“Well, you can forget school, because you’re not going to make it through this year.” Regina crossed her arms over her breasts, too, and rolled her eyes at Xavari.

“Yes. I will. Why do you have to be so negative?”

“I’m not being negative. I’m telling you how it’s going to be. You’ll do good for a while and then you’ll have to withdraw, because you forget Xavier has to be dealt with, too.”

“Look. I know it’s not going to be easy, but I can do this. I need you to do me a favor, though.” Regina uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on the table.

“What, little girl.” Regina looked at Xavari with an unsmiling smirk on her face.

“Don’t tell Daddy, and whatever you do pleeeeaaase don’t let Emmanuel find out yet.” Regina opened her mouth to respond, but before she could get any words out, Emmanuel appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“Don’t let Emmanuel know about what?” Emmanuel stood there with a blank look on his face and Xavier on his hip.

———-

Denise

“What’s wrong with your face?” Denise walked through the front door of her apartment and Naomi was the first person she saw, as usual.

“Nothing,” Naomi said hoarsely. She was wiping down the glasstop dining area table and trying to avert her face from her mother. Naomi had cried so much and so hard before and during her conversation with William earlier that day that the openings of her eyes were just slits surrounded by puffiness. She’d tried hot and cold compresses to make the swelling go down, but nothing helped. Naomi was hoping her mother would come home much later and she would be in bed before she would have to answer questions.

“Naomi. Really. It’s been a long day. I know you better than you know yourself. Why have you been crying?” Denise placed her purse and keys on the table by the door and sat her briefcase in front of the table. She turned when she heard heavy feet padding into the room.

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