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The Other Side of Dare
The Other Side of Dare Read online
Also by Vanessa Davis Griggs
Forever Soul Ties
Redeeming Waters
Ray of Hope
The Blessed Trinity Series
The Other Side of Goodness
The Truth Is the Light
Goodness and Mercy
Practicing What You Preach
If Memory Serves
Strongholds
Blessed Trinity
Published by Kensington Publishing Corp.
THE OTHER SIDE OF DARE
VANESSA DAVIS GRIGGS
Kensington Publishing Corp.
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Also by Vanessa Davis Griggs
Title Page
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
A READING GROUP GUIDE
The Other Side of Goodness
Copyright Page
To
My mother, Josephine Davis, and father, James Davis Jr.
Acknowledgments
Thank you, Lord, the author and finisher of my faith. I’m forever grateful and in awe of Your exceedingly, abundantly, above-all-I-can-ever-ask-or-think blessings. To my loving mother, Josephine Davis, and father, James Davis Jr.: You introduced me to the Lord and brought me up knowing that no matter where I was or what in life I did, I would never be alone because the Lord would always be with me. Thank you for making me believe that I really can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I love you both more than words can ever express!
Thanks to my husband Jeffery for walking this journey with me. We’ve stood together, and no matter what the devil may have tried to throw our way, with God on our side, we’ve come through it. To my children: Jeffery, you have so much love, it truly blesses my heart seeing you bless those whose lives you touch. Jeremy, I remember the time you found a baby bird that had fallen out of its nest and had broken its neck. Your father and I watched you try to save him, to the point where your father took the bird to a person who confirmed he wouldn’t make it. But you wouldn’t give up. You cared for and nursed that bird. No, it didn’t live, but I knew that anyone who was blessed enough to cross your path would always know true love and care. As an adult, you’ve shown that and so much more. I thank God for you. I’m also excited to welcome to our family my new daughter-in-law, Sonceria Griggs. Congratulations, you two! Johnathan, my talented artist and from-the-heart chef: You need to come home and visit your family. We miss seeing you terribly. LOL. Love you and I’m happy that you’re walking in your gift. Asia and Ashlynn, just thinking of the both of you causes me to smile. My arms stretch deep and wide so I can wrap them around you! You’re my vacation when we do things together, even if all we do is hang out, play games, blow bubbles, play around in the kitchen, or eat fruits and vegetables picnic-style on the bedroom floor. I am blessed to be your “Nana!”
Loving my family so much! My sisters, brothers, their spouses: Danette Brown and husband, Herbert; Terence Davis and wife, Cameron (who ALWAYS reads every single book I write and lets me know what she thinks—thank you so much for that, Cameron!); Arlinda Davis; Emmanuel Davis and wife, Cumber-lan; my aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, nieces, and nephews—I thank each of you for all the loving memories we’ve made and for those that are surely to come.
I give my sincere thanks and appreciation to Kensington senior editor Selena James, and all of the personnel at Kensington /Dafina who work diligently to make things happen. To Bonita Chaney, Rosetta Moore, Vanessa L. Rice, Zelda Oliver-Miles, Linda H. Jones, Vina Lavendar, and Shirley Walker: I thank God for being blessed to have people like you in my life that I can also call my friends. To Pastor Michael D. McClure Sr.: You made me laugh when I showed you the cover and title of this book and you said, “I’m scared of that title!” Thank you for letting folks know what I do (believe me, not all pastors are so generous).
Thanks to author Kimberla Lawson Roby for those kind words on my novel, The Other Side of Goodness. I appreciate you so much for that! Also to authors Lutishia Lovely, Pat G’orge-Walker, Linda F. Beed, Maurice Gray Jr., Shelia Goss, and Margaret Johnson-Hodge: It’s been such fun interacting with each of you in some way, whether by phone, in person, or via Facebook. People may not know this, but when the “Spirit” hits us, Lutishia Lovely and I will start a praise/song service on Facebook if you’re not careful. Yes, Lord!
I’d like to give a shout-out to a few folks who participated in a Facebook post where I asked which of my books you liked the best or you posted a message about me and my books that blessed me. Thank you to: Kimyatta Angola, Felicia Toni Garrett, Trinita Ford, Mia Danielle, Val McGhee, Phillis Adams, Deborah Frazier, JeaNida Luckie-Weatherall, Juwana Harris Roberts, Shanae Collins, Stephanie Holston Shelton, Patrice M. Harlson, Alicia Thomas, Le’Tanya Berry Mitchell, Sharon Hunter Barrow, Princetta PJ Williams, Angiel Jackson-Washington, Rhonda McIntyre Gilbert, NaTasha Hargress, Bethany Jackson, Kim Albritton Thompson, La Trese Moore, Paulette Griffin Sabree, Cassandra N. Johnson, Deborah James Murray, Fearfullymade Holman, Ruthie Wilson, Kimberly Ivory Graves, Melissa Louis-Juste, Karen Gray-Bullock, Deirdre Davis, Chenel Choice, Tara Cunningham, Betty Bailey Brown, Faith James, Michelle Tootsie Bell, Doris Chenier, Gregg De’Vincent Pelt, Sabrina Collins, Lanee DeShawn, Tracey Turner Peebles, Al-vetta Rolle, Gretta McFarland, Tiffani J. Showell, Shon Garner Cole, Portia Lang, Jonnie Williams Young, Lisa A. Truss, Pamela Brown, Yvonne Griffin-Jackson, Anthony R. Sanders, Myra Walker Williams, Jami Taylor, Nikeya Brumfield Avery, Nakeisha Brumfield, Kim Knight, Hannah Black, Yarnetta Sellers.
Anthony and Denise Thomas, Tamara Davis, Nicole Davis, NaSonya K., Shawna Bynum, Jessica Ann Goodman, Yolanda Gore, Anthony Conley, Stacey Saunders, Eden Carlton, Morne-sia Beal, Ninette E. Patterson, Melva Jackson, Melvin Smith Jr., Crystal Roberts, George W. Stewart, Pastor Byron Woods, Lan-eta Fullenwiley, Kimberly Miller, Pamela Perkins Lewis, Sarah Morris, Sally R. Clem, Lorraine Mungo, Tracey Yvonne Smith, Cheryl Sloan Wray, Joanne Sloan, Tori Dorsett, Rita Hester-Pompey, Ja Woods, Shiela Toby, Chandra Lee Thomas, Belinda Alexander-Walker, Sharon Jordan, Zsa Zsa Rambeau, Sheila Williams (Roll Tide), Kathryn Lang, Billie Scales, Eric M. Felton, Jeanette Hill, Milbourne Biddy Stafford, Norma J. Robinson, Maria Bailey, Carla McKinney, Trina Banks, and Adrienna Turner.
I thank you for picking this novel. It is because of wonderful people like you and the favor of God that I’m able to keep doing what I do. As always, I love hearing from you. You can find me on the Web at: www.VanessaDavisGriggs.com and on Facebook at: www.Facebook.com/vanessadavisgriggs.
Until next time . . .
Chapter 1
Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
—Isaiah 36:14
“The devil sure is busy. That’s really a lot going on.” Tiffany
Connors paced from one end of the couch to the other as she talked on the phone. “Yes, I definitely know that God is busier. Pastor Landris reminds us of that enough. But in my thirty years on this earth, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the devil as busy as he seems to be right now. It’s like he’s messing with pretty much everyone we know, all at the same time. Poor Gabrielle. She’s dealing with some stuff these days, that’s for sure.”
Thirty-three-year-old Darius Connors sat in the den at his computer listening intently to his wife’s conversation about Gabrielle Mercedes while trying to pretend that he wasn’t. She was talking to Fatima Adams, a fellow dancer in the church’s dance ministry. Oddly, he wasn’t listening so closely because he’d once had a three-year-long affair with the now thirty-six-year-old Fatima that consequently ended about five years ago. He thought for a second. Today was April 29, 2010. He counted back to 2005, the year Fatima ended things. Yes, May 14, her birthday, it would be five years.
He felt pretty confident Fatima wouldn’t tell his wife about them, not at this point anyway. Not since Tiffany and Fatima had become friends through the dance ministry. If Fatima was going to spill the Kool-Aid, he figured she would have done it already. Telling Tiffany now would most certainly put their friendship in jeopardy with questions like why Fatima didn’t tell her in the beginning, and why she’d gone a whole year with them knowing each other on a friendly basis and she still hadn’t said anything. It would cause more than just mere tension and not just in the dance ministry, but in church. Knowing Fatima like he had, he knew she wouldn’t want to be responsible for anything like that. Not little pristine Fatima.
Tiffany glanced over at him and flashed him a big smile, then winked. He quickly realized he must have been staring harder than he’d intended. He really wanted her to think he wasn’t listening at all. Generally, that’s what she accused him of: not listening to her at all. He quickly began to tap on the keys on the computer to give the impression he hadn’t been staring down her throat, trying to capture every word that was coming out of her mouth, but instead purely absentmindedly thinking.
“Well, it’s now the end of April, and I know you were looking forward to Gabrielle’s return from her leave of absence and fully taking back her position as the director over the dance ministry. But you’ve been doing a fabulous job in her absence these past few months. Fabulous. You have. Everybody in the ministry is saying so. And I’ve told you that if you need my help with anything, I’m merely a phone call away.” Tiffany walked over to the end table where the base of the phone resided.
“All right, Fatima. Well, keep me informed. You know how much I love Gabrielle. Yes, we all love her. And we’ve all been praying for her and that precious little girl. You know what they say: If it’s not one thing, it’s another.” Tiffany shook her head. “I don’t know why things happen to good people, either. But one thing we do know, and that is that God is still on the throne. What Satan may mean for bad, God will use it for good. Yes, He will.”
Tiffany listened, then nodded. “Okay. I’ll talk to you later. Call me if you need me now. All right. Bye now.” Tiffany carefully placed the cordless phone back into its base.
Darius continued to type as he looked out of the side of his eye. He didn’t want to give Tiffany the impression that he was waiting for her to get off the phone to pounce on her. But he was definitely anxious to find out what had been said on the other end of his wife’s conversation.
Tiffany walked over to Darius and placed her hand on his shoulder. “What’cha doing?” There was a touch of sweetness in the low register of her voice.
Darius stopped and turned fully toward his wife whose straight, jet-black hair was hanging down to her shoulders. “What I’ve been doing for the past seven months now: looking for a job. You know I need to hurry up and find something. I need a job so I can take care of my family.” Darius got up from the computer, grabbed Tiffany’s hand, led her over to the couch, and pulled her down onto his lap.
Tiffany let out a quick yelp, then giggled like a schoolgirl. “Now what are you doing?”
Darius smiled. “Well, according to Pastor Landris: If you have to ask, then that means I haven’t been properly taking care of my business at home.”
“We’ve both been so busy, especially lately. Me working all the time at my job, coming home and taking care of the children, cooking and taking care of our house; and you searching hard for a job. So how’s the job hunt coming?”
Darius wrinkled his nose, then smiled. “About the same. But don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. I’m working on something that, if I play my cards just right, I believe is going to come through. I can feel it. If it does, then financially we’ll be sitting pretty, maybe even finally able to catch up on these past-due bills that are dogging us like pit bulls. And at least we can be thankful that I get an unemployment check. I know some folks who can’t even get that. For now, there’s something coming into our household from my end to help out so I’m not completely hating. Looking for a job these days is no joke though. It’s hard out here; I ain’t gonna lie.”
“Darius, your unemployment check is a blessing, but we both know it’s not close to being enough. We were barely making it when you were bringing in a full check with overtime.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Listen and hear me out: I saw an ad for a part-time job I’d be perfect for. It would take some doing, with me working full-time already, but if you would take care of the children while I’m not here, I could—”
Darius placed his index finger over her lips, effectively quieting her. “Woman, what have I told you already about that? Didn’t I just tell you not to worry? I’m going to take care of us. Haven’t I been hitting the streets almost every single day trying to secure something? I’m applying for jobs over the Internet, which apparently is the new way of putting in applications no matter who’s hiring. I’ve been networking when and where I can, which is still fashionable no matter how high tech the world gets. There’s nothing like getting out there mingling with folks, meeting someone who knows someone who knows someone who can hook you up. I’m working on it. Okay? I got this.” He smiled and nodded his head with the words, “I got this.”
Tiffany smiled back, her lips going from what looked like a line drawn slightly downward to an upturned curve. “If you’re sure? Because you are good at getting people to do what you want. I do have to give you that much.”
“Oooh! Ouch! I’m not sure if that was an openhanded front slap or a backhanded compliment.”
Tiffany placed her hand on his chest.
“Don’t try to play me, Darius. You and I both know you can be a little slickster when you want to be. You have a gift of luring folks over to your side before they even know what hit them. If there’s something locked in your targeted scope, you’re going to keep at it until you bag it.”
“So, was that Fatima you were talking to on the phone?” Darius wanted to get around to what he really wanted to know. Talking about job hunting was depressing, to say the least.
“Yeah.” Tiffany slid out of his lap, sitting beside him now.
“So, what is she talking about? Besides, of course, dance stuff.”
“Like you really care about what we talk about,” Tiffany said with a sideways, playful glance.
“I care,” Darius said with a full grin and true conviction. “You know I care. What matters to you, matters to me. That’s why I’m out there doing whatever it takes to ensure you and our kids are taken care of. You and I are a team. We roll like that.”
“Is that right? So we roll like that, huh? And here I was thinking you were merely looking for any old excuse you can find to get out of the house and away from us as much and as often as is permissible and possible.”
Darius didn’t care for that remark, mostly because it hit so close to home. He wasn’t going to holler though. His grandmother used to say when you throw a rock into a pack of dogs, the one that hollers is usually the one that was hit. No, he wasn’t a homebody sort of guy. He didn’t like much being cooped up in the house. But he didn’t want to get off the subject at hand to argue the point and convince her otherwise. “Okay, so back to Fatima and you: What were the two of you talking about? Seriously.”
Tiffany sighed. “You remember I told you about our dance director, Gabrielle Mercedes, taking a leave of absence several months back when she was helping that woman whose child had that bone marrow transplant?”