Jada frowned. “You’re not talking about a life without Jeremy?”

I felt it again; the woman’s stare and I had to turn her way again. This was getting to be too much. So, I glared back at her. But all she did was raise her wine glass and sip, never turning her eyes away.

“What?” Jada asked and looked over her shoulder at the woman before she turned to me. “You know her?”

I shook my head. “No. I mean, she looked familiar at first. But since she’s been in here, she’s just been staring at me.”

“Maybe she recognizes you or maybe,” Jada leaned closer and whispered, “she’s looking at me.” When she leaned back and nodded slowly, I laughed.

“Don’t pay attention to her.” Jada waved her hand. “Where were we?”

“I was just saying that it feels silly to dream about what could have been when my life is so good.”

“Well, I can tell you what wouldn’t have been without you...New Kingdom Temple.”

I smiled. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“Okay. What? Politics?”

“No! Tell me about what’s going on at work.” I was always fascinated by my sister’s job. She was the managing editor for Travel Times, an online magazine and website. She’d started with the magazine straight out of Howard University, when it was nothing more than a good idea. However, last year, Forbes Magazine had ranked Travel Times as one of the top ten websites to visit. It was an upstart no more. “So where’s your next trip?”

“I’m heading to Australia.”

I moaned with envy; well, not really envy. I was so proud of my baby sister and how she’d taken this job even though our mother had given her a serious side-eye when Jada had told us that she’d have to not only live in New York, but she’d agreed to work for free for the first six months. After all the money she’d spent for our education, she wanted us to at least be able to support ourselves. And for the first few years, Jada hadn’t been able to do that.

Fast-forward three years and my sister was not only well into the six-figures, but she traveled around the world, staying in the best hotels, eating at amazing restaurants and getting spoiled in the best spas. I wanted to be Jada Allen when I grew up.

Over the next hour, my sister and I talked and laughed and sipped more wine. By the time the check came, my sister had done for me what she always did — she made me feel like I could conquer.

“Ginger?”

Jada and I glanced up — at the staring woman in the purple mini. I’d almost forgotten that she’d been there.

“Yes?”

“Oh, my goodness, it is you. Ginger Allen, right?”

As I kept my glance on the woman’s eyes, my sister sat back and checked her out. Not in any kind of sexual way. My little sister had gone into her don’t-start-none-won’t-be-none mode; she was checking to see if she needed to get up and handle something for me.