Chances Are

By William C Howard

Things were calm and in perspective for Clint until he met a young lady who was willing to go along for the ride and to be in a relationship with him, not knowing that his past was rough and involved a lot of not only illegal activities but also dangerous people. His heart, mind, love, and courage were put to the test when the crime boss he once associated in business with decided that he was not yet ready to cut ties with Clint and his profitable business connections. Innocence was not a factor in the mind of the maniacs surrendering their assistance on either side of the equation, which arose in this world of soldiers for fortune and fighters for love. It was a story of a man put to the ultimate test of life, which involved man choosing a side--them or them , good or bad.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781645441441

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Chances Are

William C Howard

Copyright © 2019 William C. Howard

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc. 2019

ISBN 978-1-64544-143-4 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64544-144-1 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Right on Schedule

Close Encounter

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)

Unfortunate Situation

Who Knew?

I

Right on Schedule

Just as she does every morning, Ann Carr stood at her bedroom window watching as the sun made its appearance over the horizon. The colonial-styled condo where she lives had the greatest view of the ocean, and she could easily see more than half of the beach and its white sand. Thanks to Ali Fower, a real estate agent and friend of Ann’s since high school, Ann was able to get her place at $150 a month less than what the people living in the other four large condos pay. Not that money was a problem because Ann’s the highest-paid nurse in her department of radiology at Saint Michael’s Medical Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was just that the two women enjoyed flexing their muscles from time to time, just to remind themselves why they had chosen to stick with their careers.

The phone on the nightstand rang.

The sun was no longer hidden but was now illuminating the room, chasing away the dimness, threatening shadows farther up the walls, and casting a rainbow across the floor. Some kids had already begun to appear on the beach, laying out blankets and coolers, playing with their radios, and setting up a volleyball net. Probably college students home for spring break, Ann guessed, as she remembered. Yesterday, Mrs. Johnson from the condo downstairs had spoken about Na’Sha (her daughter) arriving home today from Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana, as she and Mrs. Johnson were headed to the post office.

Ann had been so deep in her thoughts when she finally heard the phone ringing. She casually walked over to the nightstand, not knowing that she had blocked out the first five rings.

The phone rang once more, filling the room with its scream for the seventh time.

Hello, she said, speaking into the mouthpiece, but only quick enough to hear the click as the calling party hung-up their line. She said hello, once more before sitting the receiver back in its cradle. Who would call me this early? And on a weekday? She thought about that for a moment, and then she smiled, letting the thought fade quickly as she realized that it was actually Saturday. After eating a nice breakfast consisting of home fries, four strips of bacon, two slices of toast with apple jelly, a small glass of orange juice, and a cup of coffee with light cream and hardly any sugar, Ann sat on her recliner, watching television. After glancing at the clock on the wall, which now showed 9:23 a.m., she picked up the phone that sat on the coffee table in front of her and dialed 555-4225.

*****

It was now 10:00 a.m. Ann entered the Blue Ribbon mini-mart located about half a block up the street from her building. The clerk behind the counter, a twenty-one-year-old girl named Mikyel with hair that lay past her shoulders tied in a ponytail, was wearing a blue Cleveland Indians’ cap. She smiled and waved to Ann as she entered. Mikyel was a junior attending school at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama, majoring in aeronautical and astronomical engineering. Mr. Jones (her grandfather) owned the store, and Mikyel didn’t mind helping him out. When she arrived the day before yesterday, she and Mr. Jones had agreed to a payment arrangement while she was home for spring break.

Good morning, Ms. Carr, the girl said.

Good morning, Ann replied, thinking to herself how much she hated being called miss, especially by someone that was only seven years younger than her. Ann picked up a newspaper, set it back down, and grabbed an Essence magazine from the assortment of magazines after seeing that Mikyel was reading one behind the counter. Ann approached the counter and asked if there were any good articles.

The girl gave a curious look before saying, "Ms. Carr, you read Essence?"

Yeah, I just started, Ann said and paid for the magazine. She began scanning the contents as she exited the store, letting the door slam shut behind her. She looked up, just in time to step back as two girls both with pigtails came bolting down the sidewalk on their bikes. Then Ann heard someone calling her name. She looked up the street toward her building, holding up her left hand to shield her eyes from the sun. She saw Ali Fower waving at her with her arm extended out the driver’s side window of her Lincoln Navigator.

The two women, standing together talking is a pretty sight. But of the two, Ann is more beautiful—four foot eleven; light caramel-coated skin tone;