You Get What You Pray For (24 page)

Lorain smiled as Lance walked away. “Wonderful husband you've got there,” Lorain told Tabby. She wasn't just making conversation. Lance was over the top nice. He seemed to love everybody. He was always shaking hands, kissing cheeks, and patting backs, and he always had a huge, genuine smile on his face. As nice and as laid-back as Lance seemed to be, Lorain had no idea how he'd ended up with a stuck-up black chick like Tabby.

“Thank you,” Tabby said.

“You look nice.” Lorain was trying to keep the conversation going to avoid an awkward silence. But Tabby really was wearing the heck out of that MAC makeup. A dark-skinned black woman, Tabby had complained that finding the right shades for her complexion had been challenging, until she discovered MAC.

Tabby returned the compliment. “Thank you. So do you.”

After five seconds of awkward silence, Lorain couldn't take it anymore. She had to keep the party moving. “All right, then. Well, it was nice . . .” Lorain started to walk away.

“Lorain, wait.” Tabby reached out and grabbed Lorain's hand. “I know.”

Lorain looked confused. What did Tabby know?

“I know about the twins. Your girls.”

“Okay, yes, everybody knows about them. They were my junior bridesmaids.” The girls were adorable in their cream dresses, with fuchsia silk bows tied around their waists. They wore identical curly ponytails that sat on top of their head and were tied with a ribbon that matched the bow around their waist.

“No, I mean, I know who they really are. Who you are to them.”

Lorain almost lost her breath. Tabby quickly put her hands on Lorain's shoulders to calm her.

“Wait, Lorain. Before you blow a gasket, I want to tell you something.”

“How did you find out? Did you go snooping on the Internet again?” Lorain tried to remain calm, but she would mop the floor with Tabby if she made a scene and tried to put the information on blast. Lorain absolutely did not want her girls finding out the truth this way. At this point in life, Lorain couldn't have cared less what the rest of the world said about her, but she was not going to let her daughters be hurt. That look in her eyes, the one Ivy had called her on that day in the bathroom, let Tabby know it would be an act of suicide for her to open her mouth about it.

“I didn't go on the Internet, trying to dig up information on you. Actually, you told me. Well, you didn't
tell
me. You were telling your mother. I was in a bridal boutique one day and overheard a conversation you were having with your mother.”

“You didn't speak up so I could acknowledge you? You were off in the racks, eavesdropping? Pardon me, but the last time I checked, that was called snooping. No, you weren't doing it on the Internet, but you were still snooping all the same.”

“I guess you're right.” Tabby put her head down.

“That's what you were alluding to at our lunch,” Lorain said.

“I was going to mention it, but then I thought you might think I was blowing the steam in the mill of rumors. . . or whatever it was you were accusing me of.”

Lorain shook her head. Not even on her wedding day could she be free of drama. She'd planned on enjoying her wedding day and spending the night enjoying her husband, without any dark cloud trying to rain on her parade. If Tabby wanted to bring the rain, then Lorain could certainly bring the thunder. “So, I'm not going to play games with you, Tabby. Let's do this. What do you want?”

“Nothing, Lorain. I wanted you to know that your secret is safe with me. I promise. You and Nick are good people.” Tabby looked over at Nicholas, who was on the dance floor, dancing with the twins. “And your girls are the loveliest and the sweetest. I would never do or say anything that could jeopardize your family and how you are raising your girls.”

“Good.” Lorain exhaled and smiled. “I'm so glad to hear that.” She took Tabby's hands in hers. “Because if you ever thought twice about doing it, your whole life would change. I'm sure if I did a little snooping of my own, I'd have something to take to the authorities regarding the writing of illegal prescriptions. Surely, the medical board would take your husband's license, and he'd lose his U.S. citizenship. You'd no longer be a doctor's wife, but the wifey of a felon you holdin' down while he serves his time. Which is something I'm sure since the day you moved out of the hood, you swore you would never be.”

Lorain snapped her fingers. “In the blink of an eye, you'd be exactly who you've been trying so hard for years not to be . . . the hood rat that you really are up underneath that makeup and couture.” Lorain spoke with a smile on her face the entire time. Anyone on the outside looking in would think they were witnessing two best friends catching up.

Tabby's hands were sweaty, and Lorain could feel them trembling. Tabby's eyes almost watered at the thought of how easily her dream life could turn into a nightmare.

“It would be a shame,” Tabby said nervously, forcing the words out. “So good thing I don't have to worry about that. Like I said, my lips are sealed.” Tabby pulled her hands out of Lorain's. She used her index finger and thumb to pretend to zip her lips closed.

Lorain kissed her on each cheek. “Thank you so much for coming. I'll see you at next month's meeting.” Lorain walked away, making a mental note to thank Ivy for her advice. This time she'd pounced on the hunter before she could ever become the prey.

“Lorain, girlfriend, girlfriend!”

Lorain turned around to see a tipsy Carrie stumbling her way with a half-filled glass of wine in her hand. “This wedding is off the chain. And I was looking through your gifts . . .” She paused to take a sip of wine.

“As only you would,” Lorain said with a chuckle.

“And you got some good stuff. Heck, I'm renewing my vows next year if it means I'ma get hooked up like this.” She play hit Lorain on the arm amid her drunken laughter.

“There you are. You got away from me.” Just in time, Carrie's husband walked up and grabbed ahold of her before she could topple over in her tipsiness.

“Hey, baby,” Carrie said, slurring.

“Hey.” He looked at Lorain. “Congratulations. You make a beautiful bride.”

All of sudden Carrie copped an attitude. “Oh, so now you like black women?” Carrie said to her husband, whose cheeks turned red. His blue eyes nearly burned a hole through Carrie for causing him such embarrassment. “No, honey. That's just what you tell brides.”

“Oh, so on our wedding day, when you told me I made a beautiful bride while we were having our first dance, you were just saying that?” Her eyes filled with tears. “You didn't mean it?” She shook her head as the alcohol began to amplify her emotions. Her long blond hair, which she wore hairpieces in, swung from left to right.

“No, honey, I meant it,” he said, trying to reassure her and balance her at the same time.

“I had my hair pinned up like you liked it,” Carrie cried. “I had even gone to the tanning salon for a whole month.” She looked at Lorain with disdain. “But had I known you liked black chicks, that this white girl from the trailer park wasn't good enough for you . . .” Carrie's words trailed off as she began gagging.

“Come on, honey. I better get you out of here.” He took hold of his wife and carried her away, calling to Lorain over his shoulder, “Thanks again for the invite. Tell Nick I'll see him on the golf course next week.”

Lorain nodded and shook her head. Those doctors' wives were a trip.

When Lorain turned around, she almost ran smack into Unique. “Oh, baby, I'm sorry.”

“It's okay,” Unique said.

“You having fun?”

“Yeah, but I'm getting ready to go. I've already told everyone else good-bye.”

“Awww, I wish you could stay longer.”

“Until when? Until after your honeymoon?” She chuckled. “I'm sure you don't want me sticking around during your wedding night.” Unique winked three times. “That's baby-making time. Give me and my sisters a little brother or sister.”

“Too late for baby making,” Lorain said.

“Please, it's never too late. Didn't Halle Berry have one at, like, forty-seven or forty-eight?”

“No, I mean it's too late to make one because one has already been made.”

It took a couple seconds for Unique to get what her mother was trying to say. “Wait a minute! Are you trying to say that . . .”

Lorain stood there, nodding her head, a smile lighting up her face. “I thought the stress of life was making me sick.” She put her hands on her stomach. “And here it was a life was making me sick.”

“Congratulations. I know Gran is beside herself.”

“Shhh.” Lorain put her index finger to her lips and looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was within earshot. She then looked back at Unique. “I haven't told her yet. But that's one of the reasons why I opted for the cream dress instead of the white one. I would never hear the end of her mouth.”

“You got that right.”

The two women laughed, and Lorain shared her due date with Unique.

“Well, I better get out of here,” Unique said.

“I'm glad you came. It was a great surprise. Thank you.” Lorain hugged Unique. “Let me walk you out.” She squeezed her. “Get in all the time I can with you.”

Lorain walked Unique outside the church doors. “Thanks again for coming, baby. I love you.”

“I love you too. And congratulations, Mommy.”

Lorain's mouth spread into a smile. “You said it. You called me Mommy.”

“Yes, I called you Mommy. That's who you are, aren't you?” Unique said.

“You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say that word to me, daughter. This is the best wedding gift I could have ever received. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Unique said. “Now, you better get back inside and go dance with that husband of yours.”

“Yeah, I better. Besides, I think I probably need to leave the two of you alone to talk.”

Unique had a confused look on her face. Lorain nodded, indicating that Unique should look behind her. Unique turned to see a car pulling into the church parking lot.

“Terrance,” Unique said, then quickly turned to look at Lorain. “You didn't.”

“Guilty as charged.” Lorain shrugged. “I called him up and told him to come, because something told me you'd be here.” Lorain winked. “Mother's intuition.”

Unique shook her head and cracked a smile.

Lorain kissed her on the cheek. “Guess I'm more like Korica than either of us wants to admit.”

“You got that right,” Unique said as Terrance got out of the car and started walking toward the church.

“Talk to him, honey. That's all,” was the advice mother gave daughter.

“I will,” Unique said. “I just pray that all goes well, that Terrance and I can at least still be friends.”

“Then I say before he gets up here, close your eyes and take five seconds to pray. Because you know what I learned?”

“What is that?” Unique said curiously.

“Sometimes you get exactly what you pray for.” Lorain kissed her daughter on the cheek and then went back into the church, glad that through hell and high water, each and every one of her prayers had indeed been answered.

1. Can you put yourself in Lorain's shoes and sympathize with the way she felt she needed to interact with Unique in order not to jeopardize losing the girls?

2. Do you feel Lorain was too gullible when it came to Korica's and Eugene's threats? Should she have allowed their words to dictate her actions?

3. Did you at any time think Unique was going to hook back up with Eugene? How did you feel about him after finding out that the conversation and the breakthrough that he had with Unique was all an act? Do you believe it was all really an act, or do you think that maybe he was trying to play hard?

4. Can you understand why Korica felt so threatened by Lorain?

5. Do you feel Unique was indebted to Korica for taking her in and raising her? Do you feel children are indebted to their parents, period?

6. If you read
I Can Do Better All By Myself,
then you know that Nicholas proposed to Lorain a couple times and that she declined. The day Lorain finally decided to accept his proposal, she was distracted by the news that her grandkids had died. When Lorain eventually got around to telling Nicholas she wanted to marry him, it was only after Korica planted a seed of fear in her about being looked at as a single woman who was unable to raise twins without a husband. Given everything that transpired before they tied the knot, do you think Lorain and Nicholas's marriage was any less genuine? Do you feel Lorain only used Nicholas and didn't love him?

7. Korica always seemed to be out for herself. When she opened up to Lorain about her struggles in life, did you feel any sympathy toward her at all?

8. Did the fact that Eleanor was always in her daughter's business annoy you, or did you feel her often humorous input allowed for a different understanding of events and actions?

9. Do you know anyone who allows the hurt and pain of the past to dictate their current life? Do you do this?

10. Could you feel the anguish and torment Lorain was putting herself through, or did you think she was no better than Korica?

11. Do you think that Unique really wanted to go to Atlanta and start new ventures of her own, or do you think she was still running from her true feelings about the death of her sons and the birth of her daughters? Can you imagine how those events could possibly affect her?

12. What race did you assume Tabby and Carrie were? Did this lead to stereotyping on your part?

13. Have you read books belonging to the “New Day Divas” Series and the “Still Divas Series,” or did you start off with the “Always Divas” Series? Did this book make you want to go back and read all the others in the series?