Page 6

Myla heard it, and her heart dropped. It was true. For thirty years, Linda had been an English teacher. Thursday had always been a half day for teachers. Because of this, Linda tutored children who were having difficulty with reading comprehension, sentence formation, and cursive writing.

Though she didn’t have to work, education had always been her passion. Linda had even helped her husband get his doctoral degree. Learning and teaching just came naturally to her. Missing a class just to go to her husband’s office was not something she’d ever do.

Myla’s eyes filled with tears at the realization that another woman had put a smile on her father’s face. Her father was having an affair.

“Ma, I’m—”

“I wasn’t at your father’s office,” Linda interrupted. “Your father passed away in his office. According to the officer, he had a heart attack.”

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The sound of the freightliner blowing its horn snapped Myla out of her trip down memory lane. She was so deep in thought that she hadn’t realized that she was holding up traffic.

“Damn, Daddy. You weren’t perfect, but I swear I miss you more than you’ll ever know. You were the only man that kept it real with me,” Myla whispered.

Learning that her father had been having sex when he had a heart attack had crushed her. She had learned that the apple of his eye was Heaven. Miranda had brought her by the office to show off Heaven’s Math and Science Awards. They both confirmed that he cut the family gathering short because a client had called for an emergency visit. Myla had requested surveillance, but her father didn’t have any in his building. She had also requested phone records, but for some reason, they were never released to her.

The truly devastating part was discovering that had her father’s mistress called 911 or administered CPR, her father would still be alive. Instead, he was left in his office chair with his pants around his ankles and his unprotected deceased erection still exposed due to the gas station Viagra that was in his system.

“People are going to do what works best for them, no matter who gets hurt or humiliated. Just be honest and single. Damn. RIP, Daddy,” Myla sighed as she pulled into her mother’s driveway behind Heaven’s all-black Jeep Wrangler.

Heaven was the only seventeen-year-old that Myla knew who seemed to be stuck to her grandmother’s hip. Most teens preferred to be with their friends; Heaven preferred to do things with her grandmother. Their bond was unbreakable.

Entering the foyer, Myla stopped in her tracks at the sight of Heaven standing on a ladder tacking one end of the five-foot-long Happy New Year banner to the wall. The concentration on her face looked as if she were getting paid to do the task. Myla shook her head because at seventeen, neither she nor Miranda would ever be on anyone’s ladder decorating for an event.

“Umm…Miss? Why are you on a ladder? I thought you’d still be resting or getting dolled up for your party tonight. Should we be adding interior decorator as an extracurricular activity to your college application?” Myla asked jokingly.

“Oh, hey, Aunt Piggy. I’m well rested. I took my sleeping mat and pillow with me, and I turned the back of Ma’s Escalade into my own mini suite. After I’m finished with the decorations, I’ll get dressed for my pool/congratulatory party that GiGi is having for me. I’m hanging out with the old folks tonight.” Heaven laughed. “And no, we will not be adding any design courses to my college application. These people can’t afford my swag. Only GiGi gets my services for free.”

Myla threw her head back and laughed. That was the typical bougie response that she expected from Heaven.

“Girl, bye! You better start charging so I can recoup some of my money back for all those expensive ass shoes and purses.”

“Oh no, Boo! Heaven Renee don’t repay gifts. Better go up on your hourly rates. Smooches,” Heaven said as she kissed the tips of her fingers and waved at her aunt.

Myla laughed. She expected the quick, witty response.

“Comedy is another extracurricular activity that needs to be added to your college application since you're so funny.” Myla laughed as she walked past the ladder to get to her mother.

There was no need to ask where her mom was in the large home. The smell wafting from the kitchen told her everything that she needed to know.

Entering the lavish kitchen, Myla stood back and admired her mother. Her mom had always been stunning, but since the death of her father, it seemed as if Linda’s age had reversed by ten years.

At this very moment, Linda was dancing around the kitchen, pulling hot pots of good-smelling food out of the double oven with Gladys Knight blaring so loudly that Myla doubted if her mother knew she was there. This fun, spunkier side of Linda was not a side that Myla was used to. Turning down the volume on the ancient AM/FM cassette player, Myla began to speak.

“So, you’re partying with the kids tonight, huh?”

“No, ma’am. The kids are partying with me,” Linda corrected. “How are you doing, sweetheart?”

Linda didn’t think to ask Myla if she had any plans because she knew her daughter hadn’t participated in any New Year’s festivities since her father died.

“Ma, I’m turning over a new leaf. Miranda and I are going to The Posh Lounge. I just wanted to see you before I got dressed and went out.”

Myla didn’t comment on the obvious look of surprise that crossed her mother’s face.

“Baby, are you serious? I am so glad to hear that. I hated knowing that you were cooped up in that house while so much excitement was going on. Like I always say, life is for living. Make the most out of every day while you’re here,” Linda stated.

After discovering the truth about her husband, Linda refused to mourn him. The only reason she even attended the funeral was to give moral support to Myla, Miranda, and Heaven.