"And you, my Chloe, look like the most beautiful girl in the world!"
Chloe pulled her shoulders up to her ears and giggled, her cheeks blushing.
"And you and Poppa are the most handsome men in the world,” she whispered.
“Hey!”
Omar, already dressed and sitting in one of the gold brocade wingback chairs, feigned hurt. “Just X and Poppa? What about your good ol’ dad?”
“You’re handsome too, daddy!”
“Just not as handsome as me and Poppa,” Xavier said to Chloe in a stage whisper.
Gerald, who was also occupied with his reflection, looked back at them and made a face.
“Well, if Poppa can't learn how to tie a bow tie in the next few minutes, he's gonna look like the biggest doofus in the world."
Chloe collapsed in giggles and her brother set her down on the footstool next to Omar, before going to Gerald.
"Here, let me help you." He began fixing Gerald's tie as his grandfather looked at him, his face aglow with pride.
Xavier noticed and gave a lopsided smile. "What?"
"I'm just standing here thinking about how far we've all come in the last two years. And I’ve only got one thing to say: God is good!"
"All the time!" Chloe shouted.
The four remaining men in the room laughed.
Deacon tapped Omar on the shoulder and said, “Looks like you’re bringing that one up right.”
“Don’t you mean ‘we’? With all the time she’s spent with you and Esther and Gerald and Justina, everyone gets credit!”
There was a knock at the door and Chloe jumped up to answer it. Before she could, her brother picked her up from behind and dropped her back on the footstool.
"I don't think so, you little monkey."
Xavier opened the door and was quickly swept out of the way by the harried wedding planner rushing in the room and making a beeline for Gerald.
"Are you ready yet? Are you ready?"
"Yes, Monica. We’re all ready. But you look like maybe you should stop and take a breath."
"Stop? Take a breath? I'll breathe after the ceremony." She twirled around and pointed at Xavier. "And you. You need to get out there, best man. It's almost time to start the ceremony and all the groomsmen are supposed to be taking pictures together before that happens. As in now! Right now! You were supposed to be out there five minutes ago."
Xavier raised his eyebrows and it was obvious to all but Monica that he was doing his best not to laugh.
“That goes for you two, as well,” she said, pointing at Omar and Deacon.
“You heard the lady!” Xavier said, following her as she marched out the room.
"Well,” Gerald said, offering his hand for Chloe to take. "I guess that means you and I should head to the bridal suite, my dear."
Chapter 25
“Okay, ladies. That was Monica on the walkie. The men are getting ready to start their photo shoot and she needs all the bridesmaids to make their way to the location.”
With Erika, Monica’s assistant, at the lead, the entire bridal party, except for Esther, Justina and the Langston sisters, was ushered out for pre-wedding pictures.
Watching as they left, Esther shook her head and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.
“Aren’t they just beautiful? Those dresses! And my daughter-in-love is hands down, the most stunning bride ever.”
Tamia smiled as the makeup artist began contouring her face. “Thank you, mommy.”
Pam, sitting on a brocade loveseat with Justina, nodded her head in agreement.
“She is! Oh, you have no idea how happy I am about this wedding. A real venue. A real dress. A real wedding cake."
Kristina rolled her eyes at Pam and cocked her head at Esther.
"As you can see, Pam still hasn't forgiven me and Omar for our—what did you call it, Pam?"
Pam threw her arm over the back of the couch and crossed her legs. "Courthouse fiasco."
Justina covered her mouth, chuckling.
“Ahhh, yes. The courthouse fiasco. A.K.A. My wedding and the most important day of my life."
Tamia laughed. "Well, Pam, I'm glad Russell and I are making your dreams come true. Maybe now you'll do me a solid and let mom and dad come visit."
Kristina shot her hand in the air. "I know, right! It's like she's holding them hostage or something."
"Stop exaggerating,” Pam said, rolling her eyes.
Justina went from chuckling to outright laughter.
Tamia's eyes widened. "Who's exaggerating? They were supposed to visit me twice last year and both times ended up canceling because something more pressing came up with you. The only reason I even got them there for my album release party was because you came with them!“
Pam turned to Justina. “Have I ever locked you in my house? Taken away your car keys? Hidden your shoes?”
Justina doubled over with laughter.
“Seriously, mom. Have I ever said you and daddy couldn’t visit one of those other daughters you have? You know, the two you love slightly less than me?”
Justina wiped the tears from her eyes while she tried to catch her breath.
“You all need to stop.”
“If you don’t tell them, they won’t believe me.”
“Fine. Tamia. Kristina. Pam has never told your father and I not to visit the two of you.”
“Exactly,” Pam said. “They’re grown. I couldn’t tell them what to do if I wanted to.”
“No,” Kristina said. “Instead, she puts on her sad puppy dog eyes and says, ‘But daddy, you’ll be gone for Father’s Day. Mom, you won’t be here on my birthday. It’s not the same without your chocolate cake.’”
"Spoiled," Tamia said.
"Rotten," Kristina added.
Instead of defending herself, Pam simply arched an eyebrow.
Esther pointed at Pam and laughed. “Look, she won’t even deny it.”
Kristina lifted herself slightly from the chair she was in and adjusted her positioning, cradling her bulging belly as she did.
"Well, since can't nobody seem to get mom and dad more than three feet out of Pam's reach, I decided to share my news with them while they’re here."
Tamia grabbed the makeup artist’s wrist and jerked it back so she could look at Kristina.
“News? What news? Baby news? Do you know what you're having?"
"I do," Kristina said, coyly.
“Tell us!” Pam shrieked.
"Not until dad gets here."
Pam jumped up from her seat and ran to the door. "Then I'm going to get him. Now!"
She swung the door open only to find Gerald on the other side of it, one hand holding Chloe's and the other poised to knock on the door. Without a word, Pam grabbed him by the arm and yanked him in the room.
Kristina laughed and shook her head while Tamia mumbled to her, “That is your sister."
"Look, little girl, you may be my baby, but that doesn't mean you can manhandle me."
Chloe bounced to where Kristina was, kissed her cheek and leaned over on her arm.
"Kristina has something to tell you,” Pam said, pushing her dad to where Kristina sat.
Kristina reached into her purse, pulled out a white envelope and handed it to her father.
"What's this?"
Gerald flipped it back and forth, looking it over.
"Open it and see."
He raised his eyebrows and looked at Chloe. "Should we? Can we trust them?"
Chloe giggled. "You can trust mommy. I don't know about Auntie Pam or Auntie Tam.”
All three sisters gasped and everyone else burst out laughing.
Gerald nodded as he opened the envelope. "Listen to my granddaughter. She knows what she's talking about." He drew out a powder blue card embossed with three words.
It's a boy
"A boy? A boy? You're having a boy?"
"Two, actually."
The room erupted with shouts and screams and laughter. The only one not joi
ning in the festivities was Chloe. She sat with her arms folded, staring at Kristina as if she’d just betrayed her.
"Baby girl, why are you looking at me like that?"
"A boy? I didn't ask for a boy. I already have one. I asked for a girl. What am I supposed to do with two boys?"
Pam came over and knelt next to her. "This is a good thing. In a house full of boys, you'll be the Princess. That doesn't happen when you have sisters. Trust me, I know."
Again, laughter filled the room.
“And,” Kristina said, her voice raised to get everyone’s attention. “We’ve even picked out the names. One will be Josiah, after your father, daddy. And the other,” she said, looking at her stepmother, “will be named Justin.”
Once Tamia's makeup was completed, the rest of the family waited in another room while her sisters helped her into her wedding dress. She walked to the full-length mirror and got her first glimpse of herself as a bride. Kristina stood on one side of her and Pam stood on the other.
“Look at us,” Pam said. “Look at God. He really does do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or think, doesn’t He?”
Kristina started fanning her face in an effort to prevent the tears threatening to ruin her makeup.
“Amen, amen and amen!”
“And that’s why…” Tamia closed her eyes and sang, “My soul loves Jesus…”
“Mmmm,” Kristina sang, joining in. “My soul loves Jesus…”
Both sisters looked at Pam. She only stared back at them, eyebrow arched. Then, just when they thought they’d have to finish the verse without her, Pam hit the kind of high note usually reserved for Kristina.
“Oooh ooh ooh! My soul loves Jesus, bless His name!”
Tamia screamed and bounced up and down.
“She’s still got it! She’s still got it!”
“And don’t you forget it,” Pam said, hooking her arm around her sister’s waist as they went to the door.
Kristina stayed back and watched them go. She was so full of joy, she was sure her face was shining.
What they’d sung wasn’t just words to a hymn. It was the truth of their lives. But more important than their loving Him, was the knowledge that He loved them.
Kristina had started on this journey unsure of that love. With all her shortcomings, it seemed too good to be true. But she believed it anyway, because God said it was so. Even when she felt as if He were a million miles away, she held to it. And that was the day her life changed forever.
It didn’t matter what happened or what tried to come against her. Her Father was the ocean-splitting, storm-calming, life-giving Creator of the universe and He loved her.
And because of that, she could truly say her soul was satisfied.
The New Life Tabernacle series begins with…
Book 1: Nobody’s Child
Nineteen-year-old Makayla Dawson wants one thing: to find the mother who abandoned her as a baby. But she's not looking for a happy and tearful reunion.
After a life of pain, loneliness and neglect, Makayla wants revenge.
Her search leads her to Robin Jones, but she’s nothing like the monster Makayla imagined.
While pursuing her mission to destroy her mother’s life, Makayla comes to know, and even love her.
But by the time she realizes her mistake, her plan for payback has already been set in motion, leaving Makayla helpless to stop it.
With disaster looming, Makayla needs help. The kind only God can give. What she doesn't realize is, she's going to need Him for a lot more than that.
Robin's life isn't the only one about to be blown to pieces.
There's a secret Makayla doesn't know. A secret worse than anything she experienced in her past. A secret that will change her life forever...
Turn the page for an excerpt…
Nobody’s Child
It’s not supposed to feel like this…
In just a few hours, Makayla would finally have everything she wanted. She will have decimated a woman's life, publicly humiliated her before thousands and ruined her reputation forever.
It would be the culmination of five years of hard work. Five years of carefully planning every detail, devoting all her time and meager resources, anticipating every possible outcome.
And now her work was finished.
She must have imagined the moment a thousand times. It was her food and water. Sometimes the only thing that kept her going when all she wanted to do was die.
What she hadn't imagined, however, was that at on the eve of her revenge being fulfilled, the woman whom she'd set out to destroy, the woman she thought she'd hate until the day she died—that very woman—would hand her a gift.
"Open it."
Robin slid the small rectangle box across the mahogany and leather coffee table. She was so full of excited anticipation, she could hardly sit still.
”What is it?"
Robin cocked her head to the side and grinned. "Do you really think I went through all the trouble of wrapping it, only to tell you what's inside? You better get to tearing that paper, girl!"
Makayla hesitated. If Robin knew what was coming... If she had any idea what awaited her in the morning...
Suddenly, Makayla's mouth felt so dry, she could hardly swallow. She took a long drink from her glass of lemonade.
"You've already done so much for me. Too much. I can't accept this."
For a moment, Robin’s smile faded. Then, gently touching Makayla's hand with her own, she said, "But that’s what today was all about." She held up the box. "This is what parents do. They give to their children. I could never do too much for you, baby. I thought you understood that."
That was another thing Makayla had never imagined: Robin being so…good.
She had never met a more generous person. Robin was kind to everyone she met, even strangers. She was the sort of person that, if you were cold, she'd take off her coat and give it to you. But she didn’t stop there. No. Before you could stop her, she’d build you a fire and make you a cup of hot chocolate, too.
It's not supposed to be like this…
Robin set the box down in front of Makayla again and watched her, her eyes sparkling with expectation.
Makayla looked at the box. The wrapping paper was an intricate foil stamp design that reflected all of the light sources in the room. A beautiful satin ribbon was wrapped around the box and tied into an intricate bow. Makayla reached out and touched the ribbon with the tips of her fingers, but couldn't bring herself to do any more than that.
''Well?"
When Makayla didn't respond, Robin shook her head and laughed. "I see the next thing we need to work on is your receiving.''
She picked up the box and pulled at one of the bow's tails. Within seconds, she’d torn through the paper and opened the box it concealed. Robin took out the glittering platinum bracelet inside and put it on Makayla's wrist.
"There.” She leaned in to admire it. “Perfect."
All Makayla could do was think about how much she wished there was a rock big enough for her to crawl under.
"Look," Robin said, turning the platinum and diamond studded heart over so Makayla could see the inscription on the back. "It's today's date. To commemorate the christening. When you look at it, I want you to know what this day means to me. What you mean to me."
A wave of nausea passed over Makayla and she clenched her jaw and held her breath. Seeing the pained look on her face, Robin pressed her lips together.
"Don't you like it?"
Makayla attempted a smile and nodded.
“Sure. Yeah. I love it. I just—could you give me a minute?"
Without waiting for a response, Makayla jumped up and rushed out of the room. Running down the hallway, she headed straight to the bathroom.
Shutting the door behind her, she took out her mobile phone and dialed the same number she'd been calling all evening.
"Please, please..."
If only someone would pick up, she might be
able to stop the wrecking ball that was set to level Robin's life.
As she waited, she did something she hadn't done in over five years—she prayed.
Wanna Know More?
Whew!
We made it through, y’all!
Though it was probably the most difficult of the three books to read, I hope you found it to be the most fulfilling.
While the Langston Family Saga has come to its conclusion, it won’t be the last you’ll see of the sisters. They’ll definitely have cameos in upcoming books.
And now begins the New Life Tabernacle series!
Unlike the Langston trilogy, these books will focus on various members’ lives, instead of just one family.
In book 1, Nobody’s Child, you’ll discover the past that made Robin who she is today. You’ll also meet Makayla, a young girl blinded by hurt and suffering.
Like a lot of us, Makayla has made the mistake of thinking her self-worth is measured by the estimation of others. Deep down, she’s afraid she’s been treated like trash because she is trash.
Her shame and misguided beliefs cause her to take aim at the one person that least deserves it, Robin.
She’s going to go through a lot before she gets there, but before it’s all over, Makayla will learn there’s only one Person that can estimate her true value…
If you don’t want to miss the release of Nobody’s Child or any of my other books, there’s several things you can do.
If you submit your email address to my list, I'll keep you updated. Plus, you'll be one of the few to learn about early-bird discounts and subscriber-only giveaways. You can do that by clicking HERE.
If you’d rather chat on Facebook, you can find me at my LaShonda Bowman Books page. I’m not there every day, but I promise to check in often as I can.
Last, but not least, you can click the FOLLOW button on my author page at Amazon, and they’ll email you when there’s something new.
And if you’d just like to drop a quick note, my email address is [email protected]
Thank you for going on this journey with the Langstons and thank you for your continued encouragement and support. I send you all my love and hugs and kisses. I pray that God bless and keep you every day.
My Soul Is Satisfied (The Langston Family Saga Book 3) Page 12
