Shadow of Death by Yolonda Tonette Sanders

there any way you can keep Ean and Ebony for me today? I’ll see if Aneetra will be able to pick them up later. It’s been a rough morning and I’m at my wits’ end.”
    It must have been the desperation in Natalie’s voice because Lisa quickly responded “yes,” asking if they were on their way now.
    â€œNo. I have to go home first. I need to clean them up and pack their diaper bag. I should be there in about an hour.”
    â€œI’ll tell you what…I’ll come get them from you. I can probably be there in the next thirty or forty minutes. Chandler’s already dressed. Let me jump in the shower and I’ll be there soon.”
    Natalie tried to tell Lisa it wasn’t necessary, but her friend insisted, saying that it would be easier on them all since she had a few errands to run near Natalie’s house anyhow. Natalie wasn’t sure if Lisa was being truthful or simply going the extra mile to accommodate her. In the end, it proved to be the best option for Natalie. After she got home, she quickly cleaned the twins and put them in their playpen, and then got their diaper bag together. Natalie, in a daze, sat at the kitchen island waiting for Lisa while staring at the manila envelope, frozen by the fear of its contents and reliving those horrific few moments with Cheryl.
    â€œTroy and I have been having an affair.”
    â€œYour husband and I have been involved ever since we reconnected on that case a couple of years ago.”
    â€œHis trust in you has been shaken.”
    â€œAnd then there was that incident at work.”
    â€œTroy lied to you Friday. He didn’t come home because of a case; he stayed out all night because he was with me.”
    Natalie picked up the envelope and twirled it around. She could still hear Cheryl’s wicked laugh. It was all that Natalie could do to keep it together. According to Cheryl, the contents of the envelope contained undeniable proof of her affair with Troy. “See for yourself.” Did Natalie really need to see it in order to believe it? What about the text message Troy had sent Cheryl? Wasn’t that proof enough? Did she really have to torture herself more with what was inside the envelope? Before she could think about her actions any further, Natalie ripped it open and her already shattered heart was crushed even more. Inside were dozens of images of Cheryl and Troy naked in bed. There was no denying it was him. She’d recognize those dark chocolate brown cheeks anywhere.
    Natalie threw the photos aside, knocking a glass off the island. It fell to the floor into tiny shards. It startled the twins and they started crying. Natalie couldn’t even muster the strength to see about them and so they all sat in tears—the twins in their playpen in the living room doorway and Natalie in the kitchen. They were still crying when Lisa came.
    â€œAre you okay?” Lisa asked when she answered the front door.
    Natalie couldn’t speak. She shook her head no and when Lisa embraced her, she cried harder. This was awkward for Natalie for several reasons. For starters, Natalie was a few inches taller than Lisa so it was uncomfortable to bend down on her shoulder. Plus, Lisa’s long, dark hair was down and made its way into Natalie’s mouth and it had more of a Chalene sweat workout smell than it did shampoo. Lisa, herself, didn’t stink, but obviously her hair had not gotten the water attention that her body had gotten. Those things were all superficial, but what really made this moment unusual was that Natalie was not the one to cry in anyone’s arms. Though she and Lisa had a budding friendship, Natalie wasn’t one to let people see her in such a broken state. Very few had been able to witness her vulnerability. Troy was one of them.
    Ebony and Ean had stopped crying, thanks to Lisa’s little one who filled in for Nate by entertaining them and making them laugh. The screams