Cali felt a revival when Ruthia smiled at her. She expected a grimace or even unkind words but never a smile.
“Hey, uh, I was in the bakery and saw you. How are you?”
“Oh, I’m go—”
“Mama, you forgot to get the foil,” Deasia said before stopping in her tracks. She looked at Cali as if she was a ghost before giving her a tight-lipped smile. “What’s up, Cali?”
It was so formal and lacked the familiarity they once had. Cali didn’t blame her though. She’d broken her brother’s heart.
“Hey, Deasia. Um…” Cali cracked her knuckles, attempting to find some courage under the debris of depression. “I owe you guys an apology. I know I’m probably looked at as the opp, but I never intended for Rio to be hurt behind my actions.”
“Did you set him up?” Deasia interrogated her.
Cali’s eyes widened as her head drew back. Every time someone brought that up, it wounded her because she loved Rio too much to want to see him harmed.
“Of course not. I would never put him in harm’s way.”
“I told him that,” Ruthia said. “I didn’t think you would do that to him.”
Cali was relieved by that, but Deasia’s austere expression didn’t waver.
“I would never… I did… well. I did—”
“Cheat?” Deasia pursed her lips.
The shame that had come with her sin felt like a third-degree burn.
“Yes.” Her eyes faltered. “I did and I regret that a whole lot. Rio didn’t deserve it and… I wish I could take it all back. I swear I do.”
Deasia sucked her teeth before saying, “Mama, I’ll be in the car.”
Just like that, she had dismissed herself from Cali’sI’m sorryspeech. She didn’t fault her for the lack of empathy. Cali deserved nothing from them.
“Listen, I don't condone what you did, Cali, but I won’t judge you,” Ruthia said with a maternal tone Cali didn’t know she needed. “We all make bad choices and you're not the first girl to step out on her marriage.”
A lone tear slid from Cali’s eye. Quickly swiping it away, she prayed that her depression just held off a little longer until she returned to Bria’s house.
“How is he?” Cali had been dying to know.
“He’s well.” She beamed. “Still hardheaded but that’s Rio.”
A faint smile covered her lips. God, she missed her husband. This pain had to be permanent. No remedy would cure the ache she had in her heart for Rio.
Ruthia grabbed her hand. “I’m praying for you, Cali. Truly I am. I pray that God forgives you and that you forgive yourself.”
“How is it that you don't hate me for what I did to your son?”
Ruthia beamed. “Because I remember those nights you cried and prayed for him. You can’t fake that kind of love no matter what. I know you loved Rio. I know you didn’t mean for him to get hurt. I know your heart, Cali. So, I can’t hate you. God orders us not to hate each other but to have compassion.”
She nodded, swallowing the sob that sat in her throat. “Thank you.”
“You be good now. And if you need to talk, you can still call.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Alright now. I gotta go before Deasia gets impatient. God bless you, Cali.”
“You too,” she mumbled.
