Drillmington: Despite

After the funeral, both Julisia and TSL felt drained. Bereft of all vigor, they found themselves watching their staff clean up bowls of food and those little canisters that keep food warm in aluminum trays. They volunteered to help.

“No, Mr. Rinsin, Ms. Causewell. We’ve got this.”

The couple backed up and held hands as Julisia’s stilettos clicked against the floor. They went into their spacious living room.

“Funerals always take a lot out of you,” TSL observed. Julisia rested her hand on the window sill, cupping her chin. She watched the dying winter sun.

“I’m just glad that part’s over,” she said.

“Right. You’ll never get over this and that’s okay.”

“If you want, you can leave me.”

“What’re you talking about?”

Julisia delivered a much needed sigh. “I mean I’m going to be a moody, vicious bitch because of all this. So I would understand if you left me.”

“I have no plans in doing that. You are my starship. I’m the prize but what’s a prize if it can’t be appreciated?”

Julisia hadn’t cracked a smile in a week. This was the first time she could remember that she could actually glean some levity from the circumstances surrounding her. She buried her head into TSL’s chest and wept. It was a silent but uncontrollable cry that caused Julisia to shake with spasms and jolts.

“It is something you will never get used to and no one ever should tell you differently,” Top Shelf Said. His breathing was all that comforted her. He breathed deeply with rhythm and meaning. She felt that he was serious not just by his words but by his total being heaving heavily and then softly again.

“I just wanted to say you had a chance to get away from me. You had a chance to say I’m rid of her and that she will not be a part of my life any more. But you said you still want me. You said I’m worth your time. It’s more than that. You have allowed me to choose you for your greatness. That’s powerful to me.”

TSL kissed her neck. “It’s nothing to me. You are not a sacrifice and I hope I’m not a sacrifice to you. I have selfish love for you and we are more than just lovers, we’re business partners. That’s the best thing we have going for each other. That’s what makes us truly special.”

Julisia wiped a tear. Then TSL wiped another from her face.

“I mean I would understand if you wanted to cut ties with me on the business front as well. I’d understand it and respect it. It’s easy to say I’m in this for the money. I am. But you are part of the equation as well. That’s why I’m saying that we're making this money together. That we should be reaping these funds without any regard for the negative in this world. Daddy’s dead. I know that, now. He’s not in some fantasy land of either light or darkness. I know that. He raised me to never be mystical, always have a clear-cut purpose, and to respect myself to the fullest.”

“That’s why we’re together. Married, unmarried, we’ll always be a team. Through the nonsense of the world, we will achieve great things despite whatever may befall us. Rap or rat. That’s where we are right now. We’re going to go ahead through this world under the power of our minds being separate but capturing a similar goal. That’s what’s happening to us right now.”

Julisia walked over to the place where the food was ready and just stood.