Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 145746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
TILDA
You didn’t mind her dressing like a man? I heard she likes girls, ya know?
DESSI (LOOKING EMBARRASSED)
Nothing wrong with liking girls, I don’t guess.
TILDA
No, I mean, she likes ’em likes ’em!
Tilda stares at Dessi meaningfully through the smoke and Dessi shrugs.
DESSI
I know what you meant. I got an uncle who is… like that. He ain’t hurting nobody. Mama always said they oughta leave that boy alone.
TILDA
That’s what your mama say?
Tilda lights up and takes the cigarette between her lips, leaving a red ring of lipstick on the cigarette. Dessi gulps, never looking away from Tilda’s mouth as she smokes.
DESSI (SOUNDING BREATHLESS)
Yeah, that’s what she say.
Tilda passes the cigarette to Dessi, who accepts and places her lips where Tilda’s red lipstick is. They don’t look away.
Later, they try to sneak past Gerald to get out of the club.
GERALD
Naw, girl! We had a deal. Pay up! Flash me them titties!
Tilda starts to walk toward him, but at the last minute grabs Dessi’s hand and they take off running, laughing and looking over their shoulders all the way home to see if Gerald is in pursuit.
When they reach their apartment, Dessi fumbles with the keys, both giggling and hushing each other so they won’t wake the other tenants on the floor. Once inside, they stumble to the bedroom they share, swaying and holding each other up. Dessi goes to her small twin bed and begins undressing. As she’s removing her shirt, Tilda comes up behind her and kisses her shoulder.
DESSI (WITH A NERVOUS LAUGH)
What you… what you doing, Tilda?
TILDA (KISSING ALONG HER NECK)
What you want me to do all night, Bama.
DESSI (TURNING)
I ain’t ever… well, I don’t know…
TILDA (SMILING DRUNKENLY)
You never kissed a girl before? Ain’t nothing to it.
DESSI
You done it?
TILDA
Want me to show you?
DESSI (UNCERTAINLY)
Well, if you don’t mind.
TILDA
Look at them lovely manners. If I don’t mind. You so pretty, Dessi. And sweet. Too sweet for the world, baby girl.
Tilda cups Dessi’s face and kisses her. At first tentatively, eyes open and looking to see if Dessi wants her to stop, but Dessi moans and leans in, cupping Tilda’s face, too. After a few minutes, Tilda slides Dessi’s slip and underwear off. Gently hooking Dessi’s legs over her shoulders, she looks up, grinning at her roommate from between Dessi’s thighs. She lowers her head and begins kissing her there. Dessi gasps and throws her head back into the pillow, gripping Tilda’s hair and pushing her in closer.
TILDA (CHUCKLING)
Oh, we gon’ teach you some thangs ’bout this lil’ pussycat. And we got all night.
TWENTY-FIVE
Verity
Tired and sweaty, I collapse into a folding chair in video village, the tent where Canon watches most of the filming, while his assistant director, Kenneth, is usually out on set. We’re just a few weeks into Dessi Blue, and working with him is as exhausting as I thought it would be, but also just as rewarding. Canon’s not afraid to change the script if something we have down isn’t working. I’m always prepared to revise and get new pages to the actors as quickly as possible.
“Whew!” Jill flops into the seat beside me. “Now that was a long day.”
“You got that right.” I guzzle from my water bottle and swipe a hand over my brow. October in LA has been hotter than July, and I’m ready for a nice long bath now that shooting is done for the day.
“You coming to the party tomorrow night?” Jill asks. “Might be a great way to blow off some steam.”
“I’d actually forgotten it’s Halloween. The party’s at Evan’s, right?”
“Yup. He has a gorgeous place in the hills. It’s an eighties-themed party.”
“Oh, that does sound fun. We’ll see. I’ve got a new project I need to be working on, so I’ve been using my weekends writing that.”
“Anything fun?”
“It might be fun once I figure it out. I signed an overall deal with United Studios, and now I have to actually develop a series.”
“So annoying when they want something to show for their investment,” Jill says, friendly sarcasm in the words.
“I know, right?” I shoot her a grin. “The audacity.”
“It’s an overall?” Jill frowns. “And they let you do Dessi?”
“Dessi came first, thank goodness, so it was already carved out. I can’t imagine having to pass this up,” I say. “Real talk, though, getting this deal means I have some financial stability for the first time. People assume when you win something like a Golden Globe, it magically pays all your bills.” I breathe out a small laugh. “I can confirm it does not. I’ve been living from one open writing assignment to another for years.”
I don’t mention that managing swings between depression and mania has slowed my career climb. I could waste time dwelling on the opportunities I’ve lost because I have bipolar, but take this condition away, and I wouldn’t be the same writer.