Page 60 of Real's Love

I extended my hand, but she slapped it down before drawing me into a tight hug. Laughing, I hugged her back.

“Are you a hugger? We hug in this family, so you might have to redraw your personal space,” she said, pressing a kiss against my cheek.

I didn’t know what to say about her unexpected inclusion of me as family, so I didn’t say anything.

“You just out shopping?“ I asked instead as she stepped back.

Mona rolled her eyes. “Girl, Rachel got us out here. Saturday, we have an appreciation program for the women’s auxiliary at our church. Everyone is supposed to wear white. A lot of us waited till the last minute, so we out here today, looking crazy.”

“I’m sure you’ll find something. You sound like me about shopping.”

“You don’t like it either? Girl, I feel like I can get 99 percent of what I need online,” she said, then sighed.

I nodded my agreement. “I know. This is not my thing.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but an imperious voice interrupted.

“Ramona, there is no use in you hiding out. We have to find something for you.”

Ms. Rachel appeared with a frown and a couple of women, fussing at her sister. She sounded so much like Emory, I had to laugh as I patted Ms. Mona’s shoulder in solidarity. Ms. Rachel’s face smoothed as her eyes landed on me.

“Evanie! Hi, darling. We’re expecting you back at Rachel’s soon.”

I smiled at her but it wavered when my gaze fell on Abbra. The bitch smirked at me, her brown eyes evil.

“Evanie, this is my best friend Margaret and her daughter, Abbra. Y’all, this is Real’s… friend, Evanie,” Ms. Rachel introduced.

Margaret smiled warmly. “Oh, so our Real is finally?—”

“She said ‘friend,’ Mama. I’ve already had the pleasure. Real and I ran into her on our date at the farmer’s market,” Abbra said, glaring at me.

I eyeballed the bitch right back. I felt Mona’s hand on my arm, and she squeezed gently.

“You should come Saturday. Mount Moriah Baptist Church. We’d be glad to see you,” she invited.

“That would be nice… . If she goes to church, I mean,” Abbra said, trying to hide her shade with a big smile.

“Abbra!” her mom snapped.

“What? I’m just saying, not everyone does,” Abbra replied, all wide-eyed innocence as she retrieved her phone from her purse.

“We really would love to have you, Ev,” Ms. Rachel said.

I nodded. “I’ll check my calendar,” I promised.

“Mama Rachel,” she put emphasis on the “mama,” “could we possibly move dinner up an hour? I know we’re all meeting up, then Real has plans for me afterward. He just texted,” Abbra said, grinning hard.

I hated this bitch with everything in me right now. And I hated him for “dating” her. I didn’t care that I made the rules. At this moment, I felt how I felt. Epiphany would’ve told me that it was okay, it didn’t have to make sense. I was human. Imperfect. Conflicted. And more than a little hurt.

“That’s so cute—I haven’t heard you call her ‘Mama Rachel’ since you were a little girl,” Mona said.

Abbra’s head snapped up as she scowled, then hurriedly wiped her face. “Well, the way things are developing…”

She gave me a smug look. I felt that shit in my stomach, but I smiled anyway.

“Ms. Mona, Ms. Rachel, it was so nice to see you again. I really need to finish…”

I gestured at my patient shopper.

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