SUNDAY LOVERS

14

Taraji rushed into the bedroom, after she had heard Fantasia scream in her sleep. " What's wrong? Are you okay?" She rushed over to comfort her as she sat up panicked.

"I- I just had a nightmare." Fantasia looked as if she was trying to remember everything from the nightmare.

Taraji's concern grew even more. " What was it about?"

Fantasia looked like she wanted to tell Taraji, but she decided not to. " I don't want to talk about it right now."  She covered her face with her hands.

Their home had become disrupted. Something had shifted after the burning of the church, and none of the women were being honest.

" I was having trouble sleeping, myself, and I was just about to make myself some tea. Do you want some?" Taraji held Fantasia's hand for comfort.

" Yea, I'll take some." She answered very sweetly

Taraji made them some tea and they sat on the couch together. Eventually, they fell asleep.

THE NEXT DAY...

The day was heavy, and the skies were grey. Taraji went out on the balcony and painted whatever was in front of her. It was the day of the funeral for the pastor and the first lady, so Fantasia was a little more emotional.

" Hey, baby." Fantasia walked out on the balcony, joining Taraji who never let her eye leave her work.

"Hey, beautiful, how you doing?" The two met for a kiss.

Fantasia sat down searching for the words that would perfectly describe how she felt in this moment. " I feel so empty. I'm not even sure those are the right words." She looked out at the trees, as they blew softly from the breeze. " It was just so abrupt, Taraji, I don't get it."

Taraji continued with her painting before stopping to look at Fantasia. "Yea, it was very sudden. Seems like we had that altercation one day and they were gone the next."

Fantasia shook her head, still staring off at the trees.

"Tasia, come sit by me, babygirl." Taraji patted at a spot in her chair.

Fantasia wasted no time getting over to where Taraji was. She laid back on Taraji because she was her safest place.

" Even Though they treated me the way they treated me, they were some of the first people to lend me a helping hand. I had grown to love them, in the beginning. As you saw, things changed for the worse." Fantasia briefly reminisced.

" Well, even if they helped you. I think you owe it to yourself to not let this completely take over you. It's not like you went in there and burned the church yourself."

Fantasia didn't really understand what point Taraji was trying to get at, but she knew she meant well.

" I love you, you know that right?" Taraji looked down at Fantasia who looked so peaceful resting on her body.

" I know that, baby, I love you too."

Taraji wanted to put a smile on her face, and she kept pushing for a more enthused response from Fantasia.

" I don't think I believe you." Taraji sat up with this mischievous smirk on her face. She started planting kisses all over Fantasia's  face, lips, arms, and anywhere else she managed to get one.
" You know I love you right?" She continued to plant kisses on Fantasia and started tickling her.

The two of them squirm around in the seat. Fantasia became so tickled she could hardly breathe.

"Stop, Raji!" She giggled as loud as she could

Taraji stopped and looked at Fantasia, in her eyes. " I really love you, Tasia, and I'll do anything for you."

It was silent for a moment. Fantasia had never had anyone tell her that they would do anything for her and mean it. Taraji meant it.

" Thank you, Taraji, I appreciate beyond words." Fantasia had the biggest smile on her face. She couldn't even contain it.

" I think you and me should have a date tonight, but we do everything here so we won't have to go out." Taraji suggested

Fantasia was in full agreement. " I would love that."

" I want to paint a picture of you tonight." Taraji randomly added.

Fantasia became excited because she wanted to ask Taraji to do this for a while but never got around to asking.

They started preparing for the night's festivities. Taraji gathered all of the painting materials she needed. Meanwhile, Fantasia got out some ingredients to make a strawberry cream cake.

The two of them were full of joy because not only did they have a chance to do things that made them happy, but this was an opportunity to share this moment with one another.

"Baby, you wanna help me make the cake?" Didn't really look like Fantasia was asking. She was volunteering Taraji's services before she even got her answer.

"Yea, girl! I need to know how you make your cakes so good."

They had ordered Chinese food and was waiting for their order to come.

Taraji's telephone started to ring.

"You want me to get it?" Fantasia offered, since she was closer.

"No, I got it." Taraji rushed over to her phone and headed towards the back. She wasn't there for long before she came rushing back out.  "I'll be right back." She slid on her slippers

Taraji ran down the stairs and went into the basement of her apartment. There a woman stood, in all black, looking around. She held a thick, yellow envelope in her hand. Her scent was prominent in the air. She turned around as Taraji entered the dim room.

" Hey, beautiful!" She went in for a hug

" Hey, Bebe." Despite some nerves, Taraji was happy to see her again.

"How you been?"  It was clear Bebe genuinely wanted to know

" I can't lie, I've had a lot of restless nights these days."

Bebe frowned up a little. " It'll get easier the more you do it, trust me."

Bebe handed over the yellow envelope to Taraji. She watched as Taraji opened it and counted all the money inside, making sure the amount was right.

"That should be everything. You know I was almost caught by Tasia. We hugged and she hit the burn I had on my side." Bebe laughed it off, but Taraji became unsettled.

" What did she say?"

"She just asked me how it happened. Don't worry I have everything covered. She wanted you to help patch it up and she wanted me to go to the hospital. I wasn't doing none of that. I've been taking care of it myself at home with a few of my herbs."

Bebe seemed to not have any emotional ties to the things they had done.

"Well, I'll be heading back home. Oh, and here's y'all order. I saw the guy walking in and I just knew it was for y'all, and I told him I'd make sure I get it to you."

Bebe was heading out of the door.

"Bebe, we in the clear right?" Taraji asked without even turning around.

"Taraji, baby, trust me." Bebe left

Taraji made her way back inside where Fantasia was steps into making her cake.

"Who was that?" She licked some of the cake mix from her hand

"It was the delivery guy with the food." Taraji placed the bag on the table and immediately went in the back to hide the yellow envelope.