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“We’ve been practicing, and I’ve had to be all over Lisa’s ass because she’s been showing up to practice late, and one time she didn’t show at all.”

Carla frowned. “Is everything okay? What’s going on with her?”

“She’s been quiet about it, but I’ll find out soon enough. With the gig at Sangria, we’ve been spotted by a talent scout, and they want to set up a meeting. Whatever Lisa’s going through, we will figure it out together, and if it’s someone’s ass I gotta kick, then so be it.”

Carla chuckled. One good thing about Tina—she was down for fighting for her friends if someone was out of line.

“Even if that someone is a man, and you know how they do. You can hardly trust them nowadays.” Shetsked.

“Yeah, unfortunately, I know,” Carla droned, thinking about Lennox. “You can fall out with a girlfriend and be cursing that heffa out under your breath throughout the day, but you still go to work, show up for church, and go on about your daily life. With men, you’d be good to open the blinds.”

“Ugh! Why do they get in our souls like that?”

“Because they get in our souls, like…” Carla pumped her hips, “That…”

Tina howled, knowing what Carla alluded to without the need to see her freaky hip jerk.

“Say that!”

“Girl, you know it’s true.” Deciding on a nice but comfortable two-piece black ruffled blouse and a skin-tight knee-length jean skirt with black heels to match, Carla left her closet with the phone stuck between her ear and shoulder.

“I do. So, before this meeting, Chelsea and I have decided to have a sit-down with her. We both need to be reassured that she’s in this thing for the long haul. I’m not trying to be a part of a broken band like a lot of these girl groups out there, struggling to find someone to fill the position. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I know life happens. We can also get past it together. It isn’t like we were unknown to each other and just started a band because we all have talent. We’re practically sisters.”

Carla was nodding, pulling out an ironing board to press her clothes.

“If you need help with that, let me know.”

“Help with what?” Tina asked.

“Kicking some ass.”

Tina snickered. “My girl.”

“You know it.”

“I’ll keep you in the loop, but for now, go ahead and get ready to bedazzle that fine-ass man.”

“You know that too.”

They laughed.

“I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay, bye!”

Carla disconnected the call, dropped the cell on her dresser, and proceeded to iron her clothes when it rang again. Seeing her father’s face brought an instant smile to her face. She answered without missing a beat.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Good morning, baby girl. Are you up, or did I wake you?”

Carla snickered. “Dad, it’s ten a.m., practically noon. I’ve been up for a while.”

“Oh yeah, there isn’t anything bugging you to get you up so early, is there?”

Carla laughed and shook her head. Her father was so protective of her. He made sure she was okay in all areas of her life, including her mental health.

“Dad, I work for a high school that requires me to be in attendance no later than seven a.m., trust me, everything’s okay.”