Lights Please II

37: Dreamville Festival

Jermaine

It had been months since All Star performance and we'd really just been working—everyone on Dreamville had been dropping new music and I just been doing my thing on features. The highlight and thing that we all really had been working towards though is Dreamville Fest which went flawlessly.

I had Tess there with me—she did her set early in the afternoon and she killed it. I watched her from the side of the stage screaming louder than most of the people in here.

After that, we were backstage for the most part until it was time for my set. I kept looking to the right of the stage and saw my wife there cheering me on. We had left the girls at home, but Chris definitely wanted to come. He had a moment when I introduced him to 21 Savage and Meek Mill. He tried to play it off, but I could tell he was mad excited to even be in the room with them.

I had gotten used to the routine by now. Every time I got off stage Tess was waiting for me on the side of the stage. I guess I never noticed how much I really needed that. She was my support system.

"KILLLLED IT MY NIGGA," she yelled at me as she pulled me into a hug. "I'm proud of you baby,"

"Thank you mama," I couldn't help but grin as I kissed her forehead. "Gimme kiss," I told her as I pecked her lips. "Whatchu drinking?" I asked her, when I tasted the Henny on her lips.

"Something good," she smiled before passing me her cup to have some.

We walked back to the dressing room hand in hand. Once we got there, there were a few people from my team back there and Chris had fallen asleep on the couch. "HOW TF YOU SLEEPING MY NIGGA??" I yelled in his ear, and he jumped up in shock.

"Yo what the he--??" he frowned.

The room erupted in laughter. "My bad man," I came down from my laugh and dapped him up and kissed his head.

He rubbed his eyes and just looked at me unamused.

"Leave my baby alone," Tess tried not to laugh as she gave him a comforting hug. "You ready to go home?" she asked him and he nodded.

We stuck around a bit before Sam let me know they had pulled up the car in order for us to leave. "My birthday's coming up," Chris said to no one in particular.

I briefly looked up from my phone at Chris, "Really? When?" I tried to say with a straight face.

"Stop being a dic— annoying Jermaine," Tess swiftly corrected herself and I laughed, shaking my head.

"What you want for your birthday?" I then asked Chris.

"Uh—I want the iphone 11 and I want a huge party.... And I want Blueface to perform," he responded.

"Who is Blueface?"

"BUST DOWN THOTIANAAAAAAAAA—" Tess yelled, putting her hands on her knees and twerking in her seat.

I looked at her confused, before I saw Chris join her, "I wanna see you buss down—pick it up now break that shit down—speed it up—now slow that shit down—'' Tess and Chris both rapped.

"ON THE GANGGG," Tess yelled and she continued her lil dance.

"You a negative influence on my son Mrs. Cole," I narrowed my eyes at her.

She shrugged, "I didn't teach him the song,"

"So pops we gonna get him for my party?" Chris then asked.

"You know what I got for my 12thbirthday?" I chuckled, " a pat on the back—"

Tess shook her head at me, and I watched Chris' face change as he looked disappointed.

"How's your grades looking?" I then asked him.

"Only A's and B's," he said, confidently.

"Tess you think I should let him have his expensive ass party?" I raised an eyebrow and she nodded.

"Only if me and my girls can come and buss down," she shrugged.

"Fine by me," I nodded. "I love to watch you buss down—"

We both laughed when we looked at Chris who was making faces as if he was going to throw up.

"Nah but lemme talk to your moms bout your lil party and we'll see what we can do aight?" I was gonna give in—at the end of the day I'm really a softie when it comes to these kids, I give them the whole world.

"Yessssssssss—thank you pops thank you thank you thank you!"