In My Sister's House Read Online Free PDF Page B

Trying to identify the source of the John Legend ringtone, her attention made its way over to her handbag. Rummaging through it, she grabbed the phone and noticed the word “Private” on the keypad. Frowning, she immediately shut it off andput it on the coffee table. She had a practice of not answering private or unavailable calls. Standing up, she noticed a tan-colored business card had fallen on the floor. The name Sidney Francis, CPA, was inscribed in gold lettering on the front. It didn’t ring a bell so she started to discard it, but after flipping it over she noticed some unfamiliar handwriting. “Was great meeting you at the seminar. Would love to take you to lunch sometime. Please call! — Sidney 1–267–555–0234.” Covering her mouth with her hand in disbelief, Skylar couldn’t contain herself and fell back onto her bed, letting out the loudest scream she’d ever made. Knowing she was in the apartment alone, she jumped up and started running around in blissful glee.
    “Oh, my God, what in the world will I wear?” she thought. Rummaging through her closet, tossing designer dresses and blouses haphazardly about, she suddenly realized how silly this was. Plopping down amid the designer wreckage, Skylar shook her head in innocent embarrassment. They didn’t even have an actual date scheduled yet. Throughout the entire ordeal, she did not let go of his business card. She stared and stared at it, knowing she would indeed call him. Speaking out loud, “Yes, Mr. Sidney Francis, I will have lunch with you. Perhaps I’ll call you in a day or two, but not today.” She didn’t want to seem too anxious. Ecstatic, Skylar got up, decided on a lingering hour-long soak with lavender and vanilla bath crystals. As her body descended into the toasty calm waters, she dreamt of the man with the beautiful smile.
    A romance had blossomed almost instantaneously after their first lunch date. A lot had happened in those two years. Dutch’s death and Storm’s incarceration had certainly taken their toll on Skylar. But meeting and falling in love with Sidney was definitely a highlight. His hypnotic, insatiable smile mesmerized her, and the love he showered her with brought her welcoming comfort daily, even at the times he annoyed her—like when he left the cap off the toothpaste after every use no matter how many times she reminded him, or when he left their computer signed on and retired to their bedroom. These were small nuisances compared to what she got in return.
    As Skylar fell in love with his smile all over again, looking at him through her impressively crowded club, she reassured herself,
Yes, yes, I can live with this
. Yes! Today was a good day to be Skylar Morrison.
    Just before reaching Sidney at the bar, Skylar saw Flynn, the house comic, waving her down. “Hey, Sky, hot night, huh?” With his jovial, easygoing style and winning personality infused with impeccable comedic timing, Flynn had been with Skylar since she opened Legends.
    “Hey, Flynn. Yes, I’m very happy about that. I’m sure you are, too.” She smiled.
    Flynn loved performing in front of crowds. The bigger the better. It wasn’t that he was that funny. Some of his jokes fell flat. But it was just Flynn. He’d tell a joke, and even if no one else thought it was funny, his infectious laugh bellowed through the club, prompting everyone else to follow suit. Sometimes his joy spilled onto the streets of South Philly, and eager patrons lined up awaiting entrance would start laughing, just knowing that Flynn was onstage doing his routine. He never made it to the big time—his only claim to fame had been a lone appearance on HBO’s popular
Def Jam Comedy Show
in the early ‘90s. Unlike Bernie Mac, D. L. Hughley, Martin Lawrence, and Chris Tucker, Flynn Wilson didn’t see the offers come in. He did manage to go on the small club circuit a few times as the opening act for B-and C-listers like Chris Spencer and Ralph Harris. Even they worked more