Page 55 of The Secret to a Southern Wedding

“Uno!” Imani yelled, slapping down another wild card.

A series of good-natured groans went around the table, followed by laughter and complaints about the bad hand Ms. Kemp had dealt. Imani picked up the deck.

“Mom was never good at shuffling. I’ve got the next hand,” Imani said grinning. The tension and frustration from earlier diminished as they played. Cyril couldn’t prove it, but he wanted to believe he’d helped bring out the smile on her face.

Ms. Kemp’s house phone rang. Imani continued shuffling as Linda got up and answered the cordless phone across the room.

“Hello... Are you kidding me!”

All laughter and talking stopped as everyone looked at Linda. Her body was stiff, and her hand trembled as she brought it to her temple. His dad immediately got up and went to her side.

“Didn’t I tell you I don’t care about you or what you’re doing? Stop calling my house!” She pressed the end call button and tossed the phone down.

Preston placed a hand on her shoulder. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Linda shook his hand away. “Every time I get my life together that man tries to ruin it.” She turned and rushed out of the room. Preston was right behind her.

Imani jumped up. She took one step to follow then stopped.

Cyril looked in the direction their parents had gone then back to her. “Was that your dad?”

She nodded stiffly. “No one else would get that kind of reaction out of her. Why does he keep calling her?” She pressed her hands against her temples. “This is why I hate coming home.” She hurried toward the kitchen. A second later he heard the back door open and close.

Cyril immediately followed her. He expected to find her getting in her car to leave. But as he headed toward the driveway, he found her hidden in the shadows cast by the house and the setting sun. She leaned against the house with her arms wrapped around her midsection.

Cyril approached her slowly. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I will be,” she said in a clipped voice.

He moved and leaned against the house next to her. “When was the last time you spoke to him?”

She sniffed and quickly wiped her eyes. “The day after their divorce was finalized. I told him goodbye, and I never want to see him again. I haven’t seen or spoken to him since.”

“Are you going to check on your mom?”

“I was, but your dad went to her. She doesn’t need my comfort.”

“I think she will. It obviously upset her. And you.”

“I doubt it. She’s starting over.” Imani said the last part with a humorless laugh. “Tonight was all about acting like the past never happened. The dinner and game night. Just like we used to do before my dad...” She grunted and shook her head. “Just eject my dad and insert Preston.”

Cyril’s brows drew together. That explained why her mood shifted when her mom suggested they play a game after dinner. “I’m sure that’s not what she was trying to do.” He tried to sound reassuring, but discomfort wiggled its way into his thoughts.

Her eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe he would call her. His reaching out is part of the reason why I think she agreed to get married. He’s found someone, a younger woman at that, and after he told her, my mom suddenly is getting married to your dad.”

Cyril straightened. “What?” Had that been the reason she’d agreed to marry his father? He didn’t want to believe that. They both seemed to want this, despite it being quick.

“That’s what she told me. My dad has always been manipulative. Now he’s doing it despite years of them being apart. Why can’t he just leave us alone. He already ruined our family.” She swiped at her eyes again.

Cyril reached over and wiped the tear that followed with his thumb. “I’m sorry that he hurt you and your mom.”

She looked up, anguish and rage bright in her eyes. “It’s more than that. His mistress tried to kill my mom, Cyril. He kept telling her that my mom was the reason he couldn’t be with her. That he couldn’t break his vows and only death would make him leave. That woman came here and shot my mom. I don’t know if he realized saying that would make her try to hurt my mom, or worse, that he knew what would happen. He didn’t just hurt us by cheating...his actions nearly killed her.” Her voice broke and her shoulders shook with a sob.

The sight of her tears and the sound of her crying crushed him. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. Imani’s arms wrapped around his waist, and she cried against his chest. He held her as the truth of what happened with her dad ricocheted through his mind. Her father’s mistress had tried to murder her mom. Something that took the betrayal of cheating to another devastating level. When Imani found out the entire truth about why he and his dad had left Baltimore there was no way she’d ever want to see him or his dad again.

twenty-one

Imani couldn’t sleep, so when her mother finally emerged from her room at one in the morning and went down the hall to the kitchen, Imani stopped pretending as if she’d eventually fall asleep and followed her mom to the kitchen. Linda stood at the fridge, filling a cup with water from the dispenser. She looked over her shoulder when Imani entered the kitchen.

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