She nodded in agreement, and JT was sorry for lying to her. Although, maybe he wasn’t lying at all, because in reality, Diana had given him that money free and clear and wasn’t expecting to be paid back, so technically this was his own money. It was all his, and this meant every word he’d just told Janet was true.
“I know this is sort of out of the blue,” he said, “but I’m really excited about it.”
“It really is a huge sacrifice, but if this is what God wants you to do, then you know it’s the right thing.”
“I know. And that’s all that really matters, anyway. Being obedient and doing His will.”
“Well, just let me know whatever you need.”
“I will, and thanks for everything, Janet. You do so much, and I just want you to know how much I appreciate it.”
“Don’t even give it another thought. I love God, and I love my job, and that means I’ll do anything I can to preserve and help this ministry.”
JT smiled and then Janet said, “Well, if that’s all, then I’m going to get back to the mailing. The other girls have pretty much got it handled, but I still want to look in on them to make sure all the packages will be ready before pickup time.”
“Thanks again,” JT said, watching her leave his office.
Then he thought about how rich and famous he was going to be and got tickled. It was only a matter of time because, once those commercials began running, people from all over would be flocking in to hear him speak on Sunday mornings. They would come, hear how good he was, and quickly invite their family members and friends. Before long, he would be the most popular minister in the Midwest, and after that there would be no turning back. And he couldn’t forget all the megachurches nationwide that would soon be calling him to come speak, and this would all be thanks to his infamous father-in-law. Every bit of his blessings would all be a result of his forging Curtis’s name on that recommendation letter and his masterful ability to sweet-talk Diana out of six figures. Doing both would soon prove to be well worth his while, and JT couldn’t wait to reap all the benefits. He could barely wait to begin living the fabulous life he was fast on his way to securing.
Chapter 29
Alicia read the latest e-mail from Levi and debated how she should respond. There was no doubt that the proper and honest thing to do would be to end all contact with him. But deep down she really didn’t want that—she didn’t want it, and she was ashamed to say there was a certain level of excitement Levi Cunningham filled her insides with. Yes, he was locked away in prison and certainly wasn’t the kind of man any decent person would recommend she consort with, but Alicia had seen the real good in him. She had experienced firsthand how gentle and considerate he was when it came to women, namely her, and she couldn’t simply forget about that. She couldn’t write him off like he didn’t matter to her, because he did.
Still, after contemplating for nearly twenty minutes, she replied with the following:
Hi Levi,
It’s really good hearing from you again, but I don’t think our communicating with each other, even by e-mail, is a good idea. You are a truly wonderful person, and of course, I’ll be praying for your release, but that’s pretty much where our relationship will have to stand. I’m sorry, I hope you understand, and I pray that you will take good care of yourself.
Wishing you all the love and blessings possible,
Alicia
Alicia reread her note, hit the send button, and then scanned the rest of her inbox. She read a few new ones from more members at the church, but then smiled when her cell rang and she saw that it was Melanie.
“Hey, girl,” Alicia said.
“Hey yourself. And can I please ask why you didn’t bother calling to tell me you saw Phillip yesterday?”
“Oh my goodness, I guess news travels pretty fast, doesn’t it? And who told you that, anyway?”
“Phillip. He called and left me a voice message this morning, and I just now got a chance to call him back.”
“What did he want?”
“To talk about you, of course.”
“I don’t get it,” Alicia said, trying to play innocent.
“Well, he gets it, and based on how shady you’re sounding, you know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Whatever.”
“Oh, so are you saying you don’t want to know what we talked about?”
“Not really. Unless you’re just dying to tell me, that is,” she said, and they both laughed.
“Well, first of all, he admitted that he was way out of line for asking, but he wanted to know if you really were happily married. He wanted to know if things were really that great with you and your new husband.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That as far as I knew, you and JT were very happy.”
“Good. And then what?”
“He went on about how good you looked, something about you looking even more beautiful than when he first met you and that as soon as he saw you, he knew he loved you more than before. He said he knew he shouldn’t, not after the way you slept with Levi behind his back and especially not now that you’re married to someone else, but he can’t help how he feels. He said he knew he’d never stopped loving you, but when he saw you in person, he could barely handle being around you.”
Alicia’s heart thumped more noticeably, and she wondered why this was happening—why her ex-husband had shared all of this with her best friend. Mainly, though, she wondered why she was feeling the same way about him. She’d also felt similar feelings when she’d spoken on the phone with Levi as well as when she’d read his e-mails, so this was all terribly confusing. None of it made any sense because she really did love JT. Her current husband. The man who loved her back. The man who gave her everything she wanted and who was working tirelessly to give her even more than that.
“Helloooo?” Melanie sang.
“I’m here,” Alicia finally said.
“I guess this was a lot of information to take in for one conversation, huh?”
“You’re telling me.”
“Well, all I know is that Phillip is still head-over-heels in love with you, and he pretty much talked about nothing else.”
“But the only thing is, Mel, I’m married. I’m married, and I’m completely committed to JT.”
“Which is why I debated telling you any of this. But after I thought about it, I knew you would be upset with me if you found out about it later.”
“You’re right. Still, though, I wish Phillip hadn’t told you any of that, and now I wish I hadn’t seen him.”
“Why? Do you still care about him?”
“I won’t even lie to you, Mel. I do. I wish I didn’t, but it is what it is. Phillip and I have a lot of history, both good and bad, but if he’d never left me and filed for a divorce, I know I would still be with him.”
“That’s really gotta be tough.”
“Yeah, but it’s much too late for all that now. We both have very separate lives, and that’s how we’re going to have to continue them.”
“I hear you.”
“Anyway, how’s everything else going?”
“Fine. I’ve been working a lot of hours this week, but Brad and I just decided last night to head down to South Beach for a four-day weekend. We’re leaving tomorrow and coming back late on Sunday.”
“Good for you, girl. You deserve a vacation, and there’s nothing more fun than being in Miami.”
“I know, and I can hardly wait.”
“Well, if I don’t talk to you before you leave, you guys have a wonderful time.”
“We will, and if I get some time, I’ll call you.”
“Sounds good, and travel safe.”
“Talk to you soon. Oh, and wait, girl, I’m so sorry. How is your friend’s mom? I told Phillip that you’d called me yesterday morning to tell me what happened, but he said when he was there yesterday, not much had changed.”
“No, there’s been no improvement at all, and actuall
y, I just came home this morning so I could get a little rest and take care of a few to-do items. I’m going back in a couple of hours or so, though.”
“I know this must be tragic for Carmen because it certainly would be for me. Here at the hospital, I see illnesses like this all the time, but I know it would be a lot different if it happened to one of my own loved ones.”
“Definitely.”
“Well, even though I’ve never met her, please tell Carmen I’m praying for her mom.”
“I will, Mel, and thanks so much for that.”
“Okay, talk to you later.”
Alicia set her phone down and started out of her office, but now the home phone rang. It was her agent, and Alicia hurried to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Hi, it’s Joan.”
“How are you?”
“Great. And the reason I’m calling is to let you know that I’ve already heard back from all the editors I submitted your manuscript to, and they each want to make offers.”
“Oh my God. This is wonderful.”
“It certainly is, and we’re already in the process of setting up all the meetings, which will probably span a two-day period. Most likely, next Wednesday and Thursday, so I can hold the auction on Friday.”
“Gosh, Joan, I’ve wished for this for a long time, but now that it’s happening, it just doesn’t seem real.”
“I can imagine. I’m very excited for you and all that I know this will lead to.”
“Also, thank you again for agreeing to represent me.”
“No, thank you, and I’ll be in touch again very soon.”
“Take care.”
Alicia quickly pressed the off button, turned the phone back on again, and dialed JT. She was thrilled beyond her wildest dreams and couldn’t wait to tell him the news.
“Hey, you,” he said when he answered.
“Hi, sweetheart, guess what?”
“Talk to me.”
“Joan just called and all six of the editors she submitted to want to make an offer.”
“That’s wonderful, baby.”
“And I’ll be meeting with each of them next week. I mean, can you believe that?”
“Of course I do. I knew all along that things would turn out great.”
“It really is happening, JT. And now I’m wondering what kinds of offers will actually come in.”
“Well, with them obviously reading your novel this quickly and already saying they want it, I really can’t see them offering anything small.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Aren’t I always?”
“Yeah, as a matter of fact you are.”
“I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks, baby. But hey, I just wanted you to be the first to know, but now I need to call my dad.”
“I know he’ll be just as excited as I am. Oh, and before you go, are you going to make it to Bible study tonight?”
“I wanted to, but because I’ve been home most of the day, I really want to get back to the hospital to sit some more with Carmen.”
“That’s what I figured, and I definitely understand.”
“Sorry.”
“No, don’t be sorry about it at all, and I’ll just see you when I get home.”
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you, too, baby, and congratulations.”
Alicia hung up the phone and called her dad, who was ecstatic, and then got ready to head back out to the hospital. But as she gathered up her Gucci shoulder purse and the black and white tote bag she’d filled with a few magazines she’d been wanting to read, the doorbell rang. So she walked through the foyer and opened the door, and a FedEx driver smiled at her. Interestingly enough, she hadn’t ordered any clothing, shoes, or jewelry by mail in the last couple of weeks, so as far as she knew they weren’t expecting any deliveries.
“Hello,” she said, greeting him.
“Hi. I have a letter for you, so can you please sign here?” he asked, passing her a white envelope with orange and purple lettering.
“Sure.” Alicia took the package and signed where he told her.
“Thanks so much, and have a good day.”
“You, too,” she said, closing the door. First, she looked to see who the sender was and got a little nervous when she saw the name “Donna” and no last name. Still, she pulled the strip back, opened the envelope, and started to read the handwritten note inside.
Hi there. I hope this letter finds you doing well but I must say, I’ve really been thinking about you a lot. Truthfully, I’ve been very worried for your safety. I’m afraid because if JT did in fact stage his first wife’s accident, you could be the next person on his murder list. I’m terrified of what he might do, so I suggest you watch your back at all times. I’m sure you’re probably thinking how none of this is really any of my business and that’s why I’ve tried keeping my mouth shut. But where I come from, women always stick together and look out for one another no matter what. They feel a strong obligation to try to protect anyone who might be at risk. So, what you need to do is watch JT every waking moment and make him accountable for everything he says or does. You need to watch that whoremonger like the dog that he is and call him on anything that even seems remotely suspicious.
Take care, my friend,
Donna
Alicia wondered who this woman really was and why she felt such ill will toward JT. She also wondered if maybe this had less to do with his alleged part in Michelle’s accident and more to do with something else. For all she knew, maybe this Donna person had previously been in some sort of relationship with JT and hadn’t gotten over him. Maybe JT had dumped her for someone else or possibly even for Michelle. Alicia had no way of knowing for sure what her reasons for revenge might be, but what she did know was this: No matter what Donna kept insisting and no matter what JT might be capable of, Alicia knew JT could never kill anyone. She wasn’t claiming he was a saint, but in her heart, she didn’t believe he would even consider taking someone else’s life. He just wouldn’t do anything like that. Never. Not for any reason.
She told herself she didn’t have a single thing to be concerned about when it came to her own well-being.
Chapter 30
Alicia went inside the hospital, walked through the lobby, and continued down the glass-encased corridor. Until now, she hadn’t paid much attention to how beautiful the garden outside these windows was, and if she ever got a chance, she would spend a little more time admiring it.
She strolled past nurses, doctors, nursing assistants, and many other hospital personnel and finally arrived at the west elevators, which would take her to the intensive care unit. An older gentleman stood in front of them, and the up button was already lit. Alicia stood patiently, but then she thought about her conversation with JT. She’d called him as soon as she’d gotten in the car to tell him about that FedEx package, but all he’d basically said was that this Donna woman was scary and needed to be admitted to a nuthouse. In a sense, Alicia tended to agree, but she also knew that no one would spend this much time writing a letter, finding out her and JT’s home address, and then paying to send it by an actual shipping carrier for no reason. The woman wouldn’t have come up to Alicia when she’d run into her at Nordstrom that day either.
The elevator system chimed, the up arrow illuminated, and the door slid open. Alicia and the guy she’d been waiting with stepped on, he got off on the third floor, and she continued on to the fifth. When she arrived, she stepped out, walked a few feet, turned the corner, and went inside the family waiting room. Carmen sat there alone but looked up as soon as she heard Alicia entering.
“I really wish you would have let me bring you something to eat.”
Carmen smiled at her but wore an odd look on her face.
“What’s wrong?” Alicia said, sitting down adjacent to her.
Carmen smiled again. “She’s gone.”
“What?”
“She’s gone. She went int
o cardiac arrest, and they couldn’t revive her.”
Alicia placed both her hands in a praying position and brought them toward her chin. “Oh no, Carmen, I’m so sorry,” she said, tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.”
Carmen looked at her, still smiling. “Everything is going to be just fine.”
Alicia thought it strange that Carmen was acting so nonchalantly and seemed so at peace. She acted as if she hadn’t just been told very devastating news.
Alicia wiped her tears away and said, “When did it happen?”
“About two hours ago.”
Alicia frowned. Two hours ago? Well, if that was the case, then why hadn’t Carmen told her that her mother had passed when Alicia had called to see if she needed anything? She hadn’t said a word, and now this made things even more eerie.
“My mom is now in a much better place, and I’m happy for her. She no longer has to suffer or worry about anything, and that’s why I have to be strong. I have to be the kind of woman she raised me up to be, just like your mom told me the other day.”
Alicia understood that wholeheartedly, but she was still confused about Carmen’s overall reaction to her mother’s death.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Carmen went on. “And instead of mourning the loss of my mom, I’m going to celebrate the wonderful life she lived and then go on with my own life just like she would expect me to. I’m going to do whatever I have to to get everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m going to be happier than I’ve ever been.”
Alicia sniffled and smiled and was glad Carmen had taken on such a positive attitude, but she still didn’t think any of this was normal. Finally, though, she asked her, “Is there anything I can do right now?”
Be Careful What You Pray For Page 17