Color Me Blind (A Divine Love Story Book 1)
Page 1
Color Me
Blind:
A Divine Love Story
Published By
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2013 by Gwendolyn Melinda Michelle Evans
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the expressed written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer.
Global Multi Media Enterprises
PO Box 3727
Tallahassee, FL
850.396.2665
Visit my website at: www.gwendolynevans.wix.com/gmme
Email me at: gwendolynevans21@yahoo.com
ISBN: 978-0-9891460-0-5
LCCN: 2013937146
Cover photo courtesy of: Bigstockphoto.com
Cover creation by: GMME
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Dedication
What Readers Are Saying about “Surviving Sunday”
Part One:
Elementary
School
Chapter 1: A Bond like No Other
Chapter 2: Revelations
Chapter 3: The Getaway
Chapter 4: Can’t We All Just Get Along
Part Two:
High School
Chapter 5: Temper, Temper
Chapter 6: Choices
Part Three:
College Years
Chapter 7: Scared Stupid
Chapter 8: The Truth Hurts
Chapter 9: The Nail in the Coffin
Chapter 10: Un-break my Heart
Chapter 11: Defining Moments
Chapter 12: Friendship is a Gift from God
Chapter 13: The Plan
Part Four:
Adult Years
Chapter 14: A True Test of Faith
Chapter 15: What Lies Beneath
Chapter 16: Love Holds No Record of Wrongs
Chapter 17: Enough is Enough
Chapter 18: Open the Flood Gates
Chapter 19: Buried Feelings
Chapter 20: Girl Talk
Chapter 21: Boys Will Be Boys
Chapter 22: A Change is Gonna Come
Chapter 23: A Pain like No Other
Chapter 24: Detox
Chapter 25: I Miss You Much
Chapter 26: The Return Home
Chapter 27: Eyes Wide Shut
Chapter 28: The Unexpected
Chapter 29: A Hate Filled Heart
Chapter 30: Reality Check
Chapter 31: The Domino Effect
Chapter 32: In the Blink of an Eye
Chapter 33: The Trials of Life
Chapter 34: Breathtaking Moments
Chapter 35: Tick, Tock
Chapter 36: Closure
Chapter 37: The Hard Truth
Chapter 38: No Time to Waste
Chapter 39: Heart to Heart
Chapter 40: Me and You against the World
Chapter 41: From Now until Forever
Chapter 42: Back to Reality
Chapter 43: Not in a Million Years
Chapter 44: A Haunting Past
Chapter 45: Group Therapy
Chapter 46: Getting to the Bottom
Chapter 47: The Whole Truth and Nothing But
Chapter 48: A Very Dark Past
Chapter 49: The Resolution
Chapter 50: Here and Now
Letter to the Reader
Discussion Questions
Author Biography
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank God. He is so amazing and I am so grateful to know Him and serve Him. Without Him NONE of this would be possible. Not many people get to live out their purpose, so I’m amazed that every day I wake up I get to do this!
I want to thank my editor Yanela Gordonfor her selfless kindness in assisting and directing me. Thank you for believing in me and my purpose. You make my words the best version of themselves. Consider this our “paper texting” and I will need to order one roll to go. It’s just a TURKEYYY!!!! LOLOLOLOL ~ Love ya girl!
I want to thank my parents for taking the time to read this in its infancy. I appreciate the love and support you both continuously give me without hesitation. I’m so blessed to be able to call you mom and dad.
I want to thank my P.I.C. ( ) Ileana Guerrero for listening to the “audio version” of this novel all night (LOL). You’ve been an awesome support system and in case I don’t say it enough, THANK YOU for being my TRUE friend and lending help and support whenever I need it. Nothing you do for me goes unnoticed. Love you Ma Sylvia!!!
I would like to thank my cousin Howard for his endless support and help as my unofficial PR rep. You’re awesome and I love you for continuously cheering me on.
I gotta give a shout out to the best church ever, Family Worship and Praise Center, and our Pastor Cyrus Flanagan. This church has changed my life and knowing you Rev has changed my perspective on what it means to truly be a Christian.
To my Tally fam who motivate me all the time to keep doing what I’m doing. Joshua, Maleah, Sharvis and Chantiel, I love you guys to no end and I’m so excited about what we are building together. We need a name for our dynasty people and a theme song! Forever and always #teamsundaydinner
Elder Sharvis Whitted for keeping me biblically in line, I appreciate you big bro. Michelle Griffin for once again making my book debut a masterfully crafted event, I love you girl. Crystal Baker, you’re awesome! Ericka, you rock!!! Angela, I’m grateful for you honey!
To all my family, friends and church members, thank you for your endless support and encouragement. I want to thank my readers for continuing to support me and I promise Monday Madness is on the way!
Dedication
I thought by the time this book came out I would have a permanent special someone in my life to dedicate it to. That was not the case but then I realized that I already had someone permanent and special in my life, the Almighty God. He is the Creator of all things and the love of my life. On this risky walk of faith I have seen God’s love for me in ways that I could never imagine. He has seen the very worst of me and yet He still loves me. He brings out the best of me and allows me to share it with the world in a very amazing way.
He cares about every little detail of my life and is always there when I need Him. It’s just like any other relationship. There’s fussing and crying…well I fuss and I cry and He remains the same, faithful. He patiently waits out my tantrums and then when I’m quiet, He speaks. Sometimes He just waits for me to remember who He is and all that He’s done. He has been everything to me. In my darkest hour when there is no one around He’s always there, He’s always listening and He’s always working it all out for my good. I can honestly say there isn’t a human being on this planet who can love me like that.
Like Paul I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, can separate me from the love of my God. But the best thing…the very best thing is that the love He has isn’t just for me. It’s for you too if you are willing to accept His son Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. It is the ultimate love affair and one you will never regret!
What Readers Are Saying about “Surviving Sunday”
Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.
All I can say is awesome book.
WOW....A MUST READ.
From the beginnin
g I was hooked. Misplaced my book and I was going crazy...
This book can definitely be a tool to win lost souls in a new way. Genius author! :)
This book had me laughing, crying, pissed off and on the edge of my seat!
I look forward to hearing more from this young lady. #devotedfan!
I really enjoyed the approach Melinda took to help the reader understand the spiritual battle that rages around us. Her goal to do so reminds me of CS Lewis' Screwtape Letters…
It's not predictable and it is everything you want in a good read and more. I'm looking forward to the series!
It's been a long time since a book kept my attention. I almost felt this book was about my life in some strange way.
Surviving Sunday is filled with suspense, humor, and the Holy Ghost. The story line allows you to become involved with the characters as if it was you.
The book was not only entertainment, but as a sinner who was already considering giving their life to Christ, and you having the gift of painting the picture of the work of angels vs. demons in this book has given me a hunger to want to serve and give my life to Christ. I read the "ABC's" of salvation at the end of your book and I have given my life to Christ.
…One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of them all?”
…Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord;
…And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
…The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
~Mark 12:28-31 (NASB)
∞∞∞
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…
~1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 (NASB)
Part One:
Elementary
School
(Jacksonville, Florida ~ 1994)
Chapter 1: A Bond like No Other
Blake and Jasmine sat on his bed playing video games after school on Friday afternoon. Normally Jasmine would never be staying the night because her mother didn’t think it was proper since Blake was a boy. Jasmine’s parents had to go see about her grandmother who fell ill.
Her three older brothers were caught up with practice for their various sports and all manner of things. Her mother didn’t want to leave her nine year-old-baby at their irresponsible teenage mercy.
Blake on the other hand was an only child. He and Jasmine had been playing together since they were two. Growing up across the street from one another was like fate’s way of positioning them for a lifelong friendship that only got stronger with every passing year.
Blake sat on his twin bed. His dark blue eyes gleamed with anticipation as he played the game. He pushed his wavy dark brown hair away from his face as the levels got more intense. They were lanky nine-year-olds in the fourth grade. His white skin had a slight tan, hers the color of creamy peanut butter.
They had already finished their homework and were waiting for Blake’s mother to come home from the store while his father was somewhere in the house working on his second or third whiskey.
Jasmine wasn’t her usual self. Her mind wasn’t really on the game. Her big brown eyes were not focused on what she was doing as she ran her hand through the mass of big, untamed black kinky curls.
Blake noticed her lack of interest and said, “Come on Jaz, what’s wrong?”
She blew a curl out of her face, “Nothing.”
Blake paused the game because she sounded really down.
He turned to face her, “What happened?”
She knew she could tell Blake anything.
“I just get so tired of people picking at me.”
“Who was picking at you?”
She pouted.
“These dumb girls were saying all this stuff about my hair. They were calling me mop head and dust bunny.”
“Don’t worry about them. They’re just stupid girls. Who cares what they think?”
“Well even if you don’t care what they think it still doesn’t feel good to always be the one people are talking about. And that little brat Marsha that likes you always picks at my nose, saying it’s so big it covers my whole face.”
“Ewe, I don’t like her. She annoys me.”
Jasmine laughed, “Good because I don’t like her either. I think she’s just jealous because you’re my friend.”
Blake studied her sad face for a few moments. He had always been fascinated with her hair. Her hair was like her, free and uncommon. He wished he could be that free. It was so wild, but on her face it always looked somehow that every unruly curl was in the exact place it should be.
He asked, “Wanna hear a secret?”
Jasmine’s mood perked up.
“Sure.”
He smiled that crooked smile she loved and whispered, “I think your wild crazy curly hair is awesome. I always just want to play with it. It looks so cool.”
She laughed, “Blake that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
He blushed a little but asked, “Well since I’ve always wanted to, can I touch it?”
“My mom told me not to let anyone touch my hair.”
He looked disappointed, “Oh, okay.”
“But maybe just this once, it will be alright.”
He smiled, put down his controller and ran a hand through her heap of curls.
He said, “Their soft and my hand didn’t get stuck like I thought it would.”
She laughed, “White people are so funny.”
He poked her, “I don’t know anybody with hair like yours so I was curious.”
She started to feel better about her wild hair.
Blake leaned in and sniffed the curls, “They smell like coconuts.”
She laughed again, “You’re silly, but thanks. Can I touch your hair?”
“I don’t care.”
She ran both her hands through his thick mane of dark brown waves.
“It don’t feel nothing like mine.”
She sniffed at it, “And it don’t smell as nice.”
She grinned. He stuck his tongue out. They laughed.
He said, “I’m sure those stupid girls are just jealous ‘cause their hair looks just like everyone else’s and yours don’t.”
She never really thought about it like that.
He continued, “And as far as your nose, I mean it’s just a nose. Yeah, it’s a little bigger than mine, but it fits your face. It’s not too big. Mine is straight and yours is round at the bottom.”
Jasmine frowned, “Well that didn’t sound like a compliment Blake.”
He rolled his eyes and then an idea came to him to put her at ease.
He kissed her nose and said, “Your nose is perfect, just like you.”
She blushed, but before she could say anything his father’s shadow entered the room. They were unaware he had been standing at the door watching their little show and tell.
In a larger than life booming, drunken voice he said, “What the hell are you two doing in here?”
Blake jumped up, “Nothing dad. We were just talking.”
His speech was slurred and his dark blue eyes were unfocused. His dark brown hair was disheveled. Blake knew that look. He was scared for Jasmine more than he was scared for himself because he knew his dad didn’t like her. He was suddenly wishing badly for his mom.
“It didn’t look like you were just talking to me. Don’t you think for one second that you and this little nigger will ever be more than just friends. That is if I let you stay friends.”
Jas
mine rose slowly to her feet. She was scared. He was yelling. He smelled like alcohol. She knew he didn’t like her. She wished now she had told her mother that he didn’t like her. If she had maybe they wouldn’t be there alone with him now.
Blake instinctively stood in front of her. The loyalty he showed her set his father off. His hand came from behind him holding a belt. He grabbed Blake by his shirt and shoved him aside. Blake hit his head on his dresser and was momentarily dazed.
Jasmine screamed and turned to run, but he grabbed her by her hair and threw her to the ground. When she hit the floor the belt hit her across the back. She screamed and tried to crawl away. He swung the belt again and it got her arm and her face. Now she just whimpered.
Her screams brought Blake back into the moment. He jumped at his dad, swinging his tiny fists and hitting him in the back. His father simply shoved him back as he continued to yell at Jasmine screaming all manner of racist rants and expletives.
This time when Blake got up he didn’t try to stop his dad. His first thought was to protect Jasmine. He got in between them and covered Jasmine with his body. They were in a corner of his room up against the wall. Jasmine was crying. Blake was screaming and crying for his dad to stop taking the brunt of all the licks the belt lashed.
Out of nowhere he heard his mom’s voice. It was cold and calm.
“If you strike either one of those babies again I will blow your head clean off your shoulders.”
His father froze as he stared at his wife. Blake looked up at the anger on his mom’s face and the fear on his father’s. To his mind she looked like an avenging angel. Her golden blonde hair framing her face and her gray eyes were filled with rage. His mom held a 12-gauge shotgun aimed point blank at his father’s head.