Joie Campbell is a twenty-one year old mom and married to the man of her life. Unfortunately her life has not been a bowl of cherries. Between struggling to maintain her marriage, bridge the conflict between her and her mom, and trying to keep her job, she’s coming up with no roses. Her husband, Issac, who once showered her with anything her heart desired, is now emotionally unavailable to her and she is having cravings of her ex Pharell James. Meanwhile her best friend Siah is enjoying a wonderful engagement to Cory Johnson and has totally removed herself from Joie’s life. Joie’s brother Joe has been keeping a secret from his mother, Sandy Campbell, who has no idea of the conflict inside her son’s soul.
A chain of events forces Joie into self-reflection and spirals her world out of control. While trying to get balance in her world, she has to make a choice on whether to give up...or dying fighting.
Time is ticking by so slowly and I hear the music of the city in this new wet morning. I’m gazing into the eyes of my beautiful thing in my life, Imani, with her black dark eyes questioning my brown tearful ones. I’m trying to pretend as always that everything is going fine but inside my soul I am screaming a haunting melody that won’t be vocalized because the revolution in my throat is not ready for human consumption. It’s one of those days where I want to lay in this bed, with Imani on top of me, snuggled in this warm bed watching an all day CSI marathon on television but that’s not the way it’s going to roll. I have to get Imani to a birthday party and hope that Issac will be on time for this party because if I have to take the bus with Imani today, I am going to scream. It’s hard enough traveling on buses by myself, but when I’m with her, it’s a lot of more extra work. I can’t see why he can’t at least try to get me a car or something. He always keeps the car for himself, which I tell him, is very selfish. Anyway, it’s the same old same. It is only seven a. m and I’m in for a long long day. I try not to think about it, but I know it’s going to be a long one.
Imani gently smiles at me with that bright grin on her face and my tears do not fall. I beg them to not fall for I don’t want Imani to see me this way. I can hide my pain. I have to. Isn’t that what mothers do? I know my mother did. Sandy never let us see her sweat and I’m not going to let Imani see me melt away like a weak person would. There’s no way I will let her see me cry.
No sense in bring a dark cloud over this day because with her, everything negative melts away. Even though I’m only twenty-one years old, I feel this is my destiny. To be the best mother Imani has and in turn God will bless me and guide me on.
I softly grab her stubby little fingers and we play spiders as my fingers climb up her little arms all the way up to her perfect round rose which I bend to kiss.
“I love you baby girl.” She giggles at me as her smile reaches me and I begin to feel my soul lightening it’s heavy weight. Yeah, this is the reason why I am a mother. This beautiful girl who I am responsible needs me. It’s not about me anymore, but her and I’ll fight with everything in my soul to keep her safe and provide a good environment. Even if that means leaving Issac.
I brush my lips against her pliable skin as we begin a new day. After all, a day above ground is better than one, under.
A page-turning novel about a relationship between best friends that is interrupted because of betrayal , deceit, sexual promiscuity and pregnancy happens!
