Full Circle

Genres: African American Urban

Synopsis

It's the final test for our favorite Freedom University alumni.

It's been two years since Lena decided to take time away from all her drama to find herself and focus on her child. But the present finds her staring at images of Denise, the one who got away. Will she finally be able to move on to someone new, or will she go after the one she's wanted all along?
Denise has learned that there is more to Hollywood than fame and fortune. The dark side of celebrity rears its ugly head as Denise's star grows brighter and Farih's starts to dim. With the past reappearing in her life, Denise finds herself torn between the stable relationship she's always wanted and the chaotic love that her heart just doesn't want to let go.
Never in a million years did Cooley think she would be in a committed relationship—and happy. Managing two of the hottest up-and-coming lesbian stars in the world, she finds her life is right on track. But when a secret comes out, it could derail all she's worked for and threaten her relationship.
Misha pictured her future as an independent jet-setter, not as a housewife. As she watches her ex live the life she envisioned for herself, the temptation to pursue her dreams and revisit the life she abandoned might just get the best of her.
While her friends live fabulously in Atlanta, Carmen is stuck in Memphis, in a teaching job she despises. While Nic is perfectly happy with the average life they have created together, Carmen wants more, including the perfect "royal wedding." Her caviar wishes might end up destroying her relationship dreams.
The future might be bright and sunny for the crew, but there are still storm clouds ahead. Their relationships and friendships have never been so vigorously tested. As Carmen and Nic's wedding approaches, will skeletons in their closets wreck the worlds they have created, or will everything finally come full circle?

Release date: June 1, 2013

Publisher: Urban Books

Print pages: 368

Sample

Darkness. Lena didn’t know what was going on. All around was pure darkness. She took a step forward. She could feel sand covering her feet. Suddenly, the sound and smell of the beach took over her senses. Lena squinted her eyes, hoping she would be able to see something. How did she end up on the beach?

“Hello?” Lena called out, but no one answered. She cautiously took a few steps forward. “Anyone here?”

There was no answer, just the sound of the ocean.

“Turn around,” said a vaguely familiar woman’s voice.

“Who’s there?” Lena called out.

Instantly, a wave crashed into her, covering her legs with cold water. Lena jumped back. She turned around quickly.

Suddenly, Lena was standing in her dorm room. Everything was the same: the beds were perfectly made up, and her mother’s taste was all over the room from when she decorated Lena’s freshman year. Confused, Lena looked up. In her hands were the curtains that she was in the middle of taking down.

Lena’s chair began to wobble. She gasped as she felt the chair give way under her.

“Denise!” Lena yelled. Where was Denise? She was supposed to catch her, but no one was there. Lena could feel herself falling. She screamed as her body began to tumble to the floor.

Lena’s eyes popped open as she took a deep breath. She turned over in her plush king-size bed. She rubbed her eyes, her heart still beating fast from the unusual dream. She covered her eyes with her hands. She was used to her dreams, but this one was different and she had no idea what to make of it.

Reality set in as the annoying sound of a running vacuum cleaner and the blaring television in the living room reached her room. Lena looked over at her clock. She knew she had to talk to Jessica about her need to use the loudest gadgets at seven in the morning.

Lena finally forced herself out of the bed. She tiptoed into the bathroom, leaving the door cracked, trying not to make a sound. Lena stared at herself in the mirror. She brushed her frizzy edges back and pulled her hair, which had come undone during her peaceful slumber, back into a ponytail. She could hear DJ Lance Rock’s voice coming from the other room. Lena rolled her eyes. She couldn’t understand why her daughter was obsessed with the one television show she truly couldn’t stand. She didn’t know what it was, but something about a grown man in an orange leotard rubbed her the wrong way.

Lena knew taking a shower would ruin any chance of her getting in another hour of sleep. The hot water ran out of the large rain showerhead. The water felt good, waking up her last sleeping body parts. She decided to enjoy the time, knowing it would be the last moment of peace she would have. Lena washed her long hair just to take extra time.

Lena’s eyes opened when she heard the small but loud voice echoing through the bathroom. Over and over again her name was being yelled at the top of her toddler’s lungs. A gust of cold air hit her; her daughter had opened the bathroom door, letting the steam out. Lena grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her body.

“Yes, dear?” Lena said as she stepped out of the shower. She looked at her beautiful daughter, who was attempting to brush her long hair in the mirror.

Bria turned around and smiled. “Mommy!” Bria ran into Lena’s arms.

Lena sat down on the chair in the bathroom, and Bria climbed on her lap. “Girl, what have you done to your hair?” Lena smiled as she gently brushed her daughter’s wild mane with her fingers.

Bria shrugged her shoulders.

Lena couldn’t do anything but laugh. No matter how good the ponytails or braids she put in Bria’s hair before she went to sleep were, the next day her hair was a messy disaster.

There was a knock at the door. Bria jumped out of her mother’s lap as Lena gave the okay for Jessica to enter.

“I’m sorry, Lena. I told her not to bother you.” Jessica looked down at Bria, who blushed, knowing she had disobeyed.

“It’s all right. I was just enjoying a longer than normal shower.” Lena stood up and followed the two out of the bathroom. Lena opened the doors to her walk-in closet. It was organized to perfection, thanks to Jessica. Jessica was a godsend to Lena. She had been through a few different nannies and housekeepers but had hit the jackpot when she found Jessica.

“I am going to get little miss here ready. What time did you want to leave?” Jessica asked, causing Lena to pause. Jessica shook her head. “You forgot, didn’t you?”

“Of course not. Of course I remembered that. . . .” Lena looked at Jessica and smiled.

“Lunch with your mother and father.”

“Shit . . .”

“Oh, Mommy!” Bria put her hand over her mouth.

“Yes, Mommy knows she said a bad word. I won’t do it again.” Lena kissed Bria on her forehead.

A loud noise came from the TV. Obviously, the annoying characters did something that caused Bria to run out of the room quickly and park herself back in front of the big screen.

“Don’t worry,” Jessica assured Lena. “I’ll get her ready, and there are muffins on the kitchen counter.”

Lena mouthed “Thank you” as Jessica nodded and walked out, closing the door behind her. Lena’s idea of throwing on a pair of oversize jeans went out the window. She pulled out a nice pair of jeans and one of her many designer shirts. She pulled out her makeup bag and began to paint her face. She remembered why she didn’t like leaving the house. The days of taking time to look beautiful were behind her.

Her cell phone began to ring. It was Carmen’s special ringtone. Lena smiled as she picked up the phone. “Hey, Carmicita.”

Carmen rolled up the window to her car. “So, yesterday I was sitting in class, looking at those badass kids, and realized I couldn’t take it anymore.”

Lena’s eyes widened in shock. “You quit your job?”

“Ugh, no.” Carmen rolled her eyes. “But a bitch came down with a sudden illness and had to take the next few days off. I’m in the car on Seventy-eight and headed to Atlanta.”

“Oh my God, you are crazy.” Lena laughed to herself. She knew when Carmen decided to be a teacher that she wouldn’t last long. Carmen had a very low tolerance for teenagers. “I told you not to teach eighth grade.”

“Girl, who you telling? Anyhoo, when I get there, I want to see you and Misha. We need to discuss some stuff.”

“Okay, no problem. Oh, great. You can see my new house. Misha was supposed to bring Jaylin over, anyway.”

Carmen frowned. “See, this is why we need to move to Atlanta. You and Misha get to have girl time, and I’m stuck in Memphis.”

Lena pulled her wet curls back into a ponytail. “I wouldn’t call it girl time. It’s more like playdates with our children.”

“Well, I don’t care. I want to do it too.”

“Trust me, you don’t.” Lena and Carmen both laughed.

“Well, I’ll be there around sevenish. I’m going to drop my stuff at Carla’s, and then I’ll be heading over.” Carmen always called Cooley by her real name.

“Okay, no problem. But you know, I swear you, Brandon, and my parents and these meetings are driving me insane. I’m headed to meet with them now.”

“Uh-oh. Is this good or bad?”

Lena pulled the jeans on. “I’m not sure, but nothing has been bad with them recently. Everything is always about Bria.”

Lena couldn’t believe her parents’ transformation, especially her mother’s. The plastic-surgery-loving, spa-going woman had turned into a straight grandmother. Bria had them wrapped around her little finger, just like she did everyone else who met her. Her daughter was not only beautiful, but also personable. You couldn’t help but love her.

Lena and Carmen hung up, and Lena finished getting ready. Lena gave herself one final look before walking out of her bedroom. She smiled. The Lena she knew pre-baby was staring back at her. She grabbed her purse and walked out of the room.

Lena and Bria walked into her parents’ large mansion. Bria yelled, “Yaya!” as she ran toward the living room area. The house was quiet. Lena walked into the grand room and called her mother’s name. She heard her mother yell, “Outside.” Lena opened the door to the backyard.

“Yaya, Papi!” Bria squealed as she ran up to Lena’s father.

“There’s my bella Bria.” Lena’s father’s deep voice always went an octave higher when he talked to his grandbaby. He picked Bria up and hugged her. “I’ve missed you.” He tickled Bria, causing her to erupt in laughter.

“Wow. A hello for your daughter would be nice,” Lena joked as she sat in the oversize, plush patio chair. She looked around the grounds. She loved her parents’ house in the spring. The flowers were in bloom. She could smell the fragrant jasmine and orange blossoms as the breeze blew.

“Well, hello to you too, baby girl.” Her father, Derrick, smiled as Bria lay on his chest.

“Yes, hello, darling. You are looking nice today.” Lena’s mother, Karen, looked her daughter up and down. She had a small smirk on her face. Lena was suspicious.

“So what’s going on, parental units?”

“One moment.” Karen called for the maid to come out. “Take Bria into the kitchen and get her a big bowl of ice cream,” she instructed the maid when she appeared.

“Yea!” Bria clapped as she jumped down in anticipation of the treat.

“Not too big.” Lena knew her request would fall on deaf ears.

As soon as the coast was clear, her father pulled a yellow envelope out and slid it across the table to her.

“What’s this?” Lena questioned.

“Well, Lena, in just a few months, do you know how old you will be?”

“Twenty-three. Why?” Lena was curious as she opened the envelope. She pulled out a contract. The word trust made her heart skip a beat.

“As you know, your trust fund matures when you turn twenty-five,” her father said. “Well, what you didn’t know is that we had a clause in place that it could be accessed as early as your twenty-third birthday if we felt you were ready for it.”

Lena’s hands began to shake as she looked through the papers. “So what are you saying, Dad?”

“We are saying that you have proved a lot to me and your mother in the last three years. You didn’t let the divorce or your pregnancy stop you from finishing school.”

“And you have become an amazing mother,” Karen added.

“So we are releasing your trust to you on your twenty-third birthday.”

Lena’s mouth dropped open as she stared at all the zeros. She had always known her trust would be big but had never expected it to be as much as it was. Lena felt a warm sensation of freedom come over her body. She never had to rely on Brandon, who was her ex-husband, or her parents for anything ever again.

“Also, Bria’s trust has been set up,” her father continued.

Lena wanted to scream but maintained her composure. “I don’t know what to say.”

“There’s one more thing.” Karen’s perfectly manicured finger flew in the air.

Lena’s smile instantly faded. She knew there had to be a catch. “Oh God, what is it?” Lena braced herself for the impact.

“Well, as you know, your father has decided to retire finally. We’ve decided to take a few months and travel. We’re going to take a cruise, go to Europe, and finish off by spending the summer at the Vineyard.”

“Sounds amazing.” Lena poured herself a glass of the amazing lemonade that their maid was famous for making.

“And we want to take Bria with us,” Karen added.

“What?” Lena stopped in her tracks. “You want to take my child out of the country? Without me? For God knows how long?” Lena frowned.

“Hear us out first, Lena,” her father interjected. “It is a win-win for all involved.”

“How is that?”

“You haven’t had a break since you had Bria,” he noted. “You are still a young woman. You will have time to catch up with your friends and rest without worrying about Bria.”

“Yes.” Karen stood up. “Didn’t you say Carmen was going to have that ceremony with that girl?”

“Nic.” Lena still couldn’t stand her mother’s attitude toward her lesbian friends.

“Yes, well, now you can be a good friend and help her plan it. It will be only a few months.”

Lena stood up. “I have to think about this. You’re talking about a long time. I haven’t even let Brandon take her to Memphis alone yet, and y’all are trying to take her out of the country.”

“Well, think about it and let us know. The cruise would be a Disney cruise, and we know she would love it.” Her father stood up and put his arm around Lena.

“But it’s your vacation. You want a two-year-old running around the whole time?”

“We would have help, of course,” Karen stated, as though Lena didn’t know they would probably have nannies at every stop. “Plan your friend’s wedding, and spend time really finding Lena.”

Lena let her words sink in. “This is so much.” Lena shook her head.

Lena’s father put his hand on her shoulder. “Think about it, sweetie. You are young. You will have time to really enjoy life for a little while.”

“But we need to know soon, as Bria doesn’t have a passport.” Karen took a sip from her lemonade, which, Lena was 100 percent sure, was spiked with some type of vodka or rum.

“Okay. Well, I have to go. Bria has a playdate today.”

“Okay, well, let us know,” her father urged.

“Soon.” Karen smiled.

Lena nodded before she headed inside. She looked at Bria’s face, covered in vanilla ice cream. Lena sighed.

The break was looking better by the minute.

Lena watched as Brandon raided her refrigerator. Li’l Brandon and Bria were making a ridiculous amount of noise in Bria’s room. Lena tried to ignore it. Jessica must have known Lena wasn’t going to check up on them, as she walked out of the laundry room toward Bria’s room.

“So you don’t mind?” Lena asked as Brandon downed almost a whole gallon of apple juice.

Brandon wiped his mouth. “I mean, I do, but then again, I don’t. I trust your parents, and I think Bria would love to see some new countries.”

“Yeah, but without us?” Lena sat down on the tall bar stool. “And for so long.”

“I guess for me it isn’t that bad, because I’m not with her every day.”

Lena knew his underlying message. Brandon was still living in Memphis and hated not having Bria closer to him. Lena moving back to Atlanta was something he’d been completely against in the beginning. Even being divorced, he hated being so far from his daughter. Lena had to admit he was making it work. Almost every weekend Brandon was in Atlanta, sleeping in her guest room, so that he could be with both of his children.

It had taken two years, but they had finally repaired their friendship for the sake of their child. Brandon was a wonderful father and a great friend. Lena was able to forgive him completely for fathering a child with another woman while they were together. Brandon had even come to terms with Lena’s sexuality. It was still difficult to think of his ex-wife as bisexual, but he felt better knowing that she was not completely gay. The turning point for them had come when Brandon tore his PCL. Lena was there for him, taking care of Brandon Jr. and Bria while he recuperated in her guest room. Brandon had sat out the whole last basketball season. Now his contract was up for negotiation, and it wasn’t looking good. For once Lena was taking care of Brandon, and the closeness had helped their friendship to mature.

“So you think I should consider it?” Lena leaned on the countertop.

“Yeah, I think it would be good for her, and for you.”

Lena sighed. “I just can’t shake the feeling that if I say no, they will keep my trust from me. I don’t want to be forced into anything.”

Brandon laughed. “Lena, please. No one is forcing you. Your mom may be a bit twisted at times, but I doubt she would even do something that low. But think about the flip side. They are right. You do deserve a break. You are twenty-three, and for the last couple of years you haven’t done anything for yourself.”

“God, what is this? You sound like them now. What am I? Some old spinster or something?”

“Not quite, but close to it.”

Lena hit Brandon as he giggled.

“Lena, I’m just thinking about you. You take amazing care of our daughter, and you took care of my big ass when I was down and out. Maybe you do deserve this break.”

Lena’s and Brandon’s eyes met. She smiled. This was the Brandon she wished she had married to begin with. She couldn’t help but think about how much he’d matured in the past few years.

Brandon sat on the stool next to Lena. He put his big hands on her leg. “But seriously, um, we need to talk about something.”

Lena turned her head.

Brandon’s face was serious as he tried not to look directly at her.

“What is going on?”

“Um, you know our rule, right?”

Lena nodded. They had one main rule: no partners around their kids unless it was serious. Lena didn’t have a problem in that area, as she hadn’t dated anyone since leaving her ex Terrin at the Westin.

“Well, it’s time to talk about that.” Brandon looked at Lena. “Symone is, um, moving in.”

Lena’s eyes widened. “Moving in where?”

“Come on, Lena, you know where.”

Lena stood up. “So Symone is moving in. Interesting. So it’s to that point now?”

“Well, we’ve been seeing each other for about a year. It’s just time, I guess.”

“You guess? You don’t sound too sure about it.” Lena poured herself a glass of water.

“I am sure. I care about her, Lena. And I think it’s time she’s able to be around Bria more than just in passing.”

First, her parents wanted to take her child out of the country, and now Brandon wanted to have his girlfriend around her. Lena felt the room spinning. Things were changing around her, and she didn’t know if she liked it. She knew she didn’t want Brandon back, but she realized something. He truly had moved on.

“Well, I’d like to have dinner with her first. Just so we can really talk, get to know her.” Lena forced a smile.

She had met Symone only a few times. She remembered when Brandon met Symone. She was in her last year of law school at the University of Memphis. Lena had always been suspicious of women trying to date Brandon due to his athlete status, but even during his injury, Symone was still around. She knew Brandon was more serious about her than about other women, but she didn’t realize just how serious he was, especially since she knew he wasn’t faithful. A few of his slipups had been with her, in fact. She might have turned her emotional side off, but the physical side still had needs, and Brandon had come to the rescue on a few occasions while living with her.

“That’s cool. I understand.” Brandon hugged Lena. “I’ll set it up for next weekend, when I come back.”

“All right.”

The three women held their wineglasses in the air.

“Here’s to Carmen and her upcoming nuptials to that fine-ass Nic.” The three toasted as Misha gushed.

“Hey, you aren’t allowed to talk about women like that anymore. You’re a straight, remember?” Carmen joked.

Misha rolled her eyes. “Please! I’m married, not blind.”

“Ugh. I don’t see how y’all do it,” Carmen squealed.

“Please, girl, you get dicked down too.” Misha nudged Carmen.

“The only dick that goes in me is plastic and strapped on. And even that’s on a rare occasion.”

They laughed.

Carmen looked at Lena. “And what’s been going in you lately?”

Lena’s mouth dropped at Carmen’s crude statement. She walked over to the counter and grabbed the bottle of wine. “None of your nasty-ass business.”

Misha looked at Carmen, then shook her head, knowing Lena wasn’t getting any.

Lena hit Misha’s arm. “I’ve had some recently.”

“Please! Getting a fix up from Brandon doesn’t count. And you better hope that chick doesn’t find out you’re using her man as your personal maintenance man.” Carmen finished off her glass, and then Lena poured her some more.

“Please. That was my man first. And Brandon and I haven’t done anything since he moved back to Memphis.”

“Okay, so if it isn’t Brandon, who is it?” Carmen’s big curly ’fro bounced with the smallest movement of her head.

“No one.”

Both Misha’s and Carmen’s faces dropped.

“What? I have a child, remember? Bria is the only thing I’ve been focused on.”

“All, Lena, but you know what they say.” Carmen walked over to Lena. “All work and no play makes Lena . . .”

“A horny-ass bitch.” Misha’s statement caused them all to burst into laughter.

Lena couldn’t get the conversation with Brandon out of her head. She turned the TV on, hoping some celebrity gossip would take her mind off the day. Her attention was quickly captured by a story on TV One about a hot new movie and a hot new star.

Denise’s face flashed on the screen as the reporter talked about Denise Chambers, the hot new rising star of the new movie Ball. Lena had seen her share of stories in which critics praised Denise. Denise was becoming a star. Lena’s stomach dropped when an image of Denise and her gorgeous long-term girlfriend, Farih, came on the screen. Lena felt her heart sink. Everyone around her was living amazing lives, especially Denise. Lena smiled. Her intense, determined roommate had completely changed in three years. Lena’s smile faded. She wondered if Denise ever thought of her in the midst of living the Hollywood life. She wondered if she ever crossed Denise’s mind when Denise was surrounded by gorgeous people, including her model girlfriend, Farih.

She thought about her dream. Lena felt pathetic. Denise was living a fabulous life, and she was still having crazy dreams about her. Lena didn’t know what had happened to her life. It was as if they had switched places. When she met Denise, Lena was the “it” girl on campus. She was gorgeous and was dating the star of the basketball team. That life was a distant memory. Lena felt left behind. While others blossomed, she was nothing more than a basketball wife/baby mama. Lena realized the “it” factor she had had was gone. She couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever get it back.

Denise stared at the door to the SoHo apartment she shared with Farih. She sighed. She didn’t want to go in. She missed the days when she was excited to come home after being in L.A., to crawl into their platform bed, and snuggle with her girlfriend. The light in their relationship seemed to dim as soon as her celebrity star began to glow brighter and brighter.

Denise could hear Farih’s voice, with its strong Nigerian accent, coming through the door. Her accent always came out when she was angry. Denise rolled her eyes, knowing what she was about to walk into.

Farih paced the floor with the Bluetooth in her ear. Her face was stern, and she didn’t notice Denise as she put her bag on the floor.

“And so there’s nothing you can do?” Farih sounded desperate. Denise knew that meant bad news. “Well, then, I guess there’s nothing else to say.” Farih hung the phone up and sighed.

Denise’s voice startled her when Denise called her name. She turned around and looked at Denise.

“Hi.”

“What’s going on?” Denise tried to sound as concerned as possible.

“Nothing . . . absolutely nothing.” Farih poured a glass of rum and Coke. “That’s the problem.” She drank until the glass was empty. Even though the cocktail burned, it didn’t burn as badly as her feelings at the moment. “I’m not going to be an Victora Secret Angel this year.”

Denise’s face dropped. “I’m so sorry, babe.” She walked closer and put her arm around Farih.

“Don’t.” Farih pulled away immediately. “Don’t do it.”

“Don’t do what, Farih?”

“Don’t put on the fake caring routine.”

Denise wanted to scream. “Okay, whatever! I am not about to let you do this now.” Denise grabbed her bag and headed to the bedroom.

Angry, Farih followed her. “Let me do what, Denise? I’m not doing anything. Isn’t that obvious!”

“Farih, I’m not talking about this right now.”

Denise’s calm voice only infuriated Farih more. “I think we are talking about it! You aren’t going to let me do what, Denise? What is it that I’m doing?”

Denise snapped. “This.” She motioned with her hands. “All this! Every time I try to be there for you, I get my damn head chewed off.”

“You don’t understand what I’m going through, Denise.”

“Farih, you aren’t the first person to have a little downtime in their career.”

Farih’s head snapped around. “Downtime? Denise, I don’t have a career. That call, that call was my last job, and it’s gone!”

Denise sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her glimmer of hope of having a stress-free break was gone. She rubbed her hands over her hair, as she always did when she was frustrated. “Farih, I understand your frustration. I really do. But I’m really not trying to fight with you right now. I’m just getting home, I wanted to relax, and I wanted to spend some time with you.”

Farih held her tongue. Even though Denise’s voice was calm, she knew she meant business. Farih knew she had been taking her anger out on Denise, something she had been doing ever since her jobs started to dry up, but she couldn’t stop herself. “I’m sorry, Denise. I don’t mean to act the way I do, I’m just so . . . scared.”

Denise looked into Farih’s brown eyes. She wanted to be mad, but she couldn’t. She opened her arms.

Farih sat next to her, laying her head on Denise’s chest.

“Farih, things are going to work out. But getting angry and stressing aren’t helping the situation.”

“I know.” Farih said. “Did you talk to Cooley about me yet?”

“Not yet. I’m going to when I go to town. We barely talk about anything besides work. I’ll have more time when we are face-to-face.”

Denise could feel Farih’s mood change immediately.

Farih smiled. “Thanks, b. . .