11

It was finally that day; everybody was rushing around getting ready for the graduation party. Aaralyn had finally graduated from Lincoln High, and everybody who was anybody was ecstatic. That night Aaralyn was to have a party, and everyone was going.

" Willow ! Boy, are you ready?" asked Jewel, as she slipped her COACH purse on her shoulder.

"Yeah, Momma, we've all been waiting for you." Said Willow , as he came into his mother's room.

"Where's your daddy?" asked Jewel, looking at herself in the mirror. "Did you talk to Aaron and Miss. Ella? Are all the arrangements made?" she asked.

"Yeah…." He said, and walked out the door, "The party is going to be the bomb…"

"Aaralyn, girl, are you ready, your guests are waiting for you?" Helena said in her deep Jamaican accent.

"Yes, I just need you to lace the back of this gown for me…" Aaralyn said and came out of the bathroom.

Helena hurried over to her, and quickly laced up the back of the dress.

"What the fuck is this, a fuckin' fashion show?" Money asked his wife Blair, who quickly shushed him.

"Darling, I think everybody is dressed quite lovely." Blair said, for she herself was dressed in a long form fitting black dress, with a heart shaped bodice, with a diamond encrusted hole pendant in the middle that showed a little bit of cleavage, and her stomach was bare, to the top of the bottom half of the dress, where there was another diamond encrusted hole pendant, right on her bell button.

"Yeah, you can say that, since you walked out of the house in your underwear." Money said.

"You designed the damned dress, Money, remember, we made it just for this occasion, please can we not fight tonight, I'm trying to have a good time." Blair said.

He ignored her and called over his brother's Craze, and Willow .

"So, Money, are you happy? Tonight's the big night my nigga, you is finally gonna get Dad's Empire today." Craze asked.

"Honey, I'm thirsty, can you go get me something to drink?" Paulette asked Craze.

Paulette was a different kind of beautiful, and just like Blair, and everyone else at the party, she had on a beautiful dress made of white silk. Her dress, was the halter style, with the halter part made of a thin string of diamonds and the dress, had silver swirlies all over it.

"Go get your own damn drink." Craze said, and then looked at Blair in disbelief, then looked at Money. "Money, you need to check ya girl, you do realize that she came out the house in lingerie?"

"I think it's lovely," Paulette said, glaring at Craze.

"Why, thank you Paulette, and I think yours is simply stunning." Blair said, and smiled at her.

Vanity cleared her throat, and spoke into the microphone. "Ladies and Gentleman, I would like to thank all of you for coming and for looking so beautiful, on this wondrous occasion."

If anyone looked elegant it was Vanity. She had on a big poofy ball gown. It was yellow, with embroidered pink roses on the bodice, and on the hem.

"But of course this is a party for my Aaralyn, celebrating her graduation her graduation, but we also have a few announcements. One from a good friend of Aaron's everybody please welcome Mark "Polo" Antwoine Miller….."

"Here it goes nigga!" Money said as he gulped down his champagne.

"Man…. I'm so happy for you," Willow said and embraced his brother.

"Now," Polo began, "As you probably well at least, the majority of you know, my 2nd wife Jewel, raised 4 beautiful sons for me, Jazz, Money, Craze, and Willow . However, she only birthed one, my boy Willow who is the proud man of Aaralyn Hawthorne….."

Willow looked around the room and gazed at Vanity who narrowed her eyes at him.

"My sons, my good sons, who have loved me well, who any father would be proud to have. But tonight, I must make a choice. He is my son, and my successor. He is who I think will lead this Empire to new heights." He paused, and looked everybody squarely in the eye.

"Congratulations, Money…" Craze said and smiled.

Polo's voice boomed into the microphone, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you my son, TAMBORA ANTWOINE MILLER, ALSO KNOWN AS WILLOW !!" Polo said and smiled.

Everybody in the room applauded in an uproar.

"No." Willow said, and looked at Money. "I swear, I didn't know Money, I swear!"

Money was so shocked that all he could do was blink his eyes and turn and walk away….

Aaralyn made her way down the grand staircase and everyone stopped talking and turned to look at her. She was truly radiant.

She was dressed in a satin strapless emerald green ball gown, with a diamond tiara in her hair.

When people saw her, they all seemed to sigh…..