Love And War

Three Years Earlier:

Tamar

Three Years Earlier:

I was devastated my debut album was pretty much a failure. Not only that but I was in the relationship from hell. Don't get me wrong, I love Vince but all he does is yell at me and tell me how I wasn't doing this and that for him. Plus he didn't support my dreams in singing so he changes the subject each time I brought it up. Not only that but when I do the things he complains about me NOT doing for him, he complains about that too like I should've done that before he even mentioned it. He was so ungrateful and I was getting FED UP with it! I mean, things are almost NEVER good for us anymore like when we first started dating and I needed someone to appreciate the fact they had me in their life and love me for me.

Maybe then when I get pregnant, the stress from it all won't end up in miscarriage. That happened twice already so I was holding off on sex because I'm hurting and I wasn't letting myself go through that again. That wasn't the only reason I'm hurting though; I also knew he was cheating on me which should make me leave his punk ass because I don't deal with cheaters but like a lovesick puppy I stayed. Well, today I've had ENOUGH and if he doesn't step up and actually be there for me, then I'm leaving and never looking back. I already took my shoes and purses to the house I just bought for me to live in ALONE and the last thing to go was the bags filled with my clothes which was in the car.

I left everything that reminded me of Vince in that house and wasn't taking it with me; that included my cell phone! He wasn't getting in contact with me anytime soon, not at all! "Tamar, you ok sis," my sister Toni who was helping me pack and move out asked me. Trina and Towanda were here earlier but left since they had to go play mommy and Traci was busy working so she couldn't make it. "Yeah... I feel relieved to see this house pretty much empty now and I'm glad I'm doing this." He had to learn he had a good thing somehow so this is how I was making sure that happened; hopefully that doesn't backfire! "Good, now you have one more thing to do you know..." I look at her and nod not looking forward to this part, taping my note on the front door for him to see once he returned home from work and placing my engagement ring on the dining room table. After that's done, I walk out with Toni to head to my new house for the final drop off.

Thirty minutes later, all my furniture was delivered and I was relaxed on my brand new couch. "Well it's done," I said to my sister smiling. I didn't want it to come to this but, hey it's done and I'm not crying either, I've done enough of that already. "Yeah. I'm proud of you girl, I didn't think you'd ever leave but you did." Shit no one did but here we are. "You aint lying there! Me either but now, I'll focus on me and my new CD. I'm not giving up on my dreams!" After giving me a smile and a hug, Toni said she had to leave to pick up my nephews from school. With that, I myself left to head down to the studio. After my album failed, my record label dropped me but Atlantic Records signed me on the spot hearing my voice and thinking I could be just as big as my platinum selling sister with the right people. I was excited too! Let's just hope that this first session goes well!

Chris

I was with my girl Kae when I got a call from my record label that they wanted me to meet with the new female singer they signed. Somehow they figured my skills in producing would be useful for her and make her album a huge hit. That seemed cool and all but I hadn't even saved my career from the '09 incident yet... Graffiti wasn't as successful as my last two albums so I needed something to help me. BET still supported me and they're letting me do a Michael Jackson tribute this year at the awards so maybe that will give me a chance to redeem myself. If it did, then I think it's time I get back in the studio for my next album instead of do another mixtape.

"Hey, you ok babe," Kae asks me in the car. I was bringing her with me since I promised to spend the day with her and I wasn't about to let her down leaving her alone. "Yeah... I'm just nervous about the BET Awards... what if it isn't as successful as I hope because people still look at me for what happened last year?" She sighs and shakes her head before grabbing my hand and looking me in my eyes with us at a stop light. "They'll be CRAZY to not praise you for this tribute Chris. I've seen the whole thing in rehearsals WITHOUT the staging for it and you KILLED it! I felt like watching MJ but I knew it was YOU!"

I smile and press on the gas when the light changed to green and asked her if she meant it. "Every word babe. Stop stressing over it because no matter what regardless of last year's incident people are gonna hate and nothing will change that. Just focus on the positive ok?" I nod and she leans in for a quick kiss and the rest of the ride was silent. Ten minutes later we arrive at the studio and walk in. I head to my usual studio room and when we see who's in there waiting, Kae responds first. "O MY GOD! It's Tamar!" I chuckle knowing how much she loved the new WE show Braxton Family Values but there's no way she was in the studio right now. Little did I know she was right, I just didn't recognize her until I walked inside.

"Chris glad you could make it! Kae...," said a head of the label. My girl rolled her eyes at him then went and introduced herself to the youngest Braxton sister as he continued. "Anyway, as you can see we signed Ms. Tamar Braxton here and we'd like you to co-produce her album." They couldn't be serious! Why didn't they just have Babyface do this shit since he made Toni famous? "ME?! Why not Babyface, he got her sister noticed." I had no problems with working with her, I was just curious so I asked. Then Tamar joins the conversation with an attitude which I didn't expect at all. "Because I'm NOT trying to use my sister to make my dreams come true I'm doing this on my own! Is that a problem?"

She didn't stop there either, under her breath I could've sworn she said "Woman Beater" Causing everyone to look in her direction and Kae to walk back towards me giving the new addition to the label an evil death glare. I clenched my jaw and took a deep breath before replying. "You wanna repeat that? And if you wanna have this attitude you don't need ME, the 'woman beater' to produce your shit. By the way, I asked that question out of curiosity before you had to run your mouth!" That caused her to laugh and everyone just looked at her like she was crazy. "O! You tried it! Look, DON'T come at me like that when you don't even know me! And I don't need you anyway so you can do me a favor and walk out of here!"

This... calm down Chris don't go there, this isn't the time nor the place. "Gladly! Besides I have MY OWN album to start working on so good luck to anyone who has to work with your stuck-up ass!" With that, I grabbed my girl's hand and walked out slamming the door to the studio room. I could find better things to do rather than waste my time by working with her! Especially if she judges me by ONE mistake instead of trying to get to know me; I don't need that shit when everyone close to me sees me for who I really am and right now, that's all that matters.