Enigma

By Kiminique Williams

Welcome to a sisterhood that seems perfect but, with

discernment, becomes filled with unnoticed flaws and

imperfections …

Dawn, Tabitha, Kami, Rebecca, and Allison have been lifelong friends despite their differences. Dawn is a realtor with no children and a shaky relationship. Tabitha is a recently divorced nurse and mother. Kami works with her husband at a law firm while raising their kids. Allison is an editor, mother, and pastor’s wife. Rebecca is a nurse and mother married to her college sweetheart. Bonded like sisters, these five women have spent most of their lives together.

However, even within the bounds of this unbreakable friendship, dark secrets abound. Arguably, untold stories are not actual secrets but merely withheld information of personal thoughts and actions. When these stories are shared, though, a shocking domino effect occurs, changing lives and relationships. No one knows everything about anyone, and these best friends learn the hard way that twisted truths break hearts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Jun 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781480878570

Kiminique Williams

Kiminique Williams is also the author of Chosen to Be Different. She currently lives in Shreveport, Louisiana.

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Copyright © 2019 Kiminique Williams.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Archway Publishing

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-4808-7858-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-7857-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019906668

Archway Publishing rev. date: 6/5/2019

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Introduction

Welcome to the lives of a friendship and sisterhood that seemed individually perfect, but with closer insight, it became completely filled with unnoticed flaws and imperfections. Perspective is life inside the lines of a circle, usually viewed from the outside, looking in. Untold stories are not actual secrets—just withheld information of personal thoughts or actions from one to another, released and secured within the bond of friendship. No one knows everything about anyone, fact, and these sisters learn that in this twisting tale of truths.

This story centers upon the friendship of five women: Dawn, Tabitha, Kami, Rebecca, and Allison. Dawn is a Realtor with no children, in an insecure relationship. Tabitha is a recently divorced nurse practitioner and the mother of two children. Kami is an administrative director at a law firm owned by her husband, Jackson Reynolds. She is the mother of one biological child and was blessed with two more children through marriage. Allison, known as Allie, works as the lead editor for the BKL Magazine. She is the mother of one and wife of her first love, Pastor Devin Peterson, PhD. Rebecca nicknamed Becca, is a nurse. She is the mother of two and wife to her college sweetheart.

Bonded like sisters, these five ladies have spent most of their lives together. Becca and Allie are biological sisters, same mother and father, who are totally opposites. Becca is one year younger than Allie, yet she is known to be the overseer. She is loud, frank, and highly opinionated, whereas Allie is more soft-spoken, reserved, respectful, and a perfectionist. Kami and Dawn met in preschool and became friends instantly, maintaining their close bond throughout college into adulthood. They are very much alike; many believed they were bonded by blood. They each met Tabitha in high school. Tabitha transferred sophomore year and instantly locked in friendship with Kami and Dawn. They were three peas in a pod in school; when you saw one, usually the other two were not far behind. They were the female wolf pack, except with a closer connection and knew how to enjoy life and have fun.

The five ladies became the squad in high school after a physical altercation between Becca and Kami, leaving Allie and Tabitha to actively break it up, while Dawn was left to interfere verbally. Dawn had the ability to effortlessly talk them down from the misunderstanding and into friends without any regret. Starting the mark to a lifelong friendship, the five became almost inseparable. In high school, the ladies started a tradition of staying over with each other, having girls’ nights, rotating weekly to one of the four homes.

Upon high school graduation, life for the ladies took a detour, only to steer them back together years later. They hadn’t been together since high school; they graduated and moved forward with their lives. Separated by distance to college, each pursued goals and dreams on different routes. Growing older and experiencing life apart, including school, profession, marriage, and children, their friendship remained, while the tradition had temporarily faded away. Allie married first, while in college, bringing them back together after years apart. Becca married a few years after. All five ladies had encountered marriage and/or children during one point or the other. Other than the occasions of weddings and childbirths, the ladies reunited one fall after bumping into each other at a classmate’s wedding, connecting as if it hadn’t even been an extended gap. From that day on, their friendship’s gap was never present again; girls’ night resurfaced and matured into ladies’ night, and their connection had become actively stronger.

The last Friday of every month was the now ladies’ night, usually held at Dawn, Kami, or Allie’s home. Ladies’ night consisted of drinks, music, and small talk, catching up, since they didn’t talk daily. They slept over on Friday night and carried on to Saturday morning. Sleeping through breakfast, the ladies stayed together until brunch. For brunch, they would always vote on a place to sit, eat, continue the chatting, and schedule next month’s ladies’ night. After the dining was over and they knew that it was back to reality, the ladies separated and carried on with family life.

Chapter 1

Psst, Tabitha, some man is walking around here asking for you, whispered Becca.

What man? Tabitha asked with disgust.

Girl, I don’t know. That is why I said, ‘some man.’ He must be one of the new doctors around here, Becca responded.

So why is he looking for me? asked Tabitha, aggravated. You’re not the first to tell me that a man has been around here asking about me. I come here to work so that I can take care of my boys. I don’t know anyone, and I didn’t do anything to anyone demanding attention, so I don’t understand who could be looking for me or why.

Look, I just passed the damn message. So, are you going to see what he wants or not? Becca asked.

Did he ask for me by name? Do you know him? Do you know what he wants? Tabitha asked, suspicious of who could possibly be looking for her.

By the time she expected Becca to reply, up walked a tall, caramel man with light-brown eyes, a nicely trimmed goatee, and a fresh cut, covered in nervousness and wearing a smirk.

No, I didn’t ask for you by name because I didn’t know it, but I’m Trenton Vermont, and I just wanted to tell you how beautiful you are to me. No disrespect, but I wanted to compliment you in person, he stated confidently before he flaunted his beautiful set of white teeth.

Tabitha looked at Trenton awkwardly. Forcefully thanking him for the compliment, she replied, Thanks for taking the time out to personally let me know that you thought I was beautiful. I appreciate it. Now I have to get back to work. Is there anything else I can help you with, sir?

With an unexpected look of shock, Trenton answered, No, ma’am, and thank you for allowing me these few minutes out of your busy schedule. Enjoy the rest of your day. I’ll be seeing you around.

You’re quite welcome. Thank you, Mr. Vermont.

Tabitha walked away. Becca swiftly moved toward her, hoping to get the juicy details of the conversation between the mystery man and Tabitha.

So, what did he want? Some ass? Becca asked. Her manners were never in order, if she even had any.

Tabitha looked at her and rolled her eyes, If you must know, he just wanted to let me know that I was beautiful to him.

Yeah, beautiful with a big ol’ booty and them hips. Girl, he wants that ass, Becca blurted out.

He has a wife. He better get his desire for ass from her. He is wearing a ring. Left finger—gold cuff—hugging the life out of that thing, Tabitha said, unbothered.

Tabitha was headed back to her assigned area when she was interrupted by another coworker, asking if the man who was looking for her had successfully found her. Tabitha nodded and continued to her area. Later that day, as she was in between assisting her patients, Mr. Vermont stopped her in her tracks.

You never told me your name, Miss Lady, he said.

You never asked, but my name is Tabitha. Tabitha Morgan. She was walking away, but she stopped and added, "You know it was quite tacky of you going around here asking all of these people my whereabouts, putting them all in my