2403 (after September) Mercedes: I left BJ's house, and spent the next two days with my family. After, I called Ell, and told her I was ready to go, I even had another album in me. In fact, I had every intention of making BJ's life miserable without me. I went on late night talk shows and performed, when asked how long until the next album, I responded with as soon as I have a minute to record it. I did the tour, the signings, all of it. Finally I was back in the studio again.

I got to sing out all of my anger, love and tears over this idiot. Then I made sure that his radio station was the absolute first to get the album for airplay; I knew that he broke out everything new that came in. I made sure that Po'Em had one for the Whale. I especially liked my song about a man who 'knew' what I needed. No it was about more than just one man, it was about every single man I'd spent time with since Clay died, Russ included; no, I hadn't been with him, but he thought he knew how to make things better for me.
After, I got to go on tour again, it was only for a month or two. Then things fizzled out for a while, and I went directly to The Whale for the weekend. I was as youthful, sexy and seductive looking as I possibly could be, and knowing he would be there, I went to take his money. He was surprisingly alone. I was armed with the Emerald Earrings he had bought me the year prior, and more poker knowledge than necessary. I walked up to the table, and prepared to take all of his money. I'm never wrong. I may be in the wrong, but I'm never wrong. BJ had asked me to leave because he was afraid to feel more than he did. I wished Denz was still alive, he'd have found a way to distract me, that was what I needed a clever trouble-filled adventure to distract me until I was over this mess. Everything has been off kilter without my closest friends, even my mind. Perhaps this could be step one in my return to normalcy. All I have to do is win this game. I take that back, I couldn't do it. I made eye contact with BJ, and I had to leave the table. I went to the pool, and swam some laps, I was so exhausted when I stopped, that I simply wrapped my towel around my waist, picked up my things, and walked to my room, my eyes half closed, and my brain asleep. I dropped my things on the floor and fell on the bed, still wrapped in my towel, I was asleep almost instantly. Too bad it wasn't my bed.