Chapter 38

Sylvia was sitting at her desk in the study. She felt weak and tired. The cancer was spreading through her body. She no longer went into the office; instead, she spoke to Sharon daily by phone. She looked aged and withered. She spoke in whispers.

She slowly laid down the pen and sat back in the large overstuffed chair. She turned her head towards Mr. Meyer. "I never thought my attorney would be the one person concerned with my welfare." She softly chuckled to herself.

He shifted in his chair. "Sylvia, I've known you a long time. Your family for a long time."

He leaned forward and took her hand. "I'm here because I want to be."

She smiled and closed her eyes. "You'll need to notify everyone after I'm dead. I've written precise instructions, and I want them carried out to a T."

He shook his head, then released her hand and stood up. "Of course, Sylvia. I'll see myself out."

She nodded and watched him leave. She slowly stood up, wobbled a little, and grabbed the gold cane sitting next to the chair. She started the long walk to her bedroom. She'd moved to the main level of the house due to the long flight of steps that led up to her bedroom. As she started moving, her nurse came in. "Mrs. Blass, please let me help you."

The nurse quickly walked to her side and assisted her in walking. "Mrs. Blass, a Claudia Roberts called. She wanted to know if you'd be joining them next week?"

She stopped walking and looked at the nurse. "When she calls back, tell her I have a previous engagement, then tell her to go straight to hell."

Chloe paced back and forth in the living room. She was anxiously waiting for Lily to come out of the bedroom.

"How's it going in there?" she yelled.

"I'm fine," answered Lily.

The door opened, and Lily stepped into the living room. Chloe smiled widely. "Oh girl, you look fucking great!"

She was wearing a beautiful gold-colored dress. Her hair was a light rust gold color. Chloe had twisted it into a bun. Her makeup was flawless. Not too much eye shadow or base, but enough to bring out the youngness in her face. She looked 10 years younger.

She stood in the doorway, holding her breath. "Well?" said Chloe.

"Thank you," she managed to say. She was overcome with emotion. She could feel tears swell up in her eyes.

"Don't you dare cry. You'll ruin your makeup. Stop it," Chloe said. Her voice was cracking as she tried to hold her emotions in check.

Lily walked back into the bedroom and stared at herself in the full-length mirror. She smiled as she turned around. Chloe walked in behind her. "You are so fabulous." "It's all you," she said.

"No, the beauty was already there. I'm an artist; I just enhanced the beauty. The natural beauty was already there."

Lily turned and hugged Chloe. "Thank you," she whispered. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"I said no crying," Chloe said as she wiped a tear from Lily's cheek.

They both laughed.

"Okay, now for shoes," Chloe said, looking around the room.

She found a pair of black low heels. They were perfect.

"I didn't know your size, but I think these will fit. Not too high, but not flat either." She handed the shoes to her. "Now put these on. Our ride will be here in 10 minutes."

She sat down and put on the shoes, then stood up and went straight to the mirror. Meanwhile, Chloe began gathering clothes, shoes, makeup, and hair care products and putting them into bags. She had the living room mostly clean when her cell phone buzzed. It was a text from Stanley, letting her know he was outside.

"Come on, Lily. Time to go."

Lily and Chloe walked out of Tallulah's apartment building. Lily gasped when she saw the long black limo.

She looked at Chloe. "A limo?"

Chloe smiled. "Of course."

The driver was holding the door open. He slightly bowed as Chloe slid into the limo. Lily followed suit and got inside.

"Ladies, you look beautiful," Stanley said.

"Thank you, Stanley," Chloe said. "I want you to meet Ms. Lily Duke. She'll be singing for us tonight."

He smiled and extended his hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Duke. I'm Stanley Roberts." She smiled and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you."

He sat back in the seat and turned his attention toward Chloe, who was sitting across from him.

Her legs were crossed at the ankle, and she slightly leaned to one side. He gazed at her.

She is so beautiful, he thought to himself.

"I'm so glad you decided to be my guest tonight," he said. "I was hoping to maybe spend some time with you off the clock. You know, after the show." Lily looked at Chloe, then again at Stanley.

"Stanley, I'm flattered. I really am, but you know I don't date my clients," she said.

"I know, but don't think of it as a date, and don't think of me as a client." He grinned.

Lily continued to look back and forth at them.

Chloe smiled. She wanted to jump him right then and there. She wanted to know what it would be like to kiss him. She wanted to know what his arms felt like wrapped around her body. She wanted to make love to him.

Who I am kidding? she thought. I want to fuck him.

"Okay, Stanley," she said softly. "I'd love to spend some time with you tonight." Stanley smiled and winked at Lily.

The limo pulled in front of Zoe's restaurant. The driver hopped out and opened the car door.

Lily, Chloe, and Stanley emerged from the limo. The driver shut the door behind them.

"No need to come back, Steve," Stanley said.

The trio walked into the restaurant. Anna immediately spotted them and ran over to greet them. "Chloe, Stanley, so good to see you." She paused as she turned to Lily. "Lily…is that you?" Lily smiled and shook her head.

"Oh my God, you look great. I didn't even recognize you," Anna said.

She pointed to Chloe. "She did it."

Anna smiled at Chloe. "Well, I'm next. You look great. I love your hair. The dress. Oh my God, I just can't get over it. You're a completely different person." She grabbed Lily by the hand. "I want to hear everything you've been doing."

Chloe and Stanley watched them walk away. "What was that about?" he asked.

"Come on, let's get a seat, and I'll tell you all about it," she said.

The time for the open mic had finally arrived. Tallulah was in Zoe's office, pacing back and forth. She was nervous. She'd never hosted anything in her life, much less a poetry gig. In her hands, she held her poems. She'd tried to memorize them, but her brain just couldn't hold the words.

She stopped pacing and said a small prayer.

"God, please help me do well tonight. I know we don't talk much, but you know me. I'm your girl, Tallulah. I know you got me this on this. Amen."

She walked out of the office and into the kitchen. The kitchen staff was busy chattering and working. She made eye contact with Marc. He smiled and walked toward her.

"Good luck, Lula." He gently kissed her on the lips.

She smiled at him. "Thank you."

As she walked toward the mic, she felt butterflies in her stomach. It was an excitement she hadn't felt before. She looked around the room. The restaurant was packed. She'd never seen so many people in Zoe's place. There were people standing because there were no more seats. As she continued walking, she made eye contact with Chloe, Stanley, Zoe, and Michael. They were sitting at a table in the front row. She smiled at them. They clapped and gave her the thumbs up. She looked at Lily, who was sitting next to them. She thought she looked stunning. She nodded to her and smiled. She could hear the clicking of the You & Me photographer's camera as she snapped photos of her walking to the mic. All this made her nervous, but in some strange way, she was calm, too.

She stood in front of the crowd and gazed around, holding her hand above her eyes. Whistles and claps came from the crowd. She took a deep breath and spoke into the mic.

"Hello. Welcome to the 1st annual Marigold Shelter open mic. My name is Finesse da Poet, and I'm your hostess for this evening. Tonight we're here to help raise money for the Marigold Shelter. I'd like to introduce the Director of the Marigold Shelter, Anna Gomez."

Anna stood as the crowd clapped. She walked to up Tallulah and hugged her, then stepped in front of the mic.

"Thank you, everyone. The Marigold Shelter was started 45 years ago by Florence Marigold. She worked tirelessly to make sure no one was left out in the cold. The Marigold Shelter provides shelter, food, clothes, and other services to the city's homeless population. There are about 7500 homeless people in our city. Because of the increase in the homeless population, it's necessary that we acquire a bigger space, so as not to turn anyone away. I thank you for your support tonight. I want to thank Zoe for allowing us to come into her beautiful restaurant, and a special thank you to Mr. Stanley Roberts for his generous donation to our cause. Thank you."

The crowd roared in applause and whistles. Anna made her way back to her seat. Tallulah, once again, stood in front of the crowd.

"Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, poets, singers, artists, and dreamers, are we ready to get this party started??!!"

The crowd went crazy. The applause was so loud, you couldn't hear yourself think.

"Let's go!" she said. She felt a rush of energy run through her body. "First things first. The rules. This mic is open to anyone who's brave enough to come forth. There will be no booing or bullshit. We're artists and sensitive about our shit. I have the sign-up list and will introduce each artist. We have a great band here behind me. If you need their assistance, just let them know. Y'all good with the rules?"

The crowd clapped and whistled.

"I'm your first poet of the evening. This is called 'You Sound White'."

She read her poem. The crowd was silent as she moved through each line. Her voice was strong and commanding. She found her rhythm, and the words flowed from her lips. As she spoke, she closed her eyes. The words just came to her. When she finished, she bowed her head and took a step back.

The crowd was frantic with applause. She heard whistles and yelps.

Someone said, "I know that's right!" Another one said, "Okay, now!" She thought she heard Chloe say, "That's my bitch, okay!"

After a few moments, she stepped back up to the mic and introduced the next poet.

Poets, musicians, and singers all took their moment at the mic. She watched as the crowd smiled, clapped, and laughed. It couldn't have been more perfect. Chloe had come up to her during the show and said, "Who the fuck is Finesse da Poet, and why haven't we met her before?"

The night continued on until it was time for the last artist, Lily Duke. She'd asked to be last, and Tallulah promised her she'd make it happen.

She walked up to the mic and spoke. "I'd like to introduce our last performer of the evening. Please welcome my dear friend, Lily Duke."

Lily slowly stood and walked up to the microphone. She didn't have any music to give the band, but she told them they could play along if they wanted.

She felt a little flushed as she faced the crowd. It was always her dream to be on stage, doing what she loved: Singing. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and started singing.

I don't feel sorry for you

You say it isn't your fault

You're always singing that same sad tune

I'm more happy without you

You need to find another home

I'm more happy without you

You say to give you a chance

You say people can change

But it's that same sad tune

I'm more happy without you

You need to leave my happy home

I'm more happy without you

And now that I've moved on

Got you out of my life

You creep back in

Making no sacrifice

And now I've grown strong

So much better that you're gone

I'm ready to move on

I don't feel sorry for you

Singing that same sad tune

I'm more happy without you

You need to find another home

I'm more happy without you

Her voice was sultry and smooth. The crowd was mesmerized by her sound. Her voice carried throughout the room. They hung on every note, anxiously waiting for the next. She swayed back and forth. She closed her eyes, and suddenly she was young again. Her voice became stronger and bolder. She didn't even notice the sound of the bass moving with her words. When she hit the last note, the last word, the crowd went crazy. They were on their feet, clapping, shouting and yelling. She brought the house down.

She opened her eyes and looked out at the people. They were applauding her. She looked back at the band and smiled. They, too, were clapping.

Tallulah walked over and hugged her. It was then she noticed the photographer snap her picture. She didn't care anymore. She closed her eyes and hugged Tallulah.

Four weeks after the open mic, Tallulah's article was the cover story for You & Me magazine. Big World had run a similar story the week before. The article created a buzz throughout the industry.

Sylvia Blass revealed to the world that she had a sister who was half-Black. Tallulah told the story with such compassion and love, even she couldn't find anything wrong with the article.

She lay in her bed, feeling weak and tired. It was becoming harder to breathe. The magazine was next to her. She'd just finished reading the article when her nurse came into the bedroom.

"Sylvia, someone's here to see you," she said softly.

"Who?" she asked.

"Mr. Stanley Roberts," the nurse announced.

She was surprised by the announcement. She struggled to sit up in bed.

"Hand me a mirror and warm cloth," she said.

The nurse followed her instructions. She dabbed her face with the washcloth and gazed at herself in the mirror. She fixed her hair the best she could, then told the nurse to show him in.

He slowly entered the bedroom. He barely recognized her from the last time he saw her. He slowly approached the bed, trying to be as quiet as possible. He could hear her ragged breathing as he slowly approached.

"I'm not asleep, Stanley. Come in, come in," she said, breathing heavy.

"Sylvia, I had no idea you were –"

"Dying?" she interrupted.

"I just spoke to my mother the other day, and she didn't mention anything," he said.

"No one knew until the article in the magazine came out," she said. "It's the first time I gave Sharon complete control – and look, copies are flying off the shelves."

He smiled. "May I sit down?"

"Of course, sit."

He sat in a chair next to her bed. In his hands, he held a copy of the magazine. He gripped it tightly in his hands. "I'm one of those who bought a copy. The story is really good. I'm truly impressed. I came over here to talk to you about your magazine." "Oh?" she said.

"Yes. The cover story - Lily Duke - your sister. I met her at a fundraiser for a homeless shelter. I heard her sing. It was really something to see and hear." "So I've been told," she replied.

"Sylvia, I'll admit, I've never really read You & Me until this issue. I was told months ago you may be looking for a buyer."

"You want to buy my little magazine, Stanley?" she said.

"I want to buy and expand. I want to do more stories like this one. I want to change people's lives for the better," he replied, sounding excited.

"I see," she said, breathing heavily. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Yes. Your magazine, this issue, is exactly what I want to do. I don't want to reinvent the wheel, so I thought I'd approach you about selling. Selling to me."

Sylvia slowly opened her eyes and turned toward him. "Stanley, I've spent many years hurting people. I have no real friends or meaningful relationships. I never thought I'd die alone. Actually, I never really thought about dying until I found out I was. I've been trying to decide what to do

with You & Me. I took it from my ex-husband. Not because I wanted it, but because he did. You've given me an idea. If I sell to you, there are some terms you must meet." He shook his head. "Okay, what terms?"

"You keep Sharon on as editor. This issue you admire so is her brainchild. You want more of that, then keep her on." He thought a moment, then looked down at the magazine he held in his hands. "You know," he said, not taking his eyes off the magazine, "this issue is really good, Sylvia. So different than the others."

"Yes, I know. I read it. All the more reason to keep Sharon. The next thing is this Tallulah Brock.

She wrote the article you like so much," she said.

"Yes, I know. I've met her," he said.

"Hire her. She's freelance. Make her a senior writer or whatever, but hire her." "Anything else?" he asked

"Lastly, change the name. Call it whatever you'd like, but not You & Me. You can discuss the price with my attorney. That's all. Meet my terms, and the magazine is yours," she said.

He sat for a moment, thinking about her terms. "I'll have my attorney contact yours. I think we can meet your terms."

"Good. Now if there isn't anything else, Stanley, I'm very tired. This was the most excitement I've had in a long time. I need to rest."

She closed her eyes. He sat a moment longer, then stood up. He looked at her as she lay there with her eyes closed. He felt sorry for her. She looked frail, not at all what he remembered from their last meeting.

He turned and left the room. He was eager to get the paperwork done on the magazine. As he walked to his car, he called his attorney and told him what he wanted. His head was spinning with ideas. He couldn't wait to call Chloe.

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