Canon
The tripto Alabama was enlightening and broadened our understanding of Dessi’s journey, but I’m glad to be back in LA. I got off the plane and came straight to the production offices. The things we found in Alabama have changed everything. Dessi’s family always assumed she had two great loves: Cal Hampton and music.
Turns out there were three.
Tilda Hargrove was Dessi’s first love. Before she met Cal Hampton hostessing at the Savoy. Before he discovered Dessi could sing like an angel. Before she performed at Café Society, joining greats like Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Lena Horne and Hazel Scott. Before Cal and Dessi struck off for Europe to tour with a band and eventually married . . . before all that, Dessi loved Tilda Hargrove. And Tilda Hargrove loved her. In addition to the newspaper clippings, Dessi saved love letters they exchanged while she was touring Europe and Tilda remained in Harlem.
Not shocking. Many of the women from that era sang openly about their bisexuality. Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith. Hell, even Billie had at least one documented affair with another woman, Tallulah Bankhead. Unearthing that as part of Dessi’s story made sense and simply adds depth to what I know about her as a character as we tell her story. For a family member, though, especially one from the Bible Belt, who may or may not want that known about Dessi, it’s not as simple.
Surprisingly, Neevah was the one who broached the subject with Katherine.
One of Neevah’s greatest assets, and she has many, is how she makes you feel you’ve known her all your life. There’s this accessibility that comes across not only when she performs, but any time you’re around her. I saw it in how quickly she and Verity clicked. I observed how much Katherine trusted her after a few hours of conversation out on the front porch, just the two of them and a pitcher of lemonade. Discussing the things we found about Dessi with Katherine could have been awkward, but Neevah had already paved the way, lowering Katherine’s guard with her easy smile and open manner. When I first approached Katherine about optioning Dessi’s life story, I think she saw an opportunity. Financial, yes, but also a chance to celebrate her mother’s contributions; to bring her the recognition she deserves. When she looked at Neevah, she saw a friend. Someone whom, after only a few hours, she trusted. Seeing their natural rapport, I tasked Neevah with discussing our discoveries and asking Katherine if we could include them in the movie.
We can.
And I know I have Neevah to thank for that, at least in part.
That moment in the bedroom was a close call. Not that I came close to doing anything about the attraction, which is growing and—I suspect—mutual. But I almost showed my hand.
Shit.
DidI hide it?
It’s her heightened sensitivity that fuels her brilliance as an actor. She’s emotionally astute, which puts her in touch with not only how she feels, but how others are feeling, too.
I’m not a conceited guy. Many of the women who approach me see a role, an opportunity, a chance to get ahead. It’s part of the game, but Neevah . . . I haven’t known her long, but already I can tell that with her, there are no games. There’s a sincerity to her—a humility and realness that the more I see, the more I admire, especially in a business like ours powered by ego and artifice.
Surely Neevah knows anything more than a professional relationship between us would spell trouble, so she’s fighting this pull. So am I, but if Verity picked up on it, Evan will. And the last thing I want is a daily lecture from that dude about keeping my dick in my pants.
“Welcome home,” Evan says, walking into my office sipping on his smoothie. “How’d it go?”
I look away from the colored cards of the storyboard on my wall to Evan.
“Great trip.” I tip back in my chair and prop my feet on the desk. “We have a whole other story we didn’t know existed.”
Over the next twenty minutes, I share all the things we learned about Dessi and Tilda. Evan sits across from me, his eyes lighting up as he realizes this story is even better than we first thought.
“And the daughter is okay with us putting all this in?” he asks.
“She is. Neevah talked to her to make sure.” I shuffle a deck of multi-colored index cards. “They really hit it off.”
“Sounds like Neevah will be an asset in more ways than one.” Evan casts a cautious look at me from under a slight frown. “Which brings me to something we need to discuss.”
“Shoot.” I keep my tone casual, but I know that look. I’ve met that frown before. This is some shit I don’t want to hear.
“Lawson Stone called,” Evan says.
“And?”
“And Galaxy is not happy about you casting Neevah.”
I shrug, belying the tension in my shoulders. “Not surprising. We knew they would take some convincing.”
“Lots of convincing.” Evan looks me square in the eye. “And some compromise.”
I lower my feet and swivel in the office chair. “My least favorite word. Well, one of them. What kind of compromise?”
“If you get to keep Neevah as Dessi—”