Page 21 of Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming
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LYRIC
Well, it was nice while it lasted,Lyric thinks as she parks her car into her designated spot.
That’s another perk gone. So far, she’s counted the following perks she’s about to lose: more money, better snacks and lunches in the staff kitchen, more diversity and now a better parking space. These are all the things Lyric is going to miss when Roger dismisses her.
After her kiss with Ranson, while she was still reliving it in her head and floating on cloud nine, she got a text from Roger.
Roger
Care to explain this?
He followed his text with a picture of her and Ranson kissing fromTRNN’s website with the following article from their most popular pop culture contributor, Capri:
Ranson Hamilton Caught Smooching with his New Lady Friend!
The eldest Hamilton was canoodling with Lyric Fuqua, a publicist that works at The Firm. The Firm is a Black-ownedPR firm known for helping rapper, The Emperor Julez during his custody battle with Danissa Carter.
Ms. Fuqua is a UCLA grad who is six years Ranson’s senior. Y’all, a Hamilton man with a Black woman, I never thought I’d see the day. JK, I know most of them fuck with sistas. It’s their trifling ass daddy that doesn’t. It’s nice to see that some things aren’t genetic.
But on to this new pairing, I am loving it. A professional Black woman who has her shit together and is older? Ranson, baby, I’m thirty-eight and I’ve been right here! JK, Ms. Fuqua! Y’all know I always go up for Black love. So, what do you all think about this new It couple? Sound off in the comments.
Roger
Be in my office tomorrow morning, 8am sharp.
She called her friends, and they tried to talk her down, but c’mon, she’s toast. There is no way she’s not getting fired. She finally gets her dream job and an amazing opportunity to prove herself and what does she do? She fucks it up over a man.
What the hell was I thinking?
Lyric gets in the elevator and hits the top floor. She exits and walks like she’s going to the guillotine.
Roger’s assistant lets her in and smiles at her.
Great, the pity smile.
She sighs.Might as well get this over with.
“Roger, I?—”
“Lyric, there you are,” Roger greets her with a huge smile on his face.
Okay, I did not see this coming.
Lyric is so shocked by Roger’s greeting that she didn’t even see Ranson’s big handsome self until he says, “Good morning, Lyric.”
“Good morning,” she replies, her eyes wide with surprise.
Ranson clearly sees her confusion. “I was just explaining to Roger that our intimate moment seems to have intrigued the public. This will help with any impending drama.”
“Would public opinion really matter that much to your father?” Lyric asks.
“Not normally, but between the article and the comments, he’d be foolish to strike against us.”
Lyric read the article but not the comments. She was too busy having a panic attack over potentially losing her job.
Ranson hands Lyric his phone, and damn, the first commenter came out swinging.
