Carlotta

"Morning Boss Lady." Ms. Bruce walks into the office with coffee for her and basket of chocolate.

"Morning."

"Something's different bout you. You getting that botox?"

"I don't need that junk in my face. I'm doing this thing called self care."

"Well whatever you doing, it's looking good."

"Where'd you get the basket from?"

"Simone. Some independent labels sent some stuff for her over at the salon."

"These girls got three more months on their contracts and they already starting to pouch em from here."

"Well they gonna have to step up on the gifts. The food baskets ain't gonna cut it." She says as she hands her a chocolate bar.

"Thank you. I just gotta get them ready for this Dirty South Tour and can let the cards play themselves." She says as she took it. The phone rang and she picked it up. "Carlotta Brown."

"I have a Luscious Lyon on the line for you."

"Put him through."

"What's that old dog calling for?"

"I don't know." She puts the phone down and puts it on speaker.

"Lotty Brown." He says jokingly.

"Lulu Lyon. I was starting to think you were dying again."

"Nah, they ain't got me yet. Listen, I calling to give you a heads up about your girls."

"What? You trying to sign them too?"

"Not me, Jeff Kingsley. He's taken over Empire and he's scheming to make a play on your girls. He'll do and use anything to get artists to sign, willingly or not."

"How about are we talking ?"

"If you have any skeletons in the closet, you better air them out quick before he takes everybody down. He's going to be dangling the toy to get each of your girls to sign together or apart."

"Luscious, what about Empire, that's your name?"

"He's erasing the Lyon name out of existence but we're fighting. Be careful Carlotta." He hangs up and Carlotta is left stunned.

"What you wanna do?"

"Looks like we might be going to war. I know Luscious Lyon and he wouldn't be warning us if this wasn't a real threat."

"You better let the girls know at the meeting today because this Kingsley fellow suppose to come in today at 3pm."

Star

Star came downstairs dressed in a new shirt after Davis spit up on her last one. Davis is in his high chair sipping on his second bottle while Cotton is putting away clean dishes.

"He's already on his second bottle? Damn, this boy can eat."

"He's already in the ten month old clothes. Watch you send him off to preschool next year."

"I swear this boy is growing like a weed." Star grabs a small towel and throws it over her shoulder. She picks up Davis and burps him over her shoulder.

"You got a couple of onesies from Atlantic sitting int the corner with a bunch of toys."

"Even though I ain't signing nowhere, I'm here for the free gifts. You like your new toys Davis?" She says to her son and he just babbles. "I'll take that as a yes. I can't wait for Alex to get back from her Island adventure."

"They got back last night."

"What? Why didn't she call?"

"The girl just came back from a two month honeymoon with her husband. I wouldn't call either."

"She probably in the studio or still in bed making a baby." The door knocks and Star walks over to answer it and it's a delivery man with a gold gift basket. "Let me guess, Sony?"

"No, this one's a big one. Sign here."

"Cott, can you take him?" She hands over the baby to Cotton and signed for the basket. It had gold wrapping and a bunch of clothes in it wrapped in plastic with a gold bow tied on top. She takes the card and it has a Lyon symbol on the front.

"Congratulations on your newest addition to your family. We hope that Take 3 join our music family in the new season. Sincerley, The Empire Family."

"Empire. Now that is a big fish. Is that a Versace baby bag?"

"It's full out Versace. Robes, dresses, sunglasses. They really want us to sign with them." In that moment, her phone rings and it's Carlotta on the line. "Hey boss lady."

"Star have you gotten anything from Empire?"

"Yeah, I just got a Versace gift basket from them. You want a robe?"

"Do not sign anything yet do you hear me?"

"I just got a basket. I know not to sign nothing without talking to you. What's going on?"

"The new head of Empire wants to make y'all musical slaves. Come to the office now."