Back to Me by Wanda B. Campbell Read Free Book Online

However, the thermostat in her car registered forty-eight degrees. To local residents, the low temperature was near freezing. A scarf, gloves, earmuffs, knee-length boots and her long wool coat kept her warm.
    In many aspects her life mirrored the deceitful weather. From the outside, Paige’s life appeared to be in order, but inner peace was beyond her reach. Regret and pain resided in her spirit daily, and she had occasional bouts of depression. Two weeks had passed since the anniversary of the abortion, and she was sleeping through the night again, but not restfully. Every morning tense muscles greeted her, accompanied by a headache, which would leave after her daily dose of Starbucks.
    This morning, instead of drinking Starbucks, Paige prayed until the pressure subsided enough for her to prepare for church. Today wasn’t her assigned Sunday on the praise and worship team, so she was able to arrive for the service an hour later. As fatigued as she was, Paige should have gone straight home after the service, but being a glutton for punishment, she found herself headed to Kevin’s house for the celebratory dinner following the christening of Tyson’s daughter.
    Kevin and Tyson were best friends, so the fact that they were godparents to each other’s children wasn’t a surprise. What did surprise, and to some extent hurt, Paige was their insistence on including her in their happy lives. True, she had befriended both of them in college and had kept in touch over the years. They even attend the same church. She had handled both Kevin’s and Tyson’s real estate transactions. And yes, she was happy that Reyna, who was her former employee and was now Tyson’s wife, had rededicated her life to the Lord, but they just didn’t understand how miserable their happiness made her. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to turn down the invitation. If she were truthful, she enjoyed the fellowship. Hanging with Jenningses and the Stokeses and their extended family was the extent of her social life outside of work, church, and community service.
    As the Moraga Avenue exit approached, she considered going home, but something compelled her to continue on to Kevin’s house. Once she had parked her car, her unexpected anticipation motivated her to practically skip to the front of Kevin’s house. She rationalized that her excitement was due to the chance she had to spend time with little Destiny. She had observed the baby during the ceremony at church and thought she was adorable. Even from three rows back, she could see the hazel eyes the baby had inherited from her father, and had wondered if her baby would have had Tyson’s eye color also.
    â€œGod, help me enjoy this day,” she prayed before pressing the doorbell. “Help me to be happy without feeling pain.”
    â€œHey, Paige.” Kevin leaned in and, after a brief hug, stepped aside to allow her entrance. “I’m glad you could make it to see my beautiful goddaughter.” He held out his arm. “Let me take your coat.”
    Before the coat had completely fallen from Paige’s shoulders, Kevin’s wife, Marlissa, joined them with their eighteen-month-old son on her hip. “Hi, girl. I hope you’re hungry.”
    â€œActually, I am.” As a rule, Paige fasted until after service on Sundays. The two women left Kevin as he was hanging the coat.
    â€œGood, because you know we always have too much food,” Marlissa stated and steered Paige into the formal dining room, where a buffet covered the ten-foot mahogany table.
    Paige’s stomach growled, but before she satisfied her hunger, she looked around the room. Just as she expected, everyone was there–maternal and paternal grandparents, extended family, several church members, people she didn’t know, and, of course, those bossy prayer warriors from the church. About fifty people were packed into Kevin’s house.
    â€œHello,