Page 49 of Pieces of Us

“Coming!”

“It’s a shame what you’re doing to your own daughter, introducing her to that family just for them to be taken away from her…” Gio voiced.

“Threaten her again, Gioni, and I swear I will spill all of your dirty little secrets! Try me.”

“I’m ready, Mom. See you later, Dad. Bye, Papa. Bye, Nana.” Megan went around the room hugging and kissing everyone before I took her hand and headed toward the door.

“Thanks, Mommy. I’ll be back soon.”

“No problem, baby. Call me when you’re on your way back.”

“Will do.”

I took one last look at Justin’s pitiful ass and my manipulative father before I walked out of the door. I knew then I was making the right decision.

I pulled into the gates of Doctor Nehemiah Newson’s home and almost cried. It was the home we used to come to every weekend and manifest as ours. At the time, the house was vacant. We would have picnics in the huge backyard inside of the empty pool. To see that he actually purchased the home warmed my heart.

“Wow! This is sweet! Doctors must make a lot of money,” Megan exclaimed, eyes sparkling at the sight.

“They do.”

“I think I want to be a doctor instead of cellist.” She giggled.

“You can be both.” She smiled at me. “How do you feel?”

“I feel good.”

“Are you nervous?”

“No, but I know you are.” She laughed and I joined her.

“I am a little, but I just want to make sure you’re okay with this.”

“I’m okay. If you’re not, we can leave.”

“No. He’s expecting us, so let’s go.”

She nodded as we got out and headed up to the door. I rang the doorbell, and a moment later, an older woman opened the door with a pleasant smile.

“Ms. Prescott?” she questioned.

“I am.”

“Great. I’m Leann. Mr. Newson is expecting you. Right this way.”

She opened the door wider for us to walk inside. Once we stepped through the threshold, Megan and I both stopped in our tracks, marveling over the home.

“This is so dope. Mom, look. He has a waterfall in his house!”

I smiled. Nehemiah had to have had the house designed. It was the exact way we envisioned it to be—white granite flooring, high ceilings with crystal ball chandeliers, a grand piano, waterfall, frosted glass windows with cream, white, and opaque colors. My home was nice and modest, but his was a bit bigger and just the way I told him I wanted it.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Leann asked, smiling.

“It is,” Megan and I said simultaneously.

She giggled. “Come.”

She waved us on as we followed her down a long hall on the right. We turned right and ended up in what looked like a formal sitting room. It looked like the Oval Office in the White House. It was very spacious with a couch, loveseat, and a chaise lounge.Artwork of Black leaders decorated the walls with a table in the center of the room that housed what I assumed was our dinner for the night.

---