wait stations to a small room beside the main kitchen, where Nya was sitting at a small round table, talking on her cell phone. When she saw Janelle she smiled, waved and quickly ended her conversation. “Thanks, Brad.”
He blew her an air-kiss and went back to the kitchen.
“Hey, girl,” she exclaimed with her arms open wide.
Janelle smiled and walked over to her. They hugged and laughed. “It’s so good to see you. Oh, my God, you look sensational.”
“You, too,” Janelle said.
“Well, yeah, of course I do, but I wasn’t exactly working in the middle of the desert. You’re practically glowing. Come on. Let’s sit down. Brad made us something amazing for lunch.”
“Brad, huh? Nice. He’s gorgeous.”
She smiled and winked. “We’re just friends. Long story, great ending,” she said just as her cell phone rang again. Nya looked at the number and smiled. “I need to get this.” She pressed the FaceTime accept button and smiled. “We’re here,” she said, turning the phone around so Janelle could speak.
“Hello, ladies,” Mia said, sing-songing a greeting to her two sisters.
Janelle beamed with delight at seeing her other sister on the video app on Nya’s cell phone. “Oh, my God, Mia, look at you. You look fantastic. How are you and how’s everybody?”
“I’m fine. We’re all fine. Everything’s great. I’m so sorry to miss our pre-Christmas lunch and shopping this year. But how are you?”
“I’m wonderful. It’s so good to see you. How’s my godson?”
“Our godson,” Nya joked.
“He’s amazing. Hold on a second. I’ll let you see him. He just went down for his nap.” Mia held her phone down to her sleeping baby in the crib. Both Janelle and Nya squealed with joy at seeing him and then silenced quickly. But it was too late. He began to stir and his lower lip pouted.
A second later his eyes opened. He whimpered and then started crying. “Aw-ww,” Janelle and Nya said in unison.
“Oh, well, ladies, looks like I’m back on mommy duty. I’ll call you guys later tonight. Have a great lunch. Welcome home, Janelle. I love you both,” Mia said, waving.
Janelle smiled as Nya ended the call. “It feels so good to be home. You have no idea.”
“It’s good to have you back. So, tell me, how’s my stepdad?” Janelle’s expression instantly changed. “What’s wrong? Is Ben okay?”
Janelle sighed heavily, shaking her head. “He’s fine, but to tell you the truth, I don’t know what to think.”
“What do you mean?”
“My dad had a heart attack and a mild stroke.”
“What? When?” Nya asked quickly.
“About six months ago. I didn’t even know about it. He didn’t tell me. Apparently, I had just left for Tanzania when it happened.”
“Oh, my God. And he’s just telling you this now?”
“No, that’s just it. He didn’t tell me. Tyson told me. Dad called him instead of me after it happened.”
“Whoa, wait a minute. Tyson, as in Tyson Croft—your Tyson Croft?” Nya asked. Janelle nodded. “Okay, wait, I don’t get it. Why did Ben call him and not you—or me, for that matter?”
“He told me that he hadn’t wanted to worry me and have me rush home to be with him. If Tyson hadn’t told me, I never would have known what happened.”
“Okay, start from the beginning. What does Tyson have to do with this and when did he come back into the picture?”
Brad brought their lunch. After a brief conversation, the two began eating as Janelle told Nya about her homecoming and seeing Tyson again and meeting his daughter.
“A four-year-old daughter,” Nya exclaimed.
“Wait, there’s more.” Janelle continued the story.
By the time the meal was done Janelle had told Nya everything about her father’s business problem and Tyson living in her home with his daughter.
Nya shook her head. “This is too unreal. I can’t believe it. I had no idea. I spoke with Ben a couple of weeks ago and he never mentioned anything to me.”
“I know the feeling,” Janelle said sarcastically.
“Okay, so Tyson is working with Ben now. You talked to him. He told you about what’s been going on, but what about the two of you?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” Janelle asked.
“You know exactly what I mean. Two and a half years ago you and Tyson were headed down the aisle. Then all of a sudden he’s gone and you leave for Africa. Now you’re back and he’s back. What happens now?”
“I don’t know,” Janelle said, taking a deep breath and shaking her head. She looked at her sister and sighed. “I kissed him.” Nya smiled without responding. “Nya, you don’t understand. I mean I really kissed him,” Janelle reiterated.
“Yes, I do understand. You’re my sister. Yeah, maybe not by blood, but with us, that doesn’t really matter. I know you, and deep down in your heart you still have feelings for Tyson, and I know that he has some pretty strong feelings for you, too.” Janelle shook her head as Nya nodded. “You’re gonna have to relent, Janelle. You two had the romance of the century, and fine, things fell apart at the end, but you and I both know that wasn’t the end—not really. My advice—grab all the love and happiness you can and, in this case, it’s with Tyson.”
“Since when did you become a romance guru?”
“Apparently since now,” Nya said, smiling.
“It’s not that easy, Nya. I wish it was. He’s leaving again.”
Nya reached across the table to hold her sister’s hand. She squeezed gently. “Actually, sis, it is that easy. Love is the easiest thing in the world. Just follow your heart.”
“Okay, now you’re starting to scare me.”
“If I learned nothing else from watching Mia and Stephen come together, it’s that love will always find a way. So, tell me, how did he look?” Nya asked.
“He was still as handsome as ever. The instant he looked up at me, I swear my heart skipped a beat. It was as if time had stood still and the past two and a half years of my life had evaporated. I told myself that I was over him. I was wrong.”
Nya giggled and smiled. “I love the sound of romance in the afternoon.”
The two went on talking about men, jobs, family, vacations, the holidays and then back to men. Two hours later they were still laughing and talking.
“Come
