really thought about. "I haven't given it much thought, but everyone seems to be branching out and preparing to do their own thing, maybe I'll do mine. I always loved graphical design but I never really knew what I wanted to do with it. Kandy Shoppe pulled me out of my element big time, I've seen things even the biggest ho back home couldn't even imagine so as far as promotions are concerned I learnt how to think outside of the box, even if it means stepping outside of my comfort zone. I've come to love event planning and management, I mean, even though what Braxton made me do caused my blood to crawl, it was always awesome to see the event I planned go smoothly."
"Are you thinking about starting your own company then?"
"Maybe, that's a huge possibility."
After dinner we drifted to the living room area and sat down talking, getting to know JC and Angel. JC was royalty in France, literally, if he were born in the sixteenth century, he would have been the cousin of the crowned prince, or something like that. He showed us pictures of his vineyard in the country side and the majestic horses he bred, he also showed us pictures of the city and the country during the different seasons and I had to admit France was a beautiful place, I hope I get to visit it one day. Angel wasn't big on talking, he mostly listened to what everyone had to say but he answered questions readily. It was after one in the morning when JC and Scarlet left, Angel lingered to help us clean up although we told him it was okay.
While he helped me put food into containers and get it into the fridge, I asked him where he was from, he told me that he was born and raised in Virginia but didn't go into much detail after that. When it was time for him to leave Kitty was passed out on the couch, her wine glass still in her hand so I offered to see him out. We were coming off the elevator when I caught him staring at me. "What?"
Angel shrugged, "You're an interesting person. I know all about reading body language and while you speak with confidence, the way you fold your arms and look past people, you're not comfortable in your own skin."
"I'm still getting used to this one." I confessed.
He pulled my arms down and tilted my head so that I was looking at him, "There, now you're talking to me not at me. It was nice getting to know you Brooklyn, maybe we should hang out some more."
"That's not a good idea. I'm terrible at picking men, and I think Kitty kinda likes you. It was nice getting to know you too, although I still know as much about you as I did at the club, or when you walked in the door. I guess you are going to be one of those people who leave me wondering what their story is."
"It's a shame really, mine is quite a story." He grinned and stepped outside into the drizzle of cold November rain. I went back to the elevator, my mind miles away in Florida, this was the first Thanksgiving I had spent away from home and I doubted if it would be the last. I had no idea what was in store for Brooklyn James in the future, but I was scared and excited to find out.
There was a lull in conversation while platters and bowls were being passed around, it was Scarlet who broke the silence. "I haven't spoken to Braxton yet so I didn't want to say anything, but you are my family and it's only fair for you to be the first to know." My heart sank, "JC and I just got together but there's a lot of love between us. JC's family are very prominent, and I see him in my future so I'm going to have to do what's necessary. I'm quitting Kandy Shoppe and stripping. That part of my life is past now, and I'm excited to become a wife and mother."
As sad as I was about her leaving, I was overjoyed that one of my girls had found someone to settle down with, someone who made her happy and would love her unconditionally. We all told her how proud we were of her and congratulated her and JC on their future. She would be moving to France in a month. It hit me that I'd already lost JQ, and Roman already dropped the bomb that he'd be gone in January and now Scarlet was leaving as well.
"Mr. Cooper," Roman drawled, "What do you do?"
"Officially I'm an officer with the K-9 unit of the NYPD, but I do some work--mostly behavioural and training--with the SPCA."
"Uh oh! Mr. Officer!" Dom laughed and bumped her shoulder into him.
Coco scrunched up her face, "You're a cop? I didn't get that vibe from you."
"I'm on leave right now."
"Why?" Bold Dom asked.
"My last case involved a conflict of interest and I also lost my dog so..."
Poetic Justice, a movie in the 90s which starred Tupac Shakur and an all star cast about a poet named Justice. But Angel had to be the full package, he is a cop who recites poems so deep that they touch your soul. My mother has two phrases which she used often to describe whether she liked or disliked a person, either her spirit took to them or it didn't, and my spirit took to Shane D'Angelo Cooper. There was a calm to him, despite everything he went through, and it was infectious. There was something else that drew people in to him and I could see Roman battling it, he hated getting close to anyone he didn't know, hated letting his guard down and Angel's mere presence was making him.
"What did you do?" Dom pressed.
"I'm not allowed to talk about it." Just like that he dismissed the topic.
"Since it's Thanksgiving we should all say what we're thankful for." Roman announced, "I'll start. I'm thankful for everyone here, even the ones I just met. I'm thankful to know all of my girls, each of you brought something to my life that I've been missing since I was sixteen, you are my family now. Even Dom when she's being a pain in the ass." We all laughed. "I'm thankful to have met JQ, he was somebody who understood what I was going through, he understood why my mood shifted so quickly and he taught me how to relax and let people in, from that moment it's been easy and I'll continue to pray for him and his family every day."
Coco was next, "I feel the same about each of you, there's a reason you're all in my life, some more temporary than others but each having an impact. I'm thankful for good friends and an extended family. I'm thankful that this thanksgiving I'm not fighting with my sisters over the leftovers that Ma brought home with her from the restaurant she worked at. I'm thankful for where I am today, I had given up on myself but God hadn't given up on me."
Kitty grinned, "I'm thankful that I get to be Kitty Kat, a person who I always felt like on the inside but was too afraid to be. I'm thankful for my friends and family and this food that Roman didn't cook so I know we won't die of food poisoning tonight." We chuckled. "I'm thankful that my family continues to grow and even when things seem lost we manage to overcome and we get closer together because of it. I'm thankful for Angel and JC, there are people out there daring enough to enter our house of sins and real enough not to judge us. Here, here!" We toasted and swallowed.
It was Dom's turn next and I was curious about what she would say. "I'm thankful for a job, for roommates like you and your friendship, and for this bangin' body that God gave me." She giggled and my roommates and me made disagreeing sounds in our throats and laughed at our crazy Dom.
Angel said, "Despite everything I'm thankful for where I am, I'm not where I need to be but thank God I'm not where I used to be."
JC nodded, he said what he was thankful for but in French, then he said, "I am thankful for the opportunity to get to know you all, I'm thankful for the woman beside me."
Scarlet blushed, "Well, I'm thankful for the man beside me and everyone at this table. I love y'all! Here, here!" Glasses clinked and wine was swallowed.
It was my turn, "I'm feeling Angel right now, I'm thankful for where I am, it's a hell of a lot better than where I've been. I'm thankful that I'm not the person that I used to be, when that Brooklyn came here, she was a frightened, insecure little girl who was away from her mommy for the first time, now she's bolder, more comfortable with the person that she is and she would have never become this person without all of you." I sipped some wine, Roman chastised me with a grunt, "I've overcome my share of obstacles since I'm been here, and I'm thankful that I didn't crumble and fall. I'm thankful for my promotion but I'm not going to take it, like I said, I'm thankful for where I am."
"You are crazy as hell." Dom told me. "You'll be working with Azari and maybe next in line to run the NY office."
"I didn't come to New York to be the boss. I came here to figure out how to be a more independent Brooklyn and I've done that. So for now, I'm good with graphical design and promotions." The new Mr. Braxton would not be pleased at all about having to have all of my things moved back down to my corner office, and I'm not sure how Mr. Braxton senior would take me declining his offer, but I needed to do what was best for Brooklyn and Brooklyn was not ready to be a boss, she was still getting over what happened in L.A. and Stone's betrayal while dealing with JQ's departure and the 'what if' phenomenon.
"Brooklyn," Angel said, "You sound as if you're not done yet, you say you'e gained your independence yet you're not ready to be in a leadership position, what's next for you? If you don't mind me asking, I'm just curious."
I smiled, that was a good question, something I hadn't really thought about. "I haven't given it much thought, but everyone seems to be branching out and preparing to do their own thing, maybe I'll do mine. I always loved graphical design but I never really knew what I wanted to do with it. Kandy Shoppe pulled me out of my element big time, I've seen things even the biggest ho back home couldn't even imagine so as far as promotions are concerned I learnt how to think outside of the box, even if it means stepping outside of my comfort zone. I've come to love event planning and management, I mean, even though what Braxton made me do caused my blood to crawl, it was always awesome to see the event I planned go smoothly."
"Are you thinking about starting your own company then?"
"Maybe, that's a huge possibility."
After dinner we drifted to the living room area and sat down talking, getting to know JC and Angel. JC was royalty in France, literally, if he were born in the sixteenth century, he would have been the cousin of the crowned prince, or something like that. He showed us pictures of his vineyard in the country side and the majestic horses he bred, he also showed us pictures of the city and the country during the different seasons and I had to admit France was a beautiful place, I hope I get to visit it one day. Angel wasn't big on talking, he mostly listened to what everyone had to say but he answered questions readily. It was after one in the morning when JC and Scarlet left, Angel lingered to help us clean up although we told him it was okay.
While he helped me put food into containers and get it into the fridge, I asked him where he was from, he told me that he was born and raised in Virginia but didn't go into much detail after that. When it was time for him to leave Kitty was passed out on the couch, her wine glass still in her hand so I offered to see him out. We were coming off the elevator when I caught him staring at me. "What?"
Angel shrugged, "You're an interesting person. I know all about reading body language and while you speak with confidence, the way you fold your arms and look past people, you're not comfortable in your own skin."
"I'm still getting used to this one." I confessed.
He pulled my arms down and tilted my head so that I was looking at him, "There, now you're talking to me not at me. It was nice getting to know you Brooklyn, maybe we should hang out some more."
"That's not a good idea. I'm terrible at picking men, and I think Kitty kinda likes you. It was nice getting to know you too, although I still know as much about you as I did at the club, or when you walked in the door. I guess you are going to be one of those people who leave me wondering what their story is."
"It's a shame really, mine is quite a story." He grinned and stepped outside into the drizzle of cold November rain. I went back to the elevator, my mind miles away in Florida, this was the first Thanksgiving I had spent away from home and I doubted if it would be the last. I had no idea what was in store for Brooklyn James in the future, but I was scared and excited to find out.
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