June 19, 1997, 10:30 AM, In Kourtnee's Office

Kourtnee sat at her desk and flipped through the messages that Paula had given her. Kourtnee separated the messages based on their importance. One message stood out. It was from Bishop Fifty N. Handsome. He was the pastor of Harmon Street COGIC. She picked up the phone to call him back.

After the phone rang at the Harmon Street COGIC, Sis. Angela Pentech's sophisticated voice said, "Greetings, you have reached Harmon Street COGIC. This is Sis. Pentech. How may I help you?" Kourtnee responded, "This is Kourtnee Adams from Shimmers Incorporated. I am returning a call from Bishop Handsome. Is he available?" Sis. Pentech said, "Just a moment Ms. Adams."

Bishop Handsome answered the phone. He and Kourtnee talked for over ten minutes. He wanted to meet with LaDawnya to talk to her. They set up a meeting for the next day at 5:00 PM.

Kourtnee hung up the phone and paused for a moment. She picked up the phone and called Colt Austin. She told him to call her when LaDawnya got to his office later on that day.

She didn't know that LaDawnya would never make it to Colt's office.

June 19, 1997, 2:46 PM

I was sitting in class at Day Camp. I didn't feel good this morning when I woke up, but I didn't say anything to anyone. After I ate breakfast, I felt a little better. I didn't feel like eating anything at lunch, so I was living off of the Lucky Charms I had eaten at breakfast.

Every since yesterday, my head had been swimming. The woman dearest to my heart, Mrs. Ima Jean Johnson, had died. Colt and Kourtnee were acting amiable towards each other. I was supposed to sing Mrs. Johnson's favorite song at her funeral. My head was full of these thoughts.

I looked at my watch. It was 2:46 PM. Suddenly, I felt like I had to throw up. I raised my hand to get permission to leave the room. I was given permission. I asked my friend, Dakini Macins to come with me. We left the room.

When I entered the restroom, Dakini asked, "What's the matter?" I said, "I feel sick." She asked, "Do you need me to do something?" As I walked into the stall, I said, "Yea, go get Kourtnee Adams," then most of the Lucky Charms I had eaten for breakfast came gushing out of my mouth.

A few minutes later, the restroom door burst open and I heard Kourtnee's voice calling my name. Her voice sounded calm and relaxed. I was expecting her to be nervous. I stuck my head out of the stall. She walked quickly over to where I was. Her yellow spiked heels that matched her yellow and green pants suit clicked as she walked over to me. I was sitting on the restroom floor about to lose what was left of my breakfast and I was thinking, "It's casual day. Why does she have on a business suit?" (Thursday and Fridays during the summer were casual days at Shimmers). I giggled. She looked at me strange, "Why are you giggling?" I coughed, "I was just thinking, why are you wearing a business suit and it is casual day?" She rubbed my head and smiled, "What's the matter?" Before I could answer, I had to put my head back over the commode. I lost what was left of my breakfast.

Kourtnee rubbed my back, "Dakini wet a couple of paper towels and bring them here." After Dakini handed Kourtnee the paper towel, Kourtnee wiped my face. I laid my head back on the wall. My head hurt, my stomach, ached, and I felt as if my insides had been scraped out with a chisel. I wanted to go home. Kourtnee asked me if I could make it to her office. I nodded yes. She helped me up. We started walking out of the restroom. Dakini asked Kourtnee if she could go with us. Kourtnee told her no and to go tell Gilda, who was running the class we had left, what had happened. Dakini reluctantly obeyed.

We made it to Kourtnee's office. I laid down on the couch. She picked up the phone and called Colt. She told him what had happened. She stepped outside of her office to talk to Paula. Kourtnee came back in the office, "LaDawnya, when Colt gets here, we are going to take you home." I said ok and closed my eyes.

Kourtnee tapped me on the shoulder. I woke up. Colt was standing at the door with his bag on his arm and Kourtnee's briefcase in the opposite hand. Kourtnee had her purse on her arm. We left the Shimmers complex heading for the house. Colt followed us in his car. I asked Kourtnee, "Why is Colt going with us?" She responded, "Because he wants to come with us." I looked at her, "So, you all are friends now." She smiled. I closed my eyes.

I woke up when we pulled into the garage at the house. I got out of the car and headed into the house. I didn't have the strength to tackle the stairs, so I went into Kourtnee's bedroom. I laid down on her bed. Clothes, shoes, and all. Kourtnee woke me up, "Why are you in my bed? I don't want your germs." I grimaced, "I didn't feel like going upstairs." She tapped my one of my shoes. I sat up, took them off, and dropped them on the floor. She picked up my shoes and left the room.

I heard a loud disturbance as Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Austin, Mrs. Jackson, Ms. Shields, Mr. Adams, and Colt came into the room. All at once, they started asking me questions. I couldn't understand a word they were saying. Colt came to my rescue, "Come on, ya'll leave her alone." Mrs. Austin looked at him, "Yes sir, daddy." Colt made a face at his mother. She grabbed his chin and shook his face. Everyone except Colt and Mrs. Jackson left the room. Mrs. Jackson said that she would bring me some soup and juice. Colt sat down in a chair in the room. He started talking about something. I dozed off while he was talking.

Kourtnee woke me up. She had a change of clothes for me. She told me to go take a shower and change. I did as I was instructed.

When I was finished showering, there was a tray containing a big bowl of chicken noodle soup and a glass of Sprite ® soda waiting on me. I think Kourtnee was about to make me go in the kitchen, but Colt told me to sit on the bed and he told Kourtnee to give me the tray that held my food. Kourtnee scowled at Colt. Colt gave her a look that caused her not to respond. I was watching them so intensely that I tilted the tray and some of the soup wasted on the bed spread. I wiped the soup up with one of the napkins I had. Kourtnee went into the bathroom and came back with a wet towel and wiped the bed spread. I cold tell that she was annoyed. (She had this need for perfection. Anytime anything was out of placed it annoyed her.)

I slowly ate the soup. Both Kourtnee and Colt were sitting in the room watching me eat. It was making me feel creepy. I said, "How much did they charge you all for admission?" Kourtnee looked at me and said, "Huh?" I slurped a spoonful of soup and said, "Ya'll keep staring at me like I am an attraction in the zoo." They both laughed.

I finished eating and Colt took the tray into the kitchen. I laid down on Kourtnee's bed to go to sleep. Kourtnee tapped me on my shoulder, "Don't you have a room upstairs?" I didn't respond. I took one of her pillows from under the cover and put it cover my head. She tapped the pillow, "You know you heard me." I looked out from up under the pillow, "You are gonna throw a sick and afflicted person out of her sick bed." She pushed me over and sat on the bed. I put my head in her lap and draped her arm over my shoulder. She rubbed my head. I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

June 19, 1997, 10:19 PM

I woke up. I looked at the clock next to Kourtnee's bed. It was 10:19 PM. I had slept for close to 5 hours. Colt was sitting in the chair in Kourtnee's bedroom. I looked around the room for Kourtnee. Colt asked me, "How are you feeling?" I wiped my eyes, "I'm feeling better. Where's Kourtnee?" Colt sulked and said, "I'm not good enough for you?" I sat up, "I didn't mean it like that." He smiled, "She is in her office. I'll go get her."

Kourtnee and Colt came back into the room. Kourtnee sat on the bed and hugged me. She asked if I felt any better. I told her I did. She rubbed my hair, "LaDawnya, I talked to Bishop Handsome today. He wants to talk to you. You are supposed to go see him tomorrow. He also said that the youth choir is rehearsing on Saturday and Monday." I scratched my face and put my face in my chin. Colt said, "Are you sure you are gonna be able to sing?" I said, "Yes, I will be able to sing." Colt frowned, "I don't think that you should sing." I agreed with him, but Mrs. Johnson's note flashed before my eyes. Kourtnee rubbed my hair again, "If you don't want to sing, you don't have to." I twisted my lips, "The only way I don't sing is if Ruth Fortson and Color of Praise shows up and sings." Colt replied, "If anyone can make it happen, Kourtnee can." Kourtnee made a face, "I don't think I can get Ruth Fortson to come sing at the funeral, but if you don't want to sing, I will talk to Arlene for you." I laid my head on Kourtnee's shoulder. I was going to sing at the funeral. That's what Mrs. Johnson wanted.