Twins of Empire

The Lioness Returns

𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟏- 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐭 3

Cookie pulls back and tries to wipe her daughters face. "Don't mess up that make up you got on."

"You mean soap and water?" Mercedes giggles..

Cookie chuckles. "Natural beauty. I know that's right." She sucks up the rest of her tears. "Look at you." Sighing, she shakes her head slowly. "Mercedes Lyon huh?"

"It works." Mercedes shrugs. "The world already has a Mariah. I don't go by that name anymore. Unless somebody, preferably, dad, is mad at me."

"I don't mind calling you Mercedes." Cookie shakes her head. "It fits you and it is still your damn name, so I'm fine with it. I guess giving you that middle name did pay off. Knew it would."

Mercedes smile falls. "Did dad tell you I was down here?"

Cookie rolls her eyes with a scoff. "Yeah, right. He won't tell me anything around here. The only thing your father needs is to be told that he's a snakey son of a," Mercedes brow raises. "-never mind. Forget about your father, I'm just happy to see you right now. All grown up with a butt and these to." She motions to her chest. "That better all be you. I didn't have no plastic made babies, I'm not a black Barbie."

"Mom." Mercedes gives her a look. "Yes, it's me. I don't want none of that in me or on me."

"Good." Cookie says. "You don't know how much I missed you baby girl." Mercedes smiles at her. "You look so happy to see me," Cookie shakes her head at a lost. "But you never sent me any letters back or even took my calls. You just shut me out and I never understood why Mariah. Your brother is another situation but you weren't like him when it came to me."

"I didn't shut you out, I never would do that to you for no reason." Mercedes brows knot together. "I sent you letters. I sent three of them in fact, before I stopped getting them from you." Cookie looked at her confused. "I don't have them but I gave them to daddy to mail out and then I didn't get anything from you. When I asked him if you called, he said you never called for me and Jamal just got to talk to you. After a while I thought you just cared about him and nothing about me and Keem...." Cookie shakes her head. "So I just moved on. It isn't like I could get mad at you and tell you about it."

"Mariah I wrote you back." Cookie says. "All the time, I stopped when you were 11 because I didn't get anything back from you."

"Listen, if you and Jamal-"

"Baby I don't love Jamal more than you and Hakeem." Mercedes nods and looks off. "Hey," Cookie gently grabs Mercedes face to get her to look back. "I love all of you. Everything that I have done was for you and your brothers, not just for one of you. I love Jamal and it's just because I know him better but that doesn't mean I love you any less...you hear me?" Mercedes slowly nods. "I don't know what happened but I didn't forget about you in there. Not for a second. I always prayed if your father did anything right, it was take a sacrifice and turn it into something and raise you all the best he could. Especially my little girl. I wanted you to have everything I didn't and make something of yourself."

"So you did write to me?" Mercedes asks.

"Every chance I got back then, yes.." Cookie nods. "I wouldn't miss out on your life anymore then I already was."

Mercedes looked in her mothers eyes and nothing but the truth shined through. If Cookie was telling the truth, what happened to her letters? And why didn't her father tell her that her mother reached out to her all this time. Somebody had to be lying between the two of her parents and she was definitely going to figure it out.