Epilogue
one month later . . .
We were in Jamaica, shooting the short film for my announcement.
Noah was on his shit. He had all this put together in a month’s time.
Everyone had prerecorded their bars, including him and Jax.
Everyone associated with YKMN would be in the video, including Sonya, Shawn, Sidney, Devin, Jah, RJ, and his parents.
He included everyone from producers to the damn janitors in the building.
That was why Noah was so loved. Nobody was forgotten.
Anybody who helped YKMN soar to the next level was there.
I was able to meet Karma’s parents, Kami and Nathaniel, and her little brothers.
They would be on the beach playing in the background while Karma sang her line.
Noelle and Jax would be in their frame together.
He would spit his bars, and she would sing right after.
While they were doing their part, Jah and her husband would be behind them, along with their sisters, Brooklyn and Amerie.
As soon as we were done, Jax would have to leave for training camp.
Exodus was putting in work right now. Sharee was leaning on him as he did his thing.
Sonya, Shawn, and Tristan had a quick five-second frame, and Shawn and Tristan wore their cameras, so people would know what part they played.
Of course, Noah was the opener and had spit that fire and sang a one-liner with his mama while his dad looked on.
RJ had a solo spot, like Sonya, Shawn, and Tristan did, with his wife and four kids as well.
Everyone was doing their thing. When it came time for me, I was nervous as fuck.
I had on a two-piece swimsuit, and Graham was standing behind me, holding me at my waist. His parents, all three of them, my dad, Cree, Majesty, and Kimaji would also be in my frame.
We took our places, and when the director yelled, action!
, I began lip syncing to my verse. While everyone else, except Noah, had spit two to four lines, I had eight.
As I rocked, Graham rocked behind me, then leaned over and kissed my neck as his hands slid around me. I knew seeing his chocolate ass hands against my light complexion was gonna be so sexy. The contrast would be crazy. My body was heating up dramatically as he did so.
When they yelled cut, everyone else joined us, and TAZ and Noah stood in front with me, TAZ in the middle.
After he started filming again, TAZ and her sister Kenya harmonized, then she hit her polyharmony.
The minute he yelled cut, we all screamed and yelled in excitement.
This short was going to be the perfect announcement.
It was planned to air next month on BET, YouTube, Instagram, and Apple Music.
I was pretty sure it would be shared on Facebook and Threads as well.
He wanted to reach as many viewers as possible.
As we walked through the sand, I was beyond excited.
All the drama had passed. Eldridge’s punk ass was who had been the one causing all the bullshit with the media.
Not only did he get time, but he’d also had to sign a gag order .
. . a cease and desist when it came to me.
Bitch ass. Mrs. Sidney was definitely right about it being someone I knew that was feeding the media.
My story was aired on YouTube. I’d sat with a journalist that Mrs. Sonya had recommended.
Nicole McVey had helped her get her story out to the masses when the media was hounding her years ago.
A docuseries with Netflix was also in the works.
I found that there were more people who sympathized with me than there were haters.
My old label had tried to gag me, but it was of no use.
They didn’t stipulate that when they paid my money, so there was no stopping me now.
Mrs. Sidney had to remind them of how we didn’t press charges.
They’d only paid me what they owed me. If they wanted to stop me from talking, we would be going to some sort of arbitration, and they would have to pay me more money. They quickly recanted their stance.
Graham and I had been going strong ever since he came and got me from Baltimore.
He decided not to go back to Premier Wings.
He wanted to be there for me every step of the way during my transition into YKMN.
Premier Wings told him that he was still free to go back whenever he wanted to.
He would just have to call the office to be reinstated.
I was floored when he told me him getting fired had nothing to do with what had happened between him and me, but everything to do with a prejudiced supervisor.
That shit got him on the outside trying to look in.
Maj and JR opted to just be friends. She didn’t want to leave Houston, and he wouldn’t dare leave Baltimore, at least not anytime soon.
Long distance relationships were a no-go for Kimaji.
She and Graham got along like they grew up together, and he and Ms. K got along like she played a part in raising him.
She got as much affection as Mrs. Sidney did.
When we got to the oversized tent on the beach, we all sat to eat.
Food had been catered by one of the best caterers on the island, we were told.
Graham leaned over to me, and said, “That was hot. I ain’t never been in a music video before.
You gon’ have to cast your man in the next video. I mean, I am model material.”
“You are definitely that, but I don’t know if I want all those random women feenin’ over my man.”
“I mean, that’s gon’ happen regardless. You may as well make the views go up by casting me.”
I laughed loudly as the caterer set plates of jerk chicken, rice and peas, patties, and oxtail stew in front of us. All communication was going to have to cease expeditiously. Noah blessed the food and thanked everyone for their hard work, then sat to eat as well.
“Graham, you know you full of shit, right?”
He frowned. “How so? Look at me. I’m sexy as fuck. I’m a natural in front of the camera. We got our frame in one take. Let me take that shit to the next level.”
“The only place you can take me to for now is euphoria. You down for that action on the beach when it gets dark?”
“Hell yeah. Let me get my nourishment, and we can get started at dusk. While you in euphoria, I’ll get you to commit to the video.”
I laughed loudly. Feelings of gratefulness flooded my being.
After only knowing Graham for two months, we were making strides in our relationship.
We were madly in love, and I just knew that it would stand the test of time.
I got the right man this time, and I refused to let go again. I knew he felt the same.
The End
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