Suprina's Mocha Interlude...Edgy Inspirational and so much more!

Good News!

2011-07-09T12:31:00.000-04:00

One of my short stories (A Family Affair) has been featured in BELOVED MAGAZINE, the edgy new on-line magazine that takes you on an enchanting & enlightening walk through love, romance, relationships, passion, sexuality and sensuality - all from a Christian perspective.

Although my story is featured on pages 28-32, read the whole magazine because it’s just THAT GOOD! Thanks for your support. Hugs!

Here’s the link to view the current issue of BELOVED MAGAZINE:

www.pecantreemags.com/beloved.html.

Suprina/Michelle

VOD Blog Story Started!

2011-05-16T20:03:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let everybody know that the latest VOD Blog story (Sweet Lips) has started. Mocha Interlude Fan Club Members may use their FREE PASSES to get into this private site.

To become a member of this club and receive your own FREE PASS, visit the link below:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mochainterlude/

Otherwise proceed to the following link to purchase access into the current story:

http://suprinafrazier.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/758781

Now here’s a little blurb about Sweet Lips:

Cheena is used to keeping secrets and she's good at it, too. She kept one from her grandmother for years. She's keeping another from her online friends. However, the secret that Dillon wants her to keep is one with the potential to destroy her very soul.

Sound interesting to you? If so, come join us on the VOD Blog!

Suprina/Mi’chelle

TELL THE TALE Contest!

2011-04-21T20:34:00.003-04:00

To all my READER FRIENDS:

Here's a fun chance to win a FREE e-book from my collectible and current catalogs. The name of the game is TELL THE TALE. It can be found in the NOTES section on my Facebook page.

If you’re not already one of my FB friends, please FRIEND ME in order to participate in the contest. Here’s the link to do so: (http://www.facebook.com/suprina.frazier).

The TELL THE TALE contest rules are below…

· Read the daily excerpts that I post to my FB status and guess the name of the Suprina Frazier/Mi’Chelle Dodson book that it was taken from.

· All guesses MUST be posted in the comment thread. Inbox guesses are null and void.

· The 1^st person to guess correctly wins a FREE e-book from my collectible and current catalogs. Your choice! (Excluding Pretty Packages and Someday).

· If you guess the correct names of the characters too, you win 2 FREE e-books. Again, Your choice!

· No repeat winners in the same week in order to give everyone a fair chance to win a freebie.

· TELL THE TALE contest will run all this week – April 18-22, 2011 (which means the contest is ALREADY in session at the time of this post, so run on over and jump right into the pool with the rest of us. lol).

· New excerpts will be posted around 6pm EST.

Helpful links:

· Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/suprina.frazier

· Collectible catalog link: http://mochainterlude.bravehost.com/Previews.html

· Current catalog link: http://stores.lulu.com/suprinaf1

Live Author Chat!

2010-07-23T15:19:00.000-04:00

I’m having a LIVE AUTHOR CHAT this Sunday (July 25^th) from 6pm-7pm within my Mocha Interlude Yahoo group (see the link below). We’ll be chatting about my latest freebie (Alien of Our Own) and basically anything else that comes to mind. Hope to see you there!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mochainterlude/

Be blessed, y'all!

Suprina/Mi'Chelle

2 Treats For You!

2010-07-07T14:06:00.000-04:00

Heyyy, Everybody!

Sorry I’ve been so quiet on the blogs lately. Life distractions had me focusing on other things. In any case, I have a treat for you today. Two treats, in fact.

Treat 1: I just posted a short story entitled A Wife Scorned on the Valent Chamber website for your reading enjoyment. Here’s the link to the story:

http://valentchamber.com/viewstory.php?sid=1180

Treat 2: I just uploaded a full-length freebie entitled Alien Of Our Own on my Yahoo group. Here’s the link to gain access to the pdf file (keep in mind that this freebie will expire August 1^st):

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mochainterlude/

Enjoy!

Suprina/Mi’Chelle

Great News!

2010-03-19T14:27:00.005-04:00

I just had to dip in and tell everybody that Amira Press just released my book Pretty Packages in e-book form. Yay!!!! We’re cooking with gas now, y’all. lol.

Here’s the link for you to check out the book yourself:

http://www.amirapress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=268&zenid=dn0nendebtckjbvmhdisr66lr3

When the paperback/soft cover is ready, I hope to be coming to bookstores and libraries near you for book signings and talks. God is so GOOD!!!

Suprina Frazier

(P.S. Since this is one of my Secular books, my pen name (Mi'Chelle Dodson) is used.)

New VOD Blog Story!

2010-02-28T15:23:00.008-05:00

Brace yourselves!

I’m about to do something that I have NEVER done before. I’m about to offer FREE access to my new VOD blog story to EVERYONE. You heard right. Misguided Reunion, which starts Monday (March 1, 2010), is available for ALL to read for FREE in its entirety.

Some of you might be asking, “What’s the catch, Suprina?”

lol.

Okay, there is a couple. But both of them are harmless. I promise. Tee-hee.

Catch 1: You have to comment at least once on the story. It doesn’t matter when.

Catch 2: Although access is FREE for this story, donations of any amount are also welcome (I got this idea when a reader INSISTED on paying to get into the VOD blog anyway just to support my literary efforts.) No hard feelings if you don’t/can’t donate towards this story. Suprina still luvs ya! :)

The donation button is below:

To gain access to the VOD blog, simply email me at suprinafrazier@yahoo.com at your earlier convenience. Please put “VOD Blog” in the subject line.

Note: Misguided Reunion is one of my Edgy Inspirational stories, so the spiritual themes are more potent and the heat level is decidedly lower than my Secular stories. Also this story is one of my earlier works that is currently being revamped to get it ready to be used as a fundraising project for my HS reunion class. So if you've read it before, just know that it's now going to be a lot different.

Now without further ado, here’s the blurb for Misguided Reunion:

Hakeem and Farrah are unlikely friends in high school. He is popular and she is definitely not. Yet despite their differences, Hakeem still remains Farrah’s friend until...until his popular friends began to apply pressure on him to finally reject her as they have done for years. Taking the coward’s way out, he rejects the nerdy girl, completely devastating her.

Ten years later, many lives have changed. Some for good, others for bad. Farrah, in particular, has blossomed into a beautiful, successful business woman. Yet she has only one thing on her mind at the high school reunion—revenge.

Will a reformed Hakeem be able to help Farrah’s heart heal from the past before she destroys others and herself in the process? Or will her strong root of bitterness be able to withstand the mighty floods of love?

See yall on the VOD blog tomorrow!

2 for 1 Special

2010-01-27T13:47:00.003-05:00

It’s that time again, y’all!

Time for another 2 for 1 Special. Yay!!!!

Keep in mind that this 2 for 1 Special only covers the books listed on the ordering pages of my Mocha Interlude Storefront of E-Books. The special will last from Wednesday (1/27/10) until Sunday (1/31/10).

All you have to do to participate is:

Click on the following link to get started with the ordering pages: (http://mochainterlude.bravehost.com/order.html)
Select the 2 books you want, but only order one through Paypal.
Email me (suprinafrazier@yahoo.com) with your second choice for the freebie.
I send both e-books to your email address.

Sounds simple enough, right? At least I hope it does. lol. Email me if you have any questions whatsoever about the process. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Suprina

Reader Revelations and Inspirations

2009-10-21T12:22:00.002-04:00

Reader Revelations and Inspirations – where YOU get to share encouraging words with the world!

* * *

Prophetess Latrice Williams wrote:

Hi Everyone! After reading all the great comments, the testimonies, the unspoken prayer requests, I feel led in this direction…I just wanted to take a moment to speak life into all of us.

It seems that all of us that are participating either by reading or reading/commenting is under pressure of some sort, experiencing some stresses in our lives, some of us are overwhelmed, some of us are broken hearted and some of us are simply broken.

Jesus said that I come to give you life and life more abundantly. The enemy has set up camp on the outskirts of our blessings, our breakthroughs and our destiny and he is doing all he can to steal, kill, and destroy everything that we are and will be.

Today it's time to bind the enemy on every hand in the name of Jesus. All power belongs to God and none to Satan. We are the righteousness of God. We are wonderfully and fearfully made and as stated in Jeremiah 1:18 - I have made thee this day a defenced city, an iron pillor, and brasen walls against the whole land...in other words we were built to last.

We can't lose.

We can not be defeated.

Even if all we can do now is stand, Ephesians simply says after you've done all you can do, STAND!

Some of us are ready to throw in the towel and give up because life has dealt us a hand we can't begin to know how to play. But thus says the Lord, Lo I am with you always even until the end of the earth, I will not leave you nor forsake you and I will supply all your needs according to My riches in Glory through Christ Jesus. I am the Lord your God and I have heard your cry, I see your pain and I will show forth mercy to My afflicted children. I will bring the high places low and I will make the crooked places straight in your life.

It's time to encourage ourselves. Paul said in Philippians 3:13-34:

¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus

So I encourage us today, even with everything that has presented itself lately, everything that is overwhelming, heartbreaking, warring against us, I ask us today are we ready to PUSH!

This time we can't stop because we're hurt. This time we can't shut down because the pain is so great we can't explain it. This time we must PUSH. We must keep it moving. We have to let go of those things, those people, those places of old, it's time to move on.

I challenge us as we read this story that God has given Suprina, ladies, let’s not get stuck on what woulda, coulda, shoulda but ain't.

Let's not get stuck on what we want when it's probably not what we need anyway.

Let's not allow the devil to keep us from the liberation God has set us up for.

Grab hold of your destiny, grab hold of your miracles, your breakthroughs, your deliverance and PUSH!

Push until IT happens for you. Whatever your IT is today, PUSH until IT happens for you.

Maybe you're pushing for someone else, don't stop, don't give up, we're on the brink of a new horizon, not just a new level but we're entering destiny. To God be the Glory!

The Professor - VOD Story Is Over!

2009-06-01T22:59:00.001-04:00

Just wanted everyone to know that the VOD story is officially over!

As usual, we had so much fun, fun, fun! We got to know each other better and the characters themselves. I especially love that everybody seemed to go away satisfied after the ending was finally posted. Many were sad to see the story end, me including.

*sniff, sniff*

lol.

Anyhoo, be on the lookout for The Professor being available for purchase in E-Book form or in paperback by the end of June.

One last item up for discussion, VOD stories (Inspirational and Secular) will be featured twice a year from now on – May & Sept.

Short stories will be featured Jan & July.

This way, you’ll be able to plan ahead even better to read my fresh-off-the-press material and hopefully avoid scheduling conflicts.

Much love,

Suprina

The Professor - Promo Poem

2009-04-12T01:53:00.001-04:00

Secrets, secrets

Can be found

All around, all around.

Some are harmless

Some are sweet

Some may make you gnash your teeth.

* * *

Find out who has the most secrets and why in…

The Professor!

http://storiesbymichelledodson.blogspot.com/

(Live story going on right now at the link above)

The Professor - Blog Treasure Hunt

2009-04-06T21:12:00.004-04:00

Question 2: What is the name of the college Aurelia attends?

(Click on the right answer)

Alcove University

Armaretta University

Password Clue: No

+++

If you’re late joining The Professor’s Treasure Hunt and want to read the sneak preview, click on the link below to start from the beginning:

http://www.myspace.com/michelledodsonstories

New Article Posted!

2009-03-21T03:39:00.000-04:00

A new article has just been posted on my social commentary blog entitled Where are the Virtuous Men? Here’s the link to read it:

http://ponderthisandthat.wordpress.com/

March's Short Story Has Been Posted!

2009-03-04T23:11:00.003-05:00

I’ve posted March’s short story entitled No Prison For Love at the following link:

http://suprina.wordpress.com/

Go check it out at your earliest convenience and leave a comment or two. This will be the last short story for a while, which is why I made it kinda long. As you know, The Professor is starting in April. I plan to devote all of my writing attention to it.

Toodles!

Suprina

Calling All Changing Gene Buyers!

2009-02-27T20:52:00.002-05:00

I got something special for those who have purchased Changing Gene either directly from me or from an independent site that I use for sales purposes. That special gift is a free e-book copy of Changing Gene’s prequel - Someday.

Someday was my very first paperback. It was published in 2005, the same year I finally decided to make writing a solid career. Although Someday is due to be revised soon for grammatical stuff and sentence structure issues my publisher and/or I didn't catch the first time around, I thought you might want to read the original manuscript of the book that eventually branched off into Changing Gene.

Some of you may have already received a copy of Someday in your emails. For those who haven’t, simply email me (suprinafrazier@yahoo.com) with a copy of your receipt and I’ll send your freebie right on.

Enjoy!

Suprina/Mi'Chelle

Free Reads At Harlequin!

2009-02-09T23:55:00.001-05:00

I thought I’d pass on a bit of good news to my faithful readers. Harlequin is celebrating its 60th anniversary. As a result, they are offering free downloads of 16 of their books. Sixteen, yall!

If that don’t keep you busy until I start The Professor I don’t know what will. lol. Plus it might even get y’all to let me off the hook with this month’s short story over at my other blog in case my tax business continues to increase. Hint. Hint. lol.

Either way, here’s the link to download those free Harlequin e-books in pdf form: http://harlequincelebrates.com/index.php

Enjoy!

Suprina

2 for 1 Special!

2009-02-01T21:33:00.008-05:00

It’s that time again, y’all!

Time for you to get 2 e-books for 1 price from my book collection. Well, at least some of you. lol. I understand that several of you already have just about every book I’ve ever written. I’ve even dipped into secret stashes for a few. Won’t be doing that this time though. lol.

This time the 2 for 1 special only covers the books listed on the ordering pages of my Main Website. The special will also only last for three days this time (Mon – Wed), starting February 2^nd and ending midnight February 4^th (this has changed, see Update 2 below).

What is the same for this special is the process:

Go to the ordering pages of my Main Website (www.mochainterlude.bravehost.com).
Select the 2 books you want, but only order one through Paypal.
Email me (suprinafrazier@yahoo.com) with your second choice for the freebie.
I send both e-books to your email address.

Sounds simple enough, right? At least I hope it does. lol. Email me if you have any questions. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

* * *

Update 1: I'm starting to get feedback from readers that want me to extend the special to payday Friday. Always willing to work with folks, especially in this current economy, I'll readjust my work schedule to accommodate these extra days under ONE condition. Condition: If I get at least 10 more pre-order emails (i.e. emails that detail intent to purchase on Friday), I'll extend the special's deadline as requested.

Update 2: I got the necessary feedback (Thanks y'all), which means THE 2 FOR 1 SPECIAL WILL LAST UNTIL FRIDAY MIDNIGHT. Yay!

Much luv, everybody.

Suprina

My Sci-Fi Site Is Gone!

2009-01-27T20:40:00.003-05:00

I had to take down my Sci-Fi site today because it was recently hacked by a third party.

Grrr....

After a frustrating day of trying to remove the malicious code that caused Google to limit access to that particular site and label it harmful, I decided to delete the whole thing. My schedule is simply too busy right now to chase down 'haters' that knowingly post comments on my site(s) with malicious code. This is why I always use the comment moderation function on my various sites so that I can look over the contents first before allowing the comment through. Unfortunately, that Sci-Fi site didn't have that option.

Anyhoo...

The beat goes on. As soon as I find a new online home for my Sci-Fi material, I will let y'all know. In the meantime, I am removing all links that lead to that old site as of today.

Be blessed and stay safe, on and off-line!

Suprina

Read 2 New Articles by Suprina

2009-01-22T04:11:00.001-05:00

As I expand my writing wings, I try to keep you guys updated. As of today, there are 2 new articles on the internet bearing my name.

The first article (entitled Pirated? Who Me? Couldn’t Be…But I was) is at a very popular site by the name of Ecataromance, which is a major source for e-book news, reviews, & more. As you can guess my article there is about e-book piracy. The link is below:

http://www.ecataromance.com/

The second article (entitled Which Girl Are You?) is at my new social commentary blog. The link for that is below:

http://ponderthisandthat.wordpress.com/

Both articles are upbeat and enlightening. Feel free to stop by either one of those places and show some love. Feedback is always welcome.

Suprina

January’s Short Story Has Been Posted

2009-01-17T23:02:00.001-05:00

In an effort to keep my promise to you (see previous post), I’ve posted January’s short story entitled A Family Affair at the following link:

http://suprina.wordpress.com/

Go check it out at your earliest convenience and leave a comment or two.

Toodles!

Suprina

Don't Be Mad At Me

2009-01-14T03:24:00.003-05:00

I’m sorry to announce that The Professor will not be featured in February as planned. I thought I would be able to start posting it around Valentine’s Day, but that time frame is simply not going to work out.

Why?

The answer is simply because of the increasing demands of my dual career. As many of you know, I don’t just write for a living. I am also an accountant. Matter of fact, I run a small tax accounting service.

With it being tax time in the U.S. and with my clientele growing (Praise God for that), my accounting schedule is now at odds with my writing schedule. Combine that with the tutoring I do on the side, church activities I plan to participate in this quarter, marketing efforts on current book releases, and general family stuff, I had no choice but to push The Professor’s debut to April. April 13^th, in fact. Especially since my writing career is way more flexible than my accounting career (not so many rigid deadlines and associated penalties).

For those who’ve joined me for a live story before, you know how time consuming it can be, how often I post (6 days a week), how diligent I am about responding to reader comments, and how I like to add even more value to the story by linking to music, photos, and other items of interest. Because I don’t want reduce the quality our online experience by changing any of these things, I have made the hard decision to push The Professor back a few months.

To appease any disgruntled and/or disappointed souls, I have also decided to post monthly short stories between now and April on my Short Stories blog. They don’t take long to write and don’t require a lot of research and plotting.

Does that make you feel better?

I hope so. lol.

Talk to you soon…

Suprina/Mi’Chelle

More Updates

2009-01-07T23:49:00.002-05:00

I just wanted everyone to know that My Lover, My Friend (the freebie featured on my Tripod site) has recently been revised and is now available for download. The blurb and link for it are below:

My Lover, My Friend Blurb:

Although Andre and Cindy grew up together as next door neighbors, they treated each other more like brother and sister. Years later when Cindy comes home fresh from a painful divorce, Andre suddenly discovers that his feelings for her have changed. Unfortunately, he has to hide his new feelings in order to help facilitate emotional healing in her life.

Just when Cindy begins to see Andre in a different light, a woman from his past returns and tries to sabotage their happiness. Will this ideal couple’s union ever materialize now?

My Lover, My Friend link: http://www.lulu.com/content/5622957

* * *

I also wanted to address something that recently happened to me as the result of a well-meaning reader. This particular reader liked one of my freebies so much that she posted it on her site – the WHOLE thing!

First of all, I was flattered by the sentiment, despite the fact that she didn’t get my permission beforehand. I mean, praise God somebody likes my work enough to want to share it with others. The fact that she posted a freebie was also appreciated. She could have posted one of my ‘for sale’ copies and cost me royalties. Or worse claimed my work as her own and sold it for profit. All of which would have opened her up for copyright infringement issues, which are punishable by law.

To keep from ever having copyright disputes with any of my readers, I’ve decided to issue the following statement:

As of today (1/7/09), my reader friends have my official permission to post Bound By Love and My Lover, My Friend (the only two e-books that I’ve given free to the world) on their websites as long as the following are adhered to:

The title of the story, my name, and my copyright info are posted in their entirety along with the story.
You link to the website you copied the story from and not try to sell the book(s).

If those courteous two requirements are met, we should all continue to get along rather nicely. Much luv, y’all, and enjoy the revised copy of My Lover, My Friend.

Suprina

Updates

2008-12-11T17:44:00.002-05:00

Hey everybody!

I just wanted to give you all a few updates. Since my mind thinks in sequential order, I will number what I’ve been up to lately.

I’m still looking for a film producer to turn Miss Opportunity into a movie. After some research, I now realize that I need an agent to even get my manuscript in the door, but much less on the right desk(s). Which means I’m now looking for an agent, too. Sheesh!
I’ve pretty much abandoned the major book publisher quest for now since the current trend has shifted from publishing houses accepting 100K (word count) books to only 90K. They’re doing this in order to cut costs during this time of recession. If you recall, Miss Opportunity is at least 200K, so I will continue to sell that book myself until I get a movie deal. Keep that in your prayers.
I have set up a website that solely features my westerns. It’s my way of drawing attention to this largely overlooked genre that I have written (there really were black folks in the Wild West, y’all. lol). I even reposted a long sample of my first western on the new site. Here’s the link to read it: http://www.freewebs.com/moreofsuprina/ Tell me what you think about the western-themed website.
I changed my Suprina’s Word Pictures website into a site that will now feature my short stories. It’s my way of still offering my faithful readers free stories on occasion without it taking away from my other work, using up so much of my time, or cutting into my budget. Here’s the link to read the latest short story: http://suprina.wordpress.com/
I’m still working on my Tripod, Sci-Fi (the look of it has already been changed), and Main Website.
Last, but not least, I’ve worked on a few books that were near completion from my secret stash. I’m trying to get them closer to the ‘ready for sale’ state before I finish working on The Professor and Big Girls Won’t Cry.

Okay, I think that’s all for now. No, not quite. I want to personally THANK those who have continued to buy books from me even though I’m currently not featuring a book online or doing any advertising. I appreciate the support tremendously.

Much Luv and God bless.

Suprina

Miss Opportunity is now in Paperback!

2008-11-23T21:40:00.004-05:00

I just wanted everyone to know that Miss Opportunity has been put in paperback form for a limited time. As I mentioned on the VOD, I intend to shop this book around to literary and film agents in 2009 in hopes of gaining greater distribution and exposure for Miss Opportunity and its pivotal messages. Those who’ve already read the book can agree that it is jam packed with life-changing messages. I personally would love to see it on the silver screen or even as a TV mini-series.

As a result of those 2009 plans, I wanted to offer you all a chance to get Miss Opportunity in paperback before it goes big time or rather Primetime (as our reader friend Paula once said). lol. Once this book is signed, it will likely be removed from the shelves for awhile until all legalities are worked out, an increase in retail price will occur when it is available again, and the opportunity to have the original manuscript as a keepsake will be lost.

To those that are interested in having Miss Opportunity in paperback while it is available, here’s the link to purchase it ($24.95):

http://www.lulu.com/content/5040846

Thanks for everything!

Suprina

P.S. I’ll keep you updated on Miss Opportunity’s 2009 progress.

Miss Opportunity is Finished!

2008-11-15T19:06:00.004-05:00

Miss Opportunity is finished and available in E-Book form only with this post. If you want to purchase it today or either of the 2 prequels to this book, click on the Paypal buttons below each book title (they are in chronological order).

Enticing Mr. Wrong ($6.50)

* * *

Pursuing Mrs. Regrets ($6.50)

* * *

Miss Opportunity ($8)

* * *

If you wish to purchase all three E-Books as a set, click on the trilogy title below:

Mr., Mrs., and Miss Trilogy ($18)

Story Moving to VOD!

2008-10-20T04:14:00.004-04:00

Get my banner code or design your own banner

Here’s the link to gain access:

http://mochainterlude.bravehost.com/Orderinfo3.html

Keep in mind that the STORY OFFICIALLY MOVES TO THE V-O-D blog on TUESDAY NIGHT!
(I just posted earlier than expected because I was on a roll this morning)

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 44.4

2008-10-20T04:01:00.000-04:00

When Cami was finally calm again, she wiped her face with tissue from her purse and continued shopping with her friend. She had to keep forcing some kind of normalcy in her life, lest she really lose her mind. If not for the grace of God and the frequent contact she had with Little Man, she might have lost her mind by now.

As they passed the aisle of feminine products, Cami suddenly realized that she hadn’t seen her other friend in a while. The friend that confirmed that she wasn’t pregnant every month.

“Good Lord!” Cami exclaimed loudly, stopping short in her tracks as she mentally counted backwards.

Due to all the drama in her life lately, she’d completely lost track of her cycle over the last few months. Cami thought the extra weight she’d gained was due to all the extra food she’d consumed as she tried to eat her way out of heartbreak.

“What’s wrong?” Towanna asked with wide eyes, looking at Cami with concern all over again.

“I just realized that I might be pregnant,” Cami whispered, suddenly caring a lot about being overheard now.

Towanna’s mouth fell open in shock. Recovering quickly, she immediately took charge of the situation. “Come on, girl. We about to buy every pregnancy test up in this store today,” she said, tugging Cami behind her with one hand while pushing the grocery cart with the other.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 44.3

2008-10-20T03:50:00.002-04:00

The next day, Millsap felt a lot better about his life. He’d finally broken through his heartbreak enough to sleep with another woman. Now he was almost proud of himself.

Although Daysha still didn’t measure up to Cami in the bedroom, even with her new tricks, she was better than nothing. She was definitely a start in the right direction. The healed heart direction.

Deciding to go to his country home on that windy Saturday afternoon, Millsap got his mother to pick him up and take him to his jeep. He also retrieved his extra set of car keys from her.

The whole ride over, Bonnie kept talking about the smile on his face. About how he looked lighter and more relaxed now. Then she outright asked if he had a new woman in his life. If that was the reason behind his new attitude.

“Let’s just say that I decided to hook back up with one of my exes and leave it at that,” Millsap replied, keeping the bulk of his personal business to himself as usual.

“I hope it wasn’t Cami.” Bonnie frowned, behaving as if she hadn’t already heard the good news from Daysha.

“No, it’s not Cami,” Millsap concluded and then promptly switched subjects to a topic that she would really enjoy – another shopping spree. Daysha suggested that he send his mother on one since the seasons were about to change soon.

As expected, Bonnie completely forgot all about Millsap’s love life. The thrill of getting a new spring wardrobe had all of her attention now.

After dropping his mother off at her home along with one of his credit cards, Millsap stopped by the same twenty-four-hour supermarket that he always visited on his way out of town. He needed to buy a few groceries for his rural home, mostly perishable items since his cupboards stayed stocked to capacity.

Unknown to Millsap, Cami and Towanna were also in the store, getting food items for Mama Ingram on their way home from work. Millsap might have recognized Towanna’s white Buick if it hadn’t been recently painted gray. Had he known Cami was anywhere in the vicinity, he would have gone to another store…even if it was all the way on the other side of town.

Millsap didn’t find out Cami was in this store until he was one aisle over from her. He heard the sound of her voice as she conversed with her friend about forgetting something from the frozen food section.

His body instantly hardened from just the sound of Cami’s sweet voice. It was as if he hadn’t had sex in months instead of just last night. He frowned, resenting her ability to still affect him so easily.

Go get those pot pies, Millsap willed to Cami, wanting to put some distance between them. When he heard Towanna volunteer to get the missing items instead, his frown deepened. He cursed under his breath in frustration.

What Millsap heard next touched his heart, chased the anger away…and made him weak in the knees. He literally had to lean against the grocery cart and the nearby shelves to keep from falling to the ground.

What did Millsap hear?

He heard Cami singing along with the current tune filtering in through the store’s sound system. Though she was no great songstress like some of her other relatives, she could hold a decent note.

Yet Cami’s vocal ability wasn’t what Millsap focused on right now. What got to him was the words she sang and the way she sang them. Oh, did they get to him…

Deeply.

The song Cami sang was Jasmine Sullivan’s I Need U Bad. She was singing it with her whole heart. As if she really felt each and every word. She did…

Deeply.

“If I had you back in my world.

I would prove that I could be a better girl.

If you let me back in.

I would sho’ nuff never, never let you go again.”

By the time Cami started to sing the chorus, tears had entered her voice and her eyes. Towanna reentered the aisle just as some of those tears started to run down her friend’s cheeks.

“It’s going to be all right, girl,” Towanna soothingly told Cami as she wrapped her arms about her.

“When?!” Cami sobbed openly, uncaring who saw or heard her crying in so public a place. “When am I going to stop loving him? When am I going to stop wanting him back?” She choked on a sob. “I miss him, Towanna. I miss everything about him.” Her words grew angry. “What the heck was wrong with me to mess up something that good?”

Oh, baby, Millsap mused in anguish on the next aisle. Although he heard Daysha declare her love for him just last night, when Cami said those words they seemed to pierce his heart and echo in his soul. They made him want to reciprocate those sentiments, not just nod like he’d done with Daysha last night.

Almost everything in Millsap wanted to go to Cami and just…just make them both feel better right now. But he couldn’t. She was off limits to him again. Cami had crossed Millsap in one of the worst ways a woman could cross a man. If he went back to her, she might think she could do him like that again or worse.

Millsap couldn’t have that. As a result, he left his semi-full cart of groceries right there on the bread aisle and headed for the nearest exit. He’d get what he needed from another store. Right now he needed to get as far away from Cami as possible.

* * *

To hear Jasmine Sullivan’s I Need U Bad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCAFGoOfK8U&feature=related

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 44.2

2008-10-20T02:55:00.001-04:00

Millsap was in a deep sleep when the sound of the door buzzer penetrated the air around him. He was going to ignore it, but the person on the other side of the apartment door just wouldn’t go away. At one point, whoever it was pressed the buzzer for at least five minutes straight.

Angry now, Millsap finally got out of bed and made his way to the door. Whoever this is, is getting cussed out, he mused, already thinking of a few choice words now.

However, when Millsap peered through the keyhole and saw Daysha, looking like an angel dressed in her white nurse’s uniform, all of his anger suddenly subsided. It was then that he realized how long it had been since he’d been with a woman. And although he couldn’t have the woman he really wanted, Daysha would do just fine tonight.

When that door flung opened, Daysha could care less that Millsap was drunk and was only about to sleep with her because he was lonely and still angry at Cami. She was just so glad to be back with him under any terms. She even showed Millsap some of the new tricks she’d learned, hoping that they would be enough to keep him all to herself this time.

* * *

Across town, Cami suddenly sprung upright in bed. Whereas she’d been sleeping soundly before, she was fully awake now. Her heart was racing. Her palms were sweating. Her first thought was of…

Millsap.

Cami took a deep breath and shook her head to clear it, unwilling to let him occupy space in her mind for a second longer than she had to. He’d already taken up so much space in her heart.

When that didn’t help, Cami got all the way out of bed, retrieved her iPod and started to clean her room like a mad woman to the tune of Daniel Bedingfield’s Gotta Get Thru This. That had become her theme song lately.

After she’d worn herself out cleaning a room that hadn’t been dirty in the first place, Cami took a shower...a cold one. Then she went back to bed with a big bag of chocolate chip cookies and the gold-trimmed Bible Mama Ingram bought her after her salvation.

Starting with the New Testament, Cami read and munched. Sadly, that whole bag of cookies was empty before she ever made it to Matthew 15. If she kept up all this late night snacking, she was going to be big as a house soon.

What was even sadder was the fact that Cami could care less about maintaining a healthy weight for her height now. As far as she was concerned, her sexy days were over. They ended the night she lost Millsap.

* * *

To hear Daniel Bedingfield’s Gotta Get Thru This (acoustic version):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_aqhcg3nKk

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 44.1

2008-10-20T02:37:00.000-04:00

March

On a particularly lonely Friday night, Millsap got dropped off at his apartment by Mike-Mike. In his continual misery over his breakup with Cami, Millsap had too much to drink at the club and so couldn’t drive himself home. Which means his plans to drive to his country home tonight were also cancelled.

To make sure Millsap didn’t try to drive himself anywhere tonight, Mike-Mike took his friend’s car keys on his way out the door. Then he called Bonnie and told her not to give Millsap the spare keys that were located at her house if her son inquired about them.

“I won’t,” Bonnie agreed, not about to let her son drive drunk. She might not win the Mother of the Year award, but she didn’t really want her son to die any time soon. Not only did Bonnie love Millsap in her own unique way, she knew she could get more out of him if he were alive. Especially since he refused to make her the beneficiary in his will or on any of his life insurance policies.

“Thanks, Miss Bonnie,” Mike-Mike replied, driving to his own home now. Tonja was coming over after work and he wanted to be ready for her when she arrived.

After Bonnie hung up from Mike-Mike, she called her most favorite nurse in the world. “Hey, Daysha, it’s Bonnie. Do you have a babysitter tonight?” she asked when the sleepy woman came on the line.

“Not at the moment, why?” Daysha asked, instantly recognizing the voice of Millsap’s mother. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she looked at the clock on her wicker nightstand. It read 3am.

“Well, I just got the call that my son was feeling particularly low tonight and had a little too much to drink. I thought you might go over there and offer him some comfort since you say you love him and all.”

Daysha smiled, fully awake now. “Well, the elderly lady next door usually baby-sits for me during work emergencies. Maybe I can ask her for a special favor tonight.”

“No need to label this a special favor. Consider this a work emergency like all the others, even dress in your nurse’s uniform. Then go over there and fix my son’s broken heart,” Bonnie replied craftily, trying to get the nurse to be as inconspicuous as possible.

Bonnie knew her son well. She knew that Millsap’s mind would still be sharp even in his drunken state, the same way his father’s used to be after consuming large amounts of alcohol. Which meant Millsap would be able to smell a setup if Daysha came over there this time of morning in her regular clothes.

“I’m on it.” Daysha’s voice sounded eager.

“Good. And if Millsap asks what you’re doing there, tell him that he was on your mind while you were driving home from work and that you decided to stopover and check on him,” Bonnie concluded, trying to cover all bases.

“Got it. Thanks, Bonnie,” Daysha replied, glad that she had Millsap’s mother on her side.

“You’re welcome. Just remember, I want a mansion after you two get married.” Bonnie chuckled.

“Yes, ma’am.” Daysha laughed, too, unaware that Millsap’s mother wasn’t hardly playing about that mansion thing. She was equally oblivious to the fact that Bonnie had a long list of other things that she was going to blackmail Daysha to get from Millsap when/if she finally became his wife.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 43.2

2008-10-20T02:05:00.002-04:00

Whether Millsap and Cami knew it or not, the people in Georgia and Florida were not the only ones discussing their breakup. Right now they were being discussed on a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

Actually that ship was the floating headquarters of the AAC (At-All-Costs) Agency, a special governmental agency with undercover operatives that were willing to win the war on drugs at all costs. The two people discussing Millsap and Cami on that ship were married agents by the names of Nuevo, a black-Hispanic male, and Fila, an Italian female.

Agent Nuevo was actually Esteban ‘E-Blade’ Jackwood. Which meant E-Blade did not die that fateful day in January six years ago. No, what he thought was his last breath before death was actually his last breath before passing out from loss of blood.

With that fateful breath, E-Blade made a proposition to the cops that were in the ambulance with him. He said, “If I only had more time, I would tell you how to win your war on drugs from here to Miami and beyond.” Then he gave them the name of a key Floridian contact that had connections throughout South America and the Caribbean.

At the very mention of that mystery man’s name, E-Blade instantly started to get preferential treatment. The paramedics were told to do everything they could to save his life. The body bag he was put in gave the appearance of death, but had a long slit in it so that he could still breathe through a tube. Phone calls were made. Specialists were brought in. Arrangements and deals were formulated.

Delia would go free, which was the easiest thing of all to pull off because Bonz had also been working behind the scenes on that issue. To this day, E-Blade was still grateful that his childhood friend would look after his family, despite what he’d done to him.

Since somebody had to take the fall for the incident in order to cast off suspicions of a cover-up and thwart additional investigations into the matter, it was agreed that Cami would do no more than five years in prison. Less if she maintained good behavior. The fact that Cami almost did five full years was due to all the fights she’d had in prison trying to defend herself.

In exchange for giving up even more big names, E-Blade’s illegal offenses were secretly pardoned and he gained a new life, identity, and a new face. The face of a John Doe corpse was given his likeness so that E-Blade’s mother would have a body to bury. A fake death certificate was issued.

Finally, E-Blade’s ex-partners were given free passes. Meaning, the backgrounds of Bonz and Racker would not be investigated. The whole time E-Blade talked about his partners, he never shared how many he had and he never, ever mentioned their names. He would not snitch on Bonz and Racker. Not after all the other stuff he’d done to them.

Though it wouldn’t have been too hard for the agency to find out Bonz and Racker’s identities since the men had been friends from boyhood, they did not pursue it as an act of good faith. As a result, Agent Nuevo/E-Blade stayed faithful to the agency, becoming one of their top operatives. He married Fila last year after unsuccessfully trying to reenter Delia’s life under another alias – Diego.

This was the same Diego that Cami met last May in Florida and tried to seduce. She did not recognize him as E-Blade due to his different face, eye color, and new way of speaking. Only Royal and Delia knew his true identity. However, they did not know about any of his missions.

E-Blade’s new face came from hours of plastic surgery. The new eye color was courtesy of colored contact lens. The new speech was from long sessions with the agency’s language coach, who was determined to put E-Blade’s frequent use of street slang into a neat box that he only drew from as the missions required.

Now Agent Nuevo/E-Blade mostly spoke fluent Spanish or very articulate English. The other languages he’d been taught were on an as-needed basis, too.

Cami was the topic of Nuevo’s discussion with Fila today due to her connection to Millsap. The same Millsap that Nuevo and his team of agents were trying to bring down in order to keep the southeast drug cartel from getting even bigger than it already was. Unlike the old Enfield crew, the new crew sold a variety of drugs and thus had a wider customer base, making them prime targets for sting operations.

Unfortunately, Nuevo hadn’t been able to bring them down yet, though he’d been trying for years. Millsap and his crew were very savvy in the drug game. They were also more solidified than E-Blade and his crew had been. All three men seemed more devoted to each other, not letting even the latest situation with Cami tear them apart.

How did Nuevo and Fila know about the Cami situation all the way in the Gulf of Mexico?

Through one of their operatives who’d worked undercover at The Urban Revue for almost a year now. That operative was Stefan the bartender, who made it a point to volunteer for all special events at the club and to work as often as he could as part of his fact-finding assignment. The same operative that was now pursuing Cami openly. And not just for job reasons either.

No bugs or surveillance equipment could be planted at the club thanks in large part to Mike-Mike’s security equipment business and technological know-how, and also the overall shrewdness of the new crew. Millsap’s crew was so clever that they had all of their businesses, their cars, and their homes routinely checked for bugs on a weekly basis. They also had their main lab underground at an undisclosed location.

“So you’re actually relieved about Cami breaking up with this guy?” Fila asked, spooning with her husband on their custom made platform bed. They’d just made enough love for three couples. Now it was time to talk business again.

“Yep,” Nuevo replied, kissing his wife on the back of the neck. “Cami may not be my most favorite person in the world, but she’s still Dee’s cousin. Which means, if Cami gets hurt by staying hooked up with Millsap for too long, Dee and my kids get hurt, too, because of their love for her. I can’t have my family hurt.”

“In that case, I’m glad she got out before we take the Enfield crew down, too,” Fila said, quite attached to Delia and the kids, as well, and not wanting to see them hurt. “Speaking of Dee and the kids, when are we going back to see them again? That little songbird Tess brought tears to my eyes back in December.”

Nuevo chuckled, reminded of the first time he heard Tess sing in church. It had been a moving experience for him, too. “In May for their annual church carnival.”

Fila groaned in disappointment. “That’s too far away.”

“I know, Fi-Fi.” Nuevo kissed her neck once more. “But Royal and Dee are being generous with even that date considering the fact that I’m only supposed to see my kids for birthdays and holidays,” he said, referring to the agreement they made after he revealed his true identity to them.

“May it is then.” Fila turned around to face him. “Fortunately, we have enough to keep us busy until then with this sting…and of course, this…thing,” she said, reaching for that most intimate part of him.

Nuevo chuckled huskily, so grateful that he’d given up his dream of getting Delia back and embraced a new dream - Fila. He’d never been happier in his life. Then as Fila promptly straddled him, Nuevo quickly realized that he was about to get even happier.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 43.1

2008-10-20T01:16:00.001-04:00

February

There were mixed reactions to Cami and Millsap’s breakup. Women who wanted a turn or rather another turn with Millsap were happy that he was free again. Daysha in particular was overjoyed.

How did she even know about the breakup? Especially since Millsap had been so tight-lipped about the situation, barely talking about it with his best friends.

Daysha heard about the breakup the same way she learned Cami’s home phone number - Bonnie told her.

Millsap’s mother had been giving Daysha tips on how to win him back ever since her altercation with Cami in the restaurant. Bonnie even told her how to sabotage her own car and play the sympathy card just to get Millsap to buy her another one. Now Daysha was waiting for the right opportunity to seduce the heartbroken man, who currently was refusing to date anyone.

On the flip side of this situation, those who really wanted Millsap and Cami to make it were sad to hear about the breakup. Delia and the old crew were at the top of that list. Although they were sad, they were not surprised. Cami was known for messing up a good thing. Most of them were just glad she still held onto her job and business behind all this drama.

Towanna was extremely sad, as if she took their breakup personally. She cried with Cami for days, not saying much in her presence, just crying and hugging her close. She also bought Cami flowers for a week straight in an effort to try to cheer them both up. Towanna also started giving her friend free massages in order to help reduce her level of stress.

Frank and Little Man were sad about the breakup, too. Frank was also angry. He’d warned Cami not to do something stupid and she’d gone and done it anyway.

Yet Frank declined to confront his daughter about her failure to take his advice. Especially after she shared a few other things that he didn’t know about. Things like what else Millsap did for a living, which actually turned Frank’s sadness about the breakup into relief. He didn’t want his daughter with yet another drug dealer, no matter how nice Millsap had been.

Then there were things Cami shared from her more distant past. Horrible things. Things like how she lost her virginity and the situation involving Mandrake and Cat.

At that point, Frank’s anger shifted from Cami and Millsap to Cat. He blamed his ex-wife for their daughter’s tendency to sabotage her own happiness.

To be fair, Frank shouldered some of that blame himself. Had he not been so consumed with climbing the ladder to military success, he would have paid more attention to Cami while she was growing up. He might have even settled in one place and gained full custody of her, thereby making sure she turned into an emotionally healthy adult.

As for the reactions of Millsap’s crew, Franco began to walk on egg shells around his brooding friend. The man didn’t even want to hear Cami’s name spoken around him anymore.

Mike-Mike, who’d seen how detrimental schism among the ranks proved to be with the old crew, called an impromptu meeting to discuss the subject of Cami and how they should handle it.

“First of all, let me just say once again that I did not sleep with that girl. I wanted to, but I didn’t,” Franco said, looking relieved that somebody other than him had addressed the elephant in the room. He’d wanted to discuss the matter further with Millsap ever since that January incident, but each time he brought up the subject, he’d been told to squash it.

“I really don’t want to talk about this,” Millsap said, trying to squash the subject yet again.

“We got to talk about it before it messes with our paper,” Mike-Mike insisted. “With all the new problems we got, we can’t afford to be divided in any way.”

The problems Mike-Mike spoke of were the rising gang violence and the increase in lost shipments due to an increase in drug busts all over the southeast. It had gotten so bad that the generals had to send others to make the runs, putting them at higher risks for sabotage due to the trust factor alone. Not to mention the mounting legal bills from all the arrests they’d been having among their troops lately. As a result, something had to be done to change this tide of bad luck. Soon.

“Like I said before, I didn’t sleep with Cami that night or any other night,” Franco reiterated adamantly, showing his eagerness to clear the air between them in his tone. “She booked out of there even before I got off the phone with you. The twins told me that Cami said she had a change of heart. I respected that and didn’t press the issue. I wasn’t hurting for no woman that night. I still had the twins, remember?” he told Millsap.

“If you didn’t sleep with her, somebody else did ‘cause it took her the longest to come back home that night,” Millsap replied, only partly relieved about the possibility that Cami hadn’t slept with his friend after all. If she hadn’t hooked up with Franco, who had been her second go-to guy that night? Kobe?

“Maybe the girl drove around for a while before she got back to the house. A lot of people do that to clear their heads, including me,” Mike-Mike inserted, sharing how he dealt with stress at times. How he’d been dealing with it a lot more lately due to their recent problems in the game.

“Either way, Franco says he didn’t hit that and I believe him,” Mike-Mike continued. “You should, too. After all, the man has been upfront with you from the beginning about his attraction to Cami. He even called you for clearance before he ever tried to touch down on her landing strip that night. So why would Franco lie or try to cover up something now?”

Millsap took a deep breath and blew it out. “I guess I believe you, too,” he replied, finally surrendering to reason.

Although Millsap suspected that Franco was innocent all along for the very same reasons Mike-Mike had just given him, he’d wanted to be mad at somebody, anybody but himself. Even now Millsap wanted to place the lion's share of the breakup blame upon Cami’s shoulders.

“Finally!” Franco exhaled loudly in relief, acting as if he’d just received absolution from a priest. “In a way, I’m glad I didn’t sleep with Cami, ‘cause after seeing your sad sack face and getting the evil eye from you for the last few weeks, I see now that you really was in love with that girl. That Cami really wasn’t just a trick to you.”

“Cami ceased being a trick to me from the first night we hooked up.” Millsap took another deep breath and blew it out. “That girl became my queen.”

“If that’s the case, forgive the girl and go get her back then,” Mike-Mike suggested, hating to see his friend looking so grief stricken.

“Can’t.” Millsap shook his head resolutely. “The fact that Cami would even try to go to one of my friends when she couldn’t get her way with me tells me that she can’t be trusted with my most prized possession – my heart. If I can’t trust the woman I love with that, I don’t need her in my life.”

Even Mike-Mike had to nod in agreement with that. Cami had crossed a significant line by going to Franco. Fortunately, it was not a wide enough line for them to retaliate against her in violence, even if Millsap had allowed it. However, her punishment would still hurt. It would also be swift.

After agreeing that Cami would be financially and socially ostracized by them all, effective immediately, the conversation then switched to some of the problems they’d been having lately in the game.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 42.2

2008-10-19T01:34:00.002-04:00

After reluctantly loading her things in the trunk of her car, a sobbing Cami went to the only place that she still felt welcome – the boarding house.

Mama Ingram welcomed her back with open arms. And not just because Cami had a five-year agreement with the house owners, either. The older woman was genuinely concerned for her.

After escorting Cami up to her former room, Mama Ingram listened as she cried and poured out her heart to her. She heard how bad Cami messed up with Millsap tonight. About how it was likely that she would never get him back now because she’d crossed the wrong boundaries again.

Mama Ingram didn’t judge Cami one bit concerning the things she’d done tonight. She just held her when needed and continued to listen.

When it was time for Mama Ingram to talk, she rehearsed a few things from her past. Things like how she lost her husband in a bad car accident, two sons to street violence, and eventually her home when she couldn’t pay the taxes on it. How all of that occurred within a five-year period.

“Unlike you, I received no help from the relatives I did have and little to no help from the government,” Mama Ingram went on to recap from her place beside Cami on the edge of the bed. “I eventually ended up living on the streets for two long years. I felt abandoned and tossed away by mankind and by God.” Then she smiled. “Until I met Greg and Aisha,” she added, calling Bonz by his given name like Aisha and Royal did.

Cami smiled, too. She continued to listen silently and patiently to her mentor, despite the fact that she’d already heard most of these things before. Surely there had to be a lesson to be learned somewhere in this recap. As stupid as she behaved tonight, Cami needed all the wisdom she could find now.

“Anyway, right before I met the Forsyths, I gave God an ultimatum,” Mama Ingram continued, now telling Cami something she didn’t know. “I told Him that He either needed to take me on home with Him or else show me why I was still on this earth. That’s when God sent Greg and Aisha. Through them, He helped me get back up on my feet.” She tenderly cupped Cami’s face in her hands and added, “God will send more people to help you, as well. He hasn’t forsaken you, Cami. Not by far.”

“I don’t know about that, Mama Ingram.” Cami’s eyes welled up with tears again. “I don’t think I’m gonna get anymore of God’s favor. I’m surprised He gave me what I’ve had recently, considering the fact that He stopped loving me a long time ago.” She choked on a sob, feeling so hopeless right now.

Mama Ingram frowned. “What do you mean God stopped loving you? I can’t imagine God stopping His love for anybody.”

Through more tears, Cami shared what happened with her mother’s boyfriend at the age of thirteen. About how she felt as if God couldn’t love her in order to let something so bad happen to her.

“The ropes. The mouth gag. How could God allow such a thing to happen to somebody He loved?” Cami trembled, sobbing openly now.

Mama Ingram was trembling with rage by the time Cami finished her story. Yet when she spoke, it was calm and full of compassion.

“Cami, God never stopped loving you. Now I can’t even begin to try to explain why He seemingly allowed that rape to occur, but I do know that the fact that you survived that experience with your mind still intact is a sign of God’s love. Of His mercy. Other signs of that love include all the people God placed across your path over the years. People like your father who wrote you every week while you were in prison. Delia and Royal, who forgave you for your sins against them and extended help your way, not once, but twice. Your aunt Valena, who sent you letters and care packages once a month like clockwork. Greg and even Aisha, who allowed you to stay here, despite your sins against them.”

“Millsap was a Godsend, too,” Cami added, unwilling to leave him out of that esteemed number. She felt so bad about betraying him tonight. So bad.

“Yes, he was,” Mama Ingram agreed, still quite fond of Millsap herself, despite what he did for a living and even despite his overreaction to Cami’s most recent sin. “The fact that you’re still breathing, Cami, means that God is hardly through with you yet. That He has more for you to do here. That He has a purpose and a plan for your life beyond all the pain you’ve suffered in the past. Beyond the pain you’re suffering now.”

“So what do I need to do to hook up with this plan?” Cami asked with eager eyes. “Especially since the ones I came up with on my own ain’t working for me no more.”

Mama Ingram smiled at her eagerness. Cami was so ripe for salvation right now. It was time to usher her on into the Kingdom.

“You need to accept God’s son Jesus and everything He died to give you. From there, you need to dive into the Bible and a good Bible-teaching church. With those tools, you can’t lose,” Mama Ingram encouraged.

“I’m ready,” Cami declared. “Because without Millsap’s help, I’m gonna need a true miracle if I’m ever gonna get my son back.”

“God can restore Little Man to you and so much more, Cami, with or without Millsap’s help. Just wait and see,” Mama Ingram reassured. Then she joined hands with Cami and prayerfully led her to the Lord.

Every word of prayer was repeated in faith. Every promise was received by faith. And soon…

Cami was saved!

Saved!

She had a new man in her life now. The best Man of all. The God-man…Jesus.

To Cami’s surprise, she slept very well that night. It was the heartfelt prayer that did it. That sense of knowing that even though she messed up yet again, at least God was willing to take her back. At least He hadn’t given up on her.

* * *

Across town, Millsap tossed and turned in his bed. He missed his woman. He missed the feel of Cami’s body as she spooned lovingly against him at night. How clean and fresh she always smelled. The light snoring she did when she went into a deep sleep.

Why did you mess us up like this, Cami? Millsap mused, giving up trying to get any sleep tonight. I would have bought you two BMWs if you just hadn’t been so impatient, hadn’t given a brotha that stupid ultimatum, he thought as his eyes glistened with emotion in the dark room.

Millsap dared even one tear to fall. He would not cry over a cheating woman, no matter how much he still loved her.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 42.1

2008-10-19T01:02:00.002-04:00

After Cami left Franco’s condo, she drove around for awhile to flush out her feelings. Although she loved Millsap, she had to make sure that she was willing to share him with Daysha.

Cami finally decided that even though she wasn’t willing to share Millsap with anyone, if that’s what it took to have the man she loved and some of the things she wanted out of life, she would have to make that sacrifice. The fact that he’d provided a place for her and her son to dwell, and the fact that she only had a few more months before Little Man would be with her on a permanent basis, also played a part in Cami’s decision to return home.

But return to what though?

When Cami finally made it back home, she found her things in black garbage bags on the front porch and the locks changed to the house. A ‘For Rent’ sign was in the living room window. Millsap’s car was nowhere to be found.

Realizing that she’d blown it big time tonight, Cami quickly got on her cell phone and dialed Millsap’s number. He took the longest time to answer her call.

“What!” Millsap gruffed out when he finally came on the line.

“I didn’t do it, baby,” Cami explained, cutting to the chase.

“Sure you didn’t.” Millsap scoffed. “Franco called me himself while you was over there. The fact that it took you this long to get back to the house confirms that you did something with somebody tonight. If it wasn’t Franco, maybe it was that dude Kobe.”

“I didn’t cheat with anybody, Millsap. You gotta believe me,” Cami said in desperation.

“I ain’t gotta do nothing but stay black and die,” Millsap retorted.

“I’m sorry, Millsap.”

“Like One Republic says, ‘it’s too late to apologize’ now. Bye, Cami. And don’t call me no more either. You’re on your own now,” Millsap concluded, before hanging up in her face.

And just like that, Cami’s relationship with Millsap was over. Though she could try to blame him and even Daysha, Cami knew that she was mostly to blame.

She was the one who’d been jealous of Millsap’s generosity to an ex-flame. She was the one who’d given him an unfair ultimatum. It was Cami that had gone over to his friend’s house and offered that man her body. And for what?

A stupid BMW.

Why didn’t Cami listen to Frank’s advice? Why didn’t she listen to Delia’s? Hadn’t her cousin’s sage garnered an abundance of success thus far? So why did Cami ignore the part about being grateful, not greedy?

I can’t seem to escape it, Cami mused as she sat on the porch stoop in utter defeat. No matter what I do, I’m gonna always end up just like my mama.

* * *

To hear Apologize by One Republic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm0T7_SGee4&feature=related

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 41.4

2008-10-18T23:49:00.002-04:00

Millsap let out a string of loud curses after he hung up the phone with Franco. The other general had just called to confirm Cami’s claim that they had broken up. Franco wanted clearance to sleep with her tonight.

Though Millsap had nearly choked on every word, he’d said, “If Cami’s over there for you, then that means she’s no longer mine. Do what you feel.”

Franco had chuckled with glee, revealing just how much he still wanted Cami after all this time.

That gleeful sound, combined with Cami’s willful disregard for their love, had done something wicked to Millsap's soul. It made him act wickedly himself.

Grabbing a box of large garbage bags from the laundry room, Millsap went into the master suite and began to stuff Cami’s clothes and shoes into them. Those were the only things he’d let her have out of this house. The furniture that she’d picked out and all the appliances would remain in the house.

As for the Lexus, Millsap decided to let Cami keep that as a parting gift. He also wanted that car to serve as a reminder of what she’d had with him and didn’t appreciate.

Now all I need to do is call a locksmith, Millsap mused, ready to move on with his life as soon as possible. He would also call his lawyer first thing in the morning and have his will changed back to the way it was before he ever hooked up with the likes of Cami Edison.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 41.3

2008-10-18T23:45:00.002-04:00

Cami pulled into the driveway of Franco’s condo and parked. Still saturated with anger and jealousy, she exited the vehicle and switched her hips up to the man’s front door.

“Hey, Cami,” Franco greeted her a few short minutes later. He had on nothing but a pair of black satin boxers. “If you looking for Millsap, he ain’t here.”

Cami shook her head. “Actually, I’m looking for you,” she said, giving him a sensual smile.

“For me?” One of Franco’s brows rose. “You and my boy done broke up or something?”

“Yeah,” Cami confirmed. “We broke up tonight.”

“Oh, really?” Franco grinned.

“Yes, really.”

“Well, come on in then.” He opened the door wider for her to enter.

Cami smiled triumphantly as she entered the warm condo. That smile froze the second she saw two other women already sitting on Franco’s couch. Twins, in fact.

The two ladies were dressed in see-through lingerie. They looked glossy-eyed, as if they’d been drinking too much or getting high on something else. To their credit, the twins did politely nod to Cami when they looked her way.

“I didn’t know you had company already,” Cami said, turning to Franco, who was greedily licking his lips behind her as he scoped out her frame from the rearview.

“Don’t mind them,” Franco replied, dragging his eyes upwards to her face. “The twins won’t get in our way. Now go have a seat while I go make a quick phone call.”

Cami sat down in a nearby chair while Franco went to a back room to make his call. She’d never felt more uncomfortable in her life. The twins kept looking at her as if they could eat her alive. Not in a competitive kind of way, either. In a sexual kind of way.

Maybe I should have thought this thing through a little bit more, Cami mused, starting to have massive second thoughts and regrets about being here.

When the twins started kissing in front of her, she knew it was time for her to go. Cami wasn’t into orgies and especially none that involved incest. Suddenly sharing Millsap with Daysha didn’t seem all that bad now. At least he kept them in separate houses.

Plus, with the sparse way this condo was decorated, it was clear that Franco either was strapped for cash or didn’t like clutter. It was likely the first reason based on what Millsap said to Cami before she left the house. Which meant no BMW for her with this man either.

“Excuse me, ladies,” Cami said, briefly interrupting the kissing twins. “Do me a favor and tell Franco that I changed my mind.”

“Are you sure?” one of the twins asked. “The brotha’s package is big enough for us all.”

“I’m very sure. Besides, I just remembered I got a big enough package already waiting for me at home,” Cami replied, before making a hasty escape.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 41.2

2008-10-18T23:38:00.001-04:00

“I bet Franco won’t mind buying me a BMW,” Cami said, turning to leave the room for a different reason now.

“What did you just say?!” Millsap hissed, jumping up from the bed. He actually saw red at those words.

Just the thought of Cami with another man, any other man had him feeling murderous inside. The fact that she would stoop this low to manipulate him made Millsap extra defiant. She couldn’t get a penny from him right now.

Cami swung around and faced him again. “I said, I bet Franco won’t mind buying me a BMW,” she boldly repeated.

Millsap’s jaw tightened. His brows furrowed at her attempt to control him through jealousy. “If you do go to Franco, you gonna find yourself highly disappointed. He ain’t thick enough for you,” Millsap said in a calm tone that belied his fury.

Cami scoffed. “I can work with men of all sizes, Millsap. Everybody don’t have to be as big as you to satisfy me,” she said, assuming he was talking about one thing when he was actually talking about another.

“I’m not talking about the size of his manhood since I don’t know what that brotha working with. I’m talking about the size of Franco’s wallet,” Millsap clarified. “The man got kids all over this city and a few others, plus a nasty gambling addiction that pops up every now and again. Matter of fact, he still owes me and Mike-Mike some money for helping him with his back child support payments and gambling debts,” he said, revealing two of Franco’s secrets in order to keep Cami from going to him. To keep her from destroying this good thing they had.

Cami shook her head. “That’s low, Millsap. Stepping on your friend’s wallet and reputation just to keep me from hooking up with him is so beneath you. Franco got a chain of restaurants and a high rank in the game. You know that man ain’t hurting for nothing.”

“You can believe what you want to believe, Cami, but I’m telling you right now that if you go to him, you can’t ever come back to me,” Millsap replied in a resolute tone, despite his hurting heart. Did she not know how much this conversation was stabbing at him? Did she not care?

“If Franco gets me that BMW and whatever else I want after that, I won’t ever need to come back to you again,” Cami countered.

“Kick rocks then,” Millsap said in a harsh tone, releasing her from this relationship and from everything he’d brought into it. If she could leave him over something as simple as a car, he didn’t need her!

“I will!” Cami retorted and then headed for the door again.

Millsap wanted to say, ‘Don’t go, Cami’. But what came out instead was, “I can make one phone call and replace you within the hour. I’m sure Daysha still has a clean bill of health.”

Cami’s eyes snapped back to his face. “Well, get on the phone then, brotha. See if she can ride you ‘til you cry,” she replied, being just as hurtful to him as he’d just been to her.

“I wasn’t crying that night!” Millsap denied vehemently. “There was something in my eye. A piece of plaster from the wall with all that headboard-banging we were doing. Besides, one tear don’t constitute crying compared to all the tears you shed that night.”

“Yeah, right.” Cami scoffed again. “Let me go see if I can make Franco shed a few tears tonight,” she concluded, before turning to switch her sexy hips away in that formfitting blue sweat suit.

It took everything in Millsap not to turn this into a domestic violence situation as he watched the woman he loved go after one of his best friends. What kept him in check was the fact that he truly didn’t want a hair on Cami’s pretty head harmed. Not by him. Not by anyone.

Plopping down in a nearby chair, Millsap buried his head in his hands. Please don’t sleep with him, baby. Please! he silently lamented, willing to give Cami one more chance if she just remained faithful tonight.

Would she?

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 41.1

2008-10-18T23:22:00.001-04:00

January

Cami found herself growing more irritable with each passing day. Her main source of irritation – Daysha.

It seems that Daysha was finally able to recruit Millsap to coach her son’s basketball team. She’d been working on him about that for months now. Now Cami had to sit through game after game and watch Daysha cheer Jeremiah on one minute, smirk at her rival the next because she was still in Millsap’s life.

Another source of irritation for Cami was the fact that after all these months of dating, Millsap still didn’t trust her with money. He bought her everything she needed and wanted (within reason, of course), but he never placed any actual money in her hands. Cami still either got credit cards to use or gift certificates. Any cash she had came from the proceeds of her small business and from her hotel paycheck. Matter of fact, the last time Millsap gave Cami any cash was the night of Mike-Mike’s birthday party, when she wasn’t his girlfriend.

On top of all that, Millsap still hadn’t taken Cami to see his home in the country yet. He claimed he was too busy with pressing things in Enfield to take a trip out of town now, even if he wanted to. Things pertaining to the drug game that needed his on-site attention.

But what finally sent Cami over the edge of reason was when Millsap bought Daysha a new car.

A new car!

He said that purchase was to replace the vehicle that gave out on Daysha and Jeremiah on the way to last week’s basketball game. Daysha made it her duty to call the house phone just to thank Millsap for his gift.

The house phone!

Daysha had never call Cami’s home before. Cami didn’t even know how she got her home number since it was unlisted. Either Millsap disrespectfully gave it to his ex-lover or Daysha got it from wicked Bonnie.

“I can’t believe you actually bought her a car,” Cami said, bringing up the subject of Daysha’s new car yet again, now two days later.

“Jeremiah is one of our star players, Cami, second only to Franco’s son. I can’t have him missing another game because his mama is having car trouble,” Millsap replied, tired of this same argument.

They’d been arguing about this off and on for two days straight. It was now 10pm and they’d been talking about the same subject since he got home at 9pm. Plus, after a long day of dealing with gang violence in some of their drug territories, Millsap really wasn’t up for what he considered to be a trivial conversation.

“Why didn’t you just get her old car fixed?” Cami asked from her side of the bed as they lounged and watched television together. “Or at least got her a car that cost less than mine. You bought the woman a Jaguar, Millsap. A Jaguar!”

“I simply bought Daysha what she had before. I didn’t upgrade her at all,” Millsap replied, turning his eyes back to the game on the TV. “With you, I upgraded several times over,” he said, referring to Cami’s old Honda.

“And yet I still haven’t been upgraded enough to compete with your ex-girlfriend.”

Millsap threw his hands up in exasperation. “What do you want me to do, Cami? Take Daysha’s car back? Buy her a bus pass instead?”

“Buy me a BMW,” Cami demanded, about to trouble her own household simply because she was greedy for gain. What a time not to know Proverbs 15:27. “I downloaded a brochure from the BMW website just today.” Ready to retrieve the brochure, she got up from the bed and headed for her home office.

“No.” Millsap shook his head firmly. His tone was just as firm. “I am not buying you a BMW so you can compete with Daysha. Ain’t nothing wrong with the Lexus you got. It’s not even a year old yet.”

Cami stopped short in her tracks. She turned to face him at the door. “So I guess that’s a solid no, huh?” she said, putting her hands on her hips.

“That’s right. End of discussion,” Millsap replied sharply, despising her greed. He was not giving into her materialistic side no matter how much he loved her.

Oh, I guess I need to show him that he’s not my only option, Cami mused, about to say and do something that she would regret forever.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 40.2

2008-10-18T22:48:00.001-04:00

Daysha and Jeremiah were the very first stop. Millsap wanted to get that one over and done with since it had caused him the most problems today. Although Daysha was on her best behavior in front of Cami’s son, Millsap could still see the open interest in her eyes. Her parting words confirmed that interest.

“Come back anytime, Millsap,” Daysha said, subtly letting him know that she was still available for him to date…among other things.

“Have a Merry Christmas, Daysha,” Millsap replied, keeping things on a platonic level between them as always. Cami was too deep in his veins to cheat on her. She was the only woman he wanted right now. Probably forever if things continued on the right path.

When they got back in the car, Little Man asked Millsap a most unexpected question. “Do you really love my mama?”

“Yeah, I do,” Millsap replied without hesitation. “Why do you ask?”

“Because you look at her the same way Uncle Royal looks at Mama Dee, Uncle Bonz does Aunt Aisha, and Uncle Racker does Aunt Alexis,” Little Man said, adding unique titles to his relatives and friends the way all the kids in their family did.

Though Royal and Delia were his cousins, Little Man saw them as uncle material and mother material. Though Bonz and Aisha were cousins by marriage and though Racker and Alexis were just friends of the family, Little Man and all the other kids placed them in the uncle and aunt roles, too.

Millsap smiled at the lad’s astute words. “I see you’ve been watching a lot of grown folks.”

Little Man smiled. “Yeah. Granddaddy says my mama used to be real watchful as a child, too.”

“Your mother is still watchful like that, especially in new surroundings,” Millsap said, recalling how watchful Cami was just the other day at a new restaurant he took her to. She’d noticed everything from the chandeliers above to the Persian rug below. Could even estimate the price of them down to the cents.

“Are you going to marry my mama?” Little Man asked, catching Millsap off guard again. “You know, if she doesn’t mess things up or nothing,” he added, revealing wisdom beyond his years. Like Millsap, Little Man knew exactly what kind of mother he had and still loved her anyway.

“To be honest, Lil’ homie, I had no intentions of marrying anybody before I hooked up with your mother,” Millsap shared truthfully, slipping in a little slang since it was just them. “But now…now I think marriage might not be such a bad thing after all. That it could actually be something I try one day.”

“Would you be willing to try it with my mama?” Little Man asked, looking tense in his seat.

“Yeah.” Millsap nodded. “Like I said before, I really love Cami. Which means if I ever do marry anybody, it’s got to be her.”

Little Man blew out a loud breath of relief. “Good. For a minute there, I thought you were going to say Jeremiah’s mama. I saw the way she was looking at you back there. She wants to be your Missus real bad.”

“Don’t worry, Lil’ homie. Daysha will never be my wife,” Millsap reassured him. A man had to be able to let himself go in every way to his wife. Millsap couldn’t even talk slang around Daysha; much less get as rowdy as he wanted to be in the bedroom. With Cami, he could do it all.

From there the conversation turned to things surrounding cars, NASCAR racing cars in particular.

* * *

Back at home, Frank went into the kitchen where Cami was. He wanted to talk about the brief argument he overheard between her and Millsap. He didn’t say much, but the little he did say was powerful.

“I know Millsap might not be perfect. And yes, he might be too attached to an ex-girlfriend’s son, but I think the man genuinely loves you, Cami. Don’t be like your mother and blow a good thing,” Frank advised.

“I’ll try not to, Daddy,” Cami replied, unaware that the New Year would come with new challenges to her relationship with Millsap. Challenges that had the ability to drive them apart forever. Challenges that would cause her to behave exactly like her mother in some ways.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 40.1

2008-10-18T22:22:00.001-04:00

Christmas at Cami’s house was filled with so much joy. Thanks to Millsap, she was able to give Little Man everything he wanted on his Christmas list this year and a little bit more. Because of Millsap, she was also able to give her father a great gift, too.

Frank really loved the luxury fishing boat that Millsap and Cami bought for him and had waiting for him at the marina near his home. Cami’s father was literally moved to tears by the picture of his boat, which had been tentatively named Frank’s Place.

They also bought great gifts for Towanna, Mama Ingram, Millsap’s parents, and Cami’s Florida relatives. Towanna deemed Millsap her new BFF (best friend forever) for the fur coat she got. The generals got new Rolexes for Christmas. The captains and street crew received cash bonuses, as usual.

The only downside to Cami’s Christmas day was Millsap’s 6pm announcement. That was when he told her that he was about to deliver presents to the homes of the kids on his little league team. Alone, too, since Mike-Mike was currently still at the nursing home with his grandmother.

“Is Daysha going to be one of your stops?” Cami asked as they talked about the situation in the kitchen. Little Man was in his room playing video games. Frank was in the next room watching TV.

“Yes, Jeremiah is on my team, remember?” Millsap replied, keeping his voice discreetly low. He could be affectionate in public, but arguing in public was a big no-no. He learned that lesson from his parents' bad example.

“I don’t want you at her house, Millsap,” Cami said, uncaring who heard her protest.

“I’m not going to stay, Cami. I’m just going to drop off a present and keep going. Look, I’ll even take Little Man with me to keep down confusion,” Millsap compromised. “We need to bond more anyway.”

Cami grew quiet. She did want Millsap and her son to grow closer. Finally she said, “All right. But hurry back.”

“I won’t stay a minute longer than I have to.”

“Promise?”

“Promise. Now bring your fine self over here and give your man a kiss,” Millsap replied, pulling her close to him.

Cami willingly went into his arms. Her lips parted for that deep kiss she knew he was going to give her.

When the long kiss ended, Millsap grabbed two big handfuls of her bottom and whispered for her ears only, “You have nothing to worry about, my queen. This onion right here keeps me good and faithful. That and the fact that I just love you, girl.”

“I love you, too, Millsap,” Cami whispered back, trying to push past her jealousies and insecurities, even though she still thought they had some merit. “And when you come back, I’m going to give you one of those massages Towanna taught me.”

“I can hardly wait.” Millsap grinned, releasing her, but not before giving her bottom a playful tap. “We won’t be gone long, my queen,” he promised and then went to enlist Little Man’s help with today’s Christmas deliveries.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 39.4

2008-10-18T22:01:00.001-04:00

After a twenty-minute shower, Millsap’s body and hair were now clean. Though the shower sobered him up some, it did nothing for his libido. He wanted Cami now more than ever.

When Millsap reentered the bathroom, he found Cami gone.

Oh, so she don’t want to sleep in the same bed with a brotha now? he mused with a frown, getting angry all over again.

Suddenly Millsap heard something that put a smile on his face. A grin even.

It was the sound of Teddy Pendergrass’ voice coming from the front of the house. A huge fan of 70’s and 80’s music, Cami was sending Millsap a message with Teddy P’s Turn Off The Lights.

I’m coming, my queen, Millsap thought, eager to follow the music to his woman. It was clearly time to make up now.

Assuming that Cami’s father and son were still in the house, Millsap put on a robe before beginning his search. He also took a handful of condoms with him, stuffing them into the front pockets of his long black robe.

Millsap’s search ended in the living room. The Christmas tree lights had been turned back on. Red holiday candles had been lit on the long mantle above. On a red blanket in front of the lighted tree was Cami.

Millsap nearly forgot to breathe when he saw her lying on her stomach, completely nude, except for the white silk bow about her neck. One sniff of the air revealed the potent scent of the edible strawberry oil that Cami’s body now glistened with after her brief shower in the guest bathroom. The letters Y-O-U-R-S were written across her sweet cheeks in whipped cream.

Taking in a deep breath, Millsap saturated his lungs with precious air before speaking. “I’m yours, too, baby. All yours,” he whispered as he came closer.

“Now that’s what a sista likes to hear,” Cami replied, smiling up at him. “By the way, Daddy and Little Man decided to sleepover with the other kids at the boarding house. Which means we have the whole house to ourselves tonight.”

“Good,” Millsap said, undoing his robe before kneeling down beside her on the floor. “Because the things I’m ‘bout to do to you tonight are gonna have you hollering loud enough to wake the neighbors.” Then he lowered his lips to the Y on her onion and slowly licked that letter away.

Cami let out a long moan at his heated actions. She arched her body even more to him, urging him to feast.

Millsap did…thoroughly.

Soon he experienced a different kind of intoxication when he watched Cami go over the edge twice in a row, yelling at the top of her lungs, toes curling and everything. So eager to swim within her depths, Millsap forgot to put on his swimming cap. Both of them.

The moment he dove into the deep end of the pool, he remembered what he’d forgotten. But it was too late. Millsap had already gotten a feel of Cami’s raw goodness. A great feel. An exhilarating feel that had him stilling his body just to relish that special moment.

Cami stilled also. She waited in silence, fully expecting him to retreat at any moment now that he realized that he’d entered her without protection.

Millsap retreated all right. He retreated far enough to slam into her again.

Cami gasped and moaned at his aggression. At the fact that he’d stayed inside to frolic.

The man had stayed inside!

Overwhelmed by that unexpected display of trust, Cami went wild with desire. Her hips moved at lightning speed beneath him. Her thrusts were so forceful that they made a loud slapping sound against his.

Millsap responded in kind, hammering against her with that thug passion that she liked so much. That they both liked so much.

Cami went over the edge again with a loud shout and a violent shudder.

Feeling himself about to follow her, Millsap knew that he should disengage at this point, but it just felt too good. All the delectable squeezing, the warm rivers flowing over his most sensitive part, and the fact that Cami’s legs were wrapped tightly around his waist had him wanting to just stay put…forever.

And so he did stay put, taking no further thought of the fact that Cami stopped taking her birth control pills last month. No, all Millsap could think about right now was how good it felt to finally have no barriers between them. At least no physical barriers since the issue of Daysha had simply been pushed aside for the moment. It had not gone away by any means.

* * *

To hear Teddy Pendergrass’ Turn Off The Lights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1uv-w5quH4

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 39.3

2008-10-18T20:35:00.001-04:00

Cami awakened around 4am to the sound of someone coming into the house. She knew it wasn’t her father and Little Man since they opted to stay in her old, unoccupied room at the boarding house for the night. Plus, they didn’t have a key.

No, the person entering the house right now was Millsap. A very drunken Millsap. He’d gone past his drinking limit tonight on account of their earlier argument. It was a miracle he’d gotten home safely.

The fact that Millsap rebuffed Stefan, who offered to drive him home tonight, made his safe arrival even more of a miracle. Did he not care anything about risking his life or those of others?

No.

Millsap didn’t care about anything right now in his drunken stupor. He’d numbed out all of his feelings with alcohol at the club.

Cami pretended to still be asleep when Millsap staggered into the room a few minutes later. She didn’t even open her eyes when he clicked on the overhead light. Instead she kept her blinkers closed and just listened very intently to his movements.

As Millsap undressed, he kept glaring at the lounging woman in the bed. Everyone had asked where Cami was tonight. To keep tongues from wagging too much, he told them that she had suddenly taken ill tonight and decided to stay home.

Few on staff believed him, especially since Cami helped put together most of tonight’s entertainment through her consulting company and would not have missed it unless she was on her deathbed. Entertainment that was free of stripper poles this year, though there had still been scanty clad females about.

Mike-Mike had remained silent on the missing girlfriend issue. Yet he’d given Millsap a knowing look, as if he knew there was trouble in paradise.

Right now Millsap was madder at himself than Cami for even caring that she wasn’t by his side tonight. He was also mad because despite their argument, he still wanted her. Badly.

Just the sight of Cami lying under the covers with her hair tousled from sleep turned him on. Had him cinderblock hard again.

On top of that, despite all the alcohol that Millsap had consumed tonight, just one look at Cami caused an abundance of emotions to wash over him. He felt everything now. Oh, how he loved her.

That’s why Millsap had come here tonight instead of going to his apartment. That’s why he hadn’t accepted invitations to be with other women tonight. Other women who’d wanted to take full advantage of Cami’s absence.

Millsap’s heart, his body only wanted to be with this woman - Cami. Didn’t she know that?

From under her eyelids, Cami watched Millsap staring at her ravenously for the longest time. It both angered and excited her.

Would he do what was obviously on his mind?

What was going to be her response if he did?

Fortunately or unfortunately, Millsap did not disturb Cami. Instead he quickly undressed and went to take a shower. He could not get into bed with the stench of alcohol on his breath or cigarette smoke in his hair from all the smokers who’d been at tonight’s event. Plus, Millsap really needed to cool his body down since Cami was probably still too angry with him to have sex tonight.

Cami heaved a quiet sigh of relief when he finally went into the adjoining bathroom. Now she didn’t have to decide whether to reject or accept his sexual advances.

Suddenly it dawned on Cami that she should be glad that Millsap still wanted her at all. That he could have gone somewhere else tonight and gotten his needs met. That he could have gone to…Daysha.

And just as suddenly, Cami abandoned her anger and changed her attitude about a few things. Quietly getting up from the bed, the determined woman prepared to reward her man for his faithfulness whether it spanned over the last three months of dating or just for tonight.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 39.2

2008-10-18T19:28:00.001-04:00

“You’ve been checking my cell phone messages?” Millsap asked Cami, confident that she couldn’t read the contents of those messages since he had an automatic lock feature on his phone. However, she could recognize familiar numbers on the display panel.

“Yes,” Cami admitted with jealousy coursing through her veins like thick green sludge. “I started after Daysha came to your apartment one day while I was there and told me that the two of you still had something going on. I didn’t want to believe her at first, but your phone log seems to indicate that there’s still some kind of connection between the two of you. Now I want to know what it is, Millsap.”

His frown deepened at her demanding tone. “Daysha and I still have two things in common - her son and my mother. You already know that I coach Jeremiah, what you don’t know is that Daysha is the nurse that took care of my mother after her stroke. For those two reasons alone, I’m gonna always be tight with her.”

“Tight enough to have sex with her?”

“No. I only want to have sex with you, Cami.”

Cami rolled her eyes. “Sure you do.”

“Okay, I see we need to go home for the rest of this conversation,” Millsap said, forsaking the second half of Bonz and Racker’s party as he made a U-turn in the street. Unlike his parents, he wasn’t about to have a public argument and put their disagreements on display for everyone to see.

“To which home? The one you set me up in? Or the one in the country that you probably took Daysha to? The same one that I didn’t even know about until today.” Cami folded her arms across her chest and sulked.

“Think what you want to think, Cami,” Millsap said, tired of explaining himself already. “I know I’m not cheating on you. And for the record, Daysha doesn’t even know about my country home. Only my closest family, Mike-Mike, and Franco know about it.”

“Yeah, right.” Cami scoffed in disbelief, missing the hidden message that Millsap only told those he trusted immensely about his home in the country. The fact that she now knew about it meant that he’d placed her among the trusted few. Or rather had trusted her since she’d just proven herself to be untrustworthy again.

As they rode in silence for the rest of the ride, Millsap’s jaw set in anger. He brooded, inwardly fuming about this unexpected reappearance of the old Cami. About her accusing him of cheating when he had gone out of his way these last few months to prove that she was the only woman he wanted.

Had Cami forgotten that Millsap didn’t say, ‘I love you’, to just anybody? Didn’t she recognize his level of commitment to her, even though he hadn’t officially moved in yet or popped the marital question?

Beside Millsap, Cami was silently fuming about his continual attachment to Daysha. About the firmness in which he indicated that he would always be connected to his ex-lover via her son and his mother, regardless of how Cami felt about it.

As a result of her anger concerning those things, she turned to Millsap and said, “I’m not going to the Playas Ball tonight.”

“You’re not what?!” Millsap was livid now. That wily move was definitely like the old Cami. The one he couldn’t stand.

“You heard me. I’m staying home tonight,” Cami replied, despite the fact that she’d worked just as hard as everybody else at the club in planning tonight’s event.

“Fine!” Millsap retorted, determined not to be controlled by her attitude or manipulations.

When they finally arrived at Cami’s house, she undressed and got into bed while Millsap went to shower. She refused to even look at him when he came out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist and changed into the new suit he’d bought for the Playas Ball. Instead she kept her eyes on the television straight ahead. Cami didn’t even say goodbye to the man on his way out.

Millsap didn’t say goodbye either, proving that he could be just as stubborn as she could.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 39.1

2008-10-18T18:37:00.002-04:00

December

Cami received an unexpected invitation to attend Bonz and Racker’s Christmas party. Since the two men stopped going to the Playas Ball that they founded in Enfield many years ago, they started a new tradition due to their spiritual conversions.

Instead of surrounding themselves with animated hustlers, street thugs, and strippers the third Saturday of every December, the two men surrounded themselves with close relatives and friends in a party that spanned a total of eight hours.

The first half of the Christmas party was geared mostly towards the children. It involved a semi-carnival being erected in Racker’s large backyard, which was now the size of a small baseball field due to the extra acreage he’d acquired over the years.

The second half of the event was a formal adults-only affair. It was held at Bonz and Aisha’s renovated home, which was fondly known as a ‘semi-mansion’ by their friends because they combined two houses into one after buying the property next door to them.

Cami’s invitation was extended to her family as well, which included Little Man and Frank, who were visiting for the holidays. It also included Millsap since everyone knew that they were exclusively dating by now.

Because the party was on the same day as the annual Playas Ball, Cami and Millsap came to a compromise. They would attend the first part of Bonz and Racker’s party and then leave in time to change for the Playas Ball.

The ex-generals went all out for the first half of their party, providing real carnival rides, real carnival food, and real carnival games for their guests. Cami was not surprised by the extravagance. Bonz and Racker had always believed in doing it up big at events.

What did surprise Cami was the way everyone treated her and Millsap. Instead of looking down at them because they were not Christians like everybody else, they fully embraced them into the fold, treating them with the utmost respect. Even Royal, who had been offended by both Cami and Millsap at some point, was very cordial to them. He even invited them to go on a double date with him and Delia before they left town. The whole thing almost brought tears to Cami’s eyes.

What did bring tears to her eyes was how happy Little Man was. Yes, he was happy to see all of his cousins from Florida, who’d come up for the party. But he was the happiest when he got to sleep in the room Cami and Millsap decorated for him at the house she occupied. Little Man said it felt like home to him.

Home!

Frank seemed comfortable at Cami’s house, too. However, he shared how uncomfortable he was with her sleeping in the same room with Millsap while he was there. Especially with them being unmarried. But that since this was her home and with her rules in place, he wouldn’t make a big deal of it. Especially since Cami could be doing a lot worse with her life and could be involved with a less acceptable man.

Unable to stay for the second half of today’s party, Cami and Millsap said their goodbyes and proceeded with their evening plans around sunset. Since Mama Ingram was keeping the Forsyth children during the adult-only party as well as Royal and Delia’s children, Little Man asked if he could accompany them.

Cami consulted her father on the matter since he still had guardianship of her son. Frank agreed, but only if he could tag along. He claimed he wanted to help Mama Ingram out with all the children that had been left in her care for the evening. Cami was convinced that he had a crush on Mama Ingram. She told Millsap as much on their way home.

“I think my daddy likes Mama Ingram,” Cami said, resting comfortably against the leather passenger seat of his city vehicle.

Millsap chuckled. “I think so, too. It wouldn’t be the first time a younger man was attracted to an older woman. You’re two years older than me and look at us.”

“You’re right. My aunt Valena is five years older than her husband. Even still, at sixty-four, Mama Ingram is nine years older than my father. He might be all right with it, but she might not be.”

“It’s still too early yet to tell. Give it some time,” Millsap advised before changing the subject completely. “By the way, I had a really great time with everybody today. Even though Bonz and Racker have definitely changed a lot in so many ways, them brothas still just as cool as ever. I didn’t feel out of place at all. I almost didn’t want to leave. Them sanctified Christians know how to have fun.” He chuckled and added, “Shoot, if I wasn’t a general and needed to make an appearance at the Playas Ball tonight, I would have stayed for the second half of Bonz and Racker’s shindig.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” Cami laughed. “I didn’t want to say anything ‘cause I didn’t know how you’d feel about it.”

“Bonz’s house ain’t too far from here. You wanna go squeeze in a dance or two before we go to our own gig?”

“Yeah!” Cami said eagerly. “I kinda wanted to see what they’ve done to the inside of the place anyway.” Though she’d seen the outside of the Forsyth home several times when dropping Mama Ingram off there, she’d never been inside.

“Me, too.” Millsap promptly took a left and headed for Bonz and Aisha’s home. “It might give me ideas about which new features to add to my own house.”

“Which house are you talking about? The one I live in? Or one of your rental properties?” Cami asked.

“The house I own in the country,” Millsap replied, finally telling her about his place of refuge.

“You have a house in the country?” Cami turned in her seat to face him. This was the first she’d heard anything about him having a country home. Irritation set in as she wondered why this was the first time she’d heard of that home.

“Yep. I had it built from the ground up. I haven’t been there in a while though on account of you.” Millsap grinned over at her. “I barely want to go to my apartment since we hooked up. The reason for that is because wherever you are feels like home to me. I find refuge in your presence now instead of just at my country home.”

Cami smiled, liking what he’d said, but still slightly irritated about being kept out of the loop about his other home all this time. Did Daysha know about Millsap’s country home? Had she ever been there before? Cami sure hadn’t.

“I told you to just move in with me. Most of your clothes are already there as it is,” Cami replied, trying to push past her irritation.

“No.” Millsap firmly shook his head. “Us shacking up won’t look good in the court’s eyes for your son.” He returned his focus to the road. “Besides, I think everybody needs their own space. That way when we get tired of one another, we can have separate places to go and regroup.”

“Planning on getting tired of me anytime soon?” Cami asked, on pins and needles with that question.

“No.” Millsap looked over at her again, discerning the sudden seriousness of the moment. “I love you, Cami. I want to be with you for as long as I can.”

“Then why do you still have Daysha blowing up your cell phone?” Cami asked, finally dealing with something that had been nagging her for months now. “What could the two of you possibly have to talk about after all these months? At least three times a week at that.”

Millsap frowned as two slabs of dread and distrust slid into his heart. Was the old Cami back? He hoped not.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 38.3

2008-10-18T02:32:00.001-04:00

On the southwest part of town, Daysha settled into her bed after just having a long conversation with Millsap’s mother. Bonnie called Daysha out of the blue to ‘check on her’ and to thank her once again for helping restore her mobility.

During the course of the conversation, Bonnie casually mentioned her son and her distaste for the new woman in his life. Of course that piqued Daysha’s interest. She promptly wanted to know why Bonnie found Cami so distasteful. Certainly distasteful enough for Mrs. Monroe to do something that she’d never done before – discuss one of Millsap’s lovers with Daysha.

In her reply to the nurse’s inquiry, Bonnie revealed a few cracks in Cami’s armor.

1. Cami could be very materialistic at times.

2. Cami wasn’t as good a mother as Daysha. Didn’t even have custody of her son.

3. Cami spent time in prison…for narcotics of all things!

After hearing those things, Daysha deduced that Cami must be exceptional in bed. Why else would Millsap be so enthralled by her? Why else would he openly date someone so beneath him?

I think it’s time for me to learn a few new tricks, Daysha thought, moving to pull her laptop out from under her bed. I am not going to lose another good man due to sexual ignorance, she mused, recalling how she lost her ex-husband to a more superior lover.

As a result of those painful memories, Daysha spent the next three hours surfing various websites, including those in the adult entertainment industry. This was not the first time she’d done this kind of research. It was what helped Daysha gain the position of favorite with Millsap before. It was what she would use to be his favorite again. Correction, his one and only since it was now obvious that Millsap was capable of settling down with just one woman.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 38.2

2008-10-18T01:08:00.002-04:00

“Why aren’t you still in the tub where I left you?” Millsap asked, entering the bedroom an hour later.

“What did you want me to do? Stay in there until my hands and feet turned all wrinkly?” A languid Cami stirred from her lounging position on the bed and propped up on one of the large pillows. She was so relaxed right now. “You have been gone a whole hour, you know,” she added, looking at the digital clock on the cherry wood nightstand.

“Has it been that long?” Millsap looked down at his black Rolex watch for confirmation. “I guess it has.” He looked back up at her. “Sorry for taking so long, but I decided to drop Mama’s bags off at her house while I was out. By the way, big ups on labeling all the bags so I’d know which was which.”

“You have your mother to thank for that. Bonnie didn’t want her expensive gifts to get mistaken for my ‘cheap’ ones.” Cami scoffed. “Nothing I bought today was under a hundred dollars.”

Millsap chuckled. “Anything under a grand is chicken change to my mother.” He sat on the edge of the bed and untied his black sneakers.

“Why am I not surprised?” Cami rolled her eyes upwards. “Anyway, I know Bonnie gave you her side of the story on what happened at the restaurant. So tell me, how bad did she make me out to be in her version?”

“Very bad.” Millsap grinned. “I see you’ve come to know my mother very well in just a short period of time.”

“Yep.” Cami laughed. “Now tell me what she said.”

As Millsap removed his shoes and clothing, he told Cami how Bonnie blamed the whole altercation on her. How his mother claimed that she had to end up spending some of her light bill money just to pay the large fare for the taxi ride home.

“When I reminded Mama that all of her utility bills are sent directly to me every month, she started claiming dementia for herself,” Millsap concluded, getting up to put his clothes and shoes away.

“So now she’s trying to have Alzheimer’s just to get more sympathy and ultimately more money from you?” Cami asked, following his underwear-only clad figure around the room with her eyes.

“Yep.” Millsap looked over in the corner to make sure Cami’s clothes and shoes had been put away, as well. They had. After all, his woman was a neat freak and cleaning machine. Just one more thing he loved about her.

“I told Mama I wasn’t falling for that either,” Millsap continued. That I knew nothing was wrong with her mind or her memory. That I was even willing to take her to the doctor tomorrow morning just to prove it.”

“What did she say to that?” Cami asked, mesmerized by how defined the muscles in his back were. Every muscle group could be seen, which was a testament to how diligent Millsap was with his three-day a week exercise regiment.

“She called me a bad son. Told me that I was probably gonna die early for not honoring my mother,” Millsap said matter-of-factly as he closed the closet door and then turned around.

“What!?” Cami sprung up from the bed, no longer relaxed now. “What kind of mother would wish an early death on her child?”

“My kind of mother.” Millsap shrugged it off. “I don’t pay Mama no mind when she gets to talking like that. I know it’s all just to get even more money from me. Then when or if she finally does, she be blessing the ground a brotha walks on.”

“Even still, I’m gonna ask Mama Ingram to pray that what Bonnie said don’t come to pass,” Cami said with anxious eyes. “I don’t want anything to happen to you, Millsap. I just got you. I’m not ready to lose you anytime soon.” She hugged him tightly about his torso.

“I’m not planning on going anywhere anytime soon, my queen,” Millsap replied, showing no fear of death as he wrapped his arms about her. “But just in case I do get caught up out there in them streets one day, I’m gonna make sure you and Little Man are straight. In fact, I just added y’all to my will today.”

Mike-Mike and Franco made some adjustments to their wills today, as well. Tonja and Rena were added to Mike-Mike’s will, though his grandmother remained the beneficiary. Franco made Deborah his sole beneficiary, because she was the only baby-mama that he trusted to do right by all of his children if something were to happen to him. His legitimate businesses would be sold and the proceeds distributed equally among his children’s college funds.

As for Millsap, his sole beneficiary remained his father. His mother remained a recipient of mostly income-producing property while Cami and Little Man would be the recipients of sizable gifts, including some real estate.

Cami withdrew with a sharp inhalation. “You put us in your will?”

Millsap smiled. “Yep. Should anything happen to me, Little Man’s college education will be paid for and also his very first car. This house will automatically be yours along with a few other things.” He paused and added in more serious tone, “Provided you’re not the one to kill a brotha, of course.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Not only do I love you too much to take your life, I learned a hard lesson behind that E-Blade situation,” Cami replied. “If that house hadn’t been in Dee’s name and if that strip club hadn’t been willed to her kids, my cousin might not have been able to start her life over in another state and start her own business at the same time. Especially since Dee got nothing from the life insurance company,” Cami concluded, speaking about things she knew. She was unaware that Delia had also gotten financial help from their Enfield friends, mainly Bonz and Racker, and thus would have been able to open her business anyway.

“Good.” Millsap’s smile returned. He was pleased that Cami didn’t need to be told that his friends wouldn’t take kindly to her being responsible for his demise. That they would likely retaliate against her, making it impossible for her to live long enough to enjoy the things he’d left her in his will.

Suddenly just the thought of anything happening to Cami intentional or otherwise filled Millsap with a sense of desperation. He could take facing his own death, but not hers. Never hers.

“I love you so much, girl,” Millsap said with thick emotion lacing his voice, hugging her tighter.

“I love you, too, baby,” Cami replied, not complaining in the least about the extra affection. She hugged him tighter, too.

“Had enough rest, my queen?”

“Yes.” Cami withdrew slightly to smile up at him.

Millsap grinned and swooped down to capture her lips.

As usual, Cami was down for the cause. She immediately melted into that hot kiss, returning his flickers with equal fervor. Her hands moved down his torso to his black boxers.

Millsap moaned loudly when she grabbed him and squeezed. “Get that, baby,” he urged huskily.

“Raw?” Cami asked. “You know I stopped my pills last week, right?”

At that reminder of her choice to cease putting unnecessary chemicals into her body since he always had enough protection for them both, Millsap went over to the tall cherry wood chest and retrieved two gold packs from the top drawer. He discarded his boxers and tossed them in a nearby hamper along the way.

By this time, Cami had discarded her powder-blue gown and returned to the bed. “How do you want me, baby? This way…or…that way?” she said, switching from one provocative position to the next.

“All of the above,” Millsap replied, approaching the bed with love in his eyes and deep passion oozing from his pores.

Cami expected him to take her fast and furious. Instead he took her slowly…and oh so tenderly. The man appeared to relish every advance and retreat. He kept watching every advance and retreat, too. Kept licking his lips as he did.

Cami found herself watching them, too. Tears soon filled her eyes as the joy of their coupling saturated her whole being. Could sex really be this wonderful?

Millsap didn’t cry, but he was no less affected by the powerful experience. In fact, it was at that moment that he decided to increase the dollar amount of her monetary inheritance. For giving him this much joy on the earth, how could he not make sure Cami was still taken care of comfortably once he left it?

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 38.1

2008-10-17T22:35:00.001-04:00

If Cami wasn’t already in love with Millsap, she definitely would be in love with him now. First of all, the man literally made all of today’s legal problems go away. Away as in gone, disappeared, never to be heard from again.

Not only did Millsap promptly get Cami out of jail, the lawyer he had on retainer made sure that no charges were filed against her. It helped that there were several eyewitnesses who saw Leza throw the first blow. Which meant the college student might spend a little bit more time in jail tonight, especially since Cami decided to press charges.

The second lovable thing Millsap did was take care of Cami’s car. He made sure the red Lexus sedan was released from impound and that it still had all of its original contents inside, including the shopping bags in the trunk. Millsap also made sure someone other than Cami drove her vehicle home since he wanted her in the car with him.

That designated driver was Mike-Mike, who was all grins about Cami’s victory over Leza. He even took off his gold buckled belt and presented it to her as a prize before they left the police station.

And Mike-Mike kept calling Cami ‘Laila Ali Jr’. Kept saying, ‘Down goes Frazier. Down goes Frazier’, in the voice of Howard Cosell when George Foreman knocked Joe Frazier to the boxing mat nearly two minutes into the first round.

That funny impression brought a smile to Cami’s face. Produced a chuckle from her throat.

The third lovable thing Millsap did was hold Cami close in the car. He talked soothingly to her the whole way home. He went from assuring her that this incident would not work against her in the upcoming custody hearing to telling her that he was not angry about the fact that she hadn’t gotten along with his mother today.

Millsap knew what kind of mother he had. He knew that Bonnie would try anything to get more funding for her unnecessary spending, even more so now that her weekly allowance had been reduced. Millsap even went so far as to tell Cami that he was proud of her for sticking up for herself with his mother and with Leza.

Yet it was Millsap’s fourth lovable thing that really ministered to Cami’s soul. It occurred when they finally got home.

While Mike-Mike was in the kitchen fixing himself a snack and recapping today’s fight to Tonja on the phone, Millsap escorted Cami to the master suite.

In the bedroom, Cami immediately plopped down on the bed, tired after her extremely long day.

“Uh-uh. Stand up, baby,” Millsap said, pulling her back up on her feet.

“I’m tired, Millsap,” Cami replied, reluctantly standing upright again.

“I know, baby, but you’ll only stand for a few minutes. Just long enough for me to get a good look at you and make sure every part of you is all right.” As Millsap spoke, his hands were already moving to undress her.

Hearing the concern in his voice, Cami became extremely compliant. The tingles began soon thereafter as Millsap slowly removed one piece of clothing after the other from her body. He closely examined her skin, looking for scratches and scrapes, checking for bruises and bite marks.

“You hardly got a bruise or a scratch on you,” Millsap said, kneeling to the floor to take off her shoes.

“I’m glad about that,” Cami said a bit on the husky side. There was something highly stimulating about this large man being so humbly at her feet.

“Me, too. Oops. I spoke too soon,” Millsap said, noting a dark bruise on the back of her right leg. He scowled. Rolled a harsh expletive off his tongue. “Now I want to blacken one of Leza’s eyes,” he practically growled out, angrily flinging Cami’s shoes towards the wicker chair in the southwest corner of the bedroom. Her clothes had been courteously placed in that chair when his mood was lighter.

Cami smiled at his protective side. “You wouldn’t hit a woman, Millsap. Besides, the black eye and beat down I gave Leza was enough for her to remember me for a long time to come.”

“You’re right on both accounts. Yes, Leza is gonna remember that beat down for a long time. And no, I wouldn’t hit a woman.” Millsap leaned in to feather kiss the bruise on her leg before turning his attention to her calves. “However, I’m not above hiring another woman to do the job for me.” In fact, before her stroke, Bonnie used to be one of those women a man could call upon for such a task…for a hefty price, of course.

Cami shuddered from Millsap’s tenderness, not from his callus words, though they were in direct contradiction to that tenderness. She knew what kind of man she had. She knew that Millsap didn’t take lightly any wrong done to him or those he cared about.

Instead of being afraid, Cami felt comforted by his protectiveness. She also felt very, very turned on. Especially from the way Millsap kept stroking her calves in a soothing up and down motion.

“I’m not so tired anymore, baby,” Cami said huskily, hinting that she was up for some loving if he was.

Millsap smiled up at her. “That’s good to know. But a brotha got a few more things to take care of first before we get into that.” He stood to his feet.

“What things? I hope you’re not going to sic anybody on Leza. I’m satisfied with my own victory, Millsap. Besides, the girl has final exams in a couple of weeks. She can take them with a black eye. She can’t with broken arms,” Cami said, showing Leza more compassion than she would have shown her. Cami was even thinking about dropping all charges in order to spread seeds of mercy around like those that had been sown in her own life.

Millsap chuckled. “Leza is not on my agenda in any way, baby. Like you said before, you took care of that situation all by yourself. There’s no need for me to add to it. No, I was thinking about things that had nothing to do with revenge.”

“Again, what things?” Cami asked.

“Wait and see,” Millsap replied with a sly smile.

Then he led Cami to the bathroom where he ran her a soothing bath, poured her favorite bath salts into the water, and then lovingly placed her in the tub. Millsap left the bathroom for a few minutes to get her a glass of wine from the kitchen.

“Soak, sip, and relax until I get back from dropping Mike-Mike off,” Millsap told her as he handed over the tall flute of red wine.

“Will, do, baby. Will do,” Cami replied, receiving the glass with a grateful smile on her face and love in her eyes.

At that potent look, Millsap moaned. He paused for a few short moments, wrestling with himself about whether to leave or not right now. Finally he said, “Rest up while you can, baby. ‘Cause when I come back, it’s gonna be on like popcorn.”

“You got that right,” Cami replied, giving him a ravenous look that made him pause with indecision yet again before actually leaving as planned.

Miss Opportunity - Ch. 37.3

2008-10-17T21:34:00.002-04:00

Millsap was playing pool at Mike-Mike’s house when he got a most disturbing phone call from Cami.

“Baby, can you come pick me up?” she asked, using her required one phone call from the local precinct. “I’m in the 14^th street jail.”

“In jail?!” Millsap bellowed, causing Mike-Mike’s eyes to leave the stack of balls he just broke with his cue stick and snap his way instead.

“Yeah, I had to beat down that heifer—”

“You beat down my mama?!” Millsap interrupted, assuming the worst. After all, the two women were last seen together. And knowing Bonnie, she probably got very flippant with her mouth at some point.

Mike-Mike’s mouth dropped open in shock now. His eyes grew wide in their sockets. The colorful balls scattered on the pool table were long forgotten.

“No, I left Bonnie at the restaurant an hour ago. I beat down that other heifer Leza. She put her hands on me first. So I had to let her know what time it was,” Cami explained. “Anyway, can you come get me please? A sista is really starting to have prison flashbacks up in here.” She omitted telling him how frisky the male officer had been with her as he patted her down.

Millsap sighed in relief, so glad that today’s altercation hadn’t been with his mother. “I’m on my way right now, baby.”

“Did I just hear correctly? Is Cami in jail for beating up your mama?” Mike-Mike asked as soon as his friend hung up the phone.

“No, but I think they might have argued or something, because Cami left Mama at some restaurant instead of taking her back home,” Millsap explained, returning his cell phone to his left jean pocket. “Cami’s in jail for fighting Leza. You know, that college chick who quit the club just so she could date me.”

“I remember Leza. Remember how much I didn’t like her, too,” Mike-Mike said. “Anyway, Leza as a contender makes a lot more sense than it being Miss Bonnie. I mean, I know your mama had that stroke and all, but she can still take down the average man. Cami would be completely out of her league with Miss Bonnie.”

“Maybe not.” Millsap grinned, heading for the front door. “Remember my girl did that five-spot behind bars. No doubt some of them chicks in prison were way bigger than my mama. Tougher, too.”

“Which means Cami had no choice but to get tough, too, or get got,” Mike-Mike inserted, following behind him.

“Exactly,” Millsap replied, briefly looking back over his shoulder. “I’m kinda proud of my baby for standing up for herself and holding her own today.” His grin returned. “The only thing I hate about all this is that this arrest is not going to look too good in the courts’ eyes,” he added, frowning now. He pulled his cell phone back out of his pocket.

Mike-Mike winced. “I see your point. This is bad timing.”

“Exactly, which is why I’m calling our lawyer right now,” Millsap replied, pausing at the front door to press the number to speed dial the lawyer that all of the generals used. The same lawyer that the generals met with earlier today about personal legal matters.

“Smart move. By the way, mind if I tag along? I want to congratulate Laila Ali Jr. in person for her win today.” Mike-Mike chuckled, finding the whole thing funny now. Extremely funny, now that their competent lawyer was about to get involved and work everything out as usual.

Millsap laughed. “You might as well. You’re already halfway out the house with me now,” he replied, right before their well-paid barrister came on the line.