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  Daryn sighed. “Give me my dang on bracelet back; that’s what I said,” Daryn said with frustration. Although she’d just witnessed her sisters being quite petty and had no desire to partake in such immature behavior, this wasn’t just any charm bracelet. It was Daryn’s lucky charm bracelet; the one she only wore on special occasions; like when she had a test, a debate or was trying out for something at school.

  “What charm bracelet?” Joy asked. “Are you talking about this charm bracelet? You’re not talking about this charm bracelet are you?”

  “I am not about to stand here and play this childish game with you, so give me my bracelet!” Daryn demanded.

  Joy loved making Daryn so angry to the point where she would drop the “I’m smarter and more mature than the whole wide world act” and get low down and dirty. So she continued to egg her on. “You don’t mean this bracelet do you?” Joy teasingly waved her wrist in the air, dangling Daryn’s bracelet right in front of her face.

  When Daryn went to reach for it, Joy pulled back quickly and laughed. Kennedy joined in on the laughter. She loved watching her baby sister taunt Daryn the book diva, which was the nickname she and Joy had given their sister.

  “Okay, that’s it!” Daryn said, trying her best not to lose control, but her little sister had pushed her over the edge. “You asked for it, little sister.” Daryn lunged at Joy, grabbing the wrist that donned her charm bracelet.

  “Stop it! Get off of me,” Joy yelled. “Mommy!”

  “Quit screaming for Mom before she comes to see what’s the matter and we all end up getting in trouble,” Kennedy warned Joy. “You always droppin’ the dime on somebody, tattle tale.”

  Joy ceased her cry for help. She then quickly pulled her wrist away from Daryn, which caused the bracelet to break. Charms rolled all over the kitchen floor.

  Joy put her hand over her mouth as Daryn fell to her knees in an effort to scoop up the rolling charms from the floor.

  “Oh, no. Now look what you’ve done,” Daryn said to Joy, almost teary eyed. “The drama club is having try-outs next week for the spring play. Now what am I going to do? I’ll never get a part without my lucky charm bracelet.”

  Kennedy shook her head at the sight on the kitchen floor. “Umph, umph, umph. All that wasn’t even called for, Joy, and you know it,” Kennedy scolded as she watched Daryn sadly gather the remains of her broken bracelet. “And you’re gonna buy her another one with your allowance...or else.” Kennedy held up her notorious fist to Joy. Even though that fist had never actually connected with any living thing, it still put fear in her sisters nonetheless.

  Of course, Kennedy couldn’t have cared less about Daryn’s devastation over her broken bracelet. She just loved taking advantage of any opportunity where she could throw her weight around, and her age for that matter. Thirteen-years-old and born to rule, she loved being the boss of her younger sisters. Daryn had just turned twelve, and Joy was eleven. But both younger sisters had learned that their older sister’s bark was way worse than her bite, so they typically just let her bark.

  “I’m spending my allowance on Lemon Heads and Boston Baked Beans just like I always do,” Joy said, folding her arms, closing her eyes and then bobbing her head. “Anyway…” She opened her eyes and looked down at Daryn. “That’s what you get for trying to snatch it off my wrist,” an unapologetic Joy teased as she headed to the cupboard for a bowl to fix herself some cereal.

  Kennedy shook her head, noticing the evil look that covered Daryn’s face as she shot cold stares at Joy’s back. She recognized that look. It was a prelude to nothing but bad news. As the oldest child, Kennedy had seen that look many times before. Heck, she had invented it. She had worn it on her own face enough times to know exactly what it meant…which was WAR!

  Chapter Three

  Just the Girls

  It was about 5:30 P.M. when Sammi arrived home from work, which was around the normal time she got home from work. The girls were each finishing up their homework in their usual spots. Joy was in the den, Daryn was at the kitchen table, and Kennedy was sitting on her basketball at the living room coffee table. Sammi had made the rule a long time ago that the girls weren’t to occupy the same room together unless she was home to referee. Typically, with the girls’ after school activities, tutoring and what have you, they got home from school thirty minutes before Sammi got home from work. And of course with Kennedy being of baby-sitting age, she was in charge for that half hour.

  “Girls, I’m home,” Sammi mumbled through the couple pieces of mail that were locked between her teeth as she came through the front door. She was holding two plastic grocery bags, one in each hand, and her brief case under her arm.

  “Hey, Mommy,” Joy said, running quickly from out of the den and into the foyer. She always listened for the sound of Sammi’s key in the front door lock so that she could be the first one to greet their mother when she came in. She felt as though it was a privilege; as if the first daughter her mother connected with got the best hug and kiss. “No sloppy seconds from you two,” Joy would say to her sisters. “I might get rabies or something.”

  Sammi allowed her briefcase to slip from under her arm and onto the floor. She then removed the mail from her mouth and said, “Hello, sweetie.” She knelt down and gave Joy a kiss on the forehead and a nice warm hug. “How was your day?”

  “Well, actually, it was-” Joy started.

  “Mom!” Kennedy interrupted as she stood up from the coffee table.

  “Hey, there’s my little darling,” Sammi said as she handed Joy one of the grocery bags and then headed into the living room to peek at her oldest daughter’s homework. “How’s the homework coming along?” She kissed Kennedy on the cheek.

  Unlike with Joy, she didn’t have to kneel down to give Kennedy a kiss. A few more inches, and Kennedy would be just as tall as her mother. At around five feet tall, Kennedy had definitely taken after her father, God rest his soul, when it came to her height.

  “I’m all finished with my homework now,” Kennedy said, proudly. “I did most of it during study hall. I was just doing some reading.”

  “Good, I’ll check it after dinner,” Sammi promised her. She handed Kennedy the other grocery bag so that she could follow suit and take it into the kitchen like Joy had done with the other bag. Sammi followed behind Kennedy.

  “Mother!” Daryn exclaimed once Sammi entered the kitchen. Daryn closed her eyes and stuck out her lips. Sammi bent down and planted some sugar on her middle child’s lips, just as she always did.

  “Hello, dear,” Sammi said as she then walked over to the counter and laid down her purse that had been secure around her shoulder.

  “Mother, Mr. Leeberman gave me the lead girl part in the play the drama club is putting on in a couple of months,” Daryn bragged. “And I got the part even without my lucky charm bracelet.” Daryn shot Joy a quick, dirty look, then turned her attention back to her mother with a smile.

  “That’s great, honey,” Sammi complimented. “See, I told you that you can do anything you set your mind to. You don’t need a lucky charm. All you need is the faith of a mustard seed.” Sammi bent down. “It’s about believing in here, “she pointed to Daryn’s heart, “and in there,” she pointed to Daryn’s head.

  Daryn felt that her mother was right. Lucky for Joy too. Now Daryn wouldn’t have to carry out the plan of revenge she had plotted against her in retaliation for breaking her bracelet. She had two bottles of Elmer’s Glue she was going to replace her little sister’s hair conditioner with. After all, the devious act had worked out just fine when she’d done it to Kennedy, which explained the reason for Kennedy’s recent haircut. Daryn couldn’t help but smile as she thought back to the incident.

  “UGGGGGHHHHH!” Kennedy had yelled from the shower stall. Everyone went running to see what the matter was; everyone except for Daryn. She knew exactly what was wrong. She laid in her bed giggling, just imagining the sight of her sister with her hands stuck in her icky, sticky hair. A
s a matter of fact, a smile crept across her face as she envisioned Joy experiencing the same thing.

  Hmmm, maybe next time, Daryn smiled to herself, as she brought her thoughts back to the present.

  “You must have done an excellent job at try-outs to get that gig,” Sammi continued her praise toward Daryn.

  “Mr. Leeberman is a dork,” Kennedy said in her attempt to downplay Daryn’s accomplishment. “He would have assigned the school janitor a role if he had tried out.”

  “I thought when you had Mr. Leeberman for drama that you liked him, Kennedy,” Sammi tried to recall.

  “Well, yeah, he’s an all right dude, but-” Kennedy shrugged.

  “But nothing,” Daryn interrupted. “I got the part because I’m good.”

  “Good at bad acting.” Joy couldn’t help but chime in with a chuckle.

  “Enough, girls,” Sammi said, sternly. She looked back and forth from Kennedy to Joy. “You two should be very proud of your sister. I know I am.” Sammi then looked to Daryn and smiled.

  Daryn returned the smile at her mother, but when Sammi turned to head up the steps, Daryn stuck her tongue out at her sisters. Kennedy went to punch her, but just as soon as she could ball her fist, Sammi turned around.

  “I’m going to make you girls your favorite for dinner tonight,” Sammi said. “Some fried chicken, mashed potatoes and collard greens with corn bread.” Not only was that the girls’ favorite meal, but it had been their father’s as well. His mother used to make it for him all the time as a boy growing up. She’d immediately taught Sammi the recipe upon learning of their engagement. In return, Sammi shared some of her own mother’s Italian recipes with her mother-in-law.

  “Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and collard greens with corn bread,” Kennedy repeated the menu while rubbing her belly.

  Dy-no-mite,” the girls said, licking lips and clasping their hands together, willing ready and able to throw down on some delicious grub.

  It was no secret that the girls absolutely loved watching old sitcom re-runs such as Good Times, What’s Happening, The Brady Bunch, Different Strokes and The Jeffersons.

  “Those were some of your dad’s favorite shows,” their mother had once told them. She chuckled as if thinking back, causing a smile to spread across her lips. “He even used to talk like them.” She raised her arms and then pointed her hands outward before saying, “Dy-no-mite,” imitating one of the characters from Good Times. She burst out laughing.

  The girls couldn’t help but start laughing as well. They could picture their father doing that and saying some of the things the characters on the shows said. And now, after watching so many episodes of the shows, the girls had a tendency to use some of the same vocabulary, and even mock their style of dress after some of the characters.

  “Why are you fixing our favorite dinner? What’s the occasion?” Daryn asked her mother.

  Sammi was a great cook and always prepared a good meal for them every evening. But they were used to their favorite meal being reserved for very special occasions.

  Sammi shrugged her shoulders and perched her lips. “Since when does a mother need a special occasion to cook her girls a good meal?” Each girl smiled as Sammi winked and then headed up the steps. “Besides, what did Grandma Soul used to say that cooking a good meal and feeding someone meant?”

  “I love you!” the girls answered in unison.

  “You go it. I love you girls and I always will. And like Grandma Soul said; sometimes we tell people we love them and care about them just by cooking them a nice meal.”

  The girls watched their mother disappear at the top of the steps. They each admired her so much. She was so beautiful with her mid-back length, straight brunette hair. She had skin as tanned as a golden nugget with piercing light brown eyes. Her dimples made her smile all the more beautiful. To her daughters, Sammi was the most beautiful Mom ever, and not just because she was their mother. Even all the kids at school thought the Soul Sisters had the prettiest mother of all mothers. The boys said she could be Jessica Alba’s, the girl that played in the movie Honey, twin sister. Of course, the Soul Sisters thought their mother was far prettier than Jessica Alba, Demi Lavoto, Jennifer Aniston, or any other famous Italian American actresses, who were all absolute “foxes” by the way.

  Since their father had died four years ago after fighting a losing battle with diabetes, it had just been the girls and their mother. They missed their father dearly. He’d made it a point to spend as much time with his daughters as possible. That often meant that Mr. Soul had to put his family before his career. If his daughters had a ceremony at school, a dance recital or a parent-teacher conference, Mr. Soul wouldn’t hesitate to take off work so that he could attend. No matter what, he had always shown up with Sammi on his arm.

  There was only one time when Mr. Soul had missed an event. It was the Saint Amos Private School Father-Kid Basketball Tournament. Even though Mr. Soul’s illness had been getting the best of him, he remained strong in his faith that through the strength of God, he could do anything. In this particular case, anything included playing with his oldest daughter in a basketball game.

  Kennedy had waited, waited and waited for her father to show up, but he never did. It was after the game they learned Mr. Soul had been hospitalized. He never came home from the hospital.

  Since the death of her daughters’ father, Sammi had done everything she could to fill the void left in the girls’ lives. She made it a point to always be there for them, and to never let anything come between them, definitely not work. But being so determined to see to it that her daughters remained just as happy without their father in their lives that they had been with him, she forgot about her own happiness.

  Sammi had toyed with the idea before about maybe starting to date again, or perhaps even remarrying, but just as quickly as the idea would enter her mind, she’d shove it right on out.

  A man in her life? Who was she kidding? She hadn’t dated in years. Very few men even attempted to ask her out on a date. It wasn’t because she wasn’t attractive enough. It was because she still wore her wedding ring. Most men figured she was married and off limits, so they didn’t dare try to approach her.

  In the past she had talked herself out of dating by saying she wouldn’t know how to act on a date. In addition to that, it had just been her and her daughters for so long that she could only imagine how the girls might react if she ever did decide to allow a man into their lives. As fate would have it, though, her imagination was about to become reality.

  Chapter Four

  Got Plans?

  About a month later, Sammi whizzed through the front door carrying a Bath and Body Works bag. “Girls, I’m home,” she sang. She then began to sing Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable,” as she dropped her briefcase at the door.

  “Hey, Mommy,” Joy said, running out of the den.

  “Hello, sweetie,” Sammi replied, pinching Joy’s cheeks as if she were a cute, chubby baby or soft, cuddly puppy.

  Joy stood there with her hand on the spot her mother had just pinched. The most puzzled look covered her face and her feelings were visibly hurt. Normally, Sammi would stop, give her a kiss, a warm hug, and ask how her day had gone. But today she waltzed on by her youngest of three daughters after only pinching her cheek.

  “A pinch,” Joy said to herself, scrunching up her face. “A pinch is for a baby. I’m not a baby.”

  “Mom,” Kennedy said, standing up from the coffee table, her basketball that had been doubling as a chair rolling from underneath her. She waited for her mother to come peek at her homework and kiss her on the cheek as she always did when she came in from work.

  “Hey there, my little darling,” Sammi said, all smiles, still humming, as she walked right past the living room and toward the kitchen.

  Kennedy walked into the foyer with a confused look on her face. Joy was still standing there with a matching look on her face. The two girls crossed their arms and gave each other a concerned eye. Th
ey then took steps toward the kitchen.

  “Mother!” Daryn exclaimed once Sammi entered the kitchen. She was excited, as always, to greet her mother. Daryn closed her eyes and stuck out her lips for her mother to come place the regular soft motherly kiss on them like she always did.

  “Hello, dear,” Sammi said, laying her purse on the counter and waltzing right on up the stairs.

  After a few seconds went by and Daryn had not yet received a kiss from her mother, she opened her eyes only to see Sammi clearing the top of the staircase. Daryn sat there in a zombie like daze as her two sisters entered the kitchen. Now all three sisters’ faces wore the same exact expression: confusion.

  Each of the girls felt pretty much ignored by their mother. Usually they were fighting for her attention, but today, it seemed like not one of them was any more worthy of it than the other.

  Just when the girls were starting to feel hopeless and completely invisible, Sammi popped her head out at the top of the steps and addressed her daughters. “Oh, I’m sorry, girls,” she said, tapping herself upside the head as if she felt silly that she had forgotten something.

  “Yes, Mom/Mother/Mommy,” the girls said in unison with eagerness in their tones. They were relieved that their mother did know that they existed after all.

  “You’re on your own for dinner tonight. Kennedy, take something out of the freezer; a pizza or something. Mommy’s got plans,” Sammi said as she whirled away, now singing the words, “I’m unforgettable too.”

  “Got plans?” the girls said, once again, all in unison.

  “Did she say she had plans?” Joy questioned. “I know she didn’t say she had plans did she? But it sounded like she said she had plans.”

  “She did say that,” Kennedy pouted.

  “But we had plans?” Daryn said to no one in particular as she looked down sadly. “She was supposed to help me go over my lines for the play.”

  “Shoot, the last time I checked, we were her plans,” Kennedy said, putting her hands on her hips and glaring up the steps. Her lips tightened.