So, this came to me about a month ago while I was trying to fall asleep. I wrote the first part, but I wasn't sure about Cookie's role since I couldn't get her voice to sound right in my head. But a couple of episodes later it clicked. And then I thought, what if she spied Reese and grilled Joss about him? What fun could that be? This is my first foray into a brand new character. I only hope I did Cookie the justice she deserves.
I don't own Joss Carter or Cookie Lyon. I doubt anyone can own those women. :)
This is dedicated to Dineen. Happy Birthday!
Coffee, Men and Truths.
Joss Carter sat in the booth in the back of the restaurant and waited. The call from a long lost friend had come as a surprise, but she couldn't pass it up. But as the minutes passed by, she had to admit that her anticipation was slowly turning into nervousness.
What had prompted her to meet up with Cookie Lyon, she wondered to herself, and took a sip of the ice water. But she had agreed to see the woman she had once been such close friends with, people swore they had to be sisters. They had shared everything...or nearly. Until that one night Lucious Lyon walked in and swept Cookie off her feet with promises of riches and fame and success. Joss had seen thru that game and took the path opposite. And now, here they were.
"Yeah. This is nothing but a recipe for disaster," she concluded with a sigh. Looking at her phone, she was tempted to dial John and ask him to come back and just hover in the corner. Was it too late to call him back and save her?
At that moment the bell rung over the door and an ostentatiously dressed woman walked in. Joss swallowed hard. It was too late to turn back now.
With slow, calculated steps, Cookie walked slowly up the aisle. Although her eyes were covered by dark, diamond chipped, decorated sunglasses, she surveyed everything from the cheap leather seats to the tiny cracks in the floor tile. Yeah, the place was falling apart, but it was still the best greasy spoon in town, she told herself. Funny how things didn't change. Even after almost three decades.
Cookie stopped at the booth and coolly looked at the detective. Not much had changed in twenty years – except Joss Carter had somehow managed to get more beautiful. But the woman had always been drop dead gorgeous.
"Hello, Joss," Cookie greeted with a tilt of her head.
"Cookie. Won't you sit down?" Joss offered the seat opposite.
"Don't mind if I do." With more ease than what was to be expected by the large coat she was wearing, Cookie slid into the booth and removed her glasses and gloves. Almost immediately a waitress came over.
"Can I get you anything?" she offered, her pen poised on the pad.
"I'll have a coffee," Joss ordered.
Cookie held one finger up. "I'll have one, too."
The waitress scribbled on the notepad and hurried away. A moment later, she reappeared and set the cups and saucers on the table. Filling them with the scalding liquid, she turned and walked away.
Joss busied herself with adding the creamer.
"I see you still take your coffee the same old way," Cookie observed with just a touch of disdain in her tone.
"Nothing wrong with the way I take my coffee," Joss bristled by the remark. She slowly stirred until the creamer was thoroughly blended. And then some.
"Creature of comfort. You know, Joss, it wouldn't hurt you to shake things up a bit; maybe come out of your shell and take a chance," Cookie observed with a raise of her eyebrow. "learn to trust a little."
"Is that something that prison taught you?" Joss asked with a sarcastic snort.
"Along with a lot of other things." Cookie set her cup down, then she folded her hands under her chin and leaned forward a bit. "So, tell me, what's happened in the last seventeen years?"
"You first. I thought they gave you thirty years. What happened?"
"Paroled for 'good behaviour." At Joss's look of disbelief, Cookie gave a little laugh. "Heh. Even I can have my good moments."
"You?" Joss scoffed. "You were never 'good behaviour'. Not even when we were in school." Joss looked up at the ceiling as the memories came flooding back. "You were the one who said that rules were made to be broken."
"And you were the one who said they needed to be obeyed. Looks as though we've managed to stay the same. With a few changes, of course. But that's time, and it marches over all of us," Cookie winked. "But you're lovlier than I remember."
"Thanks. You look...rich," Joss returned. A tiny bit of envy went thru her as she admired the mink coat belonging to her long lost friend.
"Because I am. And I make no apologies." Never would she apologize.
"So, what brings you to New York? I thought you vowed never to come back."
Cookie wrapped her hands around her mug and tapped a manicured nail against the ceramic surface. "It's water under the bridge, you know. Life goes on, things change. You have to embrace your past if you are going to move on with the future. And, of course, some promises were made to be broken. Like my vows."
Joss was flummoxed by the revelation. "Vows? You mean you and Lucious...?"
Cookie waved her off with one hand. "Girl, it was his choice." She shrugged. "It wasn't as though I had any say. A man can only be so faithful to a woman behind bars..." Her voice trailed off. "But I made sure I got to keep my half of the company."
"Good for you."
"Damn right, good for me. Lucious is a lot of things, but he loves that company as much as I do. Of course, I think I proved it better than he did."
"I knew those drug charges were trumped up," Joss admitted.
"Trumped up or not, I did my time. I paid my debt to society. Now I'm back and I'm going to take back what is mine."
Joss was taken aback. How to respond to that. "How are your sons?"
"What can I say?" Cookie laughed. "Jamal swings in the other direction – not that I mind having a son who loves men, but as a mom, you set your goals for your kids to be higher. But he's an incredible singer. And, girl, can he write a song. Hmm! Giving Lucious a run for his money," Cookie chuckled. "Serves that bastard right."
"Oh." Joss couldn't find any other way to reply.
"And Andre… If it wasn't for the fact that he was my son, I don't know where he came from. A chip off his father's block." Cookie brought the mug to her lips. "I don't know what his problem is, but I'm ready to knock his head off." She sipped slowly. "And that twit he's married to...don't get me started on that one. Her balls are bigger than my son's. What does that say?"
"Sounds...intriguing."
"Yeah. Then there's Hakeem who hates my guts, can't stand his brothers, and is dating Naomi Campbell look-a-like. I think it's to get even with me." Cookie rolled her eyes.
"Uhhh..." Joss sputtered.
Cookie shook her head. "I'd take the bitch down in a New York minute, but she's not worth busting a nail over. She'll find out his true nature. And, of course, Lucious will be there to catch Dre's fall because he knows it pisses me off. Three sons, and I can only talk to the one who wants to wear my shoes - and even then I have to make an appointment. How royally fucked up is that?" she asked rhetorically.
The minutes dragged slowly as each woman waited for the other to break the moment.
"How's Taylor?" Cookie asked. "He's what, seventeen?"
"Just turned seventeen last week. They grow up so fast."
"They do."
"He's graduating with honours, you know," Joss revealed with pride. "A year early, too. Going to Georgetown in the fall."
Cookie's eyes sparkled at Joss' good news. "Good for him! Tell him that if he wants a summer job, he can come down and intern."
Joss held up her hand. "Cookie, you don't have to do that."
"I can do anything I want since I own fifty percent of the company." Cookie looked around the small diner. "Where's Paul?"
Joss set her cup down and clasped her hands together. "We're divorced," she admitted.
"No surprise there. I knew it wasn't going to last."
"What do you mean? I never wrote and told you about my divorce."
"Joss, haven't you realized that sometimes it isn't what you say, but what you don't say?" Cookie gave a short laugh. "I figured that out myself." At Joss's look, she explained, "Why else would you have that tall drink of water sitting over in the far corner watching out for you?"
Joss turned around to see what Cookie was talking about. "What?! Wait! Him?"What the hell is John doing here, and how did he slip in without being noticed, Joss thought to herself angrily.
"You thought I wouldn't notice? If prison taught me one thing: It's to be vigilant and know how to look for anything that seemed out of place."
"Stop looking," Joss hissed.
Cookie leaned in closer. An impish smile danced on her lips. "What's his name?"
Joss felt herself begin to sweat. So much for being an expert interrogator, she kicked herself. "John."
"John," Cookie drawled. "An ordinary name for a not so ordinary looking guy." Her eyes scanned the man in the suit, then narrowed appreciatively. "Mmm mmm mmm. That is one fine looking man."
Thoroughly uncomfortable, Joss tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "He's just a friend."
Cookie nearly dropped her cup as she shouted, "Friend?! You're kidding me!"
Joss tried to hush her. "Keep your voice down."
"That man is no friend. How long you been sleeping with him?"
"What?!" Joss's cheeks flushed hot. A reaction that was not lost on Cookie.
"Sleeping with him, Joss. How long? Six months? A year?"
Joss pulled back in shock. "No. We are not sleeping together."
Cookie blinked. "Are you kidding me? You and he are not...? No horizontal mambo?" She held up her index finger and laughed while her brain tried to make sense of the truth. "No. No. That's not right. Girl, that man is begging for you to take him to bed."
"No."
"I can't believe you haven't tapped that."
"'Tapped that'? Seriously? What are we, in the twelfth grade?" Joss groused with disbelief that Cookie could be so shallow.
Cookie rolled her eyes. "Fucked him senseless. Is that better?" she threw back.
"Have some couth, Cookie. Can we change the subject?"
"No. I like this one." Cookie ran her tongue slowly over her top lip. "A lot. So, what's his name?"
"John," Joss gave an exasperated sigh. "I told you that."
"No. Not him," Cookie nodded toward Reese. "The man you are sleeping with."
"What make you think-?"
"Why else would you pass up that, unless you're getting some from someone else."
"I'm not. I did. I wasn't..." Joss stumbled over her words. It was out of her nature not to be in control, and this moment was killing her.
"Where is he?" Cookie asked.
"He's dead."
"Oh. I'm sorry," Cookie apologized. "But you're not."
"I take offense to that."
"And you should. Jocelyn, I hate to point this out to you, but he's dead, and you aren't. You need to get back in the saddle. Preferably that one over there." She brazenly pointed toward Reese.
"We are not having this conversation." Joss started to gather her purse.
"We wouldn't be, if you took advantage of what is standing right before you. I want to eat him up. Starting from the tip of his toes all the way to his..."
Joss held up her hand. "I get the picture."
"He wants you."
"Sure he does," Joss dismissed the thought.
"I've seen the looks he's been giving you since we sat down. That man has hunger in his eyes, and it isn't for food."
"No."
"Maybe you should have been the one in prison. I would be on him like white on rice."
"Oh, look at the time," Joss exclaimed and stood up. "It's getting late."
"The night is still young. Stay," Cookie invited.
"I have to pick up Taylor." Joss pulled on her jacket. Pulling her hair from her collar, she let if fall around her shoulders, then she froze. Turning, she nearly bumped into Reese. "John," she breathed.
"Joss." Reese looked at the extravagantly dressed woman sitting in the booth. "Hello. We haven't met."
"Hello to you, too," Cookie purred and stood up. "I'm Cookie Lyon, Joss's friend from way back when." She extended her hand. Reese took her hand.
"I'm John."
Cookie's expression was anything but innocent as she wantonly scanned Joss's "friend" from head to toe. "I know. It was sweet of you to sit and watch over Joss while we talked. She deserves a guy who will watch out for her."
"I do my best."
"We should go, John," Joss prompted.
"You should take her home, John. Maybe turn out the lights and tuck her in," Cookie suggested without so much as a blush to her cheeks and brushed her bangs from her face. Joss shot her a look. "Or maybe she can tuck you in. Either way, you both deserve it."
"We're leaving," Joss announced and headed toward the door.
"It was nice meeting you, John."
"You too, Cookie."
"Take care of her."
"I will." Reese followed Joss to the exit.
"I'll call you later, Joss," Cookie called out. Joss shot her a look and pushed the door open.
Cookie found herself intrigued. She had looked up an old friend and touched base. The things she learned just by talking. And if Joss didn't want that tall, handsome, drink of water... Cookie shook her head.
"Like white on rice," she purred and pulled on her gloves. Well, her visit was over and it was time to get back to Chicago for her meeting. God knew she had enough on plate without getting involved in Joss Carter's love life – or lack thereof – no, she had to get to JFK.
But she would be back. She watched with interest as the pair passed the diner.
Most definitely.