Read Online Free Fridays by Pat Tucker - Free Book Online

father. He’s the only father you have, and it’s not fair for you to push your feelings off on your daughter.”
    â€œBig Mama. After all he did to you, to this family? I don’t think any of us should be talking to him ever again.”
    â€œWell, you’re not being realistic. You know your father’s health is failing, and he’s gonna need support from his kids,” Big Mama said.
    Linda sucked her teeth. She didn’t give her mother much pushback, but Leela knew for sure that her mother meant it when she said she wanted nothing else to do with her father.
    â€œHow have you been? How was it this week?” Leela asked her grandmother.
    â€œIt’s hard. You know I left my parents’ house for my husband’s. I still think about him each and every day. I was prepared for until-death-do-us-part. He’s the only man I’ve ever loved,” Big Mama said.
    Her words broke Leela’s heart. She reached for her grandmother’s hand and squeezed tightly.
    â€œI keep telling her she needs to get out more. But maybe you just need yourself a little young buck,” Linda joked.
    Leela and Big Mama looked at her, but failed to see the humor in her joke.
    â€œWwwwaaahht?” Linda squealed. “Lots of older women are hooking up with younger men. It’s the in thing now.” Linda shrugged off the awkward glances. “Twist up your faces if you want to, but I’ll take a younger man over one my age any day or night of the week.”
    Big Mama’s sudden outburst of laughter caught everyone off guard. “Chile, I’m seventy-two years old. I don’t care what these other women are doing. What would I do with some younger man?”
    â€œDon’t knock it ’til you try it, Big Mama,” Linda joked, then winked.
    Leela didn’t say another word. But her mind raced with thoughts of what would become of her grandmother who after fifty-two years of marriage was now divorced and left to fend for herself.
    After brunch with her mother and grandmother, Leela left to meet Samantha at a new hair shop they’d been dying to try. Thereafter, the plan was to grab a quick drink and appetizers before Leela headed back home.
    â€œYou can go home, but I’m going to see Monique; then I’m going to the after-party,” Samantha announced when they discussed their plans.
    Leela wasn’t about to entertain the idea. She knew most of Riley’s day would be consumed by basketball games, but once he got home, cleaned up, and rested, he’d be ready for them to do something together.
    This new single-lady lifestyle was definitely gonna take some getting used to for Leela.
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    Riley hated being in a pissing contest with Bill, but since the divorce, it seemed that was what most of their conversations had turned into. The current one was about to drive him crazy.
    â€œDawg, you lying,” Bill taunted Riley.
    â€œWhat I gotta lie to you for?” Riley asked as he took another healthy swig from his beer.
    â€œSo you tryin’ to make me believe that you really believe your wife has been completely faithful to you in the whole time y’all been together?” The wonder in Bill’s voice was apparent.
    Riley shrugged. “I ain’t tryin’ to make you believe anything. I’m just telling you that I ain’t never had a woman cheat on me.”
    When Kelly decided to drop Bill, Riley felt like it sent his boy into a downward spiral of self-doubt. Somehow, that made his friend question just about everything about the opposite sex.
    â€œBullshit!” Bill yelled. “Bullshit. All women cheat, Dawg,” he insisted.
    â€œNah, they don’t, just like all men don’t cheat,” Riley said smugly.
    Bill tossed Riley a wicked glare as a smirk spread across his face. “Oh, so what about my bachelor party?” he asked.
    â€œWhat about it?” Riley