My eyes narrowed. It wasn’t that I believed him, it was that I no longer completely believed Katrina. The truth was, I didn’t know what to believe.

He continued, “If she said anything is going on, it's just in her mind. I can assure you of that," he said.

I wasn’t sure if it was a straight lie or not, but I said nothing.

“So,” a smile crept onto his face, “are we good?”

Again, I gave him nothing.

“Well, at least you’re not screaming at me. That’s something.” His smile was wider now.

I folded my arms.

“Ginger, you’ve got to know how much I love you.”

His tone was soaked with sincerity and these were words I did believe. I just wasn’t sure anymore if our definitions of love were the same.

I grabbed my briefcase. “I want to get home to the children. I don’t like keeping Carmen late on Fridays.” I crossed the room, walking past him, not looking at him, saying nothing.

I’d told him more than I wanted to, but the thing was, I hadn’t played my full hand. I’d said nothing about Sharonne, nothing about her pregnancy. My plan was to only go to him when I was locked and loaded. When there was no way he’d be able to deny it.

That is — if Sharonne were pregnant.

If what Sonya and Cecily told me turned out to be a lie, that would be a relief. I would still be faced with Katrina, though.

Inside my car, I dialed Dru once again and like these last two days, I got her voicemail. But then, my phone vibrated with a text notification:

I’m in the middle of something. But I’ll be home tomorrow.

That was it. I picked up the phone to call her, but then I read her text again. Was she with Sharonne?

I couldn’t take it, so I texted her that question.

Right away, she responded: I can’t talk. Explain later. Flight is in the morning. Early.

Leaning back, I closed my eyes and released a howl, trying to rid my center of all the anxiety simmering inside of me. I’d have to wait until morning? What was going on? Why couldn’t Dru just tell me?

Turning on the car’s ignition, I rolled my car from the spot that said FIRST LADY and I prepared myself for a long night without sleep.

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

When my cell phone rang and I saw Dru’s name on the screen, my heart had already started racing before I could tap the ‘Accept’ button.

“Dru?” I asked as if I wasn’t sure she was on the other end.

Her response: “Are you alone?”