Page 2 of Widow Mayker

“Mama… I will be fine. Promise.”

She mustered up enough faith to say, “Okay. I trust you.”

We embraced again. I gave Heir a hug, too. She’d been the big sister I never had. Watching them leave broke a piece of me that I disguised behind a smile. No matter how hard it was to be apart from them, I had to learn to navigate this life on my own. I never wanted to feel as alone and hopeless as I did when I lost my mama.

Ten months later…

“Cassidy, make sure you call me when you make it home.”

My best friend glanced at me and shook her head. Cassidy was three years older than me and had started her collegiate journey at the same time as me.

“That’s your third time repeating that, sis.” She giggled and hugged my neck. “Will you stop worrying? I’ll be fine.”

Pulling back, I peered into Cassidy’s eyes. Something there reflected a girl I once knew. While Cassidy would never tell me the depths of her life back in her hometown, I knew it was something that weighed on her. Going home for the summer had her restless these last few weeks. She didn’t know that I’d picked up on it, but I did.

Over the months, I’d learned some things about Cassidy. Like how she came from a family of cops. Not only that, but her boyfriend was a cop. When we first met, that was the one thing that nearly cost me a great friendship. My aversion to anything related to the badge fueled me to never speak a word to her. She sat next to me in one of our classes and finally got me to crack a smile at something funny she’d said. From that day forward, we became close.

“I’ll call you as soon as I land.”

“Okay.” I waved to Cassidy as she walked toward security check. Like a mother bear watching over her cub, I didn’t leave my perch until Cassidy was no longer in sight. I walked away with a heaviness in my chest that I couldn’t explain.

Later that evening, I paced the floor as I called Cassidy’s number for what seemed like the hundredth time. Her flight was only supposed to last two hours. It was well past that time, and I hadn’t heard a single word from her. I’d already checked and made sure that the flight landed safely. Now, I was worried sick that she hadn’t reached out.

“Hello?”

Jarred from my thoughts by a woman’s voice I didn’t recognize, I asked, “Where’s Cassidy?” This felt like a bad rendition of a long-ago nightmare.

“This is Cassidy’s cousin, Lili.”

I knew Lili because Cassidy talked about her often. It was the shakiness in Lili’s voice that caused my stomach to rise into my throat.

“You’re her best friend, Maja, right?” Lili asked.

“Yes,” I confirmed.

“Maja, I’m so sorry—”

“No!” A flood of tears roared forth.

“Her boyfriend—”

“No!” I screamed louder. Anything else Lili said was drowned out by the fury of screams I let out. I was living another nightmare. Everything from my past rushed forward, choking the life out of me.

Two months later…

“Maja, where are you? If you don’t answer another call, I’m gon’ send Poppa and Adir after you.”

Mentally, I replayed Heir’s voicemail. She’d left that for me this morning. I was sure Poppa and Adir were already on my trail, which meant I had to act quickly.

Inside the house Raphael Chalmers lived in, I dismantled his weak-ass security cameras, then calmly walked through the house to check for anyone else. Then again, I knew no one was there. I’d been watching this house since the court released Raphael on bail a month ago. Once I was certain everything was secured, I walked just as calmly into the darkened living room. Raphael was stretched out on the couch. Surrounding him were liquor bottles and empty food containers. He was passed out, and the television was so loud, he wouldn’t have heard a train if it came through.

Silencer in place, I tapped him on the forehead with my weapon of choice. I stepped back to give him a second to come to. Startled, his beet red eyes popped open. His face fell at the sight of the heat trained on him.

“The hell?” he fearfully hissed.

“Hi,” I murmured, “I’m May.”

“Who—”