“I love them, too. But I have to be back in New York,” she glanced at her watch, “by seven or so. On my next trip, though, I’ll come down on the weekend so that I can see the kids and Jeremy. You know who I miss most when I come down here, right?”

I nodded. “Who you telling? Mom moved to Dallas how many years ago? Nine?”

“Yup, right when you came home.”

I shook my head. “But I understood her need to get away.”

“I did, too, but,” Jada pointed her finger toward me, “you think you’re slick.”

“What did I do?”

“You tried to change the subject. I asked you what’s going on because I know something’s bothering you. So no matter how much you bring up the folks we love, I’m gonna bring this all back to you.”

This wasn’t the first time I wondered what kind of discernment gift had been given to my sister. It was uncanny, the way she could sense every emotion I felt, like we were twins or something. Not even the miles could stop us from being in tune. Jada always called right at my first moment of frustration or anger or sadness.

“So tell me what’s going on?” she said again.

“It’s nothing.” I shook my head.

“Oh, come on. Don’t make me play twenty questions with you. I don’t have much time and I’d rather talk about me.” She grinned. “So ‘fess up.”

I would rather talk about my sister, too, rather than what was on my mind. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to share with Jada; it was just that I didn’t want to carry tales about anyone.

But Jada was feeling my energy; she knew something was bothering me.

“Really, Ginger, your silence is making me concerned.”

Looking across the table, the cheer that had been in my sister’s hazel eyes had traded places with worry.

“What’s wrong?” Her voice was a whisper now. “You’re scaring me,” she said as she reached for my hand.

“Oh no.” I waved her words away. “There’s nothing for you to worry about. What’s got me so bothered has nothing to do with me. This is all about someone else’s drama.”

“Who? Is Dru okay?”

Because I was the one who now didn’t want to play twenty questions, I closed my eyes and said a quick prayer asking God to forgive me for sharing Rena’s business. And then, I began the story of the First Ladies Council meeting.

Through the waiter bringing us our wine and then a few minutes later, our lunch, Jada sat transfixed with her mauve-matte lips parted in surprise. She stared at me, without hardly blinking, hardly moving in any way except for when she raised her glass and took two gulps.

When I finished my story, I sat back. Jada said nothing, at first. She just grabbed her glass and finished off the wine before she held it up, her signal to the waiter.