Page 42 of When Love Takes Root

“No, you didn’t.”

“I was getting there,” he said.

“So are we.”

The truck moved out of the lot, and every mile carried me closer to Celestial Crowns.

Mrs. Paulette stood from my chair, turning her head slowly in the mirror.

“Now, see, this is why I don’t cheat on you, Celeste. You get me right every time.”

I smiled and brushed a loose strand from her shoulder. “I appreciate your loyalty.”

She slipped folded bills into my hand before I could stop her.

“That extra is for your babies.”

My fingers closed around the folded bills. That simple kindness went straight through me, past pride, past exhaustion, past the place where I kept telling myself I had everything handled. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I’m grown enough to know what I have to do and blessed enough to do what I want. Take it.”

I laughed softly. “Thank you.”

Her hand covered mine for a second. “And call that electrician. I heard them lights acting ugly earlier.”

“I called,” I said.

“Good. Don’t have me meeting Jesus under no dryer.”

I laughed before I could stop myself. “Yes, ma’am.”

She left with her purse tucked tight under one arm and her head held high, the bell over the front door chiming behind her.

I watched the back station after the door closed. They’d behaved for the last hour. I still didn’t trust them. The empty chairs bothered me more than the flickering lights.

It was humbling how many ways life could remind me I wasn’t in control. Children did it. Grief did it. Silence did it. Now the walls of my own shop had joined the choir.

Sometimes, I wondered if God got tired of me asking Him to hold up what I couldn’t carry anymore. Then I’d remember grace wasn’t a paycheck. I didn’t have to earn it before Heaven released it. I could be tired, scared, irritated, uncertain, and still covered. That was the part my spirit knew and my body kept forgetting.

My phone vibrated against the front desk before that thought could finish pulling me under. The screen lit up with the name of our sibling group chat.

C-Black Command Center

I should’ve ignored it, but I never did.

Camden:

Everybody check in. Mama’s conducting another wellness audit.

Corbin:

Some of us have jobs.

Corinne:

Some of us answer the phone.

Corbin: