“Did y’all . . .” Beverly put her index finger through a hole made by the thumb and index finger on the other hand.

“Ew, Momma!” Liza laughed despite herself.

“Bev, she left a few nights ago with that barely there dress on and didn’t come back for two days. Any man would know what to do with that dress,” Granny explained.

“I didn’t know he would be there!” Liza defended herself.

“I hope Bev didn’t get inside your head, child. Running after a man so uppity and stiff.”

“Granny, he is the kindest man I’ve ever known.”

“He’s certainly the richest,” Maurice offered.

“Shut up, Maurice,” all the women said in unison.

Bev and Granny wanted to hear the story of rescuing LeDeya all over again.

Every time they got to the part of LeDeya sending WIC the money, Bev rolled her eyes dramatically.

“If I’ve taught you girls anything, it’s never, ever, ever hand a man your own money. What on earth was this child thinking?” This was the lesson Bev wanted her girls to remember? Don’t hand over money? Not “Don’t fall for a liar”? “Don’t betray your family’s trust”?

LeDeya’s sheepish look gave way to curiosity. “Does Dorsey love you too?”

Sorry I misunderstood our relationship. It won’t happen again. Liza was about to say she didn’t know, but Janae cut her off.

“Actions speak louder than words. He gave me a hundred K to move around, no questions asked. He met us at the tarmac and looked at Liza like she was Audrey Hepburn. If I were judging, I would say yes.”

“No, Janae. Words mean something.” Liza shook her head. “He came close one time, and I”—Liza took a small breath in—“I had the wrong idea of him.”

“Well, he’s gotten over that.” Janae handed Liza her phone. “I don’t know what you did, but that man lost his damned mind.”

“What?” There was nothing amiss on her sister’s Instagram account.

“Scroll,” Janae instructed. She did, and she saw an ad:

“Hey DC, it’s Dorsey Fitzgerald. You may remember me from this meme.” A video popped out of their Netherfield Must Go meme. “Or this one.” He pointed to the gala image of them dancing. “Because of Liza Bennett, this area will have one hundred and seventy-five new, state-of-the-art affordable units. I think we can show her a little appreciation. Meet me at sunset on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge at Anacostia Park.”

Liza’s phone buzzed and beeped.

“He bought, like, all the damn ad space for this region on Instagram,” Deya told her. “He’s everywhere.”

Liza’s phone buzzed, rang, dinged, and chirped. Gigi had shared an article of an interview with Dorsey from the Washington Post:

DC City Council Approves Six-Story Affordable Housing Unit in Merrytown Neighborhood in Public/Private Partnership with Pemberley Development

Liza had to get to the park tonight.