The Other Side of Dare Read online

  Fatima stepped in front of him to keep him from going any farther. “Darius, why are you here?”

  “To be honest,” Darius said. “I really don’t know. I went home to tell my wife some good news. But when I got there, Gabrielle Mercedes was there.”

  “Gabrielle was at your house?”

  “Yes.” Darius could see she wanted to ask him why, but held her tongue.

  Fatima closed the front door and turned around to him. “Is everything okay? I mean with Gabrielle and Tiffany.” Her tone was softer, not quite as harsh as before.

  Darius nodded. “Oh, yeah. Apparently, Gabrielle was there telling my dear wife about her engagement. I assume it’s to the good doctor Zachary.” Darius smirked. “And I take it from your calm reaction that you already know about it.”

  “Her business is her business.”

  “Yeah. You always were good at keeping other folks’ business their business. That’s what I loved so much about you.” He looked into her eyes. “You know I miss you . . . I honestly and truly miss you. I miss us.”

  “Well, I don’t miss you. I’m happy, ecstatically happy. I have someone in my life who loves me. And we’re going to be married in nine days.”

  “And live happily ever after, or so the fairy tale is supposed to go. Reality, on the other hand, doesn’t always get that e-mail.”

  “Now that you’ve said what you’ve apparently come here to say, you need to get on home to your wife and children.”

  “So you’re really going to marry that nerd? Really? Although, I will give it to you: You do have him dressing so much better these days. He was pretty pathetic before you came into his life. Not that I was paying that much attention to him. His mismatch of colors and design just used to scream out for it. But everybody is saying how much you’ve done for him since getting with him. Now if you could just get him to throw away those black square-rimmed glasses, he might really be all right.”

  “To answer your question, I really am marrying Trent. And I’m blessed to be doing so. He’s an awesome man, but more importantly: He’s an awesome man who loves God.”

  Darius laughed. “Yep. That’s what you women claim you’re looking for. But you won’t be happy. You won’t. I know you, Fatima. Or in the more biblical term: I knew you.” He chuckled. “You need a man with some grit to him, a man with a little edge.”

  “You mean a man like you?”

  “Precisely! A man like me, or even better: me.”

  “Actually, my taste has improved dramatically. I want the best God has for me. I decided some years ago to no longer settle for less than when God wanted me to have more than enough. And will you just look at what God has done in my life after I changed my mind about what was acceptable and what was not. God blessed me according to His riches in glory. And contrary to what many people may think, rich isn’t always money.”

  “Oh, my goodness. Now here you go. Why does everybody want to talk about God today? Yeah, I know God woke us up this morning and started us on our way. But, goodness gracious, can we stop being so religious all the time. Give me a break! I certainly didn’t come here for this.”

  Fatima went and opened the door. “Great. Then you can get to stepping. Because I dare say that’s all you’re going to get here: Me talking about the goodness of God. How God kept me even when I was being foolish. Darius, let me give you some advice, and you can take it for whatever it’s worth. But the Bible clearly tells us that what we do in the dark will come to light. The Bible also says that whatsoever we sow, we’re going to reap. All this mess you keep doing . . . it’s going to catch up with you someday. Mark my words: I’m telling you this as someone who once loved you. So before you hurt Tiffany and your family any more, get right with God.”

  Darius threw up his hands in surrender. “Okay. I’ve had enough preaching for one day. Lord knows I don’t care to hear this.”

  “And the Lord knows how much you need to hear it. All the dirt you’ve done and are still doing, it’s going to catch up with you one of these days. And I deeply and sincerely regret the part I played in it. But thank God for deliverance. I’ve been delivered, do you hear me? I am redeemed. I’m a new creature; old things have passed away. And if I were you, I’d make my way to the altar in a hurry and ask God’s forgiveness before it’s too late.”

  “Okay. I’m out.” Darius stepped out the door. “Congratulations on your upcoming wedding nuptials. I’ll likely be there since I opened my mouth and promised my wife I’d go. But I just wanted to be sure this is what you really want.”

  “I appreciate that you’re so concerned about me and what I want. But you don’t have to worry about me. In fact, you can delete me from your thoughts entirely.”

  Darius pretended to hit an imaginary button in the air. “Blip. Delete. Done,” Darius said. “Oh, and good luck to you.” He laughed and walked away. Fatima closed the door.

  Darius then began to sing “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder as he walked back and got into his SUV.

  Chapter 10

  Furthermore, the Lord spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

  —Deuteronomy 9:13

  On his way home, Darius received a text from Paris congratulating him on his new job. He smiled as he read the text while driving. Holding the phone against the steering wheel, he texted her back using as much shorthand as possible so as to be safe while driving. Thx. WAYD?

  She texted back, repeating the sentiments of his question. What am I doing? Trying 2 decide what I want 2 eat 2nite.

  Let hubby decide, he texted.

  Hubby working. Won’t be home until late.

  Darius switched out of text mode to phone and pressed for Paris’s number. “Hey,” he said as soon as he thought she’d picked up but didn’t hear her say anything. He wasn’t sure if he’d hit a dead zone while driving and lost the connection or if something had happened with the call going through. “Hello.”

  “Hey,” Paris said.

  Darius held the phone up to his ear with his right hand while steering with his left. “I figured it was stupid for us to keep texting when we could be talking instead.”

  “I didn’t know if it was okay to call, so I opted to text, just in case.”

  “You’re okay. I’m not even at home. In fact, I’m close to your area of town. I had some business I needed to take care of.”

  “Congratulations on your new job.”

  “Thank you, thank you. To say that I’m excited would be an understatement. So how did you find out?”

  “Daddy told me. He says he wants me and you to work together to get the young folks involved in his reelection bid. I don’t know if he or William told you, but that was the stipulation for you getting the job: I had to agree to work with you on this.”

  Darius laughed. “So Daddy dearest thinks I need a babysitter, huh?”

  “No. Daddy would do anything to keep me under his thumb. My working for him gives him a little control over me, or so he thinks. I believe he also set it up this way thinking that you’ll be babysitting me. Needless to say: My daddy doesn’t have a clue.”

  “Not if he thinks I can make you behave,” Darius said.

  “That’s why Andrew is likely working late tonight. He used to never work late. He was always trying to get home to me. Here lately he’s been going on a lot of out-of-town trips without me and taking cases that seem to require more of his time when he is here. Frankly, I just think he’s trying to get back at me because I refuse to back down on my quest to get Jasmine out of Gabrielle’s clutches. I still believe there’s something between Andrew and her. I don’t know what, but I just have this feeling.”

  “She’s engaged to be married.”

  “Who’s engaged?” Paris said, obviously shocked. “Gabrielle?”

  “Yep.”

  “How do you know that?”

  Darius slammed on the brakes, his car stopping mere inches from having almost barreled into the back of a Range R
over that had stopped for the red light Darius hadn’t paid attention to. “Whoa!” he said as though he were trying to stop a horse. His heart was now pounding hard.

  “What happened? What’s wrong?” Paris asked. “What’s going on?”

  “This idiot in front of me just stopped, all of a sudden, and made me almost ram into the back of her. I’m sure it has to be a woman driving.”

  “Has to be a woman, huh? It was most likely some man talking on his cell phone and not paying attention, just like you. You know you’re not supposed to talk on the phone while you drive, don’t you?” Paris said.

  Darius laughed. “We don’t have a law here in Alabama saying that. But talking and driving is a lot better than when I was trying to text and drive. I’m fine. I’m a man; men can handle stuff like this. It’s no different than having someone in the car and talking to them or trying to change the channel on the radio or put in a CD. People make such a big deal about it.”

  “So you don’t have one of those hands-free devices?”

  “Nope. I’m holding the phone with my free hand though. I don’t need but one hand to drive. That’s how real men do it. We drive with one hand. But I bet your husband has one of those hands-free devices, a Bluetooth earpiece, have it come through the radio.”

  “Yes, in fact he does have an earpiece, as do I. Okay, real man. But just know that it’s dangerous doing that. So I’m going to be a real woman and get off the phone so you can concentrate on the road. I don’t want to be the cause of you having an accident or something.”

  “I told you, woman: I got this. I got this.” He laughed. “I’d like to thank you for all you’ve done in helping me get this job. What say I stop and pick up dinner for you and drop it by your house?”

  “I thought you were struggling financially.”

  “I am. But I have a credit card. I hope there’s enough on there to pick up a bite for you to eat.”

  “No, thank you. That’s not necessary.”

  “I know it’s not necessary. But if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have this opportunity to make money and hopefully pay off some of these bloodsuckers. You’re responsible in more ways than you’ll ever know. So tell me what you’d like to eat, and I’ll save you the trouble of having to get out and go get it.”

  “That’s okay, Dare. Really. But thank you though.”

  “Listen, hardheaded woman, let me do this. Okay? All I’m going to do is pick up something and deliver it to your house. That’s it. I’m already over this way. If you’ll notice, I didn’t ask you to meet me anywhere or anything like that. Consider this as part of my job orientation. Your father wants me and you working together. I know you don’t want to be the cause of me losing my job before I even get started.”

  “Fine. Just stop wherever it’s convenient, call me and let me know what place, and I’ll tell you what I want. But I’m going to pay for it, so bring me a receipt.”

  “All right. Now that wasn’t so hard, was it? After I drop your food off, I really need to get home to my wife. I’m sure Tiffany is anxious to hear about my new job.”

  “You haven’t told her yet?”

  “Oh, I told her I got a job. But she had a visitor when I got home, so I politely excused myself and went for a little drive. You’ll never guess who the visitor.”

  “Dear heart, I don’t like guessing games in the least, so just tell me already.”

  Darius chuckled. “Your friend Gabrielle Mercedes.”

  “Oooh, do tell.”

  “I will tell you as soon as I get all of the details.” His phone beeped, alerting him that another call was coming through. He pulled the phone away from his ear and glanced at it with a smile. “Speaking of the devil . . . that’s my wife calling me now. I’ll hit you back when I get to an eating destination to see what you want.”

  “No. You go on home and take care of your wife. We don’t need you messing things up with her at this point. I’ll be fine.”

  “Are you sure? Because it’s no trouble—”

  “Positive. We’ll talk later. Hopefully then, you’ll have more to report.”

  He nodded. “Okay. Bye now.” He hurriedly switched over. “Yes, my queen.”

  “Where are you?” Tiffany asked.

  “On my way home.”

  “So what took you so long to answer your phone?”

  “Now you know I’m not supposed to talk and drive or text and drive. Don’t you keep telling me that? Isn’t that what you keep preaching to me?”

  “I tell you that but I know you don’t listen. You’re driving and talking right now, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. But that’s because I knew if I didn’t answer, you’d wonder what was going on.”

  “Uh-huh. So I’m going to get off the phone before you have an accident or something. How close are you?”

  He stopped at a red light. “I should be there in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Hey,” Tiffany said. “Since you’re already out, can you stop at the store and pick me up some vanilla wafers and a can of evaporated milk? I think I’d like to make a banana pudding . . . to celebrate your new job that I’m still waiting on the details.”

  “Is that right? Well, if you’re making pudding for me, then I’d prefer pineapple pudding much better than banana,” Darius said.

  Tiffany laughed. “Is that right? Well, in that case, then add a sixteen-ounce can of crushed pineapples to the list.”

  “How about I just come home and watch the children while you run to the grocery store? How about we do that instead?”

  “Honey, just stop and do this, okay? You’re already out. It makes no sense for you to drive right by the store, then make me have to go.”

  “Okay, okay. But you know how dangerous it is when you send me to store. I’m the stiff-necked one, remember? I can’t turn my head to the right or to the left, I just like to keep it straight. And I always forget something.”

  “Then work on loosening up your neck. It’s just three things: vanilla wafers, a can of PET milk, and a sixteen-ounce can of crushed pineapples, the sweetened kind. And hurry home. You know I want to hear all about your new job. I am so proud of you. I hope you know that.”

  “I’ll be home shortly. Just as soon as I find these things on my honey-do list.” Darius clicked off the phone and set it on the passenger’s seat. “I hate going to the grocery store. I hate it!” He turned up the radio and began to sing along with Luther Vandross’s “A House Is Not a Home.”

  Chapter 11

  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

  —Romans 11:33

  Darius walked into the kitchen and handed Tiffany the white plastic bag from the store. “Here you go: vanilla wafers, pineapples, and buttermilk.”

  “What? I said evaporated milk, not buttermilk.” Tiffany put her hand in the bag and pulled the box of wafers out. “I can’t use buttermilk in a pudding. Now I’m still going to have to go out if I want to make this pudding.” She pulled out a can and held it up.

  Darius started laughing. He pointed his hand and index finger at her like it was a gun. “Got’cha!”

  Tiffany grinned. “Boy! You play too much. I thought you’d actually bought buttermilk.” She set the can of evaporated milk down on the counter.

  “Tiffany, you know good and well that I know the difference between buttermilk and a can of PET milk. My great-grandmother used to drink buttermilk all the time. She would take cornbread and push it down in a glass of buttermilk.”

  “I don’t want to hear that. Visualizing that turns my stomach every time.”

  “Well, Great-grandma acted like it was delicious.” Darius sat down on a bar stool as Tiffany put the empty plastic bag in the cabinet where she kept them to reuse later.

  Tiffany walked over and leaned on the counter across from Darius. “Okay, you’ve kept me waiting long enough. Tell me about the new job.” She smiled. “I’m so excited! I
can’t believe you left like you did without telling me details. You know I really don’t understand you sometimes.”

  “I left so that you and Gabrielle could finish your talk. I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable or like she wasn’t welcome here or able to stay as long as she wanted. She hardly ever comes over here anymore. So I made like I had somewhere to go.”

  “But she told you we were finished and that she was leaving.”

  “I know. And how much longer was she here after I left?” Darius raised his eyebrows up and down a few times as he waited on her answer.

  Tiffany smiled as she moved her head from side to side like a boxer loosening up before a fight. “Oh, you think you’re so smart.”

  “Exactly, what a thought. So how long was she here?”

  She wrinkled her nose, then pulled her right ear. “About thirty more minutes.”

  “See. I knew she was only leaving because she didn’t want to hold you up. The last time Gabrielle was here was last year when she and Fatima came over to help you learn those dance routines. So how did you happen to get her to come by?”

  “It’s interesting. I called to check on her . . . just to see how she was. She told me she’d been thinking about me and wanted to come by and bring me something.”

  “Oh, so she brought you something, huh?” Darius leaned in some more.

  Tiffany stood up straight. “Yes.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded paper. “She wanted to give us this.” Tiffany handed him the paper.

  Darius took it and opened it. It was a check made out to Tiffany Connors. “She gave you a check? Gabrielle came over here to give you money?”

  Tiffany nodded. “She said God placed it on her heart to sow something into our lives. She knows we’ve been likely struggling. So she came and brought that to us.”

  “Is this supposed to be charity or something?” Darius’s voice escalated a bit.

  “If by charity you mean love, then, yes: It’s charity.”

  “Gabrielle has the kind of money now that she can be passing out five-hundred-dollar checks?” Darius looked at the check again. “Five hundred dollars . . . written to you? Wow. I guess taking in that child is paying off handsomely in more ways than any of us ever suspected. Maybe you and I ought to see about trying to adopt her ourselves. We have room for one more.”