𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐: 𝐁𝐲 𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬

April 19, 1988
New York City

"How you liking it down there so far? You ain't got into no trouble or anything have you?" Cheryl asked over the phone, missing her son tremendously.

"It's cool, we been good since we stepped off the plane ma." Desmond told her, though he was lying already. He rather not tell her about the brawl he ended up in the first night here, that would make her blood pressure shoot through the roof. The last thing he wanted was for her to start worrying and demanding him to hop on a flight back home instantly.

"That's good to hear, have y'all found any jobs yet? Is the apartment y'all staying at decent?"

"The apartment is alright I guess, we in the Brooklyn area so it ain't a quiet area." He admitted and Cheryl sighed over the phone "The first three weeks of being down here, we found a nice place to work at. A club in the neighborhood ya know."

"A club? How did that work Desi?" She questioned.

He chuckled "We DJing ma, they were literally the only place in our area hiring so it's cool. It ain't like we gone drink ourselves to death." He shrugged even though he's done more than drank liquor before "Besides it's just for us to bring in some income for the time being."

"Alright now, is anything coming together with the music at least? Y'all been down there for a month."

Now Desmond sighed on his end "Not really, we ain't bumped into no big time producers or nothing like that, but I ain't giving up. It'll happen when it happens I guess."

He knew it would take time to jump start any career he chose, nothing happens overnight but he wish it was moving at a faster pace. For him to constantly tell himself to get out there and work for his career, he really hasn't done that yet. Since the two been in New York, all they did was kick it at parties, get high and work at the club.

Sounds fun but there's other things Desmond wanted to do.

The opportunity for music or anything else hasn't presented itself yet, and it was already taking a toll on Desmond. He was trying to be as patient as they come though.

"I know that's right, just keep working towards it and things will get going for you two."

The two spent about ten more minutes on the phone before saying their goodbyes. Desi finished ironing his shirt before slipping it right on, stepping out the room afterwards.

Since they'll be staying here for a while now, they had to quickly adjust to the size of the apartment. Being that it was only one bedroom, Desi and Gino had to occupy the living area. It was one regular long couch, and one with a let out bed. They switched here and there just to be fair.

Walking ahead towards the living room, he saw cashmere eating a bowl of Apple Jacks while Gino read through the news paper.

"You got plans today? Nigga done ironed his clothes and everything." Cashmere chuckled.

Desmond waved him off "My folks raised me not to walk out the house with wrinkles in my clothes nigga. You must've been brought up different huh?" He snickered And Cashmere continued to stare at him with a blank stare.

"Yo guess who sliding through New York to perform?" Gino finally chimed into the conversation, his eyes glued to the paper.

"Who?" Desmond and Cashmere said in unison, sounding like owls.

"Miss smooooth operatorrrr." He sung, trying to mimic Sade's voice which didn't sound good leaving his mouth.

"Nigga don't do that shit again, it was disrespectful." Cashmere shook his head in disgust.