“No, but that doesn’t mean it won’t get your ass whooped.” I glanced over at her.
“Hey! Am I late or is everyone early?” Charm halfway jogged toward us and exhaled as she skidded to a stop.
“No. We were just having a mini meeting before the real meeting,” Allison said. “And I wanted to remind you guys thatyou just released your first album of three. You’re about to go on tour. You’re going to be stuck with each other for about six years, and that’s if you can put out an album every other year. The last thing we need is infighting, so whatever the three of you have to do to squash the drama needs to be done. We’re all grown women and we should all act like it. So, let’s get whatever we need off our chests and get this done.”
“I’m good.” Charm shrugged.
“Retta?” Allison prompted.
“Look, I like the group or whatever but I feel like a lot of this group shit has been very Myome focused and I don’t like it or think it’s fair. Back me up, Charm.”
“Feel how you feel but don’t assume I feel how you do,” Charm said simply. “Myome didn’t drug herself or propose to Drix. It just happened and the label told them to stay married. I don’t think she intentionally did any of that shit, and honestly, I’m down for whatever gets the group promotion. I care more about the checks clearing than who’s on the blogs.”
Retta rolled her eyes. “That’s another thing. Y’all are always ganging up on me.”
I sucked my teeth. “Keep in mind I haven’t even opened my mouth.”
“Also, nobody has to jump you, Retta. I’m a grown ass woman and I have my own mind,” Charm pointed out. “And you literally just asked me to side with you so it would have been fine if you and I agreed against Myome, but because I’m good, all of a sudden you’re the victim?” Charm crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, your issue is you thought you were going to be the main event of this trio and you’re mad that it’s Myome. That’s on you.”
“And our music hasn’t changed,” I added. “We’ve done maybe two or three songs since this new dynamic you’re talking about and even then we each get a verse and have been switchingup the choruses like we’ve always done. The only thing different is the stupid blogs posting me but Radiant Reverie wasn’t going viral beforehand anyway so it’s not like I’m stealing something that was yours.”
“Allison asked what my issue was and I told her. I don’t care about how y’all feel because that doesn’t change how I feel. This is turning into the Myome show and we’re background singers and I’m not going for it.”
“Okay. You’re heard.” I nodded. “Now, let me make something clear. You can feel how you feel, but shading me or my man is going to get you beat the fuck up. Be jealous. Claim I’m stealing the spotlight or that I want to make you and Charm background singers or dancers or whatever, but watch your mouth about my man and my marriage. There won’t be another warning. I’m just going to swing on you next time. Know that.” I shifted my purse from one shoulder to the other. “But you can have the middle seat if you want. Lead the interviews, Retta. I don’t give a fuck.”
“Fine. I will.”
“Great.”
“Good.”
“Good.”
“Great.”
“Alright.” Allison clapped her hands. “I’m glad we all got that out. Are y’all ready to work?”
“We’re ready to work,” Retta said.
Allison looked around our small group and each of us nodded once.
“Then, let’s go.” She nudged her head in the direction of the conference room.
Once we got inside we sat in the same places we’d sat in for our last meeting. I was actually shocked when I saw there were only two people from the label present.
“Congratulations on your first album release ladies,” Spencer, the man at the head of the table, said.
“Thank you,” we all muttered.
“Your numbers are looking good so far and the tour is scheduled to leave on time in a month. We originally agreed on a two-month long sort of thing but we called you in today to ask if you would be willing to be on the road a little bit longer.”
“You want to extend our tour?” Allison asked.
“That’s right. We’ve had a few contracts cross our table with new cities and another of our groups is interested in having you ladies open for them for a little, so you’d do three months on the road traveling stateside then two months opening for another act.”
“That’s amazing.” Allison giggled and clapped her hands excitedly.
I blinked several times while stuck in place. I thought this meeting was going to be about everything I’d been doing wrong in the media but it was actually something positive. I couldn’t believe this. Our album had been out less than twelve hours and we were getting offers to play at more places.