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Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you. Not a day . . .You left me too soon; I wasn’t ready to let you go. A part of my heart was buried with you on that cold, wintery day. I remember your laughter, your smile, your courage, your words of encouragement and wisdom as if it were only yesterday. Mostly, I remember your love. Even though you’re gone, I feel your spirit shining down on me each and every day—my guardian angel.

As a gentle breeze caresses my cheek and the sun shines upon my face, I feel your presence and know that you are proud.

This is dedicated to my mom, affectionately known as Dot, who we lost on January 29, 1997, to breast cancer.You are missed, never forgotten, and forever loved.

Acknowledgments

Foremost, I would like to show my appreciation to the Lord Jesus Christ for this moment, for this opportunity, for my life, and the gift to tell a great story. God is good!

To my husband, Nelson, thank you for believing that I had a story to tell and an audience that wanted to read it.Thank you for believing in me every time I failed to believe in myself.

To my children, Brandon and Briana, you have shown me the true meaning of love, life, and family. I’m so proud of you.

To my sister,Tresseler Rome, thank you for your encouragement, your friendship, for reading, reading, and rereading my manuscript and for just being you. “Yeah, whatever” (smile).

To Laymon Taylor, thank you for showing me that to be a dad, you don’t have to be the birth father. Thanks for making me feel loved now and always.

To my nephew, DaJuan Crooms, keep being a cool little boy who grows into a strong, black man. And Jordan, I love you, too.

Sharron Nuckles, what can I say? You are an original. Seriously, thanks for being in my corner. Thanks for the encouragement, the support, the friendship. Thanks for the late-night critique sessions, the phone calls, and the editing. I am forever grateful to have you in my life and honored to have you as a friend.

To my family members Catherine Dorsey, Carolyn Rome, Audrey Thomas, Effie Stroud, Avorn Stroud, Buffie Stroud, Pamela James, Dexter James, Alvin Rome, Beverly Rome, my assortment of cousins, thank you for showing me the true meaning of family.

Heather Franklin Flippin, thanks for being a part of my life. Thanks for the love and support you radiate each time I talk to you.

Betty Rakestraw, thank you for being a play grandmother to my children and for being like a second mom to me. It means so much.

Patricia Crimes, thanks for saying “You can do it” and for believing in my dream.Thanks for listening to my crazy stories at work when we should have been working. Tell Sally hello and don’t forget to pick up your packages. Call me, lady!

To Marzella Marley, Katrinda Porter, Shunda Blocker, and Andrea Parnell, thanks for the initial feedback you provided. It was invaluable.

Kimberla Lawson Roby, Timmothy McCann, Hope. C. Clarke, Maggie Breaux and Tim Everett, thanks so much for the feedback and answering my many questions.

A huge thanks to my agent, Marc Gerald, for doing what you said you could do . . . help me realize my dream. Special thanks to my editor, Janete Scobie.Thanks for showing me the ropes and patiently leading the way through this strange new world. Much thanks to my publicist, Mardessa Smith, for being in my corner from the very beginning.

To anyone I may have missed or left out unintentially, thank you, thank you, thank you. Be blessed!

Much love,

Electa

When people show you who they are, believe them.

—Maya Angelou

Prologue

W
hat’s love got to do with it? What’s love but a secondhand emotion?
Tina Turner hit it right on the money with that song. I can picture her now sashaying across the stage with those long legs and that wild, sexy hair flying all over the place as she bellows out those lyrics straight from the heart. Lord knows, she could be the spokeswoman for that song because being married to Ike was no walk through the daisies.

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