I leaned over to hug my friend and then, I prayed that all of this would be as easy as she believed.

When we broke our embrace, I looked into Dru’s eyes, wanting to ask her the final question. “What’s the baby’s name?”

This was something I’d been thinking about. Women like Sharonne had a pattern when it came to naming their children after being impregnated by a man who belonged to someone else. I held my breath because if Sharonne had named her son....

“Andre,” Dru said. “Her baby’s name is Andre.”

I breathed, buckling with a little bit of relief.

“But I don’t know what last name she gave to him.”

“That’s all right.” I turned my attention back to the car. His name is not Jeremy.” And for a reason that I really couldn’t explain, that gave me a little bit of hope.

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

“Mommy, Auntie Jada said she’s going to do my nails,” Jasmine shrieked.

The way my daughter jumped up and down, her pigtails flying in the air, brought a smile to my face. For the first time since this drama began, I’d spent a morning smiling. It was because of Jada. My sister had just popped up in church this morning. Right when the praise and worship team made their way behind the altar, my sister had stepped in front of the pew and stood next to me.

I hadn’t seen her at first. Didn’t even know she was there until I heard her voice:

“I have a meeting in Hampton tomorrow, so I figured, I’d spend the day and the night with my favorite pastor and his wife.”

I’d turned to her with a screech and a hug, holding her in an embrace so tight, I sent her intuition into high alert. She’d stepped back from me with a frown on her face and questions in her eyes, but before she could ask one question, the praise and worship team began singing.

I raised my hands to the Lord giving Him praise for so many things in that moment.

Since that time, I hadn’t been alone. At least not long enough for Jada to corner, then question me. And really, she hadn’t been alone either; Jasmine had been her shadow from the moment she saw her auntie once church was out.

“So Mommy, can Auntie Jada do it? Can she paint my nails?”

I looked up at my sister as she joined me at the kitchen table. “As long as it’s a neutral color, it’s fine.”

“Yay!” Jasmine sang, waving her hands in the air, her pigtails still bouncing. “I want hot pink, Auntie Jada.”

“All right. Let me see what I have in my bag.”

“Wait.” I held up my hand, looking at Jasmine first, and then turning to Jada. “Hot pink is not neutral.”