Free The Other Side of Divine by Vanessa Davis Griggs

hand and gave it a quick pump.
    Bennie nodded as he seemed to be sizing Zachary up as well. “You have a good grip on you there, young fellow,” Bennie said. “Yep. That’s a good solid handshake right there if ever I met one.”
    They went into the dining room and sat down. Zachary sat with Gabrielle on one side and Jasmine on the other. Miss Crowe and Bennie sat next to each other on the other side of the table. Unlike times past, no one, this time around, sat at the head of the table.

Chapter 9
    Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
    â€”Judges 2:3
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    I t was Valentine’s Day and Darius was fully moved into his new place of residence. He’d gotten his unemployment check, but as always, it was never enough for all he needed. Every time he saw Tiffany she was complaining that he wasn’t giving her anything to help out with the children.
    â€œYou were the one who put me out. Remember? If I wasn’t trying to pay for somewhere to live on a daily basis, I could be putting that money here and toward our children,” Darius had said to her a month earlier. “If you’d let me come home, we could work together instead of against each other. This isn’t good for our children, Tiffany. I hope you know that. I apologized to you for what I did years ago. I don’t think it’s fair that you’re punishing me and our children for something that happened some five years earlier. It’s just wrong, Tiffany. And you’re wrong.”
    It hadn’t helped matters when he’d stopped by the house around Christmastime and met Clarence Walker, the minister of music from their church, coming out of his house. He’d blasted Tiffany, accusing her of playing footsy with Clarence. She’d laughed in his face as he went from one extreme to the other, first accusing her of having an affair with the once-upon-a-time exotic dance club owner before he gave it all up to serve the Lord, then accusing Clarence of being gay.
    Tiffany told him he was wrong for stereotyping Clarence just because of his music position in the church.
    â€œHow can he be gay but having an affair with me, a woman, at the same time? You’re just talking crazy, Darius.” Tiffany was clearly frustrated with her husband. “You need help. Clarence came by to bring us some food and other things we needed. The church blessed me and our children with groceries, clothes, and some toys for Christmas. Clarence just brought the things over so I wouldn’t have to carry them all by myself. The man was merely being a blessing, something you might want to try sometime yourself.”
    â€œSure, Tiff. Sure. I bet he was just being a blessing. But you’d better be careful. I know how men’s minds work. They see a woman in distress and that’s their inroad to them. Clarence never liked me. I suppose he just wants what I have, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen, including making me look bad if he has to.”
    â€œClarence is not trying to talk to me. He’s just being a good Christian brother.”
    â€œOkay, Tiffany. Let your guard down at your own peril. I’m trying all I know how to make things back up to you and you won’t give me the same chance you’re seemingly giving this Clarence snake in the grass. I asked you to let me come home; I asked you to give me one more chance. We have history. . . . We have children together, Tiffany. And I can’t even manage to get a decent audience with you. But good old Brother Clarence can. It’s just wrong.”
    â€œDarius, you’re not serious about working things out between us. You’re not.”
    â€œI told you we can go talk to Pastor Landris together whenever you want. I told you that a little after I left back in September.”
    â€œBut you’re