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CHAPTER ONE

Martha swept the sandalwood fan in her hand back and forth, not to cool her brow but to tame the nervous energy brewing inside her. Although almost everything was going according to plan, she couldn't shake the notion that things were about to get messy. Martha placed her mason jar on the coffee table and scooted closer to Oji. His constant reassurance had proven right so far. The day had gone exactly as he said it would. And now they were in the homestretch, chatting on a sofa like they did most evenings at his home or hers. But their surroundings were different on this cloudy late-spring evening as they sat on a rented sofa that was part of the lounge vignette at her aunt's outdoor wedding reception near the lake pavilion on the Gardin family estate.

"The Garden and Games theme is a big hit," Martha said, mindlessly repeating the same comment she'd just made as she slowed the speed of her fanning and scanned the east portion of the property. The wedding planners had turned the area into a floral wonderland in shades of pink and orange. Flowers lined the walkways leading to the pavilion and cascaded down its posts from the ceiling.

Oji gave her a comforting smile. "Want to go for a walk around the grounds to let off some steam?" he asked.

Martha coyly held the fan, a favor from the wedding reception, up to her face like a woman in one of the Regency-era dramas Oji pretended he didn't like to watch with her.

"I would love to go on a promenade with you around the grounds, sir. But when we pass by one of those big lawn games, I'll have to beat you again. Which game do you feel like losing this time?" she asked.

"I kept letting you win because I'm a gentleman," Oji replied, smirking.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself to make it okay," Martha teased.

Oji burst out laughing, and Martha joined in, reveling in the serotonin release. He always knows what I need, she thought.

"That's all right. I'd prefer to stay here and talk with y'all," Martha said, accounting for her sister and her cousin by marriage, who sat chatting among themselves across from Martha and Oji. The women maintained an easy balance of having their own conversation, engaging with Martha and Oji, and watching the other attendees enjoy the festivities.

With only ninety-six guests, the reception felt like the laid-back Juneteenth cookout the family hosted each year, except both the venue and the attendees were more spiffed-up. Following a dress code described as "comfy cocktail attire," wedding guests looked chic as they posed for photos in front of a massive floral wall. A few groups of people congregated at the reception tables or at one of three lounge vignettes overlooking the lake, but most rotated among the array of giant games—checkers, Jenga, Connect Four, and Etch A Sketch—spread across the grounds. Bursts of laughter filled the air as some men and women played like children, and other adults introduced their kids to the games they grew up with. But Martha fretted because the joyful occasion served as the first meeting for her family and Oji's since the couple began dating three months prior. And Martha wanted it to go perfectly.

Laughing with Oji assuaged Martha's anxiety for a couple of minutes, but it soon returned. She folded the fan and placed it on her lap as she leaned toward him. "I didn't expect your mom to talk so much to the other guests," she whispered. Her deep-brown skin glowed against the tangerine dress she wore. "I was looking forward to bonding with her as she got to know my family, but she's spent the whole reception meeting people instead of spending time with us."

"Since she and my dad don't get out as much as they used to, she can't help herself. She's just doing her thing," Oji replied in a hushed tone. "She likes you. I promise," he continued, squeezing Martha's hand.

"Okay," Martha replied as she caught a glance of her sister. She swung her head to her right, where Mary leaned back in a burnt-orange wingback chair that faced the lake.

"What are you laughing at?" Martha asked in a perky voice.

The long swoopy layers in her pixie cut framed her oval-shaped face perfectly.

"You two are cute together. It's good to see you happy," Mary said. Her hair cascaded down her back as she readjusted her body in the chair and smoothed the fabric of her flowy magenta midi dress.

"That's sweet of you to say," Martha said, blushing.