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  Angel swallowed her food. “Sounds like a winner. I can’t wait to meet her.”

  “Assuming she ever gets here . . .” muttered Reginell.

  There was a knock at Kina’s door.

  “That must be Des.” Kina stood up to let her in. “She’s as sweet as pie. You all are gonna love her!”

  Kina exited and then shortly thereafter returned to the dining room with her ghostwriter in tow. “Everybody, I want you all to meet Desdemona Price, also known as one of the best in the publishing biz!”

  Desdemona waved. “Hello. I’ve heard so much about all of you that I feel like we already know each other.”

  Angel thought for a moment. “Desdemona . . . that’s an interesting name. That’s the wife’s name in Othello, right?”

  “Yeah, my mom has a thing for Shakespearean tragedies. I guess that’s why I’m attracted to the darkside of things.”

  “You’re in the right profession.” Lawson pulled out the chair next to hers. “Please have a seat. Welcome.”

  “Thank you.” Desdemona sat down. “You must be . . .”

  Lawson extended her hand. “Lawson Kerry Banks. Kina’s favorite cousin.”

  “Favorite after me, that is!” interjected Reginell.

  “You must be Reginell, Lawson’s sister,” said Desdemona.

  Reginell nodded. “I’m the fun sister. She’s . . . not.”

  Desdemona giggled. “I think it’s best I stay out of that.”

  Angel, who was sitting across from Desdemona, extended her hand. “Hi. I’m Angel King.”

  Desdemona warmly received her hand. “The nurse, right?”

  Angel nodded. “Yes, and Kina’s old boss.”

  Desdemona was impressed. “And the two of you are still friends? You must’ve been a great boss!”

  “She was the best!” replied Kina and sat down next to Desdemona. “All these ladies are awesome.”

  “I can tell,” said Desdemona. “I’m looking forward to spending time with all of you. I don’t know if Kina mentioned this or not, but I will need to set up some interviews with everyone.”

  “For what?” asked Reginell, immediately wary.

  Desdemona explained. “All of you play such significant roles in Kina’s life. In order to get a complete sense of who she is, I think it’s important to talk to all of you since you’re the ones who know her best.”

  “Yep, we know where all the secrets and bodies are buried,” teased Lawson.

  Kina passed Desdemona the platter of grilled chicken breasts. “Go on. Help yourself.”

  “It looks delicious, and this is such a beautiful table and place setting,” remarked Desdemona, admiring Kina’s Wedgwood dinnerware. “In fact, I love the way your whole home is decorated, Kina.”

  “Thanks, but I can’t really take all the credit. The china was a splurge after I won Lose Big, but the furniture was all of them.” Kina gestured with her hand toward her friends. “Mostly Sullivan.”

  “We all pitched in and got Kina new furniture for her birthday after her husband passed,” reported Angel.

  “I bought the punch bowl,” crowed Reginell.

  “We didn’t have much money between the three of us, so Sullivan bought the bulk of it,” confessed Lawson. “Or at least her husband’s account did.”

  “That was sweet,” replied Desdemona. “Kina told me that she was in a bad car accident a few days ago. How is she?”

  Angel smiled. “According to the Word and our faith, she’s healed.”

  “Just from talking to Kina and from the vibe I get from all of you, I can tell that religion is very important to you all,” remarked Desdemona.

  Lawson shook her head. “Not religion. I don’t think any of us subscribe to the notion of legalism and fixed religion in the traditional sense, but we all have a strong relationship with God. That’s the root of everything we are and everything we do.”

  The concept fascinated Desdemona. “Wow. So I guess that’s the secret to how you manage to do what’s a struggle for so many people.”

  “God and these girls,” said Kina. “They’ve been my rock. I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

  “That goes for all of us,” affirmed Angel. “Through all the drama and madness, they’ve been there.”

  Kina went on. “Yeah, some of us go back almost to the womb together! Lawson and I are cousins, we were born two weeks apart, we lived in the same neighborhood, and we went to the same school. You name it, we did it together!”

  “Sullivan moved to the neighborhood when we were in elementary school, and the three of us were inseparable and have been ever since,” added Lawson.

  “Well, the two of you, anyway,” Kina said, correcting her. “Sully and I are still working past our issues, but things have gotten much better.”

  “What issues?” asked Desdemona.

  The ladies all exchanged glances.

  Kina patted Desdemona on the hand. “We’ll discuss it off-line.”

  Desdemona faced the group. “Kina has been filling me in about all of you. Obviously, I know that Kina is an aspiring author and television personality. Lawson is a high school social studies teacher, I think . . .”

  Lawson nodded. “Working toward administrator.”

  Desdemona pointed at Angel. “Angel, you’re a nurse, and Sullivan is a stay-at-home mom. I’m not really sure what you do, Reginell.”

  “I’m a retired stripper,” answered Reginell.

  Desdemona blinked back. “Oh . . . you really are the fun sister, huh?”

  “Honey, I’m many things!” boasted Reginell. “These days, though, I dance exclusively for my man when I’m not in school.”

  “Incidentally, her man is also my son’s father,” expounded Lawson. “It’s a long story.”

  “And no doubt an interesting one. I can’t wait to hear all about it.” Desdemona looked around at all the women seated around the table. “It’s so refreshing to see women, especially sistas, supporting each other. Reality TV and movies will have you thinking it’s impossible, but you’re the exception. You ladies have it all.”

  Lawson became sullen. “That’s debatable. Right now, we don’t have the one thing we all want most, and that’s our sister Sullivan.”

  “I have to agree with that, and I don’t even like her!” Reginell conceded, then winced in pain.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Angel.

  “Nothing . . . I got a cramp in my lower back. I’ve been getting them lately.”

  “You haven’t told me anything about that!” admonished Lawson. “How long has this been going on?”

  “Lawson, I don’t tell you lots of things, but it’s no big deal. Besides, I promised Mark that I’d have it checked out, and I will.”

  “When?” Lawson and Angel asked at the same time.

  Reginell let out a breath and massaged her back. “Soon.”

  “See? You all support each other without even thinking about it. That’s beautiful,” observed Desdemona.

  “Don’t you have friends back in Atlanta like that?” asked Lawson.

  Desdemona shook her head. “Not really. Work keeps me pretty busy. Even when it doesn’t, I’ve found that females don’t really get along that well for an extended period of time. Somebody gets jealous or someone betrays someone else or someone takes someone else’s man. There’s always some kind of drama. It’s easier to have one or two girlfriends I can hang out with sometimes and to keep to myself the rest of the time.”

  “Don’t get me wrong. We have our moments,” Lawson said, clarifying the situation. “We argue and fight just like sisters, but we always find our way back.”

  “We’re family,” affirmed Kina, looking at her friends. “All of us.”

  Desdemona was in awe. “That’s amazing. Quite frankly, it’s miraculous that your friendship has survived this long. My mother used to always say that if you have more than one best friend, you’re setting yourself up to get hurt. I guess you ladies are the exception.”

/>   “Absolutely!” affirmed Angel. “When it’s a true sisterhood bond like this one, nothing or nobody can tear it apart.”

  Desdemona nodded, then turned her head in the direction of a ringing phone.

  “Oh, that’s me,” Lawson said and looked down at her phone. “It’s a text from Charles.”

  Kina held her breath. “What did he say?”

  “He said to come to the hospital as quick as we can,” reported Lawson.

  Reginell gulped. “You don’t think they’re calling the family in, do you?”

  “We can’t assume the worst,” cautioned Angel. “I witness medical miracles all the time. Maybe she woke up.”

  “Don’t you think Charles would’ve put that in the text, though?” asked Kina.

  “I don’t know.” Lawson pushed her plate away. “Let’s just go and see, okay?”

  “Do you think we should pray first?” asked Angel.

  “We should pray in the car.” Lawson nervously bit her lip. “I don’t know how much time we have.”

  The ladies mechanically rose from their chairs, collecting their cell phones and purses. They didn’t speak on the way to the hospital and forgot to pray. They were too preoccupied, not knowing if they were about to witness a miracle or were going to the hospital to tell Sullivan good-bye.

  Chapter 9

  “Wonders never cease!”

  –Angel King

  “Well, wonders never cease!” exclaimed Angel as she entered Sullivan’s hospital room, flanked by Kina, Reginell, Lawson, and Desdemona.

  “Praise be to God! I’ve always believed in miracles, but there’s nothing like seeing one to reaffirm my belief!” attested Lawson. She was nearly brought to tears at the sight of Sullivan sitting up in her hospital bed, awake and alert. She rushed to Sullivan’s side and enfolded her in a zealous embrace. “You don’t know how happy I am to see these gray contacts!”

  “Dang, Lawson,” croaked Sullivan. “I just came back to life. Don’t try to kill me!”

  Lawson pulled back. “I’m sorry. I can’t help it. I’m so thrilled to see my best friend again.”

  Charles chuckled, bouncing toddler Charity on his knee. “Don’t feel bad. I had the same reaction. I can’t tell you how good it felt to see my baby open her eyes. I think I scared half the hospital when I shouted up and down the corridor!”

  “The people in this hospital may not understand your shouting, but we sure do! How long has she been awake?” asked Angel.

  “A few hours,” answered Charles. “I would’ve called you sooner, but the doctors had to run some tests and examine her. I didn’t want to call until we knew she was all right.”

  Lawson held Sullivan’s hand. “How are you feeling, sweetie? Are you in any pain?”

  Sullivan stretched out on the bed. “If I am, I can’t tell. The drugs here are fabulous! Angel, I can see why you got addicted.”

  “Looks like the sadistic witch of Savannah is back!” announced Reginell. “I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

  “Yeah, I love you too, Reggie,” Sullivan replied sarcastically. “And thank you for keeping my broomstick warm while I was sleeping.”

  Lawson laughed. “Yep, she’s definitely back!”

  “Well, she’s still not at one hundred percent, but she’ll get there,” proclaimed Charles. “The Lord wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  “You had us worried for a minute there,” said Kina. “But we never gave up hope, and we never stopped praying for you.”

  “Thank you, Kina.” Sullivan looked over at Charity and Charles. “I had a lot of motivation right here and in that NICU to come back.”

  Angel cooed. “Have you seen Christian?”

  Sullivan beamed with pride. “Yes. He’s teeny, but he’s perfect.”

  “It must’ve been wonderful seeing him for the first time,” said Kina.

  Sullivan nodded. “When I woke up to a flat stomach, I almost had a heart attack. I didn’t know what had happened to my baby. The doctors wanted me to wait before going to see him. They thought seeing him with tubes and on that breathing machine would freak me out, but I made such a fuss that they soon figured out that not seeing him was making me freak out even more! I think they know now not to mess with me when it comes to my kids.”

  Angel tried to mask her concern about Christian’s undeveloped immune and respiratory systems. “How is he? Is the breathing machine working for him okay?”

  “I don’t know, but God is,” attested Charles. “We put our faith in Him, not some machine.”

  “Amen,” said Lawson.

  Sullivan spotted Desdemona hanging back in the corner. “Wow. I’m down a few days, and y’all have already replaced me?”

  Kina snickered. “Not a chance. This is Desdemona. She’s helping me with my book.”

  Desdemona stepped forward. “I hope it’s okay that I’m here. I was with Kina when they got the call. She said it would be okay if I tagged along.”

  “No, it’s fine,” said Sullivan.

  “I’m glad you’re awake. They’ve all been worried sick about you,” Desdemona told her.

  “It’ll take a lot more than a teenager texting while driving to take me out!” professed Sullivan.

  “You’re a tough cookie,” joked Desdemona. “Believe me, it takes one to know one! And if you ladies will excuse me, I have a few errands to run. I get lost after the sun goes down, so I better head out while there’s still daylight.”

  Charles shook her hand. “Thanks for coming, and nice meeting you.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Kina said before walking Desdemona out.

  “So Kina has a new entourage now?” teased Sullivan.

  “She’s harmless, and I’ll take Desdemona over Kina’s cameramen any day. Remember how creepy they were, filming and following her around everywhere?” Lawson glanced over at Reginell, who appeared to be in pain again. “Reggie, are you all right?”

  Reginell nodded, gritting her teeth and gripping the arm of a chair.

  Angel’s nursing instincts took over. “Reggie, I can look at you and tell you’re in agony. Let me take a look at you.”

  “I’m fine,” Reginell replied breathlessly. “Excuse me.” She gathered the bit of strength she had left and dashed out of the room.

  Lawson rose. “I’m going after her.”

  “No, stay here with Sully,” instructed Angel. “I’m the nurse. This is my territory.”

  Angel made a quick exit and found Reginell doubled over in pain right outside Sullivan’s door, with Kina tending to her.

  “Call Mark,” groaned Reginell, holding her stomach and struggling to breathe.

  “Forget Mark.” Angel looked at Kina. “We need to call a doctor.”

  Chapter 10

  “There’s really not a lot of space on my plate to

  add jealousy at this moment.”

  –Lawson Kerry Banks

  Mark charged down the hospital corridor, frantically searching for Reginell. He found Lawson, Angel, and Kina instead. “Where is she? Where’s Reggie?”

  “She’s in with the doctor.” Sullivan pointed to the hospital room where Reginell was stationed. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

  “Thanks for calling me.” Mark took a second to catch his breath. “What’s going on? What happened?”

  “We don’t know yet,” replied Angel. “We just know that she was in a lot of pain.”

  “She’s been complaining about that lately,” said Mark. “I knew I should’ve gotten her to a doctor.”

  “Don’t blame yourself. My sister is stubborn. She wasn’t going to a doctor until she was good and ready,” said Lawson.

  They all turned in the direction of Reginell’s room when they heard the door creak open and saw the physician emerge, having completed his examination of Reginell.

  “Hello. I’m Dr. McNamara. Which one of you is responsible for Reginell Kerry?”

  “I am,” replied Lawson. “I’m her sister and next of kin.”


  Mark moved ahead of her. “No, I am. I’m her husband.”

  Kina and Angel gawked at Mark with opened mouths.

  “You mean fiancé,” Lawson said, correcting him.

  “No, I mean her husband. We haven’t told anybody yet, but we made it official about two weeks ago,” explained Mark.

  Lawson stumbled back a bit. “So . . . you’re married?”

  “Yes, Lawson, we’re married.” Mark edged closer to the doctor. “How is she? What’s wrong with my wife? Is she okay?”

  The doctor raised his hand a little to calm Mark down. “She’s going to be fine. We administered an ultrasound—”

  Lawson interrupted him. “Ultrasound? Is she pregnant?”

  “No. We found some scar tissue outside of her uterus, which is usually consistent with endometriosis.”

  “I’ve heard of it, but I’m not sure I know exactly what endometriosis is,” admitted Mark.

  “Basically, women have tissue that line the uterus, or womb. Endometriosis occurs when tissue grows outside of the uterus, on other organs or structures in the body, like the fallopian tubes, the ovaries, or the rectum. It can spread to other parts as well,” Dr. McNamara explained.

  “Is that dangerous?” asked Kina.

  “Endometriosis may spread like cancer, but it’s benign,” explained Angel.

  Mark was still worried. “If it’s harmless, why has she been in so much pain?”

  “The tissue and blood that’s shed into the body can cause inflammation, scar tissue, and adhesions. This scar tissue may cause pelvic pain,” said Dr. McNamara. “And trapped blood in the ovaries can form cysts.”

  “Poor Reggie,” moaned Kina.

  “Okay, so if pain is the worst thing that can happen, she should be fine, right?” asked Mark. “You can fix that with medicine, can’t you?”

  Dr. McNamara nodded. “We’ll try.”

  Lawson released a deep breath. “Doctor, how did this happen?”