Chapter 11: Interpersonal Success

"How long have you been speaking to that whore Samantha Van Buren?"

"Not until yesterday why?"

"I'm so sure that's true. She came by an hour ago to question me about my connection to Gregory Collins." Chasity says standing up.

 "Well, do you have a connection to him?"

 "Yes, but you must know that it was both professional and personal. I defended him in court once in June 1955 and I had sex with him. You weren't touching me at all and I was sexually deprived. It had been a year after that girl was born and I wanted some excitement."

"I can't fault you for being honest. Indeed I hadn't touched you due to my hectic work schedule. However, it's no excuse. You could have told me what you felt." Darwin says incensing Chasity.

 "So you're saying this is my fault?!"

 "No, we're both at fault. If I were primarily at fault I would have said so. We both were uncommunicative early on in our marriage yet here we are thirteen years later."

 "I want out. I was unhappy before I said I did. I only married you to spite my sister and it worked initially. I'll have the divorce decree drawn up soon." Chasity says heading upstairs.

 "You want the divorce and you're the one who cheated?"

"This shouldn't be shocking Chasity. I allowed myself to be blinded by my heart. After Deena was born I only stayed for her sake. But now that she's older I can remove the malignant tumor and raise our daughter."

 "You think she wants to live with you?" Chasity asks chuckling.

 "I'm positive she does. You are nothing more than a bully who needs and deserves comeuppance."

Chasity then enters his personal space.

 "I'll be damned if I allow you to stand here and disrespect me."  

 "This is my house and I will not allow you to disrespect me in it. I want you out of here by tomorrow evening at six."

Darwin then goes upstairs.

 Chasity grabs her keys and leaves.

 Danny and the gang arrive at his house and go to the living room. The trio looks around in awe while setting their backpacks on the couch.

 "You have a really nice house," Deena says sweetly.

 "Thank you,"

 "You're welcome."

 "I don't have anything to drink but water. I was going to go shopping tonight and restock."

 "I'll take a glass of water," Kimberly says getting Danny's attention.

 "Why don't you guys come with me," Danny says.

The trio follows him into the dining room.

 "This is your dining room?! Man, it's like a real-life diner!" Alvin says amazed.

 "Yeah, I love the booth and two-chair table. But honestly, you should have seen it when I first moved in. It was really dilapidated." Danny says as they enter the kitchen.

 "So Danny, are your parents away for the weekend?" Deena asks.

Danny's smile dissolves instantly as he goes to the refrigerator.

 "My father died before I was born and I found my mother dead when I was five years old," Danny says as tears fill his eyes grabbing the pitcher.

Danny goes to the cabinet and grabs a tall glass. He goes to the island counter and sets it down. He pours the water into the glass as Deena places her right hand on his left shoulder and squeezes it.

 "I believe God takes people from you to bring you closer to him. However, he never takes away without replacing the loss with something far better. I firmly believe God put us together for a reason." Deena says soothingly before sipping her water.

 "For the longest time, I was upset at God for taking my parents from me. I've been alone for so long that I thought he was finally lifting my punishment. But now I'm starting to believe he still is."

 "God isn't punishing you you're punishing yourself. You still have things in your past that you haven't faced. The thing about the past is you have to go through it alone and I absolutely loathe that." Deena says as Danny returns the pitcher to the refrigerator and closes the door.

 "Alone is all I know how to be," Danny says looking back at Deena.

 "You apologized for your behavior, you made a vow and now you invited us into your home? I'd say all those are great steps in the right direction." Deena says sweetly making Danny smile.

"Thank you, Deena."

 "So Danny, how are you paying for this place?" Kimberly asks looking around the kitchen.

 "I work overnight at a grocery store," Danny says leaning against the counter.

 "I see, well to go from deplorable to comfortable truly is a testament," Kimberly says meeting Danny's eyes.

 "Yes, it is."

 "Are you guys ready to rehearse?" Alvin asks excitedly.

 "I am," Danny says.

They return to the living room when a knock comes on the front door. Carol gets up and goes to the front door.

 "Who is it?"

 "District Attorney Samantha Van Buren."

Carol looks through the peephole and unlocks and opens the door.

 "Good evening, please come in," Carol says warmly stepping aside.

 She leads her to the dining room where Samantha sits down in an adjacent chair of the head chair.

 "I know I said I would come Friday but I want to get this taken care of right away. I understand that Gregory Collins is the father of your daughter Kimberly Bradshaw."

 "Yes, he is."

 "I was informed that he was recently released from prison in Maryland and that he's after you. I was wondering if you could tell me if you communicated with him during his incarceration." Samantha says taking out a pencil and notebook.

 "No ma'am I did not. All I knew was that he was imprisoned in Maryland." Carol sighs as tears fill her eyes.

 "I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers I just want to make sure that if this goes to court that you're protected."

Carol closes her eyes exhaling. When she opens them she stares into Samantha's eyes.

 "I understand. I was just thinking about when Gregory came to my job and choked me. Then my daughter told me yesterday that she saw him across the street from her school. She said he stared at her before she left with her friends. Seeing as how he was just released I can see him still wearing the same outfit he was arrested in." Carol says as Samantha writes everything down.

 "Okay, are you aware that Chasity Tansworth had a tryst with him following a 1955 domestic case against you?" Samantha asks dropping her pencil.

 "No, I wasn't but that's in the past. I don't care who he slept with after our relationship dissolved."

 "I completely understand your point of view. I also want to make sure you don't do anything rash. The laws of Maryland and California are aware of who your father was and what he engaged in. Since you're his only child we have reason to believe you'll use his influence if necessary."

 "On my father's deathbed, I promised him I wouldn't use his connections for ill intention. You have nothing to worry about Ms. Van Buren." Carol says reassuringly smiling at her.

 "Good because if this goes to court it can become very ugly," Samantha says standing up.

 They shake hands and Carol leads her back to the front door. Samantha opens the door and steps out onto the porch. She looks back at Carol smiling relieved.

 "Thank you for helping me, Ms. Bradshaw."

 "You're welcome."

Samantha smiles one final time at Carol before descending the stairs. Carol goes back inside and leans against the door exhaling heavily.

At six o'clock Kimberly, Deena, and Alvin are standing on Danny's porch.

"That was an awesome rehearsal guys. Maybe we don't have to rehearse at the dock." Alvin says.

 "We won't. We'll practice here permanently." Danny says.

"Kimberly don't feel bad for what you did to Candis and Lucille. Sometimes karma comes sooner than people expect it to." Danny reassures making Kimberly smile.

 "I can't say I disagree," Kimberly says giving Danny a fist bump.

 "I'll see you guys in the morning,"

The trio then walks downstairs.

 "Wow, Danny's slowly changing. I wasn't expecting it so quickly but I'm grateful." Alvin says as they head down the sidewalk.

 "Well, life has a way of making you reevaluate yourself," Deena says gazing up at the sky.

 "Can't argue with that. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Kimberly says hugging them.

 "See you tomorrow afternoon Kim," Alvin says before separating.

 The trio parts company and head to their homes.

 Kimberly arrives home and locks the front door. She goes to the kitchen and wash her hands. She pours a glass of water and sips as Carol enters the kitchen.

 "Good evening sweetheart, how was your day?" Carol asks as Kimberly finishes her water.

 "It was good. I exacted my revenge and was suspended from tomorrow through next Wednesday." Kimberly confesses turning on the faucet and washing her glass.

 "What exactly did you do?"

 Kimberly turns off the faucet and sets the glass on the rack.

 "They beat me up privately so I embarrassed them publicly. I didn't want to do them how they did me."

 "That's four days of school that you'll be missing."

Kimberly walks over to her mother.

 "It's fine because Deena is going to keep me informed of all the work they'll be doing."

 "You will still have to make those days up," Carol says sternly now folding her arms.

 "Principal Hawthorne never said anything about making them up. You sound furious that I got revenge." Kimberly says cocking her head to the side.

 "It's just that your education should be your top priority. Missing days deprive you of getting the information you need to succeed. However, I can't be too upset because I would have done the same thing if I were in that situation. Hopefully, those girls learned their lesson." Carol says placing her hand on Kimberly's right cheek.

 "I hope they did too," Kimberly says before going to her bedroom.

 The next day Danny, Deena, and Alvin are in class working. Deena is wearing a long-sleeved white turtleneck dress with brown stockings and knee-length brown suede boots. Around her neck is a golden necklace with a cross at the bottom. Her hair is styled in a large bun with a swoop. On the back of her chair is an ankle-length sable coat. Alvin is wearing a sea-green polo shirt, white slacks, and white tennis shoes. Danny is wearing a black leather outfit with black and white tennis shoes and a white T-shirt.

 "So have you guys decided on what you're wearing to the Winter Formal?" Alvin asks.

 "I haven't but as the days go by my mind is flooded with new ideas," Danny says.

 "I can't wait to see what you turn out," Alvin says refocusing on his assignment.

 "Considering what happened I didn't think Principal Hawthorne would let Kimberly attend the Winter Formal." Deena comments.

 "Maybe she thought that would have been too harsh. But no matter how you look at it those two deserved what they got." Alvin chimes in.

 "At least we'll all be together at the dance, that's what matters."

Alvin and Deena look over at Danny.

 "Danny you've really done a one hundred and eighty," Alvin says shocked.

 "After what happened with you I realized I had a voice again and I needed to start using it," Danny says looking Alvin in the eyes and smiling.

 "No objection there," Alvin says flashing a grin.

 The rest of the day is filled with conversation and when school dismisses the trio heads to Kimberly's house. Alvin knocks on the door and the door opens revealing Kimberly. She is wearing a blue jean outfit with a white top and white tennis shoes. Her hair is pulled back into a high ponytail. In her ears are golden bamboo earrings.

 "Hey, Kim we come bearing homework." Alvin jokes making the robust teen laugh.

 "Let's get the boring part over with so we can sing," Kimberly says stepping aside.

 "We can go to the living room like before," Kimberly says and they go to the living room.

 They go to the coffee table and remove their backpacks. Deena opens her backpack and hands Kimberly two small stacks of paper. They are separated by paper clips.

 "Those are all of the things Ms. Gromlin taught us in class today. It also contains your homework assignments. I hope it's enough." Deena says sweetly as Kimberly flips through it.

 "It's more than enough, thank you, Dee," Kimberly says removing the paper clips and smiling at her.

 "You're welcome," Deena says as she starts on her homework.

 "I was thinking after we finish our homework we could go to my house and rehearse," Danny says.

 "That sounds groovy. I need to get out of the house for a while." Kimberly says reading her notes.

"Good, then it's settled," Danny says authoritatively.

Darwin is at his office going over some notes when a knock comes on his door.

"Come in," Darwin says not looking up from his desk.

The door opens and Samantha walks in. She is wearing a black silk blouse, a navy blue pantsuit, and black kitten heels. Her hair is combed back and cascades into a large flip at the end. In her left hand is her black briefcase.

"Good afternoon councilwoman," Darwin says as Samantha shuts the door.

"Good evening Darwin, how are you?" Samantha asks approaching his desk.

"I'm wonderful and yourself?" Darwin asks Samantha sitting before him.

"That's good and I'm fantastic," Samantha says setting her briefcase in the neighboring chair.

"So what brings you in this evening?"

"I wanted to formally tell you that I spoke with your wife and Carol Bradshaw. They are both willing to cooperate. However, I think the difficult part is going to be getting Gregory Collins."

"That's definitely true. You'll have to issue a warrant for his arrest. Once you get him to the police station we can have the sheriff question him." Darwin says resting his chin on his hands.

"He came here from Maryland so we'll have to subpoena him. However, another difficulty will be his accepting it. He'll probably think he's going back to prison. So whoever we put on this case will have to be professional yet swift."

"I can deliver it, when would you like me to do it?"

"Right now."

 "I can do that."

Darwin then picks up the telephone and dials her number.

Samantha grabs her briefcase and walks to the door. She grabs the doorknob and looks over at Darwin smiling.

"Thank you, Darwin."

"You're welcome, Sam."

Samantha smiles before heading out the door.

Darwin grabs his car keys and heads out the door.

Deena is in her father's study reading law books and jotting down notes when the door swings open revealing Chasity.

"Your father and I are getting a divorce and it's all your fault!" Chasity accuses heading to the desk.

"How so?" Deena asks standing to her feet.

 Chasity grabs Deena by her collar and slams her against the bookcase.  

"Because you exist! If you hadn't been born then we wouldn't be having issues!"

Tears fill Deena's brown eyes. She closes them and purses her lips.

"No disrespect Mother but I'm going to need two things from you. One I need you to release me and two, whatever issues you and father are facing were there before I was born."

The teen then receives a punch from Chasity sending her sliding down the bookcase. Chasity backs away and points at her daughter.  

"It is all your fault bitch. After your birth, he stopped touching me and that caused me to wander. You are the cause of all my pain and misery." Chasity quips storming out.

Deena holds her face while her tears continue falling.

"God, how much more do I have to endure before you intervene?" Deena sobs looking up at the ceiling.

Darwin enters the Amory Lotus Police Station lobby. The walls are white brick with portraits of law officials who have served the city for decades. There are ten cushion chairs on both sides of the lobby. On the wall behind the reception desk are the letters ALPD. There is a circular wood grain desk in the center with an officer sitting behind it. The officer is in his early forties with pale skin. His short black hair is slicked back with gray edges.

He has blue eyes that are doused in seriousness. He is wearing a long-sleeved gray button-down shirt, black slacks, and black leather boots. On his shirt is a golden badge and his name badge. Darwin approaches the desk and places his hands on the surface.

"Good afternoon I'm Darwin Tansworth Attorney at Law. I need to have a wa