Page 88 of His Four Leaf Clover

“This is just all so surreal. The last time we talked, you told me that Trenton was doing fine.” Her mother seemed genuinely confused.

“Trenton hasn’t been fine in a long time.”

Trudy was ashamed of herself when she had to come clean to her mother and sisters about everything that had been going on over the past few months. To them, she was always so well put together. She had an amazing job, a doting husband and three wonderful kids. She was the one that they used to brag about not knowing that her life had been in shambles for years. She wanted to blame Carmelo for secretly recording their sex acts but, had she not been cheating, it wouldn’t have happened. Trudy even hated Clover for exposing the video, but that too was all on her for stepping outside of her God-ordained marriage.

“I hate that all of this is happening to you, sweetheart.” Her mother pulled her into a much needed comforting hug.

“I do too but I have to lay in the bed that I made for myself. I miss my kids and grandkids so much and it hurts,” Trudy cried.

“This too shall pass.”

That was her mother’s favorite saying and she wanted to believe that it was true. Trudy had already been served with divorce papers and she wasn’t gonna waste her time fighting for a marriage that she ruined. Her career was in limbo too since she didn’t know if she was gonna be able to practice law again. Hopefully, a change of venue would be just what she needed to get her life back on track. She felt so defeated and, for once, she couldn’t control the narrative. There were no lies that she could tell or phone calls to make to fix it. For once, she had to face her reality head on. She didn’t just know what the outcome of that reality would be.

Girl, I should have got me some food to go. That shit was good. I’m mad that I shared it with y’all,” Clo argued.

Clover, Iva and Amina had a much-needed girls day out. They had a spa day and had just gotten something to eat for the second time. Amina’s baby was two months old now, and Fonzo was on daddy duty. His brothers were there with him like it took three men to watch a newborn baby. Dash was so excited to have a niece and he was there just about every day to see her. Hank, Diva and Kardi went to Georgia for the weekend to spend some time with the family, so Clover was free.

“That was good. How did y’all find that place?” Amina asked.

Amina had eaten gumbo and noodles more times than she could count. She had never heard of gumbo ramen before, but it was good as hell. Whoever thought of combining the two was a genius and she loved the concept.

“That be Clover finding all these different places that nobody ever heard of. That gumbo stir fry was bomb as hell though.” Iva was licking her lips just thinking about it.

“Y’all know I like trying new places. I be tired of eating the same thing all the time. I be following all the food bloggers trying to get some new ideas.” Clover and Dash had been to the restaurant twice before and they loved it.

“That beignet place was good too,” Amina said.

Clover was making it hard for her to stick to her diet. They had gone to a place that had beignets stuffed with everything imaginable, including pecan pie. She couldn’t wait until her and Fonzo started going on their date nights again, so she could let him taste everything. They wanted to wait until Alexus got a little older before they started leaving her with anyone. She knew without a doubt that she wouldn’t have any trouble finding a babysitter.

“Girl, yes, that seafood one and the sweet potato were my favorites,” Iva replied.

“We should go get a cookie butter milkshake!” Clover yelled excitedly.

“No ma’am. You’re gonna be big as a house with these pregnancy cravings.” Amina was shaking her head, even though that sounded amazing.

“That bitch got a metabolism like I’ve never seen before. She don’t ever gain weight, pregnant or not. I’m not messing with her ass this time around though. I gained fifteen pounds when she was pregnant with Kardi just from going out to eat with her ass.” Iva frowned, as Amina fell out laughing.

She gained a little weight when she was pregnant but she lost all but eight pounds of it. She and Fonzo had started working out together in their home gym and that helped a lot.

“I can’t even lie, that does sound good,” Amina admitted.

“Come on, Iva, just get a small one,” Clover begged.

“Ughhh, this is our last stop, Clo. I’m gonna be big as a damn house messing with you.” Iva drove towards the café that Clover always took Kardi to. They had some of the best desserts and she was already thinking about everything that she wanted.

When they pulled up, she was surprised to see so many cars out front. They didn’t close until midnight, so it was the perfect place for a late-night snack.

“What do y’all suggest since I’m a first timer?” Amina asked when they walked into the café.

She took a few of their suggestions and saw some things that she wanted to try. She got her husband a few things and Iva did the same. Since Kardi wasn’t home, Clover got her milkshake and stood off to the side while her and Iva drooled over the display case.

“Hit the locks, Iva. I’ll wait for y’all in the car.”

Most of the tables were filled and even more people were coming in. Iva used her key fob to unlock the door right as Clover walked out. She’d left her phone in the car, so she was gonna call and talk to her baby for a while. Clover moved to the side and allowed a man to pass on the sidewalk. She walked pass him, but he doubled back and grabbed her from behind. Her breath got caught in her throat when she got a good look at who it was. She dropped her milkshake and screamed right before he put his hand over her mouth. He dragged her to an awaiting car that she never even noticed was double-parked right next to Iva’s. She panicked when she saw him pop the trunk.

“Let her go! Oh, my God! Somebody help her!”

Two women were yelling loudly as they watched Clover seem to get abducted right before their eyes. One of them frantically called the police while the other one memorized the license plate number. It looked like a scene from a movie but it was their reality.