Second Chance

By Trenia D. Coleman

Trenia Hill Coleman is an author from Northern Virginia. In The Shadows is Trenias fourth novel. Trenia lived in Dubberly, Louisiana and attended Ringgold High School in Ringgold, Louisiana before joining the military. Trenia attended Grambling State University, and is a graduate of Central Texas College in Killeen, Texas, and Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. She is currently serving in the United States Army and lives with her husband and children.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 16, 2009
• ISBN: 9781462804993

Trenia D. Coleman

Trenia Hill Coleman is an author from Northern Virginia. “In The Shadows” is Trenia’s fourth novel. Trenia lived in Dubberly, Louisiana and attended Ringgold High School in Ringgold, Louisiana before joining the military. Trenia attended Grambling State University, and is a graduate of Central Texas College in Killeen, Texas, and Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. She is currently serving in the United States Army and lives with her husband and children.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

A few hours into the trip, Trinity exhaled a long sigh of relief. She didn’t have to worry about the kids intruding on her thoughts because they were into the movie playing in the DVD player. She knew whatever was waiting for her in South Carolina would be welcomed, and she could sure use the time alone. Once she had a quick snack with her parents and said good-bye to the children, she proceeded on her trip to Fort Jackson.

While deep in thought, Trinity contemplated how Andre’s behavior had changed her once-happy family. The children were real troopers and tried to be strong for Trinity and each other. The last two years had been extremely tough, especially with Andre’s mood swings. Over the last several months, Trinity had increased her workout from three days a week to as much as possible to avoid being home when Andre was there. The children had never been involved in so many church functions and sleepovers, but Trinity wanted to keep them engrossed in extracurricular activities to protect them from her reality.

Andre always had a bad temper, and it seemed that life in the military had a positive effect on him. He and Trinity had had arguments before like any other couple, but never fights like they’d had over the last two years. The children were getting older and more cognizant of the difficult times their parents were experiencing. The first physical altercation they had in front of the children ended quickly, but resumed once the children were out of the house. It was on a Friday night when Andre came home early only to say he was going out for drinks with the fellows. When Trinity questioned his plans, Andre snapped on her, and before she could calm the situation, they were having a full-blown shouting match, which led to shoving. After the children had left for their sleepovers, Andre beat Trinity and brutally forced himself on her. Trinity was in a state of shock as she tried to understand what had happened. Andre was smart and left her face in good shape, but her upper torso was severely bruised.

The next morning, Trinity called her best friend and asked her to pick the children up from the sleepover and keep them until Sunday. Trinity explained to Rachel that she had a migraine and needed to rest. She knew the children would have no problem believing her story, nor would they oppose to staying with Auntie Rachel. Trinity also hoped that during this time she would be able to function well enough to conceal her injuries before they returned home. The children were out of school on Monday, and Trinity could use that extra day to recover since she would be at home too. Trinity had not seen Andre since he left Friday night after the fight and figured he was staying with one of his friends.

When Andre returned home Saturday evening, he acted as if nothing was wrong and returned to his normal routine. Trinity was speechless and knew that the love and respect they once had for each other was now gone. She was now in survival mode.

CHAPTER TWO

Trinity enjoyed the peaceful scenery as she traveled through South Carolina. Being there reminded her of an old boyfriend, who was born and raised in South Carolina. She first met him in San Antonio during one of the many separations she and Andre had after high school. He was in the army too, and she met him while at school in Texas. Being an army brat, he moved around a lot and graduated in Georgia before joining the army. His name was Gregory Alston, and, boy, did he have the most amazing smile. He was at least six feet three inches, 230 pounds, and had the smoothest chocolate skin with the whitest teeth ever. Trinity remembered the first time she saw him. She was a reservist in training at Fort Sam Houston, and he was a national guardsman from New York, also in school at Fort Sam Houston.

The very first time she laid eyes on Greg was her first weekend at GMO (general medical orientation). It was a four-week-long course, and Greg had started GMO two weeks before her, which made him a senior. He was on the bus that was transporting them to a training site, wooing all the soldiers with the most remarkable impersonation of James Brown that she’d ever seen. The crowd went wild, and she knew there was no shy bone in this boy’s body. Trinity was so impressed with his confidence and poise that she wondered why he seemed so different and more mature than the other men she’d met since she’d been dating, especially Andre. It was hard for her not to stare. She hoped he didn’t catch her looking and think she was weird. Greg was such a people person and so squared away, the instructors had him assisting the newbies with orientation. Trinity and her friend Sonja Capers thought he was the coolest guy on the bus and couldn’t stop talking about him even after his performance. Thinking back, that was one of many memorable times Trinity had of him.

There were about forty students in Trinity’s class, approximately fourteen girls and the rest were hardheads. She met Sonja on her first day there, and they became roommates and really hit it off. The class was later broken down by military occupational specialty or MOS or jobs, and that’s when Trinity and Sonja discovered they had the same MOS, and both were excited. Having the same job meant they’d be together for the entire seventeen weeks. Greg became their assistant small-group leader, and he actually took them around to the different buildings, helping them get familiar with their new surroundings while answering questions. He laid the rules out for the group and marched them back to their building where they settled in for the night.

Sergeant Weller was not only the coolest instructor in GMO land, he seemed to be a really nice guy, and all the students admired him. The newbies’ goal was to one day wear the same stripes and be just like Sergeant Weller. For the next week, if Sergeant Weller wasn’t marching the group back and forth to class, Private First Class Alston would fill in for him.

*     *     *

On Sunday afternoon, Trinity and Sonja decided to venture outside of the barracks to see where everyone was hanging out after chow. Since it was the last meal of the day, they were able to wear their physical fitness uniform and visit the break room until 9:00 p.m. They were even allowed to buy snacks from the snack bar. Their physical fitness test was the first Friday at school, and Trinity did exceptionally well. The word got around fast that she was one of the most fit females in the class, and for that, she gained a certain amount of respect. She had always been fit and participated in sports throughout high school. So when it was time to do as many push-ups and sit-ups in two minutes and go on a timed two-mile run, she was all for it. Trinity loved a challenge and was more than a little competitive.

The seniors who didn’t pass their first physical training test upon arriving at GMO were given the opportunity to retest before completing the four-week course. Of course, Private First Class Alston was out there rooting the soldiers on from his class when he laid eyes on Private Second Class James. Just looking at Alston, he appeared to be in very good shape. Trinity knew he had no problems with fitness and he began cheering Trinity’s class on as well. Everyone in GMO could have snacks from the snack bar if they passed their PT test. Those who failed their test or the weigh-in had to retest and were banned from eating junk food.

When Trinity and Sonja walked into the break room, it was crowded with the upperclassmen and some of their classmates. It was big enough to hold them all, but there were hardly enough seats, so the girls hung out near the windowsill, trying to catch a glimpse of the television set. Trinity had never been into music videos or a lot of comedy shows growing up. Being away from home tends to open your eyes to different things, and you begin to ask yourself why you never did these things before. When the clock struck 7:00 p.m., everyone grew quiet, and for those still talking, they received a rude shhhhhhh!

Trinity looked around the room and noticed Alston was sitting closely with a female she had noticed before in the area. Trinity knew she was a senior but didn’t know her name. She didn’t seem too friendly, but she was very pretty, and Trinity was sure Alston was interested in her. From the way he was leaning toward her, she could tell the two were more than friends. Then the show everyone had been waiting for came on, and they all went wild. After another round of shhhhhhhh, the show In Living Color had started; and everyone laughed when the character Wanda came out with her wig, lips, and butt. It was clear the person playing the role of Wanda was a man. Trinity later discovered the character’s real name was Jamie Foxx. After seeing the show once, the girls knew where they’d be every Sunday evening.

Trinity and Sonja walked back to the building still laughing at the hilarious acts they’d seen on the show. Everyone was breaking up since they had to prepare for school the next day. The girls were sitting outside for a few minutes, chatting with a couple of classmates, when someone walked up to them during the conversation, and it was clear they were heading right for Trinity. It was Greg, and Trinity was starstruck while she tried to keep her attention on the conversation she and Sonja were involved in. Sonja immediately began to smile, but Trinity was so nervous she couldn’t muster a smile.

When Greg turned toward Trinity, he said, Hey, James, what’s going on? He then turned to Capers and said, Hey, what’s up, Capers? Sonja spoke and inched closer to the other classmates out on the quad talking away. Greg continued, I haven’t seen you around much this weekend. How’s everything going? Trinity almost stopped breathing knowing he was talking directly to her and asking about her well-being.

Oh, everything’s going fine so far. What have you been up to? she asked, wondering if this was appropriate.

Just trying to finish up our finals. Our last test is Wednesday, and after that, we’ll be around for a few more days until our class starts down the street.

Oh, it’s time to move on, huh? she asked, wanting more information. He was about to respond to her question when the same girl he was sitting with in the break room started walking toward him and calling his name.

As he turned and started walking toward her, he looked at Trinity and said, I’ll see you around, James. Take care.

Yeah, you take care too, she said, not sure if he’d heard her. It was getting late, so Trinity and Sonja turned in early and made plans for the next weekend.

Their class was not allowed to go anywhere during their first weekend on the ground, so the girls decided to go to the movies on the next weekend and maybe to the bowling alley. Trinity and Sonja had a lot in common and were doing well on their exams, so they decided to treat themselves to a weekend out. The week went by really fast, and Trinity only got to see Alston for the first time on Thursday. He seemed really excited when they ran into each other, and they briefly talked about the upcoming weekend. Trinity and Sonja decided to walk up to the gym to watch a basketball game one of their classmates was playing in. They made it back just in time before the doors were locked. The rules were that they had to be in by 9:00 p.m. if they had school the next day. On Friday and Saturday, they were able to stay out until midnight.

CHAPTER THREE

It was Friday, and the movie Trinity and Sonja wanted to see wasn’t playing until Saturday night. The girls decided to go to the Post Exchange and do a little shopping and possibly grab a bite to eat at Burger King. They had a great time their first weekend out, and the weather was beautiful. It was getting dark, and they were hurrying back to the barracks when they came upon a group of people. It had grown too dark to tell who they were, so the girls casually spoke upon passing them on the sidewalk, knowing they were soldiers. When they passed them, someone said, Good evening, Private James. And Trinity knew immediately it was Private First Class Alston.

Good evening, she said back. Passing under the streetlight, she turned to see him walking backward, watching them as they waved to each other.

Sonja said, It sure is funny how we keep bumping into Alston. And they both started laughing.

You know I’ve not seen his girlfriend lately, Trinity said, turning to Sonja.

Oh yeah, I heard she started school down the street already, Sonja said.

Oh, I thought they weren’t starting until next week sometime.

Well, I think some schools are full enough to start, but I know there are still a few waiting on our class to finish before they begin instruction. Maybe that’s why Alston’s still here, Trinity thought to herself but said nothing to Sonja. They made it back to their room and listened to music until they dozed off.

After breakfast the next day, Trinity and Sonja sat out in the sun, enjoying the warmth. It was a lazy day, and they got caught up on their letter writing to family and friends back home. Trinity had written a letter to Andre as she did at least once a week to keep him updated on her well-being. He rarely wrote back, but she was okay with that; she knew how he operated. Trinity was a very attractive and outgoing young girl when she met Andre. She was five foot six inches, with a light brown complexion, and had a figure to die for. She’d been athletic all her life, so staying in shape wasn’t hard. Trinity had the prettiest green eyes and cutest dimples and considered those to be two of her greatest assets.

After dinner, the girls decided to get ready for the movie, which started at 7:00 p.m. When they made it to the ticket line, they discovered a rowdy bunch of guys in the line behind them. Sonja turned to investigate and realized they were just horsing around. Oh my goodness, don’t look now. Guess who’s in the line behind us? Sonja said, turning back around talking through her teeth.

What? Trinity asked, not catching on. She turned to find Greg looking directly at them as he waved, flashing yet another heart-stopping smile. Trinity blushed this time because there was no way of getting out of being caught staring.

He started walking toward them; this time, one of his friends came with him. He introduced him as Shawn Cope, and Trinity and Sonja both greeted them. So, James, what are your plans for tomorrow? Alston asked. She could only hope that her face didn’t reflect the confusion she felt upon hearing the question.

Ah, not much, we may head back to the PX for dinner. Why, what’s up?

This time, he seemed surprised by her question but responded, Oh, nothing. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out for a little while.

Yeah, that sounds good. What time? she asked.

How about noon? he said, looking at Sonja this time. Catching on, they both agreed to noon.

It was finally Sunday, and Trinity wasn’t sure why, but she was having difficulty styling her hair. Greg was a really nice guy that everyone wanted to be around. He was a very friendly person and was in good standing with the instructors, which meant he was very well liked by most. Knowing what to wear was the easy part. If they were just hanging out around the quad, they’d wear their PT uniforms, but if they were going to the PX, they would wear appropriate civilian attire. Trinity began to pin her hair up as Sonja was stepping out of the shower. Before she could start the shower, one of their classmates came in from outside looking for Trinity. Trinity stuck her head out of the bathroom to see what was going on. Standing there looking confused, Elaina handed Trinity a note. While Trinity’s expression appeared to be filled with many questions, she opened the note and realized it was from Greg. He had been given a start date for class and had to move today to start class on Monday. Her heart sank as she read on: Please come out to say good-bye. I’ll be out front by the bench if you can come.

Trinity told Sonja she had to go see what was going on with Greg and that he was out front. Sonja could tell from her expression that something was troubling her. I’ll be right back, Trinity said over her shoulder as she made her way toward the door with all kinds of thoughts running through her head.

When she stepped outside, Greg approached her and asked if she had a minute to talk. Yeah, you’re leaving? was all she could manage to say.

Disappointed, he responded, Yeah, I just got the word from Sergeant Weller that my school starts tomorrow, which means I have to get my things moved to my new company today, hopefully before 6:00 p.m.

Oh, she said as she tried to hide the disappointment. Well, do you need any help?

This caused him to smile. No, but that’s very thoughtful of you. Cope is going to help me, and a few of my classmates will be pitching in too. I’m sorry about today. I had no way of knowing. I will try to get back here to see you if I can before dark.

Oh, okay, well, I may go get a bite to eat, but I should be back before too long if you should happen to make it back, Trinity said, excited by the fact that he still wanted to see her.

Well, I’ll see you around, he said,

Okay. Take care of yourself, and I’ll see you again soon, Trinity said, still smiling. With that, he smiled and walked away.

CHAPTER FOUR

Trinity and Sonja decided to eat at Anthony’s Pizza for dinner. They didn’t want to overdo Burger King; besides, their pizza was always delicious. When they made it back to the building, it was just turning dark. There was no sign of Alston or Cope, and Trinity figured Alston had gotten busy trying to get his things set up in his new place. Trinity was almost envious, but happy at the same time. She loved GMO, but couldn’t wait to go to school down the street. It was close to the recreation center, the movies, and the gym. After giving the move some more thought, I guess it would be closer to Alston too. So she couldn’t wait to complete GMO.

It was getting late, so Trinity decided to get her shower and accept the fact that she wouldn’t be able to see Greg again today. Sonja had started on the book she bought from the PX while Trinity washed her hair. In the middle of conditioning her hair, Sonja burst into the bathroom. T, you’ll never guess who just stopped by. Trinity left the conditioner in her hair and turned off the shower with her heart beating fast.

What? Was it Greg? she asked, looking at the time. It was after 7:00 p.m., and she knew he had to be in early, so how was that possible?

He came back to see you but couldn’t wait. He said he’d see you tomorrow. Sonja smiled and could see the wheels turning. He didn’t say where, but just that he’d see you tomorrow.

Thanks, Sonja, Trinity said as Sonja turned to leave, and she restarted the shower. Although she didn’t see him, she was ecstatic he made the effort to see her after she’d given up on him. She was sure he’d hooked up with Leslie again since they were in the same company now.

Sonja had seen Shawn earlier the following Monday during lunch but no sign of Greg. Trinity figured he’d be coming to their building later, so she wasn’t too concerned. It was just before dinner when she and Sonja stepped into the mess hall. On their way to the table, Trinity heard someone call out, Private James, Private James!

When Trinity located where the voice was coming from, she turned around to see Alston sitting at the table with his boys. She was somewhat embarrassed because all the guys stopped eating and talking and stared at her and Sonja. They both smiled as she approached his table.

Hey, PFC Alston, how are you? Trinity managed.

Good, I take it you got my message, huh?

Yeah, I did. How’s it going so far down here? she asked.

Well, so far so good. It’s not GMO, but it’s okay.

Good, well, we’d better go, she said as she said good-bye to him and Cope and the other guys all at once. Sonja was still cheesing when they got to the table. Trinity was beginning to think she and Cope liked each other, but neither one of them said anything.

*     *     *

It was their last week at GMO, and they would soon be going to school down the street. It was already Thursday, and a few days had passed without seeing Alston. During their last meal, the girls bumped into Cope in the mess hall. He approached their table as soon as they were finishing up dinner and asked to speak to James. This threw them both off as he pulled James to the side.

Hey, James, how are you doing?

I’m fine, Cope. What’s going on?

Nothing, look, I don’t know if you’re talking to anyone or not, he started.

What? Trinity said, not sure where this was going as she stepped back in disbelief, unsure of what to expect next. She was not interested in Cope, and she didn’t want Sonja or him to think that she was.

Sensing her confusion, Cope continued, Look, I have a friend who is interested in you. Trinity was beginning to feel uncomfortable and figured that’s why Alston wasn’t around because he knew one of his friends wanted to go out with her. As she stared at Cope and said nothing, he continued, Would you be interested?

Well, I guess that all depends on who your friend is.

He didn’t say anything for a while. Finally, he said, It’s Alston. He’s got a serious crush on you, and you’re all he talks about. Trinity James’s mouth dropped open, and she was speechless as she looked around the room to see if he was going to emerge from the back of the room, awaiting her answer. Cope picked up on this and said, He’s not here and couldn’t face you if you were going to reject him. You don’t have to answer me now, but if you are interested, meet him at the food court Friday night at 7:00 p.m. With that, he turned to leave and spoke with Sonja briefly before heading out.

What was that all about? Sonja asked, smiling from ear to ear. After Trinity repeated the story to her, Sonja could barely contain the excitement and blurted out, Well, who was it?

Trinity turned to her with her eyes stretched and mouth wide-open and said, It’s… it’s Alston!

All Sonja could say was, I knew it. I knew it! That’s great, T, so what’s the plan?

Cope said that I should meet Greg at the food court tomorrow if I was interested.

Let me guess, 7:00 p.m.? she asked, still smiling.

Yeah, how… Before she could finish, she figured Cope had asked Sonja out too.

Well, Trinity, I think you two will hit it off.

He seems to be nice enough, we’ll see, Trinity said doubtful.

So what are you going to do? Sonja asked, not taking her eyes off her friend.

Uh, I really hadn’t had a chance to digest everything just yet, but Greg is a great guy. You know that. It’s just that I can’t believe he’s interested in me.

Well, I could have told you that a long time ago, but you wouldn’t believe me. I guess this means he’s no longer with Leslie? Sonja asked, prying.

I don’t know, but I’ll find out tomorrow, Trinity said as her thoughts began to race ahead.

Trinity couldn’t wait until 3:30 p.m. Friday may as well have been a day off because her mind would not retain or focus on anything the instructors were saying. She could focus on one and only one thought, and that thought was Gregory Alston. She had already ironed her clothes after dinner last night and tried to relax before going to bed. Every dream seemed to be a weird one because every thought ended up on tonight. What should she do, how should she act, and should she ask about Leslie or let him bring it up? She hadn’t dated much since meeting Andre and was very nervous about the evening ahead.

She and Sonja waited at the movies until Cope arrived at 6:45 p.m. That left her fifteen minutes to get to the food court. She stopped by the Shoppette to buy a pack of gum before meeting up with Greg. As soon as she stepped in the door, he was the first person her eyes stopped on. He was dressed really nice, and Trinity immediately felt underdressed. He wore casual slacks and a nice blue pullover. She was impressed and hoped she looked okay. Trinity didn’t wear slacks or dresses a lot but had several long skirts and her favorite clothing, blue jeans. She wore a pair of dark blue jeans with a pink blouse. She was always told pink was her color, and blue definitely seemed to work for Greg. He approached her and presented her with a single rose and a teddy bear. Trinity was totally surprised, but somehow managed to say thank you. He led her to their table and ordered drinks. They decided they would share a medium pizza and bread sticks. Greg was so thoughtful, and Trinity knew the night was going to be amazing. He took care of everything, and all she had to do was sit back and enjoy watching him pamper her like no other man had done.

CHAPTER FIVE

As Trinity thought about that time, she remembered how well Greg treated her and how he catered to her and how she reciprocated. She knew that what she had with Andre was a mistake and had been the result of a forced union. She remembered not only what it felt like to be free, but also to belong to someone who cared about her deeply and unconditionally. There was nothing she and Greg couldn’t say to each other, and that to her was the perfect relationship every girl dreamed of and longed for.

Just then, her phone rang, and she realized she had been down memory lane for quite a while. It was Andre, and she could tell he’d been drinking by the way he was slurring his speech. She quickly ended the conversation, wanting to reminisce some more.

*     *     *

That night, she and Greg talked the night away. It was 10:30 p.m. when they left the food court, and neither one of them wanted the night to end, so they walked to the recreation center, which was open for another hour. They played a few video games and discovered that they both loved Miss Pac Man and could easily become addicted to pushing more quarters into the machine. They played up until closing while Sonja and Shawn played a game of pool. They seemed to be having a great time, and Trinity could tell there was a hint of attraction there. How is it that I could see their attraction but have no idea Greg looks at me in that way? Trinity thought to herself. After leaving the recreation center together, the girls headed back to GMO. They were supposed to finish up on Tuesday and move down the street on Wednesday. The guys had a 1:00 a.m. curfew, so they insisted on walking them back to GMO land for their safety. Greg and Trinity let Shawn and Sonja walk ahead of them to give them more time together. Trinity loved walking beside Greg’s slender six-foot-three-inch frame while he towered over her. She had been the same height since the sixth grade and would always have to look up to this fine man that walked beside her, causing her temperature to rise. She loved looking up into his warm and inviting expression. Outside their building, Trinity and Greg said their good-byes with a deep yet gentle embrace. She never knew someone like Greg could be so thoughtful and kind and so eager to please. Trinity knew this could be the start of something beautiful.

On Thursday night, Trinity and Sonja decided to catch a movie during the week since it was their first full night in Alpha Land. The movies started at 6:00 p.m. on weekdays so the students would be able to make curfew. When they made it back around 8:00 p.m., Greg was hanging outside the barracks waiting on Trinity. Her face lit up when she saw him and wondered why he was looking so depressed. Not knowing he had received bad news from home, she asked, What’s wrong, Greg? You look as if you lost your best friend. As she got closer, she could tell his eyes were red and that he’d been crying. She immediately stopped where she stood and handed Sonja her bag. Trinity didn’t say a word, and neither did Greg as she stepped closer to him and cradled him with a warm embrace, letting him know that she was there for him. Sonja disappeared inside the building. Just as Trinity released Greg, Sergeant Weller pulled up in his jeep and walked over to him as she walked away, giving them some privacy. Trinity still didn’t know what was wrong, but she knew that whatever it was, Sergeant Weller knew about it too.

When Sergeant Weller turned to walk away, he looked at Trinity and said, nodding in Greg’s direction, Get the staff duty officer to call me if he needs me. Trinity was totally surprised by his gesture, and she knew then that he and Alston were much closer than she initially thought. She managed to respond, letting him know she would do just that. Trinity and Greg went over and sat in the bleachers outside the company while the students went back and forth finishing up things, knowing they all had to be in by 9:00 p.m.

One of the instructors walked over and told Alston to take all the time he needed and that if he thought he needed to go home for the weekend, he’d give him a pass. Greg nodded, and the senior instructor returned to the orderly room. After being as patient as she could, Trinity finally said, "Greg, can you