Tonya realized she was not so much anti-marriage as she was overly cautious when it came to the type of man she wanted in her life, because it wasn’t until years after she married her high school sweetheart that she saw another side to his personality. It was subtle at first, but Samuel Alexander turned from a jovial, laid-back, affectionate man into a suspicious, controlling monster. It became a battle of wills—she wanting to go to cooking school, while he wanted her home with their young daughter. Even when she suggested her parents were willing to look after Samara until she completed her studies, he would fly into a rage, accusing her of being a bad mother.
Six months after her divorce was finalized, she enrolled in Johnson and Wales University College of Culinary Arts with the intent to eventually own and operate her own restaurant. She worked hard, studied even harder to graduate, and it paid off when she secured her first position as a sous chef at an Upper East Side restaurant boasting an elite clientele ranging from A-list movie stars to captains of industry and international businessmen.
Tonya had been employed for a year when the IRS placed a lien on the restaurant because the owner failed to pay millions in back taxes, and she found herself looking for employment elsewhere. Wishing to diversify her skills, she left her young daughter in the care of her parents once again, and this time she flew to Europe and Asia to take a series of cooking courses. Tonya found her niche in France when she traveled throughout the country perfecting regional dishes. Cooking had become an addiction—one she never wanted to give up.
Now she planned to invest in a new venture, which would afford her total autonomy and a share in the profits of the DuPont Inn. It also meant she would have to relocate, but that did not pose much of a problem, because there wasn’t anything binding her to New York. Her daughter, who had begun her senior year at Spelman College, elected to live off campus in an apartment with a roommate, while hinting she had planned to make Atlanta her permanent home once she pursued graduate studies at Georgia State University.
Transitioning from living in New York to New Orleans was certain to go smoothly for Tonya. Her parents had settled into a gated retirement community in Florida, and the timing was right because her apartment lease was due to expire at the end of January. Hannah suggested she live in one of the guesthouses until renovations to the main house were completed. Then she would move into one of the first floor bedroom suites.
Earlier in the year she had celebrated a milestone birthday, and at fifty she decided it was time to change her life. She cut her shoulder-length dreadlocks, joined a sports club to work out, took yoga lessons, and scheduled a standing monthly appointment for a facial and full-body massage. The result was a twenty-five-pound weight loss; not only did she look younger, but also felt better than she had in years. The week before, she had cut her hair again—this time into a short, curly style that showed off her face to its best advantage and was perfect for the warmer Louisiana climate.
She sighed softly. In two days she would be a bridesmaid when her friend married a man whom she had not known she loved when both were in high school. It had taken Hannah forty years to openly express to St. John that she had always loved him, and just seeing the way they looked at each other, Tonya knew they were meant for each other.
Although Tonya professed not to want to marry again, she was realistic enough to know there were some forces she was unable to predict or control. Her breathing deepened, and after a while all thoughts of men and marriage faded as she finally fell asleep.
