Nobody’s Child (New Life Tabernacle Series Book 1) Read Free Page A

herself to trip and nearly tumble down the church steps and into the steady drizzle outside. Both women gasped as they reached out to break her fall.
    "Oh, Lord! Baby, are you all right?"
    Makayla covered her head with that morning's church program as protection from the rain. "I'm so sorry! I just can't miss my bus—“
    Before Makayla could finish, Sister Ealy grabbed her upper arm and swung her back through the doors. Makayla winced. For being such a small woman, Sister Ealy had a powerful grip.
    "Now didn't I tell you? You ain't riding no bus in this rain!” She held on to Makayla as she freely and loudly complained to Robin.
    "This knuckle-headed child done rode the bus all the way over in this here rain. No jacket. No umbrella. No nothing! Walked up in here looking like a cat somebody done pulled out the lake.”
    Robin looked at Makayla with raised eyebrows, smiling. As Sister Ealy continued, her grip tightened around Makayla's arm, the pain reflecting on Makayla’s face.
    "And I specifically said: Come talk to me. I'll find someone to take you home. But, no! Here she is running out to catch a bus. I guess I'm just wasting my time, using up the precious breath God gave me, talking to myself, 'cause she sure ain't listening."
    "Awww…” Robin looked at the pained expression on Makayla's face and put her arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry, Sister Ealy. I'll give her a ride and fuss at her all the way there."

Chapter 4
    M akayla's impromptu plan worked . She'd gotten what she wanted—time with Robin. That was the good news. The bad news was, once she had it, she found her brain stuck in park. She was so focused on getting near Robin, she hadn't considered what to do once she was. 
    Just don’t say or do anything stupid and you’ll be fine…
    Once inside the car, Robin asked, “Where do you live?”
    It was a simple question. A normal person would’ve said something like, ‘Get off at Cooper and take Cooper to Park Row. I’ll tell you where to go from there.’ But at that moment, Makayla didn’t possess the capacity for normal, so instead of giving a normal answer, in a normal tone, she blurted out her street and building number as if she’d been asked for her mailing address.
    So much for not doing anything stupid.
    Robin grinned as she entered the address into the GPS unit. “Specific. I like it.” The screen brought up a map with the route represented by a red line.
    Robin put on a pair of sunglasses with the word, Dior , on the side and reached for her seatbelt. "This is over by the university, right?"
    "Yes, ma'am."
    "A college girl! Well, all right then."
    Makayla shrank. College girl? Not even close. She’d never graduated. She passed out of high school with a GED so she could have more time to work. That wasn’t the kind of thing someone like Robin would find admirable.
    “Are you thinking of pledging?” Robin asked, backing out of the parking space.
    “Uh, yeah.”
    No sooner than she said the words, Makayla’s face burned with shame. She turned her head away from Robin and looked out the window.
    “Well,” Robin said, moving into the flow of traffic. “I’m gonna save you some time and tell you don’t even bother considering anything but Delta Sigma Theta!” She laughed. “Though I might be biased.”
    Makayla gave a little chuckle and swallowed. She needed to steer the conversation away from this college stuff.
    “These speakers are crazy. Sounds like I’m in a movie theater instead of a car.”
    "You can change the station if you'd like."
    "No, it’s okay. I love gospel.”
    Yeah, right. Makayla couldn't name five gospel singers if her life depended on it. The only one she knew was the dude Kim always listened to. Marc? Marvin? Myron… Nope. Couldn’t name him either. Hopefully, Robin wouldn’t ask her to elaborate.
    Makayla rubbed her hands together, trying to relieve the chill in her fingers. Robin noticed.
    "Let's warm you up."
    She pushed a few buttons and the next