"Well then Miss Stephanie what do you have prepared for me to hear?" Mack asked and we both smiled ready to let him hear her amazing voice.
Mack called the rest of his staff that was a part of the decision making into the office. Everyone sat around the table staring at Stephanie. Stephanie would be under estimated by her looks but her voice is powerful and soulful. Stephanie was about five seven with sandy blonde hair. she had green hazel eyes and a smile that light up the room.
Stephanie smiled and looked at me and I nodded my head. "How can I ease the pain." she said and I put in instrumental on and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
All alone, on my knees I pray
For the strength to stay away
In and out, out and in you go
I feel your fire
Then I lose my self control
How can I ease the pain
When I know your coming back again
And how can I ease the pain in my heart
How can I ease it
If it's not love you've come here for
Tell me baby why you're here?
Knock, knock, knockin at my door
I can't take it, no more
No more, no more, no more baby
Give me all or nothing at all
Stephanie hit an F5 on the last word and my eyes went wide. I didn't know that girl had such a range.
"Stop, that's it!" Mack yelled slapping his hand on the table. "Umm, Jerry can you got draw up the paper work."
"Definitely." Jerry said smiling getting up front the table and exiting the office. Everyone was in awe at what they just heard.
"Have you ever heard of someone by the name of Teena Marie?" Jazz, one of the female assistant asked.
"Of course I have she is amazing. one of my idols."
"You sound like her."
"Really?"
"Yes!" everyone said at once.
"Girl, I didn't know you had such a range." I said looking at her with a smile.
"Guys you will not believe how old she is!" Mack said standing and everyone started to guess. Everyone was guessing mid to late twenties. "Not even close. Stephanie, the newest artist to Soul Records, tell them how old you are."
"I'm Seventeen."
"Please say you are lying." Jazz said and several others agreed.
"No, born 1996."
"Oh My God." they all said and I couldn't do nothing but smile.
"Now, I'm going to have my lawyer look over the contract for you before you sign but most importantly your parents have to agree." I told her and she nodded. "Mack will explain it to you and then we'll take the contract back to Atlanta."
"you from Atlanta?"
"Born and raise."
"That's the other thing Mack, she is my prodigy, she will stay in Atlanta and will be in college."
"of course education is important."
"but you know I'm going to make sure she get what needs to be done done."
"I know." We went over the contract and then went down stairs to find the driver still sitting there.
"What hotel will we be going to?" the driver asked and I shook my head.
The next day we seen my lawyer and he explained the contract to her with her parents on the phone listening to the explanation. That night we ate dinner with my grandma Anne then flew the jet back to Atlanta. I called Emily telling her we would meet her at home.
when I walked in the door Emily was sitting on the couch reading some files. I rolled my eyes and shut the door. "Hey babe." she said getting up from the couch walking towards us.
"Hey mommy." Gabby said giving her a hug.
"Hey baby, go put your bag upstairs." Gabby nodded before heading upstairs. Emily stepped forward wrapping her arms around my neck. "Hey, I missed you."
"I missed you too." I pulled back walking to the kitchen to grab something to drink.
"Want me to cook something?"
"nope, I ordered pizza about twenty minutes ago." she wore a confused look and I mentally shook my head. I went to walk pass her when she grabbed my wrist.
"What's wrong?"
"nothing." I tried to pull away but her grip tighten.
"I know something is wrong tell me." the door bell rung and she let go of my hand. I grab some cash out my wallet paying for the pizza and calling Gabby down to eat. Once was had eaten and Gabby was in bed, Emily and I sat on the couch opposite of each other watching TV.
"I'm going to take a shower." I stated standing up but Emily once again grabbed my hand.
"Can we talk?"
"About?"
"Why you are being cold towards me?"
"I'm not being cold. What are you talking about?"
"You have been acting funny since you got home."
"I'm tired Emily what do you expect."
"Bullshit Maya!"
"Bullshit? Now I don't know what wrong with me?"
"I'm saying you are lying. That's not why you're acting cold towards me. Why the cold shoulder?" I felt the anger rising inside of me and I bite my bottom lip. I took a deep breath to try and control my temper.
"Why did we move to Atlanta?" I asked calmly.
"because my firm transferred me."
"and when you transferred, what did that intel?"
"I don't understand where you are going with this."
"you were switching to family law and was going to be working shorter hours. You are never home and barely spend time with our child."
"It's my job Maya, what do you expect?!"
"I expect you to commit to what you said!"
"where is this coming from?" she yelled and I laugh harshly.
"Your daughter." her face grew confused and I shook my head. "We're on the plane home and Gabby decides to ask me why mommy always at work? does mommy work all the time because she doesn't love me? does mommy want me to go back to Cassandra? I wish mommy would take me to school or pick me up. I wish mommy would go swimming with me like she used to." I shook my head.
"Our daughter wants your attention but you are so far up your jobs ASS you don't realize it!"
"you leave the damn country and the state constantly but I don't complain do i?"
"But who takes her to school?, who picks her up?, who takes her to her lessons?, who helps her with her homework? you know what the better question is when is the late time you did any of that?"
"what I'm a bad mother now?"
"I didn't say that. I'm pointing out the fact to you that your daughter wants and deserves more than five minutes of your fucking attention Emily! Open you pretty eyes and see that she needs and wants you."
"I'm sorry." she mumbled.
"your sorry don't mean nothing to me. I'm telling you now and this is the last time I'm going to say it. When we come back in January from Rosewood, you better have decided whether your job or your family is more important."
"what the hell that suppose to mean?"
"if your job is so important, you can have you job and take your ring back and I will take our daughter and move to Cali with her. But if you family is more important, I'm going to need for you to cut your hours."
"This is how I contribute to the house!"
"okay." I shrugged my shoulder and tilting my head looking at her. "I'm not saying you have to quit but you need to make some chances."
"so you will leave us?"
"You the one who wants to have another kid running around this house but you can't pay attention to the one we have now. I grew up without my parents because their jobs were more important that their own child. I will not have that happen to my kids. I looked passed it for so long but when my daughter asked me those questions it broke my heart. If I have to be unhappy to make her happy then that is what I will have to do." I shrugged towards the stairs and she grabbed my wrist.
"Let go." I jerked my hand away and started up the stairs but stopped. "Don't come to bed tonight. you can sleep in the guest room or the couch for all I care just don't climb into my bed." I finished the walk up the stairs and got in the shower. I let the hot water cascade down my body relieving all the pain I felt.
Emily POV:
I stood at the bottom of the stairs, tears flowing down my face. I grabbed my phone and called the one person I knew that would give me some much need advice. the phone picked up on its third ring.
Em?
Spence
what's the matter
maya threaten to leave me
what! why?
my job
I explained the entire fight and just sobbed for five minutes before I calm down enough to hear what she has to say.
I love my family and I would never choose them over anything but I love my job too
who do you choose
them! always them
then talk to your boss, better yet I heard my mom is looking for more help. call my mom and see what she say. she also choose work over her family but when we needed her the most she was there some how. she manage it and maybe she can help you. call her Em.
thanks Spence
Anytime. And Maya wouldn't take Gabby away.
she was serious Spence I seen it in her eyes
call me mom
I will night Spencer and thanks again
night Em
I hung up the phone walking into the bathroom splashing my face with cold water. "you can't lose her. you can't lose them." I chanted to myself in the mirror. I walked upstairs and open our bedroom door to see Maya sitting on the end of the bed in a towel with her face in her hands. she looked up at me and I spoke up.
"I just came to grab some clothes." she nodded her head and I grabbed the clothes and walked towards the door but stopped when my hand reached the door knob. "Goodnight Maya, I love you." I open the door and closing it before she could respond.
I know she is mad at me hell I'm mad at myself. how could I have let work interfere with my family? how could I let my job seem more important that my child? I changed into my shorts and tank top and instead of going to the guest room as plan I walked into Gabby's room. I climbed into her bed and she immediately turned over cuddling into my body.
"Mommy?"
"yeah baby?" I whispered running my fingers through the top of her hair.
"do you love me?"
"with all my heart."
"then why don't you spend time with me?"
"because mommy is stupid."
"you're not stupid." I squeezed my eyes shut to force the tears to stay at bay.
"I'm sorry, mommy should have spent more time with you. I should have gave you so so so much attention. I'm sorry I let myself focus more on my job then you baby girl."
"How come mama goes out of town a lot but still spends time with me?"
"I don't have an answer for that." I sighed and pulled back a little lifting her chin. "There is no excuse for what I did. none. But you need to know mommy love you with all her heart. I love you infinity and beyond." I pecked her cheek a couple times before pulling away. "never forget that. Mommy really sorry."
"I forgive you." she whispered cuddling back into my chest. "I love you infinity and beyond too mommy." she kissed my shoulder and I smiled pulling her tighter against my body. I laid there for awhile before Gabby spoke up.
"Can you sleep here with me tonight?"
"of course. any reason why?"
"I like cuddling with you and I can tell you're sad because you and mama were yelling."
"you heard us?"
"yeah, but I don't want you to be sad or mad at mama."
"I'm not mad at mama and you are making me happy." she cuddled closer even though there was no more room between us.
"go to sleep baby."
"goodnight I love you."
"goodnight I love you."
"sweet dreams."
"sweet dreams."
"pleasant dreams."
"pleasant dreams."
"don't let the bed bugs bite."
"don't let the bed bugs bite."
"I love you once, I love you twice, I love you more than beans and rice."
"I love you once, I love you twice, I love you more than beans and rice." I kissed her forehead and we fell asleep.
A/N: I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. I know its been awhile but I been thinking trying to make the best chapter possibly and this is what I got.
The goodnight portion at the end between Gabby and Emily is something I used to say growing up.
every night before I went to bed I would say this to my mom and she would repeat it back to me. it was our thing and when my little brothers caught on and started saying it I would get extremely mad, just because it was something special I made with my mom. (plus I'm a spoiled brat!)
(Over the sappy stuff)
did you enjoy the argument between Emily and Maya?
Some asked why Emily worked so much and really she worked 13hr shifts. 7 to 8. but I decided to make Maya point it to her. And yes there will be a flash back to why Gabby said this to Maya. Be patient please.
And for those who read my other story Lost in Love: the sequel will be coming sooner then you thought. I'm almost done with it but I have to update my other stories first.
As always thank you for your support and your patient with my updates. thank you for the follows, reviews and favorite. you guys are the best.
Until next time…..