Wearing My Halo Tilted Read Online Free PDF Page A

reality. Getting my groove on was going to be my birthday present to myself. The real thing was going to be much better than the dream. I was sure of it. Well, at least I hoped so, because it was my birthday wish.

Chapter 2
    Big Dipper
    A ctually, maybe I was getting excited about nothing. Dillon hadn’t said anything about my birthday. We hadn’t even been speaking in the house.
    Going over to my closet to find something to make his head turn, I assumed he had planned something to celebrate the date of my birth. He had always done something special for that day. Five years ago, he took me to Charleston, South Carolina. We stayed in a villa overlooking the water. Not only was the room romantic and cozy, but the mud bath was gritty and sexy. He’d been trying to outdo himself every year since then. So I just knew, even in the midst of all our trials, this was going to be another magical night.
    Knowing Dillon, I would need to secure a babysitter. We’d had stupid arguments before, because he’d told me I should have known what part of the date was my responsibility—the sitter. Honestly, I was last minute in getting to that because the anger I’d felt for him over the last week made me not even want to see him in public, much less be together on some romantic outing.
    Remembering, I dashed over to the phone and called my assistant Malika. She was on point and only lived a few houses up the road. Because I talked into a digital voice recorder, I needed someone to transcribe my words. I felt bad that I hadn’t had any chapters to give her this last month. I knew she needed extra money for the car she was saving up to buy. Hopefully, getting her to keep the girls would be something she was up for.
    â€œMalika,” I said in a mischievous tone like I wanted something.
    With a teary voice, she said, “Ms. Shari, I can’t talk right now.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” I asked with serious concern.
    â€œIf I tell you you’ll hate me,” she uttered.
    That statement really scared me. I’d known Malika and her mom for the last three years. We both moved into the exclusive neighborhood around the same time. My heart ached for her because she’d just lost her father in a horrific train accident. He had been the conductor of a freight train and there had been a faulty part that had gone bad causing the engine to explode. Thankfully, her mom’s settlement would help ease the financial burden of not having him around.
    From the moment she batted her sad eyelids at me, we clicked. I was like her older sister or mentor. And since her mom was gone most of the time working on community service projects, Malika spent a lot of time helping me. What could be the problem? She was a straight A student with complete focus.
    â€œMy mom has me on lock down,” she said, slowly revealing details. “I’m pregnant.”
    My heart plummeted, like an elevator shaft falls. Why did a girl with so much promise veer from the path the Lord had intended for her. She’d already had it tough. How was she going to endure more?
    â€œShari, are you there?”
    â€œWhen did this happen? I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend.”
    We hadn’t talked in a few weeks. I know she wasn’t that gullible to fall for some weak line from a deadbeat. I was ticked at myself for not checking in on her. What was a seventeen-year-old going to do with a screaming infant? She was still wet behind the ears herself.
    â€œMy mom is yelling for me again. I gotta go. Please don’t hate me,” Malika asked strongly.
    â€œMy love for you is unconditional. Go see what your mom wants and we’ll pick this up soon.”
    Malika said, “Thank you, Shari, for being so understanding. Everyone else is freaking out. You get me.”
    â€œWait now, I am disappointed. But God loves us in spite of ourselves. Hold your head up and seek the Lord. He’ll help work this