2 weeks later...
"Alright you guys, let's run through If one more time then I'll let you go home." Janet gave instructions softly. The crew could sense that Janet wasn't her normal self today. She had been missing steps, forgetting lyrics, and not talking as much.
"Hey Jan, how about we call it a day? You seem distracted and tired, wanna go get some ice cream?" One of the dancers suggested, the others agreed. Janet sighed as she stared at herself in the dance mirrors. She knew they were right and couldn't deny a good bowl of ice cream. She stopped the music, gathered her things and headed out with three of her female dancers.
"Goodmorning Miss Jackson, how're you?" Joey greeted sweetly as always.
"Honestly, I'm off today. I don't know why Joey." Joey nodded with a small smile.
"I'm pretty sure I know why. Where would you all like to go?" He asked as he closed the door and locked in his seat belt.
"To Cold Stone." Shawn said.
A good ten minute drive and the crew was at their destination safely. By now, Janet had a small migraine forming. Joey came around to let her out of the truck and shield her from the small crowd that had formed.
"How the hell do they know where I'm going to be at all the time?" Janet whispered as the crew stepped in the ice cream shop. It was clear she was a bit irritated, not by the crowd but because she was just... off today and her head was hurting.
"Ms. Jackson! I'm such a big fan of you, you're so pretty! Congrats on having little Eissa as well, I just know he's the cutest!" The cashier spoke excitedly with a gentle smile. This made Janet feel just a tad bit better.
"Thank you sweetheart, he is adorable. I appreciate your kind words." Janet spoke softly.
"Whatever you & your crew want is on the house." She gifted. Janet shook her head as her eyebrows scrunched.
"Oh no baby, I don't mind paying." The cashier declined.
"No, no it's okay! It's not everyday we get to see a huge mega star come through here. I also could use a break from the rude customers." She said as she rolled her eyes. Janet sighed as she put her wallet away.
"Are you sure? I don't want you getting in any trouble honey." The young girl smiled as she reassured the icon.
"Haha, I'm the manager and my parents own the business. I'm not going anywhere unless I want to! Plus, if they found out I made THEE Janet Jackson pay for her ice cream, they'd have my head." She laughed. Janet chuckled as she surrendered and looked over the menu.
After choosing their ice cream flavors, the three workers made the orders and delivered them to the small table Janet and her crew waited in. As they stood to leave, Janet reached in her wallet and took out two hundred dollar bills. She walked up to the young girl and asked for napkins. While she was distracted, Janet quickly slipped the money into their tip jar along with a note. Her and the crew quickly headed out before the girl noticed.
"Whoaaa! Emily look!" One of the workers called out. Emily came from the back to the front.
"She left us a two hundred dollar tip! We've never had money than like five dollars max!" The male employee said happily. Emily grabbed the note and read it.
"I know you said I didn't have to pay but MY parents would also have my head if I didn't give you guys something. I hope this blesses you, thank you Emily & crew!
-Love Janet."
Emily smiled with tears as she read the note. What Janet didn't know was that her parents were about to lose the shop. They needed just a little more money to prevent that. Janet's donation made that possible.
"She really is an angel like everyone says." Emily whispered as she wiped her tears away.
-------
Taraji had scheduled to be off so she could visit her mom, Elanor. She always made it a priority to give her mother her time since she was getting older. She also had dementia, it wasn't bad just yet but at times her mother would forget simple things.
"Hey mama, how're you doing?" Taraji greeted as she walked in the house. She sat her belongings down on the couch and gave her mother a warm embrace. Her mother smiled and stared at her for a brief moment.
"Who are you?" She asked. Taraji's smiled dropped and she sighed. This part was happening more often lately.
"Taraji, I'm your daughter mama. Your oldest daughter." Her mother stared off into space for a moment before it all came back to her.
"Oh yes! I remember now, how ya doing baby girl?" Taraji smiled faintly as she sat next to her mother.
"I'm doing alright mama, you been eating? Taking your meds?"
"Yes Dr. Henson, she has." Said Taraji's middle sister coming from the bathroom.
"Hello Tasha." She greeted flatly.
"Mmm..." Her sister responded as she walked into the kitchen to fix her mother some food.
"Oh how I wish you two would just get along again." Her mother said. Taraji shook her head.
"It's not my fault mama, you know that."
"Oh, so it's mine?" Tasha responded.
"If the shoe fits..."
"You know what? I'm getting tired of your little smart remarks heffa."
"And I'm getting tired of you always in my mouth. Nobody was talking to you anyway."
"Stop it you two!" Their mother exclaimed.
"No mama, I'm tired of her walking around here talking mess like she's the queen of England. Ever since you done got ya lil job with Janet Jackson, you think you hot shit on a stick and you ain't." Tasha projected.
"Excuse me? Do not bring my job into this, you're the one who's always taking over every damn thing like you're the boss."
"Well I am the only responsible one, you clearly aren't." Taraji stood up and stepped to her sister.
"Don't you even take it there Tasha."
"Girls..." Their mother called out.
"No mama, she is always blaming me for what happened to Sharon. I'm sick of it!"
"Because it was your fault! You should've never let her go on that date alone! If it wasn't for you, he would've never killed her."
"How was I supposed to know Tasha? We grew up with him, I didn't think he'd harm her! We were all comfortable with her dating him!!"
"We??? I never liked that nigga and I told you to watch him closely! But nah, you were too far up ya lil girlfriend pussy to pay attention to the signs!"
"WILL. YOU TWO. STOP. IT!!!" Their mother shouted. Taraji looked at her sister with tears pouring down her face.
"It's okay mama, I'm gonna leave."
"Yeah, gone and get out. That's the only thing you can do right." Taraji turned to speak but she held it in for the sake of her mother and just left.
Their mother sighed as she rubbed her head.
"All you two do is argue every single time you see each other. I'm getting old baby, and I may not remember much else soon. Is this the one thing you want your mother to remember when she dies?" Their mother spoke up. Tasha's face dropped and she knelt beside her mother.
"No mama, I don't. I'm sorry you had to be in the middle of that." Elanor held her daughters hands and looked her deep in the eyes.
"Sweetheart, stop blaming your sister. I know you're hurt and you need someone to blame but Taraji isn't the one to do so. It wasn't her fault at all and you know that. She loved Sharon just as much, if not more than all of us. Cut her some slack baby, you've always been so mean to her even before Sharon died."
"I know mama."
"Why you so mean to her?" Tasha sighed as she sat on the couch.
"I've always wanted to be like her. I've always been jealous of her. She got everything she wanted all the time. She barely had to work for anything but here I am, always slaving to get what I want."
"You don't think I had to work?" Taraji responded coming from the hall.
"Baby, I thought you left?"
"I forgot my keys. Tasha, nothing was ever handed to me. I worked like a dog, day and night! I just worked harder and dreamt bigger. I had goals Tasha, stuff to look forward to. Despite what you may think, I don't have it all and working for Janet is the hardest damn job I've ever had. Sometimes I'm up at 2am just to walk her through an airport. Or I'm up at 5am to go to a meeting with her. I barely get 3 hours of sleep before I have to get up and do it all over again but I wouldn't change any of it for the world. So excuse me if I may walk around on a high horse. I worked damn hard to get it and nobody will take that from me. Not even you." With that, Taraji grabbed her keys from the table and left.
♡ whewww chile! the girls are fighting honey!And if you're assuming Tasha Smith as the sister, you'd be correct.
♤ anywhore, I hope yall enjoyed this second Christmas present from me lol!
◇ Merry Christmas to you all! & as always, love yall and thank you for your support 🥰✨️🤍