A Chance for Growth

Just One More Time

2 Years Later
Summer 1997

Taraji sat in her kitchen, drinking a cup of tea to soothe her sore throat. Aubrey had stayed over for a couple days, which turned into Taraji breaking up the constant fighting and bickering between her and Marcel. She had yelled so much in 48 hours, that her voice was going in and out, which was not what she needed. She was coming up on the time to go film as a guest actor on ER, and having a sore throat wasn't going to cut it. She refilled the cup, hearing the two Howards kids fighting yet again..

She sighed, it was no use at this point. They were going to fight until it killed them. She sat down at her dining table, trying to find an escape in her mind. "I'm going to kill you! Why would you do that!?" She heard Cel shout. "Touch me and I'm telling Mama!" Brey hit back. "SHE'S NOT YOUR MOM!!! STOP SAYING IT!" Cel angrily belted. Raji slammed her cup down, fed up with the two of them. Before she could attempt to scream, a deep raspy voice boomed through the house. "MARCEL DASHON AND AUBREY NICOLE HOWARD! LET ME HEAR ONE MORE WORD OUT OF YOU TWO!" Terry shouted.

Raji smiled, walking over to him and laying her head on his chest. "I'm so glad you're back. I can't keep yelling at them, and punishment and whoopings do nothing anymore. It's like they just absorb them," she explained, her voice alternating between Barry White to pipsqueak. Terry held his laugh, knowing she was going through it. He hugged her, walking back to the dining table. "Well, I'm back so you can relax now. You put some honey in that tea?" He asked as if he was her parent. She pursed her lips, already annoyed with him.

He grabbed her glass, going to refresh her tea and add honey to it. While in the kitchen, his phone rang. "Answer it Beloved! I'm expecting a call from my agent," he shouted from the kitchen. Taraji cleared her throat, trying to sound normal for at least 30 seconds. "Hello?" She waited for a response. "Why do you have Terry's phone if he's still out of town!?" Lori yelled in the phone. Raji pulled the phone from her ear, walking to the kitchen and holding the phone up to Terry's ear. He made a displeased face, grabbing the phone and hanging up.

"I don't know what you did that for. She's going to call back," Raji said, picking up her tea. "Let her. She's working my nerves anyways," Taraji wanted to pry, but Brey came barreling in, clutching onto Terry. "Hi daddy. I missed you," she said, breathing heavy. Terrence looked down at his daughter, knowing she was up to something. "What did you do?" He asked, then Marcel came limping around the corner. "She kicked my leg from under me when I got to the bottom stair!" Cel snitched, Raji shook her head.

"Both of you, back against the wall! Let's go! Yall act like neither of you have good sense. Squat down and stay there until I say stand up," he demanded making them do wall sits. "Arms up!" He instructed. The children groaned, but neither fought his demands. His phone rang again, this time he answered it. "What Lori?" He hissed in the phone. "Why are you with her? You told me that you weren't coming back for a couple more days!" Lori snapped. Terry pinched the bridge of his nose. "With the way you're going it might be a couple weeks. Arms up Aubrey!" The 6 year old whined, her arms feeling heavy.

"So you're over there playing happy family with my child?" Lori blurted out, pissing Terry off even more. "Is there something you really need or you just called because you're bored?" He asked, hearing her huff. "My point exactly. We will talk about this when I get home," he abruptly hung up, turning his focus back onto his children. "Marriage life is hard huh" Taraji teased, trying to hold back her laugh. "Sore throats suck don't they?" He spat back, making her frown drop. "Exactly shut up before I make you get against the wall too," he spat at her.

She rolled her eyes and walked up the stairs, catching an attitude. "Go sit down," Terry told the kids, running up the stairs after Raji. He went into her bedroom, seeing her sit on the bed. A fire was sparked when he caught her attitude. He grabbed her neck, pushing her back onto the bed. "Why are you giving me so much lip today? I get back and come over here first to see you and you want to give me an attitude. What's wrong with you?" He asked, hovering over her. Whether he knew it or not, he was sparking a fire in her as well.