Who Do I Lean On? Read Online Free PDF Page B

DaShawn.”
    DaShawn was all sunshine. “You dudes got a cool crib here. Thanks for inviting us to your party!” The boy looked up at his grandfather and stage whispered, “We gonna eat soon, Grandpa? I’m hungry!”
    That broke the ice and people laughed. Bless DaShawn . “You’re right, DaShawn. The rest of you can introduce yourselves. Food will be in the dining room in five minutes.” I beckoned to Jodi, eager to flee.
    â€œI’ll do it.” Estelle brushed past me. “You stay here and play hostess. C’mon, Jodi.”
    Oh, thanks a lot, Estelle . But I couldn’t blame my friend for weaseling out of the situation. What in the world was I going to do with an uninvited guest who just happened to be the man who’d kicked me out of house and home barely two months ago?
    Correction. The penthouse at Richmond Towers had been a house, but certainly not a home.
    I turned back to my hostess duties in time to hear Philip say, “Bentley. Haven’t seen you around the past couple of weeks. You working the night shift now?”
    â€œNo, Fairbanks,” Mr. Bentley said evenly. “I quit the job. Now that I’ve got custody of my grandson here, I want to spend more time with him before school starts.”
    I covered my mouth to keep from laughing. On the job at Richmond Towers, Harry Bentley had always called Philip “ Mr . Fairbanks.” Oh, Mr. B, you got him good . Still, I was surprised by the news.
    â€œMr. Bentley! You quit your job? How—” I stopped. Maybe it was rude to ask how he was going to support both himself and a kid.
    But the middle-aged black man winked at me as if he knew what was on my mind. “It was just a job to supplement my retirement anyway.”
    Retired? Mr. Bentley was pushing sixty, but he didn’t look old enough to be retired yet. But before I could satisfy my curiosity, he said, “By the way, DaShawn and I are going to go to the zoo and some of the museums before school starts. Was going to ask if P.J. and Paul might want to come along too.”
    I almost forgot Philip was standing right there. “Oh, Mr. B! That would be great! I’m only working half time at Manna House until school starts—maybe we could go together.”
    Estelle appeared in the doorway. “Food’s ready. Somebody want to say a blessing over the food and over our birthday boys?”
    â€œIt’s Gracie’s birthday too, don’t forget!” Precious piped up.
    â€œThat’s right, and you just volunteered to say the blessing. C’mon now, everybody join hands.”
    Join hands ? Did the woman know what she was doing? I ducked into a space between Mr. Bentley and DaShawn, so I wouldn’t be forced to hold hands with Philip. But who would? Everybody here knew our story, and Philip’s name might as well be Mud. But Paul and P.J. crowded on either side of their dad—oh my, God’s angels must be working overtime in the neighborhood—not exactly holding hands, but at least filling a chink in the ragged circle.
    I lowered my eyelids but peeked through my lashes as Precious grabbed Gracie’s small hand—still in Sabrina’s arms— and raised her other hand like a Pentecostal preacher. “Precious Je sus! Thanks be to God! This is a mighty good day, and we give You all the glory. Bless this bunch, every one of ’em, an’ especially bless Paul and P.J. on they birthdays, even though the days is past, an’ bless lil’ Gracie, this precious baby girl You’ve given to all of us, who’s got a birthday sometime here in August even if we don’t know the exact—”
    â€œPrecious,” growled Estelle. “Bless the food .”
    â€œâ€”day,” Precious rolled right on, “’cause You got our days numbered, Jesus, an’ that’s all that matters. Now we thank You for the food we’re about to eat, an’ remove