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“Answer the damn phone, Myla!” Miranda spoke with obvious annoyance as she tapped her stiletto nails on the table. She tapped so aggressively that two of her nails broke. For months she had been calling, texting, and even showing up to Myla’s home. No matter the method she chose, Myla would not respond.

Myla’s absence had been so obvious that Heaven initiated a welfare check. Anger filled Miranda when the police informed her that Myla had been home, alive and well.

“Mimi, stop torturing yourself. She will reach out when she’s ready,” Linda said as she squeezed Miranda’s hand. Her heart broke for her bonus daughter. Since they were kids, Miranda and Myla had been inseparable, and now it was obvious that Myla was intentionally keeping her distance from them.

Miranda wanted to listen, but she couldn’t. She needed to know if Myla had read the news article that she’d sent her. Her read receipts showed the time that she viewed the message, but she didn’t know if she truly read it or just glanced at it.

“I wish I could just let it go. But I’ve been with men like Dante. Dante is a part of Satan’s Legion. People like him want full control of the people in their lives. They drain and destroy the person yet still believe that the person they’ve wronged should worship their demonic ass. I think he’s isolating her from us. He is dangerous because he can outslick a can of oil. I need to make sure Myla’s ok,” Miranda said.

“I agree, GiGi. I’ve been calling Aunt Piggy, and I haven’t heard a peep from her. I’ve texted, and she hasn’t texted back. I called her office, and Ms. Jessica said Aunt Piggy was on administrative leave,” Heaven admitted.

“What?!” both Linda and Miranda shouted, clearly shocked at what Heaven just admitted.

Myla took her profession seriously. She enjoyed everything about helping people to understand their illnesses, and how to function successfully with them. For her entire career, she’d been praised; her being on administrative leave simply didn’t make any sense.

“Heaven, what the fuck? When did you find that out? Why didn’t you mention that before?” Miranda asked.

“Ma, I just found this out yesterday. That’s why I told y’all I needed to talk to y’all and to meet me for lunch,” Heaven admitted.

She knew that her mother was angry. In her seventeen years on Earth, she had heard her mom curse often, but she had never cursed at her.

Miranda’s chest rose and fell rapidly as she dragged her fingers through her hair. Nervousness and frustration made it hard for her to sit still.

“Ok, we’ve called her, called her office, and even sent the police to her home. Now this leave from work is bothering me. It’s time we go and see what’s happening,” Linda said calmly, but her actions, twisting her hands, and the bouncing of her legs showed that she was uneasy.

“Something has already happened,” Heaven stated.

“I’m not waiting anymore. I’m pulling up. I need to see her with my own eyes. Heaven, pay the bill so we can go,” Miranda said as she grabbed her purse so they could leave.

Heaven looked confused.

“Do what, now?” she asked with the unbitten fry still in her hand.

“Pay the bill.”

“Umm…no comprende!” Heaven said, looking at her mom as if she had lost her mind.

“Heaven, you invited us to lunch. That means you’re supposed to pay the bill. You invited us here,” Miranda repeated. She tapped the table as a way to make sure Heaven understood that they were only in the restaurant because she had invited them there.

“Mommy, I invited y’all to lunch to talk,” Heaven emphasized, as if the conversation was the only thing she was responsible for.

For the first time all day, Linda burst into laughter. She knew good and well that Heaven paying for anything would never happen.

“Girl, you know Heaven wasn’t paying for a damn thing. Let’s go check on my baby,” Linda said as she dropped two crisp hundred-dollar bills on the table.

Miranda had her car on two wheels as she took the twenty-minute drive to Myla’s house. Something in her heart was telling her that Myla needed help.

“Thank the Lord. That’s her pulling in right there!” Linda screamed excitedly as she watched Myla’s car turn into her driveway.

To her, this was a sign. They had been calling and texting for months with no response. Now here they were pulling up at the same time. Linda practically jumped out of the car to get to her daughter. Linda gasped at the sight of her child.

Myla wanted to back out of her driveway and run. But with Miranda pulling in directly behind her and Heaven’s SUV parked at the curb, there was no way out.

“I guess it’s time to face the music,” Myla said as she opened her car door and stepped outside.

Linda, Miranda, and Heaven clutched their pearls at the sight of Myla. She was normally polished and well put together. Now she looked tired and haggard.