Page 25

nineteen

. . .

“You have a collect call from an inmate at-”

Before the prompt could continue, Maximus rumbled, “Accept.”

There wouldn’t be anyone else calling him from prison than Brody.

“Ay bro,” Brody started skipping over the pleasantries.

“What you want nigga?” Maximus asked, roaming down his stairs and squinting at all the natural light flooding in. Being that he’d spent years in lock up not seeing the sun in its fullness he didn’t mind but the window in his room damn near dragged him out the bed far before he wanted to.

Since dropping Eden off at her building in Midtown a couple of nights ago, he’d been spending his nights in the studio piecing songs together, and still nothing was speaking to him. He had hits for sure, but he needed more than hits.

“I could’ve sworn you said you wasn’t going to holla at shorty,” Brody stated in reference to Eden.

Maximus scrunching his face asked, “Ain’t your ass in prison? How you know what I’m doing, nigga?”

“Nigga the blogs,” Brody stated in a matter-of-fact tone. “According to these blogs, y’all kicking it somethin’ serious. That’s how you been spendin’ your time? Boo’d up with Eden.”

“Ain’t blogs and shit for women? Or bitch ass niggas. The fuck you on them for?”

“Distractions trying to pass time. You doing aight?”

When Brody asked that question, Maximus knew it came from a place of true concern.

“Adjusting. Not going to lie all the shit is comin’ at me all at once. Trying to keep myself out of fuckin’ trouble.”

“You hired security yet?”

“Nah, you getting out?”

“Yeah, in a couple of weeks,” Brody shared.

“You still on that bullshit. I need my shit clean nigga. Like licensed, bonded, and out of the streets.”

“I can do that.”

“Ay B you know if you fuck up you out right? You got some place to stay, or your girl finally got some sense about herself?”

“She got some sense,” Brody huffed, making Maximus laugh. “Fuck you.”

“Listen I got you, keep your head down until you get out and I’ll make some shit shake,” Maximus stated as the doorbell chimed. “I mean it, B. Don’t fuck this up nigga.”

“I got you, I promise.”

“Aight call me back when you got some shit set in stone,” Maximus shared the two final words before he hung up and opened the door for Staysha. “What’s good?”

“I got you a gig.”

“Another one?” he asked. “What show is it?”

“Halftime at the Waves game. Fifteen-minute set. You doing it or am I going to have to tell them no?” she asked, roaming further into his house.

“You know I’ve never done a show before, where the fuck we start?” Maximus asked.

Staysha beamed. “You know I'm already on it. Ever heard of DJ Rudy?”

“Yeah, he’s dope as fuck,” Maximus replied. “You know him?”

“I do. I got him on standby. Eden did some work with him. If you say yes to the Waves, I can handle the rest.”

Maximus’s ears perked when he heard Eden’s name. He’d been trying not to call or text her, but dare he admit it out loud, he missed her. Social media stalking her just wouldn’t do it anymore.

“Shit tell them hell yeah. Keon is cool with it?”

Staysha nodded. “Waiting to hear the word.”

Maximus watched Staysha peck away on her phone. “Ay what’s this blog shit about? Saying Eden and I are a thing? That’s not going to fuck up nothing is it?”

He wasn’t concerned about himself. He knew he would bounce back from anything, but he couldn’t help but feel like, for Eden, it would be different. Especially since whatever she was fighting, she hadn’t uttered a word about.

“For her or you?” Staysha asked, gauging his concern.

Maximus gave a knowing look. “Come on, Staysha.”

She smirked. “Let it be. The blogs are free press. Matter of fact, invite her out to the game. You got a plus one, and Keon doesn’t count, he’s management.”

“You trying to spend some fake dating shit and plan a public break up?” Maximus grunted.

“I’m never putting my sister in a position to look stupid, so no. But I saw what they saw and maybe just maybe I’m not wrong this time about what she needs, and you could be good for her.”

“Damn what about me?” Maximus joked but was serious.

“You’ll be fine. She’s going to alter your nervous system, but you’ll be just fine.”

Maximus grunted. The thought of Eden altering his world was welcomed. Which meant that she was already altering his nervous system. Before his thoughts wandered off and he found himself trying to rub the wayward thoughts of her away, he ran his hand over the top of his head.

“Heard you. What else you got?”

“Depending on your halftime performance, you’ll have an interview with Way Up Waynesville.”

“And the merch I texted you about?”

“Mhmm, got some mockups coming in a few days. Everything from now until your album release needs to be strategic. We’ll take advantage of the hype and show people that you're the real deal. You finished that song for the show?”

“Yeah, it’s being mastered and mixed.”

“Alright. Invite Eden out. She ain’t doing shit. I’ll be calling later so we can go over some wardrobe looks for the halftime show.”

Maximus frowned. “Something wrong with the clothes I got?”

“Absolutely, they scream 3Way. Like it’s cool if you were still corner serving, but that’s not the case.

This is a family event, so don’t scare the people, MB,” Staysha stated.

“I'll send someone, you’ll take it. You’ll like it.

You’ll look nice in it and maybe you’ll be fly enough to match my sister’s fly. ”

Maximus smirked. “Send her then.”

Staysha laughed and shook her head. “No, she won’t go for it. You have her...”

Maximus rose a thick brow. “I have her what?”

Staysha smized, finished her text, and looked over him. “You’ll have to figure that out on your own. In the meantime, Get Richer wants to shoot the music video in a couple of weeks, so you should think about what you want that to look like. Is there anything else you need me to do?”

“Actually yeah, look into some weed, like some real shit. I might need to add that to my portfolio or whatever the fuck you were talking about the other day.”

“Mama’s bud ain’t good enough?” Staysha sassed, only earning her a flat expression. “When you need them?”

Maximus shrugged his shoulders and picked up his keys. “Send some by the studio.”

“I got you,” Staysha confirmed. “Sydette will be here to style you-”

“That Sassy Sydnee chick?” Maximus asked, halting his stride toward the garage.

“Yeah, she was at the kickback the other night.”

“Find someone else. I don’t want her nowhere near me or my shit.”

Staysha perked up, expecting to hear some tea, but Maximus crushed her expectations.

“Your ass is nosey. You the specialist, find someone else and lock the front door behind you.”

"You sure you don’t want nothing else?” Staysha posed, making Maximus knit his brows. “Like you know a phone number? I know you don’t have it. She uses that email like she’s seventy. Playing smooth and shit.”

“Slide it over,” Maximus stated cooly.

“Say less. Don’t be on no bullshit either.”