The Thing About Home


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Contents
 
 Cover
 Title Page
 Dedication
 Contents
 Black Family Tree
 Conway Family Tree
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7: Odessa Conway
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 9
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 11: Odessa Conway
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 20: Odessa Black
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 23: Odessa Black
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 26: Odessa Black
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 29: Odessa Black
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 36: Odessa Black
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 40
 Epilogue
 Author’s Note
 Acknowledgments
 Discussion Questions
 About the Author
 
 Praise for The Thing About Home
 Copyright
 
 
 
 
 
 v
 
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 Dedication
 
 
 For my ancestors:
 Elijah McKnight/Louisa Thames McKnight and Anthony Gibson/unknown 
 Eddie McKnight/Francis Gibson McKnight
 Jimmie L. McKnight
 &
 Bessie Kennedy McKnight
 John Kennedy/Laura Wilson Kennedy
 Downing Kennedy/Katie Kennedy and George Wilson/Francis Wilson
 
 
 
 
 
 Black Family Tree
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Conway Family Tree
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 
 March 2, 2019
 
 I stepped into my limousine and pressed the bottom of my wedding dress flat. The scent of coconut and lemongrass filled the
 interior of the cabin. I imagined if cream and sunshine had a scent, this would be it. Today, I needed aromatherapy to do
 what it was supposed to do—relax me.
 
 
 “Congratulations on your wedding.” The driver offered me a genuine smile.
 
 “Thank you. It’s a vow renewal ceremony.” I hunched my shoulders like an excited teenager. “Seven years.”
 
 “That’s a lot to be proud of. He’s a lucky man.”
 
 Drew and I were both lucky. That’s what I’d told myself just this morning, but still an uneasiness rose in my belly and formed
 a knot dead center. Something was bothering me, and I couldn’t put my finger on what.
 
 
 A lingering shiver died in the heat of the warm vehicle. I dropped into the plush leather seat and pushed the niggling thought
 of worry from my mind.
 
 
 Heaven.
 
 I closed my eyes and moaned like I’d taken shoes off after waiting tables for twelve hours. This car was everything.
 
 The door opened again. “I have your bag.” My assistant, Swella Avery, was gifted in assisting.
 
 I opened my eyes and squinted against the sunlight gleaming over Swella’s shoulder. “As soon as I get back from my honeymoon,
 you are getting a huge bonus.”
 
 
 Swella’s green eyes bugged like glassy volcanic rock. Her luminous, spiked red hair shot out like lava from a recent eruption.
 “Please let it be enough for the new Valentino jeans.”
 
 
 I laughed. “Done. Now, don’t text me. Don’t call me. Don’t anything me. I need a few minutes of peace.”
 
 “Peace is yours.” Swella poked her head in and inhaled demonstratively. “I didn’t overdo it with the spray, did I?” Not waiting
 for my answer, she snatched her head out. “We’d better get going.” She waggled her shoulders and reminded me, “It’s almost
 over.” With a shove of the door, she disappeared. I was sure she was just glad to get this day ticked off her to-do list.
 It was seven months in the making, and I’d been running her all over the city.
 
 
 Guilt rushed in. I could have let her ride