Trish yelled at Gloria and Marquita. “Y’all gon’ have to stop all this. I need to have a meeting. Visit with your grandson or don’t, but you can’t come here with all this confusion.”

  “I’m not trying to bring confusion to your house, but what’s right is right,” Gloria was yelling so loud, the sounds were vibrating off the wall. She jabbed an angry finger in Trish’s direction, “And you are not Moochie’s only grandmother.”

  This woman needed the trinity—prayer, Jesus, and a good whooping. Trish should have known that this upper-crust white woman wasn’t going to come in here and handle this out-of-control situation. Yet, Trish was surprised that Alexis also hadn’t ran out of the house. She didn’t look afraid at all. She seemed more . . . transfixed. Whatever the case was, she needed her to snap out of it. “Alexis, you met Gloria, right?”

  Alexis took her eyes off of Kee Kee and turned to Gloria. “Um, yes. Um . . .”

  Alexis was out of her league with this woman. Trish put a hand on her hip and was getting ready to let Gloria have it when the garage door opened. Dwayne came into the kitchen carrying subs and a grocery bag. He sat them on the counter. “What in the world is going on in my house? I could hear all the yelling from the driveway.”

  Marquita turned to Dwayne. “I’m so sorry about this, Mr. Dwayne. I don’t know why she acts like this.”

  Dwayne’s eyes scanned the room. He turned back to Marquita. “You brought all this noise and commotion to my house?”

  Jon-Jon wheeled himself in front of Marquita as if protecting her. “Dad, it’s not Marquita’s fault. Her mom came in here, going off on Marquita and Mama like she’s got some kind of problem or something.”

  Gloria told Jon-Jon, “I don’t have a problem. Y’all the one got the problem, because I’m about to turn up in here.”

  Dwayne’s face had this oh-no-she-didn’t expression as he turned to Trish. “Who is this woman?”

  “Her name’s Gloria—”

  Gloria’s head bobbed. “I’m Moochie’s grandma, and I have a right to see him. Y’all can’t keep him from me.”

  “Let me put it to you this way,” Dwayne said. “I don’t care whose grandma you are. You don’t come up in my house and disrespect my wife. So, if you can’t tone it down, and I mean right now, you got to go.”

  Gloria opened her mouth to say something else.

  Dwayne stopped her. “Choose your next words carefully, because they may be the last words you speak inside this house.”

  Huffing loudly, then rolling her eyes, Gloria managed to lower her voice, “Is it all right if I spend some time with my grandson, since my daughter don’t want to bring him around me?”

  Trish started to add her two cents. She did think the woman should be allowed to see her grandchild, but she knew better than to get in Dwayne’s way when he was handling a situation. Instead, she tapped Alexis on the shoulder. “Let’s go sit down at the table.”

  “Okay.” Alexis followed her to the table.

  Dwayne looked from Jon-Jon to Marquita. “Are y’all going to let this woman have some time with her grandson or what?”

  “It’s not my decision.” Jon-Jon glanced over at Marquita. “She’s your mother. You make the call.”

  Marquita looked frustrated. “Mama, I just don’t like how you came in here causing all this confusion. You know I don’t have anywhere else to go right now.”

  “I miss Moochie.” Gloria started crying. Mark and Kee Kee stood next to their mother.

  “Don’t cry, Mama. Marquita’s going to let you see Moochie. Won’t you, Marquita?” Kee Kee asked.

  Relenting, Marquita asked Dwayne, “Can they go in my room and visit with Moochie for a while?”

  “That’s fine,” Dwayne said.

  Trish said, “Jon-Jon, can you sit over here with me and Mrs. Alexis? We have a lot of work to do if we’re going to build an ad campaign that will get some attention.”

  As Jon-Jon wheeled himself over to the table, Dwayne pulled a serving tray out of the cabinet. He put the subs on the tray and then pulled bags of chips out of his grocery bag. He brought the tray over to the table. “I figured you wouldn’t have time to cook, so I picked up some subs and chips.”

  “Thank you,” Trish said while wondering what else was in the fridge that she could eat.

  “Here’s the barbecue chips you like.” Dwayne handed Trish the bag.

  Trish’s eyebrow raised. “You never buy barbecue. You only bring the salt and vinegar chips that you and Jon-Jon like.”

  Dwayne said, “You like barbecue, so I got those for you.” He then turned to Alexis. “I wasn’t sure what kind of chips you like so I also grabbed a plain and a cheddar.”

  “I’ll take the cheddar chips. Thank you. What kind of subs did you get?” Alexis asked.

  “We have turkey and ham, club, and Italian. My baby’s favorite is Italian.” Dwayne winked at Trish. “Isn’t that right, baby?”

  “Yes, but your baby does not like mayo on her sub, so I’ll fix myself something later.”

  Alexis said, “I’ll take the turkey and ham. This was so nice of you.”

  Jon-Jon took the club sub sandwich.

  Dwayne handed the Italian to Trish. “There’s no mayo on the sandwich. I had them make it for you just the way you like it.”

  “You don’t know how I like my sandwich,” Trish said as she took the sub from him, opened it, and searched the sandwich like she was looking for a hair in her food. She looked back at Dwayne, astonishment on her face. “My sandwich is the exact way I like it.”

  “That’s a good thing, right?” Dwayne looked a little nervous.

  “It’s the best thing ever.” Trish hopped out of her seat, wrapped her arms around her husband, and kissed him with all the love she was feeling. Trish had given him a hard time for several months now. After talking with her mom and dad the other day, Trish knew she was just being bratty.

  Dwayne was sorry for the way he had treated her. The dishwashing, the extra help with Jon-Jon, and the kindness he’d shown Marquita all helped her see he was changing. She had already forgiven her husband, but this Italian sub with no mayo was like an extra gift at Christmas.

  “I love you, Dwayne. I’m so thankful that you are my husband.”

  Dwayne tapped Trish on the shoulder. Her arms were still wrapped around his neck. “Babe, I’m loving this. I truly am, but we have company.”

  Laughing like a teen caught making out with her high school crush, Trish released him and turned back to Alexis. “You must think this is a crazy house or something.”

  “Not at all. It looks like you and your husband need a little time to talk.” Alexis took her cell phone out of her purse. “I need to call my husband.”

  “Of course, you do what you need to. I’ll eat my Italian sub without mayo and wait for you to get back.”

  When Alexis stepped outside, Jon-Jon told his mom, “That was kind of embarrassing. You mauled Daddy in front of company.”

  “Shut up, boy. You need to worry about why Marquita is so upset with you, and ask yourself if you care enough to do the right thing.”

  “I don’t even know what the right thing is, Mama. I’m focused on my son and my rehab. I can’t think past that right now.”

  Dwayne put a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Just don’t play with the girl’s heart. When I got with your mama, I knew right away that there was no other woman for me. Unless you feel that way, don’t settle.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, Dad.”

  Dwayne leaned closer to his son and added, “The girl’s mama is off the wall, so don’t rush to join that family.”

  “Dwayne,” Trish objected. “Don’t do that. Marquita is really trying to make changes in her life. I don’t want her being judged by the way her mother acts.”

  “You’re right, baby.” Dwayne looked at Jon-Jon and said, “You also need to make sure she can cook. The last thing you want to do is be in a house with an angry woman and your hungry stomach.”

  “I heard that.” Trish nudged Dwayne. “You just got out of the doghouse. Don’t get pushed back in there.”

  “You thought I was talking about you?” Dwayne stepped toward his wife. “Baby, I love everything you cook. You’re better than Chef Boyardee.”

  “That’s canned food, Dwayne.” Her husband was talking himself out of the forgiveness Trish wanted so desperately to give him.

  Dwayne snapped his fingers, like he was trying to come up with something. “Ooh, ooh, remember that time we dined at Emeril’s restaurant in New Orleans, and I ordered the shrimp and grits?”

  “Yes.”

  “If you remember, I didn’t finish my plate that night. That’s because it wasn’t as good as yours.”

  Trish grinned wide. “Really?”

  “Yeah, baby, you’re better than Emeril, Bobby Flay, and that They-Call-Me-Ms.-Brown lady on the Food Network channel you like so much. I’m telling you, I’d rather eat right here in this kitchen than any restaurant in this country. You put your heart into each meal you cook for us.”

  Jon-Jon put a fist to his mouth. “Dang, Daddy, you overdid it. Mama’s not going to believe that.”

  But Trish didn’t care how over the top Dwayne was being. She loved every word that dripped from his gorgeous lips. She felt like crying and was so thankful Alexis had stepped out. This was a moment meant for her and Dwayne. After all these years of thinking that her husband didn’t get her and never would, she was now thinking, He gets me. “I do put my heart into the meals I make for y’all. Thank you for noticing.”

  Dwayne gave an aw-shucks nod of his head. “I’m getting better.”

  “You’re not just getting better, baby.” Trish pulled Dwayne close again. Her hands went back around his neck. “You’re the best, and I’m so thankful I get to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  They kissed again. This kiss was filled with all the passion they had denied each other for months on end. They were right back where they belonged, and they were going to hold on with everything they had left.

  “I think I need to go make a call or change my socks or something.” Jon-Jon left the kitchen and went into his room.

  Trish and Dwayne looked at each other and laughed—and that laughter was good medicine, healing all that ailed them.

  Chapter 32

  Alexis thought her heart would beat out of her chest as she stood just about ten feet away from a girl named Kee Kee. She was not sure of this girl’s age, but she was a teenager, no doubt. She also had the small beauty mark next to her nose, just like the baby in the picture. If the Kee Kee who was inside Trish’s house was thirteen, then Alexis was almost positive that she was the girl Michael was looking for.

  She didn’t want to say anything yet. This had to be Michael’s decision. When Trish and Dwayne got all lovey-dovey, Alexis used that as her cue to step outside Trish’s house and call her husband. She giggled a bit as the phone rang because she was certain that Trish was embarrassed, but she shouldn’t be. Alexis knew all too well what it felt like to be in love with a man she respected and cared deeply for. She wanted that feeling back and was praying that Michael wouldn’t disappoint her again.

  “Hey, hon, how’s the meeting going?” Michael asked when he answered the phone.

  “We took a break, so I’m calling you about something altogether different.”

  “Okay, what’s going on?”

  “Did your private investigator find any leads on the girl you are looking for?”

  He emitted a heavy sigh. “No, I think Peter and I will have to face the fact that this deal is not going to happen. I wish I had known more about the mother, but all I remember is that Kevin was having the time of his life with an older woman who was a bit wild. He was this studious, nerd type so he couldn’t believe a woman like that wanted to be with him.”

  “Kevin told you she was wild?” Alexis asked.

  “Yeah, if I remember correctly that was the word he used to describe her. Beautiful and wild. If Kevin’s parents were still living, we might be able to get more information from them, but they passed a few years ago.”

  “I need you to sit down and listen to me for a minute. You won’t believe this, but your generosity with the ad campaign has led me to the very thing you need to move forward with the sale of your company.”

  Michael’s voice quivered a bit. “What’s going on over there, Alexis? Please, no more suspense.”

  “A teenage girl is inside Trish’s house right now. Her name is Kee Kee, and she has that beauty mark on her face.”

  “What? Don’t kid with me like this, Alexis. Are you serious?”

  “I am, Michael. How many Kee Kee’s could there be in Charlotte?”

  “None that I’m aware of so far—at least none with a driver’s license or property in their name.”

  His comment warmed Alexis’s heart. “You really have been looking for her, haven’t you?”

  “I have. I know I disappointed you in the past, but I really want to make this right. I heard everything you said, and I’m ready to dig up this secret and expose it to the world if that’s what needs to be done. I’ll do it for Kevin.”

  Alexis let out a squeal of joy. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear you say this. Let me go back into the house and do a little more digging. Then I’ll get back to you.”

  “What type of digging? I thought you said you found her?”

  “I know her name is Kee Kee, but I didn’t ask if her father’s name is Kevin Jones. I didn’t want to do anything like that without talking to you first.”

  His voice softened. “We’re back to being a team, aren’t we, Lexi?”

  Ooh, she loved when this man called her Lexi. She only wished she was in the same room with him so she could show him how much she loved being his wife. “I’m so glad you are my husband, Michael. God blessed me with a good man.”

  “You can still say that even after all that’s happened?”

  “I believe we are all entitled to redemption. And you, dear husband, are seriously about to earn yours. I’m proud to be married to you.”

  They hung up, and she went back inside. Trish and Dwayne were at the kitchen table eating. Trish put down her sandwich as Alexis approached. “Don’t let me interrupt. Please keep eating. I need to speak with Gloria anyway.”

  Trish swallowed her food as she pursed her lips. “That ship has sailed, hasn’t it? You told me you could handle her. All you did was stand there looking shell-shocked, so you might want to leave Gloria alone while she is calm. That woman is a special case.”

  “Believe me, I wasn’t shocked by Gloria’s behavior. I have dealt with ‘special cases’ all of my life.”

  “Oh, yeah, like when? And the Robinson family doesn’t count.” Dwayne laughed at his own joke.

  “I work as a human services assistant, helping mentally unstable people find their place in society. You wouldn’t believe how many people can’t keep a job or are estranged from their families and are homeless due to mental illness.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” Trish looked around the room as if she were gathering words. “I wouldn’t have thought you would be comfortable doing that kind of work. I don’t see many rich folk doing stuff like that. In my mind, I could see you donating money to the cause.”

  “My mother dealt with mental illness, so I saw firsthand the unexpected damage it can do to families. I just want to help in any way I can.” It felt good to be able to say those words out loud and not look over her shoulder, wondering if her husband would be aggrieved over this confession.

  “I didn’t know. I’m sorry to hear that, Alexis.” Trish’s eyes filled with sadness.

  Smiling from way down deep, Alexis said, “I’m not as sorry as I used to be. It actually felt good to tell you about my mom. I’ve never admitted that to anyone before. But you know what, even though Vivian Cooper dealt with mental illness, she was still one awesome woman. I will honor her for the rest of my life.”

  Trish stood up and walked over to Alexis. She took the woman’s hand and squeezed it. “I know how you feel. My mom doesn’t have mental illness, unless there’s one for butting in everybody’s business. Nonetheless, she is my shero. Moms are special people.”

  Alexis glanced over her shoulder toward the room Marquita and her mother had gone into. “I get the feeling that Marquita doesn’t feel the same as we do.”

  “Marquita is trying to make her own way in life, and I think she feels like her mother pulls her down. So, she’s been trying to avoid the woman.”

  Alexis told her, “Marquita and I are a lot alike. I used to be so ashamed of my mother. I hope that she and her mother get to the place of forgiveness.”

  “Is that what you want to talk to them about? Because I don’t think either of them will want to hear that today,” Trish admonished.

  “No, actually, it’s about Gloria’s youngest daughter. I may have some good news for this family.” Alexis walked over to Marquita’s closed door and knocked on it. She took a deep breath, not sure how all of this would play out. But she knew she had to do the right thing for all involved.

  “Yeah—I mean, yes? Come in,” Marquita said.

  Alexis opened the door. Mother, grandmother, auntie, and uncle were on different sides of the bed, looking down at the baby and making baby sounds. “I hope I’m not interrupting, Marquita. I would like to speak with Gloria if that’s okay.”

  Gloria’s back was to Alexis. She gave Alexis the hand that said, “Stop, uh-uh, no, and go away.” Gloria then confirmed her hand action and said, “I am sitting in here with my grandson. I am not causing a disturbance, so you don’t need to say nothing to me.”

  “I’m not here about that. This is about your daughter, Kee Kee.” Alexis glanced over at the girl who was seated on the opposite side of the bed, playing with the baby.

  Kee Kee put the baby down. “That’s me.”

  Gloria swung around and put a finger to her mouth, encouraging her daughter to be quiet. “What’s Kee Kee got to do with anything? She hasn’t done nothing, so you can keep her name out of your mouth.”