Page 40 of Risks

What could she possibly have to sayto me now? I don’t want to hear an explanation for why she lied. Nothing couldjustify that.

“Ugh!” I jump at the sudden knocking.

Thinking Mom is at the door, I stompover and open it roughly. “You have some—”

Kenya’s sympathetic expressionfreezes the rest of my words. “Hey, best friend. Varen called me. He told mewhat happened.”

“Ken…”

She throws her arms around me as thewaterworks begin, and I sob on her shoulder while hugging her tightly. “Ithought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow?”

“I had to, T.” She makes soothingmotions on my back as she hushes me. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe Lisa didthat.”

I ease away and invite her inside,shutting the door afterward.

“For eighteen years,” I mutter, loweringon the couch. “She kept up the lie.”

Kenya sits beside me and holds myhand. “What was Lisa’s excuse?” She sounds as angry as I feel.

“I was a wreck when she dropped thatbomb. I didn’t hear anything after that. Varen got me out of there.”

“God.” She wipes my cheek with herfingers. “I don’t know what to say. Lisa has done a lot, but this one is huge. Howcould she do that to you?”

I sputter a sarcastic huff and shakemy head. “I’m convinced she hates me. No one has ever hurt me the way she has,Ken.” I stare into space as a thought occurs. “You know, that whole bullshitabout doing better and fixing our relationship, she did that to look good toDaniel. I don’t think she meant it.”

“Toya…” Kenya rubs my arm tenderly.

“I’m meeting my father tomorrow,” Itell her. “His name is Jesiah Morgan. I want to hear the lies my mom fed him.”

Her eyes wilt, voice sad as shespeaks. “So, he had no idea you were alive?”

“Varen said Jesiah was shocked whenhe told him about me.” I breathe out deeply. “There’s so much I want to askhim.”

“I bet he’s curious, too,” she pointsout. “You’ve both missed a lot.”

“Yeah.”

My phone starts to buzz on the bed.

I groan and ruffle my curls. “I’msure it’s Mom calling again. I don’t want to talk to her. I don’t even want tosee her.”

“You will,” Kenya says, squeezing myhand. “Once the initial shock and anger settle a bit, you’ll want those answersfrom her.”

She’s right. But at the moment, Idon’t have the emotional capacity to be in the same room as my mom.

19

My heart speeds up like a formulaone race car when we arrive at the diner. I bite my lip while staring out thewindow, knowing my biological father is inside waiting for me.

I wince at Varen’s touch on my tremblinghands. “You don’t have to do—”

“I need to,” I decide and look at him.He’s had a mask of worry the past two days. “It’s long overdue.”

“Okay.”

He exits the car. I get out beforehe opens the door for me, and we head into the diner.

I appreciate the emotional support myboyfriend’s hand on my back offers me because the nervousness increases when Jesiahstraightens from the booth. His deep brown eyes are gleaming with a combinationof joy and concern.

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