Streetlife

91 - We Don't Talk Anymore

LENA POV

Stef's party and the after effects of it had given me a headache in more ways than one. Not only was Julius devastated in regards to Luciella and had passed out from being so upset, but also, I had to bail Ruby out of jail since she decided to get herself arrested by spitting at a cop and assaulting him at that damn out of control party.

To me it just seemed and felt like Stef was always behind this crap lately and at times I felt it was really testing me and my job. I also really had my suspicions that she beat up Olive and it was still rather annoying that Mike was just letting it be for now. Heck, he didn't even seem annoyed or pissed that he was loosing money and this man did NOT like to loose money. At all and I knew I would need to tell him about Ruby tonight since he had stayed an extra day in Jersey.

Honestly, things felt very out of order and rather messy and it was bad enough Callie hated me and now had the worst attitude with me, and Lucy wasn't really a peach either these days. And to top it off, I was still rather upset about my aunt, Frank Jr was still in rehab and Julius was feeling like he was having a heart attack every single day, but Tess...mm.

Granted she looked good...healthy really, and she had a certain glow about her. And I don't ever remember seeing her look as good as she does now. She gained back weight, her hair was beautiful, her complexion beautiful, her skin clear. She was radiant actually and many times I'd hear her in the room with Callie laughing and chatting away, and that was something I never really heard before, or experienced with her nowadays.

Mike thanked me for getting Tess back on her feet and for the fact that she was making money again, and more too boot. But the sad reality was I had not done any of that, and I don't think I was the one who got her back on her feet or restored her confidence. It really wasn't me even if that was something I had tried to do for her. But, when I did it backfired and she got so angry with me so I had to lay off and stop pushing her.

Rinsing my face off in the bathroom I hear Julius leave the apartment to go do his daily errands.  I knew he and Tess had lunch together in the kitchen but I hadn't gone out there because it had just been so different between her and me lately. I wasn't really sure how she felt about me considering I knew she was close to Stef now which made me want to scream. It really did because Stef was very dangerous especially for someone as fragile and impressionable as Tess and I just didn't get the appeal or the desire to be her friend or well more.

Hell look what she did to Callie and now Lucy? It was a mess and as I stare at myself in the mirror I quickly put my curly hair up on top of my head as I exit the bathroom on this Tuesday afternoon.

Walking into the kitchen Tess smiles at me as I return it and grab a mug of coffee. I see her smoking as her long pretty dreads fall down her back as I grab a slice of bread and spread some peanut butter over it. Of course I was still worried about how that party affected her and if she had relapsed or anything. That was always my main concern with Tess.

"So, um...it won't be so hot tonight. The heatwave is taking a break of some sort." I say trying to break the ice as I take a seat at the table across from her.

She sips her coffee as I notice her nails are long and polished and she has pretty designs on them. She also has a nice bracelet on, one I had never seen before but looks rather expensive.

"That will be a nice change." She puffs her smoke as I sip my coffee wondering what else to say as I stare at her and smile.

"You look really nice, Tess." I spit out as she looks over at me rather surprised at my compliment. "I mean you do. You look beautiful. Healthy, actually, and um, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Len." She smiles again as she puffs her smoke offering me one but I decline.

"Yeah, um, you know I was wondering if you aren't busy if you could do my hair? I mean a relaxer?" My heart pounds in my chest, and I hate this because I was never nervous around her...ever.