Black and Grey

Chapter Four: Making Plans

Grey Residence 9:15PM

Ana sat at her desk searching for venues on her desktop computer when she heard a faint knock at her door, Ana looked up and saw a little curly haired girl who used to be bop around their home. She noted that Tam did not look the same, she'd abandoned her glasses that had covered her hazel eyes and she had developed into quite a beautiful woman. The last time she'd seen Tamera she was flat and shaped very much like a boy, Miss Black was boy no longer, she had been a late bloomer who now had an hourglass figure.

"Hi Mrs. Grey, you're son is a self centered jerk! How have you been?" Tam plopped down on the couch still frustrated and Teddy came in and followed suit sitting extra close to his little buddy.

"I'm good. Hello Teddy?" Ana said she had stood expecting her son to embrace her but apparently his mind was elsewhere. Ana watched as Tamera tried to shove Ted away, when that didn't work she tried to get up and Ted grabbed her by the waist, pulled her into his lap, and cradled her in his arms like a little baby. He loved folding her up like this it was the one benefit to having a friend that was 5ft.

"Hey Mom," Ted was distracted by his struggling friend.

"TED!" Tamera exclaimed as she willed herself to be a bit stronger.

"I'll let you go once you forgive me. You know the routine Black, I will have my way." Tamera groaned and tried even harder to squirm away.

"You two please! I swear some things never change." Ana raised her voice slightly but it was enough to correct Ted's behavior. Ana smirked happy that she still had it.

"Sorry mom, what's up?" Tam went to slide off Ted's lap and he stopped her. She sighed defeated and sat there limp.

"Your 21st birthday is coming up and your grandmother and I have decided to throw you a party!" Ana looked excited and Teddy looked the exact opposite. He moved Tamera to his side. Ana's face dropped she took that as a bad sign.

"Mom, you know how I feel about that type of thing! I hate them!" Tamera knew it wasn't her place to have an opinion on the on goings but she felt that Teddy was being difficult for no reason.

"It's a good thing Teddy, it will give you a chance to let loose with your friends and meet new people. Plus it will give us a chance to fundraise since you really don't need any gifts."

"I don't really have a desire to meet new people, and as far as friends are concern don't really have any, well besides the pouty face to my left." He jostled Tamera and this time she smirked and shook her head at her silly friend.

"You're still a self centered jerk," she murmured and he chuckled darkly.

"And you still don't trust me enough, but you're my friend just the same," he whispered. Ana cleared her throat to keep the children focus on the matter at hand. It was then that she noticed that it wasn't the same as their preteen rough housing this was … different.

"Teddy, your 21st is a big deal, and it really should be celebrated the whole family is really excited to celebrate it with you. At least let me show you some of the venues we were looking at," Ana pleaded and after a moment of consideration Teddy conceded.

"Surrre mom, whatever," Ana quickly grabbed her iPAD and sat on the other side of her son. Tam leaned over Teddy's chest so she could sneak a peek too.

"And then there's your father's club, none of these appeal to you," Ana offered.

Ted placed his chin on the top of Tam's head as he weighed his options. "Dad's club is the most exclusive," Teddy mused.

"We'd be shutting down whatever club you choose so they will all be exclusive." It's your choice I want you to be involved," Ana explained and Ted arched his eyebrow.

"Dad's club has a more sophisticated atmosphere. Plus, Tamera has always wanted to go there and she's still not old enough. This will give her the opportunity." Tam looked at Ted and shook her head. This wasn't about her it was about him.

"Who says I would be going?" she teased.

"Oh you'll be there, or I for damn sure won't be." Ted spoke honestly, he knew a good portion of this event would be about networking and he really wasn't into doing that type of thing on his birthday. He was going to need a reason to want to go … Tamera was that reason.

"So we have a location, what about the food and the entertainment?" Tamera and Ted looked at each other. Ted was already over this conversation. He barely wanted to show up to the party and he for damn sure knew he didn't want to help plan it. Tam saw the desperation in Teddy's eyes and decided to put her two cents worth into the conversation.

"There's this DJ, his name is Cutta he plays everything. Teddy loves him, like LOVES him." Tamera giggled as she remembered Teddy's sorry attempts at dancing.

"I would have a band for the beginning thought, because I know you're going to invite some big wigs." Ana rolled her eyes just because she may invite older people it didn't mean they wouldn't enjoy current music.

"I'll keep that under consideration," Ana said dryly. "So what about the food?"

"It doesn't really matter to me mom. You could just stick a few things on the menu that you know I like and call it a day." Ted shrugged off the question hopping to change the subject.

"Stop being difficult Theodore, your mom is doing something really decent for you and your being …"

"A jerk?" Ted gave a half smile as he finished her statement. She nodded and nudged him. Tamera knew that Ana wasn't going to have any luck real getting Teddy to participate so again she gave some consideration to the things Teddy likes.

"Well as you know your son has a tape worm living in his stomach, he eats anything and everything and gains little to nothing, right now his favorite thing is steak. We've been to three steakhouses in the past week. This one place has this dish where the steak is covered in teriyaki sauce and mushrooms it made his eyes roll back into his head. He also loves barbeque chicken." Ana's eyes were budging a little. It was great information but it was coming from an unexpected source. Ted just sat back and let Tamera do all the work.

"Correction, I love your barbeque chicken and your fried chicken." Tamera arched her eyebrow at her friend.

"Someone's sounding a little stereotypical," Tamera said dryly.

"No, you cooking it is a stereotype, me eating it is just smart." He popped her playfully on the nose. Tam looked away from Ted and back to Ana.

"Anyway … he likes Mexican dishes and stir fry. It'd be cool if people could create their own stir fry dishes, but I don't know how that could be incorporated into the grown and sexy feel of Mr. Grey's club." Tamera was being more than informative. The more she talked the more Ana learned to her involvement with her son. Ana was really glad she'd come along, and shocked that Tamera had taken on the responsibility of feeding her son.

"Tam makes these s'more croissants that are AMAZING! I've got an idea Tam you should just cater." Tamera clicked her tongue before dropping her jaw; she sincerely hoped he was joking.

"The devil is a LIE! I don't cook that well besides; I really like the stir fry idea if it's possible." Tam said not even realizing that Teddy had given her a compliment of sorts.

"Why don't you just work with mom, and I'll just disappear? You know me better than anybody anyway, that way when everything comes together it will be a surprise." Ted dragged himself off the couch and Tam moved into his seat beside his mom. She had a feeling that this was going to happen. "I'm going to grab a snack."

"Because I need another project," Tam mumbled.

"No, because you know me so well and … I trust you." Teddy waved goodbye as he exited the room and Tamera just shook her head.

"That boy is ALWAYS hungry. Whatever you pick, make sure you get a lot of it." Tamera snickered and Ana just stared at her. She had so many questions but the major question she was afraid to ask.

"What?" Tamera was alarmed by Ana's invasive stare.

"Oh sorry sweetie … it's nothing, nothing at all." Ana went back to reviewing some of her ideas with Tam as she tried to hush the questions in her mind.