Cookie released Imani, looking around Jamal's apartment. The place was still fairly messy. "For a Queen, you sure keep a messy place," she looked at Jamal. She pointed at him. "What you need is a good maid up in here." She stopped for a second. "You cookin' chicken?"
"Oh, yeah, yeah. Um.." Jamal grabbed Cookie's hand, leading her toward the kitchen.
"Did you fry it?" Cookie asked.
"No, it's stewed, but it's here this way."
"Stewed?"
"Might be a little spicy for you."
Michael jogged into the room, following after Imani, Jamal, and Cookie. "Uh, who is this?" Cookie asked, pointing to Michael.
"Hi," Michael greeted.
"Oh. That's Michael."
"Michael," both of the men introduced.
"Uh, we're sort of living together," Jamal told her. Imani could tell he was nervous as all hell. "Uh, look, Mommy, I know you're hungry."
Cookie smiled. "Oh, honey you didn't tell me you was datin' a little Mexican," she said, pinching Michael's cheek. "Look at her. She's adorable." Jamal gave an awkward chuckle. "Yeah, I said a 'little Mexican.'" Michael laughed. Cookie leaned closer to her children as all of them walked to the kitchen. "You need to get La Cucaracha to clean up around here a bit." Imani couldn't help the guttural laugh that escaped her lips.
"Uh, what are you wearing?" Jamal asked, looking at Cookie's outfit as she took a piece of chicken out of the pot.
"What I got locked up in," Cookie sighed. She leaned on the counter, going to town on a chicken leg.
"Well, we gonna change that real quick," Jamal said.
"Yeah, Ma," Imani agreed. "You kinda look like a prostitute." She fluffed the fur on Cookie's coat.
"And why didn't you call me?" Jamal asked. "I would've picked you up."
"I just got out," Cookie said. "Good behavior."
"Alright, so whatchu' gon' do now?" Jamal asked.
Cookie stared straight ahead. "I'm here to get what's mine."
"He said that?" Anika asked, sitting in front of Fallon, who had her head down on her desk. The two were in her office, discussing what Lucious said to Imani earlier.
"Yep," Fallon sighed, lifting her head to look at Anika. "He said our music wasn't worthy of being on the label." She gave a dry chuckle. "Don't you just love being talked down by your own father?"
Anika licked her lips, standing from her desk. "Look, Fallon," she walked around to the front of the desk and sat on the edge. "I don't know why he's riding you and your sister so hard. But, what I do know is that I've heard your music. And, whatever it is Lucious is looking for, or says he needs from you, you got it. Both of you do."
The two shared a smile, and Anika grabbed a small stack of files. "Now, I have to deliver these to your father, but when I get back, I was thinking we could go to lunch."
"You offered, you're paying," Fallon pointed her finger at Anika with a smile.
Anika chuckled, shaking her head. "Fine by me."
"Good, 'cause I'm starving," Fallon sighed, standing with Anika. Anika wrapped her free arm around Fallon as they walked out of her office. "All I had today was hummus."
The two women got onto the elevator, making small talk. "So rude," they heard Becky say. She sighed, sitting down at her desk.
"What's wrong with you?" Fallon asked, stepping off of the elevator.
