The Prodigal Son (A Reverend Curtis Black Novel) by Kimberla Lawson Roby Page A

blaming him for not entering MIT when she was supposed to.”
    “But that’s crazy,” Matthew said. “MJ didn’t ask to come here. Racquel and I decided that for him.”
    “I know, but women who suffer from postpartum depression can’t see it that way. So all we can do is pray she’ll agree to see a doctor and keep a close eye on her…and you definitely shouldn’t leave MJ here with her during the day, so taking him to your aunt Emma’s was the right thing to do. We’ll be glad to pay her.”
    “I can keep him sometimes, too,” Vanessa said.
    “Thank you both,” he said, hugging them.
    “We’re here for you, son, day or night,” Neil assured him.
    Matthew watched them walk down the stairway, and then went back into the apartment.
    Racquel started in on him immediately. “I know you called them over here.”
    “I never asked them to come anywhere.”
    “Liar!”
    “I’m not doing this with you, Racquel,” he said, picking up his keys.
    She jumped in front of the door. “You don’t have a choice.”
    “Get out of my way, Racquel.”
    “Wimp.”
    “Please move, Racquel.”
    “Idiot.”
    “I’m asking you nicely, Racquel.”
    “Coward.”
    Matthew felt himself getting angrier by the second, and if she didn’t move soon he was going to explode. He’d never hit a girl in his life, but this name-calling was pushing him too far. He was trying to ignore her, but this was the only way out to the parking lot and he needed to go pick up MJ.
    “Please move out of my way, Racquel!”
    “Or what?”
    Matthew reached for the doorknob, but she shoved him into the sofa table, and the lamp crashed to the floor.
    “What’s wrong with you?” he screamed.
    Racquel ran up to him. She slapped the side of his face so hard he had to shake it off. At five-nine, she was five inches shorter than him, but it felt like a man had struck him. The forceful impact of her hand had left his jaw stinging.
    She swung her arm back again, but this time Matthew grabbed it. “Stop it, Racquel. Stop actin’ crazy.”
    “Get your hands off me!” she said, turning and twisting and trying to get loose.
    “Then stop it,” he said, gripping her arm tighter than before.
    “Fine, just let me go.”
    “Are you gonna settle down?”
    “Yeah, now let me go!” she said.
    Matthew wasn’t sure if he could trust her, but thankfully when he released her, she stormed out of the living room and into the bedroom. Still, he stood there trying to catch his breath. Mostly, though, he wondered how long he’d be able to put up with this kind of insanity. He loved Racquel, but he wouldn’t keep living like this. He knew she wasn’t herself, but what if MJ had been there with them a few moments ago? What if he’d seen his mother acting psychotic? He was only one, but he was still noticeably impressionable and very much aware of his surroundings. Matthew was going to pray for things to get better, but if they didn’t, he’d have to figure out something different. He’d have to pack up MJ and move elsewhere.

Chapter 12
    A fter leaving the church, Dillon had driven around for hours. At one point, he’d found himself eighty miles away in a tiny town just south of Mitchell, but now that he was home he still didn’t feel any better. If anything, he felt worse about his relationship with his father. He’d replayed their entire conversation over and over in his mind, but for the life of him, he couldn’t see where any of his father’s words had been genuine. He’d apologized to Dillon for not telling him about his announcement to the congregation and then explained that their relationship was still “evolving,” but Dillon hadn’t viewed his father’s sentiments as anything more than theatrics. It was as if he’d said all the things he’d thought Dillon wanted to hear, yet he wasn’t planning to do anything to make things right. He didn’t seem to care about all the concerns Dillon had laid out for him.
    Dillon sat in front of