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  “What was wrong with the previous years?” Vichonda looked at Rebecca then Sister Green.

  “This will need to be bigger than any of the previous events and we’re expecting for it to be able to generate not only church participation but we’re also looking for connections that will garner media attention as well. We know you two will be able to combine your efforts and bring about an amazing event!” Sister Green smiled and nodded at one of the young ladies she entered into the room with. “This is the information for the vendors, sponsors, attendees and other contacts from previous years. We have found it takes about ten to fifteen hours of work per week, even along with the help of volunteers, to put together a stellar event. If for any reason you don’t believe you’ll be able to commit that much time, Rebecca, after discussing it with your husband, let us know.”

  Rebecca held a breath. She hadn’t even thought about how her decision to accept the position would sit with Colby. Of course he would be a bit upset initially but in the end he knew how important this cause was to her. Maybe if she talked her Mother and Aunt into staying more than a week or two she could have them assist her. That would take a lot of the burden from her already heavy schedule.

  “Rebecca, when will you be able to confirm you’re able to accept the position?” Sister Green let her hands rest in her lap.

  “I’ll have an answer to you by Friday, Brenda.” Rebecca smiled and twirled a strand of hair around her hand. Discussion or no discussion, the fashion show was a way to start fighting back against the disease threatening to take her Teva. Her answer was yes before they asked.

  ***

  “This is some fancy place you bring me to just to get my roots done. Mija, I believe you have something up your sleeve. Don’t start up on that ‘you and Teva should stay’ stuff again. We are leaving. My sister wants to spend her last days in the midst of her family, in her homeland. Respect her wishes.” Rebecca’s mother sat back in the chair and allowed the manicurist to rub and massage her hand.

  “And why do you have to return with her? I’m your family. This is your land now. I don’t want you to go back there. I need you here with me.” Rebecca smiled at her manicurist.

  “Colby is your family now too. And his sisters and mother who love you very much. I saw this with my own eyes at your wedding. What is really going on with you? I have not known you to act so strangely since you were with Antony.” Her mother crossed herself with her free hand.

  “This is not about Antony. I love Colby but neither he nor his family can replace you. You’re my mother and she is my favorite aunt. Why would I want you to go back? Who is going to help me when I get pregnant?” Rebecca let her head drop down between her shoulders.

  “How can that happen when you are not home to do what is needed for babies to come with your husband? So many hours away at the church, with friends, with clients. It is not good for such a new marriage. You need to be home to make babies, mija. My staying will not help with that.”

  “It will. I need help with the event for the church. I can’t do all the work needed and I have sent emails to all of the previous volunteers and no one has responded. I need you and Teva to stay and help me with this at least until everything is in place and I have more volunteers. Please mami.”

  “What event is this and how long will it be? Maybe we can extend our trip for a few weeks. Teva has a few sights and things she wants to see in Texas before we leave the states. She says these last few days will be her best. She’s so brave. I’m so proud of her.”

  “Well, I wanted to do a roller derby theme at a skating rink with a synchronized skaters competition but we are doing a fashion show instead which is okay. I can still incorporate a few of my ideas but mostly I’m using their template from previous events which is why I need your help. You know I have not ever done well following someone else’s game plan when they put me in charge. I prefer to use my own style. You’ve always been better at helping me implement someone else’s plan. Please Mama?”

  “I will discuss it with Teva. I will start tomorrow cause tonight we are going to some ho down…line dance something your aunt has found to do on her transition list. Make no mistake, Rebecca, we are leaving and when I go home I’m not moving back to the states. You are my daughter but you are not my entire family. When you and Colby fix whatever is wrong with your relationship and I have nieto I will be glad to come and visit with you for a few weeks but, mija, it will only be a visit. My time in America is ended. Teva and I are of one mind. It’s time to go home.” Rebecca’s mother leaned her head back and sighed as the manicurist placed her hand in a dish filled with liquid.

  Rebecca opened her mouth then closed it. Her plan to keep her mother in America would have to work. Sure she had said that she was not staying in America but Rebecca always dismissed it as the grumblings of a disgruntled immigrant. How would she live if her mother went back to the Dominican Republic? Maybe Colby would love her enough to go with them. What would happen to her marriage if he didn’t? One thing was sure. Rebecca could not imagine life in America alone with only in laws and friends. Dorotea Taveres was the only family Rebecca believed she had.

  ***

  Charles Jr. checked the caller id for the third day in a row. Jenessa watched him from the corner of her eye and sighed. Hopefully her son couldn’t see how hard it was for her to focus on her copy of Diamond Butterfly. It was a devotional on growing in intimacy with Christ which was the only kind of book she had time to read these days. Those daily words of encouragement were the only thing that kept her going sometimes. When did her children become so…well Charles Jr. become so nosy? She expected Dominique to say something about the appointment she cancelled at any time. It had been a week since their confrontation. Now it looked like the baton had been passed to Charles Jr. Her daughter reminded her of herself so much sometimes that it scared her, and Jenessa did not scare easy.

  “You expecting a call?” Jenessa sat the ereading device in her hands down.

  “When are you going to go and see the doctor about the lump he found in your breast mom?” Charles Jr. sat next to her on the couch. “Dominique told me what happened and I haven’t seen any reminder calls about the appointment she made for you which means you cancelled what is that…three?”

  “This is a very busy season at the office right now, honey. Once things slow down I’ll be sure to go in and see someone.”Jenessa picked her ereader back up.

  Charles Jr. gently took the ereader from his mom’s hands. He turned the device off and sat it on the coffee table.

  “You know I hate when people mess with my books and make me lose my page. At least I know who’s been doing it.” Jenessa chuckled as she handed her son the ereader Jewelry Mark with the cover of Diamond Butterfly.

  “It won’t matter if we burn every book you have ever learned something from if you die because you refused to get a follow up appointment and get diagnosed three weeks before you die. Mom, you know better. Why won’t you go and make an appointment? You can find time to go out with Harold, run around town getting spa treatments but you can’t take an hour to see if you have cancer. You could have that gene thing and then what. You know black women die more from cancer even though they get it less than everyone else. You’re the one who taught me and Dominique all of this stuff so why won’t you get tested?”Charles Jr. stood up and paced the floor.

  Jenessa held back tears as she marveled at how much he reminded her of his father.

  “I don’t want to sound like a walkathon awareness pamphlet. You know all of this stuff. It is crazy you can afford to go and get the test, have good insurance and won’t use it, but make me and Dominique go and volunteer at the health clinic to help people without insurance. Didn’t you teach us that when we mistreat or don’t appreciate what we have, it is the same as any other sin? So what do you call what you’re doing?” Charles Jr. sat down next to Jenessa. “Don’t you wanna be here to see Dominique graduate and get married? Don’t you wanna see me gr
ow up and be the black Tony Hawk? How can I thank God, Jesus, my wife Keke Palmer Armstrong and my mama if my mother is dead? Do we have to have you promise?”

  “You know what the Bible says about your word, Charles Jr. Your yes and no should be sufficient. We haven’t been doing that in this family so why would we start now? And why do you think that girl from Akeeka and the Bee is gonna be your wife? She is much older than you and lives in Hollywood.” Jenessa laughed as she picked up her ereader from the couch next to her son. Standing up she ignored the pain that shot through her armpit, almost as if to taunt her.

  “It’s Akeelah and the Bee and I will be in Hollywood too so why wouldn’t she want me? I’ll be a millionaire without all of the actor drama she’ll be tired of by then. I’ll be a good, polite, Christian man. She’ll be crazy not to get with all this. But don’t try to change the subject.” Charles Jr. stood up and looked down into his mothers eyes. “We should start making promises now because we stopped being able to trust just a yes and no when you lied to Nique. She is really upset and so am I. They didn’t know any of the stuff they know now when Grandma died, but you know better ma. I’m really disappointed because if it was one of us you know it would have been taken care of. Don’t you think you’re worth making yourself a priority any more, Ma? Ever since you and dad split up all you do is work, get your hair done, eat and work some more. You’re worth more than that, Ma. If Harold won’t tell you and Nique won’t, I will. Please call the doctor. We’re worried about you.”

  Jenessa looked down as her son pecked her on the forehead. Her feet refused to move until his door closed. She was glad he didn’t kiss her cheek. No one liked salt in their kisses.

  ***

  “Harold will be here to get me in a minute Nique. Can you help me find my pearl earrings?” Jenessa looked under a silk scarf on her vanity then patted the side of her hair.

  “What difference does it make? He’s gonna marry some super young chick and have like eight more kids once you’re gone.” Dominique opened the small drawers on one of five jewelry boxes on her mother’s chest of drawers.

  “I’m trying to relax and prepare for my date. Don’t make me mess up my makeup, little girl.”

  “You didn’t listen to Charles Jr. So it’s my turn now. Again. When are you going to make that appointment?” Dominique sighed as she held out an earring to Jenessa.

  Jenessa smiled and accepted the earring from her daughter. She moved to her upright dresser and began looking through the open earring box in the center of it.

  “Mom, this is crazy. You’re putting more effort to finding these earrings than whether or not you have cancer. No one is going to care about this stupid date when we’re singing at your funeral.”

  Dominique dropped the other earring in front of Jenessa next to the earring box.

  Jenessa blew out a slow breath and asked God to give her strength.

  “I’m not going to bother you about this again. I know you’re going to go, so please make sure to leave me a letter with instructions on how to get to all of the important paperwork. I hope you’re able to at least hold on until I graduate high school. Then we can stay here and Charles Jr. can complete his last year of high school with his friends instead of having to start all over in another state. You know Jocelyn will finally talk Daddy into moving near her family since you’re gone. That is if Charles Jr. doesn’t end up a victim of the overcrowded understaffed foster care system because he refuses to move with Daddy. Is your will done?”

  “You really should use all of that creative energy for something more productive. Don’t let the enemy use that gift to get you in trouble or worry yourself about me. I’m fine. I would know if there were something wrong, and soon as things slow down at work, I’ll get a new appointment.” Jenessa turned her back to her daughter. “Now zip me up please. Harold will be here any minute.”

  “Does he know you’re not taking care of yourself? He wouldn’t care as long as you make him look good at all of his functions. You could have a heart attack and he wouldn’t know what to do. He is such a joke.” Dominique dragged her feet when Jenessa’s footsteps slowed.

  “Watch your mouth Nique. Every time I think about knocking you upside the head I remember how much those braces cost. But don’t tempt me. I have enough saved up to replace everyone of them little lovelies if you keep being disrespectful.”Jenessa slipped into a pair of peek-a-boo toe heels.

  “I think any man with half a brain would want to be with someone who loves him enough to take care of herself. Isn’t that the lame line you told me last year when I told you Deion was pressuring me to have sex?” Dominique shook her head and leaned on the wall in front of her mother. “I guess you are old school, Mom. Do as you say and not as you do right? Have a fun date. My show is coming on.”

  “Dominique… you” Jenessa turned when the doorbell rang. “We will finish this when I get home tomorrow. I know your tone and attitude will have improved by then.”

  Jenessa patted her hair before walking to the door, counted to three and smiled as she turned the knob.

  “Hey, beautiful, we have reservations. My last appointment ran a little later than planned so we need to go.”Harold held his hand out for her to step down.

  “I need to grab my things. Aren’t you going to say hi to the kids?” Jenessa held a hand up, turned around and grabbed her ‘I’m a dainty lady’ date purse and pulled the door together.

  “I’m sure they’re busy and I don’t want to be late so, I’ll speak with them when we come back if they’re still up.” Harold smiled as he guided Jenessa to the passenger side door and opened it for her.

  Jenessa tried to shake the chill that ran down her arm and ignored the dull ache under her arm. It was stress from work. Nothing to worry about.

  ***

  “I understand you’re upset about them not doing you’re roller derby massacre, but it is a church, Becca. Most respectable Christians are not crashing into each other and calling it fun.”Danielle raised a mirror up and pretended it was a shield. “Don’t shoot me with the evil eye. I’m just telling you the truth.”

  “It wasn’t that kind of competition. It was like ice skating on wheels and the teams do dance routines and the best team wins, with all of the proceeds going to the ministry and to breast cancer research. Better than some over done fashion show.” Rebecca held her ear down as Dani approached her with the flat iron she removed from the oven.

  “Are you kidding me? Girl, please. Now if you wanna do something fun, them stuffy folks will agree to, you should incorporate an unbeweavable hair show with the fashions and see if you can get one of the big hair or wig companies to donate wigs when you get new cancer survivors.” Dani adjusted her camisole under her smock while the irons heated again. The pain from the bruise subsided but sometimes uncomfortable warmth would spread across the breast she landed on, uncomfortable like fresh lava.

  “You are so smart. I knew there was a reason I kept you around. That and to keep my curls tight and my press right. I wouldn’t even know where to start doing something like that though.” Rebecca twirled a loose curl on the side Dani had not straightened yet. “Sure would be helpful if I could get someone with lotsa good connections in the industry to help me.”

  “Don’t even try to play me, Becca. I love me some Jesus, but you know I don’t do church folks. I just don’t have time for all that foolishness.” Dani blew the irons one final time before applying them to a small section of hair above Rebecca’s ear.

  “Good book says it’s good to come into the fellowship of the brethren. Sure sounds like church to me.” Rebecca cleared her throat and looked at Dani with fake puppy eyes in the mirror.

  “Why do you think I let all you people into my shop? I fellowship with plenty of missionaries, first ladies, evangelists and a few pastors every month. The pastors I see every week Saturday. Gotta keep the do tight for the collection plate to be full on Sunday, right?” Dani placed the irons back in the oven.
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  “You know that is not how all pastor’s are, Dani. Every profession and call has good, bad and other in it. I have run into some straight trifling stylists but I still plop down my debit card on your counter several times a month don’t I? You always say you are done with church, but maybe you just haven’t been to the right one,” Rebecca said.

  “Don’t start up on that again, Becca. We already agreed to disagree. I’m sure there are some perfectly good churches out there and if I join one of them it won’t be perfect any more. My watching church online and donating my tithes to charity is more than sufficient. Hey hasn’t failed me yet. Ouch.” Dani touched her breast without thinking and adjusted her cami. She had to call Dr. Thompson and schedule the treatment consultation and talk to him about the information she’d found online about alternative treatment options.

  “See, God is trying to tell you something. I’m just kidding. I really don’t want to do just another boring old fashion show. Sister Green said she wanted to include the youth and singles ministry. I’ve seen how they dress and some of the designers they’ve used before would make my mother’s wardrobe look risqué. I’ve got to find more relevant designers or it might be a little fashion thrown in the mix of a hair show. Lord help me break this to Vichonda. She has knocked down everything I suggest.” Rebecca pushed out a short breath. “She needs prayer. I still only have three volunteers. Two of them are me and my mother.”

  “You are so funny when you shift from begging to guilt. I’m going to help you because I believe in the cause. Don’t think your little puppy eyes and whining had anything to do with it. Please don’t try to proselytize me,” Dani said.

  “Girl, I can’t do that. You’re already saved. I won’t have to convince you to join the church. God can do that on his own.” Rebecca sat up to give Dani better access to the back of her neck.

  “I hear you talking. Just make sure you have some of that communion wine on standby when the tacky sistahatahs start popping out of the woodwork and poppin off at the mouth. You better hope I don’t pop one of them in the eye. I’m not too saved to beat a sistah down, you know for Jesus. Laying on hands…” Danielle laughed and darted out of Rebecca’s reach.