"Omari, what's wrong with you? You've had an attitude ever since you got up.", Danni sighed as the two of them got ready for church.
"Nothin'.", he mumbled as he proceeded to get dressed.
"It sure doesn't seem that way."
He let out a deep sigh along with a shake of his head as he continued to stand in front of the mirror.
"C'mon, we cannot go to church like this so you might as well talk about what's botherin' you now before we leave.", she sighed as she walked over to him while fixing her hair.
"You know what it's about.", he mumbled while speaking in reference to what had went on between them the night before. When Danni had come in from shopping with me and Cori, Omari had set up a romantic evening for them to her pleasant surprise. He went all out too! He made all of her favorite things for dinner, drew them a bubble bath, gave her the best all over body massage she had experienced in quite some time, and just when they were about to do their thang, she reminded him to strap up. This is what pissed him off because he was ready to start a family, but she was against it. Needless to say, the mood was killed for the rest of the night after their argument that came out of their disagreement.
"No I don't."
"You do too."
Danni proceeded to sit her brush down on the dresser before turning around to face Omari as she leaned up against it while watching him although he kept his eyes on the mirror. "Could you juss tell me already so we won't be late to service? You know how Tori is if we're a few minutes behind in pickin' her up."
"That's juss it...it's Tori! I mean she got you so brainwashed that you and I can't even have a baby and we been married three years now!", he yelled out of frustration.
"Oh, so that's what this is about?", she huffed while folding her arms. "I told you that...", she started before he interrupted her as he continued to fix his necktie while looking at her.
"I know...it's not a good idea because Tori said that 42% of marriages fail in the first 5 years and we haven't been married that long yet! Your ass sound like a broken record talkin' that same dumb shit everytime a baby is brought up. Man, I'll be waitin' out in the car.", he replied with a suck of his teeth as he walked out of the room.
"Omari...", she sighed before deciding to just let him have his brief moment.
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All during church service while I sat in the choirstand with the rest of the choir members, I kept looking out into the congregation of the church to watch Omari and Usher who sat with sour looks on their faces while my two sisters enjoyed the service. However, those two crybabies' sour moods changed into good ones when I stood up to sing lead of "King Jesus" by Vicki Winans. Within minutes, I watched Omari and Usher stand up to sing along and clap their hands with the rest of the congregation as I sang and walked from one end of the pulpit to another while clutching my microphone. In no time flat, Sister Jenny, our oldest member at 82-years-old, took off running around the church while raising the roof better than Luke ever could!
From there, Pastor Fisher brought the house down with one of his fiery sermons. During one point as he preached on God's love and acceptance of us no matter who we are and what we do, Usher jumped up and shouted "Yeah!" three times in a row while pushing his fist in the air followed up by clapping his hands. I noticed how Cori lowered her head out of embarrassment while trying not to laugh. When I made eye contact with Danni I saw that she was quietly laughing because her shoulders were going up and down. Then out of the blue as Pastor Fisher began to high-step it from one end of the pulpit to another, Omari and a few more members also jumped up from their pews to clap and send up praises while the pastor brought his message sho'nuff.
When the service was over, the five of us were going back over to my place to have Sunday dinner since it was my turn to make it.
But before we left, Usher noticed one of his friends from college named Howard that he wanted to introduce Cori, Omari, and Danni to since they went back quite a few years. While the five of them chit-chatted with one another, I had been on the other side of the church yard talking with one of the members of the choir about an upcoming rehearsal before realizing that I had to hurry up and get home to finish making the rest of my Sunday dinner. After excusing myself, I walked over to Usher and the others so we could get ready to leave.
"Ummm...if you are done, I'm ready to leave now.", I emptily stated while watching Usher.
I noticed how he cut his eyes at me while letting out a deep sigh. "Aight, man. I'll catch up with ya lata. It was good to see you again." He proceeded to share a quick pound with Howard.
"You too. But hol' up...who is this?", this Howard guy asked Usher with a small smile while watching me.
"Oh yeah...this is my future sister-in-law, Torilyn Reyonlds.", he dryly stated. "Torilyn, this is an old friend from college, Howard Bailey."
"It's nice to meet you, Torilyn. You did a good job up there in the choir today.", he smiled as he extended his hand to shake mine.
"Thanks. It was nice meetin' you too. Okay yall, let's go.", I replied after giving him a weak handshake. I proceeded to grab up to Cori and Danni's hands as the three of us headed over to Omari' SUV.
"Well, damn. I mean ummmm...dang. My bad.", Howard quickly stated while lifting his eyes up to look at the sky after realizing that he was still standing on church ground. "Ummmm...she's not much of a sociable person is she?", he smirked once he was looking at Usher and Omari.
"You were lucky to get her on one of her GOOD days.", Omari huffed with a shake of his head. He proceeded to share a quick pound with Howard before heading over to me and the girls.
"Oh well, I was about to ask you to hook me up, but neva mind.", Howard smirked.
"Very wise choice. You don't wanna mess with someone as evil as she is.", Usher chuckled with a nod of his head as they exchanged pounds once more before making his way over to us so we could finally leave.
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Once we were back at my place, the girls and I went into the kitchen to finish preparing dinner while Usher and Omari watched a football game in the den.
"Man...I juss don't know anymore.", Omari sighed when the first commercial break came on.
"Lemme guess...Tori.", Usher smirked.
"Yeah. No matta how hard I try to get Danni to realize that she's runnin' her life, she always gives me that bull about what her sista says is for our own good."
"I know EXACTLY what'chu mean! I get so tired of hearin' that shit from Cori that sometimes I feel like bangin' my head upside the wall. Maybe I need to see if I can hook my boy up with Tori after all so she can get the hell off of our backs.", Usher sighed.
"What boy?!"
"Howard. He was askin' about her today, but I told him I didn't know if it would be a good idea to fix him up with someone so damn mean and evil like Tori. But now the more I think about it, the more I'm thinkin' that this could be a good thing for all of us."
"That is if Tori wants to. You know she's still bitter ova what Darryl did although that's been ova and done with for a long time now."
"I know right. But at least it's worth a shot.", Usher slyly grinned as they went back to watching the game before we all sat down to eat dinner a while later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey, Cori? Can I ask you somethin'?", Usher asked her a few nights later while they sat together in his living room watching tv.
"Of course you can. W'sup?"
"I've been givin' what I'm about to ask you a lot of thought about Tori and I was wonderin' if you and Danni wanted to help me and Omari out?"
"Help yall out with what?"
"I'ono...maybe a chance meetin' with my boy Howard that I introduced yall to at church the otha day."
"Now you know Tori's not gonna have that!"
"But I'm sayin'...if we set it up like he juss happens to be where we go on Friday night after we invite Tori maybe she'll stop bein' so hateful.", he smirked.
"I'ono about this; you know that she doesn't go out much like that anymore."
"Cori, pleeeeeease.", he pleaded while lying his head on her shoulder.
"Wait a minute...you actin' like this is more for you than it is for her.", she laughed while glancing down at him.
"Oh nah...neva that!", he laughed with a quick shake of his head while sitting up.
"Why don't I believe you?"
"Damn. That really hurt, Cori. You should know your man betta than that.", he sighed in a hurt tone while laying his puppy dog eyes on her.
"I do know you which is why I know you have somethin' up your sleeve.", she chuckled with a roll of her eyes.
"Okay, well maybe I want your sis to be happy for once.", he replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Say that to me again, but look me in the eye this time.", Cori giggled as she took her hands and placed them on either side of his face in order to turn his head around so they could look at each other.
"I...I...want...", he stated through laughter while trying his best to look at her although he couldn't.
"You betta be glad I love your silly ass enough to help you out with what you're askin' me.", she laughed back as she leaned forward to kiss him.
"Thanks, ma.", he smiled after their kiss was over.
"You're welcome.", she grinned while winking.
"Well c'mon. We don't have much time since I have to have you home in a few hours.", he laughed as he hurriedly jumped up from the sofa. He proceeded to lift Cori up into his arms so they could go to his room.
"You're so bad...and I love it!", she giggled while happily kicking her feet as she placed kisses all over his face.
"Fo' sho'!", he grinned.
[glow=blue,1,200]***More comin' soon***[/glow]