What Jason Doesn't Know: What Jason Doesn't Know Book 1

By Yolanda Dian

Joseph DeVon and Louise moved their three sons from Mississippi to the Chicago area hoping to leave behind the terrible secrets that

could possibly destroy the lives of the people they love. However, those secrets not only followed them, but they also wreaked havoc on the people around them.  

 

Jason DeVon the youngest son finds himself the object and center of this family's mysterious past. When Jason, Michael and James start finding love and relationships these secrets soon began to affect multiple families.

When family secrets are not dealt with they can have a domino effect. That's exactly what happened to Jason DeVon and his family.  Sometimes those secrets can come back and haunt you even when you thought you were doing the right thing by keeping them. These families will deal with love, lost, lies, and even death when their paths make a full circle of secrets.  It will require lots of faith, belief, patience, and love to break the cycle and save Jason from falling into a generational whirlwind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Yolanda Dian
• Release date: Nov 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215766781

Book preview

Dedication:

Ernestine Brown

1943 – 2016

My mother knew about, and supported the writing of this book, but did not live to see it published!

This book is a work of fiction. If the characters and events in this book are similar to real persons, living or dead, it is purely coincidental and is based on the author's imagination.

Copyright © Yolanda Dian 2022

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED and no part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electric or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission from the publisher.

Introduction

Joseph DeVon moved his wife and three sons from Mississippi to the Chicago area hoping to leave behind the terrible secrets that could destroy the lives of the people they love. However, those secrets not only followed them, but they also wreaked havoc on the people around them. 

Jason DeVon the youngest son finds himself the object and center of this family’s mysterious past. When the men in this family start finding love and relationships these secrets soon began to affect multiple families.

When family secrets are not dealt with they can have a domino effect. That’s exactly what happened to Jason DeVon and his family.  Sometimes those secrets can come back and haunt you even when you thought you were doing the right thing by keeping them. These families will deal with love, loss, lies, and even death when their paths make a full circle of secrets.  It will require lots of faith, belief, patience, and love to break the cycle and save Jason from falling into a generational whirlwind.

Chapter One

The laughter filled the room as the DeVon family enjoyed their Sunday dinner, a delicious southern dinner prepared the night before by Louise DeVon better known as Momma Lou to all her friends and family back in Oxford, Mississippi.  That was where she and Joseph DeVon met and later moved to Illinois. Joseph known as Pops to their three sons, was a strong-minded, gray-haired, man. He sat back smiling while wiping away the remains of his dinner from his partially gray beard.

Joining them were their three sons. James, a 27-year-old accountant, and Michael, a 25-year-old Sales Manager for a well-known cellular phone company. Finally, Jason is eighteen, somewhat innocent, and still a Momma’s boy. 

Louise was thinking of the old days while she ate her dinner. She realized that all her boys were grown, God-fearing young men. She wanted to bring her immediate family together once again. Now, here they were, her four men together, sitting around the table laughing and talking just like in the old days. This truly warmed her heart watching them, until her mood seemed to change!

That laughter ended when Louise dropped her head to hide the tears dripping onto her plate. Joseph grabbed his wife's hand with his left hand and her chin with his right hand, as he raised her head, he looked into her watering eyes.

Honey, what's wrong?  He was confused, she looked at him and then at her three handsome sons.

Oh Joseph, I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because I'm so happy, She smiled her soft warm smile as she looked at James. "Son, the Lord has blessed us to have you and your family here in town with us and running your own business too, she proudly explained.

Thanks, Momma, it feels good to be here. We have not broken bread together like this since my wedding in Mississippi three years ago, said James.

Michael, you've made me so proud. I always knew you would go far with that company but you’re a manager in just a couple of years! You’re such a smart man, Louise said.

"Thank you, Momma! You do know it was your support that motivated me to go for that job, right?  I love you Momma, and thanks for being that Proverbs 31 woman that the Bible talks about. I pray I find me a wife like you!" Michael said as he saw a tear roll down her face.

She then looked over at her baby boy Jason. He had grown up, graduated from high school, and was going off to college.

Jason ... my baby, you're leaving for college tomorrow. Louise had spent most of his life spoiling and protecting him from anyone, including his family.  What will he do without her, is what she thought?

Gosh Momma, I'm only going to Northwestern University, right outside of Chicago, Jason thought she was making a big deal of everything.

Momma everything's gonna be all right, Jason is a big boy now he can take care of himself, James said as he grabbed his mother's other hand.

Yeah, we got through the hard times, and praise God we're all normal. Well, at least most of us are, Michael said as he turned and gave Jason a little playful push. He was teasing him as he often did when they were kids.

Michael, don't start that mess! Momma yelled, as the touching conversation suddenly took a sour turn.

Ma, I was only jokin with the brat, Jason got up from the table and excused himself as he did in the past. He was never able to take it when his brothers joked with him. He ran upstairs to his bedroom and blasted his stereo. Michael waited until he heard Jason's bedroom door close upstairs.

Momma, that boy is going off to college tomorrow... when are you gonna stop babying him? Michael knew that his mom would be mad at him. Joseph was thinking the same thing.

Okay, time out! Don't you think it's time you let us in on the real deal about Jason? What's up with him anyway? Why does he look so different from us and why do you baby him so much, Momma? Michael was ready for answers to some long-avoided questions.

Yeah Ma, we're not stupid, we've always known something wasn't right, James added.

I think the boys are right honey... maybe it is time you tell them, Joseph said, as he got up and walked out to the front porch.

Well, why is Pops leaving? James asked.

Your Pops don’t like to talk about this, and neither do I. But I know I owe it to you boys so...let's go in the living room and talk to your brother won't hear us, she said, and they agreed.

Louise looked at both her sons and took a deep breath. She started to reveal what had been a secret for so long.

Well, you remember when we lived in Oxford, your Pops and I were going through some tough times with our marriage,

Oh no, Ma don't tell me you cheated on Pops! Michael interrupted.

No of course not! Your Pops and I were trying extremely hard to have more kids. But I just couldn't get pregnant. Neither of us could admit that there could be a physical problem, she stopped and took a sip of the Kool-Aid that she brought with her from the dinner table. Well, finally I decided to go have some tests done to see if there was something wrong with me. It wasn't me; I was happy that I could still have babies, but that meant maybe Joseph couldn't. He began to get frustrated, and he lost interest in... our sex life.

So, Pops cheated? James asked, in a confused voice.

No, Joseph didn't cheat either. He refused to believe it was he who had the problem. We argued a lot and just gave up on the idea for a few years. Your father said he felt like a failure because we wanted lots of kids and grandkids. We knew we still loved each other very much, but it changed our dream.  I was finally ready to accept it when Michael had his sixth birthday party. We looked at how happy he was and knew we had to move on with our lives and be happy with what the Lord had already blessed us with. So, we did. Your father decided we needed some time alone to make up for the lost time. Well, your Aunt Betsy was willing to take guys home with her for the weekend to give us some time to work things out, Louise paused while getting the nerve to tell the rest.

Momma, is this story gonna take all night, I'd like to get home and do some more baby-making myself? James joked, trying to speed up the story.

Well, we wanted to make that night a special one. I promised to get dinner started and your father said he'd go to the store and get some candles and wine to go with dinner, the expressions on her face began to change.

Dinner was smelling good, and my favorite Barry White album was playing. The mood was perfect, so I decided to add a little surprise for Joseph by slipping into my sexy gown. The gown had lots of memories because I wore it on our wedding night, Louise was now rocking slightly in her chair.

Michael and James looked at each other. They knew Momma wasn't the kind that told her bedroom business. She continued with the story.

I thought I heard your dad coming up the steps, so I rushed over to the door and opened it...and... well...it wasn't him, Louise stuttered, and her eyes filled with tears.

Who was at the door? James asked.

I don't know who he was. He was wearing a woman's stocking over his head and face. I was startled, so I tried to close the door quickly and he stuck his foot in the door. I pushed as hard as I could, but his strength overpowered mine. He forced his way in, and I screamed and ran into the kitchen to try to grab a knife! But he caught me by my hair and pulled me to the floor. I screamed and kicked as much as I could, but he wouldn't stop. Please don't hurt me, please... I'm begging you!" I cried. He ripped my gown with his big white hands. My husband will be home anytime now! I told him. Then he got angry and slapped me across the face and held my hands together above my head in one of his hands. He sat straddled on top of me so I couldn't move. I continued to scream and that was the last thing I remembered after he hit me again and again in the face. Joseph came home and found me lying there on the floor with my gown completely ripped off and blood all around me,"

He raped you Momma and left you there to die? Michael asked, grabbing his mother, and holding her tight. They all had tears streaming down their faces.

Momma, was that the time you spent weeks in the hospital and daddy told us that you were sick, and the doctors were trying to find out what was wrong? James said remembering when he was eight, they wouldn’t let him go to the hospital to see his mother.

Yeah, I... I just couldn't let you boys see me like that she said.

Momma we could have lost you! Michael was in shock.

So, if Pops couldn't get you pregnant, are you saying... that Jason is the son of a rapist? James asked as he shook his head in total disbelief. They knew there was something, some secret, but they never imagined it was this bad. Michael stood up and walked across the room.

Aww man, I hope that Joker is in jail for life, Michael said, stopping himself from continuing what he wanted to say. But his spirituality was wrestling with it. Then he noticed that Momma was now crying even harder with her face buried in her hands.

They never found him, she said. Now you know why we moved to Illinois.

You needed to get away from everything huh? James was now understanding what his parents must have gone through.

Pops must have been devastated to find you lying there! said Michael.

Your father blamed himself for years. He felt that he could have been there to stop it all if he didn't take so long to get home. And it kills him that he couldn't be the one that got me pregnant. But Lord knows we don't regret having Jason. He is still my blood son and your half-brother.

Ma, I wish I hadn't teased him, but you spoiled him too much, Said, James.

I wasn't spoiling him. I was going out of the way to make sure he didn’t feel like he wasn’t loved.  Your father never really spent much time with him because it took him a long time to get over this. But that was 18 years ago and with the help of the Lord, we got through it. Now he's grown and going to college, Louise wiped her tears away. She was ready to move on with life.

Louise apologized to her sons for not telling them earlier. Joseph walked into the room and all that his sons could do was go to him and hug him.

Thanks, boys I needed that, Joseph said, hugging them back.

I think it is about time that you tell Jason, James suggested as he walked toward the door. I love you Ma, Pops...but I need to go home to my wife and baby. I'll stop by in the morning to see Jason before he leaves, James said.

He gave his parents and his brother another hug and started walking out to his car. He couldn’t bear the thought of something like that happening to his wife and just wanted to go home and love on her. This story made him love his parents even more and he realized how strong their faith in God must be for them to get through something like that and live through it together.

I better go too. Think about what James said Momma, tell Jason soon. I love yawl and I'm outta here, Michael followed James out.

Bye, boys we love yawl! she said with the feeling that after this night things might never be the same. She waved as she said. I expect to see my entire family every Thanksgiving at this house, no exceptions, yawl hear me?

Michael and James got into their cars and drove their separate ways. They both drove home without the radio on as they processed everything their mother had told them. Jason never even came downstairs to say goodnight and was still in his bedroom packing for his big move in the morning.

Twenty minutes later James was slipping his key into his new apartment door in a western suburb of Chicago called Bellwood Illinois. He had finally convinced his wife Angela to leave Oxford and move to Illinois to be near his family and open their accounting firm. That's how they met. She was also an accountant back in Oxford Mississippi.

Hi honey, how was dinner? his wife Angela asked.

Well, let's put it this way, we had some surprises, James explained.

They sat down and began talking, but James wasn't quite ready to tell the whole story yet. He just stared at her.

Honey, you are such a beautiful woman, James said as he wondered how he would feel if he and his wife had gone through what his parents had. If he could handle it. It was normal for him to stare at her, admiring how beautiful she was. But she knew something was different this time.  She figured he would tell her when the time was right.

Hey Ang, why didn't you ever become a model? You have the perfect face and body for magazines, he tried to change the subject.  He could see that she expected him to tell her why his mother insisted on seeing only the boys today.

James, what's wrong? I can see that it wasn't a good news dinner, He continued to stare at her.  She was a tall and very well-shaped woman with long flowing Auburn hair. Her skin was very fair, and she had beautiful, bluish-gray eyes.

James thought he was in heaven the day he walked into the office back in Oxford looking for a job and saw this beautiful woman that later became his wife.

Angela finally got him to talk but, James didn't tell him everything that his mom told him. He talked about how much he admired his mom. She watched him as he talked and she smiled, admiring his love for his mother.

You're gonna be such a good daddy to Amber, she was asleep in her bedroom.

I sure hope so. I admire my parents for what they've been through to keep their family together, James was thinking about what his mom had just told him.

Is everything Okay at your parent’s house? You look like something happened.

No, we found out some messed-up stuff that happened before we moved to Illinois. But honey... I don't want to talk about it because I get so disgusted even thinking about it all.

Well, you can tell me when you're ready. Meanwhile, I'll go get you something to drink.

James watched Angela walk across the room to the kitchen. Her formfitting summer dress accented her curves as she moved. He was no longer in the mood to talk. James slivered across the room and grabbed her waist from behind and began to nibble on the back of her neck. Angela loved how passionate and romantic he was.

You know my hot spots, don't you? she asked, as little chill bumps began to cover her body and her dress straps slid off her shoulders.

I try, he began to turn her around to continue nibbling the front of her neck when the mood was broken by a cry from the nursery.  It was little Amber.

Oh no...not now Amber!  James mumbled under his breath.

You hold that thought and I’ll be right back, When she went into the room Amber was lying there, eyes wide open with her arms stretched out. She did not look like she would be going back to sleep any time soon.  Angela picked her up, sat in the rocking chair, and began to nurse her.

James returned to the couch where he fell asleep watching a movie while he anxiously awaited her return from the baby’s room.  Angela and Amber slept the rest of the night in the rocking chair.

Chapter Two

The next morning Jason drove to the University. The time had come for him to be a man. He was no longer Momma Lou’s baby. But he still remembers how she cried and begged him to let her drive him to school to help him settle in. With the help of his father, they convinced her that it was not a good idea and that she had to let go. Once Jason settled in, he dove onto his bed and just looked around the room.

Hey, hey, hey!  a voice said as the door opened, and in walked Nad, his roommate. What's up, man?

Ah...I'm glad to be here man... glad to be away from home finally, Jason said.

Nadeem is my name but, the girls in my high school called me Nad.

Nice to meet you man, my name is Jason. Some people call me Jay, the guys seemed to get along very well.

Later that evening Nad invited Jason to a Back to School party at a friend’s house. Forgetting that he was now on his own, Jason was about to say no, because his parents didn't let him go to many parties. Then he realized the decision was up to him finally, and he said yes.

They arrived at the party in Jason's red 1988 Honda Civic his parents gave him for graduation. The music was thumping as they walked up the walkway. People were standing on the porch smoking cigarettes and drinking sodas.  Yes, sodas were what Jason was hoping to see. He was not sure if he was quite ready to deal with the pressures of booze and drugs yet. He was glad that he came. They made their way through the crowd as Nad introduced him to some of his friends.

"Hey, what's up with Junior? Where’s he and that