The Other Side of Goodness by Vanessa Davis Griggs Page B

I recall correctly, she was the one that put Gabrielle out on the streets with no place to go. I don’t know how much Gabrielle will care when it comes to them.”
    â€œLawrence, Lawrence, Lawrence,” William said as though he was saying his friend just didn’t get it. “When have I ever come at a thing from merely one angle? I can use the aunt’s situation, believe me. Cecelia Murphy is being charged with stealing. She needs a good lawyer or it’s very possible she’s on her way to jail. Now tell me: What do you think our helping her out would be worth to her? Huh?”
    â€œWell, if possible, I’d like to keep the list of folks involved in whatever we do down to as few people as possible. I don’t like it when you get too many players. It’s a sure recipe for problems down the road, and I don’t need any more problems than I already have. Let’s just see if we can get Gabrielle to go away and be done with it.” Lawrence glanced at his watch. “Listen, I need to get off this phone. I don’t want to do anything to disappoint Deidra. Not at this point.”
    â€œSo I have the okay to proceed on this matter?”
    â€œGo with the one that’s the least messy and will meet up with the least resistance. I’d like to nip this before it ever gets a chance to bloom.”
    â€œAll right; I’ll get my folks right on it. You know that my people’s horses are swifter than the leopards and fiercer than the evening wolves. When I dispatch them on a prey, they fly like a hungry eagle in a hurry to feast.”
    â€œJust make sure when they’re done, we’re not left with more of a mess to clean up than what we started with,” Lawrence said. “I’ve seen your people’s handiwork; they can be quite brutal.”
    â€œHey,” William said. “You either want it done or you don’t. There’s no in-between.”
    â€œFine, William. Do what you need to do and just keep me updated. But not tonight,” Lawrence said. “Tonight, I’m turning off my cell phone and focusing on making things right with my wife. I can already see we’re going to have a long road ahead of us to this next election. I don’t need to have to deal with a wife with an attitude to boot.” Lawrence looked up and saw Deidra walking into the room. “And speaking of my beautiful wife,” he said, hoping she hadn’t heard any of what he’d just said. “I have to hang up now. This vision of beauty just entered the room.”
    Lawrence clicked the END button. “Baby, you look absolutely stunning!” He walked over to her, scanning her up and down as he took note of the V-neckline, black and white, silk, bold-abstract-print, belted dress. “How did I become so blessed that God would even allow me to be able to behold such beauty this close? Huh? Tell me. And tell me who designed that dress that’s fitting you all over the place? Uh-uh-uh.”
    Deidra smiled. “Oh, so you like this? I’m glad to hear that. It’s a Venus flytrap by Emilio Pucci. It cost a little over two grand, and that was the on-sale price.” She did a quick twirl as she smiled. “I just came to let you know that I’m ready.”
    â€œYes, ma’am. That you are. But the question is: Am I ready? Because I can already see that I’m going to have to fight off the men from staring at you tonight. Wow! Let me run the phone back upstairs, get my jacket, and we’ll be on our way.” He started out of the room, turned back to his wife, then kissed her. “Wow!” he said. “Look at my baby. Nothing but the best, on the best, for the best!”
    Deidra giggled. “Boy, you are so silly.”
    â€œI’ll be right back.” He ran upstairs, returned the phone to its base, put his jacket on, checked himself in the dresser mirror, then smiled. “Thank You, God. I can see