Lifting her head, Maria nodded in agreement. She hesitated as another frightening thought ran through her mind. As unwilling as Derrick was to get married, what if James had been reluctant? He could have refused involvement in his son’s life. It would have been easy for him to walk away.
He had remained, though. As promised, James worked hard to provide for his family. Every decision revolved around her and Anthony. Her parents might still doubt his sincerity, but Maria knew his heart. James would not shirk from his responsibilities. Nor would he stop caring for his family.
There was a citywide celebration on the Fourth of July. James joined the Sentinel’s crew covering the event and took his family with him. Maria enjoyed getting out of the apartment, even though she spent most of her t
