Part II - November

Chapter Sixteen: A Ring

Grey Enterprises: 11:45AM

Teddy was scheduled to have lunch with his father. It'd been a long time since they'd gotten together and just to shoot the shit. Ted sat in his Mercedes in the front of the building waiting for his father to come out. It wasn't until he pulled up that he realized that his would be the first time his dad saw his car in person. When Teddy and Tamera went to the house only his mom and Phoebe were the only ones there. Phoebe had squealed like a little pig. Ana thought it was nice, but thought the gift way too lavish and told Tamera just that. Tam shrugged it off, and told Ana just like she'd told her son, it wasn't just for him. Plus, she earned her money and had the right to do with what she wished, she didn't tell Ana that it was just how she felt about the situation.

Christian came out of the building and started looking for his son's car, well his son's other car, the gray Audi that he'd had since he was seventeen. After a moment Teddy got out of his car and waved to his dad. Christian was noticeably impressed; Tamera had really good taste in cars. "This is one hell of a birthday gift son."

"I know, and it's a dream to drive. My other car's fun too but this is on a whole new level of sexy. So you ready to go?" Christian nodded and hopped into the car and Ted followed suit. He started the engine and it roared.

"Play Tam's Playlist," Teddy commanded of the car and Christian smirked but said nothing. "She updates her music more frequently than I do and we listen to the same stuff." Teddy gave by way of explanation; he knew how his father's mind worked.

"Okay," Christian mouthed in response. Teddy rolled his eyes in frustration he knew that his father still believe what he did months ago he was stuck in his way, but Tam and he had moved on from that moment.

"You know that you almost ruined my relation, I mean friendship with Tam! I should be pissed with you." Ted said as he pulled into the parking lot of a five star Mongolian Restaurant.

"Really?" Christian asked dryly. He was tired of his son's denial, but he knew Ted was going to beat him up about this until he realized what was right in front of his face and then he'd have the chance to say he told him so.

"Yeah, on my birthday I was … let's just say I wasn't myself. I never felt so agitated and uncomfortable around Tam. Thank God when we went to New York everything went back to normal." Teddy said as he got out of the car.

Ted and Christian asked for a booth in the back and looked at the menu. "I love this place you get to create different bowls and you get as many bowls as you like. Tam put me on to it." Teddy almost regretted telling his dad that but it was the truth and he wasn't a liar. "You like it trust me." The waiter came and quickly took their order and reminded them if they try their first dish and they don't like it they have the opportunity to change some of the ingredients and try something different. The cooks worked in the middle of the restaurant and cooked their meal and cooked it in a very festive manner. Ted watched for a moment and then Christian pulled him back into a conversation.

"So how was New York? You never emailed me anything about it, no pictures or anything. I just know you said that Ava, Phoebe, and Tamera's cousin came towards the end of your trip." As Christian finished his statement the waiter brought out their drinks and quickly vanished again.

"Oh yeah, Tamera decided that her presence in the ads wouldn't be enough so she enlisted their help. I however think she just didn't want to model the lingerie." Ted shrugged his shoulders and briefly thought about Tam's expression when her mom told her that there was an intimate's portion of her new line too.

"Lingerie? Please tell me my daughter isn't going to be on some damned magazine in her underwear! I will crush Imani's campaign in a heartbeat if that's the case." Christian pulled out his phone and was ready to give the former Mrs. Black a piece of her mind.

"No Gina, did that part, she's really comfortable with her body. The other girls posed in the casual and formal. Tam's picture's looked great she just has a really hard time trying to look sexy. Most of her pictures came out with an innocent vibe. It changed the whole vibe of the campaign but the photographer was pleasantly surprised. So the business all in all was good." Ted looked back to the chef and saw the waiter had grabbed their food and was about to bring to them. "Oh look the food's coming." The both quickly dove into their meal and agreed it was freaking delicious.

"Tamera has good taste."

"I know and she's an even better cook. You'll have to come by one of the days she cooks for me." Christian again kept his mouth shut. "Thanks for letting us stay at your place in New York dad. It was right in the middle of everything it made going to different events so much easier. We could walk just about everywhere."

"Don't mention it." Christian smirked, he was about to ask his son a question that he knew was going to piss him off but he didn't care at this point. "So did you and Tam go off by yourselves or were these group events?" Ted looked up from him plate and narrowed his eyes at his father.

"What does it matter?" Ted curtly. He knew that his father would assume that Ted and Tam's trip to see the statue of liberty or their many, many dinner's out dates, but they weren't they were just hanging out. The way Ted saw if he'd never been on a date and he planned to keep it that way.

"I was wondering if you took the girl out and showed her a good time that's all," Christian said nonchalantly. Christian had cleared his first bowl and was looking for the waiter so that he could order another.

"Yeah we went out alone."

"That's what you'd call a date son." Ted shook his head in frustration.

"See I knew you were going to go there! I don't know how many times I have to tell you that Tam and I aren't like that! We never will be like that! We don't fuck nor do we want to." Ted lost steam on the last part. He was partly lying and he knew it. Teddy prided himself in not being a liar, he thought over the statement. He may have thought about Tamera and him in an intimate nature but that didn't mean that's what he really wanted. Christian noticed his son's lack of fervor in the last statement and sighed.

"You don't want to or she won't let you." Ted looked at his father like he wanted to blanch.

"I don't need to fuck Tam … I pull panties quite well thank you!" He snapped. Christian's eyes widened, Ted and him have never talked about his sex life, yet in this moment he'd offered up the information on a silver platter. Christian took another bite of food and chewed Teddy's statement over at the same time.

"You don't need to fuck her, but do you want to. I think you do, that's why you're so pissed, but you're probably right you shouldn't think about it if she won't let you." Ted's jaw dropped and he felt as though his dad was trying to challenge him.

"I don't want to think about Tam in this way, EVER. I strive to respect her; she's the purest and most innocent woman I know. Plus, she's the only woman beside my mother that I trust completely … don't fuck my head up like you did last time!" Ted took a deep breath and calmed himself he'd brought his dad out because he wanted to show his dad something and get his advice but since he was doing the same song and dance about Tamera, he didn't know if it was a wise idea. However, he'd run out of options today was November 8th and he needed to feel confident in his decision. Christian looked at his son and realized that he was thinking hard on something.

"What is it?"

"I wish you hadn't been an ass, I really need your help with something and I don't know if your mind is in the right place to be impartial." Christian gave his a son a look and Teddy offered the same look right back, but after a moment he decide to cave. "Today is Tam's 21st birthday. Her family didn't throw a big affair; her dad is taking her out to dinner to her favorite restaurant. I wanted to get her something big, I mean she gave me the best gift ever and I wanted to return the favor. I mean she deserves a lot to put up with me." Teddy recalled some of the stupid little arguments over the years and all of the abrupt departures he taken from her to have relationships with whomever.

"So what'd you get her?" Ted reached into his pocket and pulled out a little black box with Jacob & Co on the top of it. He opened the box and there was a ring, not an engagement ring but it looked mighty close. "Wow."

"Yeah, it's an emerald cut solitaire diamond friendship ring," Ted mumbled and Christian looked at his son in disbelief. He knew he'd raised him son to be smarter than that.

"That's one hell of a friendship ring!" Christian said as he grabbed the box and picked up the little ring. "How much was this?"

"No were near as much as a Mercedes," Ted stated bluntly. "Roughly about 20,000 … roughly. I dipped into my saving for it. I wanted to add something else to it, but what do you get the girl who has everything?" Ted shrugged.

"You bought her a ring; I'm not going to speak on what it looks like. It's a beautiful ring Ted. I think she'll love it. It's simple, clear, and clean and looks like her … if that makes sense." Ted took the ring back and smiled while looking at it.

"That's what I thought too."

"I don't know how you're going to top it when you decide you want to marry her. We'll have to dig deep for that one I suppose." Christian was being serious and Ted looked at him and was ready to go off. He was able to muster a little bit of dignity and counted to ten in his head and smoothed his hair back and asked the good Lord for patience.

"What else can I give her?" Ted asked getting to the point. He didn't think his ring was enough. "I don't think it's good enough." Christian frowned at his son as twirled his ring around his pointer finger.

"You're gift doesn't have to match hers in price, it seriously is the thought that counts, and you thought of her when you saw this. I think it's perfect and she will too, girls love jewelry." Ted nodded and he tried to take comfort and confidence in his gift.

"Your right she'll like it, she has too." As he put the ring back he noticed that Tam had called and texted him several times.

Tam: Where r u
Tam: TED!
Tam: OMG call me plz!
Tam: Oh I forgot about ur lunch with ur dad call me when it's over.

"Something's wrong?" Ted dialed his Tam's number and swallowed the worry down and forced the tension lump out of his throat. Tamera answered on the first ring.

"Teddy, are you done with your dad?" She asked quickly.

"No, but I wanted to know what's wrong," Teddy stated. "What's going on?" He tapped his fingers on the table nervously and she said nothing. "Well?"

"I can't tell you right now … just come see me as soon as you can okay," her voice seemed small and tired. Ted sighed he wished she would just come out with it.

"You're not … sick are you?" He asked worried that she may have had another relapse.

"What, oh no … it's not that serious. Well it's serious to me. Just … I'll see you later." Tam hung up and Ted was left dumbfounded. Christian watched his son carefully he was frustrated, worried, and extremely anxious. He motioned to the waiter to bring the check.

"I'm assuming everything's not okay?"

"I don't know but I'll find out soon. Thanks dad for your advice about the ring. I'll let you know how it goes." Christian signed the bill and they hopped up.

"Please do. Taylor should be outside. I called him while you were on the phone with Tamera. Go check on your friend and let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"Thanks dad." Teddy rushed out the restaurant and to his car. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

Author's Note: So I've added some things to Is Tamera ... Black Exclusive page. I would love to know your guess as to where the story is headed. Please read, review and no flames. By the way are you following me on twitter I'm Blackr0se28, follow me and I'll follow you back.