Authors note: Hey, I know I've been away for a little over six months, my deepest apologies to my loyal readers. Life got in the way and I wasn't able to completely focus on this story. However I have never forgot it and I do plan on finishing it not matter how long it takes. For a long time I didn't have a computer, so that alone presented a great challenge, but I have written on notebook paper chapter 11 and was finally able to type it out. So without further delay please enjoy the next chapter to Unchained Melodies. Thanks again to the new readers, old readers, followers and those who have left uplifting comments, I appreciate you all a whole lot.

Chapter 11 "Three's to many a crowd"

Tiffany looked down at her brown wrist band watch as she stood in her uniform. It was unlike Bruno to be late to walk her to work, especially when it had been his suggestion of doing so, but ironically she had to admit to herself that it hadn't been the first time since the Café incident that Bruno had been late here and there. She tried to shrug it off, he was practically a grown man almost and it wasn't tiffany's business to keep tabs on Bruno, besides it wasn't like they were together or anything, so in truth she shouldn't have really cared. However, though she had the patience of a saint even that was wearing a little thing waiting for him to show up. Tiffany had just dropped her little daughter off at the babysitters and had been standing on the end of the block at the stop sign, right where she had expected Bruno to be waiting once she had walked around the corner. She looked at her watch again ready to leave, if she didn't soon she would be late for work which she absolutely hated doing.

"Tiff, Tiff!"

She turned on her heels just in time to see Bruno running up to her.

"Golly Bruno, you're like twenty minutes late, what happen to you?" She folded her arms taping her foot as she waited for an explanation.

"I got held up with something tiff, my bad" he smiled while catching his breath he had lost while running (probably the whole way there).

She gave him a look and he chuckled.

"Honestly Tiff, I had to do something for my mom, took a little longer than expected, I'm sorry I kept you waiting though okay, don't be to mad at me…"

Tiffany let her folded arms fall and the tension in her expression ease.

"Oh, your mom…" She said feeling a little bad for being annoyed with his lateness. "Well in that case you're fine then, if it was for your mom, she comes first…"

"Ha, well what if had been for another reason? Then what, am I still forgiven so easily?" Bruno argued teasing her a little.

"Well if it was for another reason, then this would be the last time I'd let you walk me anywhere let alone to work" She smirked before turning and walking in the direction of the Soul food Cafe.

"Hey wait up Tiff" Bruno called out catching up to her.

"Yes?" She said, her head high not looking at him, with a smirk he couldn't see.

"Ah come on, you gonna do me like that, I just wanted to say how pretty you look today" He smiled.

Tiffany looked over at him. She couldn't help but fall in love with his smile. It was strange but she found it highly attractive, in fact it was the best feature on his face.

"Bruno this is my work uniform" She clarified with a sigh. "There's is nothing pretty about it, but otherwise then that thank you for the compliment"

"I wasn't talking about the uniform Tiff. I was talking about you specifically…" he looked over at her intently.

She sighed. "Come on Bruno don't go there, I'm already taken remember?"

"Well sometimes I forget, it's like he'd rather spend his time in jail then out here with you and little mama, and really I can't understand how you could be with someone like that anyway, Darnell told me about that time he hit you, I could have killed him myself"

Tiffany threw Bruno a serious look. "You shouldn't listen to everything that Darnell says, he really should try to take care of his own issues instead of being all up in mine, besides that was a long time ago and he promised he wouldn't do it again, so let's not revisit that okay"

"I'm just saying Tiff, you deserve better"

She chuckled. "Really and who would that better someone be?"

"I guess you'll never find out being stuck on the past"

"Hump, I guess so then…"

The rest of the walk to the Cafe was a silent and rather awkward one. Bruno had stopped at the front door once they arrived not really wanting to run into anyone who wanted to strike up a conversation and tiffany proceeded to go into the doors until Bruno stopped her.

"Look I'm sorry"

Tiffany turned to face him on the top step.

"I didn't mean to start a fight with you, but as a friend I guess I just can't help worrying for you sometime you know, even if you are super mad at me for caring so much I can't really help it"

"If you care that much, know that it will only ever be friends between us Bruno, I never had a stable family, I want to make it work with my daughters father as crazy as everyone thinks I am for that, yeah he anit perfect, but a lot of people anit, most anit, so just let me live my life the way I want to and continue to be a good friend, that's how I know you care"

"If that's what you want, I'll try to do that for you"

"Thank you" Tiffany began to make her way through the doors.

"Oh yeah, Tiffany?"

"Yes Bruno?" she turned to look at him again.

"I can't wait to hear you sing. You know when we get on stage and do it for real. You have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard, something like an angel"

Tiffany slowly looked to the ground below her feet, her cheeks having upped a temperature. She had been told she could sing, but never had it come out so genuine from someone else. Before she could say anything the last thing she saw was a smile as Bruno turned in a quick walk far away up and across the busy street, many feet from the cafe. After losing him in the crowd Tiffany made her way into work and clocked in her time card. She looked around as the Diner filled with more and more customers, but there seemed to be no sign of the familiar face she was so accustomed to.

"Hey Angel?" She called out walking up to one of her co workers. "Where is Miss Shirley, isn't she supposed to shift today?"

Angel, a Latina girl with short brown curly hair, deep brown eyes and dark tan skin shrugged. "Well she was here earlier but then she left like forty minutes later, I guess she wasn't feeling well or something…"

"Really, that's odd" Tiffany thought aloud. "I mean sure everyone gets sick but Miss Shirley is always here"

"hey there's a first time for everything mama' besides there's a bug going around, she probably was just one of the unlucky ones, speaking of, If I were you I'd get your little one in for some flu shots, my son Bentley is sick and it's not nice girl, he be throwing up all over the house" She walked away shaking her head. Tiffany gave a smile but it soon faded with some worry covering her features as she put on her apron and hat.

...

"There you go hopefully it's enough, I only ordered a small amount, have to watch my weight" Sara said as she placed a breakfast dish (ordered from the nearby Ihop) in front of AJ who had just gotten out of the shower. It was around 9:46 in the morning.

"Not a prob babe, thanks" He picked up one of the plastic forks and with a plastic knife began working on filling his mourning hunger pains that had been hard to ignore any longer.

Sara watched him closely as he began eating, every movement, every chew, every swallow, until her eyes made their way directly to his plate of food. She took a seat opposite of him and picked up her own eating utensils.

"So baby what do you have planned today, I was hoping you'd be up to take me shopping around New York before we left. There are these shoes I kind of want you to get me"

AJ didn't meet her gaze. Instead his focus remained entirely on the food before him. "It's not like there's a rush" he finally managed through chewing. "School's done so we can stay here as long as we want"

Sara frowned. "So is that your way of saying you'll be busy today AJ?" her brow rose slowly as did an annoyed expression.

"If it makes it easier for you to comprehend then yeah, I guess that is my way of saying I have something to do" He concluded.

Sara pushed her plate forward.

"What?" He asked with a small shake of his head.

"Oh nothing" she folded her arms. "Just the fact that my boyfriend spends more time being quote on quote busy with something else then he does with me"

AJ sighed a little "Look Sara don't make it a big deal okay, I didn't say I wouldn't take you shopping to get your shoes, I just have something's I need to take care of today" He grinned. "Besides I'm sure Cathy would love to do that with you" He stuck his hand in his pocket to revel a wad of money. Releasing a few bills from it he slid them over in her direction.

"There, you have more than enough to get your shoes"

She quickly unfolded her arms to grab the bills and place them in her bra, but scrunched her nose. "You know AJ perhaps it wouldn't hurt you to actually use a wallet instead of caring your money around like some ghetto thug. I mean seriously you're getting ready to own a million dollar company, you should act like it"

Placing his money back into his pocket, deciding to ignore Sara's comment he went back to eating his food.

"Anyway I find myself rather curious as to know what is so important that its taking all your time away from me…."

She frowned when no answer came from her boyfriend. Suddenly she folded her arms again and smirked lightly. "I know it's not that fat old black lady at that poor ghetto eat in you took me to, couldn't be…humph' what was she again your dad's house maid, must be why there's such an attachment with you two then, huh"

Pulling from behind his ear his only cigarette, AJ gave her a look and finished his last bite of pancakes. After a quick drink of milk and without one word more from him, Sara was left sitting there alone at the table. Once he had reached the sitting area, plopped down on the sofa, lit his only stress reliever taking a deep drag and kicked his feet up he heard a loud slam from the distance behind him. In effort to ignore it he pulled out his phone and dialed up a number.

Three rings in, someone answered. "Hello?"

"Hey Tiffany, just wanted to make sure we're all still down for practice at 10:30 like we talked about"

"Oh yeah, Bruno and I will be at the club for sure, talked to him just a while ago, I get off in about an hour so I'll just go home to change then I'll be down there in the practice room" Tiffany confirmed.

"What about Antonia?" AJ blew out a line of smoke above his head. "Is she not coming?"

"Well I haven't talked to her yet, but yesterday when we spoke she said she had something to do around that time with her cousin, said she couldn't get out of it, but she would most definitely meet us at the shop on 29th to get our outfits for the show after she was finished…"

AJ stayed silent for a moment. "Alright Miss Tiffany I'll see you and Bruno at the club around 10:30 then"

"Kay AJ, see you, bye"

"Bye…"

AJ pressed end on the phone and sat it to the side. He took another inhaul of smoke before letting it go into the air again. He heard another door and the water go on in the bathroom. Figuring that Sara, no matter how mad she had been couldn't hold on to that much money for longer than two hours was more than likely getting ready to go shopping with Cathy. She had good taste and always looked good for AJ but she spent money as if it grew on trees. She would spend it on something no doubt, even if it hadn't been the shoes she bitched at him about. AJ was aware that the shoe argument was probably much deeper then he tried to ignore, his heart was with the anticipation of the performance that was coming up as was his focus on actually winning, so everything else seemed to come second, his father's company, his important decision about taking it over and now his girlfriend.

He gave a yawn, having been exhausted ever since the sign up to enter the contest. Because he and the others had entered way at the last minute after all the other acts, that meant practice, practice, practice, and to AJ who knew a lot about music, though each of them (Antonia, Tiffany, Bruno and himself) were extremely talented on their own, it wasn't talent alone that would claim a victory. They all needed to sound good together as a whole unit. Tiffany with the leading voice, Bruno on the drums, AJ on the piano and Antonia on the saxophone, which by its self had been a rather hard challenge mixing all those elements into one package, especially for AJ who took it upon himself to coordinate the whole affair. In reality they were all trying to pull off something that for most bands took years, but AJ whom kept faith that everything would all come together and sound great kept it positive.

Once his cigarette was completely finished off he threw a hand carelessly over to the astray to add a new bud to his already plentiful collection of many. That's when the cell phone caught his attention. It was Sara's and as simple as it sat there minding its own business for some odd reason AJ's curiosity grew and he picked it up. He hadn't been the type t go through his girlfriends phone but something was pulling at him to do so. When the beep went off as an indication of being blocked he typed in a name, sure it was the pass code. But with two failed attempts of realizing it wasn't the right code after all he pondered for a good two minutes before typing in something else which to his utter surprise happened to unlock the main settings. Easing in his position on the sofa and with a cautious eye he looked over his shoulder making sure he was alone in the room as he proceeded to the text messages.

In the other room Sara had positioned herself behind the bed on the floor keeping an eye out for AJ just in case he decided to walk in on her unexpectedly. She had been engaged in a private conversation with Cathy the entire time AJ had assumed she was showering. Unknown to him she had by accident herd him talking on the phone to someone when the name Antonia was mentioned.

"I'm telling you Cathy, something just isn't right about this whole thing. It's like ever since that morning at the cafe he's been acting super fucking strange, and then I over hear him on the phone taking to some random person and he just so happens to say that low class trashy girls name, coincidence I don't think so, something is definitely going on!"

Cathy gave off a laugh on the other end of the line.

"Okay Cathy, you're laughing might you please explain why that is?" Sara protested slightly angry that the situation didn't seem to be as serious to her friend.

"Well because Sara I mean think about it, you compared to Toni bandores it is a laughable situation, just admit it, I mean AJ is a bit odd, being that he's having a hard time finding himself and all but really I think he has better taste then some ugly Spanish speaking hood rat, have you even looked in the mirror lately, you're like a my size Barbie, blonde hair blue eyed babe, this chick doesn't hold a candle I mean she looks like a sewer rat"

Sara smiled.

"Besides why would you think he'd be talking to her anyway after what happen, he is your boyfriend and he did show up with you to the hospital that day, all day in fact, so stop over reacting I'm sure it's nothing"

"Well you are right about her not being able to hold a candle to me, but still her name was mentioned out of the blue and that's something my little head just can't ignore, I'm going to get to the bottom of this one way or another, all I'm asking is that you're with me"

"Come on Sara you know that whatever happens I'm there"

"Okay so then you'll be willing to do a little spying with me then?"

Cathy sighed. "What, Sara, spying you serious?"

"As a heart attack bitch, besides you owe me anyway for all those times I spied on Kyle for you, member?"

"Okay, okay, what do I have to do?"

"Just come with me, I'll make up some lie and leave the hotel first then once AJ leaves you and I will follow him, after all he did say he had something to do today, my guess is it has something to do with whatever her name is, I want to catch him in the act and confront him face to face on the spot"

"Alright I guess I am up for it, sounds like fun actually, but only if we get to do a little shopping along the way?"

Sara laughed this time. "You know cat, I was thinking the exact same thing. We will need some kind of reward for our hard work and hey, my treat, see you in twenty…"

...

"Miss Arroyo you will here by serve a period of three months probation which will be placed as a community service and also a $400 dollar fine will be issued since the assault took place in a public area, this will be counted as a misdemeanor for you. Also while you complete your community service duties anger management classes will be required of you to take…"

Antonia breathed already annoyed. Firstly by being there in a court room after doing a job with the crew just recently, Then having to had spend time in jail for standing up to a bigot with too much mouth on her, let alone listening to the judge go on and on about what should have been done and how the situation should have been handled. She could swear a migraine was coming on, the woman's voice in Antonia's opinion was like a slow torture and all she could do was stand there and act as if she gave a damn. If the so called judge had been in her shoes, nine times out of ten she would have acted the same way. A second thought came soon after once she looked at her, Pale skin, slanted eyes, dark hair pulled back in a nice bun, large frame glasses and a disappointed expression. She would never come to understand Antonia's type of lifestyle without actually having to live it, this was a fact that no one but Antonia would wholeheartedly stand on completely.

The woman finished writing and looked over in Antonia's direction. "Do you understand everything that was just discussed here today?"

"Yes your honor I understand all of my charges, thank you"

"You're very much welcome Miss Arroyo and I hope that in the future you try and make better choices, you have a nice day" she gave a smile before getting up from her seat.

Antonia rolled her eyes taking exit from the court room. "Blah, Blah, Blaaah" she managed to mutter under her breath walking out the door.

Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her phone that had started vibrating. Once she saw the number she took a long sigh. It was the guy from the night she had went out with Lilly. After meeting and talking with him, he undoubtedly turned out to be a big stalker! She wished with all her might that it had never happened, that they ever met at all. She really wasn't up for talking to him, especially since she was still in the courthouse, but if she didn't answer he'd call back lord only knew how many times. She was certain of this since he had done it all the times before, so deciding to save herself some grief she just answered.

"Yeah, Travis what is it?"

"Dang girl is that how you always answer the phone?"

She rolled her eyes feeling the migraine hit. "Uh yeah, it's my phone… I mean I pay the bill on it so I should be able to answer it pretty much anyway I want…"

"Well how are you doing, I never heard back from you last night?"

"Oh yeah that, got tired feel asleep, sorry…" She recanted plainly.

"Ahh that's okay, but hey?"

"What?" she asked sharply.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me on Friday night, you kind of been blowing me off and I'd really like to see you again, just so were able to get to know one another face to face, phones become so impersonal over time you know…"

Antonia threw her head back mouthing the words why me why me.

"Uh you know I don't think Friday is the best time Travis, I have somewhere to be that night and it's very important."

"Ah come on girl"

Antonia rolled her eyes when she was called girl for the second time since answering his call.

"That may be the last time I get a chance to see you"

"Yeah and why is that?"

"I told you already" he said almost shocked.

"Okay well it might have slipped my mind, tell me again" Apparently she hadn't been listening to him.

"I'm going to the army, so it might be a while for another chance to hang out, I was thinking dinner"

She sighed. "Alright well like I said Friday I have something to do, I'm actually performing for a Jazz contest that's being held in Harlem"

"Wow, you never said anything about that. I'd love to see you perform, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I guess you can say it's kind of like a band, I'll be on stage with three other people and I'll be playing the saxophone"

"Well in that case I really look forward to seeing you, in fact that will be my treat to you afterward, a nice dinner paid for by yours truly, sound good?"

"Yeah okay whatever, listen I have somewhere I need to be so I'll talk to you later or something okay?"

"Okay…"

Antonia hung up her phone without a goodbye. She made her way outside and to the parking lot where Ghost had been waiting for her in the car. She wasn't the least bit surprised that he hadn't gone in with her. Courts and jails were to Ghost what hospitals were for Antonia, and both avoided each like the plague. Ghost himself had been in and out of the system, mostly in for minor offenses in his early teen years, and for the most part he was able to keep a good behavior and stay clear of jail, but Antonia knew that was bullshit, Ghost was just better than anyone and not getting caught, he was robbing banks and lucky for him and the rest of them, the police still had no leads for the time being.

"So how'd it go?" he asked starting up the car as Antonia got in.

"Bullshit of course, she gave me community service, a 400 dollar fine and anger management"

Ghost checked looking over at Antonia's large frown.

"Hell I don't see why you're so upset, anger management might do your little ass some good, maybe it will help you think a little more about the consequences of your actions"

She looked over at him as they began to pull off. "Right, okay Mother Teresa, your just so on point with your shit Woooo"

"Hay, as funny as your smart ass comment wasn't, yeah I am, I'm not the one who got a charge pinned on my record, and like I said before, shit don't go away, so you better hope it never comes back to bite you in the ass one day"

Deciding that she wasn't up for an argument with Ghost she didn't say anything back. The car ride soon grew silent as they proceeded on down the road.

"So you coming to the house?" Ghost finally asked.

Antonia looked up at the time on the car radio. "No, actually if you would drop me off on Cherry that would be great…"

...

"So much light, let it bring Loooooove"

Tiffany held the note beautifully as the piano faded out and the sound of Bruno's drums went quiet. It had been a two hour practice session much shorter compared to the others they had.

"I think we can quit for the day" AJ grinned at Tiffany getting up from the piano.

"That was good" Bruno boasted. "But it wasn't great…"

"I know what you mean" AJ agreed. "Antonia does seem to bring a certain flare to the performance huh?"

"Darn right she does" Tiffany added. "Just not the same without that girl"

"So AJ what's this place where we get the clothes man?"

"Harlem's Closet it's an underground store that's renaissance based, you guys are going to love it. It's only about twenty minutes away from here walking. I've been there a few times throughout the years" he said closing the piano and packing up.

Following his lead Bruno and Tiffany had begun to do the same. They all walked up to the bar together, with AJ a little ahead.

"Oh yeah I forgot to tell you…" Tiffany whispered to Bruno.

He looked at her. "Yeah what's up?"

"Miss Shirley didn't show up for work today, or I guess she did but she didn't stay for her shift she left"

"Oh…"

"Just Oh"

"Well what do you want me to say?"

"Don't you find it a little strange?"

"Uh, Tiff people miss work all the time. It's not like it's that big of a deal"

"But Miss Shirley Bruno, Miss Shirley?"

"You're over reacting" He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it's not as big a deal as your trying to make it out to be"

Bruno and tiffany stopped.

"Hey AJ, is something wrong my man?"

AJ stood still looking at the two hooded individuals at the bar. He shook his head at Bruno's question and proceeded on, keeping his eyes on the two mysterious figures as he went. "Nope, everything's good, lets head out…"

Sara finally let go of the breath she had been holding in the entire time. "That was close, did he see me?"

"I don't know, but he did stop for a minute"

"Okay new plan, for the remainder of the time were doing this we don't get so close, that all most gave me a heart attack"

Cathy nodded in agreement as Sara looked over in the direction of the bar tender picking up a half cut sheet of paper. "Hey excuse me sir but what exactly is this?" She asked flashing it in his direction as he approached cleaning a glass out.

"That's our jazz flyer"

"Jazz flyer?"

"Yep there hanging up all around the city, hard to miss"

"Where not really from around here"

The bartender chuckled some. "I can tell, but it's happening this Friday, a big jazz contest. All the best bands are performing for a cash prize. It's a pretty big deal around here"

Sara stayed silent for a moment looking over the flyer again. "And how much are these tickets to attend?"

"It's a free event, but donations are always accepted at the front entrance"

Cathy patted Sara's shoulder turning her attention away from the man. "He AJ's on the move, we should probably go now…"

The two girls stood up.

"Since you seem to have so many of these around the city I'm just going to steal this one from you, thanks…" Sara quickly placed the flyer in her purse as they ran to the door.

AJ and the others had made it o the next block by the time Sara and Cathy ran out of the club behind them. The three continued on and every now and then AJ would look back with a strange feeling that he was being followed. The two hooded individuals at the bar put his suspicions on high. Tiffany would ask him a few times now and then if something had been wrong to which he always replied "No" and even Bruno caught himself looking back a few times himself.

...

Lilly's shirt was off exposing her breasts partially hidden in the baby blue lace bra she had worn that day. Jake at that moment was busy running butterfly kissing down her neck as his hands roamed freely over her body which lay back flat on his bed. He went up to kiss her passionately and then made his way back to her exposed stomach teasing her a bit there before going down further and further making her moan in the process as he brought her to complete ecstasy. She hadn't intended this little love session, in fact she had just stopped by to ask about Jessie and his parole. But it started with a look and ended up with the two of them sleeping together.

An hour passed and the two lovers laid there on the bed naked like they always did afterwards, Jake still on top gazing down at Lilly running fingers gently through her dark brown hair. This had happened so many times it was becoming all to familiar to them both, and it wasn't to say that when the two were out together for whatever reason passerby's did not consider them the loveliest couple. It only caused Jake to feel as though Lilly was his soul mate, a woman made perfectly for him.

"You're beautiful you know that right?"

Suddenly Lilly turned her head and moved from underneath him.

"Did I do something wrong" Jake asked sitting up from his laying position.

Lilly sighed. "No Jake you're doing everything right" She got up grabbed her panties and jeans and began to get dressed. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of…"

"Why would you be afraid of that?" Jake said quickily putting on his pants.

Once Lilly was dressed she took a seat on the bed with her back facing Jake. In was silent for a moment before she finally said something.

"Jake we got to stop this, I mean my hearts already in the worst kind of pain, I feel guilty about what we're doing to ghost, but I'd be lying if I said you don't do something to me, I just wish this could all be different, but it's not and if Ghost ever found out what where doing were dead" she breathed. "Were dead, I don't think you realize just how serious this is…" when she finally turned to look at him there were tears in her eyes.

Jake quickly got up and went over to her grabbing her face with his hands so that she wouldn't turn away. "I hate doing this, sneaking around. I want you to be my woman, all my woman. I mean it eats me up every time I think about him making love to you, kissing you…"

She shook her head. "Jake…"

"Listen to me, I'd never let ghost hurt you Lilly, you should know that, I'd kill him first"

"Stop Jake!" she moved his hands. "That's just what I don't want. I don't want anyone dying over me. I'm not worth all that"

"Yes you are!"

"No Jake, I'm not"

"To me you are"

"Why though Jake, is it just because you have something against Ghost some bad blood I don't know about?"

"No, I wouldn't keep anything like that from you, and even if we had I wouldn't make that about you, ghost and I never got along, that's just the way it is, no need to read between the lines on it. Where here right at this very moment because I'm in love with you"

She turned her back to him again. "I think its better that we end this"

"What, come on Lilly?" He rested his head on her shoulder.

"My grandma always used to say if you're doing things that don't allow you to sleep at night, chances are you really shouldn't be doing them, this is wrong plain and simple, not even ghost deserves this, for the most part there are things about him I wish I could change, but otherwise I can't say he hasn't at least tried to be good to me, I'm sorry Jake but this thing between us is over" She got up wiping her eyes before Jake was right there hugging her from behind.

"Wait Lilly wait!" he whispered against her ear. "If this was different if there was a way that ghost wasn't in the picture, would I have a chance?"

Lilly kept still and quiet.

"Please if you could tell me that, and just give me a little hope that maybe one day there can be an us for real, I'll be able to sleep at night at least. Please, I just need to know"

"Yes" She finally said. "If Ghost wasn't around, there would definitely be an us Jake" she placed her lips over his softly and looked into her eyes. "Definitely…"

She touched the side of his face before pulling away.

"Now I need to get to the house before he gets back home with Antonia…" She said grabbing her purse.

"Does she know anything?" Jake called out as she reached the doorway.

"I don't think so, but she's definitely starting to suspect something, that's another reason why I wanted to end it"

Jake sighed. "Just remember Lilly, I love you alright…"

"I love you to…"

...

"So AJ what made you get into jazz and the blues, you seem to know a lot about it, did you study it at school" Tiffany asked looking over in his direction across from Bruno.

"Sadly no, I wish it had though, actually to tell you the truth I don't even know why I'm so in love with that style of music, I just always felt attached to it somehow…"

When the three crossed the street Antonia sat up from her lean against the Store wall, the Name painted on top high above her in large letters Harlem's Closet.

"Hey Antonia, you waited?" AJ asked tossing his cigarette bud to the ground.

"Of course, I never been in here before, oh yeah again you guys, sorry for not being able to make practice, I'll make it up before the performance night though"

"No prob" AJ replied with a grin. "Well let's head in, shall we?" He said holding the door open for the others. They all entered with AJ the last to follow.

Sara popped her head from behind the bush and took up her binoculars quickly.

"See anything Sara?" Cathy asked curiously behind her.

"Yeah they just went into that store, come on lets cross the street and get a little closer…"

Every mouth except AJ's sat opened as all eyes looked around the store that was Harlem's Closet. A Harlem stride style piano music playing in the background and the aroma of cinnamon burning from incents lit in the distance.

"Well it's a lot different from the last time I saw it, much more variety, seems like"

Antonia looked at him mouth still opened and eyes still amazed at the sight as she let her feet carry her from the others to the wall with portraits of famous artists of the reissuance era. The whole store was like something from the 1930's, the instruments, the clothes, shoes, accessories and the pictures. Jelly roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Fat Walter, Willie "the lion" Smith in clay figures all about. Even lady legends like Josephine barker. The movie projector up ahead played silent clips that the music complemented to beautifully. AJ was surprising Antonia more and more.

"Well we definitely have to wear a suit, that's all the black man wore back in those days"

"Agreed, suits will be a nice touch"

Soon a woman in her late forties walked up to the four of them. She had red hair dark skin and a big grin. "Hi welcome to Harlem's Closet, are hats are 50% off today as well as are cuffs, my names Tammy, can I help you all find something?"

"Uh yeah were supposed to be performing for the Jazz Contest coming up and we need something to wear" Bruno gave a big smile.

"Oh yall gonna be in that contest, we've had a lot of customers because of it, humm' well let me see I'm assuming you all are a band right?"

They nodded.

"Well what color did yall wanna do, black, blue, cream, off white, red maybe? We have a variety of colors to choose from"

AJ grinned. "I think will go with black"

Okay well the ladies section is around the way straight ahead and the men's just behind, why don't you all take a look around and when you're ready I'll bring you some sizes"

"Sounds good thanks"

The four split, Antonia and Tiffany to the women's section and AJ and Bruno in the men's. It only took Tiffany a little over ten minutes to fall helplessly in love with a dress. Long, black Sophisticated and totally her. Tiffany pressed it to her body looking in a nearby mirror as she spun around like someone from a Cinderella movie.

Antonia laughed. "Well Tiff I guess you're finished shopping around, seems like it didn't take you to long, you absolutely sure about this dress, you know everyone will see you in it…"

"Girl this is the one, this dress is perfect, I can dress it up with a little jewelry and all that"

Antonia turned her attention to the racks again. It just so happened that they were in the dress section of the store but just close enough to the suits that were specially made for women. That's really what Antonia had her mind set on. She wasn't by a long shot the girl who wore dresses, so it was odd when one in particular had caught her attention from the corner of her eye.

She walked over pulling it from among the shadows of the others. It was a black dress that would complement her curves and hug her waist, finished with a beautiful v neck. The slit on the dress was long and would reveal a leg in the sexiest of ways. It was definitely an attention getter and no doubt a performance dress, but she backed away felling like it wasn't really her. Remembering the agony she had to go through the last time she dressed up, made her swallow hard, and her gaze fell from the dress. She did not, by a long shot want to go through that kind of torture again.

Tiffany walked over eyeing the dress that had just escaped from Antonia's grip. "Ah good pick, very sexy" she complimented.

Antonia turned. "Huh? Oh that, girl please" She said with a quick laugh. "I was just looking, it's not my choice" she grabbed something simple from a nearby rack.

"What do you mean not your choice" Tiffany argued pulling up the bottom of the dress. "This would be gorgeous on you!"

"Yeah maybe…" Antonia said with a small shrug. "But I'm not really into dresses and makeup, all that you know, besides it's only one night. I'll probably never wear that dress again ever in life"

"That's exactly why you should get it, this whole experience will probably only happen once in life, I say we go all out why we have this opportunity…"

"Nah Tiff, I think I'm just going to stick to this" She held the clothes up, black dress pants and a black button up. "Keep it simple, you know that way hair can go in a ponytail, easy…"

Tiffany sighed giving up on convincing her. "Suit yourself Antonia, but I'm telling you girl that dress is screaming your name" She shook her head.

"Yeah Yeah" Antonia said blowing it off. "Come on. Let's see what these boys managed to find themselves…"

The two walked back over to the men section to find Bruno dressed in a brow suit with a pocket watch and new dress shoes which where a deep Chesnutt brown.

Antonia looked over at him confused. "I thought we decided on black…"

He turned to face them. "Oh yeah we did, I'm just feeling myself a little so I decided to try on some different colors, that's all" He shrugged taking off the jacket and hanging it back on the rail.

"So you two find anything you might want to wear for the performance?"

"Yeah AJ did actually, a few things, he's in the fitting room now" He looked between the two young woman. "So how bout you two, find anything?"

Tiffany smiled. "I sure did" She allowed the dress to fall, holding it up by the neck line so Bruno could see it. "I'm going to get some black long gloves and a big ring to go with it, so I can really get in character, see if my sister won't do some finger waves in my hair for me, gosh this is so exciting!" she squeaked.

"Ha, my very own Billy Holiday mixed with a dash of Josephine, I love it!"

The girls laughed.

"Hey you like this?" Bruno asked putting on a tie and nudging Antonia.

"Nah, try tucking in or something" she suggested.

Tiffany tapped her foot. "Come on AJ you can't keep us in suspense forever, let us see what you're working with brother!"

One minute later AJ emerged from the dressing room. "Alright, what do we think, yes or no?"

He was fully dressed in renaissance attire, complemented with his own personal touch. Black suit with a matching jacket, a white button up under the jacket buttoned all the way to the neck with a black bow tie, suspenders peeking from behind and black combat boots.

Tiffany's mouth dropped. "Wow AJ, this is a really good look on you"

Antonia stood up straight once she realized her mouth was hanging open, clearing her throat she produced a small grin. "Yeah, surprisingly it actually works"

Tiffany patted her friends shoulder slightly. "Uh what Antonia means to say is that you look, damn good"

Antonia threw Tiffany a glare which made AJ smile as he looked in the mirror at himself.

"Nah…"

They all looked at Bruno.

"What is it?" Tiffany asked.

"Something's missing"

"Missing?" Antonia questioned looking over at Bruno who was looking around.

"Ah ha!" he said grabbing a hat. "Perfect, here man, try this…" It was a fedora, black with a white band, he handed it to AJ.

"Well that won't work, what about your hair, I mean wont you have to cut it to make it look right?"

AJ shook his head at Antonia's question. "Nope I'll just push the hair back, not a big deal"

He did so and put the hat on a little more leaning forward on his head at first. Unsatisfied he readjusted it to go back just a little more allowing his pushed back hair to peek through the front just a bit. Bruno made a howling sound before slapping hands with AJ.

"Hot damn man, that is the look for you performance night, no doubt!"

"Bruno's right, this is really you AJ, the hat brings it all together"

"Hell yeah, my man right here is a classy hipster sporting a few tatoo's and a passion for the blues… now come on help me find something" Bruno said pulling AJ through the racks. Everyone laughed except Antonia who seemed to be stuck staring at AJ.

It wasn't to say that she completely hated his look before, pressed blue jeans, polo shirts with that ugly peacock grey coat she disliked and the type of hair that make him seem like a Harvard professor slash James bond. It was expected considering he was more or less a rich boy, but oddly enough looking at him in the new clothes made her see him in a new light, as if she was meeting him for the first time. Like the real AJ had been hidden behind the Beverly hill style the whole time just now set free. His posture and movements even seemed different and she was finding that she had become with no intention of her own more than attracted to him. The hat was a nice touch, a very nice touch, like it completed him somehow, Bruno had a good eye. Antonia's own eyes soon drifted back over to the women section of the store all the way back to the black dress. She looked down at the clothes in her hand. Tiffany did have a point it was just one night after all, perhaps it was worth it to go all out.

"What are they doing I can't see a thing from right here!"Cathy shouted trying to get a better visual from her standing position she and Sara had taken on their current spy mission.

Sara shook her head in disbelief as she watched everything from afar with her binoculars. "There shopping, I can't even fucking believe this Cathy, there actually in their shopping together, I was right, he is messing around with that girl from the café, that low class whore should be in jail" She breathed stomping her foot. "Damn you AJ such a fucking little lying ass bastard…how could you!"

"What are you going to do Sara, should we go in and confront him?" Cathy looked over at her friend then back to the window.

Sara took a deep breath and calmed her anger some. "You know what no, were not going to confront him just yet, in fact I want to play like nothing is wrong and wait until Friday night to do it"

"Friday night?"

"Yeah, you heard what the bartender said, there's going to be a jazz concert that night, and since AJ is so smitten with his colored friends all of a sudden, I'm sure he'll be there"

"Wow wait, if there's a jazz concert, will be out number two to a thousand maybe more, are you sure we should take that type of risk, doesn't seem safe Sara!" Cathy said freaking out.

"I don't care" Sara got up and started walking. "He's embarrassed me and so he'll get his payback in front of all his little friends"

Cathy got up following closely behind.

"No one runs game on me, no one…" Sara muttered pulling out the Jazz Flyer. Memorizing the address she crumbled and tossed the paper to the ground.