Free Never Again Once More by Mary B. Morrison

by seven-thirty. Jada glanced at her baby in the passenger seat. Sporting a fresh low haircut, he was handsomely dressed in beige khaki pants, brown loafer shoes, a white polo-style shirt, and a navy blazer.
    Focusing on the road ahead, Jada asked, “So, are you excited about your first day of school, sweetie?”
    “Um, I don’t know,” he said, hunching his shoulder pads higher. “They got girls?” Darius’s bright eyes widened and shifted to the corners as he mischievously bit his bottom lip.
    Tapping her brakes, Jada glimpsed down at him. “Now, Darius. You’re going to school to get an education, honey. Don’t worry about the girls.” He was only five. Jada had figured girls wouldn’t be a distraction for at least another eight years.
    “Daddy said I should worry about them.” Darius nodded, looked up at his mother, and froze. His brown eyes lingered in silence. When Jada parked in front of the building, Darius pointed and said, “Wow! That’s my new school! I like this one. No more preschool crybabies. May I go play, Mommy? Ooh, may I?” His seat belt sprung into its socket.
    Since other kids were playing, Jada said, “Sure, sweetie. But don’t leave out of my sight.”
    Switching the radio to her favorite station, KJLH, Jada heard Cliff and Janine interviewing Karen E. Quinones Miller. Her new book, I’m Telling, had recently been released. “Well, Ms. Miller can tell all she wants, but I’m not ,” Jada remarked, then whispered, “Some things are better left unsaid.”
    A black Mercedes sedan parked directly behind her car. Jada adjusted the rearview mirror, looking first at her dazzling hazel-colored eyes which flattered her ebony complexion, then at the man exiting the Mercedes. Running her hand alongside her head, behind her ear, and across her neck, Jada gathered her long, dark hair in front of her right breast and said, “Ah sooky sooky.” Now that was a chocolate superman, at least he looked the part. A little girl sat patiently and waited until he opened her door. Hopefully, he treated his spouse as well. As stunning as he was, a woman or two had to be in the picture. Now, how committed was he? That was what she intended to find out. Jada cracked her front windows. Suddenly, it was too damn hot, so she pressed the rear buttons, lowered all four windows, and centered herself, using a yoga technique to clear her mind.
    “Thank you, Daddy,” the little girl said while flattening the pleats in her blue, black, and white plaid skirt.
    Jada settled down and waited until they were inside. She checked her makeup, then hopped out of the car. Eight o’clock sharp. The play area was swarming with kids.
    “Darius, honey, let’s go inside.” She also gestured for Darius in case he couldn’t hear her calling him above the cheerful noises.
    “A few more minutes, Mom.” His little hands clung to the monkey bars.
    Jada responded, “ Now .”
    When Darius let go, his feet hit the chipped wood. He squatted, paused, and then trotted to her. She was definitely going to enroll him in drama. Jada brushed his jacket and pants and grabbed his slim hand, almost completely covering it with her long fingers.
    Inside the hallway, Jada stopped within speaking distance of the man she’d noticed outside. The gap between him and the competition standing behind him was just enough to slide in with Darius.
    Jada sang, “ Good morning .”
    Implementing flirting technique number one, Jada smiled. The woman, now to her left, cheesed a phony grin, but Jada beamed as though she were posing for the cover of Essence magazine. Keeping her focus, Jada thanked God for peripheral vision. Luring method number two was her peek-a-boo glance. His up-close image did not disappoint. Maintaining her smile, Jada said, “You have a lovely daughter.” Then she pretended to straighten Darius’s clothes. Jada knew flattering him would have scored a field goal, but complimenting his daughter was a guaranteed touchdown.
    Facing in