Illusions

By Kesha Denice

With only a month to go before Jayla marries the man of her dreams, he decides he just wants to be friends. She is heartbroken when she discovers the real reason he called off the engagement.

When she accidentally uncovers a secret that her parents have been keeping from her for 21 years, it’s all too much for Jayla to handle. The rejection coupled with the family secret sends her on a mental vacation, causing her to lose the one thing she’s ever been sure of.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kesha Denice
• Release date: Dec 27, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465941107

Kesha Denice

A native of Chicago, IL, Kesha was born on January 12, 1975, to Ray and Valerie Harrell. In 1980 her family moved to Galesburg, IL, where she discovered her love for writing in the third grade. She participated in the Young Authors writing contest and submitted a short story titled The Case of the Missing Coin, which earned her third place.Kesha's family moved to Bloomington, IL in 1983. From 1989 - 1993 she attended Normal Community High School where she was Co-Editor for the school newspaper. Kesha had many articles published, and earned a Blue Ribbon Award for her Editorial writing. She went on to attend a junior college to pursue a career in Journalism. After completing her first year, she placed her education on hold to marry and start a family.In 1995 Kesha returned to school part time and held a variety of interesting jobs. In 2001 she was hired at a Fortune 500 Insurance Company and once again put her education on hold. Determined to finish what she started, she returned to school in 2006 and simultaneously balanced working and going to school full-time. In 2008 she graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Management.Kesha spends her spare time on her true passion, writing fiction. She is a talented writer and has a unique ability to take a fraction of truth and put a realistic, yet fictional twist to her story that leaves her readers wondering what's real and what's not. She develops her characters in a way that will have you loving them one minute and hating them the next. Her stories are guaranteed to capture your attention from the very start, all the way through to the end.

Book preview

Illusions

by Kesha Denice

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 Kesha Donnelly

Discover other titles by Kesha Denice at Smashwords.com

Euphoria

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All rights reserved. The reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by electronic, mechanical or any other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Photography by Val Johnson  2011

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Graphic Design & Editing by Ray Harrell

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Acknowledgments

First and foremost, thank you to my husband Michael and my boys: Izayah, Izaack and Ilijah Donnelly for the encouragement and support through the completion of my second book.

A special thank you to everyone who helped me along the way: My brother Ray Harrell for his awesome cover design and editing; Bandi Dread for helping with the Jamaican dialect; my cousin Val Johnson for his photography skills; Kedra Donnelly, Shantise Hall and Karen Wock, thanks for all you do!

Thank you to my cover models Kalisha Graham, Jeffrey Evers, and Trinisa Johnson.

Dedicated to Anne Marie Ballinger: You are stronger than you think.

Chapter 1

You didn’t tell me you played on the basketball team! Kita yelled, staring at a photo of who she thought was her best friend Jayla.

I wasn’t on the basketball team, Jayla responded, leaning over to get a good look at the picture.

They were both sitting Indian style on Jayla’s living room floor, enjoying their favorite pastime — scrapbooking.

Let me see that, Jayla said, sliding the photo from Kita’s grasp. She stared at the young girl posing in the picture, holding a Spalding basketball. She couldn’t believe her eyes. The girl was a spitting image of her. She flipped the picture over and read out loud, Shayna Bell, junior year. She flipped the picture back over and stared at it.

Well that definitely isn’t you, Jayla Kimani Lenard, Kita said, standing up to stretch. I wonder who it is. Whoever it is, she’s got to be related to you. You don’t have daughter you didn’t tell me about, do you? Kita laughed at her own joke.

Shut up, girl. The only kid I have is upstairs sleeping and she’s four. Besides, this girl is at least 17. I would’ve had to have had her when I was 11, and we both know that’s not possible. Jayla set the picture on the coffee table and walked into the kitchen to check on the pizza that was heating up in the oven.

Maybe it’s someone in Deric’s family. You guys look like you could be related.

Yeah, Jayla said without much enthusiasm.

Uh-oh, don’t tell me there is trouble in paradise! The wedding is only a month away!

I know. Things just seem weird between us, Jayla said as she pulled the pizza out of the oven and began slicing it.

What’s wrong? Kita leaned against the counter ready to listen.

I don’t know. He’s just been acting funny. She fixed their plates and set them on the table. She grabbed two sodas out of the refrigerator, handed one to Kita and sat down. Funny and distant, she continued as she picked at her food.

I’m sure it’s just your imagination. Give me an example, Kita pushed.

Well…like recently he keeps talking about this girl he works with named Mauria. Mauria Fiona. He’s just so impressed with everything about her. He talks about her like she’s so much older than us, but I got to meet her one day when I surprised him at work. Kita, she’s the same age as us, and she’s pretty! Jayla said. She threw her pizza down on the plate in disgust.

Maybe he just wanted to give you the impression that she was old so you wouldn’t feel like you had anything to worry about.

Yeah, Maybe. But last weekend he told me he was going to swing by her house on the way to drop Jerica off at the babysitter’s so Mauria could meet her, Jayla responded.

Jayla waited for Kita to offer some rationalization behind Deric’s actions, but Kita ate her pizza in silence. Sooooo…nothing to offer? Jayla asked.

Nah, I got nothing. There is no reason Deric should be going out of his way for some other woman to meet his daughter. What did you say when he told you that?

Nothing. I didn’t want to start an argument and I didn’t want him to think I don’t trust him.

Well, do you trust him? Kita asked. She already knew the answer.

Yeah.

No you don’t, Kita said, sucking her teeth. You said he was acting funny. Girl…if you know like I know you better go with your gut feeling and start the investigation. She merely verbalized what Jayla’s heart was already telling her.

He said they were just friends, Jayla replied, sounding naïve.

Chapter 2

Hey, what’s up Jay? Deric spoke softly into his cell phone.

It’s going alright. I’m sitting here with Kita scrapbooking and eating pizza, Jayla said with an obvious smile in her voice.

Tell Kita I said ‘what’s up’. Listen, I’ll be home later. Me and the fellas are gonna go play ball.

Deric, you promised me we would work on the wedding invitations tonight. We need to get them mailed out soon, you know.

I know I promised. But it doesn’t take two people to fill out wedding invitations, and if it does, just have Kita help you. Isn’t that what the maid of honor is for, to help the bride out with that kinda stuff? he laughed.

Unable to see to the humor in his words, Jayla pleaded with him one more time. Can you just come home and we can wrap up the last of the wedding stuff, and then you won’t have to worry about anything else until our wedding day. Jayla hadn’t bothered Deric for any help in planning their wedding. She picked out the day, the church, the pastor and the reception hall on her own. She had also coordinated the wedding colors — baby blue, white and silver — her and Deric’s favorite colors. She made the majority of the decorations by hand, and even had all the flowers ordered. Everything was ready to go. The only thing that needed to be done was to mail the invitations. Since this was the final step before the big day, she was counting on Deric to sit down with her so they could address the envelopes together.

I’ll help you when I get home, Deric said in a tone that made it obvious that he would rather do anything else but help her.

Okay. Jayla tried to sound happier than she really was. I’ll see you then. I love you.

You too, Deric said quickly and hung up.

****

He pulled up to the curb, put the car in park and turned it off. He flipped the sun visor down to take a good look at himself in the mirror before getting out of the car.

You still got it, brotha, he said, smiling at his reflection.

Deric was by no means an ugly man. His dark chocolate skin made the ladies crave him like he was a Hershey bar. He had a gorgeous smile with teeth that seemed to sparkle when the light hit them. He was always put together and never left the house without his signature diamond stud earring blinging in his right ear. He spent a lot of time in the gym working on his physique, and his hard work was not in vain. His muscular 6-foot 4-inch frame looked as though it was professionally sculpted.

He climbed out of the car, chirped the alarm and headed up the pathway.

Hey Deric. I was hoping you would bring the baby, Mauria said as she peeked out of her front door.

I didn’t feel like driving back home, he said as he stepped through the door. He gave Mauria a kiss on her cheek.

You hungry? she asked.

Naw, but I’ll take something to drink though. He followed her to the kitchen, eyeing her backside the whole way. You look nice. I like the way you do that right thurr, he said, laughing.

Whatever Chingy, Mauria said. How’s Jayla?

She aight, he replied with no emotion.

You don’t sound like a bachelor that’s ready to jump the broom any time soon. Mauria poured Deric a glass of Coke and handed it to him.

Deric took a long drink from his glass, and his eyes took a long drink of Mauria’s beauty. She was one of the prettiest women he had ever seen. He didn’t think she was more beautiful than Jayla; they were in two different leagues and both were at the top of their league.

Jayla was cute. She was shorter than Deric. Her skin was the color of chocolate mousse. She wore her shoulder length hair in a style that complemented her round face. Her button nose and her innocent pout made her hard to resist.

But Mauria, she was exotic. She had a caramel complexion and long jet-black hair that was locked in neat, kempt dreads, brown eyes, and a smile so bright it could melt the sun. Mauria spent time in the gym. She was fit and had a six-pack that was almost comparable to Deric’s. Yet everything about her was feminine.

Yeah. I don’t know if this bachelor is ready to get married next month, he said when he finally set his glass on the table.

You just got cold feet, Mauria said. She turned the stereo on and started dancing. You don’t know nothin’ ’bout this, do you Deric? she asked, stepping to R. Kelly’s Step in the Name of Love.

Girl, I’ll walk all over you. He joined her in the middle of the kitchen, took her hand and spun her around.

Alright then, she said, impressed with his moves.

They danced through four songs touching four different decades, showing off their dance moves. Twenty minutes later they were sitting on her living room couch, sweaty and out of breath.

Man, I haven’t had that much fun in a long time, he said, squeezing Mauria’s hand.

You and Jayla don’t have fun like this?

Nah. Jayla be on somethin’ different all the time. She acts like an old woman, always sittin’ around lookin’ through photo albums, wearin’ grandma clothes. She would never wear something like this, Deric said, pointing at Mauria’s outfit. She stood up and did a model’s spin so he could get a better look. His eyes traveled up and down slowly as he admired the way her grey pants suit accentuated each of her curves. There was no mistaking that she was a voluptuous woman, but her clothes and the way she carried herself perfected the image of professionalism.

Isn’t that why you fell in love with her, because of her reserved personality? Mauria asked when she sat back down.

I don’t know, Deric replied. It’s like the qualities that I loved about her don’t exist anymore. She’s always been reserved, but we still used to have fun. I don’t know where the old lady came in but I can’t stand it. She used to be so much fun and down for whatever. But ever since she had Jerica, she just turned into a completely different person. She doesn’t keep the house clean the way she used to, I can’t get no play—

Can’t get no play?! Mauria doubled over in laughter. I can’t remember the last time I heard that phrase. Get with the times, man!What am I supposed to say? he asked, amused.

Anything but that 1970s line, she said when she finally got herself together.

Well, you know what I mean, he said, trying to get back to the conversation.

Have you tried talking to her about this stuff?

Naw.

What? Do you expect her to read your mind, Deric? If you don’t tell her something is wrong how is she supposed to know?

I thought all you women had that special intuition, Deric said, forming air quotes and getting up to leave.

We only have that when our man is messing around. Mauria walked Deric to the door. Thanks for stopping by, but next time bring Jerica. She’s so cute. I miss her.

Yeah, I’ll see you later, Deric said, giving her a hug.

I’ll try not to miss you too much, she said before she closed the door.

Deric smiled at the thought of her sitting at home alone thinking about him. He wouldn’t be alone at his house but he would certainly be thinking about her.

Chapter 3

Deric pulled into his driveway just as Kita was coming out of the front door. He parked the car and hopped