Questions & Answers

Safaree sat on the side of the stage as Nicki made her exit. It was their first week in Atlanta and they have made it through the week with ease. Nicki even went to class to learn how to belly dance because she had fallen in love with the Black Satin outfit in Nan's custome shop. Nan made all of her outfits in two weeks, enough for three weeks. Of course, she had help but all the designs were hers and all her employees were in the US. Her fabrics were of the best England fabric and styles. She never let her future daughter-in-law go out in anything cheap. Even tho, Safaree and Nicki didn't know they had a connection, she did.

"You looked great out there. You can finally go home tomorrow and be with your boyfriend."

"If only I had a boyfriend to go to, I would, but I'm going to see my family."

"Family?"

"Yeah, don't you have one? Everyone... Has family."

He shrugged then walked off the side of the stage as she walked behind him in her Pink Genie Outfit. She had become very lively and colorful in the past week since she had moved in with him. Just being in his home, made her excited. He had even let her put a picture of herself up on the wall in her room. He secretly enjoyed her being there, but he wouldn't let her know that. Having someone else there constantly, made it less lonely there. She grabbed his hand and held it as they made their way down the stairs. He liked her, but he viewed her as a little sister. 

"We should go to the bar and have drinks."

"We should stay inside and pack up to head home."

"We're going out and that's final." She stated squeezing his hand a little tighter as she pulled him along the back exit. They hadn't done anything fun and she thought it'd been fun to get him out of the hotel.

Hours later, she was dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and a pink tank top. She had on pink heels to match. Her hair was up in a large bun with two Chinese sticks in it. She smiled at her reflection then turned around to grab her black purse and black jacket. She walked over to the joint door and knocked on it. To which, she got no answer. She began to knock some more and still no answer. She finally decided to just walk in. She opened the door and Nan was seated in a chair with her feet up next to him in the same position. She giggled at the image before her. It was the cutest thing.

"You guys are cute."

"Join us."

Nan replied pointing to the other chair. She figured that this had already been planned, so she joined in with them late. She looked at them and saw no similarity between the two and wondered why he called her Nan. She sat back as an Asian lady came in and removed her shoes. She rubbed her feet for a few minutes then placed them in the water and let the jets massage her feet from every angle.

"I know you didn't really want to go out on those dancing feet."

"I did, but this is much better."

"I know it is. My Grandson believes you been working hard and what are friends for?"

"Friends?"

She questioned looking over at him. He smirked then cleared his throat looking over at her.

"We are friends, aren't we Onika?"

"I mean, yeah... Sure."

She answered trying to mask her excitement. She had gotten his friendship within the first week of them working together. She felt like dancing, but the massage on her feet felt wonderful. She reached over and squeezed his hand. He laughed as she squealed like a child. It had been awhile, since she had a genuine guy friend, any friend as of a matter of fact. She let it go then stared over at him as if he were the best person in her world right then. Nan smiled seeing the admiration beaming from Nicki. Nan decided to make an exit since it was twelve in the morning.

"I'll catch you kids in the morning and don't stay up too late... We got a flight to catch."

She mouth off as she walked towards the door of the hotel. After she left, they both sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes until Nicki looked over at him and saw that he was staring down at his phone. She got up from her chair and stood over his shoulder to see an eldly woman, two younger women, a man and two little girls.

"Is that your family? They're handsome."

"Thanks."

"I didn't read you for a father..."

"I'm not.. That's my mother, two sisters, my neices and brother-in-law."

"Why don't you have pictures of them up in your house?"

"I don't know, why do you care? Did you have pictures of your family in your house?"

"No... But..."

"Because it isn't your house to decorate."

"Huh?"

"I guess you thought that Webb was a family man?"

"He is... We were going..."

"To get married, have his kids and move to wherever you want to go, right?"

"Yeah." She mumbled looking away from him. She looked back up as he burst out into laughter. She hated being laughed at especially by him. It was as if he knew everything, she didn't know and that made her upset. She began to walk away when she felt a pull on her arm and looked up at the apologetic look on his face,

"I hate to see you getting played, but it's funny. You're like a little sister to me and it's just jokes. Don't be so serious."

"How do you know he really doesn't love me?"

"Has he given you the key to his place? Has be made room for you inside his home? Has he taken you anywhere outside of New York and what you're familiar with? If most of the answers are no, then..."

"I really love him, it's just taking him some time, to come around. He's even supporting my dream now..."

"Now? What about when you're traveling the world and have no time for him? I know Webb, that's my best friend."

"I've known him for two year and some months and you've never been around... Until now.. And you know Dip.. So where do you hide out?"

"I'm a business man and lawyer, I can't be knowingly hanging out with a Drug Dealer, daily and it not be suspicious and as Far as Dip, I'm always around her.. She's my partner.. Who do you think flips her money for her?"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"But you're one to question me. You've never been brought up in conversation and you're dating them both."

"What? Both? You have me all the way fucked up, you just really jumped out the window with that one. I'm not into Dip at all... She's my manager and that's where the line stays."

"I swear... You guys were dating. My bad, G."

"G? I like chill, Faree."

"Faree?"

"You don't like that Nickname?"

"It's.. Cool... Nic."

She smiled the grabbed his arm and pulled him towards his bedroom. He yanked back and stared at her as she twisted the knob and turned to face him. His face was sour as if she had done something wrong. She placed her hand on her hip and held on to the knob with the other.

"I'm not trying to have sex with you! Come on and put on your shoes."

She had convince him to go on a walk through the downtown area when a horse caridge passed by. He stopped the driver and paid him for at least four hours of ride time and they got in. She snuggled close to him as the breeze of night became cooler over time. Her legs were up under his as they both watched the quiets streets talking.

"What made you agree to manage me?"

"Dip really, I wasn't looking into investing my time into talent... I was looking for a new business to invest in and she thought this would be a better thing for me."

"Why?"

"Secret?"

"Sure."

"I'm a dancer too. None of that ballet shit or whatever, but I can dance."

"Want to get out and show me."

"Nah, maybe some other time."

She smiled at him, knowing there maybe a next time where it's just them talking and exchanging dance moves made her happy. She laid her head on his chest and reached up and touched his face, she trailed her hand down his neck and over his pack before dropping her hand lazily in her lap. She then tilted her head back and looked up at him.

"Were you married?"

"Engaged, why?"

"The big house. You had to buy it for someone to decorate."

"Yeah, well... Things just don't work out that way."

"Did she leave you?" She asked smally. She placed her hand in his and compared the size. She loved the bigness of his hand. She intertwined their fingers as she waited for an answer, but a few minutes had passed and still no answer. She leaned off of him and stared into his face, but it was blank. "You don't have..."

"She was my middle school sweet heart. Six years we were together, engaged straight out of high school then went our seperate ways in college.. We tried to make it work, but she was already doing her dirt.. While I was dumb enough to be loyal and bought the house prematurely. Anyways, she called it off and continued to do her."

"Wow, sorry.."

"Why did you start dancing?"

"Family issues... Boyfriend issues... I love the excitement and attention. If just for one night, everything is about me, eyes are on me then I'll take it how it comes."

"Family? Ha."

"Yeah, why you so against it? Family can be bad at times, but it's a bond that can't be broken by petty stuff and never repaired."

"I love my family, but I don't see them as much... My father died and left me all the businesses even though I became a lawyer.."

"At least your father isn't stealing from you."

"Huh?"

"My dad is a drug addict."

"That shit cray. Nan was like that before she got clean and started her clothing company."

"Is that..."

"Nah, she just took me in when my father and I's relationship tore apart."

"Oh." She mumbled getting more comfortable now with her legs on his lap. She snuggled closer to him. He placed his arms around her and held her now sleeping body close to his own body. He instructed the driver to take them back to the hotel. The driver looked over his shoulder and smiled at the two. Safaree was looking out at the sunrise as Nicki lay comfortably in his lap. It reminded him of back in Jamaica when he had taken his neices on the Safari through the forest and they had fell asleep in his arms.

The next morning, Nicki woke up in her hotel bed and the night before flashed through her mind. It was great, he was great. If anyone told her that she would have a friend like Safaree come into her life, she wouldn't have believed themhe first dude in a long time, that hadn't wanted her for just her body. He needed a friend just as much as she did. She grabbed her pack bag that had turned into three packed bags then walked over to his door and knocked. He opened the door in his button up shirt and suit. He grabbed his large bag and walked out behind her into the hallway. She grabbed his hand and held it as he shut the door. He laughed at the smile on her face. 

"We should have dinner when we get back to NY."

"I'm not flying back to New York with you, I have business to take care of in LA."

"LA? As in California? Can I go?"

"Business."

He said sternly looking at her. She rolled her eyes and dropped his hand. She walked a few steps ahead of him and pouted. He was unmoved by her display and continued on behind her as they made their way to the limo. There was a group of guys standing by the exit as she came and asked for pictures. He stood to the side as they took selfies with her then the guys scattered all over the parking lot towards their cars. He smirked at the big smile on her face. Fans recognized her and she loved it. It changed something in her that moment. In that moment, was when she realized that she had the power to make men do what she wanted. A blaze was ready to be lite inside of her. She threw her bags in the trunk then walked over to the opened door and smiled at the driver, who blushed in return.

She looked over at Faree, who was pressing buttons on his blackberry. He was focused on the conversation by the way his eyebrows furrowed and his jaw clenched tightly together. She looked down into her lap then back over at him. They were getting closer to the house and it was about nine in the morning. She sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that morning. He looked up from his phone then up at her, but she diverted her eyes to the window as if she hadn't been staring at him. He just stared back until a smile crept across her face.

"Wassup, yo?"

"Nothing." She mumbled crossing her arms.

"Talk! You been doing all that hard ass breathing since we left Atlanta, say it with ya chest lil nigga."

Her eyes bucked then she uncrossed her arms and pointed at him before speaking with lots of attitude. "Don't ever call me a nigga again and you've been ignoring me the whole ride." She pouted.

"I been hearing you, you just ain't been saying shit. You got a problem, speak up."

"I do, it's you! We were just friends..."

"Look, Onika.. I told you this, us.." He stated pointing between them. "We're just business."

"Fine, so you lied? You lied to Nan?"

"What?"

"We are friends, aren't we Onika?" She mocked deepening her voice. He chuckled then stretched his legs out in front if him. He instantly regretted putting on for Nan, but truth was, he didn't lie but he wasn't hundred percent either. Of course, there was some type of relationship between them more than business, but he didn't feel like dealing with her emotions. It was just too much. He sat back with his legs crossed at the ankle and stared out the window until they pulled up to the house.

He hurriedly got out and went inside as the guy maid went and got the bags out of the car. She helped him as she grabbed her small bags and Faree's jewelry box. She walked down the pavement slower than ever and up the stairs. She looked back towards the gate and saw two big trucks pull in. She quickened her pace towards the house. She stepped inside to see Safaree walking back out. She placed the items in her hands and on her arms on the floor and turned to him.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to catch my flight to LA."

"You haven't even packed!"

"I don't need to."

He stated over his shoulder. He reached inside the bowl on the table that sat by the door and grabbed a pink thing from Nicki's view. He walked over to her and placed it in her hand with a small envelope. She looked down into her hand and smiled at the Pink key that had Queen across it and the envelope the size of a gift card. She hugged him around his neck tightly before kissing his cheek. He pried from her grip and stepped back, wiping his face. She didn't care, she had one thing that she didn't have in her last relationship. She didn't care what he thought, but they were friends. He had said it and in front of his Nan, so he wasn't lying.