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  The Detroit airport was more crowded than Alexa had anticipated, making her wish she had worn something other than the casual sweat suit. She guessed that the crowd of travelers was probably returning from spending Christmas with family and returning just in time to kick off the New Year in the Motor City. It didn’t take her long to spot Maya standing to the side, trying to keep a low profile in a brimmed hat, leather walking coat and a pair of jeans, chatting away on her cell phone.

  With a mischievous grin, Alexa scurried out of Maya’s view, hiding behind a pole. She peeked at her friend, like a lioness stalking her prey, while at the same time trying not to draw too much attention.

  Maya was so deep in her conversation that she did not notice Alexa slip past.

  Alexa smiled and then, quick as a wink, zipped back in for the kill, pouncing on her unsuspecting friend with a big hug. Maya immediately let out a frightened shriek and pulled away, causing all eyes to fall on the two women.

  “Alexa!” she shouted, relieved to see it was her friend and not some crazed fiend. She pulled Alexa to her for a hug.

  Soon the two were crying and hugging like long-lost sisters. Passersby watched the two with curious expressions. A few could be heard wondering if that was indeed Maya Renault in disguise.

  Minutes later, the two eased back from their embrace, smiling at one another.

  “You re looking good, girl!” Maya affirmed as she walked around Alexa looking her up and down.

  “Girl, you’re the one,” Alexa responded, smoothing down her hair.

  Maya reached up and fluffed Alexa’s shoulder-length mane. “You really let it grow out, didn’t you?”

  “Yeah, I got tired of using those irons every day,” she sighed. “I was glad when those layers finally grew out. With it being this length, I can pull it back into a ponytail when I get lazy.”

  Despite her attempts at looking casual, Maya looked like she was ready to step out on some runway in her casual attire.

  “Always looking good, Mrs. R,” Alexa commented.

  Maya groaned. “I just hope that not too many folks recognize me looking like some vagabond out here.”

  “Yeah, right,” Alexa scoffed as she draped her arm over Maya’s shoulders. “You hardly look like some vagabond and ya dang sure ain’t getting paid like one.”

  Maya laughed. “Don’t be deceived, girlfriend. I have bills like everyone else. Plus, I have three children.”

  “Speaking of which, where are my sweeties?” Alexa interrupted, looking around as they headed towards the baggage claim area. She had been fortunate to be named godmother to all three of Bryant and Maya’s daughters and wouldn’t trade the honor for the world. The girls were the closest thing she had to motherhood which satisfied that maternal instinct that popped up at least twice a year.

  “Home, with Bryant,” Maya replied. “But they are all excited to see their Auntie Alexa.”

  Alexa smiled as she pictured the three girls: six-year-old Monaye, the inquisitive one was very bright for her age and acted very much like the big sister she was to her two younger siblings: four-year-old Brielle and two-year old Sasha. Brielle was mild-mannered and nurturing with a very sweet disposition, while Sasha was independent, outgoing, a free spirit who loved to explore. All three were little darlings whom Alexa cherished as if they were her own.

  Upon retrieving Alexa’s luggage, the women walked the short distance outside to Maya’s Cadillac Escalade and before long they were headed to the Renaults’ home in Southfield. It was Alexa’s first time seeing Maya’s new home and her jaw dropped in awe at the sight of the gigantic, three-story brick structure standing grand on the large lot surrounded by tall, stately pine trees out back. Tall, oak doors guarded the entryway and were nestled between two tall columns that reached up to the second floor. A large window above the door frame revealed a decorative chandelier as well as the banister of the winding staircase. Attached to the house was a three-car garage.

  “It’s beautiful!” Alexa gasped as they pulled up the long circular drive. She was both impressed and proud of her friends’ success.

  Maya smiled as she reached up to press the button on the garage door opener hanging from the visor. “Girl, God has been good to us.”

  “Amen,” Alexa agreed as Maya eased the truck in beside a late-model, midnight-blue Jaguar. On the other side of the Jag was some type of small, sporty vehicle beneath a tarp. She guessed it was probably something that belonged to Bryant.

  Bryant and the girls must have heard them arrive because before they could get out of the truck the foursome shot out of the connecting door to the house.

  “Auntie!” the little girls shrieked happily. In a few seconds, Alexa was covered in tiny little arms. She gave each of them a kiss on the head and a hug before reaching up to give Bryant a tight squeeze.

  “What’s up, big brother?”

  “You,” he replied, giving her a tight hug.

  Before she could reply, the ruckus from the girls swarming around them stole her attention and she gave Bryant an apologetic look.

  “It’s okay,” he assured her, knowing how excited the girls were to see her. “We can talk later.”

  Alexa smiled and refocused her attention on the girls. “My goodness, you girls have grown so,” she said, her loving gaze gracing each one of them. The last time she saw them, Sasha was only 10 months old and barely walking. “Guess what? I have presents for all of you.”

  “But Auntie, we already got a present from you,” Monaye announced, hanging on to Alexa’s coat sleeve. The small party moved from the chilly garage into the cozy family room where yellow and orange flames danced in the fireplace.

  “Those were Christmas presents, sweetie,” Alexa explained, with a loving smile. “I have something else for you.”

  “Now you know they don’t need anything more,” Maya protested. All Alexa had to do was go up to their playroom and see what Maya was talking about. They had toys to last them a lifetime.

  Alexa ignored Maya’s comment by assuring the girls that they would get their presents after dinner.

  As promised, following dinner, Alexa distributed the one-of-a-kind, handmade rag dolls created in each of their likenesses. The girls loved them. Later after they were bathed and ready for bed, they also enjoyed Alexa’s animated bedtime story about three African princesses going to a royal ball.

  When she had kissed them all good-night, she joined her friends in the family room where Bryant had just poured three glasses of Zinfandel. Maya carried in a tray of sliced cheese, crackers and fresh fruit and placed it on the table before them.

  “You looking good, Alex,” Bryant complimented as he stabbed a toothpick into a cheese cube.

  “I told her so, but you know how she is,” Maya added with a smile.

  “Me? You both look great and I am definitely feeling the crib,” Alexa replied, kicking out of her sneakers. She took a seat on one of the plushy sofas, curling her feet beneath her.

  The family room was cozy yet embodied a lived-in quality. A marbled hearth was the focal point where a pair of white slipper chairs accompanied two charcoal-hued love seats in a U shape. The white walls contained interesting pieces like mirrored candle sconces and black and white prints in boxed frames, giving the room a cozy yet elegant quality. Alexa marveled at the black baby grand that dwelled in the alcove of a floor-to-ceiling window.

  Maya sank down beside Bryant on the opposite facing sofa and reached for a handful of grapes. “Yeah, girlfriend, it’s been a long time.”

  Alexa took a sip of wine. “I know.”

  “So how is Denver?”

  “Same.”

  “And your job?”

  “Actually, it’s going quite well. I got a raise,” she proudly announced, holding up her glass for a toast. In her nine years at Marks-St. Claire, Alexa had been promoted three times. The most recent promotion was an upgrade to a corner office along with a staff in addition to a salary increase and heftier bonuses. “You are now looking at
the managing editor of Mountain High magazine.”

  “You go, girl!” Maya congratulated, touching her glass to Alexa’s.

  “Hear! Hear!” Bryant joyfully added.

  “Another toast is in order,” Maya continued. “Bryant is going into business for himself.”

  “Congratulations!” Alexa said with surprise. She knew that Bryant worked in computers, but had no idea he was interested in venturing out into a business of his own.

  “I can’t take all of the credit. D is taking the plunge with me. Since we are both handling some really good contracts, we figure we could merge forces, eliminate the middleman and bring in the bucks directly.”

  He continued to discuss the plan, but his words fell on deaf ears. Alexa knew she heard him right when he said D. That was the nickname everyone called Darius except her. Her nickname for him had always been Darry. So, he was thinking about going into business with Darius.

  Rather than comment about Darius, she continued conversing as if she hadn’t heard him drop Darius’s name at all. After getting up to speed on their lives, Alexa yawned, succumbing to jet lag and announced that she was ready to hit the sack. Maya showed her to the spacious bonus room located over the three-car garage that was accessible off of the kitchen.

  Mirroring the rest of the grand home, the room was decorated with impeccable taste. The four-poster rice bed was elegantly decorated in sophisticated, camel-colored faux suede bedding. Paprika, butter- and coffee-colored pillows of the same material were neatly stacked against the headboard. Beyond a pair of shutter doors was the bathroom with separate garden tub and shower, which was also decorated in the same colors as the bedroom.

  “Maya, this is gorgeous!” she said, eyeing the tub longingly. She looked forward to languishing in it amid lavender-scented bath salts.

  “Actually I had you in mind when I decorated it.” Maya said as she stretched out on the bed. “I’m so glad you could come. I just wish it was you getting married.”

  The look of disdain on Alexa’s face did not equal Maya’s glowing expression. “Keep wishing,” she smugly retorted as she leaned up against the dresser.

  “Come on, Alexa, I know you want to get married and have some bay bays?” Maya chided.

  Alexa raised her hands in surrender and walked away from her friend. “Maya, I’ve come to realize that what I want isn’t necessarily what I am going to get. If the Lord sees fit for me to have a family, He will bless me in His time. I’m not going to force things anymore.”

  “Do think you were forcing things with Sean?” Maya asked, sitting up on the edge of the bed.

  Alexa paused before answering. “Back then I probably wouldn’t admit it, but today—yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I thought I was ready for marriage and a family. You don’t understand the pressure that women my age have to endure. You and Bryant have been together since you were nineteen. If a woman is over twenty-five, and not married, or at least dating someone, people look at her as if something is wrong. Sean was a nice guy and I loved him as a person, but he really wasn’t somebody I could see myself spending the rest of my life with.”

  “And you were willing to marry him knowing that’s how you felt?”

  “Yes,” she admitted, taking a seat beside Maya on the bed. “I guess I was hoping that my feelings would change, but now my outlook is different. When I look at you and Bryant, I see something that I want in a relationship. You two are soul mates. You got each other’s back and the love and respect that you have for one another is apparent. Sean and I could barely live together without arguing.”

  “Do you hate him for what he did?”

  Alexa hesitated before responding, pondering the question for a few moments. She was more humiliated than anything. “I did at first, but I got over it when I realized that us breaking up helped me to understand what I really want in a man.”

  “Which is?”

  “I want a man who is not afraid of my success, who is my friend, who has my back, understands my dreams and encourages me to pursue them. I need somebody who can love me for me.”

  “Sounds like a pretty special man,” Maya wistfully replied.

  Alexa nodded. “I know. I also know that you don’t come across these types everyday, and this time I won’t settle for anything less.”

  “Well then I pray that you find who you are looking for.”

  A hint of sadness laced Alexa’s giggle. “No, I hope he finds me.”

  Without comment, Maya leaned over and gave Alexa a tight hug. “I’m glad you came.”

  “I’m glad I did,, too,” Alexa replied, pulling back. “Now go to sleep, blushing bride. We have lots to do in the morning.”

  Chapter 2

  The minute Maya and Bryant agreed to renew their vows, one of the first people Maya called was her friend Margaret Cade. Margaret owned an exclusive boutique, where she sold her original creations. Her styles were so popular that her list of clients consisted of several high-profile community figures and celebrities.

  Alexa’s eyes widened when Maya stepped from the dressing room in a champagne-hued, strapless silk gown with elbow-length satin gloves. The skirt was long and fitted with a twisted knot in the back that gave it a bustlelike appearance.

  “Well, what do you think?” Maya asked, noticing Alexa’s awed expression in the three-way mirror.

  “It looks great on you,” the salesclerk commented.

  Alexa nodded in agreement, “Maya, that dress is tight.”

  “It is!?” Maya cried out in horror. “It’s a size six. I hoped that I wouldn’t gain any weight.”

  Alexa and the young salesclerk looked at each other and burst out laughing at Maya’s misunderstanding.

  “I’m sorry,” she apologized through her laughter. “You have got to forgive my sister. She’s been out of the loop so long she kind of lost touch.” She didn’t want to explain that tight was slang for nice.

  Maya still wore a look of confusion until Alexa assured her the dress was just fine. The ensemble was complete with an elegant rhinestone tiara and a pair of matching silk mules with a clear heel.

  The bridesmaids’ attire turned out to be silk midnight-blue camisoles with matching floor-length, A-line skirts. Alexa thought they were beautiful and was grateful that her friend didn’t pick anything extravagant for her bridal party.

  “You are going to knock Bryant off his feet!” Alexa announced as they exited the boutique.

  “I am so nervous. Can you believe that after nine years of marriage, I have the nerve to be nervous?” Maya said as she laid both dresses across the back seat of the truck. She smoothed out the plastic so there were no folds to prevent wrinkling.

  “Yes, I can,” Alexa replied, turning forward in her seat. However, her comment was for a different reason. The possibility of Alexa coming face-to-face with Darius for the first time after nine years made her nervous as ever.

  “Could your anxiety be Darius-related?” Maya asked, eyeing her out of the corner of her eye as if she had been reading her mind.

  Alexa’s silence answered the question.

  “Alexa, I was wondering when you were going to get around to Darius being the best man at the wedding. I hope you are okay with it, considering.”

  “You guys want him in the wedding, too. What can I say? It’s your wedding,” she replied, hoping that her tone and posture gave off an air of indifference.

  “Now, now,” Maya soothingly replied. “I know that there’s animosity on both your parts, but maybe you two need to get it over with by facing your fears and talking it out.”

  “What is there to talk about, Maya? Darius told me all that I needed to know years ago.”

  Alexa had set aside her pride and reached out to him. Just thinking about that dreaded phone call made her wince. His words stung just as sharply today as they had then.

  They had been apart for almost a year. She was settled in her job at Marks-St. Claire and was living in an apartment of her own.
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  It was a Saturday evening and Alexa was stretched out on her sofa sipping a wine cooler while flipping through the channels on the television.

  Who would have guessed that she would be home on a Saturday evening? She loved to party, but since coming to Denver, she didn’t know where to go let alone who to go with. Although she had met some good people in Denver, no one could replace her friends back home.

  As a result, she opted for a date with the television. Before settling in, she poured herself a glass of the fruity mixture.

  She began flipping through the channels, not finding one thing that caught her attention for more than a few minutes. Suddenly, her eyes came to rest on the telephone. She wished she had someone to call. She entertained the idea of calling Maya, but she had just talked to her the night before. When they talked, Maya had asked if there was something wrong. Although she denied it, she knew that if she called Maya at that moment, she would surely suspect something. Besides, she and Bryant were out celebrating Maya’s new job as a beat reporter for the local television station. And if she knew her friends as well as she thought, celebrating would mean a highly charged romp in the sack.

  With a sigh she picked up the telephone to call her mother, but then thought again and quickly slammed the phone down before her mother answered. Her mother had been acting quite strange. Alexa thought it was pre-menopause. Whatever it was, she couldn’t deal with her right then. Her brother Justin called one day talking about her going on this crocheting rampage having draped the beds, chairs, tabletops and toilets in every color imaginable.

  Finally, her thoughts came to rest on Darius. She wondered if he had the same number. There had been many times when she wanted to call him and apologize, especially during those times when she felt lonely. When it seemed like the world was against her and all she wanted to do was press her face against his sturdy chest and cry. But there was no Darius at home waiting with open arms to lick her wounds. Besides, the shame of leaving him the way she did still hung over her head like a storm cloud.