“Yeah, she is.”
“But she’ll come around. She’s hurt, but she’s not heartless.” Deb sighed as if suddenly exhausted. “Stand your ground but let her make her own decisions. Use all that good book learning you’ve got on your own damn self,” she growled in his ear, leaving no room for conjecture or misinterpretation.
Maurice laughed despite everything. “Yes, ma’am. I hear you.”
“Good. Now get on that plane and text me when you land.”
“I will. And thank you, Auntie. For everything.”
“Love you, baby. Happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year.”
The call ended, and Maurice checked the departures. Ninety minutes and he’d be on his way.
He found a seat near the windows and watched fireworks explode all around him. A new year. New opportunities. New choices. He pulled out his phone and typed out a message.
MAURICE
Happy New Year, Monique.
He wanted to say more. He wanted to tell her he loved her again, that he would wait for her. But he deleted all the rest and hit Send. His phone sat still and silent as he leaned back in the uncomfortable airport chair and waited.
CHAPTER 22Monique
She woke, mouth dry, eyes wet. Blinking, Monique glanced around the near-empty cabin. She didn’t remember boarding, didn’t remember takeoff. Didn’t remember the new year rolling over again and again at thirty thousand feet.
A flight attendant approached and squatted beside her, his perfectly styled appearance a sharp contrast to her rumpled exhaustion.
“Do you need me to request transport for you?” the young man asked, eyes and voice full of sincere concern.
She cleared her throat and shook her head. “I’ll be fine. Thank you.”
“You slept the whole flight, but it was fitful.” He handed her tissues and a bottle of water. “Happy New Year.”
Right. January 1. A new year.
Monique gathered her things and moved out of the airplane and through O’Hare on autopilot. The cold hit her at baggage claim. Chicago’s winter pushed through the glass doors.
Her phone buzzed as soon as she turned off airplane mode. She texted her kids before she responded to the others.
DR. TEDROW
Chickie’s holding on. Asking for you. How close are you?
MONIQUE
Just landed. Getting a car now.
ELEANOR
We’re at her place. Vanessa’s doing first shemirah shift when the time comes. You take second?
Shemirah.They’d take turns sitting with their friend’s body after she passed, reading Psalms, and making sure she wasn’t alone between her death and burial.
MONIQUE
Yes. I’m coming.