Deliverance (Lucious/Cookie, Anika/Malcolm)

Chapter Eight: The Best Laid Plans

"Ms. Calhoun? There's somebody here to see you."

Anika hadn't seen Cookie since the day Cookie told Anika that Malcolm had been moved to Rikers. She had no idea why Cookie was looking for her, or even how Cookie knew Anika was back at LaGuardia Arts. "Something I can help you with, Cookie?" she asked, wondering how Cookie knew her away around a school as large as LaGuardia. Then she remembered that Cookie and Lucious had written a huge check to put Anika in her instructor's chair, and Anika's calm began to melt into irritation.

Cookie walked into Anika's classroom as if she'd been invited in and looked around. The room didn't reflect Anika just yet. It was still Mrs. Chapman's room until the spring semester. Anika was basically Chapman's aide for three times a week, a way for her to acclimate her back into the classroom.

Anika had forgotten how much she missed teaching. Best of all, the time away had helped her students to re-examine the events that had led to Lucious's tragic demise. Now here was Cookie yet again ready to disturb Anika's universe. "Cookie," Anika said sharply when she didn't speak right away. The sooner Cookie left, the better. "What do you want?"

Anika would never forget how regal Cookie looked that day, how calm she sounded. "Lucious passed away a couple of hours ago, Anika. We're going to make the announcement this afternoon."

Cookie said more - something about Lucious putting up a fight and being taken off life support a while ago - but Anika didn't really hear her. The sad truth was that Anika had forgotten all about Lucious being on life support in the first place. In her mind, Lucious had woken up and the Lyons had gone about their lives. Now here Cookie was telling Anika that Lucious was gone. "He's dead?" Anika blurted, cutting Cookie off.

"That's what I just said. He died at around 8:30 this morning." Cookie took note at the unreadable look on Anika's face. "I'm not here to cause any trouble, Anika. I just didn't want you to hear about it on the news, that's all. I think that I owe you-"

The next thing Anika remembered was being on the floor with Cookie fanning her from above. "I'm sorry," Anika blubbered, trying to pull her thoughts together as she tried to sit up. The more Anika tried to calm herself down, the harder she cried. What a shameful display she was putting on, especially in the face of Lucious's widow. "I'm sorry, Cookie. It's just that-I thought-"

"-that he would pull through," Cookie finished. "I know. Everybody did, especially me." Anika didn't trust her legs to carry her far, so she stumbled to the risers where the choir usually stood to sing. Cookie followed Anika's line of sight to a huge red stain on the bottom of Cookie's pants. "Dropped a Big Red," she explained. "I had it in my hands when the nurse told me Lucious was dead."

Dead. Lucious was dead. Lucious - Cookie's husband and Anika's former fiancee - was dead. It just didn't make any sense. Death was for mortal men, not a man like Lucious. "It's okay," Cookie said again. Cookie sat next to Anika and rubbed her shoulder as Anika cried. "I know you loved him once."

As Anika pulled herself together, a voice came over the loudspeaker yet again. "Ms. Calhoun, your lunch is here. Should we send it to your room?"

"Yes, please." Anika was dizzy and faint. She wanted nothing more than to curl up and cry herself to sleep. "I'll let you go," Cookie said, rising to her feet. "I just wanted you to hear it from me and not read it on the blogs, okay? You...you take care, Anika."

Before Cookie could hurry out of the classroom unseen, two students came inside with Anika's lunch. "Hey!" one of them said, his eyes wide. "You're Cookie Lyon!"

"Boys!" Anika snapped. "Out. Out! And do not breathe a word to anybody. If I find out that anybody else knows Cookie is here, I'll have you suspended. Do you here me?" she demanded when the students said nothing.