Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine NK LCM February 2018 Anniversary Issue | Page 73

and in front of me months , if not weeks before then . You waited until you thought you had me painted into a corner . Then , when that didn ’ t work , you threw my brothers into the mix . I might have had some love for you after that , but it certainly wasn ’ t the love I had for you before .” She laughed , and the sound was bitter and slicing . “ And there ’ s certainly not enough left for me to play the part of the dutiful wife to help your political career .” She lowered her gaze to the place where his mistress had vacated moments earlier . “ Tamika would add a nice touch . I ’ m sure she ’ s down for whatever .”
Three hours later , Samara was in the morgue identifying her husband ’ s mangled body . Five minutes later , she was fielding questions from the press as her brother , Donny , ushered her toward the limousine that awaited them . “ Did you know about your husband ’ s mistress ?”
“ No comment ,” her brother replied , raising an arm to ward off the microphones thrusting their way .
Inwardly , she answered , “ Yes , I knew and didn ’ t care . Tamika wasn ’ t the first .” “ Is it true the firefighter had to extract his mistress from your husband ’ s genitals ?”
Even the other journalists frowned at that question . Someone pushed the guy to the back of the line .
“ No comment ,” Donny said and his eagle-eyed gaze narrowed on the insensitive reporter who asked the question . The man finally shrank down as though to hide behind his colleagues .
Thank God for big brothers .
* * *
Thank God for daughters , Samara mused a week later as all six of her young women surrounded Tamika , whose bold request for Darek ’ s ashes had silenced all conversations within a two-room radius .
“ You have lost your cotton-picking , chicken-plucking , motherfuckin ’ mind ,” Ebony said in a voice barely above a whisper .
“ Want me to take her out back and tune her up ,” Stacye , the middle child said , flexing her hands into a ready-made fist . Those martial arts classes had paid off on many levels turning a woman who had struggled with her weight in high school into a lean , mean , fighting machine .
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