Please excuse ANY errors.

September 28, 1998

~DeVanté's P.O.V~

I threw on some boxers and socks on. Lotioned up, and jumped in the bed. I picked up the phone to call Tia. She answered on the first ring.

"Hello, what's up?" She asked me.

"I just got back not even an hour ago. Just hopped out the shower. Wanted to call you before I fell asleep. You?" I questioned.

"Awww, my man yearning for me." She cooed through the phone which is embarrassing and I smiled sheepishly. "I'm on my way up to my hotel room right now. Just walked in the building. How was your day?"

"It was a'ight. I'm tired as fuck though. I'm just glad I'm givin' myself the weekend off. Shit, I need it."

"You do. Let me remind you that having the weekend off includes not going into the studio in your house. Weekend off means weekend off. No exceptions. Just relaxation." She told me.

"I know that, TIA." I chuckled. "Sometimes I just can't help it though. When I feel inspired, I wanna get it done then while it's fresh. You do the same when you come up with stuff all the time." I rolled my eyes then laughed.

"I do not." She argued back.

"Yes the hell you do. I got some of your notebooks in my dresser. RECEIPTS, Tia!" I yelled at her playfully.

"Ahh, whatever Donald." I know she rolled them bug ass eyes of hers.

"Stop rollin' yo eyes before they get stuck. Or before I give them a reason to be like that." I told her.

She smacked her lips. "A'ight, Donald. Awww, babe! These peonies are beautiful!" I can tell that she's practically cheesing.

"You're welcome," I said trying to remember if I did this time.

I do send her gifts and flowers a lot to make sure she knows she's special to me. I don't think I did today though I do about two to three times out of the week. Maybe they came late or something? Peonies? I haven't order those type of flowers in a little while.

"The chocolates too, but Donald you know I don't eat chocolate that much, especially milk chocolate. I do appreciate it though." She smiled.

"Yeah, Tia... I... I don't think- I hate to tell you this baby, but I don't think I sent anything out today. I know you don't eat chocolate that much. You're allergic. I know better. So who the hell sendin' you flowers and shit?" I questioned.

"If you didn't then who did?" She said puzzled.

"That's what I'm askin' YOU! It's what I'm tryna figure out." I frowned.

"I honestly don't have a clue." She exhaled.

"Any of them niggas you been workin' with?" I asked her.

"No, I don't think so... Anywho! You're birthday is tomorrow. You're about to be a age younger than thirty. Old ass." She chuckled.

"Yeah, don't remind me!" I chuckled. "Back to those flowers... I wanna know when sent them. Check the card."

"There is none. Only flowers and chocolate that I'm NOT going to eat." She told me. "I'm not gon' make a big deal out of it though."

"Sheeiittt, I am. That shit ain't cool. You told people that you not single?" I asked her.

"Ghee, Donald... I don't just bring up the fact that I'm in a relationship in a normal conversation that it doesn't cause for. I don't even talk about my personal life and nobody has even gave me a reason to bring it up. I haven't even experienced flirting with them. Just work and business talk."

I laughed. "You know that ain't what I meant, but okay."

"Wait a minute." She spoke then I heard low ruffling on the other end.

"What?"

"There is a card. It says, Your smile makes me smile, so I wanted to make you happy." Tia read to me. "That could mean anything. It doesn't have to be a romantic gesture."

"It is though," I reassured her.

She sighed, "How would you know?"

"Because I do. You said nobody flirted with you but you don't be noticing it all the time when it does happen." I said to her. "Anyways, how was your day?"

"I do, but my day has went like all the others. I'm tired but I'm pulling through." She chuckled.

"You don't. Your uncle is back from tour and think he the shit." I laughed loudly.

"What's new? That man thought he was the sugar honey iced tea before then. That's just how I've ALWAYS remembered him." She laughed.

"What about the cast? Do you think it was them?" I questioned.

"We changed the subject for a minute and now you're back on it." She chuckled. "I don't thinks so. I miss you."

"I miss you too." I cheesed. "So what about the background characters?"

"You know what? Imma talk to you later. Goodbye, Donald!" She said laughing.

"Goo-" Before I could finish, she hung up. I called her back and she answered.

"Wha-" She said but I hung up laughing.

She called me back and I picked up. "Hang up on me again and I'll-" I hung up.

I felt bad so I called her back and she picked up. "I'm sorry. I love you!" I told her then hung up. I don't feel THAT bad!

I laughed holding my stomach. This shit here is hilarious. We've done this a few times before but none are as funny as today. She's going to chew my ass up and spit me out next time I speak to her. My laughter subsided and I was laughing here and there until I eventually fell asleep.

September 29, 1998

I slept for a few hours until I felt like I was being watched. I kept my eyes closed and reached for my gun slowly at the top side of my bed. The only thing is that I couldn't feel it at the top where I ALWAYS leave it. Panic struck, but I going turn around because if there's an afterlife, I'm GOING to haunt this motherfucker! I just have to brace myself first...

"Relax." I heard a soft voice say to me.

I flipped over to see Tia squatted in front of me, with her legs together, gripping the barrel of the gun. "What are you doin' here?" I said in my groggy voice.

"Well, you hung up on me and I came to do what I said I'll do." She smirked. "Well TRIED to before you slammed the phone." She chuckled, then sat the gun on the nightstand next to me.

"Really? You bullshitin'..." I chuckled. "Right?"

"I am... Sort of... Happy birthday." Tia smiled as I sat up slightly by adjusting my pillow. She grabbed my hand.

I looked at the clock and it for sure is my birthdate. "Thanks. How come you didn't tell me you was comin'?" I questioned.

"To surprise you of course." She chuckled showing her little gap. "And you get yo ass back for earlier."

"I called back and said I love you. That should count." I told her.

She pointed her wagging finger at me with a chuckle. "I love you. If you keep messin' with me-"

"You'll what?" I challenged with risen eyebrows at her.

"A'ight now, DeGrate." She laughed with low eyes. I can tell she's tired. She lifted up some in a semi-squat and pecked my lips then pulled away.

"If you missed me, that wack ass kiss you gave me SHOULD'VE been better." I grabbed her and pulled her closer but she pulled herself back.

"You hung up on me more than once, remember?" She smiled then bent down and bit my arm.

"OUCH!" I yelped. "What the fuck!?" I sat up, and grabbed my arm. "Are you serious?"

"What? You thought I wouldn't do it?" She laughed.

"So we even?" I questioned.

"Only if I had bitten you harder..." She chuckled and I rolled my eyes. "I'm joking."

I grabbed her again to pulled her closer. "I just came from outside, and I don't want to be in your bed with outside clothes on." She said pulling back.

"Woman, if you don't get yo ass over here right now..." I chuckled pulled her on top of me.

She laughed. "You know I hate being on the bed with outside clothes on."

"Do I look like I give a fuck?" I blinked rapidly.

"I do, bringing outside germs onto t-"

I pulled her down to me and gripped her waist as we locked lips. To shut her up? Yes, but also because I truly did miss this woman. Talking about some damn germs. I flipped us over with our lips still wrestling. Tia flipped us back over after about a minute or so, pulled away out of breath and sat on top of me.

"Do you know how long I was here before you noticed?" She laughed, pulling her dress back down.

"Stupid question... You know I was asleep." I chuckled.

She rolled her eyes and popped her mouth. "Okay, it IS a stupid question. I'm sleep-deprived, so give a a break. It was a little over five minutes." She stated.

"Really?" I asked surprised while massaging her booty.

"Yeah, you're sleeping heavier now. That's good." She smiled.

"You're a weirdo."

"I am not." She scoffed, amused and rolled her eyes. Tia then moved my hands.

"You squatted over me, WATCHING me for over five minutes. Did I forget to remind you was WATCHING me sleep?" My eyebrows rose and I placed my hands behind my head, relaxed.

"When you put it that way, YEAH! Only it wasn't like that. I was trying to see when you'd awake. AND I wasn't swatting over you, I was squatting below you." She leaned forward, placing both of her hands on my stomach. "Actually it was a little longer than that because I had to remove the gun." Her eyebrows fell and dropped continuously as she spoke.

"Weirdo," I told her.

"Oh, like I have NEVER caught you watching me sleep..." She pursed her lips.

"No comments. How long you stayin'?" I asked her.

"For thirty-six hours. I want you to have your other day off to yourself." She lifted up slightly to pull the back of her dress down because it had lifted when I lifted her onto me as well when I massaged her booty. "Plus I gotta finish the editing process. Bad news is that we have to reshoot some lost footage. Good news is that we STILL might finish earlier than we assumed." She looked down, rubbing her slightly vaseline covered lips together.

"Shit, I wouldn't mind if you stayed, but like you said, you gotta get back to work." I responded. "You did that just to rub up on me." I laughed.

"Did what?" She looked up from my stomach, confused.

"When you pulled your dress back down?"

"Oh!" She caught on. This woman is definitely sleepy. She is confused as fuck right now. "Pshh, boy bye!" She laughed and scooted up to where she's more on my stomach.

"See! Baby, you don't scoot on a man and expect nothing to happen. You tryna wake him up when I myself am still half asleep!" I pointed out.

"Alright. My bad. It was an accident." She swung her leg over to where it joined the other to get off the bed.

I grabbed her. "BUT- but it's okay," I reassured her while flipping us over. Her back against the sheets and me between her legs.

We just stared into each other's eyes, silently for a while. Oh, how I miss staring into those eyes. I sound like a movie or book character or some shit, but I'm being honest. My whole life is kinda cliché now. But like Ronald McDonald puts it, I'M loving it. Every bit of it.

"I miss these eyes. Being able to look in them again as we speak." Tia whispered and I burst out into laughter. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Where's the joke?"

I flipped us back over to where I was on my back and her straddling me again. "It's just I was thinking the same thing, love. What are you? Some kind of mind reader? If so, bring Jojo's magic crystal bald head and tell me EVERYTHING bad that's going to happen in the next few months so I could either prevent them or brace myself."

"Oh, okay." She laughed. She lifted up again to pull her dress down. "Babe, you really had to bring Jojo's head into this, huh?" She chuckled, completely disregarding everything else I said.

"I did." I nodded. "Ion know why you keep pulling that shit down like it ain't gon' rise up again. You ARE straddling me." I reminded her.

"As a barrier. DUHH!" Tia rolled her eyes.

I shook my head at her. "You're beautiful but you look like shit right now." I chuckled.

"That makes two of us because you don't look no better." She smiled. "You probably look worse, love."

"Did you sleep at all?" I questioned.

"After work, I headed straight to the hotel. You know that part because I was on the phone with you. After I hung up on you, I grabbed my bags and came back to ATL. BUT speaking of Jojo, have you spoken to the both of them?" She asked, moving off of my body and laying next to me. "Being constantly flipped over has made me light-headed."

I exhaled loudly. "My bad, baby. To answer your question, hell naw." I turned to her.

What's going on? Let me tell you. These niggas are going interviews and saying me and Dalvin ain't matured yet and how they're more mature than we are. Drinking and partying a lot is mature? It ain't as bad as it was at one point but it damn sure ain't to far. Have the grown musically? Yes, and I'll give them that!

They're even writing their own music these days. It's the fact that they had the nerve to say if ME and DALVIN get to their level as if I'm not doing the damn thing. I'm writing music for a bunch of people and have even more under my label. Fuck they mean we ain't matured? I did talk a lot about sex in the music JODECI recorded, but I was also feeding OUR audience. Besides, that's what most young people think about.

Shit, I still think about it and I'm not even having sex! The music I write for others doesn't talk about sex as much as Jodeci did. I thought everything was cool with us. All they had to respond with when they asked about us is they're doing their own thing at the moment. THAT'S all. Instead, they say respond in a way that makes it seem like they're better or something.

"I'm sure they ain't mean it the way you're interpreting it as. They're your friends." Tia turned to me then propped her leg up on my side.

"I heard from them, but it wasn't a conversation. It was more of an argument. Pissed me off, especially that K-Ci." I revealed.

She nodded. "Y'all will hash it out."

"Shit, not if they don't stop speakin' that bullshit. You spoke to Pac yet? Yasir?" I questioned. She hasn't spoken to him since last year and that whole thing that went on with Yasir and their parents.

"No, I just think people grow apart sometimes." She expressed.

"Maybe that's the case with me and the fellas. As you grow, you grow in different directions. Also as your audience grows, you get a big head. Much how we did when we was all actively making music and showing up as a FULL group." I told her.

"Well..." Tia cuffed my chin in one hand and the top of my head in her other. "Donald, you've ALWAYS had a big head." She laughed grabbing the top of my head.

"Yo shit big too, so don't even come for my head." I joined in on the laughter and moved her hand from my head. "Three of 'em!" I added.

She smacked her lips playfully. "The same ones you be feeling and grabbing on."

"You right and I'm not complaining. What about Yasir? I asked about him too." I moistened my lips with my tongue and looked at her low eyes.

"I love him but we not on good terms. We haven't been for a while but definitely after the whole lil fiasco from early this month. He's just was selfish and was thinking about himself. Could've put everybody in danger with the law. I- I don't even feel like talkin' about it or thinking about it. It's pissing me off." She sighed heavily.

"I get it. Wanna catch some Z's?" I yawned.

She yawned too. "Mm, yeah." She nodded then got up.

"Where you goin'?" I sat up. "Ain't you sleepin' in the bed wit' me?"

"I am!" She turned to me. "I'm just changing out of this thick behind dress and into something I left here."

"Oh, a'ight." I laid back as she disappeared down the hallway of my room. Ten minutes later, she came out with my shirt on. "I thought you said you was changin' into somethin' YOU left as in YOUR clothes."

"I did. I bought this back from my house a while ago."

"You bought MY shirt back, WEARIN' it." I chuckled.

"Did I not wash it when I brought it back though? What's yours is mine, right?" She said climbing into the bed.

I shook my head laughing. Tia smirked and lay down beside me. "So I could wear yo shit is what you sayin'?"

"My clothes? You wanna wear MY clothes? My dresses and tight stuff? I mean OUR clothes." She looked at me from the corner of her eyes.

"Nahhh, you said that shit right. That's yo shit. Ion wanna wear that shit. I was just jokin'. Forget I ever said that shit." I told her. "But you do take all damn day just to get ready for bed."

"WHATEVER." She laughed. "GOODnight, Donald." I pulled the covers on me and from under her because she laid on top of them. Her body almost rolled off the bed due to the amount of force I used to pull the covers. "Stop being a butt! Lemme sleep."

She snatched one of the pillows from under my head, hit me in the face with it then, shoved it between us at the midsection. Why the pillow when like she wasn't just on me the way she was on me?

"Tryna snap my neck and shit," I told her.

"Oh, my goodness! Stop over exaggerating and please get some sleep. We both need it..." She wined with her eyes closed.

I chuckled at her. "Big ass baby. Goodnight, love." That was the last thing I told her before I drifted off into dreamland. That's what a hard day of work will do to you!

When I woke up, my eyes fluttered open and I looked at the floor before I decided to turn my head. I saw Tia looking directly at me which startled me. I didn't feel her move before then so I assumed she was still asleep, but no! It's like she's staring right through me.

"Well, good morning to you too, for the second time," I said in my morning voice.

Her eyes focused on me. "Morning."

"You love to watch people sleep, huh? Actually not people but me. Damn, I'm THAT fine?" I chuckled.

She rolled her eyes in a playful manner. "I literally just woke up like two or three seconds before you did. I was just thinking."

"OR maybe it's the fact that you can't believe you sleepin' next to a good lookin' nigga like me." I grinned.

"Boy, bye. We slept together on plenty occasions." She wiped the crust out of her eyes and it's a LOT in their eyes of hers.

"DAMN, yo eyes crusty than a motherfucker! Them be the crumbs on the bed you hate so much." I chuckled lowly. She waved her hand at me not in the mood, STILL wiping her eyes. "If you had said that in front of Dalvin, he would've jumped to conclusions. We have slept together, but not much since we've been together. Plus, that was years ago."

"Yeah, but it's different now. Like you said, we're together and now he have stronger feelings for one another. As mental attraction increases so does the physical. I just don't want things to happen."

"Think I can't control myself?" I questioned. "Because I can. Do you know how many times we've been around each other, how many times we rubbed up on each other, and I got aroused? Too many damn times and ain't shit ever happen. Not so much as a kiss back then." I chuckled. "I respect your value. Matter of fact, I value it too. We haven't even done those exceptions you've mentioned." I told her.

"Right, and I knew EVERY single time. We're also two adults and sometimes things happen and we both can lose control. Just look at Angela Simmons."

"True, but I promise we won't EVER go as far as sex until we are married. I respect you and your decision to wait. I told you that when we said we'd start dating. I also know what it's like to break a valuable self promise." I reassured her.

"I remember and thank you for that." She smiled.

"So every single time, Tia?" I asked her.

"Yes, Donald. Now that I know what I know now as an older adult and how you try play it off, I put two and two together and know what is was all those times I found you to be acting strange." She nodded. "I KNOW. I mean I knew some of those times back then too, but I was too awkward to speak up. It's hilarious now that I'm thinking about it again." She laughed with her hand covering her mouth. "You were trippin'."

"I was trippin' but you was doin' shit too. You knew what you was doin' some of those times, you had to." I told her as she stretched. Her morning stretches be having her look like she's having a seizure.

"Honestly, I did know. I DID do some of those things on purpose and would laugh about when I was alone. Kinda like now, except I'm doing it in your face." She guffawed.

"So you admittin' to the shits? Some things never change. You teased me then and do it even MORE now. Shit makin' sense now. That's fucked up, Tia." I told her.

"Oh, hush because you do it too. It's mutual." She rolled her crusty ass eyeballs.

"How the fuck you rub all that crust out them eyes and it still be crusty. I don't get it. I didn't get it then and I don't get it now. So what was you thinkin' about when you woke up?" I sat up with my upper back against the headboard.

"About how happy I am to finally be able to spend some time with you." She smiled embarrassingly then rolled over onto her face.

"Me too. You always get embarrassed. It's just us, babe." I licked my dry lips.

She turned back over then sat up. "I know." She cheesed. "Still... I know you love to talk shit."

I moved the pillow that's was wedged between us and moved closer to her. "I do like to talk shit. I missed you fine ass too. I know we talk every day but I miss seeing you in front of me. Your face and being able to touch you." I pulled her closer and wrapped my arm around her. Then I cuffed her chin with my other hand, rubbing the side of her face with my thumb.

She cheesed at me. "Who can't miss all THIS?" She spoke then shoved her face into my neck, muffling her laughter. Tia threw her leg over mine that was closest to her. "I'm serious." She looked up at me with her big eyeballs then nestled her face back against my neck.

"Shit..." I trailed off, then rested my chin on top of her head and moved our shirt she wore down on her body. "You're intellectually gifted, honest, open, can hold a conversation. We connect mentally, emotionally, spiritually. You fine as fuck, nice body-" I grabbed her booty and squeezed which made her chuckle. "And you can dance," I added even though it's irrelevant.

She looked up at me at the last part. "Is this some kind of a joke? I can't dance to save my life." She chuckled.

"None of it is. Yes, you can, but you be dancing like George Jefferson in front of me. I saw the mirror room with the poles. I ain't ever been in there until like a couple of weeks ago. I noticed it and asked Elijah and he told me you took pole dancing classes a while back and can really get it." I squinted at her and her expression changed.

"Whaaaaat?" Tia asked.

"Mmhm. I thought some weird shit took place in that room, but Elijah explained it to me." I told her and she just stared at me silently. Tia then put her face in my neck again.

We stayed like that for a while until she crossed over me to get off the bed. "I don't know why people are so surprised by that. I gotta pee."

I nodded and watched her disappear then I decided to get out of the bed as well. I need to get dressed for the day. I showered before I went to bed and ain't catch no night sweats since I'm always cold and shit. I'm good and I'm staying in the house. I went to my drawer that has my house clothes inside and grabbed some shorts and a beater then threw it on.

Why are people so surprised by that? Tia's voice rang through my head. People are so surprised because she LITERALLY dances like a spider trying to get away from a human any other time. I really wanna see her dance now, since Elijah claimed she was so good. I want proof.

"Have you figured it out yet?" Tia asked with NO other context whatsoever. Her voice is muffled due to her brushing her teeth.

"Figured what out?" I said turning to face her.

"The group I'm doing the film about?" She spoke, walking closer.

"I haven't had the time to watch TV, so no," I replied.

"Oh, well... There have been trailers for the film on television for like two weeks now." She reminded me.

"I remember you telling me, but as I said, I haven't had the time to watch TV. When I do turn it on, I end up almost instantly falling asleep in front of it." I chuckled. "So you might as well tell me, baby."

"Uhhh... NO!" Tia spoke sternly. "I guess you'll find out today. I'll check the TV Guide to see what's on." She went back into the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste.

I followed her. "How come you won't just tell me? You KNOW I wanna know so bad. You must love to torture me?"

"I enjoy it just like you do with me!" Tia said after spitting out more toothpaste.

"I do!" I got behind her and tickled her causing the black toothpaste to fly out of her mouth.

"Let me go!" She said as she lifted her feet off the floor. "Donald!" She let out while laughing.

"No can do, love," I replied laughing at her laughter.

"I gotta pee!" She yelled out with the vein in her head popping out.

"No you don't, you just did! Lie again!" I yelled at her.

"I will bite you!" She screamed.

"Try again!" I yelled out.

"I love you!" She screamed out.

I stopped. "I love you. That ain't why I stopped though. My breath is kickin' like Jackie Chan." I grabbed my toothbrush and the toothpaste.

"Are you referring to the real Jackie Chan or-"

"It don't matter. They both do karate." I shrugged, squirting some toothpaste on my toothbrush.

"I do too." She replied.

"Not on they level though," I told her.

"True, but still." She said then rinsed her mouth out with water. "Hey, I know how you are about you your privacy and how adamant were about staying home for your birthday, so I'm going to ask you..." She trailed off.

"I'm listenin'." I nodded.

"Remember Chef Ramsey?" She asked.

"I do. What about him?" I said while brushing my teeth.

"I wanted to do something special for your birthday but because you were so adamant about staying home, I wanted to see if it was okay to invite him over to cook dinner for us? He's already signed an NDA, he's just waiting on my call back. What do you say?" She tilted her head.

"I don't know..." I trailed off and stopped brushing.

"I didn't have enough time to go shopping and you don't have nothing but quick stuff, sweets, and breakfast foods. He'll do the shopping and cooking." She added.

I took the hint that she didn't feel like doing it, which is fine. This is like her mini-vacation away from work. "Alright, that will give us more time to spend together in this short stay. I also took the hint that you don't want to. I DO miss your cooking." I continued to brush my teeth.

"Alright!" She shouted out happily then walked out while cleaning off the mirror.

She finished wiping the mirror before I finished with my teeth, and walked out to see her sitting on the bed with one of the notebooks she left.

"What you doin'?" I asked even though I already know.

"Ideas for future projects."

I chuckled. "And you talk about me always thinking about work. Yet, here you are."

"I need to write while it's still fresh."

"Same thing I told you but I was ignored," I told her, putting on more deodorant.

"You weren't because I was listening. I just reminded you what a vacation really was." She told me.

"EXACTLY, so when you done with that, come be on vacation with yo man." I reasoned.

"So home is now a vacation?" She questioned, putting the notebook away.

"Yes, you said it. It's an at-home vacation wit' cho man." I smiled with my hands folded.

"Okay." She stood up. "Let's go make brunch." We did wake up pretty late.

"Wait a minute, you want ME to HELP you make MY birthday breakfast?" I questioned with my fingertips against my chest.

"Ye damn skippy! You NOT finna have our kids starvin' when I'm sick and can't get out of bed! They NEED you! Especially since I'll be consuming it too. Da hell..." She said walking off.

I met her in the kitchen. "You finally decided that you want children?" I questioned.

"I did. I realized that every child doesn't go through what I've been through. Am I still scared? Yes, of course!" She turned around.

"You want kids wit' ME?" I said shocked.

"I mean... Yeah! When we're married, we have slowed down on our careers, we'll have time." She shrugged then began grabbing things out of the cabinets. Tia turned to me. "You want kids with me?"

"I do. I see the motherly side of you with every kid you come in contact with. I love it and can DEFINITELY see it happening in the future." I nodded, grabbing the sausage and bacon out of the freezer. Then the eggs out of the refrigerator.

"Why are you surprised that I want kids with you?" She questioned with furrowed eyebrows.

"I mean, I have a past and-"

"You do but as you just stated, you have a past. We're past the past and you can tell them you're story so they won't want to go through the same path. You're good with kids too. Despite you and DJ always arguing, but he's your little brother." She chuckled. "I wouldn't be with someone I don't see myself marrying or having children with. Now, if you go back down the route you were, that's a whole 'nother story. Quite the opposite."

"I feel you, but I'm not doing that again. That was a dark time and now the sun is constantly shining on my face and I love the feeling." I said to Tia.

"Okay." She replied, getting a pan out.

I grabbed a pot. "We doin' it big?"

"I guess so." She said looking at all the food we took out. "But we gotta let those stinky meats defrost." Tia's face squinched up.

"You trippin', this shit smells good ESPECIALLY when it's being cooked," I told her.

"Blehh, it makes me vomit!" She gagged.

It's true! I once took those damn nose plugs out of her nose to see what would happen and she threw up all over me and the floor. This was before she left. Before that, I thought she was just bullshitting. I learned the hard way!

"Tia, sometimes I just don't get you." I shook my head.

She stuck her tongue out at me. "So I was thinking about blueberry cream cheese breakfast braid. So we'll do that..."

"But it's my birthday." I reminded her and she just gave me a blank stare. "BUT a blueberry cream cheese breakfast- what you call it?"

"Braid." She replied.

"A blueberry cream cheese braid sounds good," I told her.

"I'm glad you agree." She smiled.

I does sound good but I was going for something more simple like pancakes. "One problem."

"What's that?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I don't have blueberries."

"You do now. Check the fridge." She told me.

I went to the fridge again and sure enough, blueberries are in there. "I thought you came straight here after landing?"

"Sorta, I went home first, I showered and brought some food from my house over." She chuckled. "Blueberry has been living rent-free in my head for the past three days and the blueberry braid sounds good."

"Oh, so that's why you smelt good for a change?" I said sounding shocked.

"Don't play. This kitty stays fresh and ready." She chuckled.

"Ready?" I jerked my head back. "Ready for what?"

She smirked. "Okay, I take that back. She stays dry and saggy."

"Old lady cooch." I chuckled. "You just ruined it. Ewww!" I shuttered.

"Skin pealing and all bumpy." She added.

"Tia! C'mon now!" I said disgustedly.

"Itchin' and BURNIN'..." She trailed off. I squinted at her with a frown. "OKAY, I'm done!" She laughed.

"Thank you!"

"Leaking orange liquid." She said again.

"Tia..."

"I'm done. I'm done. I'm done!" She hunched over laughing.

"You a developing a potty mouth. You been listening to my ass and around me too long." I chuckled.

Tia twisted her neck to look at me then went back to what she was doing. We were in the kitchen for some hours, just cooking, laughing, dancing, joking, and listening to music. What took so long was the blueberry braid thing. Tia sat our already made plates down on the table, while I sat the pitchers and cups down. We both sat at the table, but Tia danced as she took a seat. Food excited her, but she doesn't always eat it.

"Our first meal together in how long?" Tia asked.

I looked at the clock. Fifty-seven days, seventeen hours, and fourteen minutes, but who's counting? "It's uhh- it's been a while." I chuckled.

"I know. Silent prayers or loud grace?" Tia asked me.

"Loud and you say grace," I told her.

"Sure." She grabbed my hands and we bowed our heads. "Lord! Heavenly Father, we thank you for this meal that Donald has helped prepare. He not experienced Lord, but he did the best he can with one of the best chefs. Let's hope the tasks he was given alone was done right and not under or overcooked. Well, that's the stuff I won't be touching..." She mumbled. "We thank you for the opportunities, lessons, and knowledge you have blessed us with. You love you, Father God. We thank you, God. We thank you for everything you do for us. Aman!"

"Aman," I said very lackluster. I lifted my head up and stared at her as she wiggled around and danced in her chair happy for the food. "Really?"

"What? Eat." She gestured towards my plate.

"You ain't have to downplay me like you just did," I told her.

"I spoke complete and honest truth. What's wrong?" She smiled.

"Alright... Okay..." I nodded and pointed to her with a chuckle. "Maybe you do got a droopy coochie."

"I do." She laughed. "You still with me though."

I shook my head laughing. "Whatever," I said shoving a spoonful of food into my mouth.

"You just mad." She laughed. "It's cool though."

Alright, this blueberry braid thingy is good as fuck! Tia never made this for me and it's even better than how I thought it would taste. My stuff is good too!

"Mm." I moaned out accident.

"Good, huh?" She smirked.

"I mean, ewww!" I changed it. "Get this outta my mouth!" I coughed while scraping my tongue.

"Well..." She moved her hand holding her fork over to my plate.

I snatched my plate off the table. "It's nasty, but I'm still gon' eat it. I don't believe in wasting food!"

"Oh, a'ight! That's what I thought." Tia nodded with the same smirk. "People don't moan unless they're satisfied or in pain."

"You right. It pains me to swallow this shit, but ONLY the parts you made." I say my plate back down on the table.

"Keep swallowing those lies, Donald." Tia nodded taking another bite of her food.

"I'm just playin'. It's good, love." I leaned over and kissed her lips. "Taste like you put yo foot in it and kept stomping!" I told her.

"Kept stomping?" She choked on her water while laughing.

"Hell yeah!" I patted her back. "You two stepped in this food. Shit, crip walked!"

"I'm done with you!" Tia said laughing. "I cannot!"

"Feet moonwalked to knead the dough and everything," I added.

"Stop!" She laughed and coughed.

"It is good though," I told her as her laughter and coughing subsided.

"Thanks." She chuckled.

"Why do we use that saying when food is good?" I asked her.

"I don't know. I got it from my grandparents." She chuckled. "That is weird to say though. Many people probably heard someone say that and thought they meant literally." She laughed. "I'd be LIVID. Thinking somebody really put their foot in my food."

"Hell yeah! We fighting!" I told her laughing.

"EXACTLY. I'm beating some butt tonight!" She chuckled.

"Why don't they just say, you put your finger in it?" I asked.

"Because compared to a foot, it'd be an insult. A foot is huge while a finger is just a minuscule comparison."

"But many times a finger does go in the food while being cooked and/or the process of preparation. It would make much more sense."

"Definitely." She nodded.

The moment we finished eating breakfast, we went to the couch to watch TV. "What is the usual air time?"

"All day at any time." She told me.

"It's almost four o'clock on a Saturday do it better be something good on," I told her, looking at the TV Guide.

"Oooh, babe, let's watch Silver Spoons!" She said excitedly.

"Hell, nah. I'm not watchin' that today." I replied briefly. "We gon' watch a movie," I told her.

She sighed. "It IS your birthday."

Tia nodded then turned back to the TV. I continued to stare at her when she saw it still on the same channel then turned to me. Her face turned red.

"Babe..." She trailed off embarrassingly then turned away. "What? I got food on my face or somethin'?" She said turning back.

"No." I shook my head.

"Then WHAT?" She asked still all red.

"You're beautiful."

"I know. You're beautiful." She told me with a big ass smile.

I scooted closer, grabbed her legs to drape the across mines, placed one of my arms on the backrest of the couch, all while staring into her eyes. We're always staring at each other and my heart always pounds out of my chest. We both broke the stare then turned back to the TV.

"Would you looka here?" I turned back to her. "One of your movies are playing. We gon' watch Soul Food." I smiled.

"No. Please don't go to that." She sighed.

"Why not?" I asked.

"BECAUSE I'm going to think too much into it."

I feel her one hundred percent! Sometimes I think too much into music, but most mines. "Well, don't," I replied.

"It AIN'T that easy, Donald." She told me.

"We gon' learn together, instead of avoiding it," I told her, turning to the channel. "We both got that problem. The first lesson is September 29, 1998."

"Mentally noted." Tia held up her index finger.

It's unhealthy to always have your mind on working. We're workaholics. While that's beneficial to our bank accounts, it isn't for our well-being. We need to go to a workaholic anonymous meeting together. Probably a few. I kicked my feet up on the ottoman and rubbed my hands up and down her legs; mindlessly.

"You haven't even opened your gifts," Tia spoke up after a long time of silence.

"Thank you, but Imma do it later. I'm tryna spend time with you. Even if it is just sitting in the couch watching television." I chuckled lowly at the last part.

"K."

When Tia wrote this movie, she put some of her personal life into it like most of her films.

Tia spoke again. "I think I wanna do another Soul Food movie. Maybe even a show."

"AHT!" I told her. "Not supposed to be thinking about work!" I reminded her.

"Sorry." She said in a small voice.

"We learnin'," I said looking at the TV commercials then the movie came on. "We missed some of the movies, but it's alright."

We silently watched TV for like twenty to twenty-five minutes until there was a commercial break. The typical commercials like Mr. Clean, KitKat, Cigarettes Cause Cancer, and Halloween commercials because people start that Halloween shit early as fuck. It's honestly annoying. Like, it's September 29th and Halloween is the 31st of October. There's a WHOLE month dedicated to that shit and now its tradition is added to September too. Then...

I turned to her once it ended. "THE TEMPTATIONS!?" I shouted.

She threw her head back laughing. "Yes!"

"BABY!" I said in disbelief. "Jojo and K-Ci was just performin' with them not too long ago."

"Yeah, I know. It was before the others passed away." She told me.

"You been holdin' this back from me. THIS is a big idea. The Temptations are a big idea. C'mon baby, you coulda been told me this." I exhaled in disbelief.

"I could've but didn't."

"You got Leon again too? That shit dope because he is a good ass actor. Y'all chose some good ass actors." I said to her.

"Of course. You know I don't play about that mediocre acting. Everything I do gon' leave people wanting more." Tia told me.

"Wow, so how did this come about?"

Tia shrugged, "Same thing as when you do things. I got in contact with his people and BOOM, we ended up meeting up last year in California. It was dope and Otis is a very down to Earth guy. It would've been better if I got another perspective though because we all see things differently. Unfortunately, the others are dead."

"I'm going to the premiere with or without you," I told her.

"Excuse me?" Her hand flew to her chest and her head jerked back.

I pointed the remote at her. "You heard me." I chuckled.

"Chile... Anyways." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm just playing. I'd be happy to accompany you to the premiere. How long is it?"

She smiled at me. "It won't be released in theaters though, babe."

I frowned. "Why not?"

"It's a miniseries, remember? Don't nobody wanna sit for like four or five hours. Booty gon' fall asleep. We want people to be comfortable wherever they watch it. It's going to be released on NBC which is the channel we're currently on."

"We gon' watch it together at the theater at yo house in our draws with hella snacks and shit." I pointed to her.

"Donald? In our draws, really?" She cackled.

"Okay, not in our draws, but house clothes. Comfortable as shit. I'm not tryna be focused on you more than the movie." I chuckled lowly. "Just me and you because I don't want no damn drama, babies screamin', or people talking." I raised my eyebrows. "Damn, the Temptations..."

"Mmhm, I got you." She popped her mouth.

"I got you too. When will you be done editing?"

"We're almost through. It'll be out sometime in January and I'll probably be gon' for another week or a week and a half. I want it to be done in PERFECTION." She explained to me.

"Okay. This'll for sho' give you yet another challenge of not thinking work while watching your work." I told her.

My whole day went great. I'm excited Tia flew here because I probably would've got bored and started back working again. She made sure I didn't do work and vice versa. We watched one movie and played a bunch of board and card games. She tried to teach me how to play Spades. THAT went so bad that she just gave up. I did win in Uno though. That's my shit! I love UNO! I love, Tia. Had me laughing and cheeseing all damn day that my cheeks are hurting. Chef Ramsay came and made us some five-star food. It was delicious.

Word Count: 7,800
Please don't forget to like the chapter and the ones to come if you enjoy this book. Also, feel free to leave a comment.

❤️Thanks for the support that you've been giving me. I'm very appreciative. WOW, we're REALLY on book two!❤️