Chapter 31
New York was beautiful, but we weren’t here to sightsee. It was all business as Pops, Sloan, and I touched down in NYC. I’d done my research, and linked us with a developer as we toured vacant possible venues.
The first building we saw was in Brooklyn and was too small, not having enough land to expand either for what all I wanted PVWN to be.
The second building was also in Brooklyn and had a wiring issue and the foot traffic wasn’t good enough.
As we came into Manhattan, this next building saw me tired, but resilient to find the perfect place.
It was more than just about finding the right location, I had to feel it too.
“What’s the story?” I asked my developer, Uriah Krane.
He was as tall as me, with skin just as dark. I liked that the second we met up and I set eyes on him. There was a level of comfort to be had with a native New Yorker and a Black one at that.
We were standing in an empty room on the first floor. There was some type of kitchen in the back through a set of chrome double doors. There was a recreational room with a basketball court. Another set of rooms held beds. The distant echo of children’s laughter was faint in the air.
“Used to be a shelter,” Uriah said as he lifted his gaze toward the ceiling and all around us.
My mood sank. “What happened?”
Uriah was quick to reach toward me. “Oh, no, no, a rapper used to come here before he got on and he bought and built a better center to give back.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing I wanted to do was take away a place of refuge.
In a way, this felt right, though. This was a haven for people at some point, and that’s what I’d set out to do with BLVCKJVCK originally.
Provide an escape for those who were looking for a place to just unwind and kick it with their people.
The energy in the abandoned building we were standing in was good. Peaceful.
Our biggest competition in NYC from my research was also a franchise. They had a club in Los Angeles, Vegas, Dubai, and Toronto. While I wasn’t scheming to go international, I could respect their hustle.
I looked around the graffiti-splattered walls and took in the worn hardwood flooring beneath my feet. It would take some hard work to make this PVWN, but something in my gut told me this was the place.
We meandered through the building, seeing room after room before settling into the large rec room. A side door was off its hinges, evidence of a break-in. A lone basketball was on the ground.
I grabbed it and dribbled, needing to brainstorm. “Sloan, what you thinking?”
He glanced around the room, taking in the empty wooden stands, the netless hoops, and faded backboards. “A lot would need to be gutted.”
“Absolutely.” I took a shot toward the hoop, and missed.
Uriah chuckled. “Damn.”
Sloan gathered the rebound. “It’s the right size for a base. The area is great too.”
“I’m sold on the history,” I said. Turning to Pops, I was rewarded with a simple nod. I went to Uriah. “This is the place.”
Pops took in our surroundings and came back to me. “Before we discuss numbers, let me have a word with Ezekiel.”
Uriah hung back and gathered his phone and Sloan took the time to do the same.
I stood a ways from them with Pops, giving him my full attention.
“There’s still a few more places to see,” he pointed out.
I couldn’t explain it, but I just knew. “Nah, this is the place. The fact that it was originally a shelter and a rapper bought a better spot because he used to come here says enough.”
Pops studied the room once more, humming as he did so.
“There are some big clubs in this city. You sure you can compete?” Pops asked curiously.
I was a hustler’s hustler. I always took risks, and I always won.
“What we offer they don’t provide. Black-owned, hip-hop and R&B environment—not no top 40 BS, with thematic nights.
This is a place where people who look like us can just come and relax without any drama or discrimination.
It worked in Atlanta, and it’ll work here too. ”
Tupac’s “Thugz Mansion” came to mind and I lifted my head toward the ceiling, breathing in the atmosphere, and just believing in the idea of PVWN succeeding in New York. It was a busy market already, but I still trusted my gut.
Pops eyed Uriah. “I’ll front you the money to get this thing going.”
Immediately I drew my gaze to him. “Nah, I got some saved up.”
Pops smiled. “I believe in you, Eazy. Years ago, my club was dying and you came up with this majestic idea called ‘BLVCKJVCK’ and I wasn’t sure, but I took a chance and look where that got us.
You know this world better than I do in this day and age.
You’re smart, you’re creative, and you’re admired by the entertainers who frequent our clubs.
You are the future of this world. You’re my only son and you never give me any problems or ask for anything, and I want to do this for you. ”
“Pops, man…” I was at a loss for words. My heart beat heavily in my chest and I felt the urge to vomit.
Pops held up his hand and pointed a finger at me. “There is one condition.”
I was seconds away from fucking crying. “What?”
“You’re not moving to New York,” Pops said with a little smile. “Your momma’s in a funk at the thought of you being this far from us.”
I choked up and wiped at my eyes, managing to laugh a little.
Across the room, Sloan held out his phone as he began a FaceTime call.
“Yo, what’s up? … Aw, don’t be like that …
You know I’m going to get you something nice before I come home …
See, look at you actin’ all tough because you on the phone, when I get back and touch down, you know what’s up … Yeah, you better smile.”
Sloan was smiling, flirting, completely enamored by Paisley.
I came back to Pops as it hit me hard in the chest, shocking my system viscerally. “Nothing.”
Quizzically, he angled his head. “Excuse me?”
“The value of a dollar…” I realized. “…is nothing.”
A proud smile washed across Pops’s face as a gleam passed through his eyes. “Took you long enough.”
I was happy, excited mostly, to start this new venture, but at the same time I felt empty. Drained. Off my game. I was about to gain a lot of money with this new nightclub, but for once in my life, that wasn’t enough. “Yeah, it did.”
“The value of a dollar is nothing,” Pops repeated. “You can’t buy time, love, happiness, peace, or a healthy spirit. There is no true value to a dollar, because there are some things money just can’t buy.”
Nastasia didn’t care about money. Wasn’t impressed with the shiny and expensive things, and really made it a point to school me and take me out.
“Doing this line of work can be time consuming. It brings me peace to have your mother to come home to. Naomi’s very grounded. She didn’t need the moon and the stars, and it’s because of that I wanted to give it to her. All the money in the world couldn’t replace her.”
I’d always admired my parents’ marriage and love, even if for a time I couldn’t understand it or relate. Now, I could.
I brushed a hand over my head and blew out a breath. “New York is beautiful. Multicultural. Busy. Up my alley. But at the end of the day, I got some business to handle back in Georgia before I make any decisions to move.”
Pops held his hand out. “Then let’s go do some paperwork.”
Because I felt so much and I couldn’t hold it in, I reached out and hugged my father tight, squeezing my eyes shut, shaking a little as he patted my back.
To have his belief and support, nothing beat that feeling.
Nothing beat having my father proud of me and inspired by me.
For so long I’d worked hard for this feeling, and now that I had it, I was on cloud nine.
Well, almost.
The ink was barely dry before I got on a plane to head back to Georgia. I had a lot going on, but I knew what I wanted and I was willing to do whatever it took to make it work.
Nastasia and I hadn’t spoken in over a week. Something that was way too long for us.
I didn’t waste time rehearsing pretty promises, or orchestrating a romantic trap. Tuesday morning when I woke up, I got myself together and drove straight to Shéc.
It was early, they had just opened their doors, and no one was inside. No one shopping at least.
Right away, I caught sight of Paisley and an older White man in a dress shirt and tie. They were facing the left side of the store, staring at a wall.
“We can cut out the entire wall to expand the space, or, we can cut out a single door,” the man was telling Paisley.
Paisley glanced at the wall in question. “We still want our own identity, but a doorway would be perfect. That way they can come to and from, or potentially shop together.”
I didn’t know what to say, because I already knew what this was. In the far back, at the checkout counter, Nastasia was standing attending to something. Once her eyes landed on me guilt set in and it all but confirmed my suspicions.
A smirk formed on my face and I couldn’t help but feel ecstatic.
But first, I had to get through the bodyguard.
“Uh-uh.” Paisley held her arm out, trying to block me from getting to Nas. “What you doin’ here?”
“Got something I need to fix,” I said.
Paisley sized me up, not impressed by the looks of it. “You didn’t even come with flowers.”
“She can’t be bought,” I reasoned.
Paisley clicked her tongue, but said nothing as she got back to discussing business with the contractor.
I made my way around her and down to Nastasia who was inching away from the counter. The act brought a smile to my face. She had some explaining to do.
“Hey,” I said as I came to a stop in front of her.
“H-Hey,” she breathed out, her eyes bouncing to her friend and back to me.
“So, what’s going on?” I played dumb and asked.
Nastasia’s eyes enlarged and she nibbled on her lip. “We bought the space next door and are opening another store.”
“Ah,” I said as I feigned interest. “Another store, what are you going to sell in this new store?”
Suddenly, Nastasia became indignant as she lifted her chin and stood straight. “Men’s clothing.”
I almost laughed as I leaned toward her. “And just what are you calling this store?”
Nastasia took off toward the back. “I don’t have to answer to you.”
Paisley was busy discussing the expansion of Shéc and how to keep it slightly separate from Hém.
I went after Nastasia into their backroom where she stood with her hands on her hips in the center of the floor, but lacking true attitude and anger.
“I-I was going to tell you,” she said.
“Uh-huh,” I said as I shut and locked the door behind me.
“I was,” she swore.
“If you were anyone else, I’d find a way to sue,” I said as I stalked closer. “But for you, I’m willin’ to settle out of court.”
Nastasia was cornered, looking to the right and left of her, knowing she had nowhere to go. Just how I wanted her. “I was going to tell you when you got to New York.”
I leaned into her face, wanting to kiss her, but refusing to. “Petty.”
Because she had some dignity, Nastasia stared into my eyes. “It was a good idea, and there are no stores close to us that sell men’s clothing. I’m not going to hide the fact that you inspired me, because you did. No store stays in business long next door, but I just have a feeling about Hém.”
“So you rope in the girlfriends first and then ease in the male clientele to head next door while their girls shop,” I theorized. “Smart.”
Nastasia pushed a hand through her hair. “Look, I—”
Having lost my patience, I went and took her into my arms. Our first fight left us not speaking for a week and I couldn’t deal. At this point, I didn’t care who was wrong or who was right. “I want you,” I declared.
“Good,” she responded, trying to hold out.
There was a desk, a table, and a couch in this backroom. So many options to lay down how I really felt, but words were most important.
Before I could speak, Nastasia raised her hand and pressed two fingers to my lips. “I’m sorry. I know I look selfish, but I am really happy for you, Zeke. PVWN is going to be amazing because BLVCKJVCK is amazing. I’m happy you’re achieving your dream, and you have my full support.”
“Damn, all them movies you be watching and you couldn’t race to the airport before I left and tell me this?” I pretended to scold her.
Nastasia managed to snort. “Get over yourself.”
“I’m not over you,” I let it be known. I wasn’t giving up that easily on us. She selfishly wanted me to stay, and at a time, I’d selfishly want to just focus on my career.
Because I felt what I felt for her, here I was, man enough to compromise.
“I’m not moving to New York,” I told her loud and clear as I looked into her eyes.
Nastasia frowned and took a step back. “Ezekiel…”
I held my ground on this decision, making it more than just for my relationship, not that it didn’t play a large part.
“Paisley once said she never met a man that she missed, and that really got me. I miss you, Nas. I don’t hear from you, I don’t see you, and I miss you,” I confessed.
“What I feel for you isn’t in New York or in my bank account.
” I patted my chest, my heart. “I’m willing to find a middle because I love you. ”
Her face crumbled as she bit into her lip once more. I could see it in her eyes, feel it in the air, she loved me, too.
Going and taking a fistful of my shirt, Nastasia peered up at me. “You love me?”
Nervous and completely afraid of the unknown, I still nodded. “I do.”
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she let out a little chuckle. “I love you, too.”
You would’ve thought I won the lottery hearing those words, I smiled so hard.
Before, in my time, I hated getting too close, wasn’t comfortable with the possibility of making someone fall for me, didn’t want to disrupt my normal and my routine.
Now, none of it made sense without Nastasia in my life.
“What are we going to do?” Nas wanted to know.
“You’re going to be busy developing Hém and getting it together, and I’m going to be busy creating PVWN,” I said simply.
“I’m not going to move to New York, but I will be taking a lot of trips back and forth.
Outside of building and designing the club, I have to train a staff to run it just like me, to have it be on the same level of BLVCKJVCK.
Even with how stressful and overwhelming that’s going to be, I want this, and I’m willin’ to fight for it.
“I’ll set aside a day for you. Fly you out to New York. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it because I want you in my life.”
Nastasia stood on her toes and I met her halfway, because that was just how it worked for us.
Once my arms were around her and as my lips blurred with hers, I felt an internal sigh of relief. This was what right felt like. What home. What peace. What love. And I was never letting it go.