Forgive Me Read Free

one.
    Aunjanue’s face froze. She watched the anchor describe the jury- tampering technicality that set her mother free. Memories of her siblings, Grant, Sims, and S’n’c’r’ty, rushed through her mind as she stared at the urn holding their ashes on the mantle. Aunjanue plopped down on the sofa as Zion joined her. He held her hand.
    â€œOnnie, what’s wrong?” he asked.
    â€œRemember when I told you about my brothers and my sister, the ones on the photos I showed you?”
    â€œYou told me they died.”
    As she sought the right words to explain her feelings, Lasheera rescued her. “Zion, go to your room. We need to talk to Onnie alone. Straighten your room before we go to dinner. I’ll call you down when it’s time to go.”
    Zion walked away. He hated leaving good adult conversation. What’s so important that I can’t listen in? She’s my sister, too.
    Lake and Lasheera joined Aunjanue on opposite sides of the sofa. They held her hands for comfort.
    â€œDid you know she was being released?” Aunjanue asked.
    â€œI did,” said Lasheera. She paused. “We didn’t want to disturb your senior year. You’ve done so well and we didn’t want anything to interrupt your progress.”
    â€œYou know how unstable your mother is,” Lake added. “If nothing more, we didn’t want her to harm you in any way.”
    â€œI hate her. I’ll never forgive her for what she did to us. I don’t want to see her, and I don’t care about the baby she had either.She’s nothing to me.” Aunjanue stared at the urn again as she blinked back tears. She’d given Tawatha too many tears already.
    As they held her hands, Lake spoke. “You’re safe with us. If she comes near you or us, we’ll take out a restraining order. If she tries to contact you, let us know and we’ll handle her. We’re here to protect you, Onnie. You have to know that.”
    â€œI don’t want to go out anymore. I’m going to my room.” She stood to leave as Lasheera touched her shoulders.
    â€œOnnie, don’t let her spoil this night. I want you—”
    â€œGive her space,” Lake said. “I’ll order us some take-out. She needs to be alone with her thoughts, baby.”
    â€œAre you sure you don’t want to go out?” Lasheera asked Aunjanue once more.
    â€œPositive. I’ve lost my appetite.”
    Lake and Lasheera watched Aunjanue as she headed toward the stairs. Lasheera hadn’t spoken to Jamilah, their other bestie, since she took up Tawatha’s cause and fought to have her released from jail. Of all the first cases on the planet, she didn’t understand why Jamilah wanted to set Tawatha free again. Justice be damned. I’ll kill her if she comes near Aunjanue.

Chapter 4

    D arnella tapped on Aruba’s door again. The tray of baked chicken, green beans, seasoned rice, and fresh-squeezed lemonade remained untouched next to the latest Ebony she had placed outside Aruba’s door.
    â€œAruba, you haven’t eaten since this morning. Please open the door, honey.”
    Darnella wasn’t sure what troubled her more, Aruba’s silence or her inability to comfort her only child. Aruba moved to back to Georgia six months ago following the death of her second husband, Dr. Winston Faulk. Darnella knew the marriage was ill-fated because Aruba stole Winston from her friend, Victoria. Friend. Darnella cringed at the thought of all the secrets and quiet time the women shared as her daughter set her sights on taking Victoria’s place. Sure, Aruba’s husband, James, wasn’t pulling his weight at the time. His chronic unemployment and lackluster desire to keep a job were enough to work any woman’s nerves, especially a mother-in-law who hated seeing her daughter Hebrewing to keep the household going. However, Darnella would never have suggested