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“Yes! Uncle Rod’s car is here,” Miles exclaimed as they walked to the Taylors’ house.
Deja patted her son’s back. “Did you bring your A game?”
“There’s no A in Horse, Mom.” Miles squeezed Deja’s arm. “You’re silly.”
Deja chuckled and rang the doorbell. Seconds later, Rodney appeared at the door. “Hey there, you two.”
“Uncle Rod!” Miles wrapped his arms around Rodney’s stomach.
Rodney raised his eyebrows at Deja over Miles’s head. “Good to see you. Why don’t you run into the backyard, Miles? Warm up a little because you got five letters coming your way.”
Miles laughed and ran into the house.
Rodney stepped toward Deja. “Have you thought about what we talked about?”
She was not in the mood to entertain Rodney’s advances. “Nina invited us over, and I could really use an evening without—”
“Deja?” Nina appeared in the doorway wearing a huge red church hat. She had makeup on again and a red dress Deja had never seen before. She looked surprisingly beautiful and seemed to be in much better spirits.
“Hey, girl. You look great,” Deja said.
Nina adjusted the red hat. “This is actually hiding a bump I got the other day.”
Leaning toward Nina, Deja lifted the hat, revealing an ugly welt lining her forehead. She lowered the hat back onto Nina’s head, sensitive to the desire to hide life’s scars. She glanced suspiciously at Rodney but doubted he could have been responsible for the welt. He was nothing like Kevin. She held up the two bottles in her hands. “Sparkling cider for the kids and champagne for us. I think we all need a drink.”
Rodney laughed. “I definitely do.”
“I’ll have the sparkling cider,” Nina added. “Let’s refrigerate those.”
Deja followed Nina to the kitchen. The scent of fried chicken filled the whole house. She left the beverages in the refrigerator and surveyed the countertop brimming with waffles, assorted fruit, coleslaw, deviled eggs, and cornbread. Nina had really gone all out. Rodney jogged outside to join Miles, and Nina excused herself to get the girls to abandon their electronics and help set the table.
Deja stood by the bay window that had a view of Rodney and Miles. Eyes sparkling and mouths moving, they were prepared for some serious fun. Though she couldn’t help wishing her son had a father like Rodney in his life, she couldn’t go along with Rodney’s plan and wreck another woman’s family in the process.
When she’d met Kevin shortly after running away from home, she’d thought she’d found her knight in shining armor. She met him at continuation school while living at a shelter for pregnant teens. Though he’d been in trouble with the law at a young age, he claimed he had big dreams after he got his GED to start a business and get off the streets for good.
He’d befriended her, and one day after class said, “You’re too pretty to be homeless. Come home with me.”
With nothing to lose, she had accepted, and Kevin took her under his wing. He cared for her so sweetly, and everyone assumed she carried their baby. Ever since Grammy died, Deja hadn’t experienced love. Not from her mom for certain, and not from the dad she had no contact with—but she’d found it with Kevin.
But all that changed.
She gave birth to Miles four months after moving in with Kevin. A week after Kevin brought her and Miles home from the hospital, she’d noticed a packet of condoms next to the bed. She emerged from the bathroom after showering, towel around her body, and Kevin came to her. He kissed her then untied the towel, causing it to drop to the floor. Deja’s arms covered her naked body, which was still slightly traumatized from giving birth at fifteen years old. “Kevin, I still have stitches. Miles was nine pounds.”
“So you’re telling me that I gave you a place to stay, food to eat, and money in your pocket, but you won’t give me what I need?”
Deja’s body grew rigid. He’d never spoken to her that way before. “I’m not saying that, baby. Just not right now.”
“If you’re not gonna give it to me, I guess I’m gonna have to take it.” He’d cocked back his arm, swung his fist, and hit Deja hard enough to knock her backward onto the bed. Tears had flown down her face as he penetrated her. Over the next months, Deja’s fairytale completely came to an end, replaced by the new nightmare that Kevin created.
In the kitchen, Deja placed her palm to her cheek, aware that Kevin’s cruelty would only continue. Miles played basketball with Rodney, so carefree. She had to protect him and find a way to stop Kevin at all costs.
“What are you thinking about? You look sad,” Nina said.
Deja faced her, wondering how long she’d been back in the kitchen. “I’m watching the game. Rodney just hit a three-pointer to give Miles an S.”
Nina focused on Miles and Rodney. “Wow. They’re having fun. So tell me all about landing the contract at work.”
Deja spread-eagled on Thompson’s couch flashed through her mind, and she shuddered. “We gave him a presentation this morning that impressed him.”
“I’m so happy for you.” Nina’s smile was genuine.
“Thanks.” Even if Deja couldn’t feel happy about what she had to do to land the contract, she appreciated having somewhere to be that evening and wanted to get her mind off it. She’d done more than enough for Raquel’s company, and that would be the end of her interaction with Thompson.
Laila and Bree came into the kitchen. “Hi, Auntie Deja,” they said in unison.
“Ooh, Mommy. We’re eating breakfast for dinner?” Laila asked.
Nina swiped Laila’s hand that hovered over the plate of waffles. “Yes, baby. You know it’s one of Daddy’s favorite meals.”
“Mo-mmy.” Laila folded her arms. “I’m not a baby.”
Nina hugged Laila. “Sorry. But you’ll always be my baby.”
Deja hid her smile at the whining and pouting yet not-a-baby Laila, admiring Nina’s patience. She wouldn’t have pegged Rodney as a chicken-and-waffles type of guy. Her stomach grumbled since she hadn’t had an appetite to eat lunch after the meeting with Thompson.
Rodney and Miles bounded through the back door. Panting and covered in sweat, they headed for the water cooler. Rodney downed a glass of water then burped. “I’m going to take a quick shower.”
Deja was glad she had a moment with all the kids. “Miles, Laila, and Bree, I wanted to talk to you three.”
“Are we in trouble?” Laila asked, her eyes wide. “Because I didn’t want to do it. Bree told me to.”
Bree elbowed her. “Laila—”
“No one’s in trouble,” Deja said, though she was curious about what mischief Nina’s girls had gotten into. “I wanted to talk about bullying at your school.”
Miles’s smile faded. “Did you tell her about Sam, Auntie Nina?”
Nina handed a stack of plates to Bree. “Yes, I did. As adults, it’s our job to make sure you kids are okay. I can’t hide something like that from your mom.”
Deja lifted Miles’s chin so they were eye to eye. “You didn’t do anything wrong, and you’re not in trouble.” She glanced at Bree and Laila. “I wanted to tell you three that if someone’s bullying you, always tell us or a teacher. But also, if someone is being mean, stand up for yourselves. No one deserves to be walked over. Do you all understand?”
Bree and Laila nodded.
“Yes, Mom,” Miles said.
Deja hugged Miles. Not only would she talk to the school staff about Sam, but she’d have to take her own advice and figure out a way to stand up to Kevin.
“Can we eat now? I’m starving,” Laila said.
“Let’s wait for Daddy to finish his shower. Why don’t you three go back outside and play, and I’ll tell you when we’re ready?” Nina said.
“I call a swing.” Bree ran out the door with Miles and Laila behind her.
Deja retrieved the bottle of champagne. Though she usually didn’t drink, she uncorked the champagne and poured herself a flute. She took a long drink and then another. Tonight, she’d drink anything to get the taste of Thompson’s stale breath out of her mouth. “Do you want some champagne, Nina?”
“No thanks. I’m not drinking anymore. But I’ll get some sparkling cider.”
Deja sipped more champagne. “I guess everyone’s trying not to drink these days.”
Nina raised her eyebrows. “Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry. My mom’s apparently in AA and trying to make up for years’ worth of damage she’s done.”
Nina gestured for Deja to sit at the table and sat. “I’ve never heard you mention your mom before.”
Deja clenched her jaw. “I try not to.”
“I’ve had a strained relationship with my mom my whole life because I felt like she was never really there for me when I needed her. But after my breakdown, I’m starting to understand how hard it can be to manage my own issues while being Bree and Laila’s mommy at the same time. It’s not easy.”
Deja grew quiet, imagining what it must have been like for her mom to lose Grammy at such a young age and have the sole responsibility of supporting a child on her own with so few resources. Sure, her mom had made lots of mistakes, but Deja was certainly not immune to making bad decisions either. “I was really mean to my mom on the phone the other day. I told her I would never forgive her.”
“Wow.” Silence fell between the two women.
Deja had always pictured that telling her mom off would make her feel better, but it didn’t.
Nina gestured to the food on the counter. “That’s what this whole dinner is about. Rodney’s been so annoyed with me lately, and I just want him to give me a second chance. He’s been holding a grudge ever since my breakdown. All I want is for him to see me for who I am now. I think that’s what your mom wants, too.”
The kids charged through the back door as Rodney walked into the kitchen. Nina rose from her chair. “Who’s ready to eat?” Each kid yelled “me” louder than the next, and Nina served the food.
As Deja chugged the remainder of her champagne, she wondered if her mom really had changed. A tiny part of Deja secretly wished her mom had because that meant Deja had a chance to change. She wanted to distance herself from her behavior—sleeping around to get what she needed—and learn how to really be a friend to someone. The only problem was there was no twelve-step program for that, and since she’d never really been a friend to anyone before, she wasn’t sure if she could learn.