Page 14 of Mark My Words

Mirroring her surprise, Angelica slapped her shoulder. “Don’t you lie to me!”

Destiny shook her head slowly.

“You gave Gregory some punany, finally!”

Destiny frowned, dropping her hand from her mouth.

“Girl, no, are you kidding?”

It was Angelica’s turn to frown.

“Malik.”

Just saying his name made a tremor rock through Destiny’s body.

“Shut up!”

Angelica was beyond surprised. She dropped her tote bag on the counter and climbed up on a barstool at the center aisle.

“I thought he was engaged. What the fuck is going on?!”

Destiny sighed and brought Angelica up to speed. Throughout her telling, Angelica’s face ran through a range of emotions. Inquisitiveness, surprise, horniness, and happiness. Destiny understood all too well. She felt the same way.

“Wow.”

“I know. I almost can’t believe it. It’s like the universe heard my prayers and answered them all at once.”

“Wait. You’ve been praying for this?”

Destiny leaned her head left, then right. “Yes.”

“Why haven’t you told me?”

“Because I’ve felt foolish for years, you know. Having his mother come to me like she did made me feel unworthy of his love. But then, we were grown. How I let it go down like that without him and me talking about it was just plain crazy, and I regretted it. It was too hard to discuss with anyone but my Lord in the comfort of my quiet bedroom at night.”

Angelica nodded. “I understand. I hate that for you. All of these years, living without the man you love for no reason.” Angelica shuddered. “I would be sick.”

“Do you think I wasn’t?”

Angelica reached and rubbed her friend’s arm. “So, what happens now?”

“He asked me to be his wife.”

Angelica’s eyes lurched. “He did what?!”

Destiny nodded. “Well, he actually told me heneededme as his wife and I can’t get past it.”

“Why would you want to?”

“It’s not that I do, it’s just, with everyone thinking he’s engaged to someone else, and then his mother hates me, on top of that, do we really just pick up where we left off?”

“First of all, if he said he would take care of what the media thought about his engagement, then he means it. I’ve never known Malik to lie to you. Second, damn his mother, okay? She was dead wrong for what she did.”

“She’s his mother, Angelica.”

“I said what I said.”

Destiny shut her lips tight and smiled, then shook her head.

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