"Serena, I stopped by to apologize."
"For?"
Bethany shrugged and looked down. "On Sunday you accused me of repeatedly flirting with Micah, even while we were in church. I'm sorry if I've done anything to make you feel threatened. I was sitting there right next to Ian. Why would I do that? My husband takes good care of me and Victoria. We have a beautiful home, we take dream vacations, we have a good life."
Bethany's eyes darted around as she talked. Serena reclined in her chair and watched.
"Would Ian agree with you?"
The question caught Bethany off guard.
"What does Ian have to do with this?"
Serena leaned forward.
"Ian has everything to do with it. He's the one giving you the lifestyle you've bragged about. He's the one who bought that fabulous outfit you're wearing. He's the one trying to get closer to God while you're in church making eyes at another man, who just happens to be his best friend and also a minister showing him the true source of life."
Serena hadn't turned any pages in her stack of novels upstairs, but she could tell by Bethany's reaction that she had read this woman like a book.
"The biggest problem with all of this is the woman that Ian's 'best friend' just happens to be married to—me."
Bethany squirmed and frowned.
"Where is all of this anger coming from? I thought you were supposed to be so Christian."
Serena’s eyes narrowed.
"I love God with all of my heart, Bethany. He has blessed my life in too many ways for me to name, and one of those gifts is Micah McDaniels.
"God loves me when I'm right, he forgives me when I'm wrong, and he's working on me constantly so that I'll do the same with others, including you. But I'm telling you right now that whatever you're doing to destroy your family, you need to keep mine out of it.
"Any woman who is bold enough to send a letter to another man, knowing that his wife is home all day and checks the mail, is looking for trouble. Well, guess what, lady? You found it."
Bethany rose from the seat, pressed her fingers to her lips, and walked briskly toward the door. Before Serena could lift herself from her sitting position, she heard it close behind Bethany.
"Good riddance," she said aloud.
But Serena didn't feel as giddy as she had expected. Just because she could remove Bethany from her life didn't mean Ian could extricate himself as easily, or that he even wanted to. And there was Victoria. Serena prayed that the girl wouldn't emulate her mother's practice of securing validation in things, or in people she considered a challenge to draw into her web.
If anything, Serena felt sad that a woman so physically beautiful was tearing down everything around her that really mattered. The people closest to her would be left behind to clean up the mess.
25
Tawana sat across from Arlen Edwards and Bridgette Hayes and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Her first summer clerkship and here she sat in the middle of one of the biggest cases of the year.
She had been paired with the two Wallace, Jones and Johns staff lawyers to help with research, interviews, and other legwork in preparation for Neal Lewis's fast approaching arraignment for murder. Brandon and Heather were working on parts of the case with the other four staff attorneys.
This morning Tawana, Arlen, and Bridgette had come to the city jail to meet Neal and ask him more questions about his recent visits to Richmond.
The firm's partners had interviewed Neal and his parents twice but wanted the others on the team to know and be comfortable with the person whose life they were trying to save.
"He's a handsome, articulate, very smart kid," Bob Wallace had boomed in the staff briefing yesterday. "That may be the problem. If he comes across as too privileged or too well bred next to his solidly middle-class student body president victim, we may have an image problem that could translate into a guilty verdict. Try to dig up anything you can to humanize him."
At eighteen, Neal was just five years younger than Tawana. Would he take her seriously?
"Just follow my lead with the questioning, okay?" Arlen apparently had noticed her trepidation. She tried to relax.
Bridgette, who was jotting notes about the day of Drew Thomas's disappearance, looked up from her work and glared at Tawana. "Just listen and don't say anything if you're nervous."
Bridgette returned her attention to her notes, and her gray and blond hair fell forward and shielded her eyes. Arlen and Tawana traded looks. He shook his head, indicating that Tawana shouldn't be intimidated by his colleague.
Neal shuffled in a few minutes later, wearing the standard orange jumpsuit given to inmates. Unlike many young defendants charged with crimes, he had not been allowed to post bail because he was considered a flight risk.
Tawana could see that living in conditions so drastically different from what he was used to already was taking its toll. His green eyes seemed lifeless, and the auburn hair that he had worn almost shoulder length in his senior year picture had been cut short. Today it was matted on one side of his head, as if he hadn't bothered with a comb. He also looked thinner than he had appeared when Tawana saw him for the first time in TV news reports two weeks ago.
The deputy removed the handcuffs from Neal's wrists and pulled out a chair for him next to Arlen. He sat facing Tawana and Bridgette.
When the guard was gone, Neal shook their hands. The lawyers asked him how he was faring and whether the firm could do anything to make him more comfortable.
"If you can get me out of here and keep me from going someplace worse, that will be good enough," he said.
Bridgette got right to business.
"Let's retrace your steps on the night of May fifth," she said. "You told Mr. Wallace you drove down for a party at a friend's guest house. Who was the friend and how many people were at the party?"
Neal sat back and shrugged. "I already shared this with Mr. Wallace and Mr. Johns. Do I have to tell you again?"
Arlen peered into the teen’s eyes.
"The prosecutor may ask that very question over and over, twenty different ways, until he wears you down and you say something that raises a smidgen of doubt about your innocence in the jurors' minds. Get used to us asking the same things, in the same way or different ways. Your story has to be airtight before we can adequately defend you. We've got to know it in our sleep, and so do you."
Tawana's stomach flipped. His story? Wasn't this supposed to be about the truth, about what really happened?
Neal nodded, and Bridgette picked up her pen again.
"My friend was a girl that I met last spring in D.C. She came up from Richmond to a party thrown by a group of girls who attended Seward with me.
"We exchanged numbers . . . and a few kisses." Neal mustered a smile. "She invited me to a pool party she was having in May, and I promised her I'd be there."
"Did your parents know you were going?" Arlen asked.
"Sort of."
"Be more specific," Bridgette said.
"I told them I was coming to Richmond with my best friend, Steele, to visit his cousin. I didn't tell them it was for a party, and I didn't tell them whose party it was."
"Why not?" Tawana knew the question was simple, but at least she had chimed in.
Neal looked from her to Arlen to Bridgette and hesitated.
"Mr. Wallace didn't ask that question," he finally responded.
"Sounds like it needs to be answered, son," Bridgette said. She leaned forward and looked at him intently.
"It's a long story, too complicated to get into, and besides, it has nothing to do with the trial."
The lawyers exchanged glances.
"This is no time for games," Arlen told Neal. "If you don't come clean now, you could wind up losing everything, including your life."
Tawana wasn't sure Neal believed him, but she'd studied enough cases to know Arlen wasn't bluffing.
26
Erika looked to her right and caught a glimpse of the patr
ol car tucked just beneath the Interstate 95 overpass when she whizzed by.
"Oops."
She eased off of the gas pedal and peered in the rearview mirror.
Serena, who sat in the front passenger seat, knew her friend was praying that the state trooper hadn't decided to trail her with flashing lights.
Erika glanced at Serena and then quickly behind her at Tawana and Kami.
"Guess I better watch this lead foot. Thanks for taking this road trip with me, ladies. I know it took some maneuvering of your schedules, but it means a lot."
Kami piped up first. "Thanks for inviting me. I can't believe my parents let me go away for the weekend by myself, before they were forced to release me to Hampton."
Erika laughed. "Release? That's an interesting choice of word."
Kami nodded. "'Release.' If they had their way, I'd be getting my degree right here in Richmond, at Union University or Commonwealth University, so they could conveniently be in the area to spy on me. HU also isn't that far; I wouldn't put it past them to show up on campus pretending to be 'nontraditional students,' so they could reprimand me if I'm having too much fun."
The three older women laughed.
"I felt the same way when I headed off to U.Va.," Tawana said and waved her arms in the air. "I thought I was finally free to do my own thing."
Erika shook her head. "You two babies just don't know how good you've got it. Enjoy this time in school. It's one of the best careers you'll ever have. When you get old like me . . . whew!"
Serena turned in her seat so she could face her half sister.
"Erika's right, baby girl,” she told Kami. “The next four years are going to be some of the best of your life. I told Melvin he had to let you come with me this weekend. Before I know it, you'll be traveling to D.C. or New York with your college girlfriends, and you won't have time for your married-with-kids older sister."
Serena once believed she would never accept Melvin Gates as her father, especially since she had grown up without him acknowledging their bond. Time changed things, though. A few years ago he had told Althea and his children about Serena and had asked them to accept her. With her being her mother's only child, Serena realized she would have been an adult orphan if Melvin and his family hadn't embraced her.
It hadn't been easy. Melvin's sons, James and Perrin, remained aloof. Yet Serena had managed to form a deep friendship with her father and his sweet-spirited wife.
She had become a doting big sister to Kami, the couple's youngest child whom she had once envied for her hold on Melvin's heart. Now Kami was eighteen, in love with her high school sweetheart, and preparing to become a psychologist.
When Erika had called Serena last weekend sounding blue, their lengthy conversation had ended with Erika suggesting that her visit to D.C. for Charlotte's party become a sister-friend trip. Erika told Serena to invite Tawana, and Serena had asked if there was room for Kami.
"She needs to know she has a circle of support before she heads off to college," Serena told Erika. "She's been sheltered by Melvin and Althea, but everybody likes to experience life themselves. Maybe some of the advice we share with her on the way to D.C. and during our short visit will seep in."
This afternoon, they cruised along the interstate as if none of them had worries—-and for this trip, they didn't. Tawana's mother had come to Serena's home for the weekend to care for Misha, Aaron, and the twins, freeing up Micah to prepare for weekend services. The kids were excited to be doted on by Ms. Carter; the mothers were excited to have some time to themselves.
Erika cranked up the music and sang along to Anthony Hamilton's latest release for a while, and then Janet Jackson's. She smiled sheepishly at Serena.
"I don't listen to gospel artists twenty-four/seven, but the Lord still loves me."
Serena smirked. "Girl, please. I had Micah dancing to some of the same grooves last week when you were kind enough to take the kids for the afternoon."
They all giggled, imagining their baritone-voiced spiritual leader moving to "Sista Big Bones" or "Call On Me."
"Now don't wind up—" Erika stopped herself midsentence. She stole a glance at Serena and issued a silent apology for almost spilling the beans about the pregnancy. Serena winked.
"Watch yourself now," Serena quipped and pointed to Kami. "We have innocent ears in the car."
Serena changed the subject.
"Look at us, four fine women jamming our way to the nation's capital. If we weren't women of God, this could be a scene straight out of that old Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett—before she added the Smith—movie."
Erika lowered the volume of the music.
"You mean Set It Off? When they played bank robbers?"
Serena nodded. "Play along now. I said if we weren't godly women."
Tawana and Kami looked at each other and frowned.
"Y'all are old," Kami said. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Tawana leaned over and patted Kami's cheek.
"You were still in elementary school when it came out. I think I was about twelve. I saw the previews, but I don't think I ever got to see the movie."
Serena shook her head. "We might be old, but you two have missed some good stuff. We have an assignment when we get back to Richmond—a visit to the video store to check out a classic. Well, that might be overstating it. But the movie is definitely the African American version of Thelma and Louise, with a couple of extra sisters thrown in for good measure. You've got to see it."
Serena turned up the music and glanced at the digital time on the dashboard clock, noting that it was just after noon. Ms. Carter was probably preparing the kids' lunch and wondering whether the pay they were offering was enough for the romper room she had agreed to monitor. Micah would be in and out to help, but he usually spent Saturday afternoon preparing for Sunday services.
Right now, though, he was probably still in the backyard with Ian, where Serena had left them building a tree house for the boys. She knew they were also continuing their counseling sessions. Serena secretly questioned whether their talks were helping.
Hurt had spilled from Ian's eyes and into his posture that Sunday after church two weeks ago, when Micah and Serena had talked with Bethany about her actions. Though Bethany had emphatically denied being flirtatious and had explained away her letters and notes to Micah by referring to the surprise party she was planning for Ian, none of them bought her story. After forcing Bethany to apologize to Micah and Serena, Ian had taken her by the elbow and led her to their car. Serena wasn't sure what he'd said to Micah later, but whenever Ian saw her, he gave her an extra-tight hug.
Amid all the fun in the car, she uttered the prayer that had become her regular refrain when she thought about Ian.
God, please bless him. And help him.
She knew Micah had been praying with and for his friend as well, but she hoped Ian was learning to talk to God for himself.
At some point, and maybe very soon, relying on Micah's faith wasn't going to be enough. Serena couldn't pinpoint why—she just knew.
27
The ninety-minute drive from Richmond to D.C. whizzed by as Serena, Erika, Tawana, and Kami laughed, sang, and reveled in each other's company.
Serena tried to remember the last time she'd felt this lighthearted. By the looks of it, Erika and Tawana were asking themselves the same question. They had needed this getaway.
They strutted off the elevator like runway models when they reached the twenty-first floor of the northwest D.C. building that housed Charlotte's condo.
Charlotte enveloped each of them in heartfelt hugs. Dressed in her trademark blue jean overalls, her salt-and- pepper braids were pulled up into a bun, and her nails were manicured and polished a subtle red. For the first time since Erika had met her, Charlotte's round cheeks shimmered with a touch of blush, and she wore bronze eye shadow that made her eyes dazzle.
"You look absolutely beautiful," Erika said. "But please tell me you aren't going to wear those
strapless sandals with these overalls?"
Charlotte swatted at Erika and laughed. She pointed toward the bedroom.
"My daughters have been over here all day, conducting a What Not to Wear session in my closet. Geri went out and bought me an outfit from Nordstrom's. So no, tonight these trusty denims will be staying home. The heels? Who knows?"
Geri and Tanya emerged from the bedroom and pointed at their mother. "What do you ladies think?"
Erika was stunned by how gorgeous Charlotte looked. The makeup accentuated her features, and she simply glowed.
"Who knew she was hiding all of this?" Erika asked, feeling as proud of Charlotte as her daughters must.
The last time Erika had heard from her biological mother, Lena was traveling the country with a truck driver boyfriend. Her previous relationship, with a man she met over the Internet, had eventually fizzled. In a moment of tenderness a year or so ago, Erika sent Lena a photo of Aaron. When she never heard back, she realized little had changed. Her mama was still a rolling stone.
The more Erika frequented church and listened to Micah share wisdom from the Bible, the more she understood what Serena meant when Serena talked about God "sending" people or "using" people to touch others.
When Erika had needed it most, God sent her what she'd always been missing. The love still wasn't coming from Lena, who she thought was the only one that could give it. Instead, Charlotte, who had seen her through the lowest points in her life, had been tapped for the job, and Erika thanked God every day.
Charlotte's children had long ago accepted Erika as a surrogate sibling and were excited to see her and her friends.
"Mom was so happy that you were coming and that your friends were joining you," Geri said. "She talks a lot about you, Serena. It's nice to finally meet you."
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