Deliverance (Lucious/Cookie, Anika/Malcolm)

Chapter Three: The First Wives' Club

Summary: Lucious and Malcolm bury the hatchet, and Cookie gives her former arch-enemy some valuable advice.
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Leftovers! Malcolm didn't think he deserved a medal for the way he treated Cookie during their short time together, but he didn't expect such vitriol, either. "Cookie," Malcolm said evenly. "I've never said anything mean or nasty about you. I'd appreciate it if you'd do the same."

"You're right, Malcolm. I'm sorry." Poor Malcolm was the only person in this love rectangle who hadn't done anything wrong, although Lucious might have thought otherwise. "I just don't understand how you went from wanting me to move with you to D.C. to hooking up with this sorry bitch." 

This was news to Anika. She knew they'd briefly dated, but she had no idea Malcolm had fallen so hard for Cookie, and not so long ago. "Yeaaaah, it wasn't even two years ago that you were strung out on Cookie's nookie." One would think Lucious would've been angry at remembering that Malcolm had slept with his wife, but could Cookie help it if her pussy was platinum grade? "My baby's lovin' cures ALS, and it turns war heroes into punks. Ain't that right, Malcolm?"

Malcolm shrugged. "I saved your wife's life, Lucious. It was the least she could do."

"Awww, shit." Hakeem grabbed a chair as Rhonda sat Andrea and her baby carrier on the ground. Jamal stood frozen, watching the dual furor forming in both of his parents clashing with the calmness of Malcolm and Anika. It was a highly volatile mix. Andre sat back down and put his head in his hands. We're all going to jail, he thought glumly.

"Cookie," Anika added with the tone of voice only a debutante could have. "If I remember correctly, you were sleeping with Lucious when he was my fiancée, and I left him. You were the side chick, not me."

"Bitch," Cookie spat, visibly trembling with rage, "you didn't leave Lucious until I exposed your ass for the backstabbing tramp that you are. Before you ran off and fucked Billy Beretti. Remember that, Malcolm?" Malcolm's jaw twitched, which neither Cookie nor Lucious missed. "Back when you were one of the ones who helped protect Empire during that breach that your woman caused?"

"Was that before or after Lucious sent Camilla away and lied to Hakeem about the money she took from you?" Malcolm fired back, just as smoothly.

"Don't put my name up in your beef, bruh." Like Cookie, Hakeem couldn't believe his ex-future stepmother turned ex-future baby mama and ex-stalker was Malcolm's wife. But Anika's crazy ass was Malcolm's problem now. "You'll look up and get your feelings hurt," he added, savoring the nervous look on Anika's face.

Cookie couldn't throw Hakeem up in Anika's face without hurting her youngest son. So, like Anika's teaching certification, Cookie chose an alternate route. "Let's get something straight, Boo Boo Kitty. You were never Lucious's chick. Not the main chick, the side chick, the back chick, nothing. You were just keeping my spot warm until I got back." Cookie sat back smugly. "My sacrifice made you and everything that you are. Don't forget that."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know. It was your fo' hunnit thousand that built Empire," Anika mocked Cookie's woe-was-me speech. "I'm sure you killed about fo' hunnit thousand with all the drugs you flooded into your community, too."

Cookie stood up so fast that her chair overturned. "Yeah, and it was my fo' hunnit thousand that got your ass teaching at LaGuardia High," she hissed. "Check your tone, little girl."

"Cookie," Lucious warned. They'd agreed to keep that a secret, but Cookie was on a tear now, especially with the shock written all over Anika and Malcolm's faces. "That's right, bitch. We got your little packet when you needed your work history verified. I'm sure the letter of recommendation me and Lucious signed is still in your files."