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Authors: Vanessa Davis Griggs

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Chapter 46
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor.
—Ecclesiastes 10:1
 
 
 
A
fter Paris got home from her meeting with Darius, she called her father and asked him over. Andrew was gone; he'd left to go play golf as soon as he came home from church. So she and her father would be perfectly free to say whatever they wanted or needed.
She opened the door and gave her father a hug. They then went to the den.
“Daddy, I don't want to play games or beat around the bush. So I'm going to get straight to the point.”
“That's fine. I like getting straight to the point. That also means that I can get back home in time to catch my basketball game that starts in about an hour. So what's up? You and Andrew still having problems?”
“No, this isn't about me and Andrew. It's about you and Jasmine.”
“Jasmine? Jasmine who?”
“Jasmine, the little girl that needed the bone marrow transplant,” Paris said.
“Why are we talking about
her
? If you'll recall, you didn't care to take part in the donor process. But as it was, things turned out just fine without you.” Lawrence angled his body more squarely her way as he touched his fingers together like he was clapping with them.
“We're talking about her because I know the truth.”
Lawrence chuckled and scooted back a little on the couch. “The truth about what, Paris? You're making no sense at all.”
“Oh, stop it, Daddy! Just stop it! No one is here but you and me. Drop the act. We don't have time to play around. Look, I know that Jasmine is your daughter, okay?”
Lawrence's smile instantly fell as he drew his head back as in shock. “My daughter? Now you're
really
talking crazy talk.”
Paris picked up a magazine off the coffee table, retrieved a photo she'd put there earlier, and handed it to him.
“What is this?” he asked.
“What does it look like, Daddy?”
He continued to gaze down at the photo. “Well, it looks like Imani and some girl that I don't know. Is this a friend of Imani's? What?”
“Does that little girl, that you say you
don't
know, look like anybody that you
do
know?”
“Not really. Why? Should she?”
“Daddy, look at how much she and Imani favor. Look at their eyes. They have identical eyes.”
“Okay, so they favor, according to you,” Lawrence said, setting the picture on top of the magazine. “What's the big deal?”
Paris reached over and picked up the picture. “The big deal is that this girl on the picture with Imani is the girl that Imani matched and was a bone marrow donor for. That's the big deal.”
Paris watched as the coloring literally seemed to drain from her father's face. “Where did you get this? How do you happen to have a picture with
my
daughter and that little girl? How!”
“I have it, Daddy, because I took Imani to see her, and I took this picture of the two of them together. That's how I happen to have it.”
Lawrence jumped to his feet. “You did what!”
Paris stood as well. “I took Imani to meet her.”
“Who told you to do that?”
“I didn't need anybody to tell me I could do it. I told myself. You knew Imani wanted to meet her. You knew how much meeting her meant to her.”
“Yeah, and I told Imani I would arrange something at the end of the year.”
“Why, Daddy?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you want to wait until the end of the year to let my sister meet the person whose life she saved?” Paris took a step back from her father. “Why?”
“I do
not
believe you did that! You went behind my back and
deliberately
defied my wishes! You're practically sabotaging everything I'm trying to do, Paris!”
“Taking Imani to see Jasmine doesn't hurt you nor will it affect your reelection campaign. But you were definitely hurting Imani by keeping her away like you were doing.”
Lawrence shook his head. “So you decided
you
knew what was best and took
my
daughter to do something
I
said I didn't want her doing. You completely disregarded my authority as her parent and just decided you'd . . .” He nodded his head. “And just how did you happen to find out where she was in the first place?”
“Why won't you say her name? It's Jasmine, Daddy. Jasmine. Her name is Jasmine Noble. And I'm not going to tell you where I got the information.” Paris said it like a scared yet defiant twelve-year-old.
Lawrence nodded. “Oh, you don't have to tell me. I know how you got it. You were snooping around in our house again, weren't you?”
“You're just trying to shift the attention away from the
real
truth and what we
ought
to be discussing.”
He looked at her with a cold stare. “And what truth is that, Paris? You think you know so much. What truth might that be?”
“The truth that you
are
the father. You're actually Jasmine's father.”
“Humph! And exactly
how
did you come up with
that
? From some stupid photo you took? Because you say Imani and that girl favor? Do you know how often white folks say that all black folks look alike?”
“Stop denying the truth. Just admit it.”
“Admit what? I want to know how you've come to this asinine conclusion that I'm that child's father.” Lawrence folded his arms. “That's what I want to know.”
“Imani happened to be a match for her. Imani and Jasmine favor . . . a lot.”
“And? That's it? That's all you have to be saying something crazy like this? The fact that my daughter turned out to be a match for that little girl. And because of that, all of a sudden I'm supposed to be that child's father? That's your brilliant deduction, Sherlock Holmes?”
“Look at her, Daddy.” Paris flicked the photo at her father's face. “Look at her! Look at her and tell me she's not your child.”
“Stop flicking that thing in my face. I don't need to look at it again. I saw it.”
“Did you know that Jessica Noble died?”
Lawrence stopped, unfolded his arm, and looked at Paris. “She died? When did she die? Who told you that? From where did you hear that?”
“Oh, so you're going to tell me that you didn't know? You really want me to believe you didn't know Jessica had died, the mother of the little girl that you went all out for in order to find her a donor?”
“I promise you: I didn't know. Why would I? This is my first time hearing this.” He sat down on the couch and appeared visibly and honestly shaken.
Maybe he really didn't know. Paris sat down beside him. It hurt her to see him shaken in this way. “You really
didn't
know, did you? So nobody told you?”
He shook his head. “No.” He then looked up at her. “But there really would be no reason for me to have been told. I only met this woman once, and it was only after I started the campaign to help get a bone marrow donor for her daughter. I promise you, Paris: That was my first time ever laying eyes on that woman. And it was only that one time.”
Paris gazed at the picture as she spoke. “I heard that she died about a week after her daughter went home. They say she died on her daughter's birthday.”
Lawrence looked over at Paris. “Who told you all of this?”
“Someone in the know of what's going on told me.” Paris didn't dare reveal her source. She knew how her father felt about Darius. After Darius told her, she'd checked on the Internet, doing a search on Jessica Noble's name, and verified she had indeed passed away. “I also hear that Jasmine is with Gabrielle Mercedes now.”
Lawrence frowned. “She's what?”
“She's with Gabrielle Mercedes-used-to-be-Booker. Gabrielle has her now.”
“Why would
she
have her?”
“I don't know, Daddy. I was thinking you would know enough to possibly shed some light on things. Maybe your investigative folks can find out why she has her. But I'll tell you this. I don't care how much you deny it. I believe Jasmine is your child. And I'll be doggone if I'm going to let my half sister be raised by someone like that woman! So if you're not going to do anything to save Jasmine from Gabrielle, then I'm not going to just sit around and do nothing, hoping for the best.”
“I'm telling you, Paris. I didn't have an affair, a one-night stand, or anything else with Jessica Noble. I've never had sex with her a day in my life. I'm telling you: You're barking up the wrong tree. This doesn't concern us. We need to stay out of it.”
Paris smiled. “Well, I'm going to do the right thing for Jasmine. If Gabrielle has custody of her right now, as I hear that she does, then it sounds to me like Jasmine doesn't have anyone to take her in. Therefore, I'm going to see about getting her.”
Lawrence grabbed his daughter up by her shoulders. “I'm telling you, as your father, you need to stay out of this. Leave it alone, Paris. Let this go.”
Paris broke from her father's grasp. “I'm not going to let that beautiful child be raised by the likes of Gabrielle Booker, oh, excuse me, I mean Gabrielle Mercedes. Jasmine would be better off with us. I'm married; Gabrielle is not. I have a college degree; Gabrielle doesn't. I can raise Jasmine up with the finer things of life the way I'm sure she's already accustomed to. Gabrielle doesn't have what we have. Jasmine needs someone who knows culture. Gabrielle doesn't know which fork to use when. I can introduce Jasmine to a world of beauty pageants and glitter, if she's interested.”
“What about Andrew? Have you discussed this with him?”
“Not yet,” Paris said. “But unlike you, who won't step up to the plate, even though it may mean your daughter will end up with someone substandard like Gabrielle, Andrew has a kind and good heart. And you can deny that she's your child until the cows come home. But in my heart, I know the truth. Andrew and I have been praying to have a family. Maybe this is God's answer to our prayer. Maybe God wants us to start our family by adopting Jasmine.”
Lawrence rubbed the side of his head. “Let it go, Paris. Don't open this up. I can't afford a fight like this, not now. You know the media takes things and blows it up. They'll have a field day if you go after this child. For me, please, leave it alone.”
“Daddy, all of my life, I've been selfish. I've only thought about what was best for me. Well, for the first time in my life, I'm not going to think about only me. I'm going to do something for someone else. Whether Jasmine is your child or not:
She
still needs a good home. Andrew and I can give her that home right here with us.”
“You don't know what you're doing,” Lawrence said. “I'm telling you: You don't know. So I'm asking you . . . begging you actually, as your father, leave it alone.”
“Well, Daddy, you need to get going. I have a lot to do.” She escorted her father to the door. “Kiss Mom for me when you get home.” She pecked his cheek.
Chapter 47
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
—1 Peter 3:13
 
 
 
“I
'd like to come to your church for Bible study tonight,” Paris said to Darius as soon as he answered his cell phone. “Can you give me the address?”
“Oh, so you're coming to our Bible study? Cool. Why don't I just meet you somewhere and you can follow me over there?” Darius said. “I'll tell my wife I have something to do and that I'll be coming on later.” “Listen, I'm not trying to get me or
you
in trouble with your wife. So just give me the address if you know it or I can just look it up.”
Darius laughed, then rattled off the address. “So Paris Simmons is coming to visit us at Followers of Jesus Faith Worship Center for Bible study? Wow.”
“Looks that way. And the name is Paris Simmons-Holyfield, with a hyphen.”
“Okay, Mrs. Simmons-Holyfield with a hyphen. Is there any particular reason
why
you're coming to visit us?”
“If you must know: I'm hoping to run into Gabrielle.”
“I see. So it has nothing to do with the great Word we get there? Well, I'll tell you what: If you'll park in section D and wait for me if I'm not there when you get there, I'll be more than happy to show you the general area where Gabrielle sits. You know how folks have an area they prefer more than others. That will help make it a bit easier for you to ‘run into her,' although I must warn you: She's generally with that little boyfriend of hers. Now it's her, that little girl, and her boyfriend.”
“Her boyfriend is a doctor, isn't he?”
“That's what they say,” Darius said with a slight singsong to his words.
“That's fine. I'm not coming to start any drama. I just want to let her know in person that I'd like to sit down and talk to her about something, woman to woman.”
“Why does this not sound like it's going to be good?”
“I don't know,” Paris said.
“Now, if you just want to call her, I can get you her phone number.”
“I had her business card with her church phone number. I threw that thing away. No. I'd prefer to look in her face when I tell her some of what I have to say.”
She and Darius discussed the time she should aim to meet him in the church's parking lot.
 
Paris arrived and saw Darius standing outside his car.
“Where's your wife and family?” Paris asked when he opened her car door.
“They're coming later. I told her I had an errand to run,” Darius said. “Come on. Let's go in.”
“Are you sure you won't get in trouble if someone sees you walking in with me?”
“We're walking into church. People walk into church alongside other people all the time. Last time I checked, it wasn't a sin to walk in church with someone other than your spouse.” Darius laughed.
Paris kept space between her and him even though she could feel Darius making an effort to veer closer to her, “accidentally” bumping into her a few times. It did make her a little nervous that he was with her. When they got inside and he led her to the side where he indicated Gabrielle sat most times, she smiled at him. “Okay. Thank you. You can go find your family now. I can take it from here.”
“Find my family?” He chuckled. “I have no idea where they'll be. My wife sits all over the place. It's according to what time she gets here. Most of the time she's late because of the children. That's when she doesn't just give up and opt to stay home.”
They sat down and Paris tried to pretend she didn't know Darius, just in case anyone was watching them.
She really enjoyed Pastor Landris's teaching. She was shocked at how much he touched on things she was dealing with in her own life. He spoke about going on after disappointments, knowing that God has already gone before you and taken care of things before you ever even arrive.
“Even when things seem like they're going bad for you and cause you to wonder if God is actually listening to you, God is there,” Pastor Landris said. “If you're going through something, you need to be praising God because it means one of two things. Either God has worked it out and this is for His glory, or God knows you can handle it and that you're going to come through. When things are at their lowest point, that's when you need to be looking up and praising the loudest. God will not put more on you than you can bear. God is there with you, whispering in your ear that you can do this; you're going to make it if you just hold on to His hand. You're stronger than you think. God is helping you work those faith muscles and you'll see just how strong, through His power and His might, you truly are.”
After service dismissed, Paris almost hated to ruin the wonderful feeling she was having, following that message, to confront Gabrielle. But she had come here for a reason, and she was not going to be denied. She was going to carry out her mission.
She spotted Gabrielle and stood out of the way as the congregants filed out. “Hi, Gabrielle,” she said when Gabrielle was passing by her way.
Gabrielle looked; bewilderment registered on her face. “Hi.”
“May I speak with you for a moment?” Paris said. “In private?”
Gabrielle looked at Zachary, who was holding Jasmine's other hand. “I suppose. Sure.” She let go of Jasmine's hand.
“We'll meet you at the car,” Zachary said to Gabrielle, although it was obvious to anybody looking that he didn't want to leave Gabrielle alone with Paris.
Paris and Gabrielle walked out of the sanctuary over to an area away from the crowd making their way out the doors.
“Listen, I hear you have Jasmine Noble,” Paris said.
“Yeah. You just saw her with me.”
“Is this a temporary thing or what?”
“Personally, Paris, I really don't care to discuss this with you,” Gabrielle said.
“Well, you may want to rethink that. You see, I think that beautiful little girl deserves a good and stable home. She's already been through so much.”
“I won't argue with that. In fact, I absolutely agree with you.”
“Personally, I don't think you're the right one to offer her what she needs. Not like what my husband and I can.”
Gabrielle laughed. “Excuse me? You're kidding me, right?”
“No, I'm not kidding you.”
“Okay, Paris, let's cut through the noise. What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I'm just letting you know up front that I'm planning on petitioning the courts to get Jasmine.”
Gabrielle looked at her like she'd lost her mind. “You're planning to do what?”
“I'm going to petition the courts to get Jasmine, and then I'd like to adopt her.”
Gabrielle snapped her head back. “Why? For what reason? I don't get it? You don't even know Jasmine. You have no association with her at all. I
know
this can't be you just trying to get back at me. Not even
you
can be that small and petty.”
Paris lowered her head downward. “Small and petty? Is that what you think of me? That I'm small and petty?” Paris's voice rose slightly.
“Listen, I'm not having this discussion with you, Paris. Things are already in the works for me and Jasmine to be a family. So whatever you're calling yourself doing, you need to back off. I'm telling you . . .”
“Gabrielle, be reasonable, okay,” Paris said. “Save yourself some trouble. Because I know you don't want to battle with me. If it comes down to a court having to look at you and what you have to offer that little girl, and me and my husband, not even counting the weight I can summon with my father on my side, you're going to lose. That's a fact! And I don't want to go there if I don't have to. But your stint as Goodness and Mercy may well come back and haunt you, if we have to fight this out. I don't know what your role is in Jasmine's life, but I know Andrew and I can give her a better home than you
ever
can.”
“As I said, I'm not having this discussion with you, and
specifically
not here. In fact, there's really nothing for us to discuss period! I don't know what you know or what you
think
you know, but I'm going to tell you: There's the other side of goodness that you know nothing about. Please don't make me go there. Because if you
really
want to see some
real
weight, then just wait until you see me with the weight . . . the glory of
my
Father”—she pointed toward Heaven—“on my side. That's the other side of goodness I'm speaking of; the Lord fighting my battle.”
“Oooh, I'm trembling. The other side of goodness, huh? Well, don't let my beauty fool
you
, either. When I want something bad enough, I can get down in the trenches as well. But know this: I
will
be moving forward to get custody of Jasmine. So, we can do it the easy way, or we can do it the hard way. But I promise you: We
will
do it.” Paris then turned and walked away. She was trembling, and not totally sure why.
But she had now, in fact, thrown down the gauntlet. Now she would just have to convince Andrew of how much she truly wanted Jasmine and to be sure that he was ready to fight right along with her.

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