Lessons From a Younger Lover by Zuri Day Page A

getting the type of attention from the Sienna ladies that at one time only Adam enjoyed.” Robert eyed his sister again. “You’re asking a lot of questions. Is he getting that type of attention from you?”
    â€œOf course not. He’s just a kid. But like I said, he spends a lot of time next door, at Miss Mary’s. It’s good to know about the people hanging out in the neighborhood.”
    â€œWhere’s Joe?” Robert asked, once again changing the subject.
    â€œWho cares?” Gwen retorted before she had time to mask her disgust.
    â€œI’m sure he does, about Mama that is. I figured you’d called him, and that he would be flying out.”
    â€œYeah, well, you figured wrong. He ‘has things going on,’ as he put it. My guess, she’s blond, about five-two, and answers to the name Mitzi. And probably a few others, like tramp, whore…”
    â€œI still can’t believe Joe cheated on you. He never seemed the type.”
    â€œWhat man ever does?”
    â€œAdam!” they both said together, and laughed. This answer relieved some of the tension in the car.
    â€œSo there’s no chance for y’all to get back together? The divorce is definitely going through?”
    â€œYou even have to ask? Absolutely.”
    â€œC’mon now, sis. Cheating doesn’t always mean the end of a marriage.”
    â€œIt means the end of this one. But truth be told, it was probably over long before he violated our marriage vows.”
    Robert didn’t ask his sister to elaborate. They’d always been close; if she wanted to explain the comment he was sure she would when she was ready.
    â€œWhen will it be final?”
    â€œIn about three months. The docket was backed up and that was the first date we could get for our hearing. If you ask me, the end can’t come soon enough.”
    Robert snuck another peek at the sister he loved. “Because of Ransom?” he asked, only half joking.
    â€œNo!” Gwen answered. “Why would you think Ransom has anything to do with it? I barely know him.” She then crossed her arms, turned her back toward Robert, and gazed out the window.
    I’m not buying it , Robert thought. He wisely turned on the radio and allowed the sounds of smooth jazz to fill the rest of the miles to the hospital in Sienna.
    Unfortunately, the turmoil in Gwen’s mind didn’t match the soothing, slow jam coming from the radio. Her mind was abuzz with the news about Ransom: that he was Adam’s half brother, that he was too young for her to even think about thinking about, and that he had a baby, which meant somewhere…a baby’s mama.
    Gwen ignored the twinge of her heart and determined she was glad for the information. Now she had the ammunition she needed to put any romantic notions of anything ever happening between her and Ransom behind her. Not that she’d ever really considered it, she reminded herself. But now, even if she had, there was absolutely, positively, no way she would ever think about so much as a date with Adam’s kid brother. And the next time he came on to her with his searing eyes and wicked smile, she planned to make sure he got the message that she was not interested.

16
    â€œMiss Gwen, I have to use the restroom.”
    â€œOkay, Isis. But remember the buddy system. Ask Kari if she’ll go with you.”
    â€œReally, Miss Gwen,” Isis answered in a tone of measured patience, “I think I’m old enough to pee on my own.”
    Before Gwen could formulate an answer besides “oh no she didn’t,” Isis held up five tiny fingers. Did she just tell me to talk to the hand?
    â€œKari, can you go to the restroom with me so Miss Gwen will feel better?”
    Kari nodded, closed her coloring book, and soon bouncing blond and black curls skipped out of the classroom.
    Gwen shook her head and hid a smile from her face. She knew she should rein in