In The Unlikely Event [updates begin may 3]

26 | soup kitchen

a/n i did say later tonight. 11:56 pm is what i meant obviously.

lil recap: addy and tammy's family had a hockey game mini-tournament to celebrate hakeem's birthday. at the ice rink, addy bumps into rome who invites her out on another date for saturday. at home, tammy comforts addy after addy revealed to her the reason why she never applied for the beauty pageants and reaffirmed to her friend that her beauty is NOT measured in other people's opinion. 

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"Okay! It took almost 200 dollars, a trip back and forth to Ray and his touchy cousin who can't take a hint, but I have successfully washed and dried all the coats we got for the homeless shelter," I announced, walking into Tammy's room.

Nestled in the corner, my best friend stopped sewing for a second and waved a pin she'd pulled from the fabric to acknowledge me before returning her attention back to creating fashion magic. "We're going to leave in a sec," she told me, still sewing. "I just need to finish up the neckline." She stopped sewing, removed another pin and continued.

I flopped dramatically, face first, on Tamara's bed, sinking into the mattress before turning around to face the ceiling. Reaching over to the side, I picked up Tamara's discarded artbook and flipped through the familiar designs until I got to the newer ones. "I'm still convinced your brain is like jacked on genius juice or sum." I traced the drawings gingerly with my fingers. "How you come with so many designs, all unique, intricate and mind blowing, is literally crazy." I motioned towards her closet, which was spilling over with clothes Tammy's designed over the years. "You should be making crazy bank off your designs. Heck, I shoulda pushed Ms. Clarke harder for even attempting to lowball you. You know--"

The sewing machine stopped, and the ball-shaped sewing needle pincushion hit me square in the face. I dropped the artbook on my lap. "Shut up, you're going to make me cry."

I scrambled to sit upright. "No, but listen. You know you can make good money--"

"But I don't want to. I like doing this for fun, as a hobby. Not every hobby has to be turned into a side hustle. I mean, the extra cash from this commission doesn't hurt at all."

"Yeah, and neither does my 15%," I added, laughing and using her design book to deflect the second incoming pin cushion ball.

Standing up, Tamara pulled out her phone from her back pocket, nodded at the time and said, "Okay, I think I'm going to put a pin on the dress for now, and we can get going" --I started getting off the bed, but Tammy reached out and stopped me-- "but before we do, I just wanna thank you because--"

"Because nothing." I pulled my best friend down to sit beside me and bumped my shoulder against hers. "We're in this together, and whenever you need me, you know I'ma be there for you, period."

"I'm still not gonna cry, Addy," she said, "but I really fucking love you, babe."

I smiled and wiggled my eyebrows a couple of times. "I know." I stood up and pulled Tammy along with me. "Now, let's go. You have to go and continue dazzling everyone with how amazing you are."

Tammy sighed dramatically and flipped her dreadlocks nonchalantly, allowing me to pull her along with me. "It's really becoming a full-time job at this point."

"Some people," I proclaimed, "really don't know how to take a compliment."

"What are you talking about?" Tammy responded, laughing as she looped her arms around my neck. "The only way to respond to a compliment is to agree. Yes, I know I'm amazing; next caller."