"Uh, yes, praise God! ...Did they catch the killer, do you know?""No! The police believe it's more than one person! So these maniacs are still loose!""Thanks, Mrs. Cloverly, but I have to call my family. Goodbye."Immediately, I called Missy, but I got no answer. I call her back to back to back—still nothing. I call my brother, he answers."Tim! Have you talked to Missy!" "No. What's wrong?""Tristan--I mean, someone massacred my neighborhood!""What?""Yes! Please find Missy and have her call me at once!"I'm heading back to Maine, but my flight doesn't leave until tomorrow afternoon. Now, at an airport hotel restaurant, the world news is playing this gruesome massacre nonstop. As I sit traumatized because Missy still hasn't called, someone taps me."May I join you?" He asks.Startled, I nod yes. Chucking, he greets, "Hi, I'm David, and you are?""Jade.""Nice to meet you."I allow him to join me, but my eyes are fixed on the television. "Horrible, what happened there, huh?" he as
Unable to sleep, I'm consumed with thoughts of Tristan. In an attempt to win me back, the final time I saw him that night in the woods, he told of how Annie ended up at his mother's funeral with him. Annie said, "Women always talk too much about their man, especially during bad times. Jade had nothing good to say about Tristan that entire week in Indigo Bay. A few days after meeting him, I ran into Tristan jogging by the lake. It wasn't by accident. I wanted him, so I started stalking him, for lack of a better word. Then, knowing how corny and boring Jade was in bed as this confused church girl, I just wanted to blow his mind. I'd often think, what could he possibly find sexually gratifying about a woman who seemed to boast about how pitiful she was in bed? I drive up next to him. Rolling down my passenger window, I greet, "Hey, handsome. Is Jade home?" Jogging in place, he stopped and turned to face me. With the brightest, sexiest smile, he says, "Annie. How are you?" Watching
Maybe Annie got what she deserved. Call me insane, crazy, a lunatic if they like, but I'm at peace. Whatever the outcome, miraculously, I could see every event before it happened. There were no secrets withheld from me from the moment our eyes met. I saw Tristan before I saw Tristan. We met in my dreams, as he so eloquently put it. And I knew he represented evil before I knew he was evil. Still, I chose him.Many saw me going through these tragic moments and questioned why a loving God allowed me to go through something so atrocious. Then I, the so-called believer, never had an answer as if this wicked relationship or thing was forced upon me. Toni, Annie, Alexandria, Samantha, and I are guilty of the same charge. Like them, I knew Tristan wasn't right, but I wanted to make him right. But most of all, I wanted God to make him right. With all my loyalty and commitment to God, the least He could do was grant me the love I wanted. Right?This is a voluntary army. Soldiers aren't rewar
I wake up in my sleeping bag. Now sitting, I glance at Jordan, Chelsea, and the other two girls, sound asleep in our tent. I hear rustling outside, but I call no one. To remove my fear, I pray all night until morning. Twelve children, Blake, Malika, Toni, and I, end our camping trip. We get on the bus and head to church. During breakfast, Pastor Gene gives an excellent message. Afterward, we eat and fellowship as we always do every Sunday. Then, finally, I'm home.Lavender and vanilla pleases my senses as I enter my homey condominium. My balcony's open doors usher in a refreshing Summer breeze from the lake. After a brief nap, I'm up late putting together a portfolio to show new clients. My small office is downtown. It's very quaint and decorated perfectly. All my clients desire my services due to the excellence of my humble office.Deep Woods has always been a vacation city. Many wealthy people build vacation homes around the lake and visit during the Summer. There's a beautiful n
When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,' Then You scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions... Job 7:13-14 The rustling outside of our tent wakes me. Supposedly, there's no wild beast out here, but I check on my four girls. They're sound asleep. For a moment I sit listening, then as soon as I start to lie back down the rustling starts again. I call Malika. Groggy she answers, "Hey Jade. What's up?" I whisper, "Sorry to wake you, but do you hear anything moving outside your tent?" Yawning she answers, "No. You're probably just spooked because we're outside in the woods." "You're right. Good night. Sorry to wake you." "It's okay sis. Good night." As soon as I hang up from Malika, the rustling gets louder. Dear God protect us, I pray. It stops but I still feel uneasy. Quietly, I crawl to the tent's opening and unzip it. Is that a figure walking into the woods? Startled, I scoot backward but hurry and crawl back to my peephole to look out again.
Alex was sunbathing on the patio, so Tristan had put on his shades, looking even sexier. I want him to remove his hat so I can get a full view of his face. Since he has a girlfriend I'm desperate to find his flaw. "You want to sit on the patio or in the kitchen?" Tristan asks. "Let's go see the kitchen, please." "Alright follow me." We enter this massive kitchen and it's marvelous. He has dark grey and black marbled countertops and stainless steel everything with black and gray marbled handles. "Mr. Black this kitchen is very modern. Are you sure you're a cabin man?" I tease. From the fridge he takes out two bottles of alkaline water and hands me one answering, "Call me Tristan. Please sit down." He pulls out a chair from under his kitchen table. We sit down as he removes his hat and shades. Head down, he plays in his buzz cut then he looks up. His eyes are a bright teal blue. For a moment, I sit stunned. "Jade, are you okay?" "Yes! I-I'm sorry, I-I'm fine. Thank you." I stu
The following Thursday I have Tristan's bill all completed. I leave a message on his voicemail asking him to call me before my office closes. He doesn't call. I'm assuming he's probably going to cancel altogether after I didn't accept his tasteless invitation. I'm now home preparing another presentation for a client I received yesterday. Of course, she doesn't own a newly built twenty thousand square foot mega mansion off the water, but it's a job. She wants to meet tomorrow evening so I'm up late trying to get the perfect ideas. It’s just after eleven at night and Tristan's calling. I don't answer. I want to see if he'll leave a message and to my surprise he does. "Hi, Jade. Sorry, I missed our appointment. Please may I reschedule? I'm still excited about you doing my home. Please call me as soon as you get this message. Thanks." He sounds winded as if he's been running. I don't want to return his call tonight, but this is a major monetary deal. I tell myself to call early in t
Wednesday morning me and my crew arrive at Tristan's. We're greeted by his house sitter Monique. Beautiful, tall, Black lady, with long wavy hair. She must be a model too. "Mr. Black says you may start anywhere you want." "Is Mr. Black available?" I ask. "No Ms. Warring, he's in New York attending his wife's funeral." I'm working for the devil. Monique stands observing my reaction. I give a pursed smile then respond, "We'll be starting in the living area." She answers with an exaggerated, "Perfect." After leading us to the living room she then sashays into the kitchen. I'm instructing my crew but watching her as she makes a private phone call. While playing in her hair she gives a flirtatious laugh when she's speaking. The way she's biting her bottom lip I can assume she's having an erotic conversation. Shaking myself, I focus on my task, but pray she's not sexually talking to Tristan only days after his wife's funeral! How in the world was Alex his wife? What kind