Torn

Chapter 2

Monique P.O.V

This morning I was on G.O ! I woke at four o'clock this morning and started on my presentation and notes for the meeting with PepsiCo. I showered, brushed and flossed my teeth, lotioned my skin with velvet sugar lotion from bath and body works and put on my undergarments. I decided to dress like an edgy school teacher today. I found a long, black leather mermaid type skirt, a long sleeved denim shirt, my son's tie, and some black red bottom Christian Louboutin platform pumps. I put on light makeup, curled my hair and to complete the outfit, I put on some glasses. I looked at the time and saw it was six o'clock. I rushed to the kids rooms to wake them up but they were already in the bathroom. So I started on breakfast. I cooked pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs with some fruit and orange juice. Once I fixed their plates, they were coming downstairs.
  "Come eat breakfast quick because it's almost eight o'clock and y'all have to be at school before nine." I told them as they sat down and started eating.
   "Mama you looking good." Monae said with her mouth full of pancakes.
   "Thanks babydoll and chew with your mouth closed." I said.
   "Um mama who you getting cute for ?" Marcus said eyeing me suspiciously. I laughed. He's very, very, very overprotective of me.
   "Sugar I'm not cute. Cute is for puppies, I'm gorgeous honey. And I get dressed up for my own self. I don't need nobody's approval of how I look." I said. He looked at me and smiled.
   "That's right mama" He said.
   "Mama you need to take a picture." Monae said as she went to the sink and washed out her plate.
"You gon take my picture babydoll ?" I asked. She nodded.
"Come on outside and give me some good poses." She said grabbing my iPhone 6s. I laughed and shook my head as I walked to my porch and posed as she took pictures. She took over 100 pictures in two minutes. I looked at my watch and it was eight thirty. This photo shoot had to come to an end.
  "Okay nae it's eight thirty y'all got to get to school. Go in the house and get your stuff and get in the car." I said getting my phone from her and going in the house to get my purse. I grabbed my purse out of the closet, got my keys off the key holder and got in the car.
  "ROLL CALL : MONAE SCOTT" I called. She looked up from her phone.
  "Here" She said.
  "ROLL CALL : MARCUS SCOTT" I called.
  "Here" He said.
  "Okay everyone is here now let's rock and roll. Seatbelts please. Keep all hands and objects inside the car at all time, don't touch my radio and -" they cut me off.
   "Make sure you have your homework, act like you have some home training at school and don't get into any fights unless the punk hit you first." They said in unison. I laughed we go through this every morning. I pulled off and got them to school. Marcus went to William Henry Shaw High School or Shaw High.
  "Have a great day sugar. I love you." I said as he kissed my cheek.
  "I love you more mama and I love you sis." He said giving nae some dap.
  "I love you too bro. See you later" She said.
We pulled up at nae's middle school which was a block away. She went to Blackmon Road Middle School.
  "Have a great day at school babydoll. I love you." I said as she kissed my cheek.
  "I love more mommy. See you later" She said as she walked toward the school.
I rode to work listening to the Steve Harvey Morning Show. Shirley was reading the strawberry letter and it was too funny. These people have to be making this stuff up. I pulled up at my building at nine fifteen. Perfect timing. I had fifteen minutes to get my presentation together. I run a multi billion dollar company that deals with clothing, food, drinks, hair care products and etc. I built this company from nothing into what it is today. I've merged with Ashley Stewart, Lane Bryant, Rue 21, Forever 21, Air Jordan, Nike, McDonalds, Burger King, Arbys, Wendy's and etc. I've become one of the biggest corporations in the world. I need to persuade PepsiCo to merge with me so our drink sells can go up. We merged with several liquor companies and have made a good profit but drinks such as soda, gatorade, water and juice make more money then alcoholic beverages. So I really need this merger to happen. I spoke to everyone as I went upstairs to my office to get myself together. I prayed six times this morning, read the bible and even sang Negro spirituals all morning. I rushed to my office, sat down at my desk and went over my presentation. A few minutes later my assistant secretary knocked on the door.
   "Ms. Scott the board of directors are here." She said. I took in a very deep breath.
   "Thanks Sandra. Direct them towards the boardroom and I will be out in just a second." I said as I got my presentation togtether.
   "Yes Ma'am." She said walking out the door.
"Okay Monique this is it. Go in there and give it to 'em. God please be on my side today." I said to myself. I got up and headed to the boardroom. Well here goes nothing. I came in a jumped right into business.
   "Good Morning Everyone. I am Monique Scott the founder and CEO of Scott's Enterprises & Foundation For A Better Living." I said. They didn't seem amused so I continued. I was sweating bullets honey. I sat down and opened my folder and handed down copies of my proposals.
  "No need to prolong the time any further. Today I'm not here to talk a lot of jibber jabber to you all because time is money. I have a proposal to merge PepsiCo and Scott's Enterprises." I said very sternly. I was in complete business mode.
  "Really now. What makes you think we'd want to merge ?" One of the red faced directors smugly said. I almost cursed him out but I held my composure.
  "This year alone Scott's Enterprises have brought in over 7.3 billion dollars to this company. We've of course donated to local and international organizations that help with the homeless, battered women and children, orphanages, starving third world countries and etc. We've partnered with Goodwill and we're in a process of  building new shelters for the homeless all around the nation that are clean, stacked with employees that will work around the clock to make sure the residents are comfortable, and able to help the homeless make resumès, get back in school, and eventually get jobs which will boast the economy 85% a year. This is all heartfelt and not about making a profit besides we're all about better living for the world and making America great." I paused to take a drink of water and look at the board's faces. They looked highly interested.
  "Merging with PepsiCo will benefit both companies in financial gain, it will make Pepsi bigger than Coca-Cola, and also gives Scott's Enterprises a chance to become the biggest corporation in the nation. Which means the people in third world countries will benefit from your product which will make them stronger and healthier. The stronger and healthier they become the more money you all will get. Of course Scott's Enterprises will get recognition as being behind the curtains handling things but the spotlight will be mostly on Pepsi. Who knows , we could make more products that are better than any other drinking product ever invented. We can also have the purest waters, the best carbonated drinks and come up with new gimmicks to capture the children which will prompt their parents to buy." I said looking around the room. It was dangerously quiet. All of a sudden they start clapping.
   The CEO stood up. "I'd love to merge with this company. You all stand for positivity and making the economy stronger. Let's take a vote shall we. All in favor of the merger say 'i' all opposed say 'nay'." She said.
Everyone said 'i' and I almost screamed with excitement but remained professional. She smiled at me and said "The i's have it." I stood up and shook her hand.
  "Welcome aboard Mrs. Nooyi. I guarantee that you won't regret your decision." I said smiling.
  "I know I won't regret my decision. Now let's get started on the business side." She said. I nodded my head and let her sit in my seat as I sat on the side. Finally after three hours, the merge was done and it was official.
  "We'll meet again on next month to get settled. In between that time, I want ideas and suggestions that will be beneficial and of great gains" she said.
  "Oh yes ma'am. My creative team and I will come up with ideas to present by next month." I said. She nodded.
   "My secretary will email you the date. Have a great day." She said and hugged me. I nodded and smiled. Once they left and I got through shaking hands and smiling, I walked into my office and screamed. I danced and shouted.
  "THANK YOU GOD YES LORD !" I screamed. I plopped in my chair and started talking to myself. "Okay MoMo you deserve to treat yourself." I looked at the time and it was three o'clock. The kids got out at four so I had time to myself for an hour. I grabbed my stuff, locked my door and went by the secretary's desk downstairs.
  "If I get any calls tell them that  i won't be in until tomorrow." I told her. She nodded and started typing away on her iPad.
  "Yes Ma'am. Congratulations on the merger" She said while smiling. I smiled back.
"Thanks sugar. I'll see you tomorrow." I said walking out the door. I got to my car and tried to figure out where to go. I put my stuff in and called one of my bestfriends.
    "Ramone darling" I sang into the phone. Ramone was my gay friend and when I tell you he was gay I mean neck rolling, snaps fingers and rolls eyes type gay. I love him because he's the realist person on my team. He's been here through everything I've been through.
   "Yesssss bonita señorita" he sang through the phone.
   "Are you busy at the moment ?" I asked as I turned on the a/c.
  "Not at all dear. I'm bored as ever. I left work early because chile it was a ghost town in there. What you up to and ain't you supposed to be at work ?" He said.
"Well I'll explain all of that if you meet me at Chili's in an hour." I said. He dramatically sighed through the phone.
  "Okay babes I'll be there I guess cause you my baaabycakes with all that cake in the backseat" he said. I laughed so hard at him Lord he was a mess.
  "Okay babes I'll see you in an hour" I hung up the phone and drove home to change clothes. Once I got to the house , I quickly stripped out of my clothes, went to the shower, and took at ten minute shower. I dried off, took my make up off and put on my undergarments. I decided to wear a sleeveless green polka dot sundress with a push up bra installed into the dress. I decided to leave my hair in curls because they were still in place, I just bumped them a little to make them look fresh. I put on some more velvet sugar lotion and then put on my white sandals and looked at the time. It's was three thirty. Perfect. I grabbed my phone, keys, purse and headed out the door. I made sure the security system was up and running before I locked up. This was a gated community and all but I trusted no one. I got in my car and called my mother.
   "Mommmyy" I said. She laughed and I could tell she was shaking her head.
   "What ya want chile." She said.
    "So I just can't call my mother to tell her that her only daughter just merged with PepsiCo." I said smiling knowing she'd catch it late. She started ranting.
   "Uh yes. I know ya child I raised ya and wait what ?! Congratulations baby !" She exclaimed. I laughed because her crazy butt was just fussing.
   "Mom can you come over and watch Marcus and Monae. Ramone is taking me out to celebrate and we're meeting at Chili's in a few minutes." I asked.
  "Okay. What time are you gonna be back child ?" She asked and I could tell she was walking out of the door as we spoke.
    "Maybe around ten or eleven. Depends on how long we're going to be there." I said pulling up in Chili's parking lot.
  "Okay I'll watch them and you better have your butt back before midnight if not I'm going to whoop you and ramone."She said sternly. I knew not to test my mom.
   "Yes Ma'am. Thank you so much. I'll see you later" I said and hung up. I got out of the car and walked in.
   "Two please. My bestfriend is coming later on." I tell the lady.
   "Okay follow me." She says and directs me to a booth.
   "Someone will be back to take your drink." She said smiling. I nodded and pulled my phone out. I posted a picture from my mini photo shoot this morning on Facebook and Instgram with the caption "I'm a successful black woman that makes a man's world look good." I immediately got four hundred likes and comments. I then started deleting pictures because I knew how quick my storage fills up. I heard a high pitch feminine voice in the distance and knew exactly who it was.
  "Um excuse me sweetie I know you see me here trying to get to my bestfriend and your slow ass still standing here looking dumbfounded." Ramone said rolling his neck and pointing his fingers. This man was a trip. I was laughing already and he wasn't even seated yet. The waitress brought him to me and he sat down mean mugging her. I laughed.
  "What's got your panties in a bunch honey ?" I ask. He dramatically sighs and rolls his eyes. Oh Lord.
  "Guuuurll lemme tell you about what happened in the shop today. First, I need a drank cause this tea is sweeter than watermelon on fourth of july. Um excuse me waitress come here honey." He says snapping his fingers signaling waitress. I was laughing so hard that tears were rolling from my face. The waitress came over.
   "Ma'am may I please have a Presidente Margarita ?" I asked politely.
   "Yes ma'am and for you sir." She asked.
   "Chile bring me a long island iced tea and a Texas Bellini." He said.
"Your drinks will arrive shortly." The waitress said with a smile.
   "Thanks chile make it pronto cause I needs something in my life lawd." He said very, very overdramatically. The waitress laughed and walked away.
   "What's ailing you honey ?" I asked.
   "Girl so I went to the shop as usual and my client was running late which was okay because I don't mind waiting but anything pass thirty minutes is a no no." He popped his mouth and continued.
"So she text me and told me she was gonna be late and I said okay. Thirty minutes had passed and my client after her had walked through the door. So I said fuck it and started on her hair. By the time I walked to the sink and started taking the perm out this bitch walk in looking mad." He said rolling his eyes.
"No she didn't. Lawd I would've told her to walk right back out the door" I said.
   "Right ! So she signed in, sat down and started reading a magazine like 'yes bitch you better sit down somewhea.' I finished washing the other girl's hair, got her situated under the dryer and told the bitch to come sit down. Girl how bout this bitch had the nerve to have an attitude as if she wasn't an hour late." He said. By this time our drinks had came and we placed our orders. I gasped as I sipped my drink.
   "Oh lawd no she didn't." I said.
    "Yes she did girl and I said 'um excuse me ma'am what seems to be the issue.' She rolled her eyes and said 'you could've waited for me but instead you start on someone else's hair when I had an appointment first and that's just rude.' Before I knew it I said 'listen bitch, you were late. You known I give y'all thirty minutes before I'm on to the next. You also know I have multiple clients and one nappy headed monkey don't stop the show. Now do you want this bird's nest done in that simple ass wrap or not ?' " He said rolling his eyes and taking a long sip from his long island iced tea. I was cracking up laughing.
  "Nooo not the nappy headed monkey. Stop it I say" I said laughing.
  "Yes girl. And then she gon flop in the chair like yes bitch that's what I thought. I did her perm, washed it out and put her under the dryer. I got the other girl from under the dryer and started on her hair. She was getting ready for a wedding and wanted to be slayed to the gawds so I was doing her hair and make up. How about while I was styling her hair that nappy headed monkey gon start clearing her throat tryna get my attention. Guuuhhhhh I was so close to snatching her out that chair" he said taking another long sip from his drink. I was laughing so hard I almost choked.
  "I finally looked up and said 'what guh damn you startin to get on my nerves.' She said 'um my dryer is about to go off in like five minutes so you need to hurry.' Guh I looked at her like bish what. I said 'no one rushes Ramone Alonzo Montiago babygirl. You need to shut yo late ass up and wait until I'm done. You lucky I'm even doing your hair after you had me waiting for over an hour.' That shut her stupid ass up for sho. I finished my client and to mess with the other lady I took my sweet little time because no one rushes me. I took pics I her, she paid me extra than what I charged and left. I looked over at little miss muffet and said 'guh bring ya ass ova here son you can leave' " He said. At this point I was in tears laughing.
  "Little miss. muffet omg man" I said eating my pasta.
  "Yes honey sittin on that flat tuffet." He said taking a bite of his burger. I fell out laughing.
  "But anyway. I did her hair in that basic ass body wrap and said 'okay you done. Give me my money and get out' how about she had the nerve to say 'why didn't you take pics of me like you did her' I said 'because I already have enough Lost Dog flyers and I don't need anymore now pay me and get out.' She glared at me and gave me my money but not all of it. I said 'wait a minute lil mama where's the rest you know I charge a fifty dollar late fee.' She gon say 'it's in the bank where money goes.' I said 'okay yuon wanna pay. I guess I'll call the police to come get me cause I'm about to drag yo ass all over this floor.' She then gave me my extra fifty and slammed the door while walking out. She act like I give a fuck about her slamming doors. Shit I can do it too" He said drinking his tea. I just laughed and shook my head.
   "Well looks like you've had an interesting day. I got some good news for you chile. Is ya ready for it ?" I said. He nodded.
  "Yes girl spill the tea." He said
   "You're looking at the woman who just made a merger between PepsiCo and Scott's Enterprises." I said proudly. You know Ramone's behind screamed and started clapping.
  "Ooohhh mami yessss ! Congratulations ! Do you know how many companies has been trying to merge with PepsiCo ? Girl that's a blessing !" He said as we clinked our glasses together.
  "I know right ! So yes that's the great news I had" I said drinking my margarita.
   "Well chile need to go out and celebrate saturday." He said.
   "I know I was thinking that because Monae and Marcus's dad is coming to get them and have them for the entire weekend. So I'll be all alone this weekend." I said. Ramone rolled his eyes. He couldn't stand my baby father.
   "Girl okay. We can go to that new club that just opened. I heard it's for the grown, sexy and sophisticated which spells out you and me there no excuses." He said.
  "Of course." I said. We sat there for four more hours and drank, talked, laughed and ate. Lord I loved hanging around Ramone.
   "Girl your mama got my godbabies tonight ?" He asked. I nodded my head as I drank my sixth presidente margarita. Don't get me wrong I can hold my liquor but I was sleepy and tired and ready to go to bed.
  "Well you wanna come over and drink some more. I just replenished my liquor cabinets." He said. He literally had twelve top and bottom cabinets full of every alcohol known to man. He even had his own bar at his house.
  "Good offer but chile I gotta go to work in the morning to get started on the model for the new shelters we're building and I got a meeting with Clark Atlanta University's dean about scholarships, a meeting with the Red Cross, a meeting with Sam's Club and Wal-Mart, and finally a meeting with my baby father." I said sighing because I really wasn't looking forward to none of this tomorrow. I just wanted to stay home but I want to be successful and have a good relationship with my baby father so I have to.
  "Lawd girl you got your work cut out for you. I ain't mad at ya getcho coins girl." He said. His phone chimed and he looked at it smiling.
  "Girl I gotta go Eli is feeling kinky tonight and I don't wanna keep my baby waitin." He said.
  "Don't put it all on him at one time now. He won't be able to handle it." I said. He laughed and paid the bill.
  "Girl stop. But it was glad to meet up and stuff. I'll see you saturday ?" He said with his perfectly arched eyebrow raised.
"Yes honey." I said getting up. We both hugged and he left as I got my purse and keys. As I was walking to my car, I hit another brick wall. I look up to see Leonard. He laughed as he held me up.
  "We've got to stop running into each other like this" He said. I looked up at him and smiled.
  "I know right. No time for small talk I got to get going. Nice seeing you Leonard." I said quickly getting in my car. He yelled something about getting my number but I was already backing out about to pull off. Maybe next time, right now I got to get home to my babies.

*monique's outfit in the mm*