"I'm serious, Alexandra," Imani said, stepping off of the elevator into Jamal's loft. She shook her free hand that was filled with M&Ms. "It's getting to the point where I'm about to pay your dad a visit."
The teen on the other line laughed. "Good luck with that," she chuckled. "You'll have to have some sort of dirt on him to even consider signing a Lyon to his label."
"I mean, I do have an inside source," Imani told her. She saw Jamal sitting at his piano with Cookie, and some woman laying on his couch, reading a magazine.
"I'm not about to give you any dirt on my dad," Alexandra laughed. "Not today, at least. He hasn't gotten on my nerves today."
Imani chuckled. "Alright, I'll call you back. Bye, Crane."
"Bye, Lyon."
"Who is she?" Imani asked, gesturing to the woman on the couch.
"Don't worry about her, baby," Cookie told her. She waved her over. "Come over here. I need to talk to you."
"If it's about Leviticus, I already heard about Fo-Fo," Imani rolled her eyes. "Phony ass."
"We need to figure out a way to steal the focus from Hakeem," Cookie said.
"Mama--" Imani sighed. "I'm not about to undermine my little brother. Plus, there's only two spots for performances at the opening. One of us is gonna get left out."
Cookie had a smile on her face, shaking her head. "You're thinking small, punkin'." She stood from her spot next to Hakeem. "We'll stage our own show. Right on the steps where they're doing that protest. They can get all those reporters to show up because some moms are mad at Kidd Fo-Fo, they will certainly show up for your little coming-out party. And you'll sing that song, and it'll be all over the news, and you'll be a star." Cookie hugged Jamal, forcing a kiss onto his cheek. "And that's where you and your sister come in. You're gonna be up there with Hakeem, performing your song."
"Coming-out party?" Imani asked.
"Mama wants me to come out the same day Hakeem performs," Jamal started removing his mother's arms from around his neck. "And can you stop with the publicity stunts, Mama Rose?" Cookie mushed his head, going to sit back down. "I'mma come out the way I want to."
"It's gonna be bomb, Jamal," Cookie assured. "Who's Mama Rose?"
"I know who she is," the woman on the couch spoke up. "That's that lady--"
"Hey, can you shut up and get out of here?" Cookie asked the girl. "Give us a minute. Go."
The woman rolled her eyes and tossed the magazine on the table, mumbling as she grabbed her purse.
"Uh, what'd you say?" Cookie called after her.
"I didn't say nothing," the woman replied.
"Trust me, Jamal," Cookie said. "I know what I'm doing."
"Yeah, you're trying to profit off of his sexuality," Imani said. "Which is on the same level as Dad shutting him out 'cause he's gay." She wasn't about to have her brother be the gay spokesperson of Empire, the company run by the man that hates the fact that two of his children happen to like those of the same gender.
"I need to write songs," Jamal said. "I need to be creative. I don't want to get in the middle of you and him. And I know damn well Imani and Fallon don't, either."
Cookie's phone started ringing. "Speaking of the devil," she said, pulling the phone up to her ear. "Lucious, why? You got Kidd Fo-Fo playing with Hakeem after you told me no to Jamal."
