27. Myome #2
“Uhm, hey. I’m River. My friends and I just performed in there and—”
Drix cut her off. “Look, I’m trying to celebrate my anniversary right now. You got a card?”
“Yes!” she answered quickly and dug into her purse.
“I’ll take it.” I accepted the card. “You guys were amazing,” I added.
“Thank you.” She smiled. “Seriously. Thank you.”
“No problem.”
My phone beeped as a car pulled up and I nudged my head toward it.
“This is us.”
“Have a good night, River.” Drix yanked the car door open and gestured for me to climb in.
“Have a good night," she echoed. “And happy anniversary!”
“Thank you.”
Drix hopped in beside me while I looked over River’s card.
She was a member of a four-person group, two men and two women.
I remembered their performance and it had been good.
I’d definitely hand their card over to Allison the next time I saw her.
Allison had found me, Charm, and Retta. She recognized talent when she saw it.
“You going to tell me where we going?” Drix asked after a few minutes.
“Nope. Matter of fact, let’s put your blindfold back on.”
“Myome.”
“Drix,” I countered. “Come on.”
He stared at me for a moment then nodded.
“Alright.”
I collected the blindfold from my bag, tied it over his eyes, and settled in beside him.
When we got to our location, I was sure he would think it was hilarious. I had the driver bring us to the front door, climbed out, and hurried around the car to help Drix out.
I walked him to the door, collected the key from the agreed upon spot, got the door open, and pulled him inside.
“Okay. Are you ready?” I asked.
“Yeah, Yo. I’m ready.”
“Okay.”
I reached up to yank the blindfold off and watched as recognition slowly took over his face.
“Ain’t no fucking way”—he chuckled—“Ain’t no fucking way.” He shook his head as he repeated himself.
“This is your anniversary gift,” I announced as I walked him back to the same booth we’d gotten our first married meal in.
There was a special menu with Drix’s usual order printed. I’d texted the fry cook to start making everything when we left our last destination.
Drix and I collapsed into the booth and he looked around and whistled.
“I’m going to miss this spot,” he confessed. “This is dope though. I’m glad we get to close this chapter together, Yo. For real. Thank you.”
“Baby, this spot isn’t closing.” I watched his eyebrows knit together and blurted out my announcement. “You own thirty-three percent now and it’s not going out of business.”
“The fuck are you talking about, Myome?”
“I reached out to the owner, found out how much debt they were in, and offered to bail them out for a percentage. So not only do they not have to close their doors forever, but you now own thirty-three percent.” In my excitement, I smiled so big my mouth hurt.
“I stressed over what to get you when you already have everything and realized you’re a pretty simple man.
You love your family, me, music, making money and your usual from this spot.
What better to get you than a music experience, this spot, and a chance at making money?
Plus, they’re open to owing you the debt of the buy-in if the place goes back under but I think it should be okay honestly. ”
“Damn.” Drix looked around the establishment then back at me. “So, I guess I should give you my gift too then, huh?”
“Only if you want to.”
“Alright.” He licked his lips, pulled an envelope out, and slid it across the table to me. “Happy anniversary, Twin.”
I smiled as I grabbed the envelope. I opened it, pulled the paper out, and slowly let my eyes trail over it. It was a print out of a trademark.
“Trill Loyalty?” I glanced up at him.
“I’m starting a record label,” he said casually.
My mouth fell open. “No fucking way.”
“Yeah.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.” Drix laughed. “I’ve got a logo and I’m scheduled to look at buildings and all that shit.”
“No fucking way,” I repeated, still in shock.
“Yeah and I want you to run it with me. I, uh, I’m getting paperwork together for us to go in on this thing together.”
“Are you serious?”
“I’m serious,” he assured me and looked off briefly. “And uh, since you’re independent now I figured—”
“Wait. What?”
“Oh yeah. I was able to buy you out of your contract,” he said casually.
“No fucking way.”
“Baby, can you say anything outside of ‘no fucking way’ and asking if I’m serious?” he asked.
“I— How?”
“I met up with your label exes and gave them a good offer, but”—he emphasized the word—“You still have to finish that opening tour and promote this album but afterwards you’re free.”
“I’m not going to be under a label?”
“You’re going to be under our label.”
“Fuck.” I shook my head and covered my face while I smiled too widely and random laughs forced their way out of me.
I couldn’t believe this.
I was going to be an independent artist for the first time in years.
“I’m actually going to own my next album.”
“That’s right and you already know I’m not going to let you slack.”
“I know.”
I leaned over the table and Drix lifted so we could kiss each other over and over until our food was delivered.
After dinner, we headed back home and Drix pushed the door open then grabbed me.
“What are you doing, Berlin?”
“Carrying you to our bedroom so we can start making our baby.”
I giggled, wrapped my arms around him, and kissed his neck.
“Good. I can’t wait,” I mumbled into his skin.
And I meant that.