The Grass Is Bluer on the Other Side

By V. Montrell Jones

In a world filled with glitz and glamour, baller style, Azaria is at the top of the chain.But there is one thing that is elusive from her - the commodity of love and family. Azaria lost her mom two years ago - the only family shes known. But her childhood friend, Magic, was always there.



One morning Azaria is rudely awakened with a hangover from the previous nights festivities by total strangers that would later become her family and love that once was far-fetched.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 11, 2008
• ISBN: 9781469117652

V. Montrell Jones

Vanessa Jones resides in the District Heights Area with her partner of 3 years. She works at a psychiatric hospital in the District of Columbia where she is a manager and community support specialist. She works with adolescents struggling with substance abuse and mental health and behavioral issues. She is currently working on her third novel.

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Copyright © 2008 by V. Montrell Jones.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T HIS IS MY opportunity to

acknowledge everyone who played an important role in my work. First and foremost, I give thanks and praise to God. Without him this would not be possible. I know he’s blessed me.

Thank you Lord and Saviour.

To my Queen, my mother. Ma you supplied me with all of life’s tools and a love that can not be duplicated. I appreciate you. Words can’t express the love that I have for you.

To the one who started this race, if it weren’t for you challenging me, goading me and supporting me, this book wouldn’t be in existance. I won! Smile.

To my fam, my siblings. Thank you all so much for your encouragement, your support and most of all your love. Eric, it feels good to share your insight as well as your golden entreprenual teachings. My neices who read my unfinished work, but enjoyed it anyway, thank you.

Saving the best for last, my partner. Your unbiased, unconditional love and support has enlarged me. I love you.

To the Xlibris family, thank you all very much. RJ. Palacios, your determination, guidance, patience and encouragement, without those pertinent tools, I would never have persued this endeaver, thank you!.

WHO SAID THAT I wanted to move anyway, I’m just fine where, I am. Well it’s probably what I need a fresh start you know. All this stress n’shit I don’t need. Pardon me, I haven’t introduced myself my name is Azaria Stover, I’m 23 years old and I have nothing to do with my life. You see it’s not that I live a boring life, daddy gives me whatever, I demand. There’s just one thing that he won’t allow me to do work. In fact, he has commanded me to move with him and his new wife. She’s just three years my senior. Daddy has remarried four times since my mother died five years ago. I was eighteen when my mom passed and decided to stay in the house that we shared to begin my new life.

My dad feels that I have too much freedom so that’s why he has made the decision that I come to Tinsle Town and live with him and my new momma.

I awoke this morning to find three women and four men in my house. I first thought that, I was in a stranger’s house except that everything in my bedroom was the exact same. To top things off they were all white. After my ranting and ragging, in came this big burly woman the color of honey with the voice of a southern angel. This women spoke to me with a stern yet soothing tone. She explained to me that my dad had sent them here to pack all of my belongings and that my house would then be put up for sale. I went back to my room and cried. Later, I gathered myself and ran my bath water. My muscles began to relax. I didn’t hear Ms. Corinth, (the colored woman) come in, she started washing my back and in her soothing voice she said to me hush child. That only made me cry again, you see no one had spoken to me in that tone since my mom died. After my bath, I went back downstairs. I apologized to everyone and then retreated to the Family Room. Magic will be here soon, she’s my best friend since childhood up to now. Magic was my apple scrapple from the old school. Uh oh here she comes now. Move out of my damn way, who the hell is you anyway. Zarie, Zarie where the hell are you? I’m here Magic, come on in. Zarie what in hell is going on man? All these white folk up in here. Magic calm down man, I got somethin’ to tell you. Zarie, what’s up man? Shut up and I’ll tell you. I’ma be livin’ with him. I thought he was bullshittin’. I awoke this morning to all of this. All these people in my house. Magic stood up hands wailing about. What about us man? We’ve been friends since we were kids. I stood up to embrace Magic. I know man, I know hey look lets put this shit aside for the time being a’ight. Magic showed me this flyer, it advertised this new club called The Tunnel, located on 103rd so that’s where we’ll party tonight.

Magic and I headed to Manhattan. We needed new threads for tonight.

We arrived at the club around midnight. The vibe was right. There were some beautiful women in here tonight. Magic told me the flyers were only given to an elite group of who’s who in the gay community. Damn, I’m glad that I’m part of that group. We found our way to the section of the club penned The Ballers. We were definitely into something. Magic nodded to a booth where we could sit. Make no mistake there were some serious players in here. As we got situated the waitress came over, we ordered Crystal. Magic looked at me and said pop your collar pimpin. That was just her way of telling me that I looked good. There was never any competition between us. We stayed true to ourselves and to each other. I must say that I knew I was the cream of the crop though. I flossed in my Armani pantsuit and my horsehair leather shoes. Yeah tonight was going to be a memorable one. The evening was progressing quite nicely. I danced with this young lady but I couldn’t give her too much. My objective was just to have a good time. Magic gave the heads up on this Femme Baller, named Ms. P. I had heard a lot about this lady but, I’ve never met her. I continued to enjoy myself and have a good time, however, I did keep an eye on Ms. P. This lady was working the scene. I mean her shit was right. You had to come correct or your game had to be real tight because she was not having no bullshit. Magic was doing her thing, she was working her magic on the ladies.

My eyes kept meeting Ms. P’s gaze. I knew that I was luring her, but I wasn’t letting on. I gave her just enough. Magic and I partied until the wee hours of the morning, but by 4 am, I was ready to head home. I proceeded in front of Magic to get into my truck. When Magic got in she handed me a piece of paper. It had Ms. P’s name and number on it. Magic said, I told you pimpin’, pop your collar.

Ms. Corinth woke me early this morning to eat breakfast and as she says, get some order about yourself. After breakfast I took a long bath.

Ms. Corinth is yelling my name. Answer the phone child, she says to me. It must be Magic calling this early to recap last night. Before answering the phone, I looked at the caller id. I don’t know what made me look at it because I usually don’t, but it wasn’t Magic. I picked up the receiver in my business voice. Stover speaking. Immediately, I recognized it was Ms. P. We talked for hours. She said that she’s heard many good things about me. However none of her resources had a number for me. She also expressed that it wasn’t by accident that I showed up last night. Although the invite wasn’t given to me directly it was for my use. We had very pleasant conversation and made plans to have dinner tonight. Before the conversation ended, Ms. P decided that she wanted to cook us dinner instead of going out tonight.

The phone rang again, this time it was Magic. Damn man why aren’t you answering the phone? Magic, you don’t keep a lady waiting. Besides, I knew it was you. I was gonna call you back a’ight man. So chill yo’ ass out and get over here punk. Fuck you Zarie, Magic said before hanging up. I began packing some of my personal things. I sat on my bed looking at a picture of my mom and me. Damn I miss her. I placed the picture back on my nightstand. When I finally finished there were ten boxes surrounding me. I called to Ms. Corinth so that she could have one of her people take the boxes downstairs. Hey man what you up to, Magic asked? Getting ready for dinner I replied. What you think about this suit huh? Ah man put on anything. Eh Magic you sound a little jealous man, what’s up? I don’t know Zarie. I guess I’m just thinking about the little time left that you’ll be here. Yeah man I’ve been thinking about that too. Hey Magic listen, you don’t have anyone or anything holding you back here so why don’t you come with me? Zarie you serious man? Hell yeah, why not? Hey look have a great time with Ms. P tonight. I gotta go. I got some packing to do. A’ight man later. Ms. Corinth the moving truck is here. Okay baby, you and Magic come on down now. The movers didn’t waste any time. They practically had everything out of the house in just two hours.

Daddy had sent three first class plane tickets for Ms. Corinth, Magic and me. We arrived at McHenry Airport five hours later. There was a limousine awaiting us. Magic was excited; she turned to Ms. Corinth and said; now this is class Big Momma. Yall children come on, I got to get dinner started was all Ms. Corinth said. I must say Tinsel Town was quite impressive.

My dad was standing on the front porch with open arms. I walked right past him; all the while yelling where is my room? This young sophisticated goddess at the top of the stairs answered, right this way. She showed me to my room and then left. Magic’s’ room was right across the hall from mine. Magic stood in my doorway with a stupid grin on her face. Why are you smiling like a chest shire cat? You’re either still pissed off or you’re blind, which is it? What the hell are you talking about man? The blue grass Zarie. I let that one go over my head. Magic was trippin’.

Later my dad had one of his assistants escort me to his study. He sat in his over stuffed leather chair. Smoking a cigar. Come in baby girl, have a seat. I sat in front of him while he explained to me that this was my now my home and Magic’s too as long as she wanted to stay here. He then placed an envelope in front of me. The envelope contained five major credit cards, two sets of keys and some money. He then said that there was something in the garage waiting for me. That brought a big smile to my face.

I went back to my bedroom to put my things away. I was astonished to find that the servants had done just that. l peeked in Magic’s room to find her looking amazed at the fact that her things had been put away too. Magic and I gave ourselves a tour of the house. I remembered that my pops gave me two sets of keys. We went to the garage. l looked at the keys and then the car. They were BMW keys and there was a brand new BMW in the garage. With a brand new BMW, five major credit cards, what else could I ask for! Me and Magic decided to go for a ride, we drove around for hours not knowing where we were or where we were going. Finally we got tired and headed back home. We walked around the porch to the side entrance. Ms. Lina Devareaux, my stepmother was relaxing in the hammock with a glass of wine and a joint of weed. Magic and I could smell the weed so we just followed our noses. Well hello ladies, Ms. Devareaux spoke. Instantly I felt the mood and answered hello Ms. Lina. May we join you? Magic looked as if she would faint. She thought that I was flirting with my own stepmother. While taking a toke off the joint Magic shook her head in disbelief and retreated back to her bedroom for the evening.

We sat quiet for a long while without a spoken word then suddenly Ms. Lina stood and said goodnight. I awoke to Magic sitting beside my bed staring at me. I said how long you been sitting there? Magic answered long enough to hear you mumbling Linas’ name. I started laughing because, I thought that Magic was kidding me. Magic said what the fuck is funny man, that shit is foul. I sat up and looked at Magic who was now angry and said, man you ain’t joking huh? Hell no and you better watch that shit before your pops get a whiff of it. I defended myself. Nigga what you talkin’ ‘bout, get a whiff of what? Magic said, hey playa I ain’t hatin’, I’m just saying that it’s foul. Hold up Magic, you think I’m trying to creep with my pops woman? Naw man, it ain’t like that, I said. I just wanted to get my smoke on that’s all. Yeah well it seems to me like you were in your mack mode. I sat there as if, I was reflecting on last night. Anyway man, what you wanna do today? I don’t know Zarie; maybe swim a couple of laps or something. Man I thought you wanted to go check out the CHICKS BIKER CLUB. Oh yeah that’ll be cool, lets do that.

When Magic