Read Online It's Raining Benjamins by Deborah Gregory - Free Book Online

about us?”
    â€œThey said we wuz off the hook, Snook!” Bubbles says. (She loves being the one to tell us everything.) Aqua waits for more details, but Bubbles just looks at her and says, “That’s it, really. They thought the showcase went really well, and now they want to put us in the studio to cut a demo—with a producer named Mouse Almighty. They said we should record three to five songs. Then they’ll decide if they want to give us a record deal.”
    â€œWho is this Mouse Almighty?” Angie asks.
    â€œThey told Mom he’s worked with a few other girl groups, so that’s why they picked him to work with us. Let’s see … he’s worked with Karma’s Children, the Lollipops, the Honey Dews, and In the Dark.”
    â€œIn the Dark—who’s that?” Dorinda wonders.
    â€œYou know—that little girl with the rhinestone-studded black eye patch, and the three other girls who prance around on stage with those monkey-head walking sticks, like they’re all that,” Aqua blurts out. “They went on tour once with Jiggie Jim and the Moonpies. Um, what’s that song—oh … oh … ‘Struck with Your Love and Now I See!’ That’s it!”
    â€œOh, them. I don’t like them,” Angie says, making a face.
    â€œWell, the other groups he’s worked with are dope, right?” Dorinda points out. “
And
he’s got his own recording studio. That means he’s got mad skills.”
    â€œAre we going to be able to record
your
songs?” I ask Bubbles.
    â€œI don’t know, Chuchie,” Bubbles says, kinda humble. Then she breaks out a fresh wad of bubble gum. “He’s the producer, so I guess we’ve gotta do whatever he tells us—’cuz Def Duck Records is paying for everything.”
    â€œOh,” I say. I can’t get the nerve up to say anything about writing with Bubbles. Besides, I guess this isn’t the right time. I don’t want to talk about it in front of everybody.
    â€œI’m telling y’all, this is the one,” Aqua says, looking all satisfied with herself. “This is what we’ve been waiting for! I’m telling you, I know—because me and Angie have prayed enough about it!”
    We go inside the church. Well, it’s not exactly a church. It’s more of an auditorium where they hold services. But I guess the twins are really happy just to be in
any
kind of church. They
love
going to church, and singing in the junior choir and everything.
    Lady ushers with white gloves are standing at the entrance of the auditorium. “Good evening, sisters.” Aqua and Angie greet them, all bubbly with excitement.
    The ushers take our tickets and tear them in half. “Just go on inside and take a seat wherever you like, girls,” they tell us.
    â€œI hope the money is going to a good cause,” heckles Bubbles as we go inside.
    Dorinda has been reading the program intensively. Now she blurts out, “It says here, all the proceeds are going to the New York City Chapter for Homeless Women.”
    â€œThat’s good. That’s real good,” Aqua says, nodding her head in approval. (Their dad was the one who forked over the twenty dollars to pay for their two tickets, and I guess they feel better knowing it’s all for a good cause.) Still, some things are more important than others, especially to the twins. “I hope they have good food here,” Angie says, looking around.
    â€œAmen to that,” Aqua agrees. The only thing the twins love more than going to church or singing is
eating
.
    â€œThey do have food—
afterward
,” Bubbles tells them, rolling her eyes at the twins’ incredible appetite.
    A look of relief washes over Angie’s face. “I’ve never been to a church service in an auditorium. What kind of church is this?” she asks us.
    â€œI believe it’s a