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  Her heart thumped but she made a point to look at her watch before looking back at him. Spit it out.

  “Would you like to meet up for a cup of coffee sometime?” he asked. “I’m feeling a connection here and I’d like to explore it further—”

  Melanie shook her head. “I can’t.”

  Chase held a hand up. “Oh, sorry. I should have asked if you’re seeing someone.” She watched a red hue build on his face.

  “I’m not,” Melanie said. She jutted her chin. “I don’t like cops. Thanks for the warning, Officer. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m late for work.”

  Melanie opened her door and slammed it with a decisive shut. Her caramel-toned skin reddened when she saw her floral skirt was caught in the door. Melanie opened the door to retrieve her skirt.

  Chase tapped her on the back.

  “Have a nice day,” he said. She saw Chase’s pearly whites and knew he was laughing at her.

  Melanie ignored him and held her head high as she walked away. But she had an extra sway in her hips as she made her way toward the bank. Her best friend, Rachel Morrison, let her inside. Melanie turned around to see if Chase was looking, however, he was already in his car. She swallowed her disappointment.

  “I see you were pulled over, Miss Speedy,” Rachel said.

  Melanie and Rachel were high school friends. The two of them, plus Tricia Yang, her adopted sister, made up the Tres Amigas.

  “I almost got a ticket,” Melanie breathed out, smoothing out her fuchsia blouse.

  Dressed in a tailored navy blue business suit with matching sandals, Rachel flipped her shoulder-length blond hair. “He could write me up any time,” she said, doing a two-step.

  Melanie giggled. “You’re such a flirt.”

  “Yes, and I’m proud of it.” Her hazel eyes sparkled. “If that were me, I’d have his number.”

  Melanie pictured Chase’s smile and those green eyes. “Actually, he asked me out, but I turned him down,” she said.

  Rachel furrowed her brows. “That was one fine man. You could’ve given him a chance.”

  “I don’t do cops.” She glared. “You know why.” Although, she agreed Chase was one hot cop.

  Rachel nodded. “I do, but I don’t agree.”

  “You don’t have to. I’m the one who has to live with my decision. Not you. Between work and my other commitments, I don’t have time for dating.” Melanie made her way to her office and turned on the light. Rachel must have followed her because Melanie felt a tap on her back.

  She groaned and faced her friend.

  “You don’t mind Emory,” Rachel said. “He’s a police officer.”

  “He’s different, and he’s Tricia’s husband. Plus we knew Emory when he was pimpled with thick glasses and braces.”

  “True, but he’s now a perfect 10. Who knew Emory would’ve morphed into such a hunk?”

  Rachel’s smiled faded. She focused on something behind Melanie. Or rather, someone. Melanie swung around. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Their boss, Nancy Devries, headed their way. Rachel waved at Nancy before going into the adjacent office.

  “Melanie, I need to speak with you,” Nancy said.

  Melanie took in Nancy’s frumpy grey dress. Which dumpster did Nancy find that in? “I have a busy day ahead of me.”

  “This can’t wait. You approved a couple of loans without my approval.”

  Lord, I don’t have time for Nancy’s nitpicking. Melanie looked at her watch. The bank was about to open. “How about we meet at 12:30? I have a couple of investment consultations and two loan reviews this morning.”

  Nancy bit her lip. “I’ll see you then.” Her eyes swept Melanie’s outfit. “You look colorful.”

  “And you look …” Melanie scanned Nancy’s frizzy red hair and ugly brown flats. She could not think of something nice to say. So she said nothing.

  Nancy’s mouth popped open before she stomped off.

  Melanie felt a hand tap her shoulder.

  “Couldn’t you be nice? You’re a child of God. You know better,” Rachel said.

  “Yes, I’m a child of God but I’m not a doormat. Nancy only double-checks my work. She signs off on your stuff without a second glance. But she scrutinizes everything I do.” Melanie used sign language for her next comment. “She’s racist and you know it.”

  Rachel shook her head. “She’s jealous. Nancy almost got fired when she messed up that money transfer. You would’ve been her replacement,” Rachel signed back.

  A customer entered the bank and Rachel went to greet him. Melanie was glad for the interruption. She wandered back into her office to get started on her day. But, ever so often, Chase’s smiling face flashed before her. She touched her hand where his hand had rested. Then she pushed him out of her mind. Her life was too busy for romance—and romancing a cop was out of the question.

  2

  “Tell me you didn’t tell him that,” Tricia Yang signed. She flipped her butt length braids. Her half-inch length nails got tangled in her hair.

  “She did. A gorgeous cop asked her out and she turns him down flat,” Rachel said.

  The three women were at Tricia and Emory’s three bedroom home that Saturday night. They attended church together at Ransomed Hope Seventh Day Baptist on Saturday mornings and usually ended up at each other houses afterwards. Tricia’s husband, Emory, worked as a Sheriff for Lee County. Since Emory was working a night shift, Melanie and Rachel would stay over for a pamper session.

  All three women knew sign language. They used a combination of sign language and voice to communicate. Of the three, Tricia signed the most, even though she had a cochlear implant. She liked to keep her skills fresh as she worked as a paraprofessional in a classroom for deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Peace River Elementary.

  The women sat cross-legged on the brown industry-type carpet in the living room. They had cotton between their freshly painted toes. The 60-inch TV had a reality show of wanna-be-models on, but the women were not paying attention.

  “You know Melanie would never date a cop,” Tricia said. “It was months before she accepted Emory in my life. At least three people on his job has asked her out and she has turned them down.”

  However, Chase was the first one Melanie had regrets about. “Emory was all right until he decided to become a cop,” she said.

  Tricia laughed.

  Rachel held up a hand. “The cops who hauled your mother off to jail were doing their j-o-b. It wasn’t their fault. It was Janet’s. She neglected you. You should’ve given Officer Chase a chance. That’s all I’m saying.”

  Melanie rolled her eyes. “Why are you worried about my love life, or lack of one?” There was more to her dislike for cops than that, but Melanie kept that information to herself.

  “Because we hate to see you alone. Ever since Dad had his heart attack, you’ve retreated into yourself. It’s like you’re afraid of living,” Tricia answered.

  Melanie shook her head. “That’s not true.”

  “You reneged on your lease to move back home,” Tricia said.

  “Mom needed my help,” Melanie defended.

  Rachel chimed in. She made sure Melanie could see her lips. “You gave up your chance for Juilliard. Melanie, you should be in Manhattan dancing on Broadway. You shouldn’t be withering away here in this small backwards town called Port Charlotte.”

  “I’m not withering away. You guys are making it sound as if I’m this old spinster with a million cats around me. I’m an investment banker. I have my MBA. I’m doing very well.”

  Rachel pulled away and laughed. “You’ll be that spinster scratching her bottom with rollers in her hair if you don’t find someone.”

  “Look at you,” Melanie said. “You aren’t dating anyone.”

  Rachel’s face reddened. “I’ve dated. I am dating, sort of.”

  Melanie straightened. “You’re seeing someone?”

  “Why haven’t we heard about this person?” Tricia asked.
/>   The doorbell rang distracting them from their conversation.

  “There’s our pizza,” Tricia said. She hobbled to the kitchen where her purse hung on the back of the wooden chair.

  “You sure you don’t need some money?” Melanie asked.

  Tricia signed, “No worries. I’ve got it. You bought the last time and the time before that.”

  Melanie nodded. “I don’t mind.”

  “Let me get the paper plates and cups,” Rachel said. She rushed into the kitchen.

  Melanie was not fooled. Rachel was trying to avoid the question.

  Tricia paid for their three pies and soda, and placed them on the glass coffee table she had purchased at a yard sale.

  Melanie blew on her toes before reaching for hand sanitizer in her bag. She longed for a slice of pizza. She was a cheese lover and would eat pizza every day if she could.

  She cleaned her hands and snagged a slice.

  Rachel returned with the paper goods and napkins. Melanie noticed Tricia was on the phone. Talking to Emory, no doubt.

  Melanie finished off her slice and reached for another. She gave Rachel a pointed stare. “So who is this boyfriend?”

  Rachel turned her head away. Melanie knew it was on purpose. She tapped Rachel’s foot. “Tell me.”

  “He’s no one. It’s complicated,” Rachel signed. For some reason, she could not look Melanie in the eyes. Rachel ate her pizza taking mouse-size bites.

  Seeing her discomfort, Melanie dropped the issue. Rachel would tell her when she was ready.

  “Pastor’s message was on point today,” Tricia said, after she ended the call.

  Melanie welcomed the conversation change. “Yes, my fingers hurt from all the notes I took.”

  Pastor Brooks used a sign-language interpreter since his sermons were televised. Melanie was grateful for this accommodation. Her parents had ruled out many other assemblies because they did not have an interpreter.

  “I felt like when he talked about Ruth and Naomi, he was talking about me,” Tricia said. “I wonder what my life would have been like if the Benson’s hadn’t adopted me.”

  “I’d be dead,” Melanie said.

  “I’m so grateful God brought them into my life.” Tricia’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I don’t know why I’m so emotional.”

  Melanie understood. When Tricia was twelve, she had the option of returning to her birth mother. Her mother had kicked the drugs and worked in a fast-food chain. The Bensons had sat both girls down to give them the news.

  Tricia said, “Don’t make me leave. I like my life here with you guys. You’re my parents. You introduced me to God and a better life. I am home.”

  Rhoda hugged Tricia with tears in her eyes. “As long as you want, you have a home here.”

  “You can still have a relationship with your mother,” Gary offered.

  Tricia nodded. “I would like to get to know her. I know when Peggy abandoned me it was the drugs. It wasn’t her.”

  Melanie remembered being awed at Tricia’s big heart. Tricia and Peggy were still in touch. Tricia knew her other brothers and sisters and spent time with them.

  Rhoda had urged Melanie to reach out to her mother but Melanie refused. Janet King was in prison and Melanie believed she should stay there.

  Suddenly Tricia clutched her stomach. She bolted to her feet and raced to the bathroom. Both Melanie and Rachel abandoned their slices. They scurried to stand outside the bathroom door.

  “What’s happening?” Melanie signed.

  “She’s throwing up,” Rachel signed back. She gagged and covered her mouth.

  Melanie scrunched her nose. There were times she was glad she could not hear. “You think it’s a virus?” This time of year, many children became sick. Their runny noses and dirty hands made them virus-spreading machines. Tricia could have caught a bug from one of the students.

  “I think it might be a nine-month virus,” Rachel said.

  Melanie’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

  They waited by the door until Tricia came out. Her face was flushed and her eyes teary. Melanie smelled peppermint. She was glad Tricia had brushed her teeth.

  “I guess this is a good time for me to tell you I’m expecting,” Tricia said. “I’m about two months along.”

  Rachel waved her hands excitedly. She did this instead of screaming for Melanie’s benefit. The women hugged and jumped up and down. Then they huddled together, rubbing Tricia’s stomach.

  Seeing Tricia’s joy, Melanie felt a twinge. Tricia had worked through her past and now she was in a wonderful relationship.

  Chase’s face came before her. Melanie wondered if he was her chance; her chance at happiness. That thought stayed with her all night.

  When she returned home that Sunday, Melanie pulled into the Benson’s residence. Her parents lived in what was known as a mother-daughter home. Melanie exited her car and entered through her separate entrance to a living area. She stepped into her living room. She had thrown matted rugs on the wooden floors. She had found her lima bean colored leather sofa and chair at a garage sale. Her coffee table and end table were hand-me-downs from when her mother re-decorated. But the 55-inch TV was all hers.

  Her apartment also featured a master bedroom, bathroom, and a kitchenette she rarely used. Melanie saw no reason to cook. Rhoda always had something scrumptious warming in the oven on her side of the house.

  At the moment, Melanie’s eyes were glued on a letter at her feet. Her mother must have slipped it under her door. Melanie bent to pick up the letter, knowing it was from Janet.

  With a sigh, she sauntered into her bedroom. She sat on the queen-sized bed, opened her nightstand drawer, and added the letter to the others. Unopened. Un-read.

  3

  “You didn’t have to come today. Gary’s doing much better. I don’t want you taking off work, especially on a Monday,” Rhoda said.

  Melanie piled scrambled eggs on her plate. “Mom, I’m coming. You say this every time. I have tons of vacation time. I could take three months off and get paid. Taking a day to check on my father’s heart is nothing for me to do. And, it doesn’t matter if it’s a Monday.”

  “I’m worried. When I worked as a cashier for Beall’s, I was never late. I never took days off.” Rhoda puffed her chest. “I even went to work sick.”

  Melanie reached for her toast. “Well, those days are long gone, Mom.”

  Rhoda shrugged. “I don’t know why I argue with you anyway. Once you’ve made up your mind …”

  “Exactly. So let’s drop it,” Melanie said. “I want to be here.”

  “I feel guilty. I feel like you’ve given up so much because of us.” Rhoda’s lip quivered.

  Melanie hugged her mom briefly. “I didn’t give up anything. You and Dad opened your heart and home to me. You raised me right. I have a lucrative career. Because of some wise investment decisions I have more money in the bank than I can spend in this lifetime. I’m blessed and I thank God for you.”

  Rhoda’s eyes misted. “You’re a blessing to us, too. When you came to us, you were this tiny, scrawny kid. Now look at you, towering over me. You’re beautiful.”

  Gary strolled into the kitchen. His brown shirt was tucked into his tan slacks. “What are you two boohooing about?” he signed.

  “Mom’s being emotional again,” Melanie joked.

  “I’m just grateful, honey,” Rhoda signed. “Our daughter paid off our house note and she’s paying your hospital bills. I’m overwhelmed. We’re the parents and we should be taking care of her. Not the other way around.” She pointed to the table and said, “Have your oatmeal. I already ate.”

  “I’m grown. I can take care of myself,” Melanie countered.

  “You heard her, Rhonda. She’s grown.” Gary kissed Melanie’s forehead. She beamed. There’s no denying she was daddy’s girl.

  Gary slid into a chair to have his oatmeal. Melanie joined him. Rhoda placed turkey bacon strips on Melanie’s already full plate. Gary eyed Melanie�
��s meal.

  “Want to trade?” he signed.

  Melanie laughed. “You know you can’t eat this.”

  “Oh, yeah. Watch me.” Gary swiped a slice of bacon. He bit half before Melanie could stop him.

  Rhoda swatted Gary’s arm. “Behave yourself. We’re going to the heart doctor today. I need you on your best behavior.”

  Gary nodded but when Rhoda turned her back to get their tea, he winked at Melanie.

  Melanie smiled. This was the best part of being home. Watching her parents together and so in love. She thought of Janet’s letter and frowned. Her life would have been so different had she stayed with Janet. God knew what He was doing when He made adoption.

  Rhoda must have read her mind because she asked, “Did you see Janet’s letter?”

  Melanie rolled her eyes. “Yes, I did.”

  “Let me guess. It’s stuffed into your nightstand with the others.”

  “I don’t know why I keep them. I should throw them in the bin.” Melanie stuffed the eggs into her mouth. Yum. Her mouth was in heaven. They were fluffy with the right amount of seasoning.

  Rhoda grabbed a paper towel and wiped her hand. “Don’t throw them away. I’m praying you’ll change your mind and read them one day.”

  “She will. When she’s ready, Rhoda,” Gary said. He swiped another piece of bacon from Melanie’s plate.

  Melanie made a point to look at her watch. “We have to leave in ten minutes. Can we talk about something else? I don’t want indigestion while I eat.”

  “I have something else to talk about. Your dancing. You should get back into it,” Rhoda said. “As you said, you have enough money for a lifetime so you can afford to pursue your dream.”

  Melanie bit into her toast and chewed. She was used to this debate and could repeat her parents’ words verbatim.

  “I have to agree with your mother,” Gary said. “You need to be dancing. It’s because of me why you’re not performing on stage. Look at Misty Copeland. She’s making a name for herself and putting black people in history books.”

  Melanie thought of Misty, the first black ballerina. “I’m not a ballerina. I’m a contemporary dancer and I do dance. I’m at the studio so much, I could move in. Delia and Hank blessed me with my own keys so I can come and go as I please. I’m fine. I promise you that.” Opposite to her words, Melanie’s heart wrenched. She was young enough to get back into dance, or open a dancing school. Then she pushed the feelings aside and finished her breakfast. She gathered her and Gary’s breakfast plates and put them in the sink.