It's in the Rhythm by Sammie Ward Page A

about to start now.
    After the last telephone interview, he went into the kitchen to grab something to eat. He entered the dining room and found his mother sitting at the table, reading the Bible. Bending down, he kissed her on the cheek. “Good morning, Mother.”
    Ginger glanced up at him. “Morning, Garrett.”
    On closer examination, she looked as if she hadn’t gotten much sleep. “You look tired.”
    â€œI was up half the night worrying about Tamara and Taj.” She slowly pushed away from the table and walked into the kitchen. “Coffee?”
    â€œSure. I’ll take it black.”
    Ginger poured steaming coffee into two mugs. “Have you had breakfast?”
    â€œI’m fine. I’ve already eaten.” After he’d showered that morning, he’d whipped up an egg omelet.
    She set a mug before Garrett. “I’m still trying to absorb this whole thing. She should have called or come to the house by now.”
    â€œI agree.” He took a sip. “To be honest, I thought she was going to stop back by.”
    â€œI pray things are all right. She has my grandbaby out there. Lord only knows what’s going on.”
    Garrett looked up at his mother. “Maybe Tamara wasn’t happy. That’s why she left.”
    â€œWhat are you saying?”
    â€œI’m saying Tamara’s marriage didn’t start out on the right foot. That maybe that’s the reason for the separation.”
    â€œWhose fault was that?” Ginger stated.
    â€œThey were young at the time Tamara got pregnant. Things happen.”
    â€œAnd Brian married her. He did the right thing.”
    â€œMother, marriages that begin the way that theirs did are almost sure to fail. You know that.” Garrett had to remember that he was speaking to his mother.
    â€œWhat I know is, Tamara can’t work out things by leaving the marriage. That’s what’s wrong with marriages today. The first sign of trouble and everyone wants to leave, get a divorce. She needs to stay and work it out.”
    â€œWhat if she doesn’t want to stay in the marriage? Work it out. Then what?”
    â€œWhy wouldn’t she?” She tossed over her shoulder. “I believe it was just a fight. Tamara just needs to blow off steam. She will come back home. Everything will be all right.”
    Garrett walked over, leaned against the counter, and said, “But what if she doesn’t want to work things out with Brian?”
    Ginger didn’t answer for a moment. “Is that what Tamara told you? She wants out of the marriage?”
    â€œYou can’t make someone be with you if they don’t want to be,” Garrett replied and walked out the kitchen. It was advice he had to accept for himself.
    * * *
    Tamara crossed the bedroom and looked at the phone. She needed to call her parents. They would be worried about her and Taj. The truth was, she was afraid to call them. She hated misleading Garrett. They were close and always confided in each other, but this was one secret she didn’t know how he would react to.
    Once the word got around church that the preacher’s daughter and son-in-law had separated, the tongues would be wagging. Her parents would be embarrassed, but she had to live her life for herself.
    She sat on the edge of the bed. She knew her parents wanted her and Garrett to follow in their footsteps, but so far neither she nor Garrett were on the Christian path.
    â€œMarriage is a sacred union,” her father had preached from the pulpit. “Adultery is a sin.” How could she deny her feelings? She bent her head and studied her hands. Her situation wasn’t easy for her or her family.
    Tamara was about to pick up the phone when Nina Cole, her roommate, walked into the room. “Have you phoned your family to let them know you and Taj are all right?”
    â€œI was just about to do that.” Losing her nerve, she quickly drew her