Unexpected Reunion

 Chapter 1

Tara

I never thought of myself as the type of girl that was amazingly attractive not conventionally that is. I guess you could say I was the type of girl who didn’t care to be. I mean, why would I want to be.?

My mother, on the other hand, said that beauty was pain all my life as she combed, braided, hot combed, flat ironed, and permed my hair to perfection. At least it was her idea of perfection anyway. It was one of the few memories I had left of her before she passed from severe liver cancer.  

She would always say. ‘Baby girl you are beautiful a young black queen in the making and the world is your kingdom to rule as you see fit. But a queen cannot possess just a heart of gold, the courage of a warrior, or tranquility of the ocean alone. She must also look the part to command the respect she deserves so that she may heal and nurture her kingdom.’

Back then I always thought of it as my mother’s way of trying to trick dressing up and being more ladylike to fit the perfect little princess image she had of coffee-colored uses to read me stories about princesses who would overcome great obstacles to find their prince in shining armor and live happily ever after every night before bed. So much that I would dream of the day that mine would come along and every morning when we would wake, she would do my hair and give me the same speech about being the type of queen who could do and be it all.

It was one of the best memories I had of her to this day. long after her smiling face began to change from her beautiful full round coffee-colored completion with bright wide brown eyes and a smile so big it would set the world back on its axis with one look into her serene eyes. Her smile was a beacon of hope for all those who met her. I used to always watch her with curious eyes as men who wished to date her would tell her so and she would politely smile and say is it not a queen’s job to grace the world with her smile so that they know that there is light at the end of the dark tunnel that life has fated them too. 

It broke my heart as I watched the cancer take over and her same luminescent smile and bright eyes began to dim, and her skin grew pale and ashen as her features grew more and more sunken to the point that her same full face was only the shadow of a boney figure. The vibrant soulful woman with tales of happy endings I and the world once knew and loved so well was gone.

But her speech never left me it became my mantra I said to myself every day I woke up in a new foster home long after she was gone. My mother was like a guardian angel a beacon of hope as I fought to survive in a system that was broken and cared nothing about me once she was gone.

For a while I didn’t think I would see a light through the tunnel of darkness. Until I landed in Lourdes’s place, it took a few years of being tossed back in fourth in the system. I had been through so much before I did. I had been to homes with foster parents that made sure you were fed, clothed and provided for as far as the state required, but wanted nothing to do with you. Foster parents that were happy to collect support checks each month but would treat kids like live in slaves punching bags or worst. 

I had been one of the unlucky ones who developed faster than expected by age ten I had breast and hips that most grown women would pay for today. That had followed the summer I’ve just been placed in a foster home where the father who appears to be the perfect doting dad by day. But would creep into the girl’s beds to ‘cuddle’ with his precious little princesses by night. I attempted multiple times to inform our foster mother about her husband’s nightly visits that only led to a furious screeching response that only end when she called me a liar and accused me of being a manipulator after a few of the other girls came forward as well. She even had the audacity to tell me she saw for herself that he never did anything inappropriate to us when she would peek in to check on us. I knew then that there would be no one to save me, no prince charming on a white horse waiting to save the day. I had to save myself and the next day I got up for school stopping only to duck into the nearest hardware supply store long enough to use slip a box cutter into my pocket then took off for school.

I was nervous the whole day as I waited for the bell to ring and signal my release back into the torture that was my life. I had kept it on me all day as I finished my chores and even when I got bathed and ready for bed. Once I was sure no one was around I slipped it under my pillow climbed into bed and waited. It wasn’t until I heard the familiar creek of the door opening as he did every night for the past two months and felt the bed dip down behind me that I knew he was here. I slipped my hand up under the pillow grabbing the cutter as I slowly released the blade fearing he would hear it. He strokes my hair and back the same as he had other times, but this time when he reached around to slip his hand under my shirt. I pull the cutter from under the pillow and slice the back of his hand. 

Looking back on it now, it probably wasn’t the smartest plan. At least it certainly didn’t feel like it, when he pulled back his hand and punched me in the face, nor when he slammed my head on the dresser until I blacked out. But if it wasn’t for him beating me so bad, I wouldn’t have screamed so loud that the neighbors heard and called the police. It also did not hurt that I was beaten so bad they knew with look at me that I needed to go to the hospital.

I had been lucky to be alive the nurse told me after I woke up from a three-day coma. But it worked, she informed me that I saved not just myself but all the kids that stayed with them both and had I not screamed for my life that there wouldn’t have been anything I could have done.

I let her words sink in as she introduces herself to me. My name is Lourdes she said that she had seen kids like me come through the ER like this all the time but the never made it. It was almost always kids like me, who had lost parents that get dumped into the system and nothing is done to guarantee their safety once they are in. 

“Tara I was like you once I had a family that cared about me once I had a family that cared about me once and got lost to the system after they died in a car crash. Losing my momma and poppa was like losing the air in my lungs. I was so depressed that I just couldn’t see the light until I was finally found by my abuela. She was still living in Puerto Rico and couldn’t be tracked down for over half a year. She had no clue about my parent’s deaths. For me it was like being rescued after being lost in darkness for months.”

“Did everything go back to normal after you went home?” I asked voice full of tears slightly jealous of her happy ending, because unlike her I had no one. There was no long-lost relative to rescue me after I was released. My mother was an only child, my grandparents passed before I was born, and I never knew my father. I was all alone in the world once, I may have had some peace now due to extensive damage done by my foster father breaking my nose, four ribs, and wrist. A sinking feeling set into the pit of my stomach, and I started to cry as when realization hit that once I was released from this hospital, I was left with only two options. Go back to foster care and risk being placed somewhere worst or just as bad or dropped in a group home where every day was a fight to survive against kids like me. Neither option was meant to be the lesser of two evils, so I was pretty much screwed.

Lourdes leaned over to grab a tissue from the pink and white box siting on the tray to my left then looked at me as if asking my permission to touch me. I nodded as the tears continued to fall and she wiped my tears as she fixed a kind smile on her face before she continued. 

“With some time, and a whole lot of love it did. It’s one of the reasons why I started my own foster home into the house My abuela left to me after she passed last year. It’s also the reason I came here to visit with you every day since you got here Tara. I would like to offer you a place in my home and the love of a true family. That is if you would give our family the chance to do so. I know it hasn’t been easy for you up until now and you’ll have a lot of healing to do before you are able to trust anyone again; but I would like to help you to do so together if that’s ok with you.”

I leaned my head back against the hospital beds hick plastic headboard and this time I didn’t bother trying to hold back my tears as the poured out of me as I gasped and sobbed uncontrollably barely able to catch my breath as I realized her words. For the first time since I was six years old and introduced to the foster care system, after four years of physical verbal abuse, neglect, and sexual assault and finally someone was here to save me from it all. With no ulterior motives, she simply wanted to make me feel safe and loved to give me the family I had been praying for this whole time. I was so overwhelmed by the emotions rolling through me I couldn’t stop crying and she simply reached out and cupped my uninjured hand in both her hands tapping the back of it lightly not saying anything. We stayed like that for over an hour me crying, and her just holding my hand comforting me with her presence.

From that moment on I was a new Tara I was never quite the same after the incident, but I was slowly being built back up by Lourdes. She had saved me from the system and stayed true to her promise she treated me and the other kids at her place as if we came from her. It wasn’t until I asked her one day out of curiosity why it was that she never had kids of her own. It was the first time since the hospital that I saw the hurt of her pass cross her face when she told me of her abuse by her foster brother.

 He had begun raping her as early as three, he had done so much damage over the years that caused her to contract a S.T.D. That went unchecked for months by her foster parents simply for fear of their precious only son being imprisoned for his acts. It had been six months later when her grandmother was found and had fought to get custody back of her. When it was discovered what she had been through, but by then it was too late. She was able to get a shot to clear up the Chlamydia but by then she was diagnosed as infertile. She looked at me and smiled before she said. 

“God had a higher purpose for me, I endured the pain and suffering then to make me strong enough to be a mother to you and the rest of my children. I was always meant to be your mother Tara and mother to your brothers and sisters. No matter if you came from my womb or not, I was destined to be your mother and I thank God every day for blessing me with such amazing children.” She said as she wiped away the tears and I just stayed there holding her hand the same as she had that day in the hospital for me.

 A few months later she had adopted Evet, AJ, and I before our thirteenth birthday’s which conveniently happened to be on the same day as each other. It was the one thing that made us so close Stella use to call as the trouble triplets because we would always get into some mess together and were inseparable since the day Lourdes first brough me home and introduced to each other. We all bonded over our battle scars as we called our bruises from our more abusive homes from our past. It was of course Evet who had introduced herself to me first she was a goddess in the making even back then with here beautiful coffee colored skin and beautiful almond shaped light brown eyes as she shook her head long wavy curls bounced freely resting in a cascade down her back. “You look like shit I hope you at least left his ass with a permanent reminder of the girl that got his ass locked up.” she said shaking her head as she looked me over.

“Aya Shut up Evet, stupido not everyone has the superhero jaw strength to bite someone’s dick off ok. Shit I don’t even think cannibals could stomach that shit.” AJ chimes in at my defense he was a skinny tanned boy back then with wild curls and hazel eyes that seemed to stare right through you back then. 

“Excuse my twin here that girl ain’t got no sense. My names AJ what’s your name?”

“Tara…” I answer shyly as I was always nervous meeting new kids never knowing just what I would get with every new place.

“That’s pretty I can’t stand my fucking name, it sounds like I should be somebody’s grandma or some shit.” Evet says chiming in.

“Girl please at least it’s not basic ass Anthony Jr. I swear I can’t wait until I get grown, I’m changing it to Angel Justina just to fucking piss my pops off.” AJ says.

“Oh no honey, you got to come with something better than that if you gonna change it you need to at least make up something to fit you boo.” Evet says waving her hand up and down at AJ.  “True twin you are so right I definitely need to convey all the fabulous that is me when I say my name.” he says putting his hands on his hips and striking a pose like he was on a vogue cover. Causing the three of us to laugh. 

“So, you guys are twins are you fraternal?” I ask seeming thrown by their dramatically different but oddly beautiful features. Wondering who takes after their mom and who takes after their mom. Evet and AJ look at each other and burst into laughter at my question.

“What?” I ask feeling slightly embarrassed by their response. Evet is the first to answer seize her laughs to answer me.

“Girl, AJ may be cute enough, but he wishes he was my brother. We call each other twin because we have the same birthday, and we like all the same things.”  AJ scoffs I mock offense before saying.

“Um honey technically I’m a whole year older so you stole my birthday boo boo. Don’t hate me because you aint me.” He says wagging his finger at her like a disobedient child being chastised by their parent.

“Whatever Cinderfella, who said you own November twelfth any way. last I checked there wasn’t any national holiday on our birthday for you so shut up with your big head ass.” She says rolling her eyes at AJ.

“Wow, both of your birthdays are November twelfth mines is too. That’s crazy.” I say and they both stop arguing long enough to look at me curiously. 

“No bullshit you for real left eye.” Evet says obviously referring to my still swollen shut eye. 

“Oh my god Evet you stupid ass, she just got out the damn hospital. What the fuck you got no damn sensitivity for nobody my god.” AJ says snapping at Evet defensively.

“Ok and she literally survived it am I right, so why we tip toeing around it shit it aint like she’s dead what the fuck Anthony. Is she supposed to be sitting here morning being taken away from that fucking place with that mother fucker? No!” she says answering her own question before continuing. “It aint like nobody else aint gonna say worst shit, she might as well get tougher while she can.” Evet hollers and Lourdes comes around the corner with a large glass jar in her hand hearing the many curses Evet dropped.

“Let’s go Evet you owe the jar five dollars and AJ and Tara an apology. I told you educated beautiful women can get their point across without needing to curse their head off or hurt the people around them. You know better Evie.” She says sternly as she holds the jar out to Evet, who reaches in her pockets to pull out a five and throws it in the jar. 

I question where she even got the money when AJ whispers to me. “Lourdes gives us an allowance out of our checks. Whatever she doesn’t use for food, clothes or bills for us she gives us to spend how we want. She makes us put money in the swear jar when she catches us, since she knows we like having our money for ourselves she says it will teach us accountability or some mess.” He shakes his head at Evet, and I watch as she turns to apologize to AJ and I before Lourdes says. “I’m not trying to embarrass you Mi hija but you do need to remember you went through what Tara has and know how hard it is to work through those feelings. Tara been alone for a while and could use a big sister that fights for her not with her that’s how you make her stronger not by tearing her down. Si lo entiendes?” 

“Yes, I understand.” She responds to Lourdes in English then turns to me and AJ says. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to be insensitive Tara and AJ.” She says apologetically.

“Esa es mi hija.” Lourdes says with a smile patting Evet on her head before walking away. 

“Um hmm.” AJ says just as she walks away. Evet narrows her eyes at him in response.

“Thank you Evet I know you didn’t mean to be mean. I know what you meant, and I appreciate you trying to help me. I haven’t had someone care enough to be mad for me in a while its nice.” AJ turns to look back and forth between us both and speaks.

“You actually thanking her mean-…” Pauses to check for Lourdes then whispers. “Mean ass for picking on you. Girl you must be more messed up than I thought.” He shakes his head and I look to Evet who seems caught off guard by my words then she smirks at me before saying.

“Shut up AJ my new twin gets because she’s a girl you wouldn’t get it.” Rolling her eyes at him again.

“Heifer I’m more than a woman, I’m greatness personified you better ask about me. And she is my twin not yours with your mean ass. Right Tara?” he says looking at me.

“Well since all three of us have the same birthday doesn’t that make us triplets, not twins?” I ask in response. They both smile, then Evet pushes past AJ putting her arm around my shoulders careful not to bother the strap to the sling securing my cast in place lightly hugging me around my neck. “Well then you’re my new favorite triplet AJ can kick rocks.” She says teasingly and I laugh.

“Oh no boo boo Tara is my fav I called dibs on her first so you can take your hands off my triplet now.” He says coming over and hugging me on my other side and I laugh. 

We were inseparable from that moment on and I couldn’t be happier to have a not one but three people in my life who genuinely cared for me, for the first time in four years it gave me a feeling of completion I hadn’t felt since my mother was alive. Just like that I became one of Lourdes’s kids. That’s why when she said she was going to retire from nursing and wanted to pass the foster home on to me, Evet and AJ was caught off guard. She did have one condition though, she wanted us to continue in her footsteps of making Lourdes’s Pace a haven for other kids like ourselves. Kids who needed a family to put them back together after they survived traumatic foster care experiences. We all gladly accepted, we wanted to do for the kids of Chicago what Lourdes had done for us. 

But I wanted to go a step further, so I got together with AJ, Evet, Stella and James to start an outreach program based around the values that were instilled in us from Lourdes’s place and all the kids she helped in the foster care system for over twenty years. I even initiated daily check ins at homes of kids who were adopted out of Lourdes’s place. I also came up with the idea to set up regularly scheduled Sunday dinners with all the kids from Lourdes’s place past present and future along with their new families.

Sunday dinners were something dear to us all it was one of the things Lourdes’s did to make us feel normal and help us all to connect with each other. As former foster kids we knew just how much family bonds played a huge part in our healing from or past and we wanted to ensure the kids knew how important they were to our family no matter where they went, they always knew they had a home at Lourdes’s place.

Little did we know that the UFCP would get so much support from the community and former foster kids. They helped us to expand our reach to kids, who were not only from Lourdes’s place, but kids all over the greater Chicago area within half a year. UFCP was receiving so much recognition that we decided to expand to the entire state of Illinois. Which required a lot of financial support, that’s why when I received the email from the mayor’s office. Notifying me that the UFCP was one of the top ten outreach programs being represented for sponsorship for the mayor’s annual charity ball fund raiser. I nearly broke my neck running down the stairs of our small office space we purchased about a year back when we received our first sponsor. Just barely missing tumbling down the last step I hop praying my heels wouldn’t give way from the very awkward way I landed as I dart toward Evet’s office pushing the door open so hard it slams against the wall screaming like an a****n warrior.

“Easy on the screaming, Xena warrior princess. I barely made it in this morning as it is I don’t need you blowing my eardrums out.” Evet says covering her ears as AJ rounds the corner with two cup carriers full of coffee after seeing my mad dash down the stairs into her office.

“Yeah, what’s with the neck breaking speeds girl. I haven’t seen you that fast since old man Jenkins’ rottweiler got loose and chased your ass four blocks.” AJ says looking at me like I’d lost my dam mind. “I though you said big girl don’t run unless it’s to save your damn lives or to fuck a bitch up.” 

“Funny smart ass.” I say feeling only slightly annoyed at his throwing my words back at me.

“Uh-Uh, you two know better.” Evet says pulling out Lourdes’s old swear jar placing it on her desk tapping it with her French tipped manicured nail and looking between us both expectingly. 

“I’m gonna need a dollar from you both or I’m calling Lourdes right now.” She threatens.

I roll my eyes and pull a dollar from my wallet case and toss it in. AJ sucks his teeth as before he places both carriers down on her desk then pulls a dollar from his billfold and does the same. While mumbling “See if I by you heifers anymore coffee after this; snitch.”

To which both Evet and I respond by snatching up a cup before he can take it back laughing as he narrows his eyes at us both. 

“Oh, quit it AJ you know you love us too, stop acting so stank” Evet says taking a long sip of her coffee then continues. “Besides, I believe our sister had some good news for us. At least I hope it is with the way she busted through my fucking door like the damn police just now. I mean dang woman have you not heard of knocking.” She says trying to quickly recover. AJ simply responds by picking up the jar and holding it up to her face with a shit eating grin on his as he taps the glass imitating the same gesture Stella used on him earlier adding a neck roll before saying. “That will be two dollars miss thang you aint slick.”

Evet reaches into her bra pulling out a bill and tosses it in. 

“Oh no honey, not boob sweat and all you are a hot mess.” AJ responds.

“AJ, don’t hate because you can’t participate.” She says waving her hands in a Vana White gesture at her breast.

“Baby girl, I don’t need to participate, I am the greatest lover of all time, if you don’t know better ask, your man about me.” He says sucking his teeth dismissively.

We all laugh at AJ’s response we had been like this ever since the first day Lourdes brought me home from the hospital. We were as close as blood siblings in every way possible that was one thing that hadn’t changed since we dubbed ourselves triplets after the first time, we were introduced to each other. It had been AJ and Evet who got me to talking and laughing more every day and we only grew closer as the years passed.

Lourdes’s place saved me in more ways than one and I couldn’t wait to pay it forward as we planned to expand UFCP throughout the state.                                                                           “So, are you both done or would you rather I not tell you why I almost killed myself to come tell you about?” I ask still laughing as they stick their tongues out at each other like kids in a confrontation.

“Speak Queen, the floor is yours.” AJ says gesturing for me to come forward.

“Why thank you Queen.” I say doing our childhood routine.

“Okay so you know that we have been working like crazy to make sure UFCP has been getting good traction so that we can get plans underway for the programs expansion throughout the state. But as you both know we haven’t really been reaching goal for the funds we need to hire more staff for our daily check ins and for the program introduction events. Were just not at goal for something quite that big yet, right?”

“Yes.” they respond in unison as they wait impatiently for me to continue.

“Well, it looks like UFCP may be getting the expansion off the ground sooner than we expected, because we have been selected as one of the outreach programs being sponsored in the mayors annual fund raiser. We Queens are now officially invited to the most prestigious charity mascaraed ball to help support out outreach program among nine other well-known programs in the state.” I say holding up my phone with the email from the mayor’s office.

We all scream in excitement and AJ rushes over to take the phone from me reading the email out loud. “Oh my god AJ I knew you were working as an intern at his office, but I didn’t know you had so much pull with the mayor.” Evet says an impressed look covering her face. “Child please I’m an office jockey, I basically run errands all day. This is all because of the hard work you and Tara have been putting in place. I told you after the mayor saw those stories about the daily well visits after school ride shares and that after school program at Lourdes’s place including that little K****u master with the crush on you. He was asking all about you guys especially after his nephews got involved, he’s basically been obsessed with UFCP.” “That was all Tara’s idea she kept saying she wanted to do more than occasional block parties on the weekends for the kids to be more active in the community. Seriously Tara you really did an amazing job with setting up the after school and ride share with a beat-up minivan and a few of the older foster kids who still live close by. I’m still trying to figure out how you made that work with so many of them having full time jobs.” Evet says with praise.

“Honestly that was all due to the support of our sponsor including an overtime incentive for employees working with his company to pay any of the kids who volunteered to help with the ride share part of the program.”

The office was filled with excitement as we started celebrating by dancing around the office and chanting. “Who’s the best? We the best.” 

Not only were we going to have the money we needed to support the program. It was great that we were being recognized in the community but would receive national recognition just for being a part of the programs introduced during the charity ball. This meant that after two years of hard work we were finally on our way.

“Hey... hey…hey what’s all this screaming for the three of you know better. Don’t make me call Lourdes on you.” Says the short white haired Latina woman. Stella was sixty years old but looked like she was in her mid-forties with her curvy frame and bright youthful face. The only real indicator of her age was her beautiful silver locks that she had cut into a chic modern bob. 

“Dang Stella it’s like that?” Evet says coming to a complete holt as she addressed our adoptive aunt who was Lourdes’s best friend and fellow program coordinator.

Stella places her hands on her hips and surveys Evet. “Yes, it’s like that my nieces and nephew weren’t taught to act like wild beast. Now what’s got you three in here screaming like banshees?” she asks impatiently. 

“Sorry Tia, but Tara has some great news that’s about to put us on the map with UFCP.”

“Que paso mi hija? What’s going on?” she asks me in Spanish and English as she often had to since youth.

“Tia Stella we are now formally invited and are being recognized as one of the top ten outreach programs to be supported in the mayor’s annual charity program fundraiser. We did it Tia we are one step closer to making UFCP a global program in support of foster kids.”

Stella blinks shocked by my words then starts to scream in excitement.

“James…James get in here.” She calls for our teams’ photographer and website designer. The short thin balding old man walks into Evet’s office where we are all huddled together discussing the details. 

James was a new addition to the team as of a year and a half ago he was one of the reasons why the UFC was so popular now with his dedication to keeping the site up to date on the programs events and activities we offered for kids in foster care. Not to mention the addition of in cooperating the new family tree to the site to help the kids feel and stay connected with each other. It was an idea one of the kids suggested to help everyone stay in touch and push the family initiative further making sure the kids who were in foster care since birth had a way of feeling like they belonged somewhere. 

The minute he enters the room Stella, AJ, Evet and I fill him in on the details about the charity function. To which he responds by saying. “Good maybe we might bump into Gio, I can interview him about all the missing residents we’ve been having since his company started buying up half of the lower south sides property.”                                                              “Eh…No you don’t James you better not dare bother Gio about that mess. He is a corporate mogul now he doesn’t have time for your conspiracy theories am I clear?” Stella says sternly to James, mentioning our very own cinderfella himself. He was Giovanni Morrison when he lived with us but was now known to us all as Giovanni Berlusconi now. 

Apparently, he and his brother Frankie were dropped off at Lourdes’s after a few bad placements after their mother died of breast cancer. They had lived with us for only a few months before some random guy in a fancy suit and a black truck showed up one day. He claimed they were his long-lost sons and wanted to take them home as their last living parent. It was the orphan Annie moment most kids in foster care dreamed of playing out right in our front yard and they both lived it.

Surprisingly enough though he and his brother Frankie were our biggest supporters at Lourdes’s place ever since they took over their father’s company. They were even one of the first to contribute when we first tried to get the UFCP off the ground. Come to think of it Gio and Frankie’s avid support might have been the reason why the mayor their uncle was including us in the annual fundraiser. 

True enough they had backed us financially over the past two years and it had been great, but I wasn’t exactly impressed. Seeing that they never really showed up to any events that didn’t seem to have media presence in attendance.

Sure, the money was helpful, and they even helped a lot of our kids who aged out of foster care by giving them internships with their companies that included housing for benefits for employees. Allowing the kids to get and stay on their feet after leaving foster care for those without anywhere else to go. But even that was set up without some huge corporate announcement through the media and not discussed with us directly to allow us to inform the kids privately. It was one of the reasons we were so busy with every kid in the area requesting to place at Lourdes’s place specifically which is one of the reasons were looking to expand now. All because they wanted to announce the benefits being put into place for their family-based toy factories that specialized in toys that was best suited for kids with developmental disabilities. It was a noble enough company, but it was only when it came time to do a media launch or some press coverage of any kind when the kids at Lourdes’s place were ever of concern to the Berlusconi family.

It was for reasons like this that I wasn’t their biggest fan. Lourdes’s place was more than just some foster home we were a family. It was the one thing that she had always prioritized the bond of family, love and unity that helped heal kids like me. I was the main thing that I was desperate to represent through UFCP. It was my way of ensuring no kid ever felt alone or lost again. The fact that someone who was raised under the same roof of us all no matter how brief didn’t seem to get that just irked the hell out of me.                                                                                     “That’s right James, that fine man has way too much to juggle as is with him trying to build all new houses for that township he and his uncle partnered up to build in order to revamp the neighborhood for all the people he’s buying out of the area after he brings more businesses to the area. Not to mention backing us, shoot if he wasn’t straight, I’d be all over that man.”

“Now when has that ever stopped you?” Evet teased.

“Honey please that man is straighter than a hillbillies aim during dear season. Trust me I tried.” That makes everyone laugh. 

“Well then I might just shoot my shot when we bump into him at the charity ball. I could use a sugar daddy and you know bills are due.” She says adjusting her cleavage.

Evet was beautiful and she knew it her unblemished dark skin was practically glowing her almond shaped light brown eyes curvy slim body and waist length silk pressed hair was the reason men broke their necks to watch her as she walked down the street. Even AJ was unnaturally handsome gone was the scrawny bean pole body he had all through our adolescents. 

AJ had a major glow up with an envious Adonis like body coupled with his olive complexion, dark curly hair cut into one of those short hipster dues and his bright hazel eyes that brought both the guys and girls running every time he flashed his devilish grin. Out of the three of us I was the only short thick addition to our little triplet crew. I wasn’t ashamed of my curves by any means, coupled with my caramel brown complexion full round face almond shaped eyes, full shoulder length four c curls, plenty of ass and breast to match I was nothing to sneeze at myself.

But when you put me side by side with them both. With Evet’s chocolate goddess like features, and AJ’s debonair Puerto Rican Pappi features against my slight better than average natural curves and cute face it was no comparison. I used to feel left out when we would go out to the bar together and potential suitors would fawn all over them both like celebrities. While I would just sit around waiting for the occasional guy who would wander over and strike up a conversation with me. Only to be completely turned off by the end of the conversation, because for one reason or another they would always say some off the wall shit that would turn my stomach. Things like I heard big girls can get down in bed, I never been with a big girl before, your cute for a big girl, or my al time favorite you know if you just ate a little better and worked out a little, you’d be cute. 

That was until I met Keith, he was smooth, sexy as fuck, smart kind and did I mention fine. The man was sex on two legs with a body like a body builder and a face and voice like Common. He even had the bald head and goatee to match. He was the first guy to approach me and just strike up a conversation. I was so lost in my conversation with him that I hadn’t realized it was last call until the lights were turned up and the way he eyed me like he was dying to eat me alive didn’t hurt. He asked me out to dinner, and we hit off after that it was the first time, I met a man who both mentally and physically attracted me. I thought I finally met my prince when Keith came into my life and was devastated when I found out just how wrong a I was. 

“Right Tara?” Evet ask bringing me out of my rabbit hole of thoughts over my last disastrous break up.

“What?” I ask completely caught off guard.

Evet shakes her head and Stella speaks up.

“Evet said, you both should go shopping for some nice dresses for the function together. Then have a spa day to get all dolled up. Not that she bothered to invite your aunty with her thankless self.” Stella says cutting her a look that cold peel the skin off her back side.

“Stella, you know I didn’t mean it like that of course you can come to our spa day. You know AJ will and he never gets an invite.” She says gesturing toward AJ who raises his eyebrow at her.

“First off heifer you know you need me there, who else is going to make sure the three of you look like the bells of the ball. I am the sexiest fairy god mother that ever did flutter and the only one that keeps you little chicklets from looking like the tired old hens your name implies you are.” He responds pointing at Evet.

“There you go talking about names Anthony junior, just because you part of the community of Queens doesn’t make you a true Queen.” Evet responds.                                                       “Don’t come for me Evet walking round in that tired old pants suit, your shoulder pads are so damn high you look alike Miami vice rerun. Fabulous as the eighties were darling you are not woman enough to bring them back.”  Everybody laughs at AJ’s response even Evet.

“I don’t know about that guys’ I’m really busy with the check ins for this week. I’m happy we’re being represented but I honestly was thinking of skipping the ball altogether honestly.” I say after the laughter calms down.

“Besides the programs directors and staff are invited I was thinking maybe you guys could all go while I make sure I get caught up on the schedule for check ins instead.” 

“Ah you’re not fooling any one Tara those schedules have been set and approved for over two weeks now try again the balls this Friday night and the kids don’t have school not to mention we already have designated sitters for the weekend from the Safe sitters list and all the security and nanny cams already set to keep all eyes on the kids.” AJ says dismissing my excuse for avoiding the ball. 

“Besides, I can’t go to the ball it would be nice, but I have to work that night Giuseppe and I have to go over the new community action plans and double check the zoning details for a few more locations the mayors thinking of restoring.” AJ quickly ads like a kid getting caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

“Yeah, right this is the same Giuseppe you were bragging about making out with in the supply closet. You’re just trying to get some booty while your ‘Working Late’.” Evet says making air quotes around the last two words. 

“Don’t be jealous cause I got a man, and you don’t. Don’t hate me cause you aint me baby. We can’t all be fabulous from birth.” AJ responds pointing and shaking his head at Evet.

“Okay…Okay your both pretty now can we get back to the discussion of the event.” Stella interrupts.

“Now Tara, I know you might not be a fan of these formal events but as the UFCP’s outreach director you have to be there to assist with discussing details of communication with sponsors, and you are going with me and Evet to get a long overdue spa day so you can get pampered and make yourself pretty for the ball.” Stella scolds.

“She’s right Tara, there’s going to be a lot of other potential sponsors that could help us push the UFCP to the front line. Not to mention the spa day is going to be fun when was the last time you got to just relax.” Evet chides in.

“Plus, you don’t want to show up to the ball looking like who shot john and why like that one girl from saved by the bell they caught old girl slipping and she never lived it down.” AJ adds.

I wince as those pictures flash through my head before I cave. “Ok, fine I’ll do the whole make over thing for the ball.” I begrudgingly answer.

“Good then be ready at ten am on Friday we are going to get the glow up of all time girl.” Evet says doing a little dance.

We purchased an office area to help us organize the UFCP better but as far as housing for the foster kids that was a bit of a struggle, but we were working on raising the funds for two more homes and interviewing and doing background checks on potential families to run the other two homes. Sure, we could just pay staff, but we wanted to make sure that the other two homes would be just as personable as the original to ensure that all the kids had just as fair of a chance as anyone of our other kids