Decisions
by
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I found Naquia trying to learn how to play Bid Whist. Raven and her mother sat off from everyone else. I walked over to join them.
“So how are you feeling birthday girl?” I asked.
“Fine.” Raven’s answer was short and to the point.
“I wish I had known it was your birthday, I would’ve gotten you a gift.”
“I guess if we had spent more time getting to know one another than we did fucking, you would’ve known.”
“Raven!!!” Mrs. McNeill seemed surprised to hear her daughter speak that way. Raven got up and walked into the house. Her mother tried to apologize and blame her foul mood on her hormones. I heard her speaking but none of it made a difference. I wanted to talk to Raven to find out what the real problem was so when I thought no one was looking, I followed her inside.
“Can we talk?” I asked before sitting down on the sofa.
“We have nothing to talk about.” She said as she surfed the channels on the television.
“Why are you acting like this?”
“Like what Wesley?” She sighed and rolled her eyes.
“What’s up with the attitude? Did I do something I’m not aware of?” I asked.
“Oh you’re very much aware.”
“No, I’m not. Refresh my memory.”
“Hey, you’re a free man. You can do whatever the hell it is that you want to do.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Forget it.”
“Hold up. Are you mad with me because I came here or because I came here with Naquia?”
“Neither, it’s really none of my business.”
“You’re absolutely right. It is none of your business, you cut me loose remember? I believe your words were life goes on. What did you expect Raven? Did you think I would sit around carrying a torch for you for the rest of my life? You made it perfectly clear that you were with someone else now. You’re planning a wedding and having this man’s baby, what am I supposed to do? I mean damn, let’s be real here. I messed up; I apologized for that. You moved on; I’ve accepted that. You said you had to do what you had to do, so why in the hell are you mad at me for doing the same?” Raven tried to leave but I stood up in front of her refusing to let her get by.
“Raven please explain this to me. Tell me what I’m not understanding. I’ve tried to do as you’ve asked, that isn’t right. I’ve tried to make amends, that isn’t right. You said it didn’t bother you that Cee and I remained friends. I haven’t bothered you since Christmas. Excuse me, I sent you flowers on Valentine’s Day, it was no big deal, I sent all the ladies in my life flowers. So what is it Raven?”
“There is nothing for me to say. Can I get by please?”
“No you can’t. We are talking here. I think I deserve a little bit of respect. Please talk to me. Let’s get this out in the open once and for all so we don’t have to go through this the next time we see each other.”
“There won’t be any next time.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“That means; if you are going to be around, I won’t. Simple as that.”
“Oh so now you’re going to avoid me?”
“I wouldn’t call it that.”
“What would you call it then? Come on now Raven, grow up. You mean to tell me we can’t coexist peacefully? You don’t see me tripping about Derrick. If anyone has the right to be mad, it’s me considering I found your boss in your hotel room that night after the wedding. It looked to me like it took you no time to get over us. Unless you had been fucking him all along.”
Raven slapped me real hard across my face and then pushed her way passed me.
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About the Book
The story continues--In Choices, Raven McNeill takes her nephew Trey to the park one Sunday after church and meets a handsome stranger Wesley, who makes her weak in her knees. In a few swift moves, they fall completely head and over heels in --is it love or is it lust?
Derrick Kincaide is a rich, handsome but still married businessman who meets Raven and is intrigued. He has many reasons not to pursue her. She’s one of his employees. She’s not the type of woman he’s been attracted to in the past. She’s involved with another man. And last but certainly not least, he is still legally married.
Wesley Charles has just begun a new chapter in his life. After spending time in jail for a crime he didn’t commit; he has decided to put his past in the past and leave it there. After noticing this beautiful woman playing with the little boy in the park; his reasons for going to the park every Sunday now changes. Mustering up the courage to approach them, they meet, they click and he falls fast and hard.
In a whirlwind of events, Raven learns about Wesley’s past and out of wounded emotion she runs into the open arms of Derrick only later to realize that maybe that wasn’t the best choice she could’ve made.
Wesley decides to give up and just move on with his life.
Derrick decides to pursue this relationship after all.
What will Raven decide?
About the Author
Born in Newark, New Jersey and raised just outside of Richmond, Virginia. Laine Highsmith’s passion has always been writing. To her credit, she has a bookcase filled with notebooks containing short stories and unfinished novels.
Unfortunately, her passion has always been pushed aside to accommodate things viewed by some as more important. School. Work. Family. But now she’s finally taken the stance, "Writing first, everything and everyone else second." This has resulted in many late and or sleepless nights.
Laine has fallen in love--with her characters and finds it difficult to bring the story to an end, hence the birth of Choices, Decisions and Consequences.
Robin “Laine” Highsmith is currently writing the third novel to this trilogy of love. She currently resides in Laurel, Maryland where she’s surrounded by the love of her family, friends and new readers.
Please feel free to drop her a line at lainespromise@hotmail.com and she will respond.