Giné (Serial Novel)

8/9/2019 Giné (Serial Novel)

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Copyright 2015. Torch Legacy Publications. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner,

except for brief quotations included in a review of the book. This is a work of

fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the

author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or

locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.


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Giné

To Be a Teen After God's Own Heart Series

A SERIAL NOVEL

by Daniel Whyte IIIwith Meriqua Whyte


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1

The grass ain't never greener on the other side. It's what you

make of it on this side that counts," Grandma Belle always said.

Dang! Giné thought. For once I would like to see what the

other side looks like because there has got to be more to life than

living in this dump.

Seventeenyearold Giné Burris lived with her grandmother in

a du!le a!artment on the south side of #tlanta, Georgia, courtesy of

the government. She was five feet nine inches tall and her high

cheek$ones, caramel colored skin, and curly %et $lack hair gave away

her Indian ancestry. &er grandma's home was the only home she had

known since her mother left some twelve years ago. In Giné's mind,

she seemed to have disa!!eared off the face of the earth.

ou are free to decorate and $eautify this a!artment in any

way you !lease," Grandma told Giné. "(ust $ecause it's government

housing doesn't mean we can't take !ride in it. I'll do my !art and

make it as loving and as safe as I can."

Grandma was very strict with Giné and ke!t a watchful eye on

her when she could, es!ecially monitoring her friends and

everywhere she went outside of the house. #lthough Giné did not

always like the tight reins Grandma ke!t on her, she a!!reciated it

and felt secure in her Grandmother's !resence. She often wondered,

though, a$out her real mother.

)on't worry," Grandma told her every now and then. "She'll

$e $ack soon."

How soon is soon? Giné often wondered. No loving mother


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can just up and walk out on her children and not even keep in touch

at least b phone. hat is she ashamed of?

*ver so often, Grandma would show Giné a check or a

money order signed $y a +egina Burris. "That's your mother,"

Grandma would say.

ell, Grandma, if she can send us so much money she must

$e doing real well. hy can't she come home and we all %ust live

together-" Giné asked.

Grandma would hug her tight and rock her a little. "She has

her reasons, and God is watching over her even as &e's watching

over us. &e's going to $ring it all together in &is time." That was all

Grandma would say. Giné could not hel! $ut think her Grandma was

not telling her everything.

Giné lay on her $ed one day listening to the loud music andlaughter coming from outside. She often wished she could hang out

outside with whoever. But Grandma had a rule "*very$ody living in

my house must $e in $efore sundown $ecause all doors will $e $olted

tight." She would then look Giné in the eye and say with a smile, "I do

this $ecause I love you."

I don"t doubt #randma"s love for me especiall on nights like

tonight$ Giné thought as she listened to shouts and ra!id footste!s

coming from somewhere outside.

&e's got a gun/ +un/ 0all the !olice/ Someone got hit/" e!,

some cra1y !erson %ust drove $y and started shooting2!ro$a$ly

killed someone who owed him some money.

I tell you what," 3s. 4ellie, a friend of Grandma's, said to her

more than once, "I don't know what this world is coming to."

It's coming to an end," Grandma said. "That's what it's


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coming to. I never heard of no mess like this when I was growing u!."

3s. 4ellie lived in the a!artment net to theirs. &er family had

roots in 5ouisiana. "e've $een trying to make it way u! north, $ut we

somehow never seem to $e a$le to move out of #tlanta," 3s. 4ellie

always %oked. *very now and then she would fi a s!ecial meal such

as 0a%un rice and seafood gum$o, which she gladly shared with Giné

and Grandma.

3s. 4ellie and Grandma had seen many good years together6

they had seen some $ad years, too. The two had fun trying to outdoeach other in !racticing their cooking skills. Grandma $eing of

0hoctaw Indian and #frican#merican descent, would utili1e what she

learned from her mother in !re!aring the $est Southern style $anana

!udding, collard greens with all the trimmings, and the cris!iest fried

chicken Giné had ever eaten. "This is the $est, yet," 3s. 4ellie

always com!limented Grandma after !artaking of some of Grandma's

cooking.

3s. 4ellie was always talking a$out 7living like the rich folks.'

But she never made any effort to leave the !ro%ects. "here would I

go to anyways- Social Security don't !ay me enough to go

elsewhere."

(ust remem$er, 4ellie, the grass ain't never greener on the

other side. It's what you make of it on this side that counts," Grandma

would remind her.

The neigh$orhood was !retty safe during the daytime

mothers and fathers off to work6 school $uses loading and unloading6families off to church on Sundays6 children !laying outside in the

early afternoons6 friends meeting u! on each other's !orches. It was

8uiet during the daytime, $ut some nights, it was as though a

transformation would take !lace2a )r. (ekyll and 3r. &yde


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transformation.

That's why I don't want you outside once it $egins to get

dark," Grandma said to Giné as she $olted the lock on the front door

and made sure the curtains were drawn tight.

&ere you go," Giné said handing her grandmother an

envelo!e. "3y re!ort card."

I am so !roud of you," Grandma said to Giné after viewing

her re!ort card. "#nother 9.: average. This will look very good for

your entrance into college at Georgia State."

Grandma, why do I have to go to Georgia State- I really

want to go out of state somewhere and live on cam!us2some !lace

like ale," Giné said with a serious e!ression.

#ttending ale is a good as!iration to have, $ut what's wrong

with Georgia State- #nd why do you want to go away from home and

incur all that etra e!ense when you can get the same education

right net to home from a re!uta$le school- ;n to! of that, I would

have no idea where you'd $e and what would $e ha!!ening to you."

%lwas one step ahead of me$ Giné thought with

disa!!ointment.


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2

;h, Belle, let her go off somewhere," 3s. 4ellie said after

Grandma had told her a$out Giné's college conversation. "It will $e a

reward for her maintaining good grades throughout high school. #t

her age, kids are adventurous and want to try something new."

#nything new she wants to try, she'll %ust have to try it from

right here," Grandma said. "4ellie, you have never had any children.hen they get into their teen years, they want to get away from their

!arents or whoever is over them, es!ecially if they are as strict as I

have $een. They want to see what's out there."

4ellie thought for some seconds $efore s!eaking. "Belle,

does this have something to do with +egina- Because if it is, it's not

fair to Giné for you to hold her $ack. I mean she's not a !ro$lem child

like other children."

Grandma sighed. "3ay$e it does. I %ust can't take a chance

letting Giné go off like that. I would never forgive myself if something

were to ha!!en to her. #t least here I'd see her every day and know

that she's safe. She's %ust not ready to go off on her own yet. +egina

was not a !ro$lem child, $ut look what ha!!ened to her."

ell, you can't kee! $laming yourself for +egina leaving,"

4ellie said !lacing a hand on Belle's arm. "#t some !oint you have to

let the self$lame go and let God take over."

Grandma had fought for Giné to attend a 7safe' school across

town throughout her last year in elementary school and her high

school years.

But, Grandma, all my friends go to the other school u! the


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street," Giné !rotested when her grandmother took her to the new

school to register her for classes.

ou %ust have to make new friends then," Grandma re!lied

with a smile. "


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Giné was the s!itting image of her father2no one could deny

that. She treasured that !icture. I will use it to find m mother some

da$ she told herself each time she looked at the !icture.

ell, Giné," Grandma said to her after her high school

graduation, "I am so !roud of you. That was a touching s!eech you

gave as valedictorian. ou stay on the track you're on and God will

$less you. 5et me tell you what I told your mother when she

graduated


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eager to move from here6 I don't want to lose contact with her."

)oesn't she have a return address or anything-" Giné

asked, turning over the envelo!e which contained only her mother's

name, +egina Burris, in the !lace for the return address.

She used to have a


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3

Giné thought of all the things she could do with the >?,:::.::

in her !ossession. She could add it to the >?:@,::: she already had

in the savings account Grandma set aside for her. 3ost of the money

they received from her mother was !laced in that account, none of

which was for college since she had received a scholarshi! to

Georgia State. "I'm setting you u! $ig time for when you are ready toleave here and $e on your own," Grandma told her. "ou'll $e a$le to

!urchase your own car and $uy you a good si1e house !aid for in full.

ou won't have to go through the headache of !aying the $ank each

month and risking foreclosure and all that mess. #nd you definitely

won't have to live in government housing."

#nd when I leave, I will $e taking you with me," Giné said.

Giné sat on her $ed the evening after graduation thinking on

Grandma's words. She looked 7over yonder' through the o!en

curtains of her $edroom window into the twilight. She was curious as

to what life was like 7over yonder.' She knew what it was like going to

school 7over yonder.' The students seemed to have it all. &abe I could take a casual trip and check out 'over onder"( after all$ I have

all summer. )he *uestion now is+ how can I convince #randma to let

me go b mself? I alread have m driver"s license$ but I do not

have m own car et$ and I just know #randma is not going to let me

use her car for something like this. Grandma always gave her a ride

to wherever she needed to go2even to and from school. She only

allowed Giné to drive $y herself if it was a tri! to the store or if she

wanted to go sho!!ing. I know$ Giné said with a smile after weighing

her o!tions. I"ll tell her I"m looking for a summer job.


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Tell me something, $a$y, I thought you might want to rela

after !ushing it so hard this !ast school year and get rested u! in

!re!aration for college," Grandma said when Giné asked her a$out

getting a %o$ for the summer. "hy do you even want a %o$ when yougot a !lace to stay and a scholarshi! waiting on you- I want you to

s!end the summer reading and !re!aring for college."

I %ust want something to do to kee! me $usy until I start

college," Giné said ho!ing to convince her grandmother.

If you really want to work, you can $a$ysit for some of themothers in the community. e have enough room here for you to

watch a$out four or five children. 3others are always looking for

!rivate care for their small children es!ecially for the summer months

while the kids are out of school and their mothers still have to work.

ou could charge less and have a $ooming $usiness. ;r you could

tutor young children over the summer.


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ho knows- ou could $ecome the net To! 3odel/

5ocation )unwoody, Georgia

)on't miss the o!!ortunity of a lifetime/

3ust $e ?EAE years old

Dunwood. )hat"s where the rich folks live, Giné thought. )his

just might be m ticket.


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4

Grandma, what do you think a$out this-" Giné !laced the

maga1ine on the kitchen ta$le. It was o!ened to the !age with the 5a


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hile they were cooking dinner, 3s. 4ellie sto!!ed $y to dro!

off some of the chicken casserole she had $aked earlier that day.

Grandma showed her the ad. "hat do you think, 4ellie-"

5ooks legit to me. It's only for the summer. 5et her go and

have fun. It'll give her a little change of scenery from this ol' !lace.

Give it to her as a reward for sticking it out and finishing well at school

2and with no drama," 3s. 4ellie said.

I %ust don't feel right in my s!irit letting her go everyday like

that at such a distance and for three months. I know I won't $e a$le totake her everyday myself," Grandma said.

ou can let her drive herself u! there when you don't have

the strength to do so. 5ook, Belle," 4ellie said to her, "you have to

start lettin' her go2sni! the a!ron strings little $y little. 5et her do

things on her own. She's eighteen now, Belle. ou can only hold on to

her for so long."

It's %ust that I've had her within eyesight and earshot since

her mama left, and I don't want the same thing ha!!ening to her that

ha!!ened to +egina." #fter giving it a few seconds thought, Grandma

said, "I was going to call them tomorrow, $ut I got a$out fifteen

minutes $efore they close. I think I'll go call them now."

#fter Grandma got off the !hone, she did not look too

!leased. "They sound legit, $ut there's one catch I don't like they

have to live on the facilities for the three months and something a$out

them $eing a$le to come home every other weekend. 4o," Grandma

said shaking her head. "0an't let her do that."

Is it %ust for girls-" 3s. 4ellie asked.

Grandma nodded yes.

hat harm can a $unch of girls confined to a modeling


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facility do, Belle- 4ot much, if you ask me. #nd F"

The look Grandma gave 4ellie sto!!ed her in midsentence.

"I hear you. &ave you forgotten all the 7harm' you and I did and the

7harm' that could have come to us while we were living it u! as

teenagers on into our mid twenties- #nd F we $oth were from good

homes with strict !arents. &ow soon we do forget/" 4ellie fell 8uiet as

Grandma continued. "That's why I don't want her out of my sight."

But, Belle, she's $een out of your sight going across town to

school each day. She's $een to the li$rary many times $y herself.ou've sent her to the store $y herself. She went to church cam! last

summer for two weeks all $y herself. #nd she came $ack with no

scandal on her unlike a cou!le of the other girls. That child knows

how to take care of herself, !lus, she fears you," 4ellie said with a

smile. "5et her go and have some fun."

I'll !ray over it tonight," Grandma said in a tone that signaled

the end of that conversation.

The net morning, Grandma gave Giné !ermission to sign u!.

;h, thank you, Grandma," Giné said.

(ust remem$er my five !ieces of wisdom I gave you the dayafter your graduation. 4ellie and I will drive you on u! there. e'll

!ick you u! every other weekend and at the end of the summer. #nd

always kee! that cell !hone on. That's one modern technology I am

mighty !leased with."

Giné gave her Grandma a hug and a !romise to do as she

told her. She then hurried off to register.


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5

Grandma and 4ellie were very im!ressed with the twostory

cream colored $uilding with its four columns standing tall as they

!ulled u! into the wra!around !arking lot lined with a rain$ow of

summer flowers. "I have never heard of this !lace," 4ellie said

looking around at the neatly manicured lawn. "I certainly wouldn't like

to have his %o$," she said nodding towards the man driving the lawnmower across the far end of the lawn. "But he's doing a good %o$."

ow/" Giné said over and over as her eyes took in

everything she saw.

5a


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;ur food is %ust as good as theirs," Grandma said. "Giné

seems to have made a friend." She looked off to her right where Giné

was walking toward them with a young lady a$out her age.

Grandma, this is Hiona. She's from Hlorida."

&i, Hiona.


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e!ensive $randname clothing, had access to her aunt's silver #udi,

and had a cell !hone with all the latest features.

Hiona's #unt era lived a$out thirty minutes from the

facilities. ow! Giné thought as they drove u! the winding road that

led to the mansionlike house. It was actually two houses in one.

Hiona, who had her own !rivate entrance, had one section of the

house to herself with everything at hand 2 a living room, two

$edrooms, one and a half $athrooms, a sunroom Kwhich could also

$e used as a guest $edroomL, a small kitchenette with a full range

and a full si1e refrigerator, a dishwasher, and a dining room. #ll the

rooms were fully furnished with e8uisite looking furniture. Hiona's

aunt had the other !art of the house to herself which was slightly

$igger.

#unt era was a fashion designer and a widow of five years.

She owned her own $usiness and worked with several to! fashion

designers. The house was surrounded $y a well manicured lawn that

seemed to stretch far into the rolling hills in the distance. Being set on

a low slo!e, the view was $reathtaking as the hills rolled away in the

distance $ehind it. Giné drank in the striking view of the setting sun

casting its redorange rays $ehind the hills her first night there.

o this is how it looks on the other side$ Giné thought looking

around from the !atio leading from the sun room. She had herself a

$last with hours in the %acu11i, s!lashing around in the outdoor

swimming !ool, learning to !lay tennis, watching movies, and !laying

around on the internet. #randma has to definitel get me a new

computer now$ Giné thought. I can go places much faster than I can

with that old dial up internet. Giné was no stranger to com!uters

having used it at school and at the li$rary.

Thinking church was a !art of Hiona's Sunday routine, Giné


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was u! early, dressed and ready to go to church. She listened to

some of the television !reachers as she waited for Hiona to knock on

her door./o$ it"s ama0ing how much ou can pack into one

weekend$ she thought as she waited. By the time Hiona got herself together, it was well !ast the eleven o'clock hour. But having had a

tremendous weekend, Giné thought nothing of it.

ou're all dressed u!," Hiona greeted her. "That is a $eautiful

dress."

Thank you. I thought you guys went to church," Giné re!lied.

I am so sorry. I wish you had let me know you wanted to go,"

Hiona re!lied. "I didn't think you'd $e u! to going after such a $usy

and long day on yesterday. #unt era goes religiously. In fact, that is

where she is now. I haven't gone in a while, $ut I still $elieve in God

and I do go ever so often."


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#fter a leisurely lunch, they headed for the mall. "e'll come

$ack and have su!!er with #unt era. She's normally in church all

day on Sundays. I can smell something good coming from her

kitchen," Hiona continued as she closed the sliding glass door

se!arating the two housing areas. She left a note on her aunt's

refrigerator door.That was one sho!!ing s!ree Giné would not forget. They

continued their tour of the city visiting some e!ensive stores. Hiona

$ought them $oth a cou!le of outfits. They ended u! at Baskin

+o$$ins for a dou$le hot fudge sundae each to!!ed with nuts and

dried fruit. o this is how folks live on the other side$ Giné thought as

they drove $ack to the house to !re!are to head $ack to 5a


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#nd talk they did.

here is this tour going to take you-" Grandma asked.

The tour is going to $e focused on Georgia and 4orthernHlorida. It won't $e far and it's gonna go $y so fast, I'll $e $ack $efore

you know it. Grandma, you hardly ever let me go anywhere.


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not afraid of what she will do. I am afraid of what the world will do to

her. It will chew u! an innocent girl like Giné, s!it her out, kick her to

the cur$, and think nothing a$out it. Then she will come $ack $roken

hearted, curled u! in a fetal !osition, and then I am faced with havingto go through that !ain with her and !utting her life $ack together.

hy go through all that-"

ell, the Bi$le says, 7safety is of the 5ord.' e can do all the

!lanning we want to do and take all !recautions, $ut in the end safety

is of the 5ord. (ust trust God to watch over her," 4ellie said.

es, $ut why search for a cure when you can !revent the

illness in the first !lace-" Grandma said. "Safety is of the 5ord, $ut

the 5ord also gave us something called common sense."

#lthough Grandma lovingly insisted on her returning home

when her first three months were u! at 5a


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to me safely.


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!

GinM, Hiona, ristin, and Blanche along with 3s. Gardena and

another instructor left 5a


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";ne trick I learned," Blanche told GinM holding u! her glass,

"is to get a glass of soda water and si! on it.


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slee! it off. That's what we all do," 0hris told her. She started to feel

lightheaded. Hiona, ristin, and Blanche had gone off with their dates

across the $ar. GinM and 0hris were $y themselves.

"5et's go somewhere 8uiet on your last night here," 0hris

suggested. #s they were rising to leave, Blanche ste!!ed out of

nowhere and sto!!ed them.

"here are you going, GinM- ou know we have to $e in our

room in thirtyfive minutes," she said glancing at her watch. "


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"

Blanche looked from 0hris to GinM and $ack to 0hris. ";h, no

you're not," she said.

"Blanche, we'll $e $ack in time. I !romise you. I'll $e safe," GinM

insisted.

"I'll take good care of her," 0hris assured them. "#nd I will have

her $ack on time."

";kay," Blanche said. She watched as they left the $ar.

ristin walked u! $ehind her. "0ome on," she said. "GinM's

eighteen6 she can handle herself. e'll %ust wait here until she gets

$ack. This is our last night here6 let her have fun."

"es," Hiona !i!ed in. "She told me she hardly ever goes out

$ack home. It took a lot for her grandmother to let her take !art in the

5a


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"They %ust turned left out of the !arking lot," Hiona said as they

clim$ed into their seats. "&urry. It's that white SP. Shouldn't $e too

hard to follow."

"atch them closely. e can't afford to lose them," Blanche

said as she turned left onto the main street.

Blanche tried to switch over into the far left lane at ristin's

directing.

"5ook out/ # car's coming/" Hiona shouted.

Blanche swung $ack into her original lane.

"They %ust turned left. I think we're going to miss them," ristin

said.

"I'm going to have to go u! and make a turn if someone does

not let me in," Blanche said. "I ho!e I don't have to go u! too far. 3y

!hone's vi$rating. See who it is. It's in my !ocket. 5et me maneuver

through this traffic."

"It's a tet from GinM. She says something a$out 5a Quinta Inn

!arking. That 0hrisF" ristin trailed off.

"That lady's letting you in, Blanche," Hiona said. Blanche tooted

her horn as she !ulled into the lane in front of the lady.

"It seems like GinM did not finish teting. I do not like this,"

ristin said. "


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Blanche turned into the !arking lot. They did not see 0hris or

GinM anywhere outside. She !ulled u! in front of the lo$$y and the

three of them %um!ed out and ran inside.

";h, man. &ow are we going to find what room they are in-"

ristin said.

Sto!!ing $y the front desk, Blanche frantically asked the lady,

"*cuse me, 3eghan," she said glancing at her name tag, "we have

an emergency here. )id a young lady and a man %ust come in here-"

The three girls descri$ed 0hris and GinM as $est they could.

";h, yes. That's 0hris. &e introduced me to his friend. I'm sorry,

$ut I am not allowed to give out room num$ers unless notified ahead

of time," 3eghan said.

"3eghan, our friend may $e in trou$le. 0hris %ust !icked her u!

from a $ar6 she tried to tet us, $ut did not finish her message. e

%ust wanted to make sure everything is okay with her," Blanche said.

"I'm sorry, $ut all I can do is give him a message. I cannot give

out his room num$er. hat message do you want me to give them-"

"ou don't understand, she may $e in trou$le/" ristin said.

"e have to see for ourselves," Hiona !i!ed in.


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#

"5ook, 3eghan," Blanche said. "e do not have time to waste.

I don't trust 0hris. She's only eighteen and this is her first time away

from home."

3eghan's eyes o!ened wide. "0hris is almost twentyfive and

I've known him for a few years now6 he's not going to hurt her."

"3eghan, we are losing valua$le time going $ack and forth. e

%ust want to go knock on his room door and make sure GinM is alright.

# !hone call from you won't do it6 he may lie to you. I'm getting ready

to call the !olice," Blanche said !ulling her !hone out her !ocket. "I'm

sure you do not want any unnecessary !u$licity and on to! of that, if

anything were to ha!!en to our friend2her getting ra!ed or a$used

in some way2you would not want that on your conscience when you

could have done something a$out it, now would you- 5a Quinta

would $e in the news2not %ust here locally, $ut nationwide. I'd see to

that. #nd F I would tweet as many !eo!le as I know a$out this."

";kay, they're in room NAD," 3eghan said slowly. "The

elevators are around the corner on your right. I think I'll go ahead and

call the !olice %ust to $e on the safe side."

"ou do that," Blanche said as they hurried toward the

elevators.

JJJJJJ

"&ey, I'm not done," GinM said to 0hris as he took her !hone

from her. "I was teting my friends to let them know we'd $e sto!!ing

$y the 5a Quinta Inn first."

"There's no need to. I'm %ust going to make a 8uick sto! there

to !ick u! something and then we'd head on to the store2may$e."


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"3ay$e- hat do you mean-" GinM asked.

"ell, I actually !icked the gift u! already. In hurrying to meet

you I forgot it in my hotel room. #s I thought a$out it, I was not sure if

you'd like the color. ou never did tell me what your favorite color

was."

";h," smiled GinM. "It's tur8uoise."

"0lose. I !icked u! a8uamarine. ou can look at it and see if

you'd like to kee! it. That may save us a tri! to the store."

GinM smiled thinking, )hat was thoughtful of him.

;nce they got to the hotel, 0hris guided GinM $y the arm as

they hurried inside the lo$$y. "e have to hurry $ecause I told your

friends I would have you $ack in thirty minutes. I don't want to give

them reason to get worried."

"&ey, 0hris," 3eghan greeted him at the front desk. "&ere's

your room key."

"&ey, 3eghan. &ow's everything- This is a friend of mine,

GinM."

"&i/


39/138

thought as she held it u!. The lingerie unfolded $y itself. # smile cre!t

across her face.

"So, do you like it- hat a$out the color-"

GinM nodded slowly as she scrutini1ed the lingerie holding it

out $efore her. She had never seen anything like that $efore. )his is

nothing but a ver short dress.

"I would love for you to try it on first so we can see how it fits,"

0hris said.

)his is so thin. I can see clearl everthing on the other

side$ GinM thought.

"Go ahead and try it on. e only have a$out twenty minutes

now. e do not want to kee! your friends waiting."

1ou want me to tr this on? )his is worse than a slip.

omething is not right here$ GinM thought.

"GinM- hat are you thinking- )o you like it- #re you going to

try it on-" 0hris said taking her $y the hand. "0ome on. I'll hel! you

!ut it on."

GinM sna!!ed out of her da1e as 0hris touched her. She

shuddered as an uncomforta$le feeling came over her. "I love the

color. But I will not $e trying this on. I cannot acce!t this."

"I %ust want to see if it fits," 0hris said reaching out to her. "I'll

hel! you get in and out of it 8uickly. If it doesn't fit, we can see eactly

what we need to get once we get to the store. I even ke!t the tags

on."

GinM took a few ste!s $ack as she held the lingerie u! to her.

She s!oke slowly and deli$erately choosing her words carefully.

"See, it's way too short and it's too low cut. It's too thin." GinM felt her


40/138

voice trem$le as she s!oke. "0ould you !lease take me $ack to the

$ar- I'm sure my friends are wondering where I am."

"That's how these things are su!!osed to fit," 0hris said

ignoring her re8uest.

GinM's hands trem$led as she held out the lingerie for him to

take. &e !icked u! the remote and turned the volume u! on the

television. GinM thought her heart would sto! as each $eat seemed to

!al!itate outside her chest.

"4ot until after you try it on so I can see for myself how it fits,"

0hris growled. GinM looked at him, sur!rised at the change in his

tone.

)ro!!ing the lingerie to the floor she started to $ack u!. 0hris

reached out for her, $utF


41/138

10

"&urry/" Blanche said running towards the elevator. Hiona and

ristin followed after her.

3eghan followed them with her eyes as she !icked u! the

!hone.

#s they waited on the elevator, Blanche started to !unch

num$ers on her cell!hone.

"ho are you calling-" Hiona asked.

"I'm calling R??," Blanche said. "I can't trust 3eghan to do

that for us. She'll !ro$a$ly %ust call u! to the room and tell 0hris a$out

us. 4et, I'll call GinM."

The girls hurried into the elevator. "&er num$er's %ust ringing.

5et me try againF Still ringing. I don't like that," Blanche said as they

hurried out the elevator once it got to the third floor. "+oom NAD."

"There it is," Hiona said. &urrying to the door, all three started

!ounding on the door.

"GinM/ 0hris/ ;!en u!/ It's an emergency/ GinM/"

JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ

"ell, how do you think GinM is doing-" 3s. 4ellie asked

Grandma when she sto!!ed $y to visit her.

"I told her to call me everyday, $ut I have not heard from her for a few days now. The last time we s!oke she seemed kind of evasive.

She would not answer my 8uestions directly. #ll she ke!t saying was

that everything was going well. 4ow you know I'm worried." Grandma

looked at 3s. 4ellie with a frown. "She told me they were in Tam!a


42/138

headed for 3iami, then they would $e heading on $ack here after

their last sto! in (acksonville. So I $elieve that's where she is now2

in 3iami. I knew I should not have let her go."

")on't $eat u! on yourself, Belle. God will !rotect her. ;ur

!rayers for her will not $e in vain. The Bi$le says God will !rotect the

innocent from the wicked. (ust $elieve God," 4ellie said.

"I can't hel! $ut worry, 4el. #lmost everyday the news re!orts

of some innocent girl $eing kidna!!ed, ra!ed, or mistreated in some

way, and then killed. I can't hel! $ut worry."

"0ast your cares on &im, Belle."

"*asier said than done. If anything were to ha!!en to her I

would never forgive myself. In fact, I may as well die after that. I'm

going to call 5a


43/138

"hat's all the commotion a$out-" the hotel manager said

a!!roaching Blanche and the other girls. "ou can't make all that

noise. ou're distur$ing the occu!ants in the rooms close $y."

"5isten, a friend of ours may $e in serious trou$le6 so serious

we had to call the !olice. She's $eing held in there against her will,"

Blanche said still !ounding on the door. "&ere come the !olice. Thank

God/"

"hat's going on here-" one of the !olice officers asked.

"# friend of ours is $eing held in that room against her will. #

man tricked her into coming here6 he may $e trying to ra!e her."

";!en u!/" the !olice officer said $anging on the door. "This is

the !olice. ;!en u!/"

";!en u!/ This is the manager. I'm coming in," the manager

shouted.

GinM $it down on 0hris' hand as he loosened his hold over her

mouth. &e !ulled his hand away and cu!!ed his other hand over it to

kill the !ain while gritting his teeth. GinM gra$$ed for the door handle

and fli!!ed the security chain off as the manager unlocked the door

from the outside. 0hris stood erect feigning sur!rise. "hat seems to

$e the !ro$lem, officer-" he asked sli!!ing his hands into his

!ockets.

GinM em$raced Blanche as Hiona and ristin asked 8uestions"#re you alright- )id he hurt you-"

GinM shook her head, no.


44/138


45/138

11

"These young ladies re!orted that you were holding this young

lady here against her will," the !olice officer said. "Is that correct-"

"ell, not really. e met at a $ar and I wanted to give her a gift

$efore she left town. I left the gift here at the hotel and we came over

to retrieve it. The gift is right here if you don't $elieve me," 0hris said

!icking u! the lingerie off the floor where GinM had dro!!ed it.

The !olice officers tried to hold a straight face. The girls looked

at the lingerie with sur!rise.

"hat's your name and do you live in this area-" ;fficer

3erckle, the taller of the two !olicemen asked.

"3y name's 0hris, and I live not too far from here."

"If you live not too far from here, why do you have this room

here at the hotel- Seems to me you'd take her to your home.

ouldn't you agree with that-"

0hris shifted his eyes to the floor without answering.

"&ow old are you-" the other officer, ;fficer 3onroe, asked

GinM.

"*ighteen."

"#nd how old are you-" he asked 0hris. "#nd don't lie."

0hris hesitated, then mum$led, "Thirty."

")on't you think you are a little too old for her- It seems you

had more in mind than %ust giving her a gift." 4ot waiting for an

answer, he asked GinM what ha!!ened. GinM told her side of the

story.


46/138

;fficer 3onroe sighed. "3a'am, $ecause you're of age and

$ecause you agreed to go with him, even though he was not

com!letely u!front with you, if you !ress charges nothing will

!ro$a$ly come out of it seeing he was not successful in whatever he

had in mind. The %udge may %ust let him off with a warning. #ll we can

do is record what ha!!ened, record his name and address and

!hone num$er, and !lace it in our files."

GinM looked at Blanche. ";kay.. if that's all you can do,"

Blanche said glaring at 0hris. )isa!!ointment laced her voice. "0ome

on, girls. 5et's go," Blanche said as soon as the officers finished

recording what took !lace.

"ait. 3y !hone/" GinM said.

The officer snatched it from 0hris and gave it to her.

The girls 8uickly went to their van and drove directly to their

hotel which was further u! the street.

"&ow did he get your !hone-" Blanche asked as soon as they

were safely inside their van.

"I was teting you to let you know where I was when he took itfrom me."

"That's a snake for you," Blanche said. She $urst out laughing

at the $lank and !u11led look GinM gave her. "I'm not trying to !revent

you from having fun, GinM, $ut you are 8uite young and very naOve to

the ways of men." GinM looked even more !u11led. Blanche $urst out

laughing again. "Girl, $y the look on your face, I can tell you have no

clue what I am talking a$out, do you-"

GinM shook her head, no. Hiona and ristin chuckled then

so$ered u! at the thought of what could have ha!!ened to GinM.


47/138

"I never trusted 0hris, and when he mentioned taking you to

$uy you a 7gift,' that gave him away. &e could have %ust $rought the

gift to you.


48/138


49/138

12

They entered their hotel room in silence, and after re!orting to

3s. Gardena to let her know they were safely in their room, they

!re!ared for $ed. *ngrossed in their own thoughts, they clim$ed into

$ed.

"I'll share my story with you," Blanche said. "I don't share it very

often and I won't feel like re!eating it once I am done, so listen. I was

!icked u! $y a gentleman %ust like you were getting ready to $e

!icked u!, GinM. ell, this socalled gentleman turned out to $e a

scoundrel. &e was nice2etremely nice. &e was a gentleman all the

way. &e showed me the !artying side of life2the good times. &e

treated me like I was the only lady on the face of the earth6 he treated

me like a 8ueen. e ended u! in a hotel. 4aOve and foolish methought he only wanted to talk2like he said. ell, we did talk, $ut

then he started to ask me to have se with him as a reward for his

taking time to give me a good time. I thought he was $luffing, $ut he

was dead serious. I ke!t telling him 'no,' $ut he forced himself on me6

he ra!ed me2twice in one night. #nd there was no one to witness

this F and no one to turn to for hel!."

GinM's heart almost sto!!ed. I would have never thought

/lanche went through such a horrifing e2perience. &er heart went

out to Blanche who she could clearly see was still hurting over that

e!erience in her life.

"&e ra!ed me6 he took away my virginity2my innocence. I was

only eighteen years old. Same age as you are, GinM." Blanche

!aused $efore continuing. "#s soon as he fell aslee!, I sneaked out

of the room and ran. I ke!t running2running until I colla!sed in front


50/138

of someone's front door. I was in shock. The !eo!le found me that

morning and called the !olice. I was too scared and ashamed to tell. I

could not even tell them who did this to me $ecause all he gave me

was a first name. The !olice tried to match his first name with some

last names they already had on record $ut could not !lace the name

with a face."

GinM closed her eyes in an attem!t to $lock out from her mind

what could have ha!!ened to her if her friends had not intervened.

She could have relived Blanche's tragic e!erience that very night.

"I was too trusting of men, GinM," Blanche said !ro!!ing her

head u! on her hand and looking GinM in the eyes. She swallowed

hard. "That ha!!ened seven years ago and I am still hurting from it."

5ooking across to Hiona and ristin, Blanche continued. "Girls, some

men do not mean you any good. ou may find a few who aregenuinely caring, $ut they are hard to find. 3y advice to you is don't

take any chances. se your head6 don't lose your head...and !rotect

your heart."

Blanche sat u!. "hen I look at you, I see myself seven years

ago and I don't want what ha!!ened to me to ha!!en to you2any of you," she said glancing at Hiona and ristin. "I had to sto! him, GinM.

I would never forgive myself if anything were to ha!!en to you. ou

!ray each day and ask God to give you wisdom in dealing with

!eo!le, es!ecially the o!!osite se. God will let you know who to

avoid and how to handle them starting with a check in your s!irit. But

it is also $est to stay home with your !arents until you are married,

and when you go out, to go out with friends that you know well."

GinM told Blanche thanks again for reaching out to her and for

!rotecting her from harm. "ou're welcome, GinM. (ust stick with me


51/138

and I'll get you $ack home safe and sound. I asked God to use me to

hel! young girls like you, and this is one way &e's shown me I can

hel!. ou girls have the world $efore you. (ust don't mess u! a good

thing. *n%oy this modeling e!erience, $ut do not get carried away

and dro! your guard."

That night, GinM laid awake for a long time thanking God for

sending Blanche into her life. She thought over the events of the day.

She now a!!reciated Grandma's rules and firmness. #t that !oint she

had a strong yearning for Grandma's arms around her2a !lace

where she always felt loved and secure. 5ittle did she know that

Grandma had $een u! the !ast four hours !raying for her !rotection.

Grandma hadn't $een a$le to slee! until she had engaged in

serious !rayer for her granddaughter. #s soon as God gave her

!eace that &is angels would !rotect GinM, she fell off to slee!.


52/138


53/138

13

The girls awoke !erky the net morning antici!ating a safe

tri! $ack home.

I know you're all tired and ready for an etended vacation,"

3s. Gardena said. "But %ust hold on, we have one last sto! to make in

(acksonville. It will $e a four day sto! and then we'll roll it on home. I

ho!e you all en%oyed yourselves."

e did," the girls said.


54/138

ou don't have to tell me. I know it's you, $a$y. I $elieve you

have something else to say."

Grandma, I'm sorry for not calling you these !ast few days,

$ut we have $een so $usy6 it sli!!ed my mind," GinM said. "e're

almost done with the tour. e only have one more sto! to make in

(acksonville, Hlorida, for four days, then we'll $e heading home."

)o you have something else you want to tell me-" Grandma

asked.

GinM swallowed hard. "4o, ma'am."

#re you sure-"

es, ma'am," GinM said ho!ing she would not !ro$e.

The few seconds of silence that followed left GinM feeling

uncomforta$le.

4ow, you know I don't a!!reciate not hearing from you these

!ast few days2seven days to $e eact. hat would hinder you from

calling me for %ust one minute each day as you had $een doing to let

me know all is well with you unless all is not well-"

#ll is well, Grandma, and I'm sorry for not calling. It %ust

sli!!ed my mind."

ell, don't let it sli! your mind again. ou make sure you call

me everyday until you get $ack home. )o you hear me-"

es, ma'am."

4ow are you a$solutely sure you don't have anything else totell me-"

I hate it when she asks me that *uestion. he can read me

like she"s reading a book. &an$ I don"t even know if I should tell her


55/138

about 4hris. I mean$ nothing happened$ thanks to /lanche. "I'm

sure," she told her Grandma.

4ow you know you missed early registration for school to

start in Se!tem$er. hat do you !lan on doing a$out that- ou don't

want to waste your scholarshi!," Grandma said to her. "ou may

never get another chance."

I can register in )ecem$er when I return and start in

(anuary. That will $e early enough to $egin, and, if not, I $elieve they

have late registration. +emem$er the scholarshi! is o!en for a year.I'll still $e a$le to use it," GinM assured her.

ou have some letters from your advisor waiting here for you

when you return. I took the li$erty to o!en them u! and to call her and

let her know you were on a three month modeling tour and will $e

$ack the week of Thanksgiving. To make sure you did not waste your

scholarshi!, I went ahead and filled out the registration forms for you

to $egin in (anuary with the hel! of your academic advisor. So, she's

e!ecting you to give her a call when you return. )idn't you want to

sign u! for a degree in *arly 0hildhood *ducation- I already signed

you u! for that, $ut feel free to switch when you return. ou're still

interested in teaching little children, aren't you-"

es, ma'am. Thank you, Grandma," GinM said with a

smile. ,ust like #randma to get things going.


56/138


57/138

14

# des!ondent feeling laced with guilt came over GinM as she

hung u! the !hone. She was torn $etween making two decisions

signing u! with 5a


58/138

I want to thank you again," GinM said, "and if you ask me,

you still look young and $eautiful. ell, what a$out you Hiona-

ristin- #re you guys going to sign u!-"

I'm definitely signing u!," ristin said. "#nd for two years. I've

always wanted to go into modeling and acting. I'm done with college.

Books are not for me."

ou might want to seriously reconsider that," Blanche said.

"3odeling is a great career, $ut you might want to go to college or a

fashion institute or an acting school $efore you take off with 5a


59/138

I was thinking of going on with 5a


60/138

The waitress !eered at them for a few seconds. "'all sure do

look mighty young to $e in a !lace like this."

)on't worry. e cleared at the door. e have our I)s if you

want to check for yourself." Blanche started to !ull her I) out. "#nd,

we won't $e drinking any alcohol. In fact, we'll %ust have some water."

I can get you that, and you don't have to show me your I).

'all %ust look as young as my daughter. ee! safe now. By the way,

it's 7hands off' on all females whether you are dancing or %ust visiting,

so if any of the men touch you or make o$scene remarks at you, %ustlet me know or ask for (oey."

;ne of the dancers arrested GinM's attention. She was very

$eautiful and des!ite the nature of the %o$, carried herself with dignity

and class. She was a$out $usiness. Hrom the a!!lause and the

cheers coming from the men and the ti!s she received, GinM could

tell she was a favorite. GinM o$served her every move. There was

something a$out her that arrested GinM's attention. he looks so

familiar. GinM 8uickly dismissed the thought as (acksonville was 8uite

a distance from #tlanta and this was her first time visiting

(acksonville.

The more she watched the dancer, the more GinM felt for sure

she looked familiar, $ut as much as she racked her $rain she could

not !ut a finger on where their !aths may have crossed2if their

!aths had crossed at all. here would we even have met? GinM

thought. ")o you girls recogni1e any of the dancers2that one in

!articular-" GinM asked her friends. They shook their heads. GinM

could not get the dancer out of her mind.


61/138

15

The girls gave GinM the honor of choosing where she would

like to s!end their last night of the tour. ithout hesitation GinM chose

the stri! %oint.

ou're not interested in a %o$ like that, are you-" Hiona %oked.

;h, no. It's %ust something a$out that last dancer. It's far

fetched that we have met $efore, $ut I would %ust like to see if I can

talk with her," GinM shared with her friends.

Iris, as GinM found out was her name, was the second one to

!erform that night. The men went wild. "ou can come home with me

any time, $a$y." "Toss me your num$er and address." "I'll give you a

ride home." "3y wife cannot match u! to you at all." ";h, mighty Iris."

These and other remarks were thrown her way, $ut they did not seem

to move her as she smiled !leasantly and did her thing.

;nce done with her !erformance, Iris left the stage and

sli!!ed through a door $ehind the stage. # third dancer re!laced her.

Taking advantage of the distraction of the !atrons with the thirddancer, GinM whis!ered to her friends as she sli!!ed out her seat. "I

feel like I need to talk with her. #$out what, I don't know. I'll $e right

$ack." GinM sli!!ed $ack stage and through the door %ust in time to

see Iris enter a room midway down a dimly lit hallway.

ho is it-" a voice said in res!onse to GinM's knock on the

door.

It's GinM. I was wondering, could I !lease s!eak with you for

a few minutes-"


62/138

Iris cautiously !eeked through the door. "0ome on in," Iris

said with a warm smile as she swung the door o!en wider. GinM

ste!!ed into a dimly lit dressing room !ainted $urnt orange. The floor

lam! in one corner cast a soft glow across the room giving off acertain am$iance2one that lent itself to relaation. Two dressers

occu!ied one wall. There were also two sofas, a love seat, two side

ta$les, and a $athroom off to the $ack. "&ave a seat. &ow can I hel!

you, GinM-"

3s. Iris, I %ust wanted to meet you and I was wondering, may

I !lease have your autogra!h-" GinM said sitting down on one of the

couches to Iris' right.

I'm honored," Iris said !lacing a hand over her chest, "$ut I

do not give out autogra!hs. )oes (oey know you are $ack here- I

mean, it's no !ro$lem."

(oey- ho's (oey-"

&e's the manager."

I'm sorry. I didn't know I had to get his !ermission," GinM

said.

4ever mind, you're $ack here now."

m, I %ust wanted to meet you in !erson $ecause for some

reason you look kind of familiar. e came $y here yesterday and I

have not $een a$le to get you out of my mind since."

ho's 7we'-"

;h, me and my friends. e sli!!ed in and sat at the $ack.

This is our last night here in (acksonville and I %ust had to talk with

you $efore we leave," GinM said.


63/138

4ow where do you su!!ose we could have met $efore-" Iris

asked thoughtfully as she stared at the mole on GinM's lower left

cheek.

I really don't know. 3ay$e you %ust look like someone I

!ro$a$ly have met somewhere. &ave you ever $een to #tlanta-

That's where I live," GinM said.

ell, I used to live in #tlanta, $ut that was many years ago,"

Iris re!lied handing GinM a $ottled iced tea from the tiny refrigerator.

"But tell me a little a$out yourself, GinM. That is such a !retty name,and you're a !retty girl yourself. I ho!e you're not thinking of getting a

%o$ here," Iris said.

;h, no," GinM said. GinM told her everything a$out herself

and a$out Grandma, a$out her getting ready for college on a full

scholarshi!, a$out her 5a


64/138

ell, my dad died when I was only two years old. 3y mother

kind of disa!!eared a few years later."

I am so sorry to hear that." Iris !laced her em!ty $ottle on

the side ta$le.

4o need to $e, 3s. Iris. ou had nothing to do with any of

this. 3e, Grandma, and 3s. 4ellie are !raying for her. Grandma says

no loving mother would leave their children so we $elieve she will

come $ack."

Iris !icked u! her em!ty iced tea $ottle and went to throw it in

the trash can across the room. "GinM, I wish we could talk all night,

$ut I have to head on home and get some slee! so I can $e ready for

my other %o$ in the morning."

Horgive me. I didn't mean to kee! you so long, and forgive

me for $arging in without an invitation."

It's no !ro$lem. In fact, it was refreshing talking with you,"

Iris said as she sli!!ed into her $lack coat. "There's a !en and

note!ad on the dresser. 5eave me your name and address. I may %ust

dro! you and your Grandma a note, and GinM, it was a !leasure

meeting you."

GinM etended a hand, $ut Iris wra!!ed her arms around her

in a warm em$race. ;n eiting the room, GinM turned right to return

to her friends6 Iris turned left and headed out the $ack door.


65/138

1

Iris hurried to her red Herrari. It can5t be. It just can5t be$ she

thought as she drove off the !ro!erty. Giné took a $usiness card from

off the corner of the $ar as she made her way $ack to sit with her

friends. It ma come in hand one da$ she thought. e can leave

now, she told her friends. IUve had %ust a$out all I can take of this

!lace.!3e, too, the others voiced as they scooted out of their seats.

!&ow did your meeting go- Blanche asked. )id you two know

each other-

!It went well, $ut, unfortunately, we have never met $efore.

She asked for my address6 says she might dro! me a note.

Hiona started to chuckle. I can %ust envision the look on your

grandmotherUs face when she finds out you visited a stri! %oint.

!eah. I donUt even want to think a$out that, Giné said.

!ell, you have my num$er. If she does not $elieve you then

you can have her give me a call so I can !ut in a good word for you,

Hiona said.

!3e, too, Blanche and ristin said together.

Grandma and 3s. 4ellie were ha!!y to have Giné $ack safely.

See, Belle, I told you not to worry. 5et her have fun. 5et her

e!erience the world, 3s. 4ellie said looking at Giné out of the

corner of her eyes with a smile. #nd %ust in time for Thanksgiving.

Grandma fluttered around Giné like a $utterfly.


66/138

!Grandma, youUre going to wear yourself out, Giné said even

though she soaked u! every $it of the !am!ering that she missed

greatly.

!Tell me all a$out your tri!, Giné, Grandma insisted once

things settled down, and donUt hide anything $ecause I know you

werenUt !erfect the whole tri!. I was an eighteenyearold once.

Giné told Grandma almost everything a$out Hiona, ristin, and

Blanche6 a$out HionaUs home6 a$out their tri!s to the various cities6

a$out their stay in the different hotels6 the different com!anies theymodeled for6 a$out meeting Iris at one of the $ars they visited.

!;ne of the $ars- Grandma re!eated.

Giné tried to look away from her grandmotherUs stare, $ut

couldnUt. The em$arrassment came over her. es, maUam. e visited

a$out three $ars on the tri!.

!4o wonder you sto!!ed calling me. It was weighing on your

mind. )id you drink any of the alcohol- #nd you know I can tell when

youUre lying, so donUt lie to me.

+elief came over Giné as she told her grandmother a$out their

visits to the $ars. Grandma did not $at an eye as she told her a$outher near tragic encounter with 0hris and how Blanche and her friends

rescued her, and a$out BlancheUs advice to them.

!I see you did not take the advice I gave you when you

graduated, Grandma said after giving some thought to the matter.

+emem$er I told you most men mean you no good6 to stay away

from them and to !ray in a good and res!ecta$le hus$and. *ven

some of the seemingly nicest of men are full of $ad intentions, and

most only want one thing from a young, $eautiful, innocent girl like

you. That one thing is se, and they will take advantage of you and


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think nothing of it. They will use you and cast you to the side and

move on to another young, $eautiful girl and re!eat the cycle again.

#nd I do not want that to ha!!en to you.

!Grandma, youUre right, Giné said resolutely. &e seemed so

nice and caring. Thank God for Blanche who saw right through him.

Giné shared with her Grandma BlancheUs story.

!ThatUs so sad. I want to thank Blanche !ersonally for $eing

there and for looking out for you. e have to do something for her.

!es. She acted like a mother to me, Hiona, and ristin.

!I also told you that if !eo!le try to talk you into doing wrong

not to listen to them, Grandma said. ou should have never gone to

that $ar. IUve always told you to stay away from anything that looks

evil. I donUt %ust share things with you for my health.

!IUm sorry, Giné said. The girls said they were %ust having

innocent fun, and that we would look out for each other.

!ell, innocent fun can turn into a tragedy. 4ow do you see

why I hesitated to let you go on the tour es!ecially for that length of

time- #nything could have ha!!ened to you. ou donUt have to

e!lore the other side of town to find out what is going on. #nd like Ialways say The grass ainUt never greener on the other side.

Giné swallowed hard.

! #ll that stuff you see on television, Grandma continued, is

real and at the same time not real. #ll that &ollywood glamour is

!um!ed u! fake mess, so donUt get sucked into $elieving that that isthe life.

Giné nodded.


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!Some of those $eautiful girls on television, after their makeu!

is removed, and the heels kicked off, and the $eautiful dresses hung

u!, their life is %ust like ours. #lways remem$er The grass ainUt never

greener on the other side. ItUs what you make of it on this side thatcounts.


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1!

Giné felt a !ang of guilt knowing that the only reason she was

interested in going to 5a


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renew the contract with 5a


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I gathered me also silver and gold6

%nd whatsoever mine ees desired$ I kept not from them6

But Solomon with all his wisdom had to conclude

!)hen I looked on all the works that m hands had wrought$

and on the labour that I had laboured to do+ and$ behold$ all was

vanit 7futilit8 and ve2ation of spirit$ and there was no profit under

the sun.9

I have to agree with olomon$ Giné concluded.


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1"

Iris !ulled u! $efore her a!artment. It was in a gated

community alongside a few !rivate houses. The security guard,

3iguel, who was doing his rounds when she eited her car, a!!eared

on that side of the a!artment com!le. Hor some reason, he had

taken a liking to Iris and made sure she got in safely each night. They

echanged the usual greeting as Iris keyed in the security code tounlock the door to her a!artment $uilding.

Iris was still dee! in thought as she stum$led into $ed. She

reached over to her $edside ta$le and !ulled out of one of its drawers

the !ictures Grandma had sent her of Giné. The last !icture of her

was at her eighth $irthday !arty. I can5t believe how much she looks

like m husband. he has blossomed into a beautiful oung lad$ full

of life and having positive dreams and goals. I have no doubt the

oung lad I just finished talking to is m flesh and blood daughter-

#in: ;achel /urris( the mole on her left jaw gave her awa.

Slee! did not come easily that night. #ll the guilt of leaving her

daughter to the care of her mother came crashing down on her. Isthis another wa #od is telling me I needed to go home and reclaim

m daughter? he5s been searching and wondering just who her

mother was. I have been ignoring #od5s constant promptings and

#randma5s pleadings for me to come on home for the sake of m

daughter. Now that #od has literall dropped m daughter into m

lap$ I5m not sure I want to reveal to her who I reall am. hat child

would be proud to have a mother who dances before men in scant

clothing? hat if she does not accept me? hat if she is bitter at me

for abandoning her? he did not e2press that while we were


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talking. +egina cried herself to slee! thinking how she had missed

out on the most im!ortant !art of her daughterUs formative years.

JJJJJJJJJJJ

Giné signed u! for classes and started college at Georgia State

in (anuary. Blanche returned to #la$ama to finish college. She was

!ursuing her doctorate in Business 3anagement. #s she shared with

them, 5a


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Giné continued to ecel in her studies and was committed to

hel!ing Grandma as much as she could. sing some of the money

that was !ut aside for her, Grandma $ought her a four door sky $lue

Hord.

!IUm doing this $ecause you have !roven yourself to $e a

mature and res!onsi$le young lady down through the years, of

course, minus the silly act you did while in Hlorida, which thank God,

&e heard our !rayers and ke!t you safe, Grandma said. I $elieve

that e!erience has left you a wiser !erson.

Giné had !ut Iris out of her mind until she received a note from

her a month after starting college. It read

Dear #in:$

I don5t know if ou remember me$ Iris$ from the strip

joint in ,acksonville. %s I promised ou$ I am dropping ou anote to thank ou for taking the time to talk with me. It was

refreshing talking with ou as ou shared our dreams with

me. It is not ver often that I encounter a oung lad who has

a sense of purpose and direction for her life. I trust that ou

have enrolled in college now and are enjoing it. hatever

ou do$ please get our education. I feel funn writing this$

but make sure ou sta in church and alwas remember #od.

)ell our #randma 'hello5 for me.

Iris

There were $lotches in several !laces on the !ink sheet of

!a!er. That did not dam!en GinéUs s!irit as she read the note aloud

to her grandmother. She told me she was going to write. I canUt

$elieve I had forgotten a$out her.

!ho is Iris- Grandma asked taking note of the $lotches.


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!I thought I told you a$out her. IUm sure I did. I met her at one

of the $ars we visited in (acksonville. It was actually a stri! %oint.

! # stri! %oint/ )oes she work at a stri! %oint- )id you go to a

stri! %oint- hy in the world did you not tell me you went to a stri!

%oint/ ou mentioned the $ars, $ut you did not tell me anything a$out

a stri! %oint.


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1#

Giné %um!ed at the sudden rage in her GrandmamaUs voice.

&ow could you not tell me you went to a stri! %oint- )o you know

that kind of thing can !ollute your mind for life- Is that what youUre

interested in- hat else are you hiding from me-

GinéUs voice trem$led as she s!oke. Grandmama, IUm sorry. I

%ust saw it as a $ar. e %ust went there for fun. I got so caught u!

telling you a$out her, it somehow sli!!ed my mind to tell you whereshe worked. I didnUt mean to hide it from you. I didnUt do anything

while I was there. I s!oke with her right after her !erformance and left

as soon as I finished talking with her.

!ho told you a$out such a !lace-

!Hiona, ristin, Blanche and I went together2more out of curiosity. They said it was a sur!rise. I didnUt know where we were

going until we got there.

!ell, the sur!rise is on me, Grandmama said. )id any of

the men mess with you- #nd why didnUt you leave as soon as you

saw the kind of !lace it was- #fter all I taught you, you are going to

go to a stri! %oint/

!I should have left, Grandmama, and I am sorry I didnUt, $ut

Iris gra$$ed my attention. It was as though I had seen her $efore. I

could not shake that thought. I %ust had to s!eak with her, Giné

confessed. #nd, no, none of the men there messed with me or the

other girls. They were too $usy watching Iris and the other dancers.

Grandmama studied Giné for a minute. #ll right, I $elieve

you. But remem$er, God was watching over you and &e saw

everything you did. #fter a long sigh, she added softly, Giné, I know


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you think IUm $eing hard on you at times2may$e more times than

not. I set rules that I know you think are unreasona$le6 I donUt deny

that. But I do that $ecause IUve $een there and done that. IUve $een

where youUre trying to go and have a desire to go, and IUve done whatyou have a desire to do. #s Solomon says, thereUs nothing new under

the sun. Grandmama chuckled. es, I remem$er those days when

4ellie and I used to hang out with the cool crowd. But guess what-

Some of the cool crowd ended u! in %ail, got !regnant, s!ent months

hiding from the !olice, or dro!!ed out of school6 some are de!ending

on the government to take care of them and their children now.

Grandmama fell silent for a few minutes, and it seemed her

attention was given over to an un!leasant movie !laying in her mind.

She shook her head and shuddered. I donUt want you to ruin your

life. But for the grace of God, I wouldnUt have overcome my foolish

acting years2curious years were what they really were. #nyway, Icame out of them safe. I got saved and $egan s!ending more time in

the church and in reading my Bi$le. I made u! my mind to do what

the Bi$le says. #nd, you know what- Going the Bi$le way works, and

has worked for me for forty years now. I would not give it u! for

anything.

5ooking into GinéUs eyes, she continued. I want you to have

fun and to en%oy your life. hy live life if youUre not going to en%oy it-

But you can live a clean life and at the same time have fun. 5ike I

always tell you the grass is never greener on the other side. ItUs what

you make of it on your side that counts. ou remem$er that.

!es, Grandmama, I will, Giné said. #nd I am truly sorry.

!I know you are, Grandmama said.

Grandmama looked at the letter in GinéUs hand. ou say her

name is Iris-


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!es. SheUs as nice as can $e, Giné said.

!That was nice of her to write. 3ake sure you answer her

$ack, Grandmama said, studying the handwriting on the letter. She

turned the envelo!e over, $ut there was no return address. ell, I

guess you canUt re!ly.

!I got her address. I !icked u! a card from her work!lace on

my way out, Giné said. I didnUt know why I even !icked it u!, $ut I

can see now that I need it.

Grandmama studied the handwriting on the note some more.

She was sure she had seen it $efore, $ut could not immediately !lace

it. That night as she !ulled out her Bi$le for her regular nighttime

reading, an envelo!e fell out. The handwriting on the envelo!e was

similar to that on GinéUs note. It can5t be! es, she had no dou$t it was

GinéUs mother 2 her daughter, +egina. But a stri! %oint- No wonder

she stopped putting a return address on her letters to us. he was

afraid I5d pop up and catch her in the act. 3h$ ;egina! h a strip

joint of all places - especiall when ou could have just come

home? She !ulled out a few of the letters she had received from

GinéUs mother. 1es. It5s definitel her.


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20

)hings are adding up now$ Grandmama thought as she

stretched out on her $ed. )he last time I heard from her was a few

months after she had been hired on at the bank( she wrote saing

another door was opening up for her to get another job. he did not

sa what the other job was. )he large amounts of mone she has

been sending for #in: did not add up( but with the mone from thestrip joint$ it all adds up now. I5ll just have to do some investigating on

m own starting with the info on the business card.

Giné was thum$ing through her $edside ta$le drawer that

evening and !icked u! the !icture she had of her father, her mother,and herself as a $a$y. She looked at the !icture through new

eyes. )hat5s where I5ve seen her before. )hat5s Iris( she looks just like

m mother.


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!Grandmama, I did not do anything wrong, Giné said after

asking her why she needed it.

!I $elieve you. To tell you the truth, something came to my

mind after I s!oke with you. I %ust need to make a few !hone calls. IUll

let you know whether or not IUm %ust going on a wild goose chase.

#fter Giné left for school, Grandmama took some of the

letters +egina had sent to her over the years and the note Giné

received from Iris and went to see 4ellie.

!hat do you think, 4ellie-

!3mm. The writing looks mighty close, 4ellie said, !eering at

the letters. See how she curves her SUs. #nd look at the TUs. es, IUd

say youUre on to something. But why would she get a %o$ at a stri!

%oint- ou donUt su!!ose sheUs, you know, involved with any of the

men there, do you- I %ust ho!e sheUs not selling herself.

!4ellie, how could you even fi your mouth to say that-

Grandmama shuddered to even think that a$out her daughter.

!e have to deal with reality, Belle. ou have not heard from

her for some years now. &o!efully, she kicked the drug ha$it as she

told you. She did not leave you a forwarding address, 4ellie said,

raising her hand in resignation.

!ouUre right, Grandmama sighed. Hrom what Giné told me

she carried herself with class, even as she !erformed.

!I donUt see how you can carry yourself with class with a %o$

like that, 4ellie muttered.

!ell, Giné said 7hands offU is the num$er one rule. She said

all the men did was watch


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! #ll googlyeyed, 4ellie chuckled.

! #s I was saying the men could only watch, yell snide

remarks su!!osedly in the form of com!liments, throw money on the

stage, and laugh and act like overgrown school$oys. She also said

the lady serving drinks on the floor told them if any of the men

messed with them to %ust let her know or to ask for (oey.

!;h, well, 4ellie said, shrugging her shoulders.

!


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21

hen Grandmama returned home, she called the stri! %oint.

!&ello, 3ademoiselle. (oey s!eaking.

!&ello, (oey. This is Belle Grant.

!&ello, Belle. hat an eotic name. #re you looking for a %o$,

Belle, $ecause we sure could use another $eauty. ;ne of our dancers is leaving in a cou!le weeks.

!4o, no. In fact, IUm trying to get in touch with one of your

dancers. I $elieve her name is Iris.

!;h, yeah. Iris works here. SheUs the $est we have. But,

sorry, I canUt give out any information on her. e kee! all informationa$out our em!loyees confidential.

!4o, I donUt want any information on her. Is she there now- I

need to s!eak with her, Grandmama said.

!4o, maUam. If you tell me who you are I can give her a

message when she comes in.

!0ould you- (ust tell her Belle called2Belle Grant2and tell

her to give me a call at this num$er any time.

!;kay, maUam. I sure will, (oey said after writing the num$er

down. ou sure you donUt want a %o$- e could use another dancer,

es!ecially one with a !retty name like Belle. our voice sounds %ustas !retty, too, (oey said.

Grandmama laughed. 4o, thank you. I did so much dancing

during my young days I had to hang u! my dancing shoes and give


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my aching feet a rest. (ust make sure you give Iris my message. ItUs

very im!ortant. ;kay-

!I will, (oey laughed.

)ee! in thought, Grandmama sat around the kitchen ta$le

skinning !otatoes. Iris. %t least she chose a prett name. he got

through three ears of rehab and she left-just came and said

'goodbe5 to me and #in:. =motionall$ phsicall$ mentall$ and

spirituall$ she was a mess. >ord$ after all the /ible I tried to put into

her$ how could she have turned out like this? It5s good to finall hear

something$ though. I believe #od is bringing closure to this

situation. Grandmama remem$ered the day +egina left like it had

ha!!ened yesterday.

JJJJJJJJ

!3ama, IUll $e $ack for her. I !romise. I %ust canUt $e a mother to her right now, +egina said.

!ou ought to stay with your daughter, +egina. That will hel!

sta$ili1e you, Grandmama insisted. eUll get you through this

together. ouUve already crossed the main hurdle youUve $een

through reha$ successfully. ou are drug free. #nd what a$out your

college- ou canUt %ust give u! on that. ouUll need su!!ort, !eo!le

you can lean on like me and 4ellie and the church, to hel! strengthen

you.

!3ama, IUll make it. I %ust canUt do it around here. Things are

too familiar. The !eo!le are too familiar.

That was the last Grandmama saw of her daughter. +egina

was never a !ro$lem child. She made it through high school without

causing a stir in the family or outside the family, $ut something

ha!!ened when she entered college new environment, new friends,


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and as the saying goes, Bad com!any corru!ts good manners. 1es$

she got into bad compan less than two ears into college. I told her

to sta awa from her socalled college friends. I saw them leading

her astra. /ut she would not listen. he started delving into drugs

and alcohol behind m back( alwas going off to one part after

another at the last minute-telling me where she was going as she

walked out the door so I would not have time to argue and tr to talk

her out of it.

It was in college where +egina met )emetrius, GinéUs father.

4o one could dou$t the love he had for +egina, $ut he had a drug

!ro$lem. Grandmama told her daughter to leave )emetrius alone6

she told )emetrius to leave her daughter alone. But the two would

not leave each other alone. )emetrius not only !ushed drugs, $ut as

the drug demon took control of his life, he !ulled +egina down into

the a$yss with him. ord on the street was that he was $eyond hel!.)emetrius ignored the law6 he ignored his familyUs !leas for him to get

hel!6 $ut at least he listened to Grandmama. ;kay, 3s. Belle. IUll get

hel!.

!)ear God, Grandmama !leaded each night, !lease hel!

him and +egina $ecause only ou can hel! them.


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22

;ne Sunday Grandmama managed to talk )emetrius into

coming to church with her. )emetrius got saved. &e asked (esus to

forgive him of his sins, to come and live within his heart, and to give

him a new life. Hor a$out a year and a half, he miraculously let go of

drug !ushing and drug taking. +egina still struggled with it, $ut now

she relied on old friends to su!!ly her. )emetrius started traveling

with a Bi$le and !eo!le du$$ed him the Bi$le 3an.

&aving a mind like a s!onge, )emetrius soaked u! Bi$le

verses 8uickly and could 8uote them at the sna! of a finger. &e

wanted to do right, so he married +egina. God $lessed them with

Giné within a yearUs time. )octors called Giné a 7drug $a$y,U as she

was $orn with traces of drug content in her system. She went through

a short $ut traumatic withdrawal !eriod. *ven though she had a

rough $eginning, GodUs hand was on her, she !ulled through and

turned out to $e an ece!tional child.

The state threatened to take Giné away from +egina if she

did not sign u! and !artici!ate in a drug reha$Vcounseling center for a

year. 4ot a$le to $ear the thought of losing her daughter, she enrolledand tried to kick the ha$it. &owever, she secretly started doing drugs

again. This time, the drug demon over!owered her, and together, with

former drugtaking friends, they coaed Bi$le 3an $ack into the ha$it.

! #we, come on ), +egina said to her hus$and. If you really

love me as you say you do, then you will %oin me. e used to do it

together.

!)emetrius, you can do it without hurting yourself anymore,

one friend said.


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!The Bi$le 3an ought to $e !rotected $y the words of the

Bi$le, another friend said.

!I thought God gave you freedom, +egina said. 0ome on. It

wonUt hurt you any more than it has done, and you already know you

can get out of it at any time.

Grandmama sto!!ed $y their a!artment one evening. It

seemed chaos was $ursting through the walls the $a$y was

screaming, loud music was !laying, the tele!hone was ringing off the

hook. Something did not set right in GrandmamaUs s!irit a$out thewhole thing. She called the !olice $efore even knocking on the door

herself. 4o one answered the !oundings on the door so they $roke

the door down. +egina, )emetrius, and two others were so strung out

they did not even reali1e the !olice had entered the a!artment. #ll

four were taken into custody and all four were !ut through the

!risonUs reha$ !rogram. Sadly, )emetrius did not make it through

reha$.

!God saw it $est to take him home, Grandmama told +egina

who sought her for comfort and answers when she visited her at

reha$. If he had continued living he would continue doing drugs,

!olluting his $ody, which was GodUs tem!le, and $ringing shame to

GodUs name. Sometimes itUs $est for God to take us on home when

we struggle with a certain sin and refuse to let it go. #nd, +egina, that

is what might ha!!en to you if you donUt straighten u! and get your

act together.

)emetriusU une!ected death was a wakeu! call for +egina.

She enrolled in the reha$Vcounseling center for the second time, $ut

she failed to get rid of her friends who ke!t enticing her $ack into that

lifestyle. She moved into a halfway house $ut ke!t sneaking out and


91/138

$reaking many of the rules of the house. #t her $reaking !oint and as

a last resort, she decided that the only way out was to leave town to

get away from it all, and to settle down somewhere new, get a decent

%o$, and in her own words, Break this cycle so that I can take !ro!er care of my daughter.

!3ama, I have to leave here for my sanity and for the

!rotection of Giné. I am $eing constantly tem!ted to go $ack into the

drug world. 3ama, I have to leave soon, or IUm going to end u! killing

myself.

+egina and 3ama argued for a while, $ut Grandmama

wanted the $est for her daughter and granddaughter. She knew they

had to somehow get +egina away from her drugaddicted friends.

!IUll $e $ack for her, 3ama. I !romise you, I will. ;nce I get

settled and get things going and donUt even have the urge to do drugs

for a year or so, IUll come $ack and get her.

Hor the first few years, Grandmama could not kee! u! with

her and the many %o$s she held waitress, housemaid, cleaning

hotels. ouUre $eyond all that, +egina. )onUt limit yourself,

Grandmama told her. ou are too smart for those kinds of %o$s. ou

need to enroll in college and get your degree. ThatUs your ticket.

Think $ig/ IUve always taught you to think $ig and not to settle for

mediocrity.

+egina took her motherUs advice and enrolled in night school.

She finally got her Bachelors in Business and landed a %o$ at the

$ank. 5ife was going well for her, $ut she somehow slacked off onkee!ing in touch with Grandmama.


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23

+egina did get a second %o$6 one she knew Grandmama

would not a!!rove of. Both %o$s ke!t her $usy and ke!t her mind off

her trou$les and constant guilt2guilt that ke!t flooding her world

es!ecially at nights when she was alone with her own thoughts.

GrandmamaUs words often !ricked her. ou have enough $itterness

and fear in your heart to !araly1e you and to cause you much internal

hurt. our moving away from here is not going to detach you from the

$itterness and fear within you. +egina, you cannot esca!e from

yourself. ou lost your hus$and. Grieve, $ut donUt get $itter. ho are

you $itter towards anyway- )onUt cause yourself further !ain $y

trying to run away from yourself or from your res!onsi$ility. ou owe it

to Giné to come $ack into her life $efore it is too late. )onUt let fear

drive you away6 you drive fear away, #nd remem$er the Bi$le says,7God has not given you the s!irit of fear, $ut of !ower, and of a sound

mind.U Hear is of the devil and he will use it to defeat you.

How did &ama get m number here? +egina wondered after

(oey gave her the message. #in: showed no sign of having recogni0ed me. I5m sure &ama5s shown her pictures of me. *ver

since a child, it never ceased to ama1e +egina how Grandmama

could, for the most !art, tell what was going on in her life. That was

one reason she left off communicating $y tele!hone with her. Is

#randmama contacting me #od5s wa of telling me again it is time

for me to go home? Dear #od$ I so want to return home and be a

part of whatever is left of m daughter5s life$ but I am so scared( I feel

so unworth( so inade*uate 6 so guilt.

WWWWW


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#s soon as Giné returned home from school she went into

her room, got the !icture out again, and carefully eamined it as she

tried to gather her thoughts. Hinally, she knocked on GrandmamaUs

$edroom door.

!0ome on in, Grandmama said.

Giné handed her the !icture. Grandmama, that lady, Iris, I

told you a$out from the stri! %oint, is my mother. This !icture looks

%ust like Iris and I donUt recall you telling me my mother had a twin.

hy would she not reveal to me her true identity when I s!oke withher- IUm sure she recogni1ed me. ThatUs why she was asking me so

many 8uestions. Grandmama, IUm almost nineteen, you can tell me

the truth now. ou donUt need to hide it anymore, Giné !leaded with

her grandmother. ou have to know something.

!0ome sit $eside me, Grandmama said softly, rising u! from

her reclining !osition on the $ed. I knew this day would come. I did

not know when, $ut I tried to !re!are myself and you for it. 4ow I

donUt know if I am ready for it or not.

Grandmama scooted over to the middle of the $ed and

ad%usted her !illows. Giné sat down $eside her.

!our 3ama was a smart girl %ust like you, and $eautiful, too.

She turned heads wherever she went. #fter she entered college, she

got into $ad com!any. ThatUs why I am so !articular a$out the friends

you kee! and must know your wherea$outs at all times. #nyway, her

socalled friends took her do

Documents

Giné (Serial Novel)