CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE
(part six)

Wednesday — 1:07 P.M.

“So that’s that,” Sandy shrugged. “My fairy tale ends with the prince going to jail.”

She was sitting on the couch in the apartment at the Castle. Heather touched Sandy’s arm.

“Oh honey, that can’t be it,” Jill said. She was walking back and forth bouncing Heather’s newborn, Mack, in her arms.

“That’s what I said,” Tanesha said.

“According to his lawyer, he goes to some place called DRDC, reception and diagnostics, over off of Havana. He’ll be there a week or more for testing, then he gets placed. We won’t be able to see him until he’s placed,” Sandy said. “Samantha said she’s seen it take months for people to get in there. Then they can spend at least a month there. This isn’t a really busy time of year, so she thinks he’ll go through fast.”

“How are the kids?” Heather asked.

“Hysterical,” Sandy said. “Sam and Delphie helped me get them back here. Anjelika was able to get them to watch a movie downstairs. That’s where they are. They didn’t want to leave me, but Jill’s Mom knew how much I needed to see you guys. Aden’s gone and I’m…. I really needed to see you.”

“We’re glad you called,” Jill said.

”Social Services is coming in a couple hours,” Sandy said

“Do you think they’ll take the kids?” Jill asked.

“Sam says they’re doing a house visit to make sure the kids are going to be all right here. He and Delphie and I will be their guardians while Aden’s in jail. No one wants to add them to the system.”

“Wow, you’ve gone from a single gal to the mother of two,” Tanesha said. “And one on the way.”

“Will you deliver my baby too?” Sandy asked. Relieved to talk about something other then her mess up life, Sandy shifted her attention to Tanesha.

“Boy… That was fun,” Tanesha said. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since that happened.”

“You did great,” Heather said. “I couldn’t have done it without you. And look at me – no tearing, everything’s really good. I was in the hospital less than twenty-four hours. You and Blane make a good team.”

“Well, that’s what I was thinking about,” Tanesha said. “You remember when I went away to school?”

“Morehouse,” Jill said. “I was so jealous. I would have painted my skin black to get your scholarships!”

“You had Trevor,” Tanesha said.

“Don’t remind me.” Jill kissed little Mack’s face. “You wouldn’t have liked Trevor, Mack.”

“What about school, Tanesha?” Sandy asked.

“I missed you guys so much,” Tanesha said. “I counted the days until I was home again. I felt like your lives were really moving along and I was stuck. But I couldn’t stop. I was the only person in my family EVER to get a chance to go to college. I wasn’t going to fail all those generations of slaving and subsistence farming and struggling to get me here.

“But I missed you guys,” Tanesha said. “You know I’m supposed to go to medical school in the fall?”

“I know you’re going to medical school in the fall,” Heather said.

“Are you unsure about school?” Sandy asked.

“I was thinking that I would hurry through. You know, just get it done and become a GP or something fast so I wouldn’t miss too much,” Tanesha said. “But after yesterday? I want to deliver babies.”

Jill, Heather and Sandy gave a little cheer.

“But that means I’ll be in school forever,” Tanesha said. “I won’t be available for confabs like this one or to help out with kids or to go out for drinks or…. It will be like when I was exiled at Morehouse.”

“We’re right here,” Jill said.

She held Mack out to Tanesha. Tanesha picked him up to cuddle.

“We won’t let you drift too far,” Jill said.

“We don’t go out so much anymore,” Sandy added.

“You can’t get rid of us,” Heather said. “I can’t wait until you open your new office. Dr. Tanesha!”

“We’ll call you Dr. T,” Jill said.

“We wouldn’t be your true friends if we didn’t want you to be really happy,” Sandy said. “We want you to do what makes you happy. We’ll still be here.”

“There’s something else,” Tanesha said. She looked over at Heather. “That Tres asked me out.”

Heather flushed.

“I know how much you like him, Heather. I don’t need no man getting in between my besties. No man is worth that.”

Jill and Sandy watched Heather.

“What did you say?” Heather asked.

“I didn’t say anything,” Tanesha said. “He called about an hour ago. Listen, I’m serious. If you don’t want me to see that guy I won’t see him.”

“I want to get all hysterical, you know,” Heather said. “I want to say that I found him first. He’s really cute. I think he likes me. How can he like you? Stuff like that. But you know, I have really crappy taste in men. I can’t pick a guy who’s good for me to save my life.”

“You picked Blane,” Jill said.

“He kinda picked me,” Heather smiled. “My good taste was to pick the sperminator. Would you really not date Tres if I said so?”

“I would never accept another call from him,” Tanesha said. “You come first.”

“I feel that way about you too,” Heather said. “And Jill and Sandy.”

Jill and Sandy nodded in agreement.

“I have Blane and Mack,” Heather said. “I have to believe that, if it’s meant to be, the right person will come along for me when the time is right. I thought that was Tres, but if he’s asking you out, he’s not the right person for me. Anyway, right now, I need to focus on Mack.”

“He’s such a good baby,” Jill said. “So mellow.”

“Not like Katy!” Sandy laughed. “Remember how active she was when she was this age?”

“I do!” Heather and Tanesha said at the same time.

“She’s still that active,” Jill laughed.

“So you don’t mind if I go out with Tres?” Tanesha said.

“I don’t mind, Tanesha,” Heather said. “Have fun.”

Heather stood to hug Tanesha. With Mack in her arms, Tanesha walked into Heather’s hug. Jill put her arms around the two and Sandy stood to hug them. With the tiny newborn at the center, the four friends hugged each other.

“Family of choice,” Sandy whispered.

Denver Cereal continues on Monday…