Truth Is…

Kim Duncan is ready for the beginning of her new life. She has a beautiful daughter, a man that adores her, and nothing but high hopes for the future. Despite her past and questionable choices, Kim finally gets back to happy.

The one relationship she’d love to meet her halfway is with her mother, Diana.
Diana has a closet full of secrets disguised as judgemental behavior. The wedge between Kim and Diana only gets worse by the day. Kim doesn’t understand what she doesn’t know. All she ever wanted was her mother’s acceptance.

Can she break through her mother’s barrier and walk into the next phase of life on better terms?

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Sample

Kim

I strolled down the hall in my Alice + Olivia metallic midi dress and black ankle-strap stilettos from my closet. When I woke up yesterday, today was supposed to be as normal as any other one. My dad flew in Thursday morning to visit for the weekend. One thing led to another and somehow Evan and I made up our minds we didn’t have to wait to make things official.

After his proposal last year, we hit a few snags. His ex-wife, Amber, reached out to apologize to him. The whole conversation took him back to that place we worked so hard to be free from. Soon after, he felt suspicious of every man that I came in contact with.

My personal trainer got an earful when Evan tagged along for a session at our gym. He was supposed to work out on his own, but he didn’t feel comfortable leaving me alone with the guy. The same guy who helped me get in shape for three straight months became a threat all because he pressed against my bare core to make sure I pushed myself hard enough.

Oh, no!

Mr. Evan Thomas went off about him touching me, saying how inappropriate and disrespectful it was. By the time we made it to his place, he had a choice to either go to therapy to get control of his irrational jealousy or lose me.

The weekly sessions helped him to dissociate me from the women who hurt him in the past. Being that his ex-wife did a number on him by having a baby with his friend, I was the first woman he committed to since his divorce. The handful he tried to date came at a time that he couldn’t move past Amber, so he ended them all.

My past didn’t help with his insecurity either. I shared a child with a close friend. A friend who was married to one of the closest people in my life at the time. Evan swore up and down that my mistakes wouldn’t be a major problem after I first confessed them to him. For the most part, I believed him.

My truth scared him off for a short while, but something pulled us together despite it all. Although I trusted Evan, I wanted him to understand that if we’d spend the rest of our lives together, we must set a foundation in place. Just because I accepted his proposal didn’t mean it couldn’t be called off. So, we completed premarital counseling with our pastor.

We addressed every issue and every concern. Pastor Mason hit us with a million scenarios to see how we’d think to approach them. Now, we had the tools we needed to be successful for the long haul. But in all this time, we hadn’t made plans for the wedding.

Last night after a family dinner, we convinced ourselves that we were so ready to become husband and wife. A wedding wasn’t worth waiting for with all the required planning. Not that I didn’t want a wedding. Both of us simply desired the union more.

Our go-to photographer was available and took photos of almost every step I made toward Evan. My dad’s arm hooked in mine gave me goosebumps. “You look so beautiful, baby girl. Evan is a lucky man. And if he ever hurts you, he’s a dead one.”

I burst out laughing at the not-so-playful smirk Daddy had. Until he broke his gaze and chuckled. “You know I’m telling the truth.”

Rolling my eyes at the threat from the kindest man on the planet, I sighed. “Okay, Daddy. Sure. But we won’t have any of those problems. We got this.”

Daddy led me past the patio doors and onto the balcony where my future stared into my eyes, failing to hold back his tears. Evan got me started and then Daddy shed one almost at the same time. Evan softly pressed his lips on mine and wiped my face.

“Look at them! Can’t even wait until they’re married to kiss.” Aunt Vivica giggled when I stuck my tongue out at her.

I barely paid attention to Pastor Mason. All I heard were the waves from the ocean as those brown eyes locked to mine. Evan didn’t even attempt to listen either. Wherever we zoned out to, we were there together.

“I love you,” I mouthed.

“I love you too.”

Our attention traveled back to the pastor as he prepared us to repeat after him and exchange rings. We didn’t prepare any vows for our last-minute nuptials.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride!” Pastor Mason smiled at us.

“Again,” Aunt Viv shouted.

The rest of our family clapped, squealed, and cheered. Daddy put Ava down and she ran straight to Evan. We turned to everyone and received so much love from our small crowd. My two cousins, Malik and Cory, their wives, and all their children each gave us hugs.

I imagined more of my immediate family at my wedding, but somehow this felt perfect. Even after I receive the inevitable beating from my sister and brother once they find out.

Thank you for reading!