The Book of Joshua II - Believe (The Gems & Gents Series 3)

by Iris Bolling

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Atlanta, GA

  “Professor Delany,” Adam Lassiter called out as he ran towards his advisor. “Professor,” he called out again.

  Rochelle Delany turned to the young man she had been advising for three years now. He was a handsome devil. He reminded her of his brother. Tall, slim, nice body, beautiful smile. Dark chocolate, so sweet she would lick her lips and a few things belonging to him. Rocy, shook her head. The child was barely twenty-one, a baby in her book. She needed one of him in an extra large, like his brother.

  “Hello Adam.”

  “Professor Delany," he gave her the letter in his hand. "I received this letter from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They have accepted my proposal to develop the anti-childhood obesity program."

  Rochelle read the letter, her smile increasing with each sentence. She had a bemused look when her eyes met his. "Adam, this is a formal letter of full funding for your research."

  "Yes, that too, ” he smiled bashfully displaying those same dimples. She rubbed her stomach wondering if they ran in the family.

  “Congratulations, Adam,” She hugged him, then stepped back. “So…which offer are you going to accept?”

  “Both are important in different ways,” They started walking towards her automobile. “I mean the anti-childhood obesity program is really finished. It’s just a matter of testing, which could take a few years. The creation of a combatant to a nuclear threat is exciting. Imagine developing a force field strong enough to withstand a nuclear attack. It’s hard to turn away from that.”

  “True,” they stopped at her automobile. “However, the CDC pays a lot more money than the US Government.”

  “There is that to consider,” Adam grinned as he held the door open for her. “Now I have a question for you.”

  “Sure, what?”

  “When are you due?” There was a look of surprise on Rocy’s face. “Professor Delany, I’ve been studying your body for three years. Hell, I know the day your cycle starts. Of course I would notice the difference now.” He dropped his head. “I’m heartbroken.”

  Rocy laughed so hard. “No, what you are is too observant and you need to stop. I see all these women on this campus chasing you down like dogs in heat.”

  Adam laughed. “You know I only have eyes for you. But seriously, congrats?” he raised an eyebrow.

  “Yes, I’ve always wanted children.”

  “Well, he or she is a lucky baby and he, whoever he is, is a very lucky man.”

  Rocy smiled. “Thank you.”

  Adam blushed. “I have to go. Need to call my parents about this.”

  “You do that and congratulations again,” she smiled as she watched the young man walk away. The smile disappeared once she was inside the automobile. “Genevieve will you call Shelly please?”

  “Home or cell?”

  “Cell please.”

  “Calling.”

  “Hey stranger,” her best friend’s voice came through the speaker.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  “What? You’re pregnant. What is wrong with you? You can’t just hit a sister with something like that without prep work.” Shelly Davenport screamed. “Who? When? How?”

  “If you have to ask how, Royce is not doing his job.”

  “Oh believe me, brother is handling his business. You know he put a pole in the extra bedroom.”

  Rocy laughed, “Get your freak on girl, I’m not even mad.”

  “Are you okay? Are you happy about this? Who?”

  “Yes, I”m okay. Yes, I’m happy about it. The who is a little tricky.”

  “Does the father know?”

  “No. That’s what’s bugging me,” she watched Adam Lassiter talking to another student.

  “I know you well enough to know you will make the right decision on that. And you know I’m here any time you need to talk.”

  “I know. Do me a favor. Don’t mention this to Royce just yet.”

  “Okay…he ain’t the daddy is he? I mean you be all over my man when you come home.”

  Rocy laughed even harder. “Get off my phone. You are a sick woman.”

  “Hey a sister has to ask these questions,” Shelly hesitated. “I’m so happy for you. I know how much you love children.”

  “I love you girl. You always know how to make me laugh.”

  “That’s what friends are for. Talk to you soon.”

  Rocy disconnected the call and pulled off.

  ❖❖❖

  She was good. He was better, or more determined to find her. He stood in the shadow of her bedroom watching as she walked in the door. She hit a button on the remote and music filled the house. There it was, one of the things he missed about her. She began singing No Air by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown.

  He listened to the words and it made him realize he had hurt her deeply. This was the third day he had watched her from afar. But today he knew he would have to make his intentions known. He followed her to her classes this morning, then to the doctor’s office, then watched as she talked with his little brother. She cut the song off.

  “No more sad songs,” she changed the CD. Purify Me by India Arie filled the house. She nodded her head. “Oh yeah.” she began singing and dancing around the room.

  Watching her smile as she wiped tears of joy from her eyes. He could only pray those tears of joy were because she had just found out she was carrying his child. He knew she would turn him down now if he approached her and for the first time in his life, he was at a loss as to how to get a woman.

  ❖❖❖

  “Who called the family council?” Phire asked as she looked into the dining room to see the ballot box on the table. “Mom,” she called through the house.

  “You will stop with the yelling.”

  Phire looked up to see her brother Adam at the top of the steps. “Adam, when did you get home?” she ran up the stairs and jumped into his arms almost knocking him down. He hugged her, then sat on the landing to the second floor of their home.

  “I just arrived,” he smiled down at the one person in this family younger than him. “How was cheerleading practice?”

  Phire shrugged, “Boring. All they want to do is show their a… um, behinds. And now, they want to show more butt. They want us to wear the boy shorts up the crack of our butts. Hmmm,” she rolled her eyes. “My stuff ain’t for everybody to see.”

  “Isn’t,” Adam corrected her.

  “Okay, isn’t for everybody to see.”

  “They still giving you a hard time about staying a virgin?”

  “Yes,” she looked up at him. “Is it a bad thing Adam. I mean, you’re a guy. Do guys give you a hard time about being a virgin?”

  “No, but then again, it’s not the main topic of our conversation,” he touched her nose. “You do what you feel. Don’t allow those girls in your school to bully you into anything you don’t want to do.”

  “I don’t, but you know, ZsaZsa is catching it.”

  “Who is ZsaZsa?”

  “Princess ZsaZsa,” she looked at him as if he should know. “Prince LaVere’s little sister. She came to live with him after Joshua rescued her. She goes to school with me.”

  “A princess is going to John Marshall High School?” he tried not to laugh. “I bet she is catching it.”

  “They don’t know she’s a princess. All they know is she is different, talks proper and is still a virgin. You should see the guys betting on who is going to pop that cherry.”

  “You need to stop talking like that. It’s not lady like.”

  “Who ever said that Phire was a lady.”

  The two looked down the steps to see their sister Opal and her twin Timothy walking through the door.

  Phire ran down the stairs and jumped in Timothy’s arms. “Is everybody coming home?”

  Opal answered her while Timothy whirled her around. “Yes, when mother calls we all come running. Put her down,” she hit Timothy on the arm. “She is
too big for you to be swinging her around like that.” Opal turned to Adam. “Where’s Jade?”

  “She’s upstairs on her phone,” Adam replied.

  Opal began walking up the stairs. “When did you guys get in?”

  “We flew in about an hour ago,” Adam replied as he met Timothy at the bottom of the steps.

  “Hey little brother,” he gave a pound to Adam. “How’re the buildings at Morehouse? Still standing?”

  Adam smiled. “Man, that was freshman year. I haven’t blown up anything since.”

  “How’re things at Hampton?”

  “Wrapping up,” he grinned, displaying dimples similar to his brother’s. “Thesis goes in next week and it’s a done deal.”

  The door opened and in walked their brother Luke. “Aww, snap, Luke.” Phire went through another round of another brother’s loving hug.”

  “Look at you,” he beamed down at Phire. “I bet you are giving the boys a fit.”

  “She better not be,” Timothy frowned at Phire, then turned to Luke. “Man, you should be on the field practicing. Ya’ll didn’t do too well in the big D last season.”

  “Hey man don’t talk about the team,” he shook his brothers hand. “Besides, looks like I may be coming back to the East coast.”

  “What?” Adam looked surprised. “The Lions are letting you go averaging twenty yards a carry? Are they crazy?”

  “My new agent has been shopping me around. He has two teams in a bidding war.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about, Luke,” Timothy grinned. “Don’t tell Matthew.”

  “Tell Mathew what,” their older brother walked out of the kitchen eating a sandwich.

  They all looked up at him, and laughed. “Man do you ever stop eating?”

  “I’m burning calories all day long running up and down the court with the team.”

  “The basketball team, be running up and down the court,” Phire smirked. “All you do is yell at them all the time.”

  “Little girl,” Matt huffed, “Go in the kitchen and help your mother and stay out of grown folks conversations.”

  With hands on her hips she rolled her eyes. “When I see grown folks, I’ll leave. All I see are my big head brothers who are about to get their butt kicked on the field as soon as my other sisters get here.”

  “We, playing today?” Luke asked, excited at the thought of having an impromptu flag football game with the family.

  “I don’t think we are going to have time for a game,” Jade said as she and Opal joined their siblings in the foyer. “Mother called a family council for one of us?” She looked around.

  Everyone shook their head, “Not me,” Adam offered.

  Jade looked at Timothy.

  “Nope, I’m good.”

  “Not me,” Luke offered.

  The others gave the same response as she eyed them. “Then who is the council for?”

  “We’ll find out soon enough,” Luke replied. “Where’s Dad?”

  “In the family room with Diamond, Zack, Samuel and Cynthia,” Matt replied between bites.

  “Is Cynthia pregnant, again?” Opal asked.

  Phire laughed, “We would be having a council every nine months if that’s the reason. They act like they don’t know anything about birth control.”

  “As long as you know…,” Jade gave her a knowing look.

  “Ain’t nobody getting my cookies,” Phire declared.

  “Okay, it’s time for me to walk away,” Timothy said. “I do not want to be a part of that conversation.”

  “I’m with you,” Luke said as he followed his bother.

  “Come on you,” Jade pulled Phire along with her as the others followed the group.

  Sitting around the dining room table, Sally smiled at her family, then up at her husband who was taking a seat next to her at the head of the table.

  Ruby, their oldest daughter had arrived and, the next to the oldest daughter Pearl, who was in Washington D.C. serving as Press Secretary to the President, had called in via FaceTime, to be a part of the family council.

  “Okay, Mom, who called the council?” Pearl asked.

  “Yeah, Mom,” Ruby asked. “Who needs help?”

  “Your brother,” Sally replied.

  Everyone looked around the table, except Samuel.

  “Okay fess up,” Pearl laughed, “Who got somebody pregnant?”

  Phire pointed. “Samuel is the only one around here who doesn’t know how to keep his zipper up.”

  The family turned to look at Samuel and Cynthia.

  Cynthia, Samuel’s wife of five years and mother of their two children, shook her head. “Oh no, it’s not me.”

  They then looked at Diamond. “Well, since we are all here together,” she smiled at her husband Zack, “We just found out today. We are expecting.”

  The family cheered and offered congratulations. Samuel shook Zack’s hand. “Oh hell, you’re stuck now.”

  “I was stuck anyway,” Zack smiled.

  Luke frowned, “You just found out today?”

  Diamond nodded her head. “Exactly three hours ago.”

  “But Mom, called me yesterday about the meeting,” he stated as he looked over at his mother.

  “Same here,” Jade replied.

  “So, who is the meeting for?”

  “I think that would be me.”

  All eyes went to the doorway where their brother Joshua stood. They all rushed him at the same time. For all, except Samuel, Pearl and Sally, this was the first time they had seen Joshua in years. They were all talking at once, as Joe and Sally sat back watching their family showering their brother with love.

  It took the family fifteen minutes to settle down from the shock of seeing Joshua. When they finally allowed him to take a seat, all he could do was smile. He had missed the security of their love. There was no doubt in his mind that the people around this table loved him beyond reason. If he had to get guidance, these are the people who would steer him in the right direction.

  “Joshua,” Pearl spoke from the electronic tablet sitting in the middle of the table. “The President sends his gratitude.”

  He sat forward, serious for a moment. “How are the children?”

  Pearl sighed, “Jada, that’s James and Ashley’s daughter isn’t handling things too well. She’s retreated into herself. Pretty afraid to go anywhere without her father.”

  Joshua nodded. “I’ll have to go by to talk with her. How’s Jazzy?”

  Pearl laughed. “Eating up all the attention and telling anyone who will listen how she helped you rescue them.”

  Joshua laughed. “Yeah, JD better get a few big guns to keep that one in line. And JC? How is he doing?”

  “Hmmm, it’s hard to day.” Pearl hesitated, “He’s seem to be okay, but I have a feeling that incident is going to haunt him for a while.”

  “Nope, I was there. JC is going to be okay. The President is doing a good job with him.” Joshua sat back.

  “Don’t you want to know what happened to the Attorney General?”

  “Don’t care,” Joshua replied. “I have other things on my mind.”

  “So, what gives Joshua?” Phire asked looking up from her brother’s lap, which she refused to vacate when he sat down. “You okay?”

  He looked at her, she still had tears in her eyes. He kissed her forehead. “I’m better than okay.” he hugged her then looked around at his family. “I’m in love with a woman and I don’t have the slightest idea how to tell her.”

  The room was stunned to silence. All eyes were on him with shocked expressions on their faces. No one seemed to be breathing or thinking about taking a breath.

  Sally looked up at her husband with a knowing smile. Joe rubbed her arm, reassuring her what she just heard was right. Her Joshua just said that he was in love. The last time they talked about a woman, he never said he was in love. This time, she knew it was right.

  Matthew, slammed his hand down on the table. “Man,” he yelled angrily.
“Why man? Why you go and do something stupid like that?”

  The girls all turned to him and frowned.

  “Not you Joshua,” he shook his head. “Don’t do this man. Why? Why?”

  Zack and Samuel, couldn’t help it, they both burst out laughing at the outrage on Matthew’s face. Luke came out of his stupor and joined them laughing at Matthew.

  “Matt,” Ruby laughed. “It’s not the end of the world.”

  “Yes, it is. It’s the end of the world as we know it as men,” he almost cried. “Joshua man, don’t do this to me. It’s like a legend’s life coming to an end.” He huffed, “You’re my hero man.”

  The entire family fell out laughing. Joshua looked at Phire and shook his head.

  “That’s your brother,” Phire shook her head.

  “Matt, man it’s okay,” Adam patted him on the shoulder. “That leaves more women for you.” He raised an eyebrow.

  Matthew thought for a moment. “Hmm, you may have a point there.” He looked at Joshua. “How can I help you?”

  Sally laughed at the children. “Joshua has a situation and he has requested our input. Let’s listen to what he has to say…shall we?”

  “Sorry man, you just messed with my head there for a minute,” Matt stated. “Go ahead man. How can we help?”

  Joshua smiled. He told them the story of how he and Roc met, and how they parted. “She left thinking I was still hung up on Akande.”

  “Are you?” Samuel asked.

  “No,” Joshua replied. “Akande was put in my life for a season, not for a lifetime. She fulfilled her purpose which was to give me the ability to recognize love when it came my way. I will always care about her, but I wasn’t in love with Akande. I am consumed with this woman. It wasn’t until she was gone that I realized just how ingrained she was in my life. It’s her smile that wakes me up every morning and her voice,” he closed his eyes, “that sweet voice of hers that put me to sleep at night. I can’t move on with my life without her.” He sat back. “With all the women I’ve had in my bed, I’ve never wanted one of them in my life. Even with Akande, I never dreamt about a home, with children all running around singing. I’m telling you, I’ve been touched by an angel. I just don’t know how to bring my angel home.”

  The room was silent.