If Only You Knew by Denene Millner

familiar chicken scratch handwriting. The sense of déjà vu was overwhelming.
    â€œThanks, Aunt Lorraine, this really means a lot,” Sydney offered sincerely as she tucked the letters in her black Hermes Kelly bag.
    â€œMmm-hmm, don’t mention it. And let’s just hope that them worthless detectives hurry up and catch whoever the hell killed that ole knucklehead, Rodney Watson,” she said with a slight cough. “Or you’re going to be right back picking up letters again for the next fifteen years, minimum.”
    â€œExcuse me?” Sydney asked incredulously as the meaning of the words minimum and fifteen refused to register. “Are you saying my father is facing fifteen years?”
    â€œUh-huh, fifteen minimum, ” Aunt Lorraine confirmed as she took a deep drag and exhaled through her nostrils. “Welcome to the real state of Georgia, princess.”

8
LAUREN
    Altimus was going to be at the dealership all day and late into the evening, and Keisha, never one to rest easy in her solitude, claimed she needed some face-time with the girls, so she booked a suite at Le Madeleine Hotel and arranged a “Luxe Girls’ Spa Day” for three, with all the trimmings. If only for a moment, Lauren thought it was odd that they’d be getting another rubdown just a week after Keisha had sprung for the massage and facial that, unbeknownst to her mother, she’d skipped out on. But, well, it wasn’t Lauren’s stilo to question, particularly when an herb-infused, detoxifying body wrap and spa lunch was involved. Besides, after both of her near-death experiences at the football game Monday night, she needed someone to lay hands on her aching back and soreknee, even if she had to suffer through an afternoon with Keisha and Sydney, who, even on a good day, had become a little hard for Lauren to handle.
    Before Keisha could even close the heavy front door, Lauren took off for the massive mahogany writing desk, which was decked out with a welcome arrangement of all their favorites: a heap of chocolate-covered strawberries for Lauren, sparkling cider and apple-cinnamon PowerBars for Sydney, and champagne, of course, for Keisha. Lauren grabbed a berry and twirled herself onto the sofa, grabbing the remote with one quick motion.
    â€œGod, please, can we have just one afternoon without the television blasting?” snapped Sydney. She eyed the apple-cinnamon PowerBar and let her fingers linger over the cider, then settled on a bottled water before walking over to the window. They had a perfect view of the lake, which was wrapped in a panoply of fall orange, red, and yellow trees making their slow, serene march into winter. Quietly, Sydney was looking forward to a little R & R to help calm her nerves for her big date with Jason, but nobody really needed to know all of that. “This is supposed to be a day of relaxation. Can’t we just be quiet and enjoy?”
    Lauren sucked her teeth. “I can’t think of a better way to relax than zoning out to one of my favorite shows. If it’s complete silence you’re looking for, I’m sure it’s nice and quietin the lounge area down at the spa. Help yourself to an early start,” Lauren huffed, pointing to the door and pushing the ON button on the remote all at once.
    â€œAre you freakin’ kidding me? I don’t have to go—”
    Keisha cut Sydney off. “Have mercy, this is supposed to be a friendly girls’ day out,” she said, loud enough to make both the girls jump. She squared her shoulders, poured herself a glass of bubbly, and started giving orders. “Both of you go in the bedrooms and change into your robes. We have about thirty minutes before our massages and body wraps, and I want to get down to the lounge area to have a few more sips of champagne and read my Essence before our appointments begin. And I would prefer not to have to go down there with all this