Joy Comes in the Morning by Ashea S. Goldson Read Free Book Online

tired, and my biceps were a little sore from the intense exercise I forced on myself. I knew I would have to work a little harder if I wanted to fit into a decent size wedding dress.Rush hour on the number four train was no picnic in the park. Unfortunately, my car spent more time in the shop than it did on the street, so there I was taking the train again. There wasn’t an empty seat in sight, so I stood against the door, squeezed between two women. Not exactly my idea of how I wanted to be squeezed. The train jerked me back and forth as a dirty faced old man leaned toward my direction. I turned my cheek to him but I could still smell his garlic breath. Two more stops on the stinking train, and I’d be home where I could kick back and relax a little before my date with Joshua tonight.
    When the doors opened, I walked out into the subway station, up the stairs, and finally into the fresh air. Since I was still wearing my workout gear, which was a rarity, and since I was going out tonight, I decided to run all the way home. Needless to say, I was gasping for air before I hit the end of the block. No, I was nothing like my sister, the queen of fitness. As I turned the first corner and was about to cross the street, I looked up, but couldn’t believe my eyes. I blinked my eyelids to be sure it wasn’t true. No, he was not with her.

Chapter Seven
    When I saw them together, my footsteps froze. I knew it had to be his wife because Taylor had bragged about stealing him from a woman that looked like her. I immediately looked for any sign of togetherness, so I could have more facts to throw at Taylor when and if I needed to. There were no signs. All I saw was a quick exchange of a child, who appeared to be Derek’s son. Derek was one of the guys Taylor was currently dating, and according to her, he had one eleven-year-old son. I watched the tall, slim woman with long blond cornrows roll her neck and speed off in her Mustang. I quickly ducked behind a graffiti covered wall, breathing hard. I waited until I saw him get back into his white Honda Accord and drive down the street before I took off running again.If Taylor was the one seeing a married man, why in the world was I hiding? I couldn’t believe my sister was dating married men now, separated or not. She had dropped her standards, and for what? A couple of laughs? A couple of drinks? I wondered when she would figure out that it wasn’t worth it. Remembering my mother’s voice urging us to never lose respect for ourselves, I clenched my teeth. She’d probably be so disappointed in us both.
    When I arrived at my building I was sweating heavily, and I couldn’t wait to strip out of my gray sweat suit. I walked up the front steps stairs, and once inside, I then climbed up the narrow staircase leading to my apartment. On the way up I smelled Mrs. Rosetti’s homemade spaghetti sauce, which increased my hunger. Seeing old man Jenkins’s scrawny cat roaming the hallway as I neared my floor made my skin crawl. The cat rubbed itself against my leg while I fished through my gym bag for the key. “You little fur ball.” I pushed him away from me with my foot. Finally, I flung the door open wide and stood in the safety of my own living room. With my bag still in my hand, I sifted through the mail on the side table. Bills, bills, nothing but bills. I needed a raise. I set the mail down and proceeded to the bathroom. A good hot bath would start my evening off right. By the time my home spa experience was over and I came out of the bathroom, wearing my pink terry cloth bath robe, Taylor was already sitting on the couch. I saw her peep over at me from the corner of her eye.
    â€œYou’re finally home.” I didn’t know what to say, given the sullen expression on her face. “Yep.” Taylor’s head was buried in her hands. Suddenly, as if feeling my stares, she looked up. “You know, I’m fired up. I can’t