Chapter Eleven: The Party – Part Two

The Ladies Room 9:15PM

"What do we need to discuss?" Tamera arched her eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips.

"First, the way you look in my design sweetie you look great!" Imani was trying to get on her daughter's good side but she was failing horribly.

"Thank you mother." Tamera said blandly.

"Oh shit," Gina whispered again and both Tamera and Imani glared at Gina.

"Don't you think you should give us some privacy?" Imani glared at Gina.

"Tam, do you want privacy?" Gina asked and Tamera shook her head. "That's what I thought."

"What do you want mom?"

"Why are you being so cold towards me Tamera? You only have one mother you know." Imani looked at her daughter wide eyed; she seriously didn't realize what she was doing.

"You're kidding me right?" Tamera held her head. "Mom, I haven't heard from you in YEARS. I have no reason to talk to you and I have nothing to say so … say what you need to so I can leave!" Imani frowned at her daughter; she felt Tamera had sided with her father in the divorce.

"He cheated on me you know! You should feel for your mother, not your sleaze ball father!" Tamera felt her face get hot. Her mother had crossed a line and she had the audacity to pick this time, tonight, Teddy's night.

"Gina, can you give us a moment please?" Tamera asked and Gina's eyes got big. She didn't want to leave the two women alone but she had no way to avoid leaving.

"Okay," she said warily.

Once Tam and Imani were alone Tamera crossed her arms. "I know dad cheated on you, mom. I hated him because of it. What he did was doggish and low, but he didn't abandon me! You DID! Daddy has never said anything negative about you to me and you are standing here insulting the one parent that was here for me." Imani never had the urge to hurt her daughter until now. She balled her hands into fists and huffed.

"You've never been betrayed by a man so you don't understand. Hell, you've never even been in a relationship so I guess that's why you sided with your father. I would've expected you to be at least a little loyal to me!" Imani started to tear up and although this affected her, she stood her ground.

"I am loyal; you're the one who abandoned me. Now you decide to show up and I'm supposed to be happy to see you, it doesn't work that way." Tam went to leave she was about to tear up and she really didn't want shed tears today.

"I was depressed, I'd just lost my husband!" Imani exclaimed, with watery eyes. Again Tamera was affected. She felt the emotion swelling in her throat. She attempted to swallow it back down but it was ineffective.

"Well, I lost a mother! So I was pretty damned depressed too! I would have understood if you had disappeared for a month or two, but years? I need time to deal." Her mother watched as Tamera started to cry. She finally started to get the picture, she messed up.

"I'm sorry baby girl. I'm sorry if you felt I left you or I didn't love you, because it's so untrue. The reason I came back was to share some news with you. My next line is to be named after you. This dress is actually part of it, and the line is called TJazmine. I wondered if maybe you were up to being the face of it."

"What?" Tamera said in skepticism.

"I want you to come to New York over your break do a few photo shoots … it will give us some mother/daughter time, don't answer now I want you to really think about this okay?" Tamera was in shock. A clothing line in her name and she was to be the face of it? This had to be some kind of a joke. The fashion world was a place she never saw herself a part of.

"Is it a plus size line?" Tam asked knowing her mother would do something so cruel.

"What?" Her mom was legitimately confused and Tam repeated her question. "Uh no, I already have a line dedicated to the extra curvy woman. I'll send you some of the designs and you can think it over." Imani now decided it was time for them to leave the bathroom. She opened the door for her daughter. "You should come out to New York regardless of whether you do the shoot or not okay … I really want you to." This time when Imani hugged her daughter she let her.

"Okay mom." Gina had been standing by the door listening to make sure she didn't have to pull the two apart. After Imani took went back to her seat Gina examined her cousin.

"You okay?" Gina asked as she rubbed her cousin's back. Tam just nodded with a stoic look on her face, she had a lot of information thrown into her lap and she had no idea what she wanted to do.

After the dinner was over, another round of champagne was served and Phoebe and Ava took the stage. "It's our turn to toast the birthday boy!" Phoebe exclaimed as she loved being in the lime light. "As your little sister I feel that I know you pretty well. I could go the same route as the others and talk about the past and your quirks and tell a funny story, but I don't think those things will really catch your attention. So Ava and I put our head together and we think we have ensured a way to make sure we have your attention and you enjoy our toast most of all." Phoebe handed the microphone to her cousin so she could speak.

"Yes we've found the way to ensure that you enjoy our toast to you the most is mention one little word or one little person, three syllables … TA –MER-RA!" The girls said Tam's name in unison and this made Tam jerk her head to the attention of the stage with mild horror.

"Yes Tamera J Black is the only unrelated female that is tagged to my brother. So for our toast I wanted to give my brother a small gift. It's something I'm sure he has forgotten all about, Ava if you please." Ava hit a button and a huge screen came down behind the two girls, she hit another button and the video began to play. A younger Tamera with braids and glasses came onto the screen. She plopped down on the couch with a yellow piece of paper. It was Tamera's Christmas gift to Teddy from a million years ago. She'd made him a small clip because he was pissed; she had to stay in Washington while his family traveled to Aspen. He had begged her to come with them, he'd told her that her whole family could come, but her answer was no. The Black's had family traditions and Tamera loved them all.

"Teddy, I wanted to wish you Merry Christmas and even though I know you'll probably video chat me in a few minutes there's some things I wanted to say to you ... without you being able to snicker or respond. Teddy regardless of how stubborn and freaking frustrating you are, you're like the best thing that has really happened in my life. I have never had someone that I wanted to share everything with and I swear Luke used to get jealous, but he didn't get me like you. I swear Grey you're always in my head ... for better or worse. Anyways that's what I wanted to say you mean the world to me buddy. Merry Christmas!" The video ended and the crowd became a sea of Awws and Tamera thought she was going to die from embarrassment.

"See the best toast ever! Right Theodore?" Ted nodded, his sister was right he'd forgotten all about that video. He'd forgotten how sincere she'd looked when she spoke and how … innocent she seemed.

"But, back to the matters at hand, everyone raise your glass here's to the stubborn and freaking frustrating Theodore Grey, like Tamera said big brother, you mean the world to me. I love you … cheers!" More cheers took place and then Ava introduced the cake. As the dessert was served Ted remembered how much that video had really meant to him … how much Tamera really does mean to him. The dessert was served to a grand scale the waiters again came through and placed huge bowls of ice cream on each table and three different cakes were placed at each table, carrot cake with cream cheese icing, strawberry cake, and devils food with chocolate icing with butterscotch chips on top. Ted smirked as he saw the cake, it looked like the one that Tamera had made him the first time she'd made him dinner. He quickly cut himself a big piece and had a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream! He took a bite and his eyes rolled back into his head.

"Tam made this," he smirked.

"Yeah, we're the only one that has this type of cake, everybody else received regular chocolate, she said it was her gift to you," Ana shared as she smiled at her son, Ted snorted and then leaned over to see if he could catch a glimpse of Tam, but all he could see was a glimpse of her crossed legs, and her feet with those shoes. Teddy had never realized how firm and in shape Tam was. He watched her feet as she rolled her ankle to and fro. His eyes watched as she uncrossed and crossed her legs and went to switch her legs and now that he looked at her that dress … it was really way too short when she uncrossed her legs he could just make out the color of her royal blue panties … not that it mattered to him, it didn't. He shook his head what was he doing? He closed his eyes and tried to ignore his father's words. That's not what he wanted, not from Tamera.

"I'm going to go over and thank her," he mumbled he took another bite and then stood. "I'll be right back." Ted strode over to the table where the Blacks were seated. Teddy figured if he looked Tamera in her eyes he would forget about the crazy things that were going through his head. He greeted them all and Gina eyes widened happily. He scooted in by Tamera and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear.

"So you did cook for me little woman?" He smirked and kissed her ear. The connection made Tamera tense, it made her feel different. She turned to him and gave an uneasy smile.

"Did you like it?"

"Yeah, but you knew I would." Teddy smirked and Isaac watched the contact between Ted and his daughter.

"Happy Birthday Theodore, this is a grand event your parents put together." Isaac commented and reminded Teddy that he was sitting beside his daughter.

"Yes it has been a really interesting night. My grandmother, mom, and Tam really put most of it together. I just wanted to come over and thank her. I think I'm going to go say hello to Aunt Mia and Uncle Ethan, Tamera did you want to walk with me? I know you haven't seen Mia in a while." Tamera had just put some strawberry cake in her mouth and she frowned at him, she covered her mouth before she spoke.

"I should really stay here Teddy," she stated for the third time today.

"Baby, it's okay if you mingle," Isaac said giving Tamera his blessing to do what she pleased. Tamera was torn between her family and her best friend.

"Come on Tam, he said it was okay," Teddy scooted out of the booth and extended his hand to Tamera. She groaned a little and then took it; she looked back at her dad and issued a look … an apology of sorts.

"I'll be back daddy."

"Okay baby." As they walked off Isaac heard his brother snicker.

"What?"

"Nothing bro, I don't think she's your baby anymore." Isaac watched his baby girl with Teddy, as he mingled with the other guests. She seemed happier by Teddy's side. She looked up at him while he talked and was laughing so hard. He remembered when his wife, or ex wife used to look at him that way, like she was proud of him … like she loved him. Teddy looked at Tamera and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her a bit closer.

"Maybe she's not," Isaac watched on with concern, feeling a sense of loss. Teddy had come over and taken the one thing that he cherished most in his life, Tamera.

Author's Note: Hey guys I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I have a couple new Black and Grey Exclusives on my website. I did have a quick plea I am writing a story called What Was Left Behind about Jose' Rodriguez, but it's not doing so well. I would love for some of you to give it a read and tell me what's wrong with it … if you have the time. Anyways, please read, review, and no flames.