Free How to Knock a Bravebird from Her Perch : The First Novel in the Morrow Girls Series (9780985751616) by D. Bryant Simmons

the need to go looking for what they don’t have at home. Sometimes...it’s not so much a choice as it is a need. Everybody has needs, Belinda. Being married don’t necessarily fill everything up.”
    “You married?”
    “Me? No.” Heziah shook his head and the fun that was on his lips left suddenly, leaving sadness behind. “I was...married. About two years ago. Now I’m divorced.”
    “You cheat on her?” I probably shouldn’t of asked him that. But seeing as we probably wasn’t gonna see each other again, I did.  
    One of the girls from the bar came around with a tray full of tiny glasses. Heziah took one and damn near swallowed it whole. “Want a shot?”
    “No, thanks.”
    “You sure?” He folded a few bills on the tray and put the empty glass down on top of it. “My treat.”
    “You want me to get you something else, honey?” The girl asked, handing somebody behind her a few glasses. Whatever was in them swished so much she had to lick it from her fingers. “What you want? Rum? Vodka?”
    I ain’t want nothing. I shouldn’t of had the few drinks I did. The girl looked from me to Heziah like she ain’t believe me.
    “Thank you, miss, but I think she’s made up her mind. We’ll let you know if things change.”
    She shrugged and went about her business. Heziah went back to looking at me. But wasn’t no fun in his eyes. Looked the same as one of my kids did when they were about to get caught doing something they ain’t have no business doing. Guilty. He looked guilty. I was right. He was a cheater. All men were probably cheaters.
    “So where’s your wife now?”
    “She’s not...not my wife anymore.”
    “Right...” I ain’t have no right to be disappointed. So what if he was just a regular kinda man. Kind that cheated on his wife. That come up to a married woman, tell her how pretty she is and ask her to dance. I should’ve known.  
    “See somebody else you know?” Heziah asked, trying to see where I was looking.
    “Just looking for my girlfriends. We came together.”
    “Girls night out, huh?” When I ain’t answer he started dancing in the other direction, turning us in a circle. Damn near knocked the couple next to us to the ground. “Oh! I’m sorry, man. Miss? I’m sorry,” he said. I don’t know if it was one of the colored lights that was shining out on the dance floor or if his face really was that red. They glared at him then moved out the way. “Guess I’m not too good at this.”
    “You fine.”
    “You’re just being nice. Dancing’s never been my thing. I just had to find a way to get you away from your girlfriend.”
    “Why’s that?”  
    His eyes got real big and he swallowed so hard it looked like a ping pong ball just rolled down his throat. “Well...why does any man wanna dance with a pretty girl?” That wasn’t nowhere near the right thing to say. He caught on a little bit after I did and started stuttering and stammering something awful. “I...I just mean that y’all run the world. Have us doing whatever you please if it means you’ll give up one of them smiles. Make a man feel good about life to have the affection of a good-looking woman. But I apologize. I didn’t know about your...um, that you’re married.”
    “You apologize?”
    “Yeah, I didn’t mean any disrespect. If you want to go back to your friends, I understand.”
    Through the bodies on the dance floor I caught a glimpse of Paula standing exactly where I left her. She was smiling and doing her best to be polite to some man who was kind enough to ask her to dance. Let him down easy, she did. Not like me. No, I had to go and say yeah.
    “Belinda?”
    “I’m fine. With you. I’ll just...stay here with you.”
    I ain’t wanna believe it but there it was, the truth. In that dark smoky club, I’d found it. The one man that wasn’t a horny devilish mess. Heziah Jenkins was what my daddy called an honorable man.

The Affair

    "L EAVE YOUR MAMA ALONE !” Clara stood in the