“I find that hard to believe,” Anwar said. “Girls like Asia are too prissy to hold any meaningful conversation.”
“There’s nothing prissy about Asia,” Jorge said dreamily. “Her beauty would stop any man in his tracks, but she is a whole lot more than just a pretty face.”
Anwar felt a tinge of jealousy messing with his mind. He could not fathom how Bishop Beaufort’s daughter could even be remotely interested in Jorge, who was not at all that good looking to begin with. He was average at best. It would certainly explain Asia’s attraction if the reason had been based on good looks, but his friend, with a coconut-shaped head, lazy eyes and thick lips had somehow won Asia’s heart.
Anwar stared at his reflection in the water, though a bit distorted, he could make out the sharpness of his features. He was a sexy nineteen-year-old stud. His mango complexion provided the perfect backdrop for his deeply set, hazel eyes and his powerful, straight nose. His curly hair had been cornrowed by one of the neighborhood girls. At other times he wore his hair Afro-style, which gave him a similar look to Shaggy – the famous reggae artist from Jamaica. It was a wonder to Anwar that Asia could not see that he was more her type of fellow.
“…she’s not impressed with those rich, stuck-up chaps her father wants her to date,” Jorge was saying. “She said all they talk about is their money and their business ventures in Europe.”
“At least those men have money,” Anwar quipped. “What do you have? A stupid dream that is gonna get your butt killed eventually.”
Jorge did not seem to discern the contempt in his friend’s voice. “No, my friend,” he said placidly. “I have a dream that will get me and Asia out of Bliss Haven. And I’m gonna start by enrolling myself in night classes. I want to improve my English skills, because someday I want to become an English professor.”
“Well…” Anwar jumped to his feet and brushed the dirt from his hips. “I have a better plan than that.”
Jorge looked up at Anwar and smirked, “Which is?”
“I’m gonna find me a rich, older woman to take care of me,” Anwar announced. “I’m always getting hit on by the girls in our neighborhood. Just imagine if I could end up in the right place, at the right time.”
Jorge threw his head back and laughed. “Boy, your dream is more foolish than mine.”
“I don’t think so,” Anwar countered. “I have a plan and I guarantee you, that it’s gonna work – sooner than you can wink those big, lazy eyes of yours.”
****
Dana could sense the stares of the residents, as she cruised through St. Elmo’s Valley in her silver Benz. The streets were narrow and were filled with potholes. Her braking system would need repair when she was done driving through the small village. A few small children in tattered clothing stood to the edge of the road with bunches of bananas and June plums in their hands. A sign made out of cardboard revealed to onlookers the cost of their produce. Dana turned to her daughter to get a glimpse of her reaction to the decrepit scenes, but the only sign of life Dana got was a blank stare.
“Do you want some bananas?” Dana asked to break the silence.
Asia barely shook her head in response.
“But you love bananas –”
“I don’t want any,” Asia spat. “I want to see Jorge.”
“Well, I did not bring you to St. Elmo’s Valley to see Jorge,” Dana said stiffly. “You need a reality check.”
Asia bit back her retort, because she did not want to start a shouting match with her mother. Dana was like a loose cannon, ready to detonate at any minute. She would try a more civil approach and hope it would get Dana to cooperate with the plan that she had concocted within her head.
“Do you even know what it is to be in love?” Asia asked.
“I know what you feel for that boy is not love,” Dana answered.
“I did not ask you to interpret my feelings for Jorge.”
Dana grew silent for a moment as she gave respect to Asia’s question. Of course, she knew what it was to be in love. She and Gregory were presently sleeping in separate rooms, but things hadn’t always been like that. There was a time when Gregory had made her feel safe and as if their relationship was the most important thing to him in the entire world. Dana knew what it was like to long for a man’s touch – to stay awake, dreaming of spending time in the presence of her one true love.
But Asia was too blinded by her emotions to understand that a relationship between her and Jorge would never work. Their worlds were too far apart. Dana did not raise her three daughters to settle for less than they deserved. Her girls were intelligent, independent women, whose minds had been heavily steeped in Christian principles. They knew nothing of what it meant to live a hard life. That was because she and Gregory had endeavored to supply whatever they needed, so that jokers like Jorge Bentley wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Do you wish to live in this battered village, which is filled with a growing population of illegal immigrants?” Dana said to her daughter. “Because it’s the only thing that boy can offer you – a place that is not fit for you to survive.”
“You’re not going to answer my question, are you?”
“Asia, open your eyes and take a look at this place! Is this how you want your life to end up?”
“Money isn’t everything, you know. I happen to really care about Jorge.”
“Why?” Dana spat incredulously. “What is it about that boy that makes you act so unseemly?”
“Wouldn’t you and everyone else like to find out,” Asia jibed.
‘Don’t get gutsy with me, young lady. Your father’s men could have killed Jorge last night. We don’t need the town’s eyes on us!”
Asia turned her head away from her mother and stared out the window. If her mother thought for one second that a stupid trip to St. Elmo’s Valley would change her mind about Jorge, then her mother was as delusional as her father. Her mother acted as if this were the first time she had visited St. Elmo’s Valley. Her parents needed to understand that Jorge’s love meant more to her than the place where his navel string had been buried, or else her parents were simply wasting their time.
Pensively, Asia rubbed the center piece of a necklace that Jorge had chiseled from the shell of the Queen conch. The smooth texture reminded her of Jorge’s talent and his devoted affection. He had given it to her when she had met him at the airport for the first time. Asia and her father were coming back from the Cayman Islands, where they had left her older sister, Candi to sit through a six-month training course. That afternoon in the airport, Jorge left an impression on Asia that had kept her staring up at the ceiling for several nights.
“Let me get your bags, beautiful, I’m trying to make a little extra money.”
Asia looked away from the carousel and connected her gaze to a young man in cutoff jeans and a white T-shirt. Although she was seeing him for the first time, his toothy smile drew her in immediately. By her standards, he was not particularly handsome.
“It’s okay,” she told him. “My father went to the restroom. He should be back soon.”
“Where are you coming from?” the young man asked, totally disregarding Asia’s rejection. “My name is Jorge, by the way.” He moved closer to the carousel and reached for a set of leopard-striped luggage. “Are these your bags?”
“Yes, but…”
“Don’t worry about the money,” Jorge said, as he carefully lifted the luggage to the floor. “I was only kidding about that part. I hope you will forgive me for my silly assumptions. But when I saw you alone, attempting to pull that heavy luggage from the carousel, I almost had a heart attack.”
Asia rolled her eyes as if she had finally caught on to Jorge’s stratagem. “Oh please, there are about a dozen other ‘helpless’ women that need assistance with their bags. Why did you single me out?”
“Because a girl like you would have never talked to a guy like me, much less even look my way. I had to come up with a plan.”
“You are q
uite confident, aren’t you?” Asia said, hardly believing that she was having such a conversation with a stranger. But he was incredibly easy to talk to. She liked that. “You are right about one thing, though.”
Jorge wiggled his brows playfully at Asia, knowing all along that he was talking to Bishop Gregory Beaufort’s daughter. He had seen her the few times he had visited St. Donovan’s Chapel, though she had walked by him as if he were invisible. He only now had built up the courage to approach her. When he saw Asia blushing at his funny faces, he knew he had struck a warm spot in her heart.
“I know I’m right,” Jorge affirmed. “You would have never batted an eye in my direction.”
“You are certainly filled with silly assumptions,” Asia said, “because you don’t know what type of girl I am.”
Jorge wanted to respond to Asia’s retort, but he spotted Asia’s father coming toward them. It was time to get lost, but he didn’t want to leave without sealing the connection with something tangible. He reached into his pockets and pulled out a piece of jewelry. With an impatient smile, he handed it to Asia.
“If you ever need to talk…just as a friend,” he said affectionately, “you will be able to track me down by this necklace. I make them and sell them to the straw vendors.”
“Stop the car,” Asia ordered.
“What?”
“Stop the car!”
Flummoxed, Dana pulled the Benz to the side of the road and before she could settle her curiosity over her daughter’s behavior, Asia pushed the car door open and hopped out. Dana got out of the Benz as well, traipsing behind her daughter a little ways near a rivulet – to where the fishermen set up shop.
“Asia, what has gotten into you?”
“I saw Jorge…”
Dana stiffened into silence, as she watched Asia continue down the path. Her black tresses blew wildly in the wind, giving her beauty more of an ethereal appearance. The two young men who were walking side by side, turned at Asia’s sudden screams. Screams that suggested that she was relieved to see that Jorge was alive and doing well.
In spite of his shock, Jorge dropped to one knee and opened his arms. There were no words to speak. The scene was like a dream come true. When Asia ran into his embrace, he squeezed her and inhaled her powdery scent. It seemed as if it were just the two of them in the world at that moment, causing them to give little thought to the consequence such action could produce. Jorge loved Asia deeply, to the point that his eyes burned with tears at the thought of losing her.
Dana looked on, gritting her teeth in disapproval. Her plan had backfired. It appeared as if her daughter treasured this stray boy more than she had anticipated. It was going to be hell, Dana thought, getting Asia away from him.
Chapter Five
Gregory wanted Izaiah to become acquainted with his surroundings as soon as possible. So Gregory allowed his men to carry Izaiah’s luggage into the guesthouse, while he and Izaiah took a tour of the compound. The main house was spread out on two acres of land. Six bedrooms, five baths, nestled behind decorative walls and expensive tile. It was an open floor plan, providing ample light and fresh air. The most outstanding feature of the design was the massive loft, which hovered above over half of the home. It seemed as if there were more palm trees inside than there were on the property. Dana’s beautiful paintings were showcased everywhere, but Gregory intentionally did not mention to Izaiah that she was the artist. He did not want to give Izaiah any reason to be fond of his wife.
The men concluded their tour in the grand living room, exiting through the double French doors that led to one side of the veranda. Izaiah wanted to voice his concerns to Gregory about the plan to get close to Gregory’s youngest daughter, but Gregory seemed so delighted to show him around, that Izaiah knew the timing would be off. He simply could not settle in his heart to carry out Gregory’s dirty work. He was a straight shooting kind of guy who avoided trouble as much as he could. Such confidence Gregory had in him, Izaiah thought. Because what made Gregory think that a complete stranger would have any success in getting through to his daughter?
The Alsatians, who were at the far end of the porch, began to bark ferociously. The noise was horrendously loud, causing Izaiah to bump into Gregory. His pensive state had suddenly been thrown into a panic.
Ashamed, Izaiah expressed his apology. “I’m sorry. I have a terrible fear of dogs.”
Gregory laughed. “So did I, at one time,” he said. “But you should never let them sense your fear. They will befriend you quicker than you think.”
The Alsatians flashed Izaiah their canine teeth and in trying to distance himself, this time, he almost tumbled over Gregory’s feet. “No, thank you,” he spat. “I would rather stay out of their way as much as possible. I had a frightening experience when I was a boy.”
Gregory shot Izaiah a look as if to say that he understood. “You will be fine,” he assured the young minister. “I only keep them around for the burglars.”
“I don’t believe such an island is predisposed to those types of crimes,” Izaiah said. “It is so small.”
“We’ve had two break-ins within the last four years,” Gregory said. “Apparently, it is not small enough. That’s the reason for the extra security. My men patrol the grounds every night to ensure the safety of everyone.” He tossed Izaiah the keys to the Jeep Wrangler. “It’s yours as long as you stay in Bliss Haven. Because of Asia’s stubbornness, I have taken away her car, so, she will need you to chauffeur her around. She is also an excellent tour guide, if you decide you need someone to show you around the island.”
Izaiah nodded his response as he followed Gregory to an open area of grass. What else could he say to such decisive instructions? To his immediate right, were a tennis court and a basketball court, which were simply divided by a three-foot passageway. Because of the moderate rains that had recently fallen, the plants and flowers blossomed with life. As Izaiah had experienced during the drive from the airport, he felt as if he were continuing his trek through the garden of Paradise. He could see why the island was named Bliss Haven.
“Do you play tennis?” Gregory asked suddenly. “Your body looks as if it is in pretty good shape.”
“Of course it is,” Izaiah teased. “I am only twenty-five, you know. Plus, I do seventy-five pushups every night. But seriously, I haven’t played in a long time. The church where I came from was too busy to enjoy any sport.”
“Well, that is simply too bad, because I haven’t had a tennis partner since my oldest daughter, Candi went to Cayman.”
Izaiah studied Gregory for a moment. Since he had picked him up from the airport a few hours ago, Gregory had barely mentioned anything about his wife, or about his other children. Whatever that meant, Izaiah didn’t want to read too much into it. “I have heard of Asia, and now Candi,” he said. “How many children do you have?”
“Three, all girls,” Gregory answered. “Candi is twenty-four and works for the Bliss Community Bank as a sales associate. She was selected to go to Cayman to study a particular program. Dallis is twenty-one – the fastest swimmer Bliss Haven has ever seen. She is currently training for an upcoming national competition. Maybe you can join me when I go to see her compete. And of course, there is Asia. My heartstring…she’s studying psychology at Bliss Haven Christian Academy.”
The way that Gregory looked away suggested to Izaiah that Gregory was seriously disappointed in something his youngest daughter had done. Obviously, Asia was Gregory’s favorite. However, as Izaiah had been doing since he’d met Gregory at the airport, he decided against speaking his mind and instead, opted to take the easier way out.
“Consider yourself to have a partner,” Izaiah beamed. “I would love to play a few matches with you – of course, when the time allows.”
Gregory grinned, his fine laugh lines becoming visible around his mouth. “How about we change into something comfortable, then have a crack at it?”
“Are you serious? It’s almost six in the evening.”
r /> “Which is the best time to play,” Gregory said. “The sun won’t get in our way. Let’s do it, young blood…the best out of five matches. Besides, you said so yourself that you did not get the opportunity to enjoy any sport. Now, you have no excuse.”
“You make it sound so appealing.” Izaiah smiled. “How could I resist?”
****
A little ways down from the Beaufort’s estate, Chazz Brunswick watched as Dana swung her Benz through the wrought-iron gate. He wanted so badly to get her attention, but he knew now would not be the right time to approach her. He fidgeted in his 2008 Mazdaspeed, contemplating his next move. Dana needed to know the truth about her husband and the secrets he’d been hiding from her. Dana was a nice woman and she did not deserve to be mishandled by a man who would do anything to further his own personal cause.
Ever since Chazz met Gregory three years ago, his freedom was forcibly taken away – his young, innocent mind crushed by perversion. Although Chazz understood that the ultimate decision had been his to make, he blamed Gregory for stirring up his lust. The man was corrupt to the core; his Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-type personality was only evident to those who really knew him. Gregory could be mild-mannered one minute and the next he would fly off the handle like a bat out of hell. A deadly human volcano that could get Dana killed. She needed to get away from that monster while she had the chance.
This was Chazz’s third visit to the Beaufort’s estate within a week and he was sure by now his ‘scent’ may have been picked up already by Ms. V and her hooligans. He was now considered an outcast from one of the top secret organizations in the world. But Chazz didn’t care about the House of gods and their incessant need to control its subjects through mind games and black magic. He was determined to expose Gregory, Ms. V and every member of the House of gods who had deceived him into signing away his soul to the devil. He should have known that it was too good to be true.
Resigned that he probably would not see Dana any more that day, Chazz spun the ignition of his Mazdaspeed and then slowly rolled away onto the empty road.