Waking up on the sofa, she stretches with refreshed abandonedment. Tammy has gotten the best sleep of her life.

Mark returned, last night, with her things ,and Cookie. Cookie and Mark were wasted ,but in pretty pleasant spirits and not sloppy at all. Tammy already had some prepared food and fed them, then they watched some television together. Cookie apologized for her violence. Tammy accepted because it was easy to place herself in the other woman's shoes; she knew that Mark and herself were wrong.

After a while, Mark, had Cookie and herself package up more product. He cleaned some of his guns while they did that in the living room. Cookie rolled two blunts and passed her one. Cookie actually wasn't too bad.

Tammy definitely didn't understand why Mark would look at anyone outside of Cookie. He said what he said the other night but Tammy knows that men have habits of down playing different things to get what they want, sometimes.

Yes, Mark is very tempting but they seem to be developing this best friends vibe that Tammy appreciates. In a perfect world, nothing will happen between Mark and herself. The world isn't perfect but she should avoid doing that.

This isn't the optimal situation to develope anything that brings up variable intense emotions and paranoid thoughts; wait did she consider that feelings could be apart of fucking Mark on the regular?

Tammy bagged up in deep thought last night.

The last time Tammy knew she was compatible with someone, at first sight, was when she met her ex in college.

He was the sort of man that you just met, and knew because he could look at you and make you believe he's so in love with you.

Her ex in college was just like Mark in the way they are both tangible beauties; similar to Ted Bundy. Just rugged and everyday life extrordinary beauty in physisical appearance. There was so much symetry with almost sculped bumps and dips, like Mark's very slight crooked nose. That makes these two men appear organic, but almost too beautiful to have a physical equal.

Despite her deep thoughts they had a nice evening and ,eventually, they all fell asleep in the livingroom.

Mark and Cookie are on the love seat still in slumber. Tammy smiles at them, the position familar to romantic memes.

If she had access to a tablet, she would digital sketch them, easily. Tammy can traditionally draw, but the thought of sitting that long to draw the picture, in the level of detail she feels; is daunting after having not have done it for so long. However, she has to be realistic that Mark isn't going to let her have those electronics. Her stomach grumbles.

Tammy may challenge herself to draw it by hand. The image would be beautiful. She has the time.

Time to find food, she thinks, as her stomach makes sounds of protest once again.

There is a nice selection of things in the kitchen.  The reality of being with Mark isn't what she'd expected. Tammy needs to remember that Mark isn't to be expected.

She is too comfortable with the image being created of him. She's finding herself forgetting who he is and what he is capable of. She's not being focused on the danger of being in his grasp of power.

This moment of clarity, enables Tammy to have so many questions.

Would Mark have shot her father? And what suddenly has her doubting Mark could have pulled the trigger?

Gathering some ingredients, Tammy begins to cook.

While the turkey sausage grills, Cookie's head pops up.

Cookie is femininly pretty ;when she isn't attempting to fight. Her skin is very beautiful and clear. Importantly, Cookies skin holds a naturals shine like glass, all one smooth color, the texture is smooth like fresh ice cream.

Tammy would draw that too. The glory of a beautiful natural black woman.

Tammy admires Cookie's nice proportionate unapologetically black features. Cookie has the most beautiful, large, 4c afro ;under the Brazilian wig. Cookie hadn't been wearing the wig when she came in last night.

Tammy has never seen such beautiful, healthy, managed type 4c  hair, in her life. Cookie may have been natural her entire life of at least seven years natural because her hair has reached a length where t y p e 4c hair begins to 'hang time' and that is passed shoulder l e n g t h.

Knowing the strinkage of the tight healthy type 4 p a t t e r n z or very tight l o w e r c a s e C, Cookie's hair is mid back length when stretched or blow dried, bra strap lenthth or right passed her shoulders; when wet depending on p o r o s i t y.

Tammy's mother used to work in a salon, so she's aware of the way it could be. Her mother was paid high level money for her products and techniques to manage t y p e 4c hair ,but her mother could manage black hair in general.

That's what made her mother an alpha woman go getter. Her mother get's consultations with celebrities and politicians. Her products are bought from everyday women to celebrities.

Tammy has watched her mother recieve rewards for her work in elevating the awareness of black beauty and moving it from Eurocentric ideaologies. Her mother is a respected authority in the black woman community. There are black hair and culture magazines attesting to that as a fact.

Cookie joins the space of the Island.  She taps a pack of cigarettes on the counter. For the first time, Tammy realizes Cookie is a way bit older than them, like six years. Cookie is aging like fine wine in that case.

"My mother always said 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach', I never bothered to really learn to cook. " Cookie prettily blows out the toxic cloud of the cigerette.

Her lash extentions make her cat eyes stand out and her hair is slightly layered. She has it flipped over to the right side and tammy admires the defined z p a t t e r n throughout the hair.

Tammy plates the mushroom and swiss omelets, fruit salad, and turkey sausage. "I just figured everyone would be hungry, that's all. "

She is getting tired of Cookie almost daring her to fuck Mark.

She wants them all to be friends , but Cookie is a woman. Cookie should know how it is, Mark holds the power and Tammy isn't in any actual position to turn him down.

Sex with Mark would be on Mark's terms and it's that flirt with spontaneity Tammy needs to stop becoming thrilled by. Lately, she's been working against some pretty vivid fantasies, but it's for nought. If Mark decides to get sexual with her, he is the one in control of the agreement. That's what she'd agreed to.

Cookie looks back at sleeping, Mark. "He's never looked at anyone the way he looks at you. "

Tammy feels heat creep up her neck. Should she feel good or worried about that?
"It's not even like that. . ."

Cookie rolls her eyes. "That's the problem with you young bitches, you don't know how to shut up and realize when someone is putting you on game.
Anyway, I said he never looked at anyone the way he looks at you. Shit, I've known him since he was 19 and even I don't know what it means.
There's been a few times, when he talks about this mentor he had, I think I've seen that look, but I can't say what it is. I just want you to watch out for yourself."

Tammy nods and hears the sincere concern in Cookie's warning and sharing of information. "I appreciate it. I just am trying to make sure I don't end up a prostitute or something. My dad apparently had this whole other life and I just didn't want to see him die. I know my mother would never be the same. "

Cookie blew out smoke. She smokes like an old Hollywood actress. "Babygirl, you're going to have to learn how to let other people handle their shit.
If you always clean up after others you'll end up covered in shit.
I don't think this life is for you but to sound like my old bat mama again 'you made your bed hard and now you have to lie in it'."

Cookie reaches for a plate and Mark woke up. Cookie took the other plate and handed it to him. "She cooks very well. "

Mark looks casually back to Tammy. "Thanks for making this. Damn, it looks amazing. "

Tammy silently eats her plate and thinks about some of what Cookie said. Tammy did low key have a problem with trying to be perfect for everyone.

In school, she was a great student and people described her work and attitude as a perfectionist. Tammy just likes making people happy and it makes her happy to do a good job.

She doesn't see a problem in doing your best most of the time. Yet, she has ended up in situations she didn't always like trying to help friends and at times overextending herself.

She washes her plate and wipes down the counters.

Then, she finds her way to her bedroom. There, immediately goes to her purse.

Last night, Tammy never checked the contents because ,Mark and Cookie were drunk. Smiling, Tammy is relieved to actually find both her vibrators inside. That was extra considerate being that she only needed the one. It did feel a little cringe because Mark put it in there.

Grabbing the simulator, Tammy heads to the shower.

First, she washes her hair and applies conditioner. While finger detangling her hair, Tammy is glad she never had been too picky about products and more focused on technique because these definitely weren't the normal products she would use.

Then she twists her hair into a top knot so the conditioner could sit while she used body wash to scrub herself clean. She wants to use her toy, but now Mark is in her head.

Is this really a bad time to use it?

It's crazy what Mark said the other day.

Tammy refuses to consider at all that she has a problem of any sort. It is modern times and plenty of women love busting nuts.

Why did she have to be broken or something in order to love sex?

On top of that, she didn't even have sex often. She had one stable call buddy and for the most part, took care of her own needs. Maybe Mark, is used to dealing with prudes or freaks but she is neither one.

Grabbing the toy, Tammy dismisses the tiny guilty feeling.

She felt attacked by Mark but that's because he doesn't know her ;to say something like that. It shouldn't matter to Tammy that Mark said so and she wasn't going to let it.

Her eyes close, presses the button, it increases the speed; changes the pattern. They'd been high as fuck during the conversation, anyway; maybe Mark just wanted to be Dr. Phil, in that moment.

It didn't take to long for her to get her orgasm. A rush of relief and endorphins filled her bloodstream.

Tammy hums as she rinses the conditioner out of her hair. Then she applies some more to leave in because she has no styling products and fixed it back into the top knot. She would make a turban out of one of the black tee shirts.

Before getting out, Tammy cleanses again. Luckily, there had been almond oil around so at least she wouldn't be ashy and her hair wouldn't be dry. She applies that before putting on cotton underwear, a sports bra, and just some leggings and an oversized tee. She got another tee into a turban and put some of the almond oil on her lips just so they wouldn't be dry.

Afterward, she went to get a bottle of water.

Tammy always felt as though she needed to rehydrate after a shower. "Where's Cookie?"

Mark is playing a video game, but she catches him without any pretense or falter, pause the game and place the remote flat on the coffee table. He immediately begins to track her most subtle movements with his eyes.

Mark's sudden full attention on her as he answers her, openly.  "She left but she did say thanks for breakfast. "

Tammy drank the water instead of replying.

Her cheeks feel flushed from embarrassment.

Why does he have to look at her like that? Does he know he is staring at her?

When she looks Mark in the eye,he never looks away ,but she can't keep the eye contact. Something feels way too extreme about looking at him for long and she can't think straight anyway.

Mark showered as well because his hair is wet and full of springy curls.

Now he has on a red tank and some light wash, acid wash, fashionable jeans. He is wearing  sneakers as well that look futuristic. Mark wears one rope chain in yellow gold and another in platinum with matching bracelets. His piercings are changed to gold balls.

He smelled fantastic and that was saying something from the distance of the couch to the counter. Tammy suddenly wishes she'd never said anything to him. She wishes they weren't alone. Tammy feels afraid without provocation.

She has no clue what he could say of do next and any moment could be the moment. It is almost as if Mark is hyper critical of that possibility as well.

Mark seems to be holding back from allowing it to naturally become consuming. He doesn't want to cross the line. That's what makes Tammy comfortable indulging in fantasies about him ,because nothing should happen.

"I'm going to have to take you with me to the warehouse. " Finally, with a subtle smug air, he removes his gaze from her, right at the moment she can't stand his attention any longer and turns the gaming system off. "On our way back, you can stop and get whatever you need from somewhere, but please don't try any dumb shit.  "

Tammy is leaning on the counter, realizing she has been literally quite dumb. Realizing she's been trusting him more than he trusts her because he still thinks she's going to contact someone or run away. It kinda stings knowing that's how he sees her.

"Okay, but I need some comfortable shoes. I don't have any with me. " Tammy says. She'd had some sneakers in her car.

Mark stands and Tammy quickly scans over how good his thick frame looks to her. "I sell custom sneakers on the side. I just made a pair a bit ago that may fit you. You wear size 5y?"

Tammy nods while following his non - verbal follow directive. "Yeah, how you know?"

He smiles slyly. revealing close to perfect teeth, only the tiniest bit crooked just to add something to stare at him a bit longer.

For the second time, Mark reminds her of Ted Bundy. What is her obsession with Ted Bundy?

Why are scociopaths just so perfectly attractive with the evenly spaced and spotted imperfections to force your eyes to linger on them. Mark almost appears glowing sometimes, his appeal and charisma so strong.

"I told you, I sell shit. My job is to already know what someone wants." Mark looks at her and then takes in everything.

Tammy nods and doesn't look away from him this time. "So what, you have a sneaker plug or you actually have hidden talent. "

Mark led her into his bedroom, where Tammy sees one wall is full of sneaker boxes. Tammy admires the custom brick wall ,painting, with graffiti; decorating the wall as an accent.

Mark went precisely to a tan box, pulling out a pair of sneakers. The shoes are beautiful and highly creative.

Mostly colored red, with glitter flames that come up, in intricate layers of color blending; each side. The soles are glossy glitter black and the tongue as well. The laces are orange and red tie-dye with a black lace, intertwined with thin gold chains. Gold glitter-dusted the opening for the lacing. The shoe looks too beautiful to be worn. It puts Tammy in the mindset of hood Wizard of Oz shoes.

"Damn, these are art. " Tammy takes the shoe Mark hands her.

"I make them. I used to go to school for art and shit but it just didn't work out. I made those after we met. I think they fit you. " He hands her the box and then went over to his laptop that was blowing off notifications.

Tammy put the shoes on. They fit like a glove.

From his lead, they are ignoring his admission of ' I made them after we met', which says ' they are inspired by you'.

Tammy can't process someone saying ' you are so beautiful to me, you became a muse to my creating something amazing'. Tammy clears her throat, yeah, they can ignore that.

"You're crazy talented. You should go back. " She admires the way the high fashion shoes elevated her simple outfit. All she needs is her bright classic red lipstick.

He swivels in the chair. And she watches him look her up and down with appreciation. He likes how she looks, she just feels the approval. "You think so?"

Tammy shrugs. "I mean if you ever wanted to just do it for the hell of it. "

Mark stands, grabs a red tee shirt. He put it in over the tank. "Maybe, I don't know.
I sort of lost my passion. I do these shoes because it's a nice little side hustle. "

He kept mentioning making money and it didn't seem as though he needed it though.

"I mean if your family can just start-up restaurant businesses, why do you work so much?" Tammy inhales the aroma of good chronic.

Mark lit a blunt and passes it to her. He looks over a selection of designer watches.

"My family isn't a reflection of me. In fact, they barely fuck with me outside of obligation. I have to be my own my and make my own name. So, I try to make as much of my own money as many ways as I can. " Mark shrugs like it's normal to not trust your family. Maybe in his world it is.

Tammy was passing it back but he motions for her to keep it. Mark puts on a watch.

"That's smart though. A lot of men are comfortable just living off their families or women nowadays. I think it's dope that you have that mindset. " Tammy takes more of the smoke in.

Mark sat on the bed. "I had to, even though my family is my family I grew up with less.
My parents died when I was younger so I grew up with my uncle and cousins. I refer to my Uncle as Father but he isn't.
I know my uncle loves me but he isn't going to give me everything he was going to give his heir, his own son.
He made that clear in his own way. So, as soon as I fell in love the first time, it all clicked. I had to make my own name. "

Tammy continues to smoke.

She could identify with how Mark felt in her own way. Sometimes she just didn't agree with the way her family members thought. She worked hard to also prove that it wasn't just daddy's money they got her certain positions. She was damned good at her profession and earned it. Sometimes she hated being a rich kid because no one wanted to credit her with her own success.

"I can understand but at the same time I know I wouldn't have certain shit without the opportunity my family gives me," she said snuffing the blunt out in an ashtray.

Mark nods in agreement. "That's why you just stay thankful and pay your dues. "

Tammy looks at him. He looks at her intently. He really is fine and she found that she likes talking to him. "I think we need to stop getting high with each other. "

He laughes. "Only you're high little girl. "

Tammy laughed. "We're like the same age, what you mean?"

He shook his head. " I haven't seen myself as a boy, since I was like thirteen. "

Tammy stands, playfully getting in his face. "Well excuse me for assuming. "

Mark pulls her in close and looks at her lips,daring her protest, before gently kissing her. As quickly as he kisses her, he releases her. "Come on, we have to go. "