The Lyon

It was nearly three in the morning as I sat up and softly stroked the keys of my Essex piano, these past two days have been hell on me, not being able to touch Cookie or feel her supple lips next to mine is eating me alive...she gave me until this weekend to make my decision and although I knew exactly what I wanted as soon she said those words...this situation with Anika has got my head all fucked up. If I leave her, I know that her father will not go through with signing off on my clean bill of health and that would leave Empire up the creek. At the same time, if I stay with Anika I run the risk of losing the love of my life forever...she's a woman of her word so I know that she'll move on if she has to.

I continued to strum on the ivory keys, I've found myself down here a lot more since that night I made love to her because it's hard for me to sleep in that bed...everything about my bedroom makes me relive what happened between us. I really don't know what to do, this is such a fucked up situation...maybe if I tell Cookie what's going on with Dr. Calhoun and why I can't just up and leave Anika until the IPO drops, she'll understand. But then again we'd have to sneak around to be together, she'd be the side chick she said that she refused to be, and honestly I would never put her on the back burner for anyone especially not Anika. I do love her, but she's just not My One...hell she's smart and beautiful, she can find another man with no problem. The stock goes public in about a month and a half, as soon as the opening bell rings I'm gonna tell her it's over...I exhaled deeply, ran my hands over my goatee, and stretched my arms over my head as I sat atop of the piano bench trying to weigh my options... Yep, I'm just gonna tell Cookie the truth and pray that she'll give me the time I need to get this done, so I can ensure the future of our company.

I sat upright, went back to playing because it always seems to help me clear my mind whenever it gets clouded...Wanting Cookie this bad wasn't a part of my plan, she's the only thing that I really think about most days...shit I had everything mapped out the way I wanted it to go, but her getting out early has thrown a monkey wrench in all my plans...it's left me questioning everything and has got me feeling all kinda ways that I simply can't even explain.

The Kitten

I heard the piano when I rolled over and felt that Lucious wasn't lying next to me...he'd been having a hard time sleeping these past few days and it's starting to worry me a little bit...I don't know, maybe he's just stressing over the ALS I thought to myself as I slid on my slippers and went downstairs to find him. I don't know what's gotten into him lately, but since I came back from Chicago he's been so distant...he's been drifting off, daydreaming like his mind's preoccupied on other things. Even when I bring up the wedding, he doesn't really seem to thrilled about getting started on the plans either...once I reached the family room I saw him with his eyes closed, his fingers were gracefully moving along the keys as he belted out an unfamiliar composition. Whatever it is, it's beautiful, put me in a Romeo and Juliet mind frame...you know the kind of music that made people understand how two people could love one another so much but be held apart by circumstances.

He glanced up over at me once he finished as I rested along the door frame, "That was beautiful babe." I whispered...he cleared his throat before he spoke, "Thank you." His eyes told me that something was wrong so I just came right out and asked him about it, "Lucious what's wrong?" I probed, "Nothing, just thinking about a lot that's all." He quickly replied as he began to play another piece.

I'm losing him, I can feel it...ever since Cookie has come back it feels like Lucious and I are growing further and further apart. He thinks that I haven't noticed the way he looks at her, the way he smirks whenever she does something outlandish, if I don't hurry up and do something quick...I am going to lose him for sure, her pull on him is growing stronger and stronger each day that passes, God forbid they end up sleeping together because I know it'll definitely be a wrap then, so I've got to make my move fast.

I racked my brain for a plan, then it hit me...what's the only thing Lucious values more than money, his family legacy, and with that revelation I knew exactly what I had to do. I slowly approached him, placed my hand on his shoulder, then gazed down at him.

"Babe, I need to talk to you about something." I timidly told him, "Okay, what's up?" He asked as he stopped playing and faced me, "Lucious I've been feeling sort of weird lately, you know a little out of whack so I went to the doctor a few days ago...you know just to be safe." He stroked his chin, "Yeah, so what's going on? Is everything okay?" He questioned...I did my absolute best to put on a straight face, keep myself in the moment, and deliver a convincing performance... "Yes, everything's good...it's just that...well, it's just that..." He stood to his feet, "Go head get it out."

"Baby, I'm pregnant...there's a little cub in here." I blurted out as I took his hand and placed it on my stomach. "What?" He muttered, "Are you certain? How, I thought you were on the pill?" He asked me, his eyes bucked out, his deep voice barely above a whisper as he pulled me into his arms... "Lu, I'm positive. My doctor said that the pill isn't 100% all the time so, yeah, I'm definitely having your baby Mr. Lyon." I told him.

I don't know why but this idea sounded much better in my head, but it's done now, so I've got to figure out some way to pull this off. But at least I know that I've put a little bit of space between he and Cookie for now... Being the mother of his kids was her only advantage over me, this leveled the playing field. All I need to do is get his ass down that isle, stop taking my birth control so he can knock me up...that way he'll never leave me. The look on Cookie's face is gonna be priceless...