there and talked for three hours. I canât tell you how nice it is to be with a man who doesnât have sex on the brain. It frees us up to talk and get to know one another.â
Sullivan kicked off her stilettos. âSo thatâs it? Coffee? Thatâs the special date he promised you?â
âNo, that comes next weekend.â
âI may be in for a surprise of my own this week,â Sullivan revealed.
Reginell poured a glass of wine. âAre you going to try to call that pastor again?â
âHeâs not just a pastor, Reggie. Heâs my father,â Sullivan asserted. âI know he is.â
âUnfortunately, he doesnât seem to know it, Sully,â Lawson noted. âLetâs not forget that you have no real proof that this is the same man. It could all be circumstantial.â
âYou didnât hear his voice change when I mentioned Vera and Savannah, but youâre right. I have no proof, but I will. Watch me,â Sullivan vowed.
âHave you talked to Charles about this?â Lawson asked.
âGirl, you know Charles. He wants me to be patient and be led by the Lord.â
âThatâs good advice,â Angel concurred.
Sullivan shook her head. âIâve waited almost thirty years, and thatâs long enough. Somebody is going to give me some answers one way or another.â
âAll right, be quiet!â Lawson directed and turned up the television. âItâs starting.â
âWeâre down to our last two contestants, folks, our biggest losers for this season!â announced the neatly coiffed, tailored suit wearing host. The camera spotlighted Kina and her fellow competitor. âLadies, tell us how youâre feeling going into tonightâs finale.â
âI feel great,â answered Kina. âThis morning I got up around seven and had breakfast with my son. We prayed together. We went over the scriptures weâve been focusing on and the promises that weâre believing God for. Weâve had a lovely day. Iâm not worried about the outcome of this competition, because I know Godâs will shall be done. Iâm simply thankful He has allowed me to get this far, meet so many awesome people, and has given me the body I thought was gone forever! I havenât been a size ten since I was seventeen years old. It doesnât matter who takes home the trophy and the money tonight. Iâve already won.â
âAnd is there anybody out there in TV land or back home you want to say hello to?â he asked her.
âShhh. Letâs see if sheâs going to give us a shout-out,â said Lawson.
Kina paused to think. âI would like to say thank you to everyone whoâs been praying for me and following me on Twitter. Your words kept me encouraged every time I wanted to give up. Thank you all for taking this journey with me.â
Sullivan smirked. âIâm sure she was thinking of all of you when she thanked her thousands of random Twitter followers.â
âI think sheâs going to win,â Reginell said, making a prediction, as the other contestant droned on with responses to the hostâs questions. âAt least I hope so. I may need her to let me borrow a few bucks.â
âWe told you to stop planning the kind of wedding you canât afford,â reproved Lawson.
âItâs not even that. Iâve gotten behind on all my bills. Matter of fact, yâall need to enjoy looking at this fifty-inch television while you can. I may have to pawn it if I donât get some money soon.â
âReggie, you canât maintain the same kind of lifestyle as a waitress that you had as a stripper,â said Angel. âLook at this expensive apartment and that convertible you drive and all these other amenities you have around here. Itâs time to face the fact that you may have to downgrade.â
âNot necessarily,â Reginell hinted.