Fortunately, we didn’t have any family uproars or anything. Her family liked me, and my mother and sister liked her.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” my mother whispered to me when I flew Michelle and Briana to Indiana. “She’s a good girl. And you did it all by yourself. But why she wait so long to tell me about my precious granddaughter? Is that girl out of her mind? But don’t tell I said that. I’m just expressing myself.”

That’s my mother for you. She’s liable to say anything.

Juanita went ahead and had her abortion the same week I met my daughter, and I was terrified how she would respond to the situation. Surprisingly, my sister was openly supportive, and she loved my new daughter.

“Just call me Aunt Nita,” she told her.

I pulled Juanita aside when I got a chance to, and she said, “You don’t have to apologize about anything, Tee. My situation would not have turned out like yours. And you know, I’m proud of you. You’re not as selfish as you think you are.”

Then she cried into my arms. “She is beautiful, Terrance. She is so beautiful.”

That part scared me. I had no idea how Juanita may act later on, but so far so good. She was happy to be a new aunt and not a new mother.

Kim O’Bannon sent Briana a bunch of designer clothes as a gift, and asked us when we wanted her to start off modeling.

“The girl has pedigree. You have to do it,” she joked.

Kim decided that adoption would be the best route for her own desires to have a child. She finally determined that an adoption would make things a lot less complicated for her.

Judi was so excited for me that she wanted to be a bridesmaid in the wedding. I told her there was no wedding yet. We were still feeling everything out.

“Well, let me know when. And your daughter is gorgeous,” she told me. “I am so happy for you. Only way I could be more happy is if it were me.”

Then I told her about Michelle’s four years of abstinence.

Judi said, “You see that? Just when you thought it was crazy. I bet you think differently about it now.”

And I did. Of course, Michelle had a lot to learn in the sex department, but she proved her mettle in her willingness to learn, so I was satisfied with her forward progress.

My girl Danni continued to grow in her modeling career, and she started dating movie, sports, and music celebrity types. That fit her perfectly. With the way those guys turned relationships over—who’s hot who’s not—her attitude would fit right in with their revolving doors.

TaShay straightened up her act and left Taniva alone, and she was now on her way up the professional ladder with wings on. She had landed wholesome retail brands like Gap, Benetton, Banana Republic, and Old Navy, while staying away from the brutal competition of trying to land premier designer names. But all modeling money was good money to me, and I was still making mine, too.