was nice enough, but she was a snob. She constantly made references to not enjoying living in Pittsburgh and how much she wished they could move back to New York. She

ted in the privacy of their home. She had learned Keshaun had experienced a heart attack at the age of thirty-two. Stress from his job had him dropping in the

aller city where his grandparents had lived and opened a coffee shop. He had told her opening his shops had been a different kind of stressful, but he

p back to New York to do Christmas shopping. Famke was stuck in between the two of th

body so she could go hide with Cesar in the kitchen. She was stunned to see Royal walking in carrying a small child in his arms. She couldn't

't know you were coming but you're right on time. Tell Keshaun there

ara, I do my s

fe to embrace his friend in a tight hug and t

lips are sticky," s

ew recipe for a cranberry fritter, and it's

ant a sa

will go to tell Cesar to

rl clearly didn't like tuna and her Uncle Kes

are

lky smooth with a smattering of freckles across her nose. It was the freckles c

un explained. "You can tell her what y

chocolate with lot

" Famke smiled at her. She

lack Americano," he passed her his tr

le as Keshaun continued teasing the little girl and eventually agreed to get a turkey

her as if the swinging doors were striking her direc

as if she had stepped off a magazine cover and wav

didn't say you came with him. Oh, thank God someone

red if this must be Royal's wife but then noted there was no wedding band

dn't realize he was bringing the kid with him

tighten at the comme

Famke who was making the child's hot chocola

e smiled politely. "

r you to pay

sh this and I'll b

no.

ke was being spoken to, but Famke set the drink

onsider a chai latte minus everything which makes a la

?" the woman demand

will start yours." She frowned as pondered for th

m the kitchen to hear

offee maid, you will make my chai first. Forget everything else an

u talk to my employee like this one more time, I don't care that you're curr

shade of red as she sputte

turned to her, "Famke, Precious asked if we could put marshmallows instead of whipped cream on her hot chocolate. Royal is taking

er face from the way he'd told Ambrosia o

ia hissed and looked around, "why can

the chair," Royal said as he came back out carrying said chi

and stood next to Famke. "Are

rag a step stool closer. "Hop up. You can pass me the big tin over ther

ded vig

d winked. "Uncle Keshaun won't even no

and stuffed several mars

name, love?" F

nd daddy died three months ago before my bi

d. She bent at the waist and looked her straight in the eyes, "Well, Precious, my name

her braids swinging. "I miss t

but you k

ha

k of the silly things my daddy did and it would make

excited they had something in common. "He on

bun, in his mouth. My mom would yell at h

Famke's elbow and rested her head on h

lways use one more f

yee is good with kids. But who cares if she takes two damn hours to make three

word her brother had heard far too many times in his life. Nothing spoke more ign

ned quietly, "does she turn into a

be with the woman for her body and wasn't surprised by the infuriat

ndma said she wants to marry Uncle Royal but

considered in the child's shoes she might have r