ꨄThe Debutanteꨄ

31.

...

Day four In Miami

...

Over the course of the past few days, Cookie hasn't gotten any sort of contact from Anika. No calling, texting, and nothing even regarding work. Cookie was confused. Usually, she's so bubbly. So excited to talk and tell Cookie what she's doing.

Cookie didn't understand what was going on. She knew Empire could be a busy nightmare, but what about nights? Days off? During breaks? They always made time for each other and Cookie didn't understand what suddenly made Anika so silent.

She had thoughts in the back of her head. All throughout this trip so far, she's been without Anika being heavy on her mind. She thought about her then again, but she really was starting to enjoy her time. But when she would see how Anika wouldn't even read her text messages or answer her phone calls, it made Cookie stressed again.

...

"What is she's tired of me?"

Cookie asks Jamal while she stood in the hotel room bathroom. Candace and Carol were out getting spa treatments, and Cookie decided to stay home after having a small hangover from the amount of whiskey the women drank together the night before.

Jamal shook his head on the phone screen. "But that wouldn't make any sense." He said. "But this doesn't make sense either. She always looks forward to talking to me. To seeing me. It doesn't make sense, Jamal." Said Cookie, then releasing a sigh.

"Well, she doesn't seem mad or anything. But she doesn't seem too enthusiastic either. She's been kinda...like dad." Said Jamal. Cookie automatically knew what that meant. She was straightforward. Demanding and not at work to play around. She wanted things done when she asked of them and didn't want any questions. That was how Anika acted back when they hated each other.

"O-oh.." Cookie trailed off. Jamal then widened his eyes. "You know what, wait I think I see her. She's down the hallway." He said. Cookie began to become antsy. "Can you tell her I'm on the phone?" Cookie asked. Jamal called her name. "Anika! Can you come here? There's someone on the phone for you." He said.

"Who?" She asked. Cookie was just relieved to hear her voice. It felt like ages since she's heard it. She anticipated seeing her face. Her beautiful brown eyes light up the moment she would look at the screen and see Cookie.

"My mom." Said Jamal.

"Well, I'm busy. So I can't talk."

Cookies face dropped, and Jamal looked somewhat confused by her answer. "Okay..." he said. He walked away. "She said she can't talk." He said. "Are you serious?" Cookie asked. "Damn, that's strange. What's going on with her?" Jamal asked aloud.

"She must be mad...she's got to be mad at me..." Said Cookie. "Why would she be mad, though? I thought everything was going fine after Christmas." Said Jamal. "I did too, but I don't know what's happening." She said. "Did you say something?" He questioned.

"Well, I mean I told her about how when she's not around I don't have as many good thoughts about her as I do when I am around her." Said Cookie. Jamal sighed. "No wonder she's acting like that." He replied. "But, I didn't think she'd take it that way. I didn't mean it like that. Oh my God..." Cookie sighed, putting her hand onto her forehead and closing her eyes, just now realizing how foolish of a mistake she made.

"What messages have you been sending her? Like, did you apologize about anything? I haven't even seen her checking her phone." Said Jamal.

Cookie opened up her messages, clicking on Anika's name and looking at the messages she's sent to her. Examining especially how they all say 'delivered'.