Purify My Heart (Chicago Love Series Book 3)

Chapter III (End of May)

Lord,

I come to you, asking to be healed...asking for forgiveness. I have turned my back on you, living a life of lies, a life of lust. I have failed to acknowledge you in the face of my friends, in the face of my enemies. I've felt that I could do it alone, but I know without you, there is no me. Lord I ask for strength, I ask for courage, I ask for wisdom. I ask for you to claim me, and allow me to be yours. I'll no longer allow man to take me on a path of destruction, no I belong to you. Sometimes I know I'll fall, and I know I'll be weak, but my heart is yours. Lord I ask that you purify my heart.

Aniyah awoke with a new found spirit.She knew in her heart she had to let go of those who were designed to hurt and harm her. Something just hadn't been settling right these past couple of weeks and she knew it all led back to Asia. After the weekend spent with Adrian and Andrew, she knew that Asia wasn't the right choice for her. Asia was controlling, manipulative, and condescending. When she'd called to see what Aniyah's plans for the weekend, she scoffed...

"You're going to play dominoes, and you're making potato salad to hang out with the neighborhood Queen and his brother. I didn't know you hung out with colored folks and partook in urban activities. I thought I'd saved you from those things, but of course Sev would have you living deep in the "hood"," she responded when Aniyah had informed her of her weekend plans.

Aniyah was furious, hell she was beyond furious. The brothers were only being welcoming, and Aniyah had grown up around the same colored folks that partook in those activities at every family reunion, barbeque, and kickback...these were her people, and Asia's. Although Asia had strayed away from her roots long ago, another issue they were having in their relationship. After telling Asia she could shove her judgments up her ass, she hung up and sauntered across the street to enjoy herself. 

And enjoy herself she did...a little too much. Adrian was a natural chef, and he knew it. He had served his bounty of guests pulled pork, baked beans, greens and cabbage, corn bread, corn on the cob, fried chicken, and peach cobbler for dessert. His food was made with love, and he made sure that everyone had their feel, as they sipped on Hennessy and other Cognac's. Aniyah hadn't remembered a time she'd felt so at home. Since she'd been dating Asia and Maddox, she'd kept a mostly vegetarian diet and didn't drink too much; she tried to maintain her figure. Asia was always image conscious and would never have pork on her spork. 

Yet, it wasn't just the food that made Aniyah feel at ease, it was the people. Those same grandmothers she'd saw on those porch steps when she'd moved in were in the kitchen fanning themselves and gossiping away. Children were in the yard playing in the sprinklers and little girls with bright barrettes and hair balls jumped double dutch. New mothers carried their infants and shared their experiences with good girlfriends, these people were a family. Back in Peoria, her neighbors didn't communicate with her, and she avoided them. Yet, here, everyone was cool with everyone and they welcomed her with open arms. 

"Enjoying yourself," Andrew asked after sauntering in from flirting with the new guy who lived upstairs from them.

"More than I thought I would, how do you do it. How do each of you find comfort in each other, especially in such hopeless times," she asked him searching his eyes for the answers.

"Because despite our differences, we're family. Those old ladies in there had a hand in raising each of these children, they're from the old school. Back when if your neighbor caught you they beat you, then sent you home to your momma to get beat too. Sometimes there's drama, and trust me we fight, but who do you have, if you don't have family?" he said turning his back on her to fix another plate of her famous potato salad.

"You know my girlfriend said I shouldn't trust this, she's always trying to put other people down,"

"So you're with the tea too honey...mmm Adrian will be sad to hear about that,"