Deliverance (Fem x Stem)

38

Teyanne Sully

I've been staying with Gia for roughly a month now. Each day, we're going over breathing exercises, I'm answering questions about my emotions, my past, my anger. At first, the progress was so slow that I wanted to give up. But Gia picked me back up and put the goal of Lilliana back in my face. I feel like an athlete with a championship tacked on their calendar.

That's the only thing that I see: Lilliana.

I wake up one Thursday and I know it's that day. It hasn't been fully a month yet, but I'm ready to see Lilliana, or at least communicate with her. I shower and dress quickly, waiting for Gia to wake up and cook up some grilled cheese squares.

"You're up early," she comments, coming out in conservative sleeping clothes. I had noticed ever since I started fucking with Lilliana that she didn't show as much skin around me, almost like a nod of respect towards my girl. When before she would change tops in front of me, now she was different.

Gia was just the type of woman I could respect on so many levels. And it honestly angered me when people treated her any type of way back when she was a stripper or because of her stripping past. She was so much more to her than her body.

She was my best friend.

"I wanna see Lilliana today," I state.

"Well," Gia chuckled, "that's gonna be a little hard, seeing that she's probably in another state or some shit."

"Well, I wanna Zoom her or something," I shrug.

I just wanna see my baby's face, or at least know she was doing better. I hope she still wanted me back. I want her back. I don't deserve her, but I want her.

"It's up to her, I'll call her and see how she feels," Gia says slowly. "Now," she starts, pulling out a pack of cheese, "If she doesn't wanna mess with you no more, or she isn't ready to talk to you yet, I don't want you feeling some type of way, Teyanne. You gotta respect her decisions."

"I know, I won't go all crazy," I smirk a little.

"Okay," Gia says slowly, "I'll contact her after breakfast. Again, prepare yourself to be disappointed." I nod, going to sit down. I started on my work for Gia, and briefly wondered if I should check my savings account. I had been stashing money in their from my job for me and Lilliana's future apartment. I hadn't bothered looking at it since me and her went our separate ways- quite literally.

It pained me a lot to be away from her, and oddly even seeing my money added salt to that wound even though I was making some serious dough. "She's awake," Gia informs me, looking down at her phone. "But I'm not gonna say nothing until after breakfast." I nod, focusing back on my work.

After breakfast, Gia tells me that Lilliana agreed to a Zoom, and I log on to it from my computer. Gia had sent for some of my stuff from the Dallas apartment, Lilliana being kind enough to go there and package it up to be sent before she left off to whatever state she was in. Gia didn't want me going anywhere near Dallas though, I had been strictly in the house for nearly a month. I was also longing for some fresh air.

"Hey baby girl," I join the zoom.

She got some butterfly locs in her hair, the same color of her natural hair with a few blue locs littered in. "Hey." We stare at each other for a moment, her connection a bit fuzzy. "We should uh, talk about things," I say. "We should," she agrees strongly.

"You go first," she gestures to me after a moment.

"Gia has been helping me a lot mentally and I feel like I'm becoming a better person now. I feel like my mind is in the right space now too. When I'm angry, I'm able to come up with solutions to that emotion, and I'm able to calm myself down without putting my hands on somebody," I explain. "I understand that you might not want me back. I fucked up," I stare at my clasped hands, "I fucked up bad, but I'm getting better for you and myself."

I smile up at her, "You might not realize it...and it sure probably doesn't seem like it. But you're my world. I could see myself starting a family with you, I'm glad I got this job cause I wanna spend all my money on you. I wanna make you happy, I wanna keep you happy, I wanna cause your happiness. I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get your favor, your trust, your loyalty back, Lilliana. I vow one day ima make you Mrs. Sully, on my mama."

"Yeen gotta put nunin on yo mama, Tey," Lilliana says quietly. "I den had a long time to decide if ima still rock wit you or not. Everyday, I've taken up a different side, almost in a pattern. One day I'm like: shit, I'd be stupid to go back to you, the next I'm filled with overwhelming love. I feel like I got this shit the hardest out of us two. This shit hurts, Teyanne. My bruises, the mental side of this, my love for you," she points at herself meaningfully. "But I can't see my life without you. I think I wanna be Mrs. Sully too," she smiles a little.

I stop the blooming feeling of love from reaching my heart. I'm not gonna do myself like that for her final answer to be "no". I need to hear what she's gonna say. I need to hear her final answer. "So what's the verdict, your Honor?" I joke, leaning forward towards the screen.

"Hey baby...I think I wanna marry youuu," Lilliana sung the Bruno Mars song softly.

"So that's a yes?" Gia pops her head into the view of the screen, giving Lilliana a little wave.

"Yes," Lilliana laughs, trying to cover up her blushing. "Y'all still got the rest of the month doh, I got some more work to do," Gia informs us. "And then you gotta see how you guys work living together again too. You know, when I'm not there to correct you," Gia flicks my arm.

"Ow," I complain.

"Shush, shush," she cooes at me.

"Alright y'all," Lilliana holds up her hand, then ends the meeting. I turn to Gia and embrace her in a tight hug. "Thank you so much! I'm gonna get my girl back, Gia! I almost lost her!"

"And you better keep her too. And I expect to be bridesmaid and for their to be pizza at the wedding, thank you," Gia laughs, hugging me back.

"Yes ma'am, that I can do," I laugh back.