When she got home Ernelle was asleep so she could just go to bed without having to answer any questions as to where she’d been the past two days. For a change Regina couldn’t wait to talk to Ernelle and tell her everything that had happened.

She went to her room quietly and changed into some pajamas, feeling odd that she’d slept the last two days without them and had come close to a third. She climbed into bed setting her alarm clock for seven, four hours away, and laid down with a smile on her face.

Regina woke when her alarm went off and got ready for her early morning Monday class. It started at eight thirty and it took her twenty minutes to walk to campus so she had to hurry. Ernelle wouldn’t be up for another two hours at least and then she had class at ten and wouldn’t be back till around noon.

As she got ready she thought about the party that evening. After she’d spent an hour with Em’s lawyer getting everything explained to her and finally signed the contract, she invited everyone to her and Ernelle’s apartment to watch the football game and have some dinner. Eminem suggested on just going out to dinner but Regina had refused.

“No, Ernelle would kill me if she heard I had a chance to invite all of y’all back to our place and didn’t. Besides, this one’s on me.” Despite how much Regina had called her apartment a crappy place to live, over the last five years she’d become quite fond of it. The landlord had even agreed to let her and Ernelle to paint the walls whatever colors they wanted as long as they repainted them white after they moved out. Their living room was fairly large, and the kitchen was very nice by all standards. They’d also chipped in together and bought their huge couch that fit along the entire back wall. Which reminded her, she’d need to borrow some chairs.

She hurried along, grabbing a cup of coffee and remembering her keys she’d left in her room. She dashed inside and grabbed them off the vanity and noticed the earrings Em had given her the day before. She felt bad about leaving him this morning. He’d been close to asking her out on a date, he had in fact asked her the first day they’d spent together.

Grabbing the earrings she put them on and dashed out the door to get to her class on time. What was she thinking? Eminem, wanting her to go on a date with him, that was just ludicrous. He didn’t want anyone to just date him. He wouldn’t. Oh well, she didn’t care anyways. She didn’t want to get involved with anyone now either. Besides, she had two months of school to finish and now with the record deal, she had no idea how busy she’d be. She didn’t have the time.

Later that afternoon, when Ernelle finally arrived she fairly jumped through the door and flew at Regina begging her to tell her what had happened since Saturday morning.

“All right, on the couch, now, I want to know everything that happened!” Ernelle shrieked dragging her over to the couch. Regina spent the next twenty minutes relating the events of the last three days except for the contract.

“You mean to tell me, the last three nights you spent in bed with Eminem, the Marshall Mathers!” Ernelle shrieked.

“Yeah, I did,” Regina replied laughing.

“See girl, I told you, I told you!” Ernelle said throwing her arms around Regina and squeezing.

“And that’s not all Ernelle,” Regina said after a minute.

“What? What is it, what happened?” she asked excited.

“Well you know how I told you, that I rapped,” Regina said. Ernelle nodded.

“Yeah, which is so great! See I always told you, you could do it!”

“Well, that’s not all. Well, they recorded it and took it to Dr. Dre.” Regina replied Ernelle’s eyes got wide and she stood up.

“No way, the Dr. Dre! The Dr. Dre that you and I went to see in concert? The Dr. Dre that you call you’re hero and I love more than life itself?” Ernelle asked holding onto the arm of the couch.

“Yeah, and well, I rapped for him again, and I free flowed for him too. And well, you are looking at the newest Dr. Dre project.”

“Project?” Ernelle asked confused.

“Yesterday, I signed a five year record contract with Aftermath Records!” Ernelle positively screamed and started jumping up and down.

“Oh my god! Regina! You finally got it! You finally did it! Oh this is incredible this is just amazing!” Ernelle grabbed Regina and started dancing around the room.

“What a minute, you have to chill a second.” Regina said trying to get Ernelle to stop.

“You are so making me your assistant, okay,” Ernelle said laughing.

“Yeah, okay, hang on, but we got to get past tonight first. I invited everyone over to celebrate, tonight, so we have to get ready.” Regina said. Ernelle got quiet.

“Who does everyone pertain to, you mean our friends right?” Ernelle asked.

“Nope, the guys, Em and his crew.” Regina said and felt Ernelle’s nails digging into her arm.

“Eminem and his crew, as in D-12 are coming here, to our apartment, tonight?” she asked.

“Yes! And we have to hurry, they’re coming at six, so we have to go shopping and get the food and beer.” Regina said smiling at Ernelle’s excitement.

“All right, all right, oh my god, it’s like almost one, we need to hurry, this place, it’s disgusting, the kitchen, the bathroom, oh my god, I can’t believe this, well don’t just sit there! We have to go!” Ernelle ran around the apartment like a chicken with her head cut off for a minute and then grabbed Regina and dashed out the door.

They returned about half an hour later with everything they needed; fixings for fried chicken, potato salad, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese. They had enough food for an army and enough beer as well. They’d also bought the various chips and dips, and a watermelon for after. Regina had also picked up a bottle of vodka and Jack Daniel’s, the only hard liquor she drank and usually kept in the house.

Ernelle shoved Regina in the kitchen and set herself to cleaning and scrubbing the apartment like it had never even seen a broom.

“Ernelle, the place really isn’t that dirty you know,” Regina laughed, watching Ernelle attack the couch with a dust buster.

“Regina, just cook okay? I mean I’m not too picky with people I know coming over here, but you know,” Ernelle said dashing in the kitchen and washing the dishes at top speed.

“Only when your parents come over or people you’ve never met before are coming here, I know, I know,” Regina laughed as she peeled the potatoes.

“You gonna need help cooking?” Ernelle asked looking over.

“Not right now, but I might need help with the chicken later. Ernelle, are you okay?” Regina asked as she noticed Ernelle’s hands still in the sink water.

“Um, yeah, I’m fine,” Ernelle said unconvincingly. Regina wiped her hands on the towel and went over to her and turned her around so she could see Ernelle’s face.

“What are you crying about sweetie?” Regina said sympathetically.

“It’s just that, I’m so happy for you. You always wanted this, you’d never admit it, but you did. And now, you’re so happy, and you deserve it, so much. I, I, oh Regina, promise that you’ll completely ignore me for all the shit I’ve done to you.” Ernelle sobbed.

“What have you done that was terrible Ernelle? What, you dated Jeremy twice? He wasn’t worth it and Ernelle you didn’t do it on purpose. And you told me about it. Ernelle, you’ve been a better friend to me than anyone else in the world, and this, right here, right now proves it to me.” Regina said taking Ernelle in her arms and squeezing her tight. This just made Ernelle cry even harder.

“But I’m telling you, if you want to get in with the boss, I wouldn’t mention any of that on the application to be my assistant,” Regina said knowing that it would make Ernelle laugh and was rewarded with that knowledge when she did laugh.

“I’m such an ass,” Ernelle laughed as she wiped her eyes.

“I know you are. Hey just look at it this way, you’ll have a chance to meet a man you’re parents might approve of,” Regina replied.

“A little odd how they don’t like racists but yet they have a problem with me dating white guys.” Ernelle said shaking her head and going back to the dishes.

“Hey, every parent feels the same way, they don’t want their kid to be the one sticking out at the family reunion.” Regina replied.

“Well I don’t care. If I meet a nice white guy I’ll date him and bring him home. I mean I’m sorry, but I can’t be prejudice. There is way too many fine guys of all different colors for me to choose just one.” Ernelle replied.

“Exactly.” Regina said laughing.