“That’s pretty special, I must admit.” Dominique watched Faith place the last of the dishes into the dishwasher, add detergent, and turn it on. “Never take it for granted, Faith,” she said as she folded a dish towel and placed it on its holder. “The husband, home, dog, and picket fence ...”

“Sometimes it’s not a fairy tale,” Faith insisted.

“But it’s there, in your life and your heart. I’m not making light of the work it takes to have a successful family, Faith. I’m just saying to never lose sight of what a blessing it is.”

Faith nodded, and took the whistling teakettle off the fire. After fixing mugs for both of them, they settled into the living room. Faith lazily stirred honey into her mug, looked at Dominique, and laughed. “Remember your first boyfriend?”

“William? How can I forget?”

“No, the one before him, the dude in junior high with the long, greasy Jheri curl.”

“Ha! That was Greg Sutton. Girl, I haven’t thought of him in years.” Dominique smiled at the memory. “Couldn’t nobody tell that fool that he didn’t look like El DeBarge?”

“Couldn’t nobody tell him to stop flinging that hair around either, doing the running man, and spraying everybody with activator?”

“Girl, please. We all had that mess dripping down our necks and ruining clothes.” Dominique laughed at the memories. “But Greg was my first crush; William was my first boyfriend.”

“If you say so. But I remember Greg because he was the first secret you kept from me.”

“I told you eventually.”

“Ha! Only after I found y’all’s love letters hidden under your mattress.”

“I thought I was so in love,” Dominique said with a smile, recalling this memorable eighth-grade moment that lasted all of two months. “And then Mama found out that I’d gone with him to the skating rink instead of to the Pizza Hut with my girlfriends.” Her smile turned bittersweet. The thought of skating reminded her of Jake.

“And it was over!” Faith said, laughing.

“And if Anita’s punishment wasn’t enough to slow my role, then Miss Tiffany certainly was.” Both women shook their heads as they thought about the most popular girl in Dominique’s eighth-grade class, the one who stole Greg’s affections while Dominique was on punishment.

“Did I tell you that I ran into her the other day?”

“Tiffany?” Dominique asked in surprise.

“The one and only,” Faith responded. “She and Greg have four children and eight grandchildren.”

“Stop it,” Dominique exclaimed. “Did she speak to you?” She couldn’t help but remember that Tiffany treated those around her merely as pawns on her chessboard of life.

“More than that,” Faith replied. “She actually hugged me and showed me pictures. Amazing what twenty-five years and about fifty extra pounds can do.”

“No ...” Dominique whispered.