Braxton Park is a small, yet disjointed community that is full of secrets, lies, deceptions, and other indiscretions that threaten to tear families apart and change lives forever. But one woman's love will fight to turn it all around before time runs out.
Colin and Angel Stephens have the perfect life. Married for three years, they are a loving couple, anxiously awaiting the birth of their first child. Like any responsible husband, Colin works hard to make provisions for his expanding family, and like any expectant mother, Angel's excitement builds as the date of delivery approaches. But one careless mistake by Colin changes everything, and what happens next could make
or break the Stephenses' union.
Jennifer Mays is a young, single mother of a rebellious, ungrateful teenager. With no help from her parents who shunned her when she became pregnant at the age of fifteen and no assistance from her child's absent father, Jennifer is left to fight her battles alone. Years of feeling incapable and helpless are beginning to take its toll, and she is ready to completely give up on fourteen-year-old Jerrod and turn him over to a street life he seems to appreciate more than he does her.
Mason Demps works sixteen hours a day to afford a lifestyle that essentially exceeds his means. Meanwhile, his wife, Elaine, is feeling neglected and ignored by him and finds the attention she needs in the eyes of a stranger. The love she has for her husband tells her to do the right thing, but when Mason's emotional abandonment escalates, Elaine determines that it's time to start taking care of herself.
Essie Mae Richardson is a widow still in love with a Tuskegee Airman who died in war in the 1940's. At seventy-seven years old, she's far better known for her keen ears than her fluent speech. The oldest member of Braxton Park is affectionately called, "Ms. Essie" by those blessed to know her. The front porch is her favorite room of the house, and the sights and the sounds of the neighborhood serve as her color television. Rarely does she leave her property except to attend church on Sundays. She knows about the troubling stories looming the families in nearby homes, but there is no one that she can tell except God. Her simple prayers, words of wisdom, and acts of kindness slowly begin to bring peace to the inner wars of her community. And as she races against the clock, Essie Mae Richardson proves that true love never dies and that timing really is everything.
Three Fifty-Seven A.M.
The Morning After
When Essie Mae Richardson, the pillar of her upscale community, died a year ago, life for the residents who befriended her took a drastic turn...for the worse. The morning before Essie's death, it was business as usual in the Braxton Park subdivision. The morning after her death, every thread that held the friends and neighbors together begins to unravel.
Colin and Angel, lovebirds by every definition of the word, had the perfect marriage. But the impact of Essie's death shakes their foundation like a massive earthquake. As a result, the love they share begins to crumble, and they find themselves in an awkward place. A place that could tear them apart forever.
Jennifer, with Essie's fervent prayers and shared wisdom, had just gained the respect of her wayward teenage son. After years of battling the gangs and the streets, Jennifer had won the war and finally had the model child. But the loss of Essie starts a domino effect of calamity, and now Jennifer is on the verge of losing her son (Jerrod), her boyfriend (TK), and her natural born mind.
Mason and Elaine were already having marital woes even before their wise old neighbor passed away, but it appeared that their strained marriage was finally on the mends. However, the morning after Essie's death, a wedge the size of Texas begins to separate them. And a full year later, they're still sleeping in two separate rooms and conducting their lives like virtual strangers.
What a difference a day makes! Old friends, new foes, and an unchanging God all come together to make The Morning After a wonderfully dramatic, long awaited sequel to Three Fifty-Seven A.M.
