Lights Please II

25: First Lady of Dreamville

Jermaine

I was in the studio with Bas, Cozz, Ib and Ari and they'd brought some people too, we were listening to each others stuff and just vibing and building off of each others ideas. I loved the team I had and the roster that we'd put together. These kids are mad talented, working with them made me happy everyday.

"Yeah I like that," I nodded as Ari played something unreleased from her upcoming album. "it's a total opposite to what y'all did with backseat... it's dope—" I nodded and she smiled immediately happy she had my approval.

"And backseats hard to top obviously cause my verse on that is straight fire—" Cozz joked.

"Man shut your stupid ass up," Ari smacked him in the back of his head.

We looked up as Ib entered followed by Tess, she ain't say she was coming through. I smiled when I noticed she was carrying bags of food for everyone.

"Look who I found out in the hallway," Ib chuckled.

"Ayyyyy its our wifey," Cozz winked at her.

"Boy if you don't stop... I'm at least eight years older than you," Tess shook her head and put the bags of Chik-fil-a on the table. "there should be more than enough for everyone..."

"Tess is the dreamville wifey for sure," Bas laughed as he got up and started looking through the bags of food.

"Y'all shut the fuck up with all that," I said kissing my teeth. "baby cmere," I patted my lap and she came over and sat in it. There was music playing and everyone was distracted by the food and just having conversations.

"My ass was hungry yo—shoutout to Miss Tess, the first lady of dreamville—" Meez (Cozz's best friend) said as he sat down with some food.

I noticed Tess get a little shy cause she just did it to do it, she didn't really do shit for attention—she wasn't like that. "Naw I'm not even a part of the label... just a cheerleader," she laughed. "Ari's y'all first lady,"

"I mean, I wouldn't say thaaaat..." Ari replied. It was kinda weird having a female on the label, cause I didn't know how Tess would respond or if she'd feel a way about it.

"Baby, you met Ari yet?" I asked as I squeezed her sides.

"Nah not formally," she shook her head and I motioned Ari to come over and the two of them started talking. "I just seen her on IG live—"

"Aye it's great to finally meet you, everyone stays talking about you around here—" Ari told her.

"Likewise," Tess smiled but I didn't know if she was just being polite. "you got some pipes on you though girl, Jermaine was playing your EP around the house... he lowkey listens to your shit more than he does mine."

"Aye that's not true come on now," I shook my head, laughing.

"Nah I'm playing—" she laughed as she put her arm around my neck.

As time went on everyone was in the studio vibing and hanging out and Tess and I sat off to the corner on the couch as we ate. She took the time off for her lunch to come and spend it with me—shit was cute.

"Look at you Mr. CEO creating fun working environments for the team," she mocked me before resting her head on my shoulder and stealing one of my fries.

"Why you always making fun of me?" I kissed my teeth.

"Cause you my baby," she smiled before kissing up on my neck.

"Oh so that's why you came down here?" I mumbled. "So you can start acting up and shit?"

She smirked before she started nibbling on my ear lightly. "Come out to the car with me for a bit," she almost whispered in my ear and I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh you bringing your freak out during the day now?"

"12 minutes... that's all I need you for and you can get back to work,"

I patted her thigh so she would get up, "Shit don't have to ask me twice... let's go before you change your mind—" I chuckled. "Aye, I'ma see my lady off I'll be back," I told the room as I stood up and grabbed Tess hand and led her out.

---

Two days later

Tess

I had Lex in the bathtub and was getting her ready for the day, the girl was something else she talked so damn much that it always took forever to do anything with her. I could barely get her to sit still for two minutes. Most days I was cool with it but today I was too stressed to be dealing with her.

Jermaine came in the bathroom and leaned against the sink.

"Heeeyyy daddy I'm takin a bathhHhhh—" Lex yelled.

"I can see that sweetie," he chuckled.

"Alexia Cole I dare you to yell one more time," I sternly told her and she blinked a couple times before pouting. "Fix your face,"

"Baby your mom just called she said her and your sister are taking a later flight out so it'll be two trips to go and get them and my family... and you said your friends from outta town was gonna make they way here right?" Jermaine asked.

"Well yeah, we can't be driving up and down... I got the catering people coming at 4, and the guest rooms don't have sheets in them yet and this one needs to eat—"

"And you need to not be on your feet all day," Cole reminded me.

"I'm fine," I rolled my eyes. "There's so much that needs to be done, why are you so chill right now?"

Today was our house warming party/ big announcement and we had all our friends and family coming over. It wasn't a secret that I was a perfectionist and I wanted everything to go well especially when we were hosting, but it didn't help that Cole was treating me like I was handicapped or incapable of doing anything.

"What do you want for breakfast?" he ignored my previous statement.

"I'm not hungry,"

"Tess..."

"Jermaine..." I mimicked him.

"You gotta eat something I'm not playing with you—"

"Aight then just eggs bacon grits,"

"SAUSAGEEE—" Lex yelled as I picked her up out the tub and started drying her down.

"Who's child is this?" I laughed poking her belly.

"Yours," she nodded matter of factly. "and daddy—" she said pointing up and Jermaine.

I kissed her all over her face, "you excited to play with all your friends later baby?"

"Yupppppppppp," she giggled.

After getting her dressed we came downstairs and Jermaine was in the kitchen cooking. He looked so hot in his grey sweatpants and white wife beater that he always wore under his t shirts. I don't know what it was that had me wanting him at all points of every day recently.

"This looks good," I said as I smacked his ass. "and I'm not talking about the food." I mumbled.

"Aye chill with all that ass smacking you hear me?" he kissed his teeth.

I smacked it again, this time getting a good squeeze in.

"Lex tell ya mama to stop playing with me if you don't want trouble."

"Mommmmy stop it otherwise daddy finna put you in timeout," my daughter said with her hands on her waist.

"Mhm, I might need a spanking instead," I laughed.

"Tess if you don't cut that shit out—" Cole laughed as well and Lex looked at us confused.

"I like timeout more than spankings cuz them be over in five minutes," she made her way around the kitchen to her little chair. "is ya almost done cookin? Yall be playin toO MUCH--!" she sighed exaggeratedly.