Streets

20. A New Day

Mob City Council Hall
Lewis County Meeting

Dorian stood at the front doors of the council hall, the area where the city hosts meetings for the city and anyone in the county and today it's a county wide meeting. Which meant a few things for Dorian, it meant his investment into the future would be starting now and the angry mob of citizens that reside in the Grove would be arriving and filling those seats. He saw as Raymond strolled in alone, he wondered where his wife could be at such an important meeting. Ashawntee was already sitting down showing her support to her new beau. He likes to consider himself courting her, she was such a lady in his eyes she needed to be treated as such. "Well Mr. Fairchild, I didn't expect to see you here." Dorian smirked and thought to himself of course he didn't, "Why I'm just here to show my support to my investments." Raymond looked at him confused, "Investments?" Dorian nodded, "See you in there." Dorian went to talk to a few people as Raymond stood in confusion but he had no choice but to brush it off, today was an important day. Finally being able to get rid of the tumor that was the Grove.
The meeting began and before words could be spoken from the mediator the doors opened and people spilled in. Raymond was almost speechless, he didn't expect this many people and he was beginning to think they came from the Grove. The mediator stood, "Well as soon as everyone is settled we can begin." Dorian smiled as he took a seat in the guest speaker section right along side Derek and some of their own close friends and business associates. Raymond had a gross feeling in the pit of his stomach but he refused to let it show.
The mediator began, "This meeting is to begin the voting of the detachment of Clemit Grove and Mob City." The crowd began to gasp in shock and some stood up and yelled out in anger. Dorian and Derek smiled at the idea of the angry crowd, they would soon win them over with their charm and lots of money. "What makes you think you can just toss us away like we are trash!" An older woman yelled out and Raymond took the floor, "Now don't look at it as we are throwing you away, we value you all just as much as the people who live in Mob City, and financially you all will be independent until we have a small group come and take over the Grove." That made the crowd even more angry, Ricky who was in attendance sauntered down to the microphone to speak, all dressed up in a sparkly red pantsuit and a blond bun, "May I speak?" The mediator nodded, the room suddenly quiet as Ricky cleared his throat. Nicki was in the crowd on the side where the Mob City residents sat and she rolled her eyes, leaning over to her friend, "What is my brother doing." She whispered. Ricky smiled and looked up at Raymond, "Now maybe you can explain this to me, to us, how this city that wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the citizens in the grove. In fact it was our votes that got you in the seat your in Raymond, it was our businesses that helped build these skyscrapers and big buildings and not to mention it was our silence that allowed the corruption to grow within your community. How is it that someone who was born and raised in the Grove can look his nose down at it?" Raymond cleared his throat and held back the rage he felt against Ricky who still refused to sign the nda. "Well, times have changed and the Grove despite many warnings has not done anything to contribute to the growth of this very city. Or even their own. Now it's time we cut the cord and move on and the Grove has to take care of themselves and I'm sorry it sounds so brutal but that's just the way it is." Ricky smirked, "Or is it because you can't control every person that lives in the Grove, afraid their silence will expose some dark secrets Raymond?" Raymond shot daggers with his eyes at Ricky who winked back and blew a small kiss.
Derek took this moment to speak his peace, "Now Grove won't have anything to worry about, I am here to say right at this very moment I will not only take care of all needs of the Grove but I will also be running as mayor this coming election." The grove people murmured to themselves, Kason was shocked to say the least as he sat amongst the counsel, "What do you make of this Mayor Kason?" Kason cleared his throat, "Well with the grove being its own independent town, I don't see why not." Dorian spoke up, "Oh no Mayor Kason, with my wealth and with the help of the people of the grove, it will no longer be considered a small town to throw away, no no this will be Grove City. I myself have spoken with these people and it comes to my attention that they have way much to offer and tons of land they are willing to develop. You see they just needed someone to listen." Raymond chuckled to himself, "You really think a small patch of land is enough to become as big and major as Mob City?" Dorian smiled, "Well if I remember our previous conversation, Mob City is raising prices on high rise buildings and housing all over the city. Now Grove City will become a capital and within the budget of newcomers all over." The citizens of the grove clapped and shouted in excitement, however Ricky was going after Raymond, he has taken things personal.
After the voting and the meeting, Derek and Dorian were thrilled with how things turned out and with the grove in their hands they were for sure gonna be running things. Kason and Raymond along with other council members walked up to the smiling pair, the news and cameras were flashing as they enjoyed and relished in the moment. Kason was the first to speak, extending his hand toward Derek, "Well congrats on your new adventure." Derek smiled but refused to shake his hand, "Thank you. And congrats to you, being a cliche. Cheating on your wife with my ex wife. You are the reason my marriage failed and ultimately I should thank you because if it weren't for that I wouldn't have found the woman of my dreams." Kason looked at him, "And please understand that this isn't over." Derek waved at the cameras as he walked away from a nervous Kason, Dorian also walked past and nodded in their direction. It was the dawn of a new era and neither Kason or Raymond were prepared for it.
Benny was at the studio, his Ep did wonders and he needed to get started on the album and the single of his choice. What he didn't expect was Clover to be in the studio recording, he walked in and heard her singing her new song she was working on, it was enchanting and he couldn't help but stand and listen in. Clover saw him in her session and continued singing as she looked at him. He couldn't help but be mesmerized at her beauty and her voice, and he was in a trance up until she was finished. Walking out the recoding booth she hinted to her producer to give her a minute and he left, leaving Clover with Benny alone. "Liked it?" She asked and he smirked, "It won't bad, what's the name?" She sat down and faced him, "Wild Beach. It's this idea I have for my new album. Seeing as how my first album was just a EP, they didn't expect it to blow up as much as it did." Benny nodded, he had to agree she was blowing up right now, her Ep was a smash hit that fans were demanding an album. "How do you handle it all? Life and suddenly being a famous pop star?" He asked and she shrugged, "My dad prepared me for this. He had me in vocal training since I could walk. He doesn't want what happened to my mom to happen to me. She had one song and it took her global, then when she released an album she froze up and her fame crashed." Benny was terrified of that, he needed this opportunity to get himself out of this deep hole he has himself in, "So you and Marcus are apart of a gang?" She asked and he looked at her slightly shocked at the question, "I overheard my dad talking about it. How is it that a thug gangsta is up in here singing about making love?" Benny chuckled as did she, it did seem like an odd pairing, "I don't know, being in what I'm in just seemed like a good idea at the time. Something to fall back on in case this singing shit don't work out." Clover nodded, she didn't understand the gang life nor did she want to but something about Benny made her curious. It was the look of pain in his eyes that he desperately tried to hide, "Come with me, I wanna show you something." Getting up she took his hand and guided him to the blue door that was attached to the studio room, they walked in and she led them down some stairs to another set of doors. The smell of chlorine strong as they walked into a hidden pool room with beautiful blue water, however instead of the regular sides of the pool it was a window that showed a fish tank full of different kinds of fish and sea creatures. "Gotdamn, y'all got a pool surrounded by an aquarium?" Clover smiled as she took off her shirt revealing a tight green bathing suit top, she took off her pants to show the matching bikini bottoms and Benny had to distract himself mentally from getting excited, "It's my secret place. Well my safe place, my father knows about the pool and knows not to come in here." She gets in the water, swimming to the surface she looks at Benny and smiles, "Well you gonna come in?" He didn't hesitate as he got down to his boxers and got in the water, swimming close to her, "You're different." He said, her vibe and energy was something he hadn't experienced before, it was almost magnetic, "Mmm I'm starting to think you're a little different too. Maybe there is someone else under the tattoos and the thug exterior." She swam closer to him until they were nearly touching, "I usually don't do this, but like I said there is something about you. You should know my father isn't the type to handle business the correct way. I'm here to find my mother, and I know he had something to do with it." Benny looked at her and was trying hard to resist the urge to kiss her, "So why you in here swimming with me?" She smiled, "Maybe we can have fun while I'm here." They continued to smile and swim together splashing and enjoying the vibe. Benny would soon realize how amazing Clover was and how deep he would fall for her.

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Ricky walked into Nicky's salon. He was frustrated with how things went at the meeting and he knew his sister knew something about that was going on. Slamming the door open to her office cause Nicky to jump up in a small fright, "What the hell?!" Ricky walked in with nothing but attitude, "Don't even act like you don't know why I'm here." Nicky sighed and sparked up her blunt and sat down at her desk moving her black hair out of her face, "You heard about the club I assume." Ricky glared at her, "I may have but what I know is that it better have nothing to do with you." Nicky looked up at him annoyed, "Yes it does, it's my business. That's right, I'm opening a club here, I saw an opportunity and I took it. Not everyone is flocking to Black Moon and you know it." Ricky sucked his teeth pacing back and forth, "So you open a strip club here and that means what for my little ol club in the hood?" Nicky waved her brother off, not understanding why he was so upset, "I know yo bright ass heard the same thing everyone else heard in that meeting. The grove is becoming its own city so I suggest you get your affairs in order. Big business coming yo way." Ricky stopped pacing and stared at his sister, "Nah, this shit is personal and of course I wouldn't expect you to understand. That part of you died right along with my brother." Leaving just as quickly as he arrived he had a mission to take down Raymond before Raymond could take him down.