Part 2 (Missed Part 1? Read it here)
Her heart beat harder in her chest and she felt her underarms start to sweat.
“Hey, Keiyana!” He held out his arms and went in for a hug.
She backed up and put one finger up to stop him. “Coffee. I need coffee first.” When she turned around, Miguel was standing there with her favorite drink. She took a quick sip and hoped the caffeine could ease her anxiety.
“Still ordering those Starbucks drinks, huh?” Barry was standing there with his killer smile when she turned back around.
“Uh, no?” she laughed nervously unsure of how to respond.
“Still can’t take a joke, I see.”
“Still not funny, I see,” she smiled when she said it.
“Ahh, and still my harshest critic. So good to see you. How are you?” he motioned for her to join him at his table.
“Not sure I would agree with that, but I’m fine. How are you?” She cautiously walked forward, glancing over her shoulder to see Miguel’s eyebrows raise.
Barry launched into a complete description of his current life and the craziness associated with recognition in Hollywood. He was now acting on a new show and receiving notable buzz about his writing capability. He was always in meetings, getting styled for photo shoots, finding time to learn new scripts while also pitching ideas for new projects.
“Sounds like you’re completely in your element,” she said.
“I am.” He was silent for the first time.
“Congratulations.” She didn’t know what else to say.
“Sorry to ambush you like this, but I figured the only way for us to meet up was to come to your old stomping grounds.”
“Wait, what?”
Barry laughed, “My brother told me when school was starting back up, so I figured you would be coming in to get your fix?”
“So, you have been looking for me?” Keiyana sat down and took a sip of her drink.
“Yeah, I guess so. When you put it that way, it sounds a bit creepy.” Barry rubbed his face and she noticed how he now had a few gray hairs sprinkled throughout his beard. He had cut his hair and was wearing it low with deep waves. A few more tattoos decorated his forearm.
“But I have a good reason for stalking you.” Barry scooted to the edge of his chair. “I actually have an awards party to attend in Hollywood and I wanted to know if you would be my guest.”
Keiyana leaned forward, tilting her head to the left, “Excuse me?”
“I know you’re probably wondering why I’m inviting you, but I really want to celebrate this night with someone who understands what it means to me. Keiyana, nobody has ever known me the way you have. Nobody has seen me go from nothing to well, now.” He grabbed her hand and looked her straight in the eyes. “It won’t feel right to be there with anybody else.”
Keiyana didn’t respond.
“I thought you would be hesitant, but I didn’t think you would be speechless.” He dropped her hand and started to fidget with the strings hanging from his hooded sweatshirt.
“Ah,” Keiyana took another sip trying to buy time, “I- I just don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes! It’s going to be a simple night. The red carpet is at eight, we’ll mingle, they’ll have music and then it will be like old times. We’ll grab a drink, eat some grub and spend the rest of the night catching up on life.”
“When is it?” she asked.
“Saturday.” He grinned again.
“That’s three days away!”
“I know. Crazy, right?”
“Barry, what is this really about? Did your date cancel on you at the last minute or something?”
He scrunched up his face in disgust. “Not at all. I never have dates to these things. I normally take one of my boys. This one is special though.” His voice trailed off and he looked out the window at the cards backed up to get on the ramp to the freeway. It was peak commute time, so the freeway looked more like a parking lot.
A family of four entered the café. They were all smiles in their matching outfits. The father and mother had matching tees paired with denim shorts. Their daughter looked to be in her early teens and wore the same tee but tied to the side. The son looked to be a pre-teen and had that messy-doesn’t-shower-regularly look to him.
The son looked at Barry and immediately began tugging on his father’s shirt. “It’s him!” he yelled, pointing in Barry direction.
Barry waved at him and the young boy grinned and waved back. His mom came towards us and said, “I hate to be a bother, but my son is a huge fan. Do you mind taking a picture with him?”
“Not at all.” Barry stood and shook everyone’s hand and made polite conversation. The mom looked at Keiyana and asked if she would take a picture of all of them together.
“Sure,” she replied. Keiyana took a few candids while they got situated and the mom and sister fixed their hair. She counted to three and took the posed pictures.
Barry waved to the family and sat back down with Keiyana.
“Well, well, look who is officially famous,” Keiyana teasingly said.
“Please,” Barry waved away her comment, “I’m just trying to keep up with you. That and get you to go to this party with me.”
Keiyana rolled her eyes. “You’re asking a lot considering we haven’t even exchanged two words in years, don’t you think?”
“I’ve always been impulsive. That’s what you used to love about me.”
“The things you love about a person can be the exact same things you hate about them.”
“Didn’t my momma tell you that?”
“Actually, I think she did.” Keiyana laughed and shrugged. “Considering she didn’t like me, that woman taught me quite a bit.”
“Girl, my momma loved you.” Barry leaned back, throwing his right arm over the shoulder of the chair. “You were the only one who could take her baby boy away from her.”
“Momma’s boy,” Keiyana mumbled to herself.
“I heard that. But I’m going to act like I didn’t. You can go to the party as a form of an apology.”
Keiyana rolled her eyes again.
“You keep doing that and they’ll get stuck.”
Keiyana stood to signal that she was done with the conversation. Barry shot up, knocking his seat backward.
“Ok, Keiyana. All jokes aside. I know this is last minute, but it would truly mean a lot to have you there. No one understands what this means more than you. I know the Hollywood scene is not your thing but maybe,” he paused, “it can be like old times?”
Keiyana felt a chill crawl up her spine. Old times would normally end with them entangled in one another’s arms at the end of the night. Those were moments she pushed to the far corners of her memories.
“How can you expect us to just fall back in step, Barry? Don’t you think it will be awkward.”
“I don’t. I just miss my friend and want to celebrate with her.”
A noisy group of moms walked in and Keiyana took another sip of her coffee. She had to admit that she wouldn’t mind having some male attention. Maybe she would also get some answers to the questions she had years ago. Or maybe it would just be nice to get dressed up and be out with a guy without worries around expectations.
“Pick me up at 7:30.” Keiyana walked out after blowing kisses to Miguel.
—
Keiyana waited for Barry at the end of the carpet but off to the side where she could see people coming and going. People she didn’t know looked her up and down without speaking. A few of the other Black women stared at her curly hair or gave her the once-over without saying hello or returning the smile she gave them.
She recognized a few faces as they went past. One Black actress that she was just watching on television the night before complimented her dress and shoes. She smiled and thanked her.
“Ready to head in?” Barry had placed his hand at the bottom of her back. She nodded and followed his lead.
She found herself excited to get inside and see the Chateau Marmont, one of Hollywood’s oldest hotels, for herself. She had read a book a few years back where the main character had a blissful rendezvous there. While she wasn’t expecting that kind of night, she wondered what stories those walls could tell.
They had to walk up a couple of floors to get to the level where the party was at. The room was already crowded with men, women and even child actors. Waiters dressed in black pants and white shirts walked around with trays of select hors d’oeuvres like chicken sliders, shrimp cocktail, steak skewers and more. However, she noticed none of the women were eating. Only a select few even had a drink in their hands.
“Let’s head to the bar and grab a drink,” Barry yelled over the music. She nodded in response, grabbing his sleeve as he weaved in and out of people. Here and there, he was stopped by someone to say hello or ask if he was attending another event. Some wanted to discuss a new project or script. They ended up outside on the patio. Lush plants and over-sized cabanas decorated the open space.
They finally made it to the bar area and Barry handed her one of the specials concocted with tequila. “I know Tequila is not your favorite but this bar only has Tequila.”
“You know Tequila and I don’t get along.” She took a sip and was immediately reminded of a bad incident in college that ended with her head hanging over the toilet and a bag of half-eaten White Castle burgers next to her. She shoved the drink back in his direction.
“I think I saw another bar in a room closer to the entrance. I’ll go check what they have.”
“Wait, I’ll come with you.” Just as Barry turned to put the extra drink down, a woman walked up and gave him a big hug and sloppy kiss on the cheek.
“Barry, darling! You must meet Derrick.” As she started introducing Barry to the gentleman standing to her left, Keiyana took that opportunity to slip away in search of another bar.
She entered a room where there was a female DJ mixing Beyonce with Drake. The DJ booth was flanked by models giving out free lipstick and there was another bar across from it. Keiyana swayed her hips back and forth then grabbed one of the darker red colors and got in line at the bar. She shimmied her shoulders and did a little two-step while she waited in line.
“No one else is dancing, yet you haven’t stopped moving since you walked in here.”
Keiyana turned toward the voice and a curly-haired gentleman towered over her. He had deep olive skin, thick eyebrows, and a broad forehead. He wore a leather jacket over a v-neck tee with ripped skinny jeans. He smelled heavenly.
“I can’t help it. When there’s good music, I dance.”
The bartender motioned towards the gentleman to get his drink order.
“She was here before me. Miss?” He motioned towards with his eyebrows raised.
“Keiyana. And I’ll take a whiskey on the rocks.”
“Woah. Wasn’t expecting that” he said and turned towards the bartender. “I’ll take the same.” He smiled at Keiyana and said, “I wouldn’t have pegged you as a whiskey drinker.”
“I am the same woman who is dancing when no one else is,” Keiyana shrugged and gave a look around the room to see if Barry had come in.
“Here you go.” The bartender handed them their drinks and the gentleman dropped twenty dollars in the tip jar.
“Cheers, Mr?” Keiyana held up her glass while looking him in the eye.
“Roman,” he said while clinking his glass to hers. “I heard that ten years of bad sex if you don’t look someone in the eye when you say ‘cheers’.” He took a sip of his drink and she saw the muscles tense in his jaw as he swallowed.
“Yep, I’ve heard the same. Nobody wants that.” She walked over to the far end of the room where there was a photographer taking pictures and the music wasn’t as loud. One of the waiters walked by and offered them an hors d’oeuvre. Keiyana grabbed a chicken slider and a skewer.
“You drink whiskey, dance and you’re eating carbs. I assume this is not your normal scene?” he asked.
“It’s that obvious, huh?” Keiyana laughed. “I don’t normally hobnob at Chateau Marmont.” She took a bite of the slider.
“Just a little. But it’s refreshing.” He smiled. “You’ve got a little something on the side of your mouth.”
“Oh,” Keiyana stuck her tongue out at the same time he put his thumb up to the corner of her mouth.
Roman let out a chuckle. She was about to apologize for almost licking his thumb when she looked up to see Barry standing in the entrance of the room staring directly at her.
Stay tuned for Part 3!
