Shon Shree Lewis - Better Than Coffee

Characters

Main character: Tammy Sky

Heather: Tammys mom

Lance: Tammys dad

Jason: Tammys uncle

Beverly Mills: Tammys aunt

Gabriel Mills: Beverlys late husband, William, Jonah and Sarahs Father

Sarah Johnson: Beverlys daughter

William: Beverlys oldest son

Jonah: Beverlys youngest son

Jim Johnson: Sarahs husband

Rebecca: Sarahs daughter

Kurt: Rebeccas male friend

Amanda: Beverlys childhood school friend

Zoey: Amandas niece

Bill: Amandas husband

Julia: Beverly, Amanda, and Sarahs church friend

Daniel: Julias son

Jason: Tammys uncle; Julias new husband

Pastor Bruno Sanchez

Pastor Michelle Sanchez

Zack Wilson: Tammys fianc/husband; coffee shop supervisor

Ruby: Zacks grandmother

Mrs. Sheri: Coffee shop manager

Sandy: Tammys barista friend

Mr. Washington: Tammy and Rebeccas school principal

Chapter 1

Tammys Family Roots

T ammy Sky is an African American Indian girl who lives in a small town named Greenville in Kentucky. She is given up for adoption by her parents and given to her mothers sister, a widow, age fifty-four, named Beverly Mills, who lives in a beautiful two-story Victorian-style home. Tammy, her niece, was given to her for adoption by Beverlys sister, Heather, and the father, Lance, when she was just a newborn.

Beverly Mills is widow; her husband passes away from old age, at seventy-eight years of age, according to his doctors report in the past. Tammys parents give her up for adoption because her mother and father are unwed, and they believe they are too young to parent Tammy because they are both only eighteen years of age when she is born. So they think it more suitable to give her away to another family member, one of her mothers relatives, Beverly, to raise her and take care of her because she is a God-fearing woman with good morals and values and is energetic and caring.

Beverly has also already raised three children of her own, two boys and one girl. The names of Beverlys sons are William, the oldest of her children, and Jonah, the youngest son. They are in their thirties. Although Beverlys sons are single, and have moved away near Greenville, in Bowling Green city, and they share an apartment together, they would keep in contact with her by phone and visit on some holidays. Sarah is closest to her mom, Beverly, and always visits her mom at least twice a month.

Beverly does not anticipate that after raising her children, she will begin parenting againthis time, her niece, Tammy. One day, in the month of July, Beverly makes an agreement with Tammys parents, named Heather and Lance, that they can still be a part of her life and they can visit every weekend to establish parental relationship with her and watch Tammy grow into a beautiful young lady. During Tammys newborn years through one year of age, her parents check on her periodically, visiting Beverlys home, Heather visiting separate times, then Tammys dad, Lance.

Tammys parents are not married and continue to struggle with their relationship, mainly because Tammys dad, Lance, has a terrible alcohol problem.

After Tammy is one years of age, Tammys parents separate and get preoccupied with their own lives and move into different states. Lance would call Beverly on holidays to check on Tammy and had small talk by phone with Tammy, once on Tammys birthday when she turns two. Then after that, Beverly no longer hears from Lance. Beverly is hurt about Lances neglect to stay in communication with her and his daughter. Beverly assumes his reason is his alcoholism. What is worse, although Beverlys sister, Heather (Tammys mother), will call on holidays sporadically, she eventually stops calling by the time Tammy is just three years of age. This is disturbing and hurtful to Beverly, for her sister not to stay in contact with her anymore. Afterward, Beverly decides she will not tell Tammy about her parents until she is practically a teenager.

Meanwhile, Beverly does not let that stop her from giving her sisters daughter the love and care of a mother that Tammy needs. Beverly is always warmhearted and delighted to raise her niece, Tammy, just as her own daughter. Tammy has always called her momma because she is the only parent she knows in her young life. At times, Beverlys adult children will visit her, especially her daughter, Sarah, who has a daughter of her own named Rebecca, who is the same age as Tammy, and often they share dolls together during their playtime at Beverlys house.

As Tammy has gotten older, she becomes aware of her existence at the age of four, and she begins to be friends with her aunt Beverlys daughter, Sarahs little girl, Rebecca, who is the same age as Tammy. During this time, Tammy begins to notice Beverly, Sarah (her daughter), and Beverlys childhood school best friend, Amanda, visit Beverlys house for table talk in Beverlys dining room, almost weekly.

Beverlys dining room has such a warm, inviting presence of bright-yellow and turquoise-and-white-color walls with floral decor and three huge windows that the outside sunlight will shine through like a golden path of diamonds with a heavenly breeze. And the round oak wood table with turquoise tablecloth and five antique, beautifully tarnished oak wood chairs near the windows of the dining room. Amanda is Caucasian, single with no children, Beverlys BFF (best friends forever) from childhood through college years. They stay in contact with each other and maintain their friendship for many years. Amanda makes random trips to her best friend Beverlys house for coffee talk. Beverly, Amanda, and Sarah will meet at least twice a month to have coffee talk at Beverlys house. What they call coffee talk is sharing hot cups of sweet cappuccino coffee, often on Sundays afternoons, because it is their way of talking and venting their problems of the week to one another as well as sharing their personal advice to help one another cope with their everyday problems.

The two little girls, Tammy and Rebecca, even mimic the ladies coffee talk with their own toy play dishes to make believe they are coffee drinkers, just as they notice Beverly; her daughter, Sarah; and Beverlys childhood school best friend, Amanda.

* * *

One warm summer day in July is Tammys fifth birthday. Beverly has just taken out of her kitchen oven a hot strawberry cake with strawberry butter cream frosting she has baked for Tammy, and is adding the frosting to Tammys cake, preparing to celebrate with Sarah and her daughter, Rebecca, who are on their way to celebrate Tammys birthday.

Suddenly, Tammy asks her aunt Beverly, Momma, at my school my friends talk about their mom and dad buying them gifts for their birthday. Where is my dad?

In shock, Beverly sighs, and her countenance changes from cheerful to worried.

Then Beverly looks at Tammy, feeling terrified to answer the question, gently grabs Tammys small chin, and looks at her with kindness and says, Darling, your dad is not feeling well and is away for a while until he gets better, and he will visit you someday when you are older, to spend Daddy time with you.

Tammy looks at Beverly with a sad expression for a moment and replies with a sad tone, Okay.

Right after Tammys reply, Beverlys house doorbell rings. Beverly dashes to her front door, and Tammy quickly runs behind Beverly as she opens her door. At that moment, Beverly greets her daughter, Sarah, with a hug, and Amanda, and they both have a gift box in their hands for Tammy.

Amanda also walks in with one of her nieces named Zoey, age four, whom she introduces to Beverly and the two girls.

Then Rebecca runs toward Tammy, jumping and yelling, Happy birthday, Tammy!