Reasonable Insanity © 2018 by Cynthia Freeman Gibbs
Brown Girls Books LLC www.BrownGirlsBooks.com
ISBN: 978-1-944359-68-3 (ebook)
ISBN: 978-1-944359-69-0 (print)
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means including electronic, mechanical or photocopying or stored in a retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages to be included in a review.
First Brown Girls Publishing LLC trade printing Manufactured and Printed in the United States of America
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It is reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped” book.
DEDICATION
Daddy,
I miss you more than you know. I feel your presence encouraging me along the way. This book is dedicated to you, Robert Rochell Freeman. Thank you for believing in me, praying for me, and for trusting me to write for you. I love you and will continue to make you proud.
Love, Cynthia NiHot, Pokey Slow, #3.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PART 1
RUNNING AWAY
PROLOGUE
PART 2
A ROSE IS STILL A ROSE
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
PART 3
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
PART 4
BREATHE AGAIN
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
PART 5
HOLD UP
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
CHAPTER 45
CHAPTER 46
CHAPTER 47
CHAPTER 48
PART 6
WAIT, WHAT?
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, I thank God and Jesus Christ, my Lord, for all of the amazing blessings each day. God, you said in your Word, Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
From my heart to:
My loving husband, J Maurice Gibbs, for being my encourager, sounding board, shoulder to cry on, friend to laugh with, and for taking care of everything, so I could focus on allowing my creative mind to flow. I still feel like a newlywed after nine years of marriage to you. I love you forever.
Mom, Merilyn Freeman, you are my nurturer. You are such a strong inspiration to me. I admire your artistry in your ministry of music, cooking, and making jewelry. You are a walking encyclopedia, avid reader, and Scrabble master, which made a world of difference when you offered me your feedback on my writing. Thank you for taking the time to proofread my work. I love your laughter, the way you care for our family, and for others with your whole heart.
Mommy, Barbara Gibbs, you are an amazing mother-in-law. Thank you for raising J Maurice to be the man that he is. The things you instilled in him as a child are evident today in the way he is in our marriage. I love you for your sense of humor and your caring spirit.
My dearest siblings: Chevelle Freeman, Dion Freeman, and Jamille Freeman Hunter. Y’all are all crazy, and you know it! I can’t imagine growing up without the three of you. You have all poured into my life in so many ways that I can’t even begin to express it. Thank you for your laughter, listening ears, and your support during my writing journey and throughout my life. I appreciate the time you took to proofread and provide your feedback from your creative brains. I know, as the middle sister, I rule the world!
The best brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Damon Hunter and Vicky Freeman. I thank God for the love you have shown my siblings and to all of us over the years. Y’all are both crazy too and fit right in!
My sorority sister/daughter, JaLeesa Gibbs. I thank you for celebrating with me along the way.
My beautiful nieces and nephews. I know you are all going places and doing big things. You know that Auntie Cynthia is proud of each of you. You are all my favorite!
I appreciate the love and support I have received from my aunts, uncles, cousins, and so many family members. I can’t name all of you because I would leave someone’s name out. Thank you.
Brown Girls Books – ReShonda Tate Billingsley and Victoria Christopher Murray, you are both amazing in all you do. Thank you for sharing your expertise. Thank you for choosing me!
To my friends who served as readers, editors, mentors, and more. The time you took from your busy schedules meant the world to me. Thank you: Dr. Betty Harris, Brucetta Williams, Christa McDuffie, Iuliana Foos, Jan Kilby, Attorney Jason Pulliam, Lauren McCadney Williams, Dr. Phillip Williams, Michelle L. De La Garza and the Tobin Writers’ Group, Attorney Stephanie Brown, Treyla Lee, Tricia Mayes. You saw my work in the raw stage, and I thank you for sticking with me to see this project through to the end. Christa, I can’t thank you enough for brainstorming with me on story ideas and making sure I knew when it didn’t make sense.
My webmaster, the incomparable and unstoppable, Andre Green. #KeepCalmAndLiveOn #TeamDreBrain.
San Antonio Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. My sorority sisters have been there to encourage and lift me up. It meant the world to me to have you there at the Delta REaD Book Club event where Brown Girls Books announced I was their newest author. Thank you for true sisterhood for a lifetime.
Resurrection Baptist Church Family (Redland Oaks and Schertz campuses) – Thank you for your prayers.
Carver Page Turners Book Club – Thank you for inviting me to read to your Book Club in 2016 when I didn’t have a physical book. Thank you for inviting me to return with my books.
My sorority sisters who are authors I adopted as mentors: Cynae Punch Brown, Meme Kelly, and Ruth P. Watson.
Finally, I thank all of you who have given me words of encouragement during this awesome journey to become an author to write books for the world to enjoy.
PART 1
RUNNING AWAY
PROLOGUE
San Antonio, TX - October 10, 2011
“Savvy.” Olivia’s raw throat barely allowed a raspy whisper to slip through her cotton-dry mouth. “It’s me.”
The illuminated phone offered little light in the wooded area where she hid underneath the twilight sky. Oh no. Why do I only have two percent of my battery power left? Shoot. It hasn’t been plugged in to charge since yesterday morning. Doggone it. I gotta get out of here before it goes dead.
Insects communicated loudly in a swell and fa
ll of harmonized choirs. I can’t hear myself think over the sound of these bugs. Why are they making so much noise? Olivia slapped her bare arms and face more than necessary to ward off the pests. These mosquitos are killing me. What if I get the West Nile virus from these things biting on me?
The crunch of dead leaves with each hastened step she took echoed and seemed to come from someone other than herself. Is somebody following me? What if they’re coming to get me? A sudden rustling in the trees above her head made her cringe with paranoia of unseen creatures or people lurking around. What was that? Please don’t let a critter jump out at me. There could be coyotes or mountain lions out here. No one will even know what happened to me.
She jumped wildly at the sound of an owl’s hoot and scraped her forehead against a tree branch. “Ouch,” she cried. She rubbed her face and felt the roughness of broken skin.
“Olivia, speak up. I can’t hear you. What’s wrong with your voice? Why didn’t you call me back last night?” Savvy chastised through the phone.
Exhaustion from being on the run for seven hours caught up to her once she heard Savvy’s voice. Her stomach growled loudly reminding her it had been a day and a half since she’d eaten anything. Vodka. She remembered drinking lots of it in that time-frame, and her body now resented her. I may need to look for berries and nuts out here to survive. What if I starve or die from dehydration before I find my way out?
Sharp, radiating pains in her lungs forced her to stop moving and bend over to attempt to breathe. Her chest rose and fell rapidly in her soot-covered shirt with her desire for air. She swooned from the stench of gasoline wafting through her nostrils.
“Savvy,” she whispered louder, despite the agony of speaking. “My house has burned down.”
“Olivia. What are you talking about? I can’t hear you very well. Hold up. Let me increase the volume on my phone.” Olivia grew impatient listening to the sound of Savvy fumbling around. “Okay, I’m back. Now, what did you say?”
Olivia hacked, trying to clear her throat and had second thoughts about telling Savvy what happened. Shivering from the coolness of the air made her wish for a jacket. She clutched the phone in her trembling hand and held it close to her mouth to amplify her whisper. “My house burned to the ground.” Her words came in short spurts, and her stomach lurched at the memory of her husband. “Malcolm has the kids.”
“Did you say your house burned down?” Savvy’s voice screamed through the phone. Olivia pulled it from her ear, which hurt from the piercing shriek. “What happened? Where are you?”
Olivia frantically crept around the wooded area trying to find her way out. “I can’t talk right now. That’s all I can say because I don’t want to incriminate you.” Tears tumbled from her eyes and onto her phone. “I’m so sorry,” she continued, lowering her voice even more. “I can’t believe my kids almost died today. Please tell Christian and Simone how much mommy loves them. God knows I would never hurt them. You’ve been the best friend ever. I love you, Savvy.” A siren blared in the distance. Olivia froze as if they could see her if she moved. She ended her call, afraid of being found.
Without the light from the screen, the darkness elevated Olivia’s fear in her chest. She began hyperventilating, and the short inhalations of air made her dizzy. She stumbled to a boulder and fell on it to catch her breath. Her lungs burned and struggled to open to receive whatever oxygen they could. The sunrise would be her only saving grace.
My mother is right. I’m not good enough, and no one loves me. Failure is my middle name, and my life is as good as being dead. Who cares that I’m an educated psychologist. People will think I’m a crazy woman if they find me hiding in the woods. The doctor said I wasn’t bipolar. What’s wrong with me? How did I end up like this? “God, help me,” she cried into the night and clenched her head to silence her thoughts. “Please, Lord.”
PART 2
A ROSE IS STILL
A ROSE
CHAPTER 1
Tallassee, FL - 1989
“Have you ever hitchhiked?” Olivia asked Savvy.
“Huh?” Savvy’s thinly arched left brow raised. She eyeballed Olivia like she was crazy. “Savvy” and “hitchhiking” didn’t’ even belong in the same sentence.
The girls were introduced earlier in the evening at a gathering in the dormitory of their mutual friend, Lil’ Bud at The State University of Florida (TSUF). They instantly connected around a love for the R&B group, New Edition, as well as a passion for shopping. After hanging at the get together for a few hours, they decided to head to a party thrown by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity at Florida A&M University (FAMU).
Savvy was a first-year student at FAMU, and Olivia planned to transfer her credits from Tallahassee Community College there next year in order to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Hopes of meeting the men of their dreams at the party filled their conversation, which led to the idea of traveling across town from TSUF.
“Hitchhiking, you know, catching a ride standing on the side of the street with your thumb and your leg stuck out,” Olivia said.
“Girl, no,” Savvy exclaimed. “I know what hitchhiking is and I don’t do dangerous stuff like that. Why would you ask something so ridiculous?”
“I always thought it would be fun.” Olivia’s light brown eyes glowed with excitement.
“Well, it happens to be crazy and reckless.”
“You have to live a little, right?”
“I’m confused,” Savvy said. “You have a car. Why would you need to beg for a ride with strangers?”
“I don’t need to. I want to. Don’t be a dud like my other friends,” Olivia pleaded. “Plus, I don’t have any gas to get all the way to FAMU. We wouldn’t have to worry about parking either.’”
“Hold up. I thought we were on the way to your apartment to pick up your car. Are you thinking about bumming a ride to FAMU tonight?” Savvy stopped walking, put her hands on her hips, and stared at Olivia like she’d lost her mind. “Oh no. We’re by Frenchtown and you know it’s the rougher side of Tallahassee. I ain’t willingly letting someone snatch me.”
Olivia twisted her lips in disappointment. They started to walk again toward the edge of campus to Tennessee Street, one of the main roads in front of the university. Next thing Savvy knew, Olivia stood on the curb, hiked up her already-short red dress even more, and raised her thumb and stuck her leg out as a silver SUV approached. At five feet, ten inches, she was easy to spot on the side of the road underneath the street light.
Savvy grabbed Olivia’s arm and yanked her back from the curb. “Have you lost your mind? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Olivia laughed. “Oh, come on. We’re in college, and this is when we’re supposed to have fun. It won’t be dangerous.”
Savvy shook her head in disbelief as Olivia stuck her leg out and raised her thumb again. A bright purple, lowrider approached slowly. 2 Live Crew’s, “Me So Horny,” blasted from the window. The car stopped in front of Olivia on the busy street.
A striking man leaned out the passenger side window, studying Olivia from head to toe and asked, “Whassup baby? Whatchu doing standing out here?” He smacked his lips like he would if he were eating a piece of fried chicken. “Girl, you got me thinking about a dark, chocolate, Hershey Kiss. You need a ride somewhere?”
Savvy stood back with her arms folded and rolled her eyes in disgust. Surely, Olivia would back away from this ghetto lowrider, especially with his tacky, Hershey Kiss line.
Olivia acted like she’d hit the jackpot, and ran to the vehicle. “Yeah. We’re trying to catch a ride to FAMU for a party tonight since we don’t have any gas in my car. Can you give us a lift?”
Savvy couldn’t believe Olivia was serious about hitchhiking a ride from these thugs in this ugly, purple machine.
“Anything for you baby. We’re rolling that way to handle some bizness.” He smiled, revealing a gold grill in his mouth across his front teeth, and opened his door to get out. His car might have been tacky,
but this man was anything but tacky. All six-feet-two-inches of him was fine, especially his creamy, mocha latte colored skin. He kept running his incredibly long tongue across his full lips, making them unbelievingly juicy like one of Savvy’s favorite rappers, LL Cool J.
She couldn’t help but notice his fresh, high-top fade haircut. Stonewashed jeans made his firm booty tempting to touch. His perfectly fitted Miami Dolphin football jersey accentuated his muscled, tattooed arms.
“Why is your friend standing back there acting like she’s your parole officer?” he asked looking over every inch of Savvy’s curvy shape. She tugged at the hem of her miniskirt and tried to disappear into the ground. The last thing she wanted was this dude to see her lusting after him.
Stepping back, Olivia laughed and grabbed Savvy’s arm. “This is Savannah, but we call her Savvy. Come on, girl, let’s get to this party before it ends. We have a way to get there now.”
Savvy shook her arm free from Olivia’s grip and glared at her. “Girl, puh-leeaze. You’re not for real, right? I know you don’t think we’re about to get in there with these strangers. My mom and dad would kill me if they even thought I’d do something this stupid. Now come on, let’s walk back to Lil’ Bud’s place,” she yelled above the ear-piercing music.
“Oh, loosen up, Savvy. There’s nothing wrong with these guys. You know this ride is custom made so we’ll ride in style. We won’t even be in there for long. Come on,” Olivia pleaded.
Savvy peered at the guy and noticed how he appeared ready to devour her like a lion eating a wallaby. Her cheeks flushed from him undressing her with his stare. For some strange reason, her body tingled, and goosebumps popped out on her arms.
“Yeah, come on, baby. Come hang with us. We can all go party together,” he said, flashing a seductive smile.
“This is crazy, Olivia. I don’t even know you well enough since we just met tonight. Not to mention, we don’t know anything about these people.” Savvy planted her hands firmly on her hips. “I’m not getting in and you better not either.” Savvy began to walk away.
Reasonable Insanity Page 1