Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Quinten “Q” Bentley Jr.
The stress seemed to be making my hand tremors worse than usual. I lifted my hands from the steering wheel and watched my hands tremble slightly. It wasn’t noticeable unless you knew what you were looking for or I was pouring something to drink.
Anything that could possibly slow me down did just that.
I had my entire day mapped out. Breakfast with bae, then meeting her father at the building.
However, I wasn’t in love with the song that Max uploaded to CI.
I hit him as soon as I decided I wanted to make changes, and it took him a few hours to work out the kinks for the most important song of my life.
Anxiety had me hand-holding Max through every step to ensure that my shit was right before I headed to meet James.
After an agonizing ninety seconds or so, the light finally turned green, and I mashed out, whipping across the intersection and through the next two lights that led to the interstate. Once on 275, I flew north until I reached my exit. A text came through, and Siri read the notification aloud.
“Text from James. Where you at? I have a flight to catch.”
I ignored the message and focused on driving because I was almost there. Whipping my midnight black Ferrari into the empty parking spot next to James’ G Wagon, I quickly killed the engine and hopped out.
“About time. You insisted that I meet you here before I fly out, but you show up late. What did we need to meet in person for?”
“I know. I planned to be here on time, but shit went awry. First, I wanted to show you that I took your advice. I bought this building, and we are going to turn it into a one-stop shop. A music recording studio, a section for podcasts, and a space for freelance photographers that may be working in the area. Fabian helped me come up with that idea,” I rambled, referring to my travel photographer.
He was based out of LA but came to Tampa to work for me, and he’d often take side gigs if he were in town for a while. That also left him scrambling to find space since he didn’t have his own spot here.
“That’s what’s up. I’m proud of you,” James smiled, pulling me in for a hug. “I swear, I ain’t know what the fuck my daughter was getting into when y’all first met. But I’m so proud of the man you have become. I appreciate the way you treat my daughter, especially in your line of work.”
“James, that means a lot,” I nodded. “My nerves have been fucked up all day knowing what I was going to do, but you just helped me relax. Let’s hop in your whip real quick. I want to play you something.”
“Play me something? You already back in the studio?” He eyed me suspiciously.
“Yeah, just trust me,” I laughed, rounding his truck.
“D3 is in the front. Hop in the back,” James announced.
“Oh nah, if he’s in the truck I can just let you listen right here,” I informed James, clicking around on my phone. “I don’t plan to release it to the public.”
Outside of James facilitating a conversation where I promised to get on a track for him, I didn’t know jit like that.
When we had that conversation, I was preparing for my album and didn’t have the time to squeeze that in.
I offered D3 advice and some encouraging words when we conversed, and promised to circle back on the feature.
Hell, I’d even been okay with Khaleesi moonlighting for him.
Usually, I kept her to myself. If we didn’t have anything major going on with the music, she could relax.
From time to time, she’d plan shit for my family, but she hasn’t worked with another artist since I started making money off this rap shit.
Nonetheless, D3 was the last nigga I’d let listen to something I held so sacred.
“Understood,” he confirmed.
“Before I play the song, I have to ask you something.” I paused and took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. “I wanted to meet before you left because Valentine’s Day is coming up, and I want to ask Jameera to marry me. I wanted to have your blessing to pop the question.”
“Awwwww man! You had me scared the way you sweating and shit,” James laughed before pulling me in for a hug. “Of course you have my blessing. I couldn’t see Jameera with anybody else.”
“Thanks,” I grinned, the jitters slowly leaving my body.
Asking James was the hard part; I knew Jameera loved me unconditionally and was ready to be my wife. I pulled the velvet box from my pocket and handed it to James. It was a custom heart-shaped dark emerald velvet ring box with J Rachel would be jumping up and down, all loud and dramatic right now.”
“Definitely,” I nodded.
“So what do you have planned? How are you going to pop the question?” He quizzed.
“I’m going to pop the question on Valentine’s Day,” I informed him. “Lowkey, and intimate. Play this song that I made for her ears only, that I want you to hear. I was so nervous I almost forgot.”
“She’ll love that,” James commented, wiping a lone tear that slipped from his eyes. “Let me hear it.”
I nodded, unlocking my phone to play the song.
James stood next to me, listening intently with his hand resting beneath his chin.
I took the piano and a few other elements from ‘I Want You Around’ by Snoh Aalegra and chopped them up to build the beat around them.
That was Jameera’s favorite song when we met.
Every time it came on, we both felt a bout of nostalgia.
Which was exactly what I was going for. We remained solid through all the highs and lows life dealt us.
Jameera lost her mother. I got shot and fell into a major depression amidst all of my health issues.
We went through some of the hardest moments of our lives, and loved each other through them all.
I poured all of that and my love for Jameera into that song.
“You planning to keep that to yourself?” James inquired, shaking his head. “Nah, you have to release that! It’s soft, for the ladies, some shit niggas will rap on their wedding day.”
“Shit, I ain’t even think about that. I guess I leave it up to Jameera because it’s one of my Valentine’s Day gifts to her,” I pointed out.
James’ phone rang, and he lifted it and read the screen.
“Fuck. I gotta slide. You got me out here being emotional and shit when I need to be catching a flight,” James cleared his throat, texting away on his phone.
“I apologize. I’ll give you a tour the next time you’re back home,” I assured James, dapping him up.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
James pulled me into a brief hug before slipping back into his truck. I exhaled deeply as James backed out of the parking spot, relieved to have completed the mission.
When I hopped in my car, I headed towards my parents’ house in Davis Island.
I was too afraid to hide the ring at our place, so I was going to stash it in Yaseer’s safe for the time being.
It took close to thirty minutes to get there with all of that traffic.
After knocking twice with no response, I used my key to let myself in.
“Ma! Yaseer! Where y’all at?” I hollered
The silent home made me yell louder; the last thing I wanted to do was walk in on them fucking.
I loved them dearly, but those two overly freaked out motha fuckas scarred me for life.
I couldn’t stomach cheesecake thanks to an incident with a cheesecake with a dick print that visited me in my nightmares on a few occasions.
Neither of them answered their phones, but the cars they drove daily were in the driveway, and their locations pinged at their crib.
“Aye! Ma and Yaseer, I need to talk to Yaseer!” I shouted again.
I slowly trekked through the short foyer, where I was greeted by the first-floor open floor plan that overlooked the water.
“Aye, y’all younger son is here!” I announced before reaching the end of the foyer.