Stepping to a New Day by Beverly Jenkins Page A

maybe thirty years left and you want to greet the sunrise with the smile you put on your own face, not the frown worn by someone else.”
    â€œWise advice.”
    â€œHaven’t lived this long for nothing.”
    Gen smiled. “Thanks, Tamar.”
    â€œI’ve been watching you these last few months, Genevieve Gibbs, and I like what I’m seeing. Keep being you and damn the torpedoes.”
    â€œYes, ma’am. In fact, I’ll be talking to Lily tomorrow about ordering a double-wide because I want to move out.”
    â€œMakes sense. You want to ride into town with me in the morning?”
    â€œThat would be great. I need to learn to drive, too.”
    â€œAnother good idea. Who’re you going to have teach you?”
    â€œAre you volunteering?”
    â€œI love you a lot, but not enough for that. I’m elderly, remember?”
    Gen scoffed and laughed. Tamar was the youngest elderly woman in the county. “Then I’ll ask Lily or Trent or maybe Bobby.”
    â€œAll good choices.”
    Gen thought about the main reason for wanting to move out. “What are we going to do about Marie?”
    â€œAs much as it hurts me to say this, nothing. The only person who can do anything about Marie is Marie. She’s in my prayers, though.”
    â€œMine, too. Thanks for the ride and the advice.”
    â€œAnytime. I’ll see you in the morning.”
    Gen got out, and beneath the beam of the porch light stuck her key in the door. Once she stepped inside, Tamar and Olivia roared off into the night.

CHAPTER
4
    E li dropped his backpack on his desk and removed his books. This would be his last year at the Marie Jefferson Academy. He was pretty sure he’d miss interacting with the other kids on a daily basis, but he wouldn’t miss being taught by his dad. When your teacher was your father he knew when you had homework or a big test coming up. He also knew when you had a major paper to do and what day it was supposed to be turned in. The other kids could scam their parents on that kind of stuff, but not Eli. Case in point, last night after the town meeting instead of going up to his room to chill and maybe fire up his Xbox, he’d been asked about his readiness for today’s test on the solar system, particularly Jupiter and its moons. Eli knew he was ready, well, sort of, but when his dad asked him to name the Galilean moons and what they were composed of he’d stumbled a little. His dad raised an eyebrow and said, “You might want to look over the material again.”
    So he did, and now knew Io from Calisto but like most teens had no idea when he’d use the knowledge IRL—in reallife. It wasn’t as if he planned to be an astrophysicist. He’d be leaving that to Leah and Brain. Eli was a sculptor and was pretty sure when Rodin created The Thinker, not knowing Jupiter’s Galilean moons hadn’t kept him awake at night.
    Speaking of sculpting, news from the artist competition he’d entered a few months back was due in the mail anytime now. He’d submitted a bust of his mom. Working on it had been one of the toughest experiences of his life. Memories kept rising and some nights he’d cried so much over losing her he couldn’t see the clay for his tears, but he’d been proud of the finished likeness and so had his dad. Crystal had also sent in an entry. She was a painter though, and submitted a triptych based on her life. First prize was scholarship money and the opportunity for the winner’s work to be displayed in a big-time California art gallery. He and Crystal really wanted to win, but seeing as how only one of them could come in first, they’d agreed to be happy for each other no matter the outcome.
    While the other students like Amari, Preston, and the Clark sisters filed into the classroom and took their seats, he glanced Crystal’s way. The grin she shot him made his heart speed up. He