“So, you’re just gonna stand there and pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about?”
“I’m not pretending, because I really don’t have a clue to what you’re accusing me of. Now, calm down and tell me what happened to Jorge.”
“Cut the act, Daddy!” Asia fired back. “How could you be comfortable with yourself, knowing what you’ve done to an innocent man?”
Whether he’d killed Jorge or not, Gregory didn’t take too well to his children talking to him as if they were in set with him. He pointed at her, putting some authority behind his tone. “Now, you listen to me, young lady. I realize that you are upset, but it’s no excuse for the way you’re behaving. You’re not getting any answers out of me until you sit down and express yourself in a civilized manner.”
Asia didn’t miss a beat. “So, now you want to talk about being civilized? Well, let’s go there, for a minute. From the day I introduced Jorge to you, you plotted to tear us apart. You threatened him, scorned him – did everything in your power to turn me against him. Do you remember several weeks ago how your silly men chased him off the property with guns? I knew it was only a matter of time before the situation would escalate to this point. Jorge was shot down like an animal in the street! Tell me, Daddy, how civilized was that? To have a young man murdered because he simply wanted to marry me –”
“I’m not playing games with you,” Gregory spat. “Get out of my office until you’ve gotten yourself together.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you admit that you killed Jorge!”
Gregory glared at Asia, but directed his words to the youth minister. “Izaiah, take this young lady out of my sight before I say something that I will regret!”
Asia swung her deadly gaze to Izaiah. “It’s best that you don’t interfere. You put one finger on me and I am done with you.”
“Do as I say, Izaiah!” Gregory countered. “This young child thinks that she can rule me.”
Izaiah planted his steps in place to think things through. What should he do in a situation like this? Such intensity could be felt between father and daughter, and he was caught right in the middle of it. If he sided with one, he knew he would make an enemy out of the other. But Gregory was the one who paid his salary as the newly installed youth minister. If he planned on staying in Bliss Haven, Izaiah felt Gregory’s authority should eclipse that of his daughter. Humbly, he approached Asia, and prayed for the right words to fall out of his mouth.
“Asia, I can’t imagine how all of this is affecting you. I did not know Jorge, but I was there when he was shot down off his bicycle and I continue to express my –”
Asia cut him off sharply, “Izaiah, please leave. I would like to have a word with my father alone.”
“Asia…please.”
“Leave, Izaiah. You should not have gotten involved in this mess anyway.”
“Too late, I am already involved,” Izaiah said morosely. At times, Asia’s brassiness was more difficult to bear than Gregory’s angry bark. He turned toward the exit.
“Now wait one minute, Izaiah. Who is in charge here?” Gregory inquired. “Did I not instruct you to take my daughter out of my office? Don’t let her scare you with her churlish remarks!”
Asia dropped her arms from her breasts and took a casual stroll to one of Gregory’s plush chairs. She plopped down in it and shot Gregory a look of irreverence. “Well, Daddy, you both will have to physically throw me out of here, because I am not leaving until you admit that you had Jorge murdered. By the way, I alluded that much to Detective Richard Shelby and he seemed quite disappointed in you.”
Asia’s statement knocked the wind out of Gregory’s sails. Richard was a good friend of the family, whom Gregory respected very highly. With a quick flick of the wrist, he dismissed Izaiah and then fell back into his swivel chair. His daughter knew exactly what to say to get his motor running.
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When Things Go Wrong – Book 2 - Synopsis
The drama continues to unfold. Leroy Paxton, pastor of Mount Moriah Baptist Church, thought he had found a way to get rid of Shaniece once and for all, but had underestimated the power she uses through blackmail. With new secrets surfacing about his past, Leroy sadly discovers that Shaniece isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. She is determined to bury everything that he cherishes, including his marriage of twenty-six years.
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