C H A P T E R
T W E N T Y - S E V E N

        "How many of you guys have heard of the Book of Job?" A few inmates raised their hands. "Can one of you guys tell me what it's about? Just a brief summary over it." He asked as he paced the front of the room staring at each male in there.

When no one spoke up, he chuckled lightly. "Don't be shy, we all in here just tryna get the word of God.. but I'll go on and tell you guys and then we'll see how many of you guys can relate to Job in a way."

"Job back in the day is what we would call a baller in our time.. he had everything a rich man could have. I'm gon' tell this story modern style so you guys can understand it better. So okay, in Today's time we gon' say Job had all the fancy cars, a family, money galore, big mansion you know how the rappers live today we gon' say they're Job. He lived in a land called "Uz," with his family and expensive cars living it up but also following the word of God. Job was such a good person that he had God bragging about him to the Devil, now ain't that something? You gotta be a bad mamma jamma if you got the lord bragging about you to his enemy right?" The inmates nodded agreeing.

"So the homie God goes on to tell Satan about the goodness of Job and whatnot, and of course Satan being Satan argues telling God that Job is only a good man because God has blessed him abundantly so this is when things get interesting .. Satan challenges God that if he was given the permission to punish Job that Job would turn and curse God. In other words blame him for the bad things that happened instead of seeking for help and guidance .. So God gives Satan the okay because he believes in Job, but he told Satan that he could only punish Job just couldn't take his life in the process.."

"So listen to this.. in one day, in just one day Job recieves four messages each one with different news that his cars, servants, kids and pets and so on have all died due to some robbers they came up in his house and just wiped everything he loved out. So in one day he loses everything, but Job didn't turn on God ..he mourned and blessed God in his prayers .. but here come Satan knocking at the door once again wanting to test him again and God let's him. This time Satan punishes him with horrible skin sores, his wife being typical tries to encourage Job to blame God for all of this and just to give up and die .. some wife she is right? But Job refuses to do but he was struggling to accept his circumstances."

"So then three of his good friends come to visit him by the names of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar and for seven days they sat in silence respecting Job letting him mourn. On the seventh day, Job speaks starting a conversation which results in all four men discussing their thoughts on Job's afflicitions. They mostly assumed that Job had to have committed a sin to be getting punished like this and wouldn't you guys think so? If nothing but bad things happen in one persons life and you looking in from the outside you would assume the person is recieving bad karma right?" The inmates nodded.

"Exactly so before I continue.. I want to hear from the ones who have not read this book and tell me whatchu think is going to happen next?"

Ahmad rose his hand, "Go,"

"I feel that he will eventually start blaming God because sadly thats the most common thing to do .. instead of blaming the man who doesn't want to see us do good we never hold him accountable for anything but instead blame the one who only wants us to love him and praise him." The pastor nodded impressed.

"Good assumption, anybody else?"

A guy named Timothy rose his hand, "Shoot,"

"I don't think he's going to turn against God because he knows God has blessed him for so long, he should know that God would never do anything to hurt him in that way, God loves him."

"In a way God did play a part in hurting him, he was letting Satan punish him.." A guy named Nick mumbled. "How do you feel about this book Nick?" The pastor questioned.

"The story really ain't making sense, why would God allow Satan to punish this man who has done no wrong.. if he does blame God he has every right too cause God allowed it to happen. God wants people to follow him and worship him but he does shit like this, he makes his people suffer for nothing and that don't make sense to me to be honest."

"He was testing Job's faith and honor."

"I'm sorry but if I lost everything I ever loved and hadn't done anything to deserve that yes I'm blaming God because he's suppose to watch over his children." Ahmad glanced at the guy sorta agreeing, he had a major point in his eyes.

"Nick has a point, growing up I saw a lot of people who were genuiunely good people and they suffered the most and the ones who were heartless and could careless about people got everything .. it really doesn't make sense." A guy named Wesley spoke up.

"Those blessings those bad people recieve aren't blessings and they don't last forever." The pastor replied back seeing that he was losing a few due to this story.

"Nah man, explain this my little sister was beat and raped by a group of niggas she grew up with, she was twelve still a virgin and lost her innocence like that.. she ain't never did nothing to nobody and got ruined mentally because of that, this is why I have issues with this God shit cause just what Nick said bad shit always happening to good folks and you expect for me to believe there is a God watching over us?"

"Tell that to the babies, the kids who get kidnapped, killed, and molested .. tell them God let that happen!" The guy yelled then stood up to leave out of the chapel.

Everyone fell silent, not sure what to say after that when the buzzer went off letting them know bible study was over the pastor sighed. "We'll continue this study next weekend, see you guys later."

Ahmad walked alongside Tate back to their cell. "Shit got deep as fuck in there today," Tate mumbled but Ahmad ain't say nothing.

He remained quiet just deep in thought. Whenever people brought of the topic of molest and God, it always made him question things..like why did God allow that to happen to him.

But he made a mental note in his head to go and talk to the pastor about it and get his insight on it before he held up the middle finger to God, like he did before.

He was trying to stick with this and get better mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

         Sitting in her room as Blessed by Daniel Caeser played through her iHome speaker, Alisha let the tears fall from her eyes as each word of the song touched her mentally and emotionally. She was tired of feeling this way, feeling like a failure no matter what she accomplished.

She felt she would never please her mother until she finally settled down, so she knew she had to make a choice between two guys she had grown to like very much.

But the bad thing about this was that she didn't want to break any hearts in the process. Her and Shaun had been connecting on a deeper level after their talk, but he was still a little hesitant on things that Alisha wanted while Damion was ready to make her his woman.

As the song changed to Every Kind of Way by H.E.R, Alisha stood up from her bed wiping her tears taking a seat at her vanity. She stared at the woman before her seeing a lost girl, who just wanted the approval of her mom. She wanted her mom to boast about her to her friends like she did with Anaya, she wanted her mama to just be simply proud of her.

So she was doing what her mother wanted. Grabbing her phone, she unlocked it with her thumb print going straight to his contact calling him. The phone rung a few times until his deep bass voice came through the speaker of the phone. "Hello?" He answered as he moved around his kitchen preparing dinner.

"Hey, are you busy?"

Shifting his phone from his left ear to his right, he turned the burner down. "Just whipping up something to eat, you good?"

Biting her lip, she played with her fingers as they sat in silence. Pulling the phone away from his ear, he looked at it to see if she hung up but once he saw she didn't, he called her name.

"I'm here, um do you mind if I come over?" She asked with her eyes closed. "Yeah of course, I told you you're always allowed at my crib.. you heading over here now?"

"Yeah, give me thirty minutes."

"Alright, I'll have the door unlocked just let yourself in." Hanging up her phone, she tossed it to the side of her trying to see if she was making the right decision.

Standing to her feet she slipped on a pair of black Nike sweats that got skinny at the ankles, a white tank top and her black FentyxPuma fur slides. Grabbing her keys and wallet she shut off her iHome grabbed her phone then headed downstairs and out the door.

Feeling her phone vibrate she looked to see Cali trying to facetime, accepting the call she waited for it to connect soon Marquette's face was on the camera. "Whatchu doing on your mama phone stink?" She smiled as she got in her car.

He shrugged his shoulders as he blushed. "I talk Mad today," He cheesed.

"Aw, I'm sure you were happy to talk to him..whatchu guys talk about?"

"My birfthday, he say we gon' get to play togedder."

"That's good baby, where's your mana?" She asked as she switched lanes. "Right hea', you talk to ha'?"

"Yeah give mana the phone for me please." After exchanging byes and I love you's, he handed the phone to Cali who was sitting up in bed looking at baby cribs.

"Hello Alisha,"

"Hello Aubrey, how are you?"

Cali pulled at a strand of her hair, "Good, just tired .. but um where you going at this time of night ma'am?"

"Just to the store to get something to eat,"

"I feel like you lying but tell Damion or Shaun I said what's good in the hood?"

Laughing, Alisha rolled her eyes. "Can I ask you something on a serious note?"

"Of course, Marquette go downstairs with your Uncle Chris baby." When Marquette was out her room, she turned back to the camera. "What's up?"

"Out of Shaun and Damion .. who do you think I should go for?"

"Shouldn't that be your choice babe? I mean who ever makes you happier go for them, whoever gives you that feeling of forever then that's your guy."

Alisha sighed. "I just don't want to look like a fool again .. I believed Melvin for so long about the divorce he was suppose to have and ended up alone then I have Shaun who I can tell has feelings for me but I know deep down he still wants his ex .. then Damion is just too perfect and that scares me sis, like we have good times together but its like no man is that perfect right? He respects me, always wants to take me out, pretty much told me what he wanted which was a relationship not with me but in general, he's ready to be tied down but somehow I'm still barking up Shaun's tree when its possibility that he might leave me for his true love.."

Cali nodded, "Why are you looking for something to be wrong with him, maybe Damion is geniunely a good guy .. by what you told me , I think you know your choice and I hope you make the right choice. Cause you deserve to be love but listen to me don't make any decisions just to make your mom happy, do what you feel is right."

When Alisha arrived to his house, she sighed. "I hear you but I'll call you back later."

"Okay, be safe love you."

"Love you too,"

Parking in her original spot where she usually parks, she sat in the car for a second sending a small prayer hoping she was not about to make the biggest mistake. Getting out following his instructions letting herself in. She heard the tv from his living room playing so she followed the noise to see him sitting there eating and watching Hip Hop Squares. "Hey," She spoke catchng his attention scaring him a bit.

"Damn girl, yo ass like a cat didn't even hear you come in," Standing to his feet, he sat his plate down on the table making his way towards her embracing her small frame into one of those bear hugs.

She wrapped her arms around his waist as they stood there for a minute until she pulled away. "You hungry?" He asked.

"Nah, I'm fine ..just wanted to chill."

Looking over at her he nodded, "Alright well um you wanna watch something or?"

"Yeah, that's cool .. can we finish the A Different World series?"

He smiled, "Of course, set it up while I wash up these dishes make yourself comfortable."

Taking a seat on his couch, she slipped out of her slides then grabbed the remote turning it to Netflx. Going to the search bar she typed in the show going to the episode they stopped on. While she watched that to pass time, she thought about the ways she could express her feelings to him.

When he entered the living room he had changed into a pair of Nike shorts and a Biggie and Tupac shirt. Admiring his attire and his looks she bit her lip as she forced herself to focus on the show. "I missed you on the cool, went ghost on a nigga had me thinkin' I did something wrong," He blurted out.

"Oh nah, I just needed time to think and get my head together about somethings."

"You good though right?"

She nodded as he motioned for her to place her legs on his lap, gently massaging her feet, a small moan escaped her lips as she stared at him. She couldn't help but wonder where this man came from and why he was so perfect .. in the back of her mind she felt she didn't deserve someone like him, she felt she was a mess and he wasn't but then she started to wonder what it would be like if she did take it a step further.

"Damion..when you see me do you see a future with me? I mean we've been kickin' it for the past six months and you've been nothing but good to me .. I mean is it cause you're just naturally a good guy or doing this cause you want something in return?"

"I do see a future with you, I like you Alisha and I'm doing all these things for you because I feel you deserve it .. when you told me about that Melvin guy that night at the bar the day we met .. I could see the hurt in your eyes and from that day on, I wanted to be the one who turned that pain and hurt into love and happiness, call me crazy but I really rolled the dice for you.. in my eyes you're out of my league, I feel you deserve better but I'm willing to give you all I have if it keeps you happy. I'm too old to be playing games, when I talk to someone .. I'm looking for future wifey, not saying you will be my future wife but I'm just letting you know how serious I am when it comes to this dating and talking shit."

Alisha stared at the side of his face before Grabbing his big hands stopping him from massaging her feet, he looked over at her and was caught by surprise when she leaned into kiss him but soon snapped out of the shocked moment and kissed back.

Damion was shocked and surprised by her actions since they hadn't kissed before so that gave him hope that she was finally willing to let him be the man she wanted. Pulling away from the kiss Alisha mentally sighed not feeling that spark she got with Shaun whenever they kissed but she didn't want to force Shaun to be with her or wait for him to finally let his ex go.. so she was settling to make her mama happy and going after the one that actually wanted what she wanted..which was simply love.

Standing to her feet she grabbed his hand leading him to his room. Damion obliged of course letting her take charge. She stripped out of her clothes she wore over there as he sat on the edge of the bed watching her every move. Stepping in between his legs, she placed her hands on his shoulders as he hands rested on her waisted while they both stared at each other.

"I'm all yours," She told him causing a smile to creep up on his face. "I'm still hesitant about this cause you seem too perfect for me but I'm willing to try this just please don't make me regret this." She said as tears filled her eyes.

Alisha at this point craved happiness and acceptance from her mother. Damion wasn't who she truly wanted, Shaun was but this was the smarter choice to make she just hoped he was worth putting her true happiness on the back burner for and hoped that she could grow to love him and that they could prosper cause together they could be a power couple if it worked out and that's what Alisha wanted.

She wanted stability, and someone to call her own and to be happy and that was her main goal. "I promise you won't regret this .. we can take this as slow as you want it, but I'm here." He told her wiping her eyes.

Engulfing him into a hug they stayed like that and eventually ended up cuddling all night, no sex, no nothing they just held onto eachother, kissed and talked until the sun came up and for once Alisha felt good it was gon' take time to fully get over Shaun but she knew she had a rare diamond in her hands and only a fool would let someone like him slip away..

As they always say sometimes what you want isn't always something you need, Shaun and her had good times but she knew it was gonna be problems especially with how wishy washy he was when it came to his ex. And like Alisha stated before she was never going to be played like a fool again so her and Shaun just had to remain friends and cool from a distance cause it was clear they wanted two different things.

Shaun liked Alisha but wanted her to wait on him but Alisha knew her clock was ticking she didn't have time too wait on someone anymore. She did that long enough with Melvin.

And as she laid in bed with Damion who was watching tv the next morning with her, she just had to ask herself .. would I mind waking up to this every morning? and in her mind she didn't.

She just had to force herself to believe this was the right choice..Mama will be so proud of me, she thought to herself.

       Feeling taps on his arms he woke up out his sleep to see a guard standing beside his bed. "Get up and follow me." The officer demanded.

Smacking his teeth, he hopped out his bunk and followed the guard out the room. "What time is it?" He asked seeing that it was still somewhat dark.

The officer ignored him, Ahmad was just more so focused on where was the nigga taking him, he didn't trust white people and he really didn't trust cops.

When they neared this real dark area of the prison, the guard stopped pushing him forward for him to go first. Before Ahmad could even process to what was going on, a fist was connected to his face causing him to fall.

When he tried to look and see who did it more punches came his way then he soon started getting beat with their batons. It knew it had to be about five of them beating his ass. Laying on his back he couldn't see faces but he felt that baton come in contact with his rib over and over as he groaned and hollered in pain.

Soon he felt kicks to the legs then his ribs and more punches. Blood leaked from his nose and mouth as he tried covering his face from the beating. Grabbing him by his collar on his jumpsuit the officer slammed him against the wall as tears streamed down Ahmad's face.

"I want you to think of this beating everytime you even think your black ass is worth something, you black piece of shit." He felt spit come in contact with his face and that angered him but he couldn't do anything due to the amount of pain he was feeling.

Letting go of his collar, Ahmad collasped to the floor not having the strength to stand on his own. Officer Langston and the other officers stood back and watched as he bled from his mouth and nose.

Reaching his fist back he sent another punch to Ahmad's face knocking him out. "Take his ass to the hole,"

The two other officers grabbed him by his arms dragging him down the halls until they reached the area, using their code they opened the doors and tossed him inside causing his limp body to hit ground roughly.

Closing the doors they left him there knocked out and beated up and bleeding out not caring if he lived to see the next day.

-

hey guys❤

thanks for the love and support
- Denise💕