by Pope, M. T.
Both Sides Of The Fence 3:
Loose Ends
M.T. Pope
www.urbanbooks.net
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Praise
Acknowledgments
A Letter to the Reader
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Alex’s Epilogue
Wallace’s Epilogue
Ashley’s Epilogue
Grace’s Epilogue
David’s Epilogue
Shawn’s Epilogue
A Closing Letter to the Reader
Copyright Page
Dedication
I dedicate this book to the black family and the black community. It’s time to start communicating as a family and stop letting our children suffer from our loose ends. Peace!
Mildred Hooper
02/19/1945–12/10/2010
Rachel Shelton
01/21/1987–02/16/2011
One thing about the truth is, you don’t have to believe it for it to be true.
—M.T. Pope
Most people usually won’t believe what they can’t see past their own two eyes.
—X-Men 2: X-Men United
We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.
—Anaïs Nin
Acknowledgments
This is book number three for me. I owe it all to God for blessing me with a wonderful gift that he chose to spring forth at the appointed time. Thank you, God, for finishing another book for me. You poured out the words once again onto empty pages and made it flow so easily. You know, Lord, I agonized over if this whole writing thing was for me and if you were approving of it. You answered by filling up the pages once again. I thank you for the grace and mercy that allowed me to get this far in life. I am ... because you are and I live ... because you died and I will die because you showed me how to live.
To my mom, Lawanda Pope, a little woman with big strength. You make me smile every time I see you. You are the best mom in the world. I love you. My brothers and sisters: Shirley, William, Darnell, Darlene, Gaynell, Latricia, Nathon, and Yvette. I love you guys.
To my pastor, Melvin T. Lee and first lady Tanya Lee, for coming out and showing love at my first book signing and everything else I do in this life. I promise Dad that the Christian fiction is coming ... LOL. To all my Because He Lives church family members: I love you with only the love that God shines through me. WE ARE! ... BECAUSE HE LIVES!
To Tracey Bowden and Arnisha Hooper, my two best friends in the world. I can’t even begin to say how much you mean to me. I don’t say it enough and I don’t show it enough, but I can’t pay for friends like you two. You put up with my mess and my mouth and I am grateful. For all the book signings you drove me to, all the books you sold for me, and all the bookmarkers you passed out, I appreciate it so much. There are just some things in life that you just know. I know that only God could have put together and you two were chosen just for me. I am honored to have you as my friends.
Carl Weber, once again, you had faith in what God has put in me to pour out of me. Thank you for this opportunity, and all that you do.
To all the Urban Knowledge Bookstore workers that pushed my book, it is appreciated. Will, Tracey, Renee, Daisy, Ruthanne, Tonya, Latonya, and any newcomers, thank you. May God bless you in all your endeavors.
To the Urban Books home office family: Carl, Karen, Natalie, George (Gee), Brenda, Shawn, Walter, Albert ... you guys make this easier for me.
To Nichelle Washington, Darlene Washington, Ruthanne Ryan, Latricia Baker, Martina Doss, Karen Williams, Cearia Rice, Shawna Brim. Thank you for reading the first draft of this book.
To Kenneth Goffney: Again, I am totally blown away by God and how he used you to bless me. You came out of nowhere and lent a helping hand, when I needed it the most. I thank God for you and the time you’ve put into this project. Thank you, friend.
To all the book clubs that hosted me, thank you for the love and support as well. Especially my hometown book clubs: The Bmore Readers with W.I.S.D.O.M. Kudos to Tasha and Pat. ShayRod Book club, my first book club meeting. Y’all are the bomb. Dwayne Vernon and Novel-Lites.
Davida Baldwin, Oddballdesigns(www.oddballds-gns.com), thank you for another slamming cover.
To my editor, Maxine Thompson, I don’t know how I forgot to put you in my acknowledgments before, but here it is now. Thank you for guiding my writing hand with your insightful eye to make my work flow better.
Thank you, Martha Weber for the excellent synopsis for the book.
I want to give a special thanks to couple of people who really supported me from a distance:
Martina Doss, for giving me my first official review and selling my books down there in Atlanta. Also, thank you for calling me and letting me know how my books moved you. You have to finish your book now ... LOL.
Leona Romich, my Facebook friend, thank you for being honest and supportive and passing my book on to the appropriate people. You were such a great person from the first time we chatted. Thanks to Toka Waters as well.
My literary friend, J’son M. Lee (Just Tryin‘ to be Loved). Man, you are the best. We clicked from day one and we have so much in common. Thank you for answering the phone every time I call. I’m waiting on that second book, sir. Chop chop ... LOL.
To Ashley & Jaquavis, you guys are the best at what you do and you always are humble when I see you or talk to you. Thank you for the encouragement and the support. Congrats on the new addition.
My author friends that supported me: Karen Williams, Anna J., Dwayne S. Joseph, Ashley Antoinette, Miss KP, Jaquavis Coleman, Wahida Clark, Michel Moore, Kiki Swinson, J.M. Benjamin, Anya Ellis, Ama-leeka Mccall, Tina Brooks McKinney, Tra Verdejo, Kashamba Williams, Danette Majette, Tiffany Wright, Deborah Cardona(Sexy), La Jill Hunt, Kwan, Zoe Woods, Nannette Buchannan, Treasure E. Blue, Marlene, Dwayne Vernon, Mike Warren, Azarel, J’son M. Lee, Dell Banks(Shady), and so many others.
To the people that encouraged me along the way: Kenneth Goffney, your words are so inspiring. I am glad to call you friend. Marcel Emerson, boy, you are the coolest. Keep pumping out them hot books.
Deterrius Woods, an extraordinary Facebook buddy. Don’t be afraid to finish your book. You have some great stories to tell, so get to work.
Kyeon, you have so much talent that it is ridiculous. So get started and get yourself out there.
My Wal-Mart family: Shernae, Tamara, Renee, Gary, Ms. Val, Danuiella, Keisha, Wa
yne, Sharon. Thank you, guys, for your love and support. I miss you guys ... LOL. But, not the work ... LOL.
My Baltimore customers that I can count on: Ms, Cheetah, Ms. Janet, Ms. Connie, Charlene(Gemini), Ebonee, Keyonne, Shavonni (Vonnie). Ms. Jennifer, Ms. Michelle Lawson. Mrs. Debbie.
If I left you out, put your name here:__________, because you are important to me too. Smile
I can be reached at:
www.myspace.com/mtpope
www.facebook.com/mtpope
www.twitter.com/mtpope
or e-mail: [email protected]
Thank you for the love.
Remember ... pass the word, not the book!
A Letter to the Reader
Well, here we go again. More drama. More crazy characters. More of the Black family. A part three was never in the plans for me, never. I wrote it because so many people wanted to know what happened after reading part two. I know what you are saying, Why? I said the same thing.... LOL, but I moved with it and here it is. The story wasn’t finished like I thought it was and people still said I hadn’t tied up all the loose ends (hence the title ... LOL) Yes, James/Jerry Parks is dead and gone and he’s not coming back. I know you loved/hated him, but again, I never planned on writing a part three. So I moved on. But it wasn’t that easy to let go. When I wrote the first line, I knew it was on and popping ... LOL. The road to finishing it was a rough one indeed. I quit several times in my mind and physically. It was just that serious. I can’t speak for every writer, but I wanted this book to be entertaining and educational on a life and living basis. I wrote and rewrote so much that I was driving me crazy. I was never satisfied with what I wrote. I wanted this to be an experience. I didn’t write it to get on a list, win an award or a five-star rating. My reward was to finish it and I did. I hope you get it. But, I’ll live if you don’t ... LOL.
Anyway, as you may or may not know, some of James’s traits were passed down to his offspring and that is where I started. We all know that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in most families. In this final chapter, I will try my best to tie up all the loose ends. I introduce new characters with old wounds and hopefully by the end of the book you will see how one’s loose ends can damage more than just one family for generations to come. So once again, take a trip with me as I bring everything full circle.
Just like the other two, I will be pushing the envelope and stretch you past your believability factor. So put far-fetched and never away while reading this book or any book for that matter, because things do happen outside of your little world. I may offend you and even gross you out, but hang in there with me. There is a point to all three books and by the end you will see.
M.T. Pope... . Enjoy!
Hello, reader, the next couple of pages is a recap of the previous two books. If you feel like you remember them, then skip it. If not, help yourself.
Shawn Black takes you back ...
What’s up y’all ... give me a couple of minutes of your time before you jump right back into the drama of the Black family and the people caught up in the web of secrets and lies.
First, you were introduced to James Parks, the scorned bisexual from California, who set out to Baltimore on a path of wrath and destruction. He was hurt by a past lover and decided that he would take it out on every down-low brother he met in Baltimore, which included me.
Then, you were introduced to me and my wife and Mona Black, a middle-class lawyer and housewife. We lived comfortably in Randallstown, Maryland with our six-year-old twins, Ashley and Alex. I was molested by my father and secretly pursued men. Mona, who thinks I was fooling around with another woman, is oblivious to my sexual attraction toward men, but I would soon find out that she has secrets of her own.
When James and I have a chance meeting, I unknowingly become one of his next victims. A few drinks are all James needs to set up me for the taking. After several mishaps and a mysterious condom wrapper, Mona gives me the boot and I’m out on the street. Waiting in the wings, James scores a touchdown when I opted to move in with him for a couple of weeks. As I moved in, James had to now juggle a sexual and monetary relationship with a drug dealer named Kenny, who is strung out on James and his white boss.
Later on in the story I walk into James’s apartment and find my father being sexually dominated by James, and I fly off the handle. I punch and beat my father and then I proceed to sexually violate my father for all the pain he caused me and my mom. James watched on in twisted horror/pleasure as this takes place in front of him.
Next, a letter is then sent to my wife, Mona, by James, posing as me, telling her to move on with her life. She does not take it well and proceeds to confront me and my new “women” at my place of work. A fight ensues between Mona and Sherry, my new paralegal, and Mona ends up in jail. I convince Sherry to drop the charges and now Mona is a free woman. I then convince Mona to let me take a lie detector test, with her present, and prove to her that I was not cheating on her with another woman. I pass the test and Mona graciously takes me back.
James doesn’t take the news that his new piggy bank is being taken back, so he sets out on a mission of damage control. He makes a house call to my residence and that is when the plot really gets thicker.
James arrives at the house, wanting to set me up by posing as a hurt husband who suspects his wife of cheating on him with me. But that plan goes out the window when the front door opens and Mona’s well- hidden secret stands in her doorway. Unbeknownst to me, early in our marriage, Mona flew to California, alone, to bury a beloved uncle. Overcome with grief, along with a starving sexual addiction, Mona met James in a bar, got drunk, and they had a tawdry one- night stand, where no names were exchanged. During sex, the condom unknowingly breaks; Mona flies back to Baltimore and has sex with me within the same twenty-four-hour period. Weeks later she finds out she is pregnant with twins and she buries the secret, hoping to carry it to her grave.
James forces his way into the house and once again Mona gives in to her sexual appetite and his sexual advances and they have another sex romp right in our living room. Unbeknownst to Mona, I watched it all go down as I entered the house to surprise my wife with a short sexual quickie. I, in turn, left out quickly and quietly, confused about what I just saw, but I could not say anything, for the fear of my secret being exposed as well. I made it back to my office and receive a call from James telling me that he saw me while having sex with my wife through a picture frame and if I want my secret to stay safe with him I would have to do everything he asks of me. James makes another call and threatens Mona with exposure if she doesn’t fork over a large sum of money. She reluctantly agrees.
Now James juggles me, Mona, Kenny, his boss, and my father in his web of destruction. He then demands Mona to pay him a biweekly hush fee to fuel his bank account and his lavish lifestyle.
Mona and I are too caught up into our own individual problems, so much so that the line between the truth and lies is now blurry. The last straw comes when James decides to throw a party in my honor. I entered the party optimistic, yet slightly on the defense. I was enjoying the party until the party turned on me. I was drugged and awakened tied up to a balcony railing and sodomized by a host of men, then taken back inside and violated by the last of the men, including my father.
I returned home and acted as if nothing was wrong, while Mona tried to stand strong against James. Her walls tumbled down when he forces her to be sexually assaulted in an alley by a homeless man for just five dollars.
Toward the end, I win a very important case and I am offered a position as a partner at the law firm I work for. James meets me outside and hops in my car to see how I was doing. A call comes through; I answer and place the call on speakerphone. It is my mother calling to invite me and Mona to my parents’ anniversary cookout. James invites himself against my wishes.
A couple of days later on the ride to the cookout, I noticed Mona was acting a little weird. I question her and she tells me that she thinks she is pregnant. I am
elated about the news, but Mona is far from enthusiastic about the situation. We enter the cookout with brave fronts on, both knowing that James may or may not show up to turn us or the party out. James does show up, but with a surprise guest. He has my paralegal with him. Sherry just happens to be James’s cousin. We all socialize until I excuse myself to use the bathroom and James follows suit shortly after. In the bathroom, James offers me a deal: One last fuck and ten grand to leave me and my family alone. I accept the deal and walk back to the cookout a happy man.
Several minutes go by when everyone expects my father at the cookout. A loud disruption in the house ends with my father being escorted outside by a gun-wielding Kenny, James’s drug-dealing lover. He holds everybody at gunpoint while he tells James that he was having him followed and that he knew all of his business. He tells how I had sex with my father, how James was sexing both Mona and me. The shock could be seen on the faces of the guests. But it wasn’t over just yet. Sherry steps out the crowd to tell Mona that she indeed slept with me, but after the lie detector test. My mother then goes off and tells me that it was her fault and that I was the way I was and she knew all that time that I was being molested. She said she just wanted to keep her family together. Before Kenny could kill anyone, his baby’s momma Keisha and the police come in and breaks up the party even further. It turns out Kenny was being followed too.