Lights Please II

Prologue

so gimme all of you in exchange for me
just give me all of you in exchange for me, for me
break it down, yeah

I was in the studio with Bryson working on his debut album. He'd asked me to work with him on some of the writing and producing for it—after releasing my EP independently last year I kept getting calls to work with more people, I loved creating and writing, even though eventually I wanted to steer towards focusing on my own shit too. This for the time being was amazing though—he was about to drop some amazing shit and I was glad to even be a part of it.

"How was that?" He asked, from the booth.

"It was good—" I nodded, "just lemme hear that hook again, a little sharper though," I said before playing it back and he ran it once more.

We'd been working since afternoon and it was getting pretty late, I'd said I could stay until 10, and just then like clock work I got a text and Jermaine was here. He said he'd come and I couldn't turn that down. After wrapping up our session I grabbed my leather jacket and scarf and purse before heading out. Our black matte range was parked in the parking lot and Cole had the lights on. I immediately went to the backseat opening the door and I found my baby sat in the back seat.

"Is that my babyyyyyyy?" I said super animated and I smiled as she grinned back at me waving from her car seat.

"Mommmmma--!!" she squealed and I leaned in kissing her all over her face.

"Hey sweetie how was your day with daddy?"

"Sososososo funs—we did lotsa stuff," she nodded happily. It'd been three years since we'd had Alexia, she's literally the light of my heart. Spitting image of her father as well. Not gonna lie, having her made us both grow the fuck up.

After leaving my bag with her in the backseat with her, I went round to the passenger side where Jermaine was on his phone looking focused. "Hi bubba,"

"Hey baby," he looked up and gave me a quick peck on the lips. "how was the session?"

"Good," I nodded, "I'm coming back in tomorrow though,"

"Cool," he mumbled still looking down at his phone. "You ate already?"

"Naw but I don't feel like takeout—pretty sure we have leftovers in the fridge—did you feed my child?"

"Yes I fed my child the fuck you think?" he chuckled shaking his head. This damn mouth of his.

"Jermaine mind your language omggggggg," I scolded him, I hated when he talked like that in front of Lex, she literally picked up everything that we did and said.

"my bad my bad... she aint even payin attention though, she's watching frozen back there," he said shrugging. "you look beautiful today by the way baby," he told me and I started smiling despite myself.

We started the drive home which would take about 20 or so minutes and I was on my phone for most of it before Jermaine interrupted my casual scrolling on Instagram. "wassup?" I asked him.

"I gotta tell you something," he said softly, eyes focused on the road and I just looked at him. "I gotta go on tour for Forest Hills Drive baby—"

I sighed. He hadn't been on tour since before we had Lex but I knew that this was coming. I wasn't ready for this conversation.

"Why you sighin like that though, T? I gotta go out and do shows for this project, you know as well as anyone that touring is where artists get the most income—" he said with a slight frown, eyes fixed on the road.

"I know that Jermaine I'm not an idiot," I mumbled.

"Nobody said you was—I was just sayin—"

"Can we talk about this when we get home?" I cut him off. I knew words were about to be exchanged that my impressionable daughter shouldn't be hearing.

"Ain't nothing much to talk about, its gonna happen still." He mumbled.

Now, it might seem like I was overreacting about this but given mine and Jermaine's history with him going on tour, it was inevitable for me to feel a way about him leaving for weeks or months at a time.

"Whatever Cole," I rolled my eyes getting back to my phone.