Free Saved Folk in the House by Sonnie Beverly Page B

making sure Zakia was getting the support she needed. Upon learning that Jay had moved out, Alexis immediately went to console her daughter.
    “You need time, baby. Just trust the fact that you have everything already on the inside of you that you need to make the right decisions.”
    “I do need to figure things out.”
    “Do you want me to take the boys home with me?”
    “Would you?”
    “Of course. You just get yourself together and figure out what you’re going to do.”
    A few days later, Zakia was still down. She heard the phone ring but allowed the answering machine to pick up.
    “When you hear the beep, you know what to do. And remember, God loves you and we do too,” the machine said.
    “Z! Pick up. I know you’re there. Pick up, sis. It’s me, Raquie,” she said.
    Zakia reached from under the covers and picked up the phone. “Yeah,” she said in a dry, lazy voice.
    “Hey, sis, what it be like?” Raquie said cheerfully.
    “It be like nothing with me, what it be like with you?” was Zakia’s lifeless response.
    “Mamalexis told me about Jay. You okay?”
    “No, I’m not okay.”
    “Do you need me to come home?” she asked. Shortly after graduating summa cum laude from Manna, Raquie had taken a job in New York.
    “Naw, baby, there’s nothing you can do. I just need to sort through some things.”
    “Well, you do whatever you have to do. You want to talk about it?”
    “I’m just confused. Jay said something before he left that made sense, and now I don’t know anymore.”
    “What did he say?”
    “He asked me if I wanted to serve a God that makes you lose everything important in your life.”
    “Wow. That’s deep.”
    “My whole life doesn’t make sense anymore. Maybe I should go back to work. I need to keep busy to fight these negative emotions, but I don’t want to see people. I don’t know anything anymore.”
    “You can do both, you know.”
    “Both what?”
    “Go back to work and not see people.”
    “How?”
    “The Internet. Lots of people are doing it.”
    “Been there, done that.”
    “Yeah, but you still had an office downtown and you saw those people. They knew you and you knew them. I’m talking about no physical contact at all. And in this buck-wild, very exciting entertainment industry.”
    “Go on.”
    “I contract with webmasters, graphic designers, online hosts, and distributors that I’ve never met. And there’s plenty of work available, especially for somebody with your expertise. Right now I’m working on landing this contract to create a Web site for Jazz Jafari. Ever heard of him?”
    “Yeah, I’ve heard of him. I like his sound.”
    “Well, that brother needs a fresh cyberpresence like yesterday, and I’m going after it. I could probably use your help with the proposal. If I could say I have the top advertising executive in the state of Virginia waiting to work with Jazz, that might put me over the top. What do you say?”
    “You know I’m here for you if you need me. Besides, I probably need to step away from what’s happening here and be productive elsewhere until I figure things out.”
    “That’s what I was thinking. It’s all about what’s best for you, sis.”
    “I’ve been away from the game for a while now.”
    “Hey, it’s like riding a bike. And the fact that all your market research and reports will be done online in the comfort of your own home, you can call your own shots. However you want to work it, sis. You’re the pro.”
    “Sounds intriguing. What the heck? I’m in.”
    “Are you sure? Don’t feel obligated. I can always get it done. I just want you all right.”
    “No, this will be fun. Send me whatever you have on Jazz, and I’ll start my research.”
    “See, you’re going to be fine, sis. You’re the best, and you only deserve the best.”
    “You’re just biased, but thanks anyway. Love you, baby.”
    “Love you too.”
    Raquie sent a package overnight. Zakia logged on to the Internet and went to