CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Saturday, January 30

Stephanie didn’t have to work at the diner or take care of the kids, but she was up early anyway, by choice, making the most of the little time she had left. Libby had to get back to Raleigh to prepare for an event. But for now the three cousins had been enjoying morning coffee and conversation at the kitchen table while everyone else slept.

“How’d I miss all that?” Stephanie said. “My man Al went in on Travis, huh?” She chuckled. “Girl, I have to give it to you for giving back that bracelet. I totally kept a diamond pendant a guy gave me, knowing I had no intention of ever committing to him.” She looked upward. “Lord, please don’t convict me to give it back.”

Libby laughed. “Really, Steph? So you’ve been there? Janelle can’t understand why I’d want to date with no desire for commitment.”

Stephanie eyed Janelle. “I think there was some kind of mix-up, and you were supposed to be Cyd’s sister. She used to say the same thing to me.” She looked at Libby. “Definitely been there. No desire to commit. No plans to commit. I’ll just keep it real—I was engaged to Lindell and still seeing an old boyfriend.”

The other women’s eyes were wide. “Seriously?” Libby said. “Did he find out?” She sipped her coffee.

“On our wedding night.”

“What?” they both said.

“Come on, Steph,” Janelle said. “Are you serious?”

Stephanie raised a hand as if giving a Girl Scout oath. “Lindell stepped out of the hotel room to get some snacks, and I e-mailed the other guy, saying I missed him and would call him when I got back from our honeymoon.” She couldn’t believe it herself now. Sounded like another person. “When Lindell came back in the room, he asked why I had the laptop open. It became a mess from there.”

“What did he do?” Janelle said.

Stephanie lifted her mug. “Long story, but our pastor was about to start a series on sex and faithfulness to God. Lindell canceled our honeymoon in the islands, and we were right up in church that next day. I was hot.”

Libby shook her head. “The bad thing about it is I can totally see it. That could’ve totally been me.”

“What happened next?” Janelle asked.

“We had to meet in study groups as part of the series—which I didn’t like—but God blindsided me. After all those years growing up in church and all those years living like I wanted, it was like He grabbed hold of me and said, ‘What are you doing? You don’t see this better life I have for you?’” Stephanie paused, reflecting on that time. “Now I’m over two years ‘clean’”—she smiled—“committed and faithful to my man.”

Janelle smiled big. “I love that. What an awesome God-story.”

“Yeah, well, pray for me,” Stephanie said, “because it’s only by God’s grace, and I’m in trouble if it runs out.” She shook her head. “That same old boyfriend called me a few months ago and left a message. His voice gave me this little fluttery thing, and I was like, ‘Lord, no, I done come too far.’ ” She pressed a finger in the air. “Delete.”

“You need to keep sharing that story, even things like that temptation you felt, if only for a minute,” Janelle said. “It speaks to people when you keep it real.”

Stephanie had never thought of sharing her story. Who would she tell? Why would anyone listen to her?

Libby had gotten quiet, focusing on her coffee cup. She looked at Stephanie now. “You said you grew up in church and lived like you wanted. That’s me.”

She paused so long Stephanie wondered if she would continue.

“I like dating different guys,” Libby said finally. “I like the attention. I like the control, especially when they end up being the ones who want commitment and I refuse. I like being untouchable, unreachable.”

“What is it you don’t want them to touch?” Janelle said.

Libby looked at her. “You already know—that’s why you asked. My heart.”

Stephanie leaned in. “Have you ever let anyone get that close?”

Libby gazed aside. “Only one person. Travis.”

“I had a feeling you two used to see each other, but I didn’t know it was that serious.”

Libby gave an empty chuckle. “It wasn’t, not for him.”

The table grew silent.

Stephanie had something on her heart, but she didn’t know if she should say it. Didn’t know if it would come out right or sound stupid. But it was practically jumping off her tongue.

“Libby, can I say something?”

Libby looked at her.

“Maybe it’s not so much about allowing a guy to reach your heart but allowing God to reach it.”

Libby gave her a look. “You didn’t warn me you were in boot camp preacher school now.”

Stephanie got up for more coffee. “Honey, that’s about as deep as you’re getting from me, because I need to switch the convo up entirely before you hit the road.”

“Thank you and amen. Conversation switched.” Libby laughed. “So what’s up?”

“I don’t know why I waited till my last weekend here,” Stephanie said, “but I want to sketch out a family tree. I’m not even sure who’s all in the family.”

“Oh, that’s a fun little project,” Janelle said. She hopped up, went to a drawer, and pulled out some white paper. “You want to know all the Sanders extended family, or are you talking Geraldine and Elwood Sanders family only?”

“Let’s start with that, then we can branch out later—ha, didn’t plan that.”

“Okay, so at the top we’ve got Geraldine and Elwood Sanders.” Janelle drew a big tree with long willowy branches, and at the top of the page, a straight line with Geraldine (Grandma Geri) and Elwood Sanders.

Stephanie looked at the paper. “Now let me see if I can do this, and don’t laugh that I have to think about it.” She paused. “Grandma Geri and Grandpa Elwood’s kids were, in order . . . my dad, Bruce; Aunt Gladys; Jan’s mom, Estelle; Libby’s dad, Uncle Wood . . . That’s it, right?”

“And Aunt Gwynn,” Libby said.

“Oh, I remember that name. But why don’t I hear much about her?”

“Something happened back in the day,” Libby said. “All I know is she got pregnant in college and went away to Grandma Geri’s sister’s house up north. She had the baby—Keisha—and they stayed up there.”

Janelle nodded. “We used to go visit them once in a while when I was young, but I don’t think Aunt Gwynn has been to Hope Springs since that happened. And she doesn’t speak to Grandma Geri. Keisha’s never been down here.”

“What?” Stephanie was floored. “Whatever went down must’ve been serious. I wonder if my dad keeps in touch with her. I don’t recall us taking any trips—wait a minute. Do they live in Jersey?”

“That’s right,” Libby said. “We went up there too.”

“We did visit them,” Stephanie said, “but I was so young I didn’t know who was who.”

Janelle was filling in more names on branches below Geri and Elwood, but Stephanie was so intrigued, she wasn’t ready to move on.

“Is there a picture of Aunt Gwynn and Keisha around here?” she said. “I want to see what they look like.”

“Long time ago there was a picture of Aunt Gwynn on that living room table with all the other pictures. But it disappeared. I think Grandma took it down because she’s hurt that they don’t speak.”

“There have to be pictures of them, though,” Libby said. “Doesn’t Grandma keep old pictures somewhere?”

“She sure does,” Janelle said. “That would be another good project while I’m here, to put all those old photos in albums for her.” She got up. “No better time than now to start. I think they’re in this hall closet.”

The three of them walked over to see, and Janelle pulled open the sliding door.

“There’s another project,” Libby said. “That thing’s a mess. How could you find anything in there?”

“Good grief,” Janelle said. “Grandma Geri must’ve kept everything from the last century that ever remotely meant anything.”

She pushed aside brass and porcelain figurines, candles and candlesticks, vases, magazines . . . “I think I see something.” She pulled two big shoe boxes from the back and lifted the lids. “Bingo. This looks like a good place to start.”

They carried the boxes back to the kitchen.

“Hey, that’s my dad.” Stephanie picked up a photo. “Ha . . . wait till I tell him about this. He was stylin’ in that Afro.”

Libby laughed too, looking over her shoulder. “My dad’s stylin’ right beside him. They thought they were somethin’.”

Janelle pulled out a photo. “Here she is. This is Aunt Gwynn.” She passed it to Stephanie.

“She’s so pretty,” Stephanie said. “I wonder how old she is here.”

“I’m guessing late teens,” Libby said. “Probably around the time she got pregnant.”

Janelle continued digging to find Keisha—and pulled out an envelope instead.

“What’s that?” Libby said.

“I don’t know.” Janelle held it up to read the address and stared at it. “It’s postmarked last November. And it’s from Pastor Jim.”

Libby frowned. “Why would Pastor Jim write a letter and mail it to Grandma when he lived next door?”

Janelle looked at her. “That’s what I’m wondering. It looks really thick.”

“Should we open it?” Libby said.

Janelle shook her head. “We can’t.”

“Well, who’s gonna kn—”

“I’ll know.”

The three of them jumped.

“Didn’t hear you come in, Grandma.” Janelle set the envelope back in the box.

“I see y’all been investigating this morning.” Grandma Geri rested herself in a chair.

“We were making a family tree,” Stephanie said. “And I wanted to see a picture of Aunt Gwynn and Keisha.”

“Grandma, why did Pastor Jim write you a letter?” Libby asked.

Janelle looked at her, probably surprised she’d come right out and ask.

Grandma Geri stared at the envelope. “This was on my mind last night when I said I didn’t want to be carrying as much when I leave.” She glanced upward. “Didn’t mean You had to put things in motion that fast.” She sighed. “I guess it’s time.”