London returned with her wineglass and a small saucer.

“There is cheese dip,” she sang, doing a little shimmy as she reclaimed her seat. “And it’s good cheese, not the processed kind. I have to admit, this place is growing on me.” She looked from Taylor to Samiah. “Okay, why does it suddenly feel like Thanksgiving dinner back before my parents were divorced? This kind of tension gives me hives.”

“Well, someone is backing out on her plans to get her degree,” Samiah provided.

“Damn. Already? You just decided to go back to school like a minute ago. Why are you giving up so soon?”

“I’m not giving up! I’m just…Shit,” Taylor muttered. “I won’t take it completely off the table, but I can’t handle both school and training Jamar.”

“You’ll always have clients that you’re training,” Samiah said. “We already established that you’ll have to simultaneously work and go to school.”

“I know!” She grimaced, hating the whiny quality in her voice. “Look, I know that I’ll have to work while earning my degree, but this particular client requires more attention than most. Just the thought of having to do homework after a full day of training makes my stomach knot.”

“Wait a minute,” London said, her eyes suddenly alight with excitement. “I just thought of something. I actually like school. What if my new hobby is helping you with your schoolwork?”

Taylor started to nod, until Samiah declared, “That is not a hobby. Why don’t you go back to painting?”

“Forget the painting. I can’t do this shit. We just got started and I’m already bored out of my mind.”

“Then we’ll find something else. Homework isn’t a hobby.”

“Speak for yourself.”

Samiah rolled her eyes, then turned her attention back to Taylor. “What do you need from us? Other than us doing your homework?”

That would have been ideal, but Taylor knew if she was going to go through with school, she would have to do it. She didn’t want an invisible asterisk stamped on her degree.

And as much as she hated to admit it, Samiah was right about the security that degree would provide.

“What I need is…time,” Taylor said. “I need time to get through this project with Jamar.” She looked to her two friends and decided to be honest. “And then I will really need you both to hold me accountable.”

Samiah lifted her wineglass in a toast. “That we can do. Don’t worry, hon. We got you.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN