Taraji put Halle to sleep after the long talk she had with her.
She then came out. Went to the big kitchen to get a drink.
She saw a recently opened bottle of scotch on the counter and poured it with ice. She turned and saw Gabi drinking alone in the dark.
"you know you don't have to carry all this drama right? You are young and beautiful, go out and make mistakes" Taraji said. Gabi blushed and pulled the blanket. "or you can join me" Gabi said.
Taraji curled her lips. "I can't. I'm too vulnerable to get under the covers with you or anybody, cause I'm angry, and when I'm angry, I do unspeakable things. So thanks, but I rather drink alone tonight" Taraji said walking away.
"I'm disappointed in her too you know. The least we can do is. Hate her together"
Gabi said.
"she practically raised you. When your mother died, she stepped in and raised you. You are not allowed to hate her"
"you know what makes a kid successful in raising another kid?"
"too many maids and a wealthy father?" Taraji asked rolling her eyes. "no, friends who reminded her that she was young and vibrant and has a whole life ahead of her, and stepping up doesn't make her old and boring. You did that for my sister. You raised her raise me and look at us... What a wonderful job you did. A whole doctor and a Chief with masters and crazy credibility. My sister could have easily broken into pieces when Mom died. But you didn't let her, you helped her grieve and she helped the family grieve. Taraji my sister is Lucky to have you. So please, don't give up on her yet."
Taraji laughed painfully. "I'm tired Gabi. I'm sorry, I wanna be done" Taraji said. "but how can I do that? How do we split the kids now?" Taraji asked. "you can't. If you are done with her, you guys need a new agreement like some shared custody stuff" Gabi said.
Taraji breathed deeply. "You look tired," Gabi said. Taraji scoffed. "I am exhausted and jetlagged. I just flew from DC after I got off from London for work. I can't feel my body, I can't tell if I'm standing or lying down"
Gabi chuckled. "go rest. Before you fall down on me".
"so I'm standing?"
Gabi stood up grabbed Taraji and pulled her to Halle's room.
"easy!" she told her. "thanks. I think I chose the wrong sister" Taraji said. Gabi laughed. "oh yeah? Wait until you see my toxicity"
Taraji laughed. "you? Toxicity? I would love to see that"
"rest okay. Just take this one day at a time"
"Miley. Is she okay?"
"broken. She keeps tearing up and bailing out of the OR. Talking about 'Taraji never even said goodbye' like dead people usually do that"
Gabi made Taraji laugh.
"Poor thing"
"but you know, we ain't all pretty faces, we strong," Gabi said. "I see that," Taraji said looking straight at Gabi. Gabi blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear. Taraji chuckled. "you blushing"
"no, I'm not"
"oh, you not huh?!"
"stop!"
"my bad. Well thanks for putting me to bed and tucking me in"
"you welcome," Gabi said and walked out.
Following Day
Fantasia sneaked out early to go to work. She didn't wanna bump into anyone after last night. She hurried out and drove herself to work.
She found her office filled with flowers. Like a funeral home. It traumatized her.
"get all of these flowers out of my office now. You have 2 minutes" she told her assistant, who scurried up to clean up the office.
After a while, she got in her chair. "Cancel all my meetings, shut my door, and allow me to sleep. Do not let anybody in" she instructed. "but you have an important meeting with the District attorney"
"I didn't get any sleep last night and I need sleep. So take one of those flowers write a different card and get them delivered to the DA's office with an apology"
"Yes ma'am"
"Now may I please get some sleep?"
"yes of course," she said and left the room.
Fantasia pulled her sleeper couch and laid down.
After a while her assistant came in to check on her she was sound asleep.
Meanwhile:
Gabi and the kids woke up. Jack was still on a road trip with The Mayor, doing boys' stuff.
Halle was walking around the kitchen, touching different nutritions, and different beverages. Opening and closing the refrigerator more than one could count.
"no idea what to eat?" Gabi asked while pouring cereals into a bowl for Josh.
"no, I wanted to make something for Taraji, I don't know what she would like, sucks 'cause I don't know one last thing about her," Halle said.
"latte. Start there."
"uh... Okay"
"Then, come back, make her an omelet. It should be tasty, she loves tasty food" Halle nodded. "what else can you tell me about her?" Halle asked while making breakfast for Taraji.
"Which part?"
"She's gay?"
Gabi swallowed hard. "is there gonna be a problem?"
"oh no, no no! Jack never mentioned it"
"oh, I get it. Well, I don't wanna put a label to it but she dated both men and women in college, two boys and mostly girls, to my knowledge."
"one of them is the Mayor?"
"yes. They were friends as well. The reason they stopped talking was 'cause of the media when John became the Mayor. It's a long story."
"so, Miley and her are..."
"were. Now it's complicated with her being dead and all"
"So she and Your Sister, Fantasia what's going on there?"
"I don't know"
"I know. Taraji loves her. But Fantasia is impossible to love.".
Gabi didn't comment.
"career, I know she was a homicide detective. I hear she is an FBI agent now. That's exciting"
"it is but I don't think is what she wanna be for the rest of her life. Your mother was in law school. But when Jack came along. She needed a stable Job, so she put off law school and studied something in the criminal justice system, she graduated while in homicide. I heard Miley say she is completing her law degree"
"so she wanna be a lawyer?"
"I heard, she wanna be a Judge. So all this studying is for a good course. She will start as a lawyer of course"
"That is so impressive"
"I know. What is on the menu for Halle and Taraji today? You guys gonna do something together?"
"I wanna do something, anything. But I doubt she would be interested in hanging up with a boring teenage girl like me"
"she is not as uptight as you think. She is the most free-spirited person I know, way cooler than Fantasia. And hey, we know how cool your mom can be"
"Don't call her that" Halle snapped.
"but that's who she is, the woman who carried you, the woman who raised you into all this. I get it, baby girl, right now you hate her for things she said but imagine things she has done for you. She literally jumped throw hoops to put you in the best schools, and best activities. She picked you up every day. She came home and cooked dinner for you. Yes, she said some messed up things last night but are you gonna believe the words she said out of grief and anger over how she proved to love you? She did everything for you"
Gabi reminded her.
Halle nodded. "I know she loves me, but why do I feel hurt?"
"cause she was careless. You are allowed to get mad but never forget how much she loves you"
Halle nodded. "I will take this to Taraji," she said wiping her tears.
Gabi nodded. "how do I ask her out? To mother-daughter date? Wait, do you think we are there yet? Mother daughter? I'm being clingy ain't I, oh God this feels like my first real date with Dante" Halle panicked.
Gabi chuckled looking at Taraji behind her. "no no, is she? Gosh, She's behind me" Halle continued being nervous.
She slowly turned around. "you need to stop creeping on me like that," She told Taraji.
Taraji didn't reply. She just stared at her with a smile.
Halle placed the tray back on the counter. "Join us," she said.
Taraji walked closer and took a stool. "so, who is Dante?"
"oh boy, you heard that?"
Taraji picked one grape and tossed it in her mouth. "I heard everything Clingy" Taraji whispered. Halle looked down embarrassed. Taraji lifted her face. "It may not feel like I am, but I am related to you. Blood related."
"I know."
"good cause The blood relation makes me your mother, and as your mother, I don't want you to feel like you are coming off strong. Breakfast, questions, or asking me on a date. I'm here for all of that. So where are you taking me?"
Gabi smiled. "I don't know what you like, so... What do you wanna do?"
"don't worry. You will get to know me. And as a mother, I don't get to do what I wanna do I suck it up for my kids. So what do you like except, Dante?"
Halle threw strawberries are Taraji. Taraji chuckled. "he sounds like trouble. Dante!" she added.
"like a boy, you never bring home to your parents" Gabi added.
"I can tell he has piercings like Pac," Taraji said.
"face tattoos like some rapper," Gabi said.
"gold tooth ouh" Taraji continued.
"fake chains and watches" Gabi added. "mmh swaggy afro like Z"
They laughed. "Ha ha! Very funny. Dante is a gentleman. None of that okay".
"well he's dating you, he must be gold," Taraji said.
Halle blushed. "How's going skating sound like?" Taraji asked. "really? cause I love skating"
"I'm your mother. I know everything about you. I didn't know about Dante. But I know enough"
"awe!" Gabi muttered. They both shot her a look, she looked away
"how do you know?" Halle asked lowering her voice. "your mother. She told me. We used to have a yearly thing. we meet and exchange pictures. And talk about you kids. It was our secret thing"
"wait what day is today?" Taraji panicked.
"4th!"
"shit, I'm a day late," Taraji said spacing
"Are you okay?" Halle asked.
"I am. Baby, can we take a rain check? Somewhere I gotta be" She said hurrying to change. "Thanks for breakfast. Love you" She said.
She changed and went to Brooklyn.
An abandoned warehouse. She walked around the place impatiently. She heard footsteps, which sounded like high hills, but didn't flinch or turn. It was dark. But the window she was standing by brought a little light.
She felt hands around her waist and inhaled. "you stood me up. I went back home and Google told me you were dead. I was--" the woman inhaled.
"How did you know I would be here again today?"
"I didn't. But I hoped." Taraji said and turned. She places her hands Around the woman's neck.
"I'm getting married," she told her. "yeah? Lucky partner, do they know how lucky they are?"
The woman scoffed. "they will. Still hung up on Mrs popular?"
"a part of me. But she keeps wrecking my heart" Taraji said.
"sounds exactly like her. What do you want to do today?"
"I just wanna go home, and bond with my daughter. But I had to see you" Taraji said.
"I'm glad you came. Final year?"
"I guess. I'm gonna miss you Vic" Taraji said. "me too baby. Me too"
They kissed and held each other longer. After a while, they went their separate ways.
The Mysterious woman went to a bar in New York.
"Bourbon" She ordered her drink.
Fantasia walked in with her Assistant. "double scotch and Apple Martini" Fantasia placed an order. She sniffled, smelling a familiar scent. She turned to the girl on the other side
"excuse me I like your scent," she said. Victoria turned her face with a smirk. Fantasia gasped.
"Vicky Mo!" Fantasia said.
"Tasia B," Victoria said. Fantasia learned that the scent she was sniffling was not hers.
She looked at her. Victoria gulped her drink and got off the bar stool. Fantasia blocked her way.
Victoria looked at her. "I'm late to pick up my daughter at a soccer practice." She said
"oh come on. Let's catch up. One more drink" Fantasia said.
"I'm sorry, I got better plans," she said and gently moved Fantasia out of the way. "you smell familiar"
"ordinary deodorant I guess. Versace?" Victoria played dumb. "I guess I will ask Taraji," Fantasia said. Victoria swallowed hard.
"remember her? About Yay High"
"She's hard to forget. Tell her I said hi"
"do I have to? I mean looks like you already did that. What else did you do?'
"excuse me?"
"don't. Don't play dumb. You are back here to meet Taraji. You still meet. Annually and fuck. I know."
Victoria tried escaping. Fantasia blocked.
"It stops now. Today. You hear me. Stop meeting her"
Victoria pushed her and walked out.
Fantasia paid the tab and stormed out.
She saw Victoria get in a black limo. The fur coat and Louboutin pumps she was wearing all screamed money. "I should have burned that bitch to death when I had a chance," Fantasia said. Her assistant raised an eyebrow
She went Home.
Found them sitting on the rug, playing board games.
They were laughing genuinely and loudly.
She walked in and asked Gabi to follow her into the kitchen.
"what? I was winning"
"did Taraji leave the house today?" she whispered.
"yes. She left in a hurry but she got back like an hour ago, why?"
"Victoria"
."Victoria Monét? That can't be right. Vicky is in Hollywood. She lives in Los Angeles full time"
"I met the bitch at a bar. Looking all fancy. I saw her leave in a Limo"
"oh! But what makes you think she was here for Taraji? Didn't you burn the poor girl's Dorm and she stopped talking to Taraji?"
"They have been meeting. Every November second in Brooklyn. Every year. Then go to a hotel to fuck. On November 4th, Victoria gets on a plane back home. Today. She's leaving today."
."that's some stalker shit"
"it's called investigation. She's still fucking her"
"Maybe Vicky is after all Taraji's soul mate," Gabi said and left the room.
Boy, that made Fantasia mad-angry. Like angry on top of anger. She poured a drink and then went to the living room to watch them play.
Taraji's phone went off. It was a private reference.
Taraji looked at her phone and lifted her eyes to look at Fantasia who was on the couch looking back at her.
Taraji stood up to take it in private. (to the kitchen)
Vic: home safe.
Taraji: that's good.
Vic: heads up, I met Mrs Popular today. She wasn't happy.
Taraji: I can handle her. So this is it?
Vic: it's for the best. Tarajj I love you.
Taraji: I know you do. Call me okay? I mean if you need anything.
Vic: wanna come to my wedding?
Taraji: don't do that. I will fuck you at your wedding, you know how messy I am.
(Victoria laughed)
Vic: you didn't fuck me today. I'm still upset.
(now it was time for Taraji to laugh)
Fantasia walked into the room for a refill. That laughter cringed the shit out of her veins.
Taraji: fine, send me the invitation. I will show up
Vic: I will. See you at the wedding.
They cut the call. Fantasia threw a wine bottle against the wall.
Clash:
Taraji didn't flinch. Halle and Gabi ran into the room.
"What happened?"
"it broke," Fantasia declared, looking Taraji in the eyes. Evil eyes.
Taraji smiled. "where were we?" she asked the girls.
"I was winning," Halle said walking out of the room with Gabi.
Taraji walked towards Fantasia
"Figure out what the fuck you want cause you look crazy and I know I am still your Proxy. I will ship you into a psychiatric hospital real quick" She said and head out.
Fantasia grabbed Taraji's hand and pulled her into her body. She kissed taraji who didn't respond to the kiss. instead she pulled away from her. "Don't touch me" taraji told her
"it ain't that kinda party. Don't ever touch me again" she said firmly.
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