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Prelude Episode | In the Blake of an Eye

"Drama on & off the clock!"

*****

The Blake Penthouse

Looking down at his iPhone to check the time, Andre Blake adjusted his solid Apricot colored tie, it was one of his favorite ties, and it went perfect with his grey suit. He wanted to look his best for his grandfather's funeral and if his mother saw him looking any other way she would have his ass on a silver platter. He looked down at his diamond earring, he laughed to himself, his grandfather didn't think men should wear earrings "It's too flashy! A man should never be well reserved! Get that earring out of your ear!" Andre would nod and reply, "This isn't 1800s Papa Bill!"

"Richard Blake, the father of journalism says goodbye to his father!" Manning Nelson read aloud coming into the bedroom he dropped the morning paper on the bed, "The Knight Times did a great article on your grandfather. They called him the King of Knightdale!" he said sliding out of his t-shirt and basketball shorts. "Knightdale is really losing a great man."

"We are." Andre smile faded into a frown, normally he loved seeing Manning's naked behind but being that they were pressed for time, it pissed him off, he hated being late. "Babe, why are you dressed? We're gonna be late!"

"Andre, it'll only take me a few minutes to shower up and get dressed!" Manning said going into the bathroom, he wiggled his behind for Andre, "Enjoy the view and stop bitching!"

"You have no rhythm!" Andre chuckled, he threw a towel at Manning, it made inside the bathroom just as Manning closed the door. The doorbell rang, "Damnit! Look my mom's here! Hurry up!" he shouted rushing to the door.

"Good day son!" Working those Red heels, and a black dress suit and a black church hat, Grace Locke pumped into her son's living room with a bedazzled flask filled vodka and orange juice in one hand and her black purse in the other. She grabbed a few peppermints and stuffed them inside of her purse. "Where's Manning? We need to get going!"

"He getting dressed now." Andre replied, noticing that the shower had stopped running, "Thought you weren't going to Papa Bill's funeral intoxicated."

"I'm going to need a drink if I have to deal with your father and the rest of his family." Grace sharply replied, she brushed some lint off of her son's lapel. "Normally, people wear black to a funeral." she mentioned.

"I'm not a normal person." Andre answered grabbing a peppermint, "And my grandfather wouldn't want me all drown out in some black suit crying over him."

Grace grinned agreeing with a nod, "Sounds just like your grandfather. I wouldn't be surprised if he got out of the casket asking for a shot!" Grace laughed, "You know when I was married to your father, Papa Bill would always have me bring a small bottle of Brandy to his office. He said he needed it to keep from cussing everyone out. His calming juice is what he called it." Thinking of her failed marriage to Richard and how he left her years ago to to remarry Dominique Jones, the mother of his three oldest children made her take another sip.

Andre chuckled a bit, he loved when his parents told him memories of the old days, wasn't as much fighting back then. Manning came out of the bedroom, he put on his black Raybans. "Let's get this show on the road!"

"You're going to act civilized today aren't you?" Andre asked his mother, watching the devilish look she wore on her face. "It's a funeral, not a boxing match."

The Blake Mansion

The freezing winds that January had to offer hit Richard Blake like a bullet when he stepped on the porch, he buttoned up his black trench watching two black SUVs pull up in the half moon driveway.  It was time to bury his father, Richard tackled almost every challenge that came his way, becoming owner of the media corporation that own the world's favorite men's fashion and health magazine Euphoria, pavingthe way for many other African American journalist and even raised a great family, but saying good bye to his father was something that he didn't think he could do. "Papa Bill, you bastard!" he whispered to himself.

"Richard, I told everyone the cars were here." Dominique Blake joined her husband, she locked arms with him and laid her head on his shoulder, the two had been threw so much together, it bonded them which explained why they always ended up back in each others arms. She left Richard and their young children when he started chasing his dream to become a great journalist, their poverty lifestyle was too much for her. In between that time Richard conquered his dream and moved on to Grace Locke and had Andre, and through all of that Richard and Dominique found their way back to each other.

"Are you going to be alright?"  Dominique asked caressing Richard's back.

Richard smiled pulling his wife into his arms, "I have my family. I'll be just fine."

Dominique kissed Richard's cheek, then fixed his tie, "Papa Bill meant a lot to all of us. We're all in this together and we're going to get through this."

"Shannon, why don't you ever listen? Don't walk away from me!" Terence Munroe rang in tone that wasn't pleasing, he past by heading to the car. Shannon Blake flew out of the house in rage behind him, she switched her attitude when she saw her parents, "Hey guys. I thought you were in the car already." Shannon covered the bruise on her wrist that Terence left on her when they were scuffling inside.

Dominique and Richard both saw it but didn't bother to address it, Dominique nodded, she caught a jealous Grace staring up at them from her passenger seat in the first SVU.

"Andre should've left Grace's ass home! We don't need any drama today." Ross Blake said coming out the house with his wife Janae on his arm and his nephew Jordan on the other. "Today is going to be an interesting day."

"Everyone go ahead and get ready. We need to go." Richard instructed, his family walked to the cars, he looked at Dominique he saw the stare down she had with Grace, "Refrain from having a boxing match ok?"

Dominique smiled as they two went down the steps, "It's a funeral. Not a boxing match! Plus she can fight all day if she wants...I'm the Mrs. Richard Blake." she said smirking at Grace who was staring at them once again "Always have been!"

Knightdale Chapel Free Will Baptist Church

"Once again we're late! We're probably be late to our own damn funeral!" Racquel Myrick whispered to her brother, Elijah Myrick entering the church. She pulled out her compact mirror to make sure her curls hadn't fallen out.

Elijah laughed, "Come on sis you gotta stop cussing. We're in the house of the lord."

Racquel gasped realizing that indeed she was in a church, "Oh, father god forgive me!" she pleaded, she looked at her brother and they both exploded with laughter.

"Glad you could finally make it." James Myrick said to his children in reference to their tardiness, "I'm glad you both don't do this at the newsroom."

Racquel grinned she hugged her father, "We wouldn't dare piss off the Editor."

"Yeah we need out jobs!" Elijah added pulling out some gum. He offered James and Racquel a piece, "How's mommy?" he asked.

"I'm fine." Lydia Blake said to her children exiting the bathroom, she was Bill Faye's only daughter and she was a true daddy's girl. It was killing her that she wasn't going to hear her father's voice anymore, she would do anything to hear it one more time. "It's so many people here for your grandfather."

"Yep, just about everyone." Racquel said spotting Christina Locke, the woman who made it clear that she wanted her her father which confused her since she was married to Barren Munroe, the country's greatest photographer. He soon came in behind her. He whispered something in her ear that made her laugh. Barren looked up and smiled, he walked over to Lydia and hugged her tightly, "Are you ok?"

Lydia hugged Barren back just as tight, "Thank you for coming, I know my nephew Ross will be happy to see you."  Christina scoffed, she was not a fan of Lydia...well she didn't like any of the Blake for how they treated her oldest sister when she divorced Richard, "Please spare the dramatics!" She stormed inside of the church.

"I apologize for that. We will catch up ok?" Barren said hurrying after his wife.

Lydia crossed her arms, "Someone is still mad cause she couldn't have James!" she muttered to herself following her family inside.

Khindra Locke walked up the stairs of the church once again she was without date, though it was a funeral it was nice to have a man around, just to have a shoulder to lean on if she felt like crying. She didn't want to be here, but she loved her nephew Andre so she had no choice but to come. When she opened the door and went into the lobby she noticed a tall dark and handsome man coming out of the bathroom. His black suit fitted him perfectly, "What a fine young specimen we have in the house of the lord." she said to herself.

He finished wiping his hands and threw his paper towel in the trashcan, he looked at Khindra and smile, "Hello."

"Hi. How are you? Are you new here?"

"Yes, I'm here visiting family." the guy said, "Bill Faye Blake was close to my mother, I wanted to come and pay my respects."

"Oh wonderful. Bill Faye was a wonderful man." Khindra said, then extended her hand, "I'm Khindra Locke."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Victor." Victor Conrad said shaking her hand, he flashed a brilliant smile, "I like your dress."

"And you have wonderful teeth." Khindra also noticing his bulging chest, hopefully she would get a chance to see what kind of body he was working with later. "We should go in. We don't want to end up sitting in the back."

"You're right."

"Sure you're going to be ok?" Manning Nelson asked Andre pulling him closer to him, while the rest of the Blake family spilled inside. "We can go somewhere if you need to."

Andre kissed Manning softly, "I would like to leave but something tells me that my mother is up to something. I don't want to leave her."

"Plus my father's attorney needs to be available at all times!" 

Manning smiled, he reached down and grabbed Andre's butt and squeezed it firmly, they both laughed, Andre shooed Manning's hand away, though as much as he loved it, he didn't think it was appropriate action in a holy environment. "Baby we're at a church."

"Jesus said love all mankind." Manning said kissing Andre's neck, Manning looked around to confirm no one was in the lobby. "We'd be doing the lord's work!"

Andre pulled away, hearing the start of his sister's solo, he knew the funeral was starting, "Baby not here." Andre started toward the door, Manning shook his head, "You aren't denying me now." he pulled Andre into the bathroom, it wasn't forced, if Andre wanted to hit couldn't eased out of Manning's grasp but he followed, he couldn't resist Manning.

"We've gotta be quiet!"

The lyrics to Amazing Grace rang from the beautiful voice of Shannon. It kindly captured Barren and Christina as they sat down in the row adjacent the William and his family. Pssst! Barren hissed to his best friend, Chrtistina softly elbowed Barren in the ribs to get him to stop. Barren did it once more. A tearful eyed William looked and smiled weakly at his friend, he mouthed the words Thank you for coming to them.

Once Shannon finished her solo she returned to her seat, Richard rose to his feet and prepared to give his father's eulogy.

"My mother always said that Knightdale was Bill Faye & Bill Faye was Knightdale." Richard said fighting back his tears, "If it wasn't for him, I don't not believe that I would be the man I am today."

"Neither would you James." He said looking to his long time friend for support. "The one thing that I can say about Bill Faye Blake is that he was always there his family. He was best father a son could ever have, and I tried to practice that with my all of my children."

"Are you sure about that?" A voice rang out from the back cutting in Richard's speech. It was the same voice that charmed Khindra.  Victor stood up and approached Bill Faye Blake's casket. He touched then chuckled a bit, he glanced around the room, "Bill Faye Blake wasn't there for all of his children."

"Who are you?" Richard asked pushing his hand off of his father's casket. "And what are you talking about?"

"You don't recognize me?" Victor asked taking a step closer to Richard. "Take a closer look, brother!"

"Victor?"

"The bastard child your father had!" Victor uttered, causing an uproar of whispers within the church. Richard was shocked. He looked to Lydia for confirmation, she shook her head she didn't know who Victor was. But she knew one person who probably knew, she turned around and looked at Grace who tried to best to wear a innocent look. She looked at him proud of his announcement, her plan of revenge had been set in motion and it was time to bring the Blake's down to her knees.

Los Angeles, CA | Two Weeks Before Bill Faye Blake's Funeral

Grace Locke walked into Conrad Studios, she pulled down her sunglasses looking around the place, it seemed a wonderful place to work and make a great production, very up to date place and people here seemed to look like they knew what they were doing. She groaned into disgust watching two women in skimpy bikini's walk by, "What kinda place is this?" she asked herself sounds of women moaning could be heard once she went around the corner.

"Excuse me?" Grace asked one of the workers, he passed by her without saying a word. Two more people brushed her off when she tried to ask a question. "I need to find Victor Conrad!"

"He's over there!" One of the video vixens replied before running off behind one of the a shirtless model, the moans of passion got louder.

Grace began to realize that this wasn't a studio for normal people films, it was soon confirmed when she saw the massive amount of people getting it on, "My goodness!" Grace covered her eyes, "I need to get out of here!"

"He works for a porn studio?" she asked herself. "How disgusting!"

"No he owns it!" Victor said standing behind her, Grace screamed she didn't know anyone was behind her. Her scream interrupted the sex scene. "And there is nothing wrong with porn...it pays the bills."

"You wanna be in a scene?"

"Like hell I do!" Grace snarled, "I need to find Victor Conrad! Where is he?"

Victor smiled he took Grace's hand and kissed it, "That would be I!" he confirmed with a smile. She grinned observing his smile, it was just like the one any member of the Blake family would flash. This man was in fact Bill Faye Blake's son.

A smirk curled on Grace's face, "I have to talk to you about something that will change your life!"

*****

Coming up next on Euphoria

The Blake's react to Victor's accusations.

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