Snippets from my latest novel, "Spring Cleaning"

I flip through trashy tabloids that I dare not mention and stumble across an article of Mad Lew.  The photograph accompanying it shows him, a massive, huge, figure about six foot six, 285 pounds holding hands with an exotic, breathtakingly beautiful, statuesque woman.  The caption underneath reads, (Monte Carlo, May 15) Rap mogul Mad Lew and Hollywood’s It Girl Director, Ingrid Patel stroll casually taking in the local sights.  Patel is on location in the French Riviera filming a scene for her upcoming movie.

            I wonder if Roxy knows.  I hunch Eddie next to me on the jumpseat.

            “Read this.”

            He scans it over before rolling his eyes.  “Even a gorilla like him could do whatever and get away with it.”

            I’m not commenting on looks.  Anybody who was his girl had to be with him because of his money.  I saw a pattern of that with a lot of beautiful women.  Beyoncé and Janet Jackson could have their picks of men.  With the men they’re involved with now only makes me wonder how their kids will look.  I saw a picture of Roxy’s little girl and she looked like a caramel version of Mad Lew with long, thick black, wavy hair. 

            I flip through more pages.  “You ever heard that new song he has out called Backseat Judy?”  I ask.

            “Yes I have, and I’m not a huge fan of rap but I listened to the lyrics.  He was rapping about Roxy.”

            “That’s what I thought, too.”  I recall the words.  You’ll never be the first up/that’s why you are the backup.  “I don't see how any woman can be comfortable with that role.”

            “As long as she’s getting what she wants from him I don’t think she cares. It’s sad but women tolerate that.”

            “Low self-esteem.”

            “Exactly.”

            Last week she was asking Lucky about a witch doctor. I wanted to tell her that she’d be digging herself into a deeper hole.  Sometimes you have to let people find things out the hard way.