Today the tears stopped.
 

The way her mother looked at her this morning told Tawana if she didn’t pull herself together, she’d soon find herself admitted to a local hospital.
 

“You’ve been crying for two weeks and you won’t tell me why. Misha doesn’t hear you every night but I do. You’re losing weight, drinking bottle after bottle of wine and using all the tissue in the house. What is going on with you, Tawana? Do I need to call a doctor?”
 

Mama had ranted before, but today she picked up the yellow pages to find some help.
 

Tawana had dashed over and snatched the book from her.
 

“No, Mama! I’m fine; I just have a lot on my mind.”
 

“I can see that, Tawana.” 
 

Ms. Carter extended her hand for Tawana to return the phone book. 
 

“Since you won’t talk to me, you’re going to talk to someone. I didn’t come up here with you to this highfalutin’ place, so this fancy education you’re gettin’ could drive you crazy. Misha needs you.”
 

She formed a thin line with her lips, but Tawana already knew what her mother was too proud to admit: she needed her too.
 

Tawana fell to her knees in front of her mother and laid her head on her lap. Sobs wracked her body.
 

Ms. Carter rubbed her daughter’s back and wept too.
 

“What is it, Tawana? What is wrong?”
 

When the tears finally abated, Tawana sat back and wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands.
 

“I don’t want to talk about it, Mama, but I’m going to be okay. I’m sorry I’ve scared you; it’s just been a stressful time. It’s going to be alright.”
 

Ms. Carter stared at Tawana, wanting to believe her.
 

“One of them boyfriends did something to you, didn’t he?” 
 

Excerpted from Watercolored Pearls © Copyright 2012 by Stacy Hawkins Adams. Reprinted with permission by Revell Books. All rights reserved.