Page 59 of Soul Food

Good night.

I crawled into bed relieved and if I was being truthful—with excitement for what tomorrow held.

Chapter Sixteen

Talk show host: Rebecca Winston

Well, today I’ve got a very intriguing video for you guys. This is outside of R&R’s gym where it’s said Ruth Thomas better known by her stage name, SoulGoddess, frequents when she’s home and not busy giving the world her amazing voice. As you can also see, there are a few others in the video with Ruth. Our sources confirm that one is her bodyguard, the woman is her personal assistant while the other two is Randy James from KY Entertainment and the other, well... We’ve got word that that’s Amit Kingston, the mysterious president of Black Hearts and hear this—that coincidently took over the same day Ruth signed on with Black Hearts. Strange, isn’t it? But what’s stranger is the fact that Amit Kingston has no ties at all with the previous president. No one even knew who he was when he was named president by Teddy Jackson mere hours before being mauled by a dog outside his L.A. home.

But besides all that craziness, let’s talk about the video, shall we? The video has no sound and from this angle we really can’t make out facial expressions. What we can see is Ruth sucker-punching Randy James in the face, and the intimate closeness she shared with Amit before she did. You’ve been living under a rock if you don’t know the history between Liz James and Ruth Thomas. Supposedly, Liz and her father stole Ruth’s songwriting and most of Liz’s first album are those songs. Pretty awful, right?

But it’s been ten years almost, so what’s going on now? We only have more questions. What’s going on with our Dark Goddess and the shadowy president of Black Hearts, anyway? Is romance blooming or something else?

***

RUTH

When you were as well-known as I was, there was always going to be something said about you. Most of it consisted of half-truths. Sometimes they were true though. Like this one today. Someone got a hold of the surveillance video outside the gym and sold it. My first suspect would have been Mr. James, but he wasn’t put in a pretty light.

Then again, good or bad exposure was still exposure and bringing up the past was a sure way to get Liz’s name out there again for when she made a comeback.

I shut off my phone the moment I woke up to the mess, but poor Jayne was stuck answering hers all morning since I paid her to take care of these types of situations. It was afternoon when she finally ended probably her thirtieth call and dropped down in a stool beside me in Ma’s kitchen. “I don’t get it. Celebrities are still human. Why do people think they are required to know a person’s life just because they’ve seen them on TV or at a concert?” Jayne sighed. “Everybody’s wanting you on their talk show now, and you know what that means. They want an opportunity to get answers.”

“Say no to them all,” I told her. “I’m not ruining this break just because they’re curious about Amit and me.”

She nodded, then smirked. “So there’s an Amit and you?” I grinned, and her eyes widened. “No.” She shoved me lightly on the shoulder. “See I told you, girl!”

I laughed. “Stop. I know what you’re thinking. This is nothing but a physical relationship that I want to continue for as long as it can.” Which wasn’t long.

She shrugged. “You do you. I’m just glad you’re having some sort of relationship that’s not music.”

I nodded, understanding her point. My world revolved around music, and I didn’t regret it.

“How’s songwriting going?”

I shook my head. “Not good, but I did manage to help The Oppressorswith one of theirs.”

“Set it aside and come back to it. Isn’t that what you do when that happens?” she asked me with a wink. “Never know, Amit might be just what you need.”

I didn’t even smile since it’s true. “I know he is.”

“I didn’t know you had a man,” Ma said, stepping into the kitchen. She was settled in her home now and seemed to like it. Growing up, as much as she neglected and hurt me, and all the times I thought I’d never get over my hatred, I still dreamed of moments like this where I could drag her out of her hell. I never imagined I actually would. Looking at her, I was filled with relief that at least that part of my plan worked.

“I don’t,” I told her.

“Then what were you two just talking about, and what’s all over the news about this president you’re supposedly close with?”

“Amit Kingston.” Jayne said enthusiastically. “And Mama Barb, you should see how gorgeous this man is.” Ma came up and whacked a cloth over her head. Jayne simply grinned wider.

“How many times I gotta tell you I ain’t your mama?” Her brows lifted. “But how gorgeous are we talking here?” She looked to me for answers.

“Tell your daughter to get a picture of him next time they’re together.” Jayne pointed toward me.

I sighed. “I don’t think she wants to see who I’m fucking, Jayne.”

Jayne’s mouth fell open as Ma glared. “I know you use that language day to day, but I don’t want to hear it. And yes, I want to see who my daughter’s fooling around with.” Jayne covered her mouth with her hand as she looked over at Ma. “But what was Liz’s father doing there?”

“Trying to get me to help Liz out with her comeback,” I told her.

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