For the Sake of Love by Dwan Abrams Read Free Book Online Page B

and have a good time. No sense in both of us sitting around being miserable. Don’t worry about me.” She meant it.
    â€œI can’t help it. You’re the closest thing I have to a sister. I love you, and I don’t want you moping around acting all depressed.”
    Acting depressed? It wasn’t an act, Bria resolved. She forced a smile and said, “I love you too. Honestly, I’ll be fine. I’m starting to feel better already.”
    Nya kissed her on the cheek and said, “Liar. You don’t have to put on a brave face for me.”
    â€œI know. I’ll call you if I feel like slitting my wrists or popping pills,” she teased. No matter how sad she felt, she knew that suicide wasn’t an option. The very act of taking one’s life went against her spiritual beliefs.
    â€œDon’t joke about stuff like that because I’d have to take you to the Pet Sematary. ”
    They both laughed, because Pet Sematary was one of their favorite horror movie classics.
    Bria walked Nya to the door. They hugged, and Nya said, “I’m praying for you.”
    Unlike so many people who lie and say they’ll keep you in their prayers, Bria knew that when Nya said she was praying for her, she actually meant it. They prayed for each other all the time.
    â€œEverything’s going to be all right,” Nya promised her.
    Bria closed the door behind her and asked of no one, “Can you assure me of that?”
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    After calling off his engagement, Spade spent the rest of the night sulking. He just moped around his condo in a daze. He didn’t eat. He didn’t take a shower. He didn’t even brush his teeth. All he did was lounge around in his bed. When he did get up, it was to go to the bathroom or sip some water. He didn’t answer his phone or turn on the TV. No music either.
    He knew that he couldn’t avoid his mom longer than a day without her calling half of the town looking for him. He didn’t want her to mess around and call Bria. He finally mustered up the courage to tell his mother that the wedding was off. Knowing his mother as well as he did, he needed some super-duper industrial-strength courage to deal with her. One would’ve thought she was an amateur detective the way she asked question after question.
    When he called his mom and heard her voice, he felt like hanging up, but he didn’t. “Hey, Mom. I have something to tell you.”
    â€œOh, Lawd. That doesn’t sound good at all. What’s going on?”
    He paused before answering, “Bria and I aren’t getting married.”
    â€œWhat happened?” He had to pull the phone away from his ear. “Are you all right?” Her concern was evident.
    He closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose. “I can’t go into that right now.”
    She went from concerned to demanding. “Boy, what do you mean you can’t go into it? You better tell me something. What have you done? I thought you loved that girl.”
    He felt like a steak—about to be grilled. “I do love her.”
    â€œThen talk to me.” She paused for a moment, and when Spade didn’t volunteer any information she continued, “I don’t think you cheated because one, you love her, and two, I raised you better than that. I don’t believe you caught her cheating because you’re my child, and you’d be calling me from jail if you had. So the only other things that make sense are you’re either running from the law or you’re dying. Which is it?”
    His mom was so logical, it drove him nuts! He hated when she played amateur detective. Why couldn’t she just let this go? “Look, Mom, you know I love you, but I’m not ready to talk about this. I have to go.” He hung up. He expected her to blow up his phone, but she didn’t. And he was glad.

Six
    Bria woke up early Saturday morning so that she could pray and