By He asked her on Wednesday evening, in the parking lot of the church where they met, after the community group meeting, under the light of a streetlamp that CJ said flickered once right after she said yes, which he is choosing to interpret as a sign.
Shanice said yes.
I found out from CJ by text at approximately nine forty-five Wednesday night — a photo of Shanice's hand with Bernice's pearl ring on her finger, and underneath it he had written: "She said yes Mama. She said yes." I am not embarrassed to say I sat on the edge of my bed and wept. Not the grief kind. The other kind, the kind that comes when something you have been hoping for with a careful quiet hope finally arrives and the relief of it breaks you open just a little. Marcus would have danced in this kitchen. He would have called every person he knew. I danced in the kitchen myself, briefly, when I was sure no one was watching.
I called CJ back and he was talking faster than I have heard him talk since he was a boy. Shanice was in the background laughing. I asked her — I asked to speak to her — and I said, Shanice, welcome to this family. You are coming into something that has had some hard years, and I want you to know we carry our people and our losses and our love all together in one hand here. She was quiet for a moment and then she said, Mrs. Loretta, I know. Calvin has told me everything. I am not afraid of any of it. I said, good. Then I told her the pearl ring would resize if she needed it to, and she said it fit perfectly, and I thought: of course it does.
Sunday I cooked a full engagement dinner: roast chicken, potato gratin, green beans with almonds, and a white coconut cake with buttercream that took me most of Saturday afternoon. When CJ and Shanice came through the door I hugged her the way I hug family. Because she is.
The coconut cake I made that Saturday took most of the afternoon, and every minute of it felt like an act of love — because it was. When you are cooking for a moment you have prayed for quietly for years, you want the dessert to carry some of that sweetness. This Florida Pie captures the same spirit: a cool, creamy, coconut-forward filling in a golden crust that tastes like something made for a celebration. If you need a dessert that says welcome to the family without a word, this is the one.
Florida Pie
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes + 3 hours chilling | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4–5 limes)
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, divided
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 325°F. Toast 1/4 cup of the shredded coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3–4 minutes. Set aside for topping.
- Make the filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, and lime zest until smooth and fully combined. Fold in the remaining 3/4 cup untoasted shredded coconut.
- Fill and bake. Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie crust and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is just set at the edges but still has a slight jiggle in the center. Do not overbake.
- Cool and chill. Remove from the oven and allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack, about 45 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until fully set and cold.
- Make the whipped cream. Just before serving, beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3–4 minutes.
- Top and serve. Spread or pipe the whipped cream generously over the chilled pie. Scatter the toasted coconut over the top. Slice and serve cold.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 190mg