Page 49 of Risks

The palpable stress in her gazeanswers the question before she even speaks. “He’s hanging in there. It’stougher on my little brothers cause they’re so young. I’m doing my best to helpthem. It’s hard, but we’ll make it.”

I reach over to give her hand aloving squeeze. “You know I’m here whenever you need to talk.”

“Same, bestie,” she says with ahalf-smile. “Sorry again about what happened to Lisa. How is she?”

I drink some of the juice. “Alisonsays she isn’t too bad.”

Kenya crumples her forehead. “Youstill haven’t seen her since she left the hospital?”

“No.” Guilt washes over my body asher brown eyes lower to the table. I know it’s sad, considering what’s happeningwith her mom. But being around mine stirs up so much hurt.

“I can’t, Ken. What she did… I don’tknow if we’ll ever have a good relationship after that.”

She frowns. “Sorry, Toya.”

I glance at my food. “I want to seeJesiah again before heading back to school.”

“What do you think about him so far?”

I lift my shoulders in an overstatedshrug before telling her, “He seems all right. Of course, I’d have to get toknow him. It feels awkward, but I want to give it a shot.”

She slowly nods. “I’m glad he wantsto be in your life. He could have turned Varen away and said to hell with it.But it sounds like he wants to be present.”

“Yeah.” I pause before admitting,“You and Varen were right. Somethingwasmissing in my heart. The momentI saw Jesiah, I felt it.”

She stretches over to squeeze myarm. “I pray you’ll have a great relationship with him in time.”

“Me too.”

I can’t stop wringing my hands outof nervousness. As soon as I glimpse Jesiah crossing the street, my heart speedsup, and I have to inhale and exhale deeply to calm down.

He spots me the second he enters thecoffee shop, walking towards my table with a delightful expression.

I still can’t believe I’ve met myfather. That all along, he thought I wasn’t alive.

“Hey, Latoya.” He sits in the chairacross from me. “Thanks for calling. I hope you didn’t wait long.”

“No, I just got here. Sorry for the spontaneous—”

“Don’t apologize,” he quickly stopsme, holding his hand up. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear from you.I’ll always come when you call.”

Daniel would say the same thing toAlison and Varen, even me. It’s good hearing those words from Jesiah.

“Thought you’d be here with Varen,”he says while picking up the menu.

“I didn’t want him to leave work,and you told me you don’t go in until past noon on Fridays.”

He’s just beaming at me as if inawe. “Uh, do you want to order?”

“I already know what I want. Varenand I come here often.”

“I see.” He peers down at the menu.“Think I’ll just get hot chocolate and a croissant.”

My tummy flutters. “That’s exactlywhat I’m getting.”

He chuckles and motions to thewaitress to put in our orders.

“So,” Jesiah starts when she walksaway. “I didn’t ask before, but…you and Varen seem pretty serious.” He juts hischin out at my ring. “You two engaged?”

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