Back in New York City
"no, she didn't!" Brooks laughed hard.
"bitch she did. Like I wanna hear a woman say that to me with my face buried between her thighs" Taraji rolled her eyes
Brooks couldn't stop laughing.
"what do you think it meant?"
"she was in the moment," Taraji said.
"What did you want it to mean?"
."I don't know Dani, 17 years ago it would have meant everything. 10 years ago, it would have changed a lot of things for the better. 5 years ago it would have brought some hope. Last month it would have swept me off my feet. But now..."
"you are or sure."
'"Exactly."
Brooks nodded. "well in another piece of news. My girl got a new job" Brooks said cheerfully.
"yes!" they clicked their wine glasses together. "cheers"
"what are we celebrating?"
Taraji coughed and coughed hard hearing Fantasia's voice.
"Chief, fancy seeing you here," Brooks said.
"detective, good to see you, Agent Henson"
."Counsel" Taraji muttered. Fantasia walked to her table. They both stared.
After a little while Jack walked in and joined her
"she's meeting your son why?"
"ask her. Let's get the cheque"
They paid and left. Brooks went home. Taraji went home too.
She waited up, she wanted to hear how it went for Jack. The door opened, and Jack and Fantasia walked in.
Unexpected. "Hey Mom, Mrs Taylor gave me a ride," Jack said. Taraji nodded. "you had a good time?" she asked, it was obvious that he did, he was smiling. He looked happy. "the best time. She's funny" Jack said. Taraji smiled a little. "I'm glad you had a good time"
"Thanks, ma!" he kissed her and walked to his room.
"Thank you for bringing him home safe"
"I needed an excuse to come see you. You looked hot in your red dress tonight" Fantasia said walking closer. "I can't get you out of my head" Taraji backed up "Stop!" she said. Fantasia paused.
"I can't do this. It's confusing my heart and I need for my heart not to get confused right now. Cause I am--"
"seeing someone, yeah you mentioned that already" Fantasia interjected. "and I like them. I want to see this through. I'm sorry, we can't. I can't"
Fantasia nodded.
"Jack, come say goodbye" Taraji spoke up.
Jack came out. He hugged Fantasia. "thank you for a great evening," he said. She nodded and placed a business card in his hand. "this is your ride, anywhere you wanna go, at any time. Call him" Fantasia said. "thank you"
"call me?" she sounded like she was begging.
"how about this weekend you come over, my mother will cook, she's a good cook. You can bring your family, well not your husband"
"Jack, I will be working this Friday, but, you guys can go ahead. Have a good time without me" Taraji said. "what do you say? I will cook" Jack pursued. Fantasia nodded "We will be here," she said and waved and mouthed goodbye then walked out.
Friday Came very quickly.
Taraji wasn't working. Infect she just flew back home from catching the bad guys in DC. She was resting. Jack prepped dinner. His mother taught him to cook a long time ago, he did his best to impress.
He didn't want to wake her up cause she was exhausted. The Taylors arrived. Fantasia and her kids.
He was a gentleman, offered them a drink, and entertained Josh. "need help?" Halle asked. "no!" he said. Doorbell:
"dinner will be ready in 5. Somebody get that door please" he said. Halle jogged to the don't.
"hey!" she said to the person on the other side of the door
"Hey, is Taraji awake?" the young woman asked.
"uh, let me check," Halle said and turned. "Jack, is your mom home?" she asked. "Yeah, she came home a couple of hours ago, she's on London time. Sleeping" He said. "she's sleeping," Halle told the girl
"do you mind?" the lady asked to walk in.
"uh. Sure I guess" Halle said. She walked in. "uh, who are you?" Jack asked. Fantasia turned her head. The lady was beautiful as fuck. "I'm Miley, a friend of your mom's, nice finally meeting you Jack. And the rest of you whom I know nothing of. Could you get her for me?"
"Sorry, I don't make a habit of waking my mother after a long week. No can't do" Jack said. Miley curled her lips and turned to leave. She felt unwelcome. She was opening the door...
"Have dinner with us. She will be waking up anytime soon right?" Halle suggested.
Jack didn't look happy. Miley needed Jack's approval and it wasn't there. "uh no. Thanks, uh--I didn't get your name"
"Halle Taylor"
"Nice meeting you Halle. Miley Rome."
"wait, yes I know you. You are Dr. Rome, you are friends with my Aunt Gabi. Dr Barrino."
"yes. Oh my gosh you are the little girl who always pulls her out of surgery for family drama"
Halle laughed. "guilty"
"This is my mother Fantasia Barrino"
"Gabi's sister. She talks about you a lot"
"Oh." Fantasia muttered. "this is Josh, my annoying but adorable little brother, we are friends of the family"
"Really? Raji never mentioned y'all, maybe she forgot" Miley said.
"or maybe the relationship isn't headed anywhere" Fantasia shot
Uh oh!
They all looked at her.
She heard herself and regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. She froze.
Her head played the worst-case scenario of the event, but meanwhile, she was just sitting there with her eyes closed...
In her head
"Or maybe you are not that important" Fantasia shot...
Miley glared. It was awkward for a minute. "yeah maybe I'm not or maybe you aren't" Miley said.
"hey pretty girl," Taraji said standing in the corner from her room. They all turned. She side-eyes Fantasia. She heard her.
"Hey, I didn't know you were having family over, I was off work and.."
"I'm glad you are here. And no I'm not having anything. The Dinner Party is a family thing for Jack, not me."
Oops.
Miley looked at Fantasia who threatened her with her glowing eyes.
"Come to my room, we will have a party of our own," Taraji said. Miley smiled and went to Taraji's room.
.Taraji and Fantasia shared a nasty look, the kids saw it.
"hey Josh, nice seeing you again" Taraji smiled. "hey Detective Henson," he said.
"Halle, nice to see you, baby girl".
"Thanks, you too, Ms Taraji"
She turned to Fantasia.
"Counsel"
"Agent Henson, you know I have gadgets right?"
"if I know, why do you feel the need to remind me?"
"I stay packing. I can set shit on fire"
"still trying to understand why you telling me," Taraji said.
"You seem to have forgotten the kind of individual you are dealing with. You like to forget me baby girl and that's not good" Fantasia said the kids were confused and anxious.
Fantasia stood up. Taraji fastened her Robe.
Jack and Halle looked at each other.
"send her home, today is not about you. It is not about me. It's about the kids. The situation is already sensitive enough, you being ignorant isn't helping. Send your girl home and change, and join the family for dinner. Yes, we are family because you made us one a long time ago. You did this. If you don't like it, tough luck, none of us like it. But it is, what it is" Fantasia said walking closer to Taraji.
"no!" Taraji said
"I can't send my girlfriend home just because we are making you uncomfortable. She's in my room, in my space, here to see me. These are your kids, but they are not all mine. How do I fit in this family issue you keep throwing around?"
"Okay, what the hell is going on here?"
Halle asked
"oh, I'm your half brother, they didn't mention that?" Jack said. "what?"
"yeah. I am"
"Mom?"
"is true honey. Jack is my son. He's mine and hers and the mayor's"
"oh boy, does dad know?"
"no"
"see pal, family matter, which does not include Taraji. Good night, enjoy your dinner"
Taraji walked to her room.
Fantasia groaned pacing.
"what is she doing?" Jack asked. "about to explode. We better get to your room. Now!" Halle said and took Josh. They rushed to Jack's room.
"Are they gonna fight? Cause if that's the case, I should go out there and stop it" Jack said.
"my mom has a motto, she doesn't physically hurt the people she loves," Halle said. "but that's my mom, how is that motto protecting my mom, she hates my mom. You know it. I know it"
"let's let them fix it. It will be over soon. Do you have board games"
."Halle are you serious?"
"dead!"
Meanwhile:
Fantasia knocked on Taraji's door. Miley opened it, she was now wearing a set of lingerie. "yes?"
. "call my sister, tell her you are at Taraji's apartment with me, she will give you some advice, take it," Fantasia said. Miley picked a Robe.
"save me the trouble, tell me what you capable of?"
"murder. I burn things, I set people on fire. I break things, I strangle necks. I fuck people up"
"but I did you no wrong," Miley said.
"go home, me and your friend over there, need to talk."
Taraji was just listening, she wanted to see if Miley was tough enough to make a stand.
"I think you girls can talk some other time. Today is my time, I'm tired, I'm horny and she usually makes me feel like a million bucks. I want her tonight" Miley said.
Taraji was impressed
"you seem to have picked the wrong night to be a free, tired, and horny hoe, baby girl. Tonight is my children's night"
"and how does that have anything to do with my woman?"
"She's the mother of my children"
Miley raised an eyebrow and then looked at Taraji. "Long story. She's my...surrogate"
Miley nodded reluctantly. "Baby, what do you wanna do? Do you wanna be with me tonight or her and the kids?"
Taraji heard that loud and clear. There was no way she was picking a girl over Fantasia and the kids.
"I'm sorry baby, rain check? I promise I will make it up to you. The kids need me" Taraji said. "you promise it has nothing to do with her?"
"I promise. She's nothing to me. You are everything" Taraji said. Fantasia rolled her eyes.
"She will be out with you in a minute," Miley told Fantasia before closing the door in her face.
She dressed up then kissed Taraji and left.
Taraji and Fantasia warmed up dinner and set the table then knocked on Jack's door. "Dinner is ready," they both said.
"See, nobody is dead," Halle said.
"Not tonight," Fantasia said.
."there is always a next time!" Taraji muttered.
They enjoyed dinner. Laughing like they were not just about to kill each other.
After dinner, the kids offered to clean up. It was late Josh fell asleep in Jack's room.
Taraji poured two glasses of wine and joined Fantasia by the deck. Fantasia was in a moment.
"come on, don't tell me you are crying after we just had a great dinner," Taraji said. "I'm too late ain't I?" Fantasia raised a question. "no, he's still a child. He needs you. And there are more years to make it up to him. You are not too late"
"I mean with you," She said. "if you asked me that question with no ring on your finger. I would say, we still have time. But looking at it makes it all impossible because, with you, I want everything. I want the morning sex, I want the bad day moods, I want the arguments about you working too hard. I want a vacation with your three kids I want a vacation with their mother alone. I want life with you. I want it all. I want to take a bullet for you. I want all of your life. But..."
"But, I'm married"
"yes"
"And since you are married and I have a life, we gonna need some boundaries. I like Miley. You can not do what you did tonight. She's worth my time, you can not use the kids as an excuse to fuck up my sexual life. You don't see me trying to fuck up your life. So please--"
"you're right. I will send her flowers and apologize"
"no. Girl no. That's my job. You just apologize and that's it. Leave any romantic gesture to me"
"Whatever!"
"you threatened my girlfriend, in my apartment, do you not see how wrong that was?"
"I have my desperate moment"
"you don't say"
Fantasia finally turned to face Taraji.
"what she got, that I don't?"
"I haven't figured that out yet. But you have something she doesn't"
"What?"
"A Husband"
"Touché" Fantasia said and walked past Taraji. "good night!" she said.
after a while, she took her kids home.
"Mom, what was that with Taraji? Why did you get so mad that you forgot we were in the room watching y'all?"
"I don't know anything you are talking about. I have no thought of that" Fantasia said.
"you threatened her. You threatened to burn her apartment."
"and yet I didn't."
"why?"
"because she had a girl over, is that it? Mom you forgetting something?"
."what?"
"you have a husband. And he's home tonight, Taraji has no husband or wife. She needs a life of her own and you are getting in the way of her happiness."
"you are just a child"
"humor me"
"If I can't have something I want, nobody else can have it either," Fantasia said getting off with Josh in her arms.
"oh, that's Classy. Very mature" Halle said following them.
REWIND...Back in reality
Fantasia opened her eyes from dreamland.
Miley was not in the room anymore and Taraji was never in the room. The kids finally set up the table, Fantasia joined them. "you okay?" Halle asked, "Y-yeah, where is Miley?" she asked checking the time on her wrist- Rolex watch, it has only been 5 minutes
"oh, she's with Taraji. They are not joining us" Halle told her. She nodded, spacing.
She heard a lot of laughter coming from Taraji's room. Her heart sank.
"Mrs Taylor, are you sure you are okay?"
"Everything is fine. Let's eat"
They had dinner and talked. Fantasia delicately told the kids they were half-siblings.
It was confusing there for a minute but Halle and Josh always liked Jack like one of their own. It wasn't too hard to accept.
Before dessert, Miley sprinted out of the house, there was emergency trauma at the hospital and they were short-stuffed.
After a while, Taraji came out to get a bottle of water.
She looked sad.
"Join us, Ms Taraji," Halle said and made her a bowl of dessert. Taraji pulled a chair. "I have a new video game, wanna try it guys?" Jack said taking his siblings out of the room.
"sorry she had to leave," Fantasia told Taraji.
"oh that, yeah," Taraji said. "you don't seem to care yet something is on your mind" Fantasia assumed. "you, you did nothing about Miley being here, the you that I know would have easily acted stupid. You were all put together"
Fantasia chuckled. "well between you and me, in my head the whole thing went south. It was embarrassing so I'm glad I blacked out instead of taking action" Taraji giggled. "I like messy you". Taraji confessed. "the one who set dorms on fire. You got in trouble a lot back then"
"Don't remind me" They laughed and then looked at each other.
"she's pretty and smart. She's what you need right now. She's good for you" Fantasia said
"And what's bad for me? Cause I like bad"
"I'm bad for you." they chuckled.
"you are very bad for me"
Taraji added. "like you are any good. You are trouble"
Their hands touched. They allowed them to touch.
"in DC, when I said the three words, I didn't mean to scare you off" Fantasia addressed the big elephant in the room.
"I know you didn't mean it. Don't sweat it"
"That's the thing Taraji. I meant every word I said. I meant it when I said I love you. I was not intoxicated or high, I was conscious. Don't say anything. Just know it in your heart that I love the glory out of you. I love the beauty of you. I love the shit out of you woman. And I will do anything every day to prove it to you. I will jump through hoops for your ass, literally putting my ass on the line for you. I love you, I love you and I'm not just saying this cause you found someone worthy of all of your love. I'm saying this for you to know. Taraji I didn't know what love was back in college when I chose Ken, I didn't know what love was, what it meant, or how it felt. I was in love with the illusion of what love should be. I was young and very naive. But now, here? At this moment, I know what it means when I say I love you. I know how I'm feeling and it is love in the flesh, love in person. It is right here" She pulled her hand to her beating heart.
"I can't undo the past. I don't wanna change it cause it taught me a lot. But I wanna start living. So yes I will tell you this every day so brace yourself. And just because I keep saying it doesn't mean you ought to dumb your girlfriend to be with me or that you have to say it back, no. It is my time to love you, even when it is hard to see you with someone else, I wanna love you so hard even if it is from afar"
Taraji felt the love that was declared to her.
She opened her mouth to say something. Fantasia placed fingers on her lips to shush her. "Don't say anything. please, don't say anything" She begged.
Taraji noded. "I will get the kids and go home, you probably need a moment to inhale and exhale this out," Fantasia said and left Taraji overwhelmed with emotions.
What do y'all think?!!!