COMMON THREAD (REDEMPTION'S PENANCE)
REDEMPTION’S PENANCE
April 2013 about 8:00pm.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and goose bumps formed on my arms. Glancing around the space, I didn’t recognize or see anyone looking in my direction but somehow I knew that someone was watching me. Pushing the disturbing feeling to the back of my mind, I focused on the laughter and good cheer surrounding me at my table. Tonight was for celebrating and not for alcohol induced paranoia. I had finally done it. After lots of hard work, saving, scrimping, and numerous setbacks I had finally signed my first big artist to my management company. So, I was going to drink like a fish tonight because tomorrow the real work would begin.
As the night wore on and the alcohol flowed my inhibitions lowered along with my guard. That was why I was totally unprepared for what happened as my party of six was leaving the upscale Atlanta bar.
“La’Brooke?”
My heart fell into my stomach and I stopped dead in my tracks. Only my family called me by my government name. The rest of the world knew me as L.B. James, former A&R Executive of Smoove Records that discovered and developed many of today’s hottest artists. I knew who it was without turning around. I would recognize that voice anywhere. It haunted me on numerous occasions, made me an insomniac as it chased me from my bed in the middle of the night. I turned around and locked eyes with a face that I knew as well as my own, though it had changed somewhat since the last time I saw it. It looked like Daddy had saved the day again.
His entourage looked on in curiosity while his eyes pleaded with me for understanding. “La’Brooke, I…”
My fist connecting with his jaw effectively shut down any conversation he had for me. Complete silence…then pandemonium broke out. Fists were flying between everyone. I felt hands grip my waist and pull me out of the melee. Next thing I knew I was in the backseat of the limo with my two closest friends, speeding away from the scene. The sounds of sirens and chaos were blaring from the direction we just left.
“What the hell was that L.B?” my business partner and best friend Reggie screamed.
“Forget about ‘what.’ I want to know who was that?” asked Cheryl, the second closest person to me and my assistant. “And why did he call you La’Brooke?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I mumbled, praying they would drop it but knowing they wouldn’t.
“You don’t want to talk about it? We just got into a brawl because for some reason you couldn’t keep your damn hands to yourself. Now, you don’t want to talk about it? Well, you better start wanting to talk about it because this is going to be on all the blogs tomorrow.”
My head started hurting as I looked at the bright lights flashing past the window. I hadn’t thought about that. In fact, I hadn’t thought about anything besides the blinding anger I felt when I laid eye on him.
“Who was that man?” asked Cheryl for the second time.
Taking a deep breath, I decided to get the whole La’Brooke question out of the way first. “First, my real name is La’Brooke. If that information leaves this car I swear I’ll kill you both. As for him, he’s just someone I used to know.” Bitterness, sadness, and anger that I held at bay for years finally seeped through my voice as tears ran down my cheeks.
“What’s his name, baby?” Reggie asked softly while wiping the wetness from my face.
“Duncan James.” Even whispering the name caused my stomach to churn.
Shocked silence filled the car. I understood why. I never talked about my family. I had no pictures of them in my home or office. There were no visits or phone calls around Christmas time. All I had from my family was a plethora of painful memories. As far as I was concerned, I had no family and I let the world believe that as well—Reggie and Cheryl included.
“It’s not a big deal,” I said, breaking the silence. “I hadn’t seen Duncan in ten years and I probably won’t see him for another ten. Actually, I was just as shocked to him as he was to see me. This whole time I thought he was dead.”
“What? Is he like your brother or something?” Cheryl asked.
“No,” I paused and took a deep breath. “He’s my husband.”
