Black Woman Blue: Stories of Black Love, Life and Laughter

Black Woman Blue is story telling at its southern best! Author Jacqueline Akins explores the joys of friendship while examining the painstaking truth behind deceit; and just when evil rears it's ugly head, the reader is rescued and bosomed in a reward of self-discovery, patience and faithfulness.

As I pulled into the driveway of the place I knew was ours, I tried to think of when things started going wrong for us. I never wanted a big house, just a nice place to lay my head in peace. I just wanted to have a comfortable place to be, when I was tired of being everywhere else. I know this is the right place because the numbers on the house say one thousand two. Everybody say the truth suppose to set you free and I can use a taste of freedom right now. So hear me when I say to you, "this is our house, but it's a long way from being home!" How I wish I could step out of this car and go inside and leave Wesley out here in the car to sleep off his drunk. I can't. I can't cause I hear my daddy saying, 'I told you so.' And I hear my mama words echoing in my ear, 'you ain't got to go if you don't want to, but if you go, be woman enough to stay.'

--From the short story "Home Goings"