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	<title>Comments for EDC Creations Virtual Tours</title>
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		<title>Comment on MOLESTED ANGEL WINGS by Linda D. Wattley</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-23</link>
		<dc:creator>Linda D. Wattley</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:03:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-23</guid>
		<description>Hi Rosana, thanks for reading my story.  You asked a very good question.  &quot;How does one begin to find their &quot;Angel Wings?&quot;  I am going to be very honest with you.  Our wings are always with us.  We just have to awaken to them.  The journey to awakening is a very beautiful and soul searching experience.  It is a lifetime of unfolding.  I am so happy to know you have already began your journey to awakening.

Because of the years of healing I have experienced and continue to experience, I know what you are experiencing seems to be extremely personal to you and possibly not understood by anyone.  I would love to talk with you and share my inner journey with you.  I want to know where you are inwardly with your experience.  I dare not suggest you do anything without knowing what hurts and consumes you the most.  I would appreciate it if you would reach me by my e-mail address that I may call you.  I am very confident we can be there for one another through patience and an unfolding trust in God.

There is much my heart desires to share.  Take care.

Linda Wattley</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Rosana, thanks for reading my story.  You asked a very good question.  &#8220;How does one begin to find their &#8220;Angel Wings?&#8221;  I am going to be very honest with you.  Our wings are always with us.  We just have to awaken to them.  The journey to awakening is a very beautiful and soul searching experience.  It is a lifetime of unfolding.  I am so happy to know you have already began your journey to awakening.</p>
<p>Because of the years of healing I have experienced and continue to experience, I know what you are experiencing seems to be extremely personal to you and possibly not understood by anyone.  I would love to talk with you and share my inner journey with you.  I want to know where you are inwardly with your experience.  I dare not suggest you do anything without knowing what hurts and consumes you the most.  I would appreciate it if you would reach me by my e-mail address that I may call you.  I am very confident we can be there for one another through patience and an unfolding trust in God.</p>
<p>There is much my heart desires to share.  Take care.</p>
<p>Linda Wattley</p>
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		<title>Comment on MOLESTED ANGEL WINGS by Allyson Deese</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-22</link>
		<dc:creator>Allyson Deese</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:50:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-22</guid>
		<description>Rosana,

Sweetheart, You have indeed started the process, its long. It is long, but you can get through it. 

A cherished loved one of mine is just now getting to the place of complete healing over what happened to her 45 years ago.

It all begins with prayer and Forgiveness. 

Like Madea says, &quot;Don&#039;t forgive them for them, do it for you!&quot; When you forgive and let go in your heart, its powerful.

Its renewing, and such a blessing. I&#039;ve had my own personal trials that I&#039;ve had to let go and let God deal with.

You are in my prayers,
Allyson M. Deese
www.allysonmdeese.webs.com</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Rosana,</p>
<p>Sweetheart, You have indeed started the process, its long. It is long, but you can get through it. </p>
<p>A cherished loved one of mine is just now getting to the place of complete healing over what happened to her 45 years ago.</p>
<p>It all begins with prayer and Forgiveness. </p>
<p>Like Madea says, &#8220;Don&#8217;t forgive them for them, do it for you!&#8221; When you forgive and let go in your heart, its powerful.</p>
<p>Its renewing, and such a blessing. I&#8217;ve had my own personal trials that I&#8217;ve had to let go and let God deal with.</p>
<p>You are in my prayers,<br />
Allyson M. Deese<br />
<a href="http://www.allysonmdeese.webs.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.allysonmdeese.webs.com</a></p>
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		<title>Comment on MOLESTED ANGEL WINGS by Hazel Mills</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-21</link>
		<dc:creator>Hazel Mills</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:56:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-21</guid>
		<description>Rosana,
Nothing rings more true than &quot;The Battle Is Not Yours&quot; by Yolanda Adams. You can try all you want to get over the hurt and the pain but until you totally stand in uncompromising and complete surrender before God, you feet will move and never reach their destination. True healing can only come from God. His will is not for his children to be held prisoner by their past. He wants us to have life in abundance, to the full, til it overflows.
Have you forgiven the one who violated you? Forgiveness is the first step to healing. Forgiving him or her does not mean that you condone the act. The person doesn&#039;t even have to ask for it. God requires us to forgive others just as he forgives us. Unforgiveness allows the other person to maintain power over you. Take your power back!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Rosana,<br />
Nothing rings more true than &#8220;The Battle Is Not Yours&#8221; by Yolanda Adams. You can try all you want to get over the hurt and the pain but until you totally stand in uncompromising and complete surrender before God, you feet will move and never reach their destination. True healing can only come from God. His will is not for his children to be held prisoner by their past. He wants us to have life in abundance, to the full, til it overflows.<br />
Have you forgiven the one who violated you? Forgiveness is the first step to healing. Forgiving him or her does not mean that you condone the act. The person doesn&#8217;t even have to ask for it. God requires us to forgive others just as he forgives us. Unforgiveness allows the other person to maintain power over you. Take your power back!</p>
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		<title>Comment on MOLESTED ANGEL WINGS by Stephanie L. Jones</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-20</link>
		<dc:creator>Stephanie L. Jones</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:46:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-20</guid>
		<description>Linda, thank you for all that you do.

Rosana, you&#039;ve already started.  Up until this very moment, you may not have realized it, but you&#039;ve already started.  It begins the moment that you reach out for help.  The key now is to never turn back.  You have to understand that the journey can be painful sometimes, but in the end it&#039;s well worth it!  While many people never say a word, never reach out to anyone, oftentimes those that do reach out don&#039;t continue along the path/journey to healing.  Just last night, I spoke with a young lady for several hours.  She reached out months ago, but yesterday she expressed that the journey to healing has been very, very painful.  That happens with many people, it happened with me.  That&#039;s because one must deal with &quot;all&quot; of the effects of child molestation.  I was dealing with so many issues that stemmed from this one act - promiscuity, drugs, alcohol, low self-esteem, weight issues, health issues, money problems, and more.  It wasn&#039;t easy working through all of that mess.  Whatever you do, don&#039;t give up on your healing.

I also want to emphasize that YES, your healing must begin with God.  Only God can truly heal our souls.  Sexual abuse/molestation destroys the soul (mind, will, and emotions).  BUT, there may also be some very practical steps that you need to take as well.  A lot of the women who reach out to me will say, &quot;I&#039;ve been praying and praying and nothing is happening.&quot;  I&#039;ll ask them, &quot;Are you listening for a response to your prayers and then are you taking action?&quot;  Yes, I saturated myself with the Word of God.  Yes, I prayed and prayed.  BUT, I also took some steps in the natural.  I stopped getting high.  I put down that bottle.  I opened up to my husband and expressed my feelings.  I stopped hanging out with certain people.  I stopped going to certain places.  I stopped running to the mall for retail therapy.  I stopped comparing my butt, my breast, my thighs, my eyes to every woman that I knew and passed on the street.  I stopped listening to certain music... watching certain show...certain movies.

Do a real self-evaluation.  What don&#039;t you like about you?  I didn&#039;t like the fact that I was always in competition with other women and I felt that I had to be the center of attraction (men made me the center of attraction at a young age).  What do you need to change?  Find out and begin to put the Word on it!  What are some things that you&#039;ve done that you need to forgive yourself for?  What do you need to let go?  Interestingly, the saying is &quot;Let Go and Let God.&quot;  Well, I say first you have to &quot;Let God&quot; and then you can &quot;Let Go.&quot;  However, YOU have to do some things as well!  God will do His part, but you must be willing &quot;at all cost&quot; to do yours.

Be encouraged!
Be inspired!
Be healed!

Agape!
Stephanie L. Jones
&quot;Author of The Enemy Between My Legs&quot;
www.stephanieljones.com

Be sure to log on to my website and listen to the audio clip from chapter one of my book: www.stephanieljones.com.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Linda, thank you for all that you do.</p>
<p>Rosana, you&#8217;ve already started.  Up until this very moment, you may not have realized it, but you&#8217;ve already started.  It begins the moment that you reach out for help.  The key now is to never turn back.  You have to understand that the journey can be painful sometimes, but in the end it&#8217;s well worth it!  While many people never say a word, never reach out to anyone, oftentimes those that do reach out don&#8217;t continue along the path/journey to healing.  Just last night, I spoke with a young lady for several hours.  She reached out months ago, but yesterday she expressed that the journey to healing has been very, very painful.  That happens with many people, it happened with me.  That&#8217;s because one must deal with &#8220;all&#8221; of the effects of child molestation.  I was dealing with so many issues that stemmed from this one act &#8211; promiscuity, drugs, alcohol, low self-esteem, weight issues, health issues, money problems, and more.  It wasn&#8217;t easy working through all of that mess.  Whatever you do, don&#8217;t give up on your healing.</p>
<p>I also want to emphasize that YES, your healing must begin with God.  Only God can truly heal our souls.  Sexual abuse/molestation destroys the soul (mind, will, and emotions).  BUT, there may also be some very practical steps that you need to take as well.  A lot of the women who reach out to me will say, &#8220;I&#8217;ve been praying and praying and nothing is happening.&#8221;  I&#8217;ll ask them, &#8220;Are you listening for a response to your prayers and then are you taking action?&#8221;  Yes, I saturated myself with the Word of God.  Yes, I prayed and prayed.  BUT, I also took some steps in the natural.  I stopped getting high.  I put down that bottle.  I opened up to my husband and expressed my feelings.  I stopped hanging out with certain people.  I stopped going to certain places.  I stopped running to the mall for retail therapy.  I stopped comparing my butt, my breast, my thighs, my eyes to every woman that I knew and passed on the street.  I stopped listening to certain music&#8230; watching certain show&#8230;certain movies.</p>
<p>Do a real self-evaluation.  What don&#8217;t you like about you?  I didn&#8217;t like the fact that I was always in competition with other women and I felt that I had to be the center of attraction (men made me the center of attraction at a young age).  What do you need to change?  Find out and begin to put the Word on it!  What are some things that you&#8217;ve done that you need to forgive yourself for?  What do you need to let go?  Interestingly, the saying is &#8220;Let Go and Let God.&#8221;  Well, I say first you have to &#8220;Let God&#8221; and then you can &#8220;Let Go.&#8221;  However, YOU have to do some things as well!  God will do His part, but you must be willing &#8220;at all cost&#8221; to do yours.</p>
<p>Be encouraged!<br />
Be inspired!<br />
Be healed!</p>
<p>Agape!<br />
Stephanie L. Jones<br />
&#8220;Author of The Enemy Between My Legs&#8221;<br />
<a href="http://www.stephanieljones.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.stephanieljones.com</a></p>
<p>Be sure to log on to my website and listen to the audio clip from chapter one of my book: <a href="http://www.stephanieljones.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.stephanieljones.com</a>.</p>
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		<title>Comment on MOLESTED ANGEL WINGS by Sunshine Royal</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-19</link>
		<dc:creator>Sunshine Royal</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:48:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-19</guid>
		<description>Rosana,

Have you gone to anyone and talked about the molestation? As hard as it is, talking about that experience may be the best place to begin. And if you believe in God, pray for the strength to not just deal with what you&#039;ve been through, but for the strength to overcome it, find your wings, and fly freely. There is nothing that God can not deliver us from. You&#039;re not alone and please know that I, too, am praying for you. I&#039;m not a counselor but some times it&#039;s easier to talk to a complete stranger. My email is writerlin2003@yahoo.com

Linda R. Herman
www.LindaRHerman.com</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Rosana,</p>
<p>Have you gone to anyone and talked about the molestation? As hard as it is, talking about that experience may be the best place to begin. And if you believe in God, pray for the strength to not just deal with what you&#8217;ve been through, but for the strength to overcome it, find your wings, and fly freely. There is nothing that God can not deliver us from. You&#8217;re not alone and please know that I, too, am praying for you. I&#8217;m not a counselor but some times it&#8217;s easier to talk to a complete stranger. My email is <a href="mailto:writerlin2003@yahoo.com">writerlin2003@yahoo.com</a></p>
<p>Linda R. Herman<br />
<a href="http://www.LindaRHerman.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.LindaRHerman.com</a></p>
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		<title>Comment on MOLESTED ANGEL WINGS by Rosana</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-18</link>
		<dc:creator>Rosana</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:41:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-18</guid>
		<description>Thank you for your words. I am also a victim of molestation, but I have not been able tofind my angel wings of healing. How does one start?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thank you for your words. I am also a victim of molestation, but I have not been able tofind my angel wings of healing. How does one start?</p>
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		<title>Comment on IF I HAD A DAUGHTER by bettye griffin</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/if-i-had-a-daughter/#comment-16</link>
		<dc:creator>bettye griffin</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:39:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/if-i-had-a-daughter/#comment-16</guid>
		<description>I just had to post and say what a beautiful little girl!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I just had to post and say what a beautiful little girl!</p>
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		<title>Comment on 17 to Life: A Black Boy Memoir by Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/14/17-to-life-a-black-boy-memoir/#comment-15</link>
		<dc:creator>Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:50:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/14/17-to-life-a-black-boy-memoir/#comment-15</guid>
		<description>Wow this was deep. I can&#039;t wait until we have our interview on BAN. Ella</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wow this was deep. I can&#8217;t wait until we have our interview on BAN. Ella</p>
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		<title>Comment on MOLESTED ANGEL WINGS by Linda  D. Wattley</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-14</link>
		<dc:creator>Linda  D. Wattley</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:33:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-14</guid>
		<description>Hi Michelle, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me and your understanding of this journey.  It was strengthening to know there is a sister relating to the wonderment of God after this experience. May you continue unfolding through your unique and special journey.  Take care.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Michelle, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me and your understanding of this journey.  It was strengthening to know there is a sister relating to the wonderment of God after this experience. May you continue unfolding through your unique and special journey.  Take care.</p>
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		<title>Comment on IF I HAD A DAUGHTER by Linda  D. Wattley</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/if-i-had-a-daughter/#comment-13</link>
		<dc:creator>Linda  D. Wattley</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/if-i-had-a-daughter/#comment-13</guid>
		<description>Michelle, I do not have books for this particular title but I do have a &quot;Healing Trilogy&quot; on my website:  http://www.lindawattley.com revealing the developmental stages of our soul from the tender early years of contact of molestation to the final stage when God embraces His wounded child.  The characters share their heartfelt struggles of self-esteem especially their bodies in some cases.  God bless.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Michelle, I do not have books for this particular title but I do have a &#8220;Healing Trilogy&#8221; on my website:  <a href="http://www.lindawattley.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.lindawattley.com</a> revealing the developmental stages of our soul from the tender early years of contact of molestation to the final stage when God embraces His wounded child.  The characters share their heartfelt struggles of self-esteem especially their bodies in some cases.  God bless.</p>
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		<title>Comment on MOLESTED ANGEL WINGS by believeinyou08</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-12</link>
		<dc:creator>believeinyou08</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/molested-angel-wings/#comment-12</guid>
		<description>Linda,&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;This is Michelle Moorer again and I read Molested Angel Wings.  I have tears in my eyes, because i truly understand what and how it feels to have wings of healing.  I remember the first day my wings of healing began and will never forget it.  It is so true healing from molestation takes time and true devotion and prayer with God to leave that past behind and begin a true self-realization that God has in store for you.  &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;God has restored and redeemed my soul.  I too have accepted my wings of freedom.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Thank you!&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Michelle Moorer</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Linda,</p>
<p>This is Michelle Moorer again and I read Molested Angel Wings.  I have tears in my eyes, because i truly understand what and how it feels to have wings of healing.  I remember the first day my wings of healing began and will never forget it.  It is so true healing from molestation takes time and true devotion and prayer with God to leave that past behind and begin a true self-realization that God has in store for you.  </p>
<p>God has restored and redeemed my soul.  I too have accepted my wings of freedom.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>Michelle Moorer</p>
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		<title>Comment on IF I HAD A DAUGHTER by believeinyou08</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/if-i-had-a-daughter/#comment-11</link>
		<dc:creator>believeinyou08</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:03:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/if-i-had-a-daughter/#comment-11</guid>
		<description>Linda, my name is Michelle Moorer and I read your article. I am touched in many ways.  I was sexually abused by my father and mother boyfriend from ages 5-13 and I didn&#039;t know the meaning of my body until I grew older to understand my body and the relationship with God.  However, I self-published my first book called  &quot;Shh..Don&#039;t Tell.&quot; which talk about the abuse and the trials and tribulations I experienced during my journey.  &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;I am going to print your article out and give it to my daughter to read.  Because I want her to understand her body and the true meaning of loving God and herself.  &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Do you have any books on this title?  &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Thanks for taking the time to write this article.  I know if it touched me I am sure it has touched many.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Michelle</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Linda, my name is Michelle Moorer and I read your article. I am touched in many ways.  I was sexually abused by my father and mother boyfriend from ages 5-13 and I didn&#8217;t know the meaning of my body until I grew older to understand my body and the relationship with God.  However, I self-published my first book called  &#8220;Shh..Don&#8217;t Tell.&#8221; which talk about the abuse and the trials and tribulations I experienced during my journey.  </p>
<p>I am going to print your article out and give it to my daughter to read.  Because I want her to understand her body and the true meaning of loving God and herself.  </p>
<p>Do you have any books on this title?  </p>
<p>Thanks for taking the time to write this article.  I know if it touched me I am sure it has touched many.</p>
<p>Michelle</p>
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		<title>Comment on Posting the First Chapter by Lord'Williams</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/07/08/posting-the-first-chapter/#comment-10</link>
		<dc:creator>Lord'Williams</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:05:00 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>Shadows of the Heart (avail. Aug 1,2008)&lt;br/&gt;By: Lord&#039;Williams&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Published by: Lord&#039;Williams Publishing Groups&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;ISBN 10: 0-9818938-0-5&lt;br/&gt;ISBN 13: 978-0-9818938-0-8&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Chapter 1&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He finished the final touches on the track he’d just sung, his own rendition of “One Less Bell,” originally performed by The Fifth Dimension, back in the early seventies. The tracks from his tears dried moments after he stepped out of the sound booth. He did this remake for no one in particular but himself, and his lonesome heart. He thought it would make great background music for his pity party, but the tears and sorrowful heart have left him thoughtless. Before his mind went voided, he thought about a lot of things—like in the last few weeks, after Yvonne, his wife, made her departure from their residence.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;She took little with her that night. She was too choked-up and upset to stay under the same roof with him any longer than she had to. Quiet as it was kept, she had thought about leaving him so many times, for a long time, but the timing was never right. She had not planned on leaving the way she did, not on his terms, but he put all the cards on the table. She should have remembered he was a skillful player, and he always played to win, but since that night, he regretted showing his hand at all. He never dreamed his marriage would come to a division.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He never wanted to live his life without her. She was his world; even when he’d whored around and gave himself so easily to others, he always thought she would be there. He never understood how a couple could live together for ten, twenty, thirty, or more years and separate for some stupid, bullshit indifferences like adultery. He’d always thought love could overcome &lt;br/&gt;anything and everything, but his home became a house for damn near two years. She grew cold and distant, and started working late and later, till it seemed as if she just wasn’t there.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;The track was completed; he sat and stared at the console. The project gave him something to do; his usual routine had changed. When she left him, she took away her small talk, her constructive criticism, and her nightly needs, which he reluctantly became accustomed to providing them for her. Those needy chores of hers, wrapping her hair before she went to bed, or after waking up from a nap, yikes. Chores like demanding she pick out her clothes for the next day so he could iron them along with her uniform, or like taking her eyeglasses off her face while she slept, get up to when she got up in the mornings to brush out and style the hair he wrapped the night before, and to be near to hear her silently scream in her sleep during her nightmares.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;William peeped into his oldest daughter’s room, as he had done for twenty-two years. She was out again, and the room was a mess, as usual. Clothes laid in all corners, on the desk, on the dresser. Maybe if she spent a little more time at home, she would have some control, or concern. He would wonder just where the hell he went wrong. He closed the door and walked a few steps to the next room. His two youngest daughters were asleep. They had separate beds of their own, but they chose to sleep together, his two darling little angels. Over to his son’s room—where he found the television on, the computer on, the Play Station on—he looked over at his son where he laid in bed asleep with his clothes on. William stepped into the room and thought, this kid. I should wake him up and make him do this. Instead, he began his usual task of shutting everything off.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He headed for the stairs, switching off the hall lights as he started his descent, then the phone rang. He hurried down the stairs to the phone on the end table in the living room. His heart quickened. He thought could it be her? Oh God, let it be her.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Hello?” William inquired.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yo, Will. Still up, I see.” It was Friday, twelve thirty-six in the night, and Jake, his best friend, was looking for a place to hang out. “Want some company? Shit, I got nothing to do. I’m tired of this damn house and the damn woman getting on my nerves. I need to escape, shit.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah sure, that&#039;s cool, nothing happening over here. How long?” asked William, knowing it would take Jake at least forty minutes to reach him.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Fifteen, twenty minutes,” Jake replied.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Twenty minutes?”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah, actually, I’m halfway there,” Jake confessed.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Then why call? Hey, just drop by, walk in, and make yourself at home. Have a sandwich or something,” William said sarcastically.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Thanks, I was planning to do just that.” Jake welcomed the invitation even though all of which was his norm.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah cool. See you in a bit.” William placed the cordless phone back into its cradle. He headed toward the back of the house to his study. He stopped when he’d stepped in and stared at the canvas painting of his wife and him, standing sideway, embracing each other, kissing. She was on her toes reaching up to him, his arms wrapped around her. Their nude bodies looked as if they were painted with the finest, silky smooth dark chocolate with butterscotch for their muscular tone.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He’d updated his day planner earlier before he’d checked on the children. Next week was going to be just as busy as this one was. He was tired; it had been a long day, and a quiet evening. He turned the computer and the lights off, and headed for the basement-slash-business.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He entered his basement, walked pass the lounge area and over to one of the three desks, and seated himself. The lounge area was actually two and a half rooms before he took down the partitions. He used the entire basement for his business. It consisted of a professional studio, with two sound rooms—both were medium orchestra size with three individual booths for vocalists; a high-end, high-tech, state-of-the-art mixing console; and the heart of it all, his computer network and file system. The lounging area consisted of a full bar, a mini-kitchen, two full-length white leather sofas, and two matching love seats centered around a large thick squared jewel, a gold leaf coffee table with the top made of onyx. On the coffee table sat all the usual black publications—Black Enterprise, Essence, Ebony, Source, Vibe, and others—to entertain his guests, followed by the small work area, with the three desks, and computer terminals.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;At one of the computer terminal, he searched for an album, just one of thousands stored on the system. He selected The Best of Sade. The volume was preset at a low and moderate level. The music played through the eight pairs of slim line speakers placed in various locations throughout the oversized room.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He walked behind the bar and began to prepare his drink—Chivas Regal and Coke on the rocks—in his favorite crystal rocker glass. After a long sip, he walked back to the computer and selected the track, “The Sweetest Taboo.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;It’s been over three weeks since his wife left him. She told the children she would be staying with Aunt Vanessa. She needed time to get away and to think things over, sort out the details and weigh her options. Her plane landed five days ago. The Bahamas was her destination. She left no phone number other than her cell phone, no hotel name, nothing. Well, not with him anyway. She refused to speak with him; she’d only conversed with the kids. Shit, she really didn’t give a damn whether he wanted to speak with her or not. The bastard had the nerves to have done what he did, and she really wasn’t feeling him. Was putting his cards on the table actually come from the act of some stupid shit he did and got caught? Hell no, he was too good to get caught at the shit he did; his game was mad tight. Yet, she left her home, her domain, her position of absolute authority.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;William was a woman’s dream—tall, dark, and trained. He possessed the ability to do all domestic house chores, all the handyman chores, all the major electrical and mechanical chores; and besides being able to sew, make patterns, crochet, and garden, he loved pleasing a woman. So what were his faults? Well, he was highly intelligent, he was very secretive, he dreamed too damn big, and he was too damn pleasing to women.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He sat at the desk and sipped from the glass. A sense of loneliness washed over him, making him feel empty. He looked into the glass, ice, and brown liquid—not enough to get him drunk, or fill the emptiness. He had not been sleeping well the last three weeks since she left. He missed her, deeply. Hell, he had it so bad he had yet to change her pillowcases. The scent reminded him of her—she felt closer—and provided him with hope of her return. His cell phone rang, he lifted it from out it’s poach. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Hello?”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Hi, Poppy,” said a young woman.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Hi, baby girl.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He only called one person by that name, and that was because she would not have it any other way. It was his oldest daughter, Jasmine, and only she solely retained that title. She just turned twenty-two years old and began to explore her sexuality. She stood five- foot-nine; she was almost as tall as her father was. She liked to keep her hair and nails long, and she had the lightest skin tone in the family. She would be best described as a smart, sassy, big-boned, big-assed young woman, who has nothing but love for her father.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Where are you tonight?” he asked.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“I’m out with Jess and Helen. I’ll be spending the night with Helen, unless you need me to come home.” She prayed he’d say no.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“No. No reason for you to come home, I’m okay.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Sure, Poppy?” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah, baby girl. I’m all right. Coming home tomorrow?” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“I don’t know. I might be in late, there is something I wanna to watch at nine. So I’ll be home before then. Okay, Poppy?” She prayed he had nothing for her to do. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah, cool,” William responded. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Has Ma called you yet?” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“No,” He replied. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“How’re the kids?” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“They’re okay. Everyone’s asleep. Jake will be by in a little bit. So we’ll just sit here and get drunk together, play some music, and talk shit for the rest of the night.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;She chuckled. “Okay, Daddy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Good night, baby.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Good night, Daddy.” She knew he had everything under control.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;They disconnected the call. He sled down in the love seat and took a couple of sips. He spied into his glass, and it was three quarters empty. “Hum. Down. Now that’s a no-no.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He stood and headed back to the bar. As he reached for the Chivas, the doorbell rang. His heart pounded for a second at the thought—could it be her?—but quickly he realized it should be Jake. He placed the bottle on the counter and headed upstairs. He opened the door. No surprise, it was Jake. They embraced and headed back downstairs.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Jake took off his Yankees baseball cap, tossed it over to the far-end sofa, and said, “Hey, drink time.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Oh yeah. Pour your own. And bring the bottles over to the table.” William smiled to himself. Finally, he had some company, it had been months since he and his longtime buddy, Jake had shared any time together.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Jake knew where everything was. And why not? It truly was his second home. He had been a part of William’s life for over fourteen years. They worked the same job for more than seven years. They started about the same time. Jake watched William climb his way up from a company delivery driver to the company’s operation manager. All was going well for William until he stepped in to save Jake from getting fired and from possible imprisonment. Back then, keeping Jake out of trouble was something William had done many times before this last great sacrifice.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;William took the blame and confessed to stealing over nineteen thousand dollars of produce. He was fired and was lucky not to have served time. He was sentenced to serve three years probation. To Jake, William was a success story, because he turned his life around. William went back to college, graduated with a masters degree in electrical engineering from NYU, started his own company, made lots of money, bought a modern mansion, and rubbed elbows with the stars, so he thought. Actually, William hosted or leased out the studio to a few of the music industry’s celebrities. But he primarily corrected, sampled, or created sound recording; produced masters for some of the top recording labels, companies, and soundmen from around the world. Occasionally he would provide his services to government and local law enforcement agencies.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Oh, and the Pentagon. William had a patent on an invention called “the Filtrex,” a five-year project, which paid off big time. The Filtrex was a box, which could filter out the sound of a roaring disco to hear an ink pin drop and bounce off the floor. The Filtrex had the ability to filter out and focus in on whatever sound one chooses to hear from a recording, tape, disc, or live. William was hoping to make lots of money by selling thousands, millions, but instead he’d only sold twenty.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;The Pentagon dropped the ball, and William’s patent was granted before they realize what the plans actually yield. They stopped the manufacturing for the Filtrex, and for two years, there were threats, court battles, and bullshit harassment techniques used against William. They went as far as labeling William and Yvonne as major drug dealers. They said William murdered three reviled dealers up in the Bronx for their drugs. They couldn’t provide any evidence to lay to their claim, so when that didn’t work, they threaten to have William and his family erased. William informed them that several people had copies of the Filtrex plans and would publish them on the Internet if anything were to happen to his family or to him. They came to an agreement. William could only market the Filtrex in a scaled-down version, and he had to retail that version for an unreasonable one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. And last, a contract and a five-million dollar – a – year grant to perfect the Filtrex where it would be able to pick up sound from great distances in real time, like from a spy plane, or from a satellite out in orbit. William was more than your average man was, he was into more than smarts, a career, and money. Unknown to family and friends, he was in bed, sleeping with Uncle Sam. William R. Green was connected and protected.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Hey? Where is that fine Latino chick Maria?” Jake asked as he placed the bottles and his glass on the large coffee table.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Gone. Got her check and split,” William said from his seat on the far-end sofa as Jake took a seat on the sofa opposite him.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Damn. That girl looks good. Let me ask you . . . is that why Yvonne left?” He poured the Absolute Vodka into the glass he held.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“No. She didn’t say she was the problem. Although there was a time she did accuse me of fucking her,” William admitted.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Have you?” Jake poured in the orange juice.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“No. She’s my housemaid, my babies’ nanny. I don’t fuck people who work for me. They expect more and do less. Thinking they got something over you.” Jake chuckled. “Actually, I’m not screwing anyone. I told you this crap before. I’m out the game. I don’t have time for all that. I have enough on my plate. No time to be chasing ass,” William confessed.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Think she’s coming back?” Jake asked.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Don’t know. Don’t know much of what she does anymore.” William finished his drink, looked into the empty glass and felt his life running in parallel—empty and uncertain. He never fathomed the thought of living without his wife, or her ever having the courage to leave him.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Maybe that’s why. You weren’t spending any time, you bastard. You’re all wrapped up in this shit you do.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Naw. I was always available for her and the kids. My time is my own. No, she stopped coming home, she stopped having conversations, she stopped everything . . .”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah, because she caught your ass fucking somebody. I know. Yvonne loves you, and the only thing that would make her leave you is another bitch. A woman has got to be out of her fucking mind leaving all this shit behind.” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“I’m telling you man, no. I’m cool now. Nothing’s happening outside or inside of this house.” William started to fix another glass. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“William, let me say this. You’re a nice guy, but you’re also a real bastard. Confess, you’ve done something? What about those panties?” Jake downed the remaining half glass and joined William in the preparation of another glass for himself.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“That was damn near two years ago,” William stated.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah, like women forget shit. They love making us guys pay for shit years later in life. They get off on that trick.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“I don’t know, man.” William leaned back. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“And you still don’t know whose panties they were?” Jake leaned back. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“No idea. That sport jacket sat on that hook over there”—he pointed behind him, at a wall with seven hooks—“for like three, four days, and people were all in and out of here. Don’t know who she is—”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Or he,” Jake added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Oh shit. Don’t destroy the fantasy.” William paused. “No clue, man. She never revealed herself.” He sipped. “Man, back then, at that time I don’t even know if I would have, but these days, I’m getting backed up.” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Backed up? You really haven’t been doing anything?” Jake sipped. Knowing the history of William’s whorish ways and past behavior, he was surprise. He would have bet money his friend was operating under the radar.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;“No. I’ve been good for a while. I’m talkin’ years. There have been lots of changes in my life. A lot of shorties pushin’ up on me, but I’m tired of all that crap.” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah, your ass is getting old, that’s all, or finally growing up. Now me, I need the exercises.” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“What, Tam’s not taking care of you?” William asked. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Man, I’m chasing Tam off me. Shit, you know she’s still asking me to do that.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Do what? The booty?” William chuckled. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah, man.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“What’s up with that?” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“No.” Jake waved his hand at William. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yo. You better take care of your girl. She’s calling. You better hit that before someone else does.” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah, like you, you bastard.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Your girl looks good, but no. That’s okay. I like you, you dumb fuck.” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“I don’t know how you can do that shit. It’s nasty. Putting my dick in someone’s ass. That shit is sick.” Jake declared.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“How the hell would you know, if you never done it?” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“I did it before, and seeing shit all over my dick wasn’t pleasing, or a rewarding sight, let me tell you.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“You did it wrong. You got caught in the moment and got nasty. Now if you’re going to do that, you have to prepare.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Prepare?” Jake reached for the bottle again. “How the fuck you do that?”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“I told her how. She’s ready for you. She’s going to get tired of that dildo.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Yeah, you and your conversations. Ever since that night, she has been getting on my damn nerves.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Jake, not for nothing, that’s your lady; take care of her needs and dreams, and she’ll be with you for life.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Bullshit. Where’s yours? And I know you took good care of her.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Now that’s low, you bitch.” He leaned forward toward the table to mix another drink. Jake’s statement was why William disliked telling people his business; they always threw it in your face at some point and time. “But you’re right. I did everything I thought I should be doing. I’ve tried to give her all of her desires and still it wasn’t enough.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Did you try giving her you?”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Look who’s talking? Won’t fuck his wife in the ass and you ask me that shit? She always had me. I was always here. Even when I whored around, she came first. I love her Jake. She’s my girl, my friend, my boo. Hell, I like her more than I like you.”&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;“Something pissed her off. Man, maybe it was that shit on your back.” &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;William wondered. Could that be the reason for her behavior? No. She couldn’t have a clue to its legion, what it really symbolized. No one knew. He caught a chill. The same cold chill he received when he was looking in the mirror while shaving a week ago. Oh God, was it true? He saw it in the mirror. Could he have been mistaken? Silence reined for a moment, and it wasn’t from the possibility of Yvonne having a clue to the tattoo on his back.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;Author Lord&#039;Williams&lt;br/&gt;http://lordwilliams.net</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Shadows of the Heart (avail. Aug 1,2008)<br />By: Lord&#8217;Williams</p>
<p>Published by: Lord&#8217;Williams Publishing Groups</p>
<p>ISBN 10: 0-9818938-0-5<br />ISBN 13: 978-0-9818938-0-8</p>
<p>Chapter 1</p>
<p>He finished the final touches on the track he’d just sung, his own rendition of “One Less Bell,” originally performed by The Fifth Dimension, back in the early seventies. The tracks from his tears dried moments after he stepped out of the sound booth. He did this remake for no one in particular but himself, and his lonesome heart. He thought it would make great background music for his pity party, but the tears and sorrowful heart have left him thoughtless. Before his mind went voided, he thought about a lot of things—like in the last few weeks, after Yvonne, his wife, made her departure from their residence.</p>
<p>She took little with her that night. She was too choked-up and upset to stay under the same roof with him any longer than she had to. Quiet as it was kept, she had thought about leaving him so many times, for a long time, but the timing was never right. She had not planned on leaving the way she did, not on his terms, but he put all the cards on the table. She should have remembered he was a skillful player, and he always played to win, but since that night, he regretted showing his hand at all. He never dreamed his marriage would come to a division.</p>
<p>He never wanted to live his life without her. She was his world; even when he’d whored around and gave himself so easily to others, he always thought she would be there. He never understood how a couple could live together for ten, twenty, thirty, or more years and separate for some stupid, bullshit indifferences like adultery. He’d always thought love could overcome <br />anything and everything, but his home became a house for damn near two years. She grew cold and distant, and started working late and later, till it seemed as if she just wasn’t there.</p>
<p>The track was completed; he sat and stared at the console. The project gave him something to do; his usual routine had changed. When she left him, she took away her small talk, her constructive criticism, and her nightly needs, which he reluctantly became accustomed to providing them for her. Those needy chores of hers, wrapping her hair before she went to bed, or after waking up from a nap, yikes. Chores like demanding she pick out her clothes for the next day so he could iron them along with her uniform, or like taking her eyeglasses off her face while she slept, get up to when she got up in the mornings to brush out and style the hair he wrapped the night before, and to be near to hear her silently scream in her sleep during her nightmares.</p>
<p>William peeped into his oldest daughter’s room, as he had done for twenty-two years. She was out again, and the room was a mess, as usual. Clothes laid in all corners, on the desk, on the dresser. Maybe if she spent a little more time at home, she would have some control, or concern. He would wonder just where the hell he went wrong. He closed the door and walked a few steps to the next room. His two youngest daughters were asleep. They had separate beds of their own, but they chose to sleep together, his two darling little angels. Over to his son’s room—where he found the television on, the computer on, the Play Station on—he looked over at his son where he laid in bed asleep with his clothes on. William stepped into the room and thought, this kid. I should wake him up and make him do this. Instead, he began his usual task of shutting everything off.</p>
<p>He headed for the stairs, switching off the hall lights as he started his descent, then the phone rang. He hurried down the stairs to the phone on the end table in the living room. His heart quickened. He thought could it be her? Oh God, let it be her.</p>
<p>“Hello?” William inquired.</p>
<p>“Yo, Will. Still up, I see.” It was Friday, twelve thirty-six in the night, and Jake, his best friend, was looking for a place to hang out. “Want some company? Shit, I got nothing to do. I’m tired of this damn house and the damn woman getting on my nerves. I need to escape, shit.”</p>
<p>“Yeah sure, that&#8217;s cool, nothing happening over here. How long?” asked William, knowing it would take Jake at least forty minutes to reach him.</p>
<p>“Fifteen, twenty minutes,” Jake replied.</p>
<p>“Twenty minutes?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, actually, I’m halfway there,” Jake confessed.</p>
<p>“Then why call? Hey, just drop by, walk in, and make yourself at home. Have a sandwich or something,” William said sarcastically.</p>
<p>“Thanks, I was planning to do just that.” Jake welcomed the invitation even though all of which was his norm.</p>
<p>“Yeah cool. See you in a bit.” William placed the cordless phone back into its cradle. He headed toward the back of the house to his study. He stopped when he’d stepped in and stared at the canvas painting of his wife and him, standing sideway, embracing each other, kissing. She was on her toes reaching up to him, his arms wrapped around her. Their nude bodies looked as if they were painted with the finest, silky smooth dark chocolate with butterscotch for their muscular tone.</p>
<p>He’d updated his day planner earlier before he’d checked on the children. Next week was going to be just as busy as this one was. He was tired; it had been a long day, and a quiet evening. He turned the computer and the lights off, and headed for the basement-slash-business.</p>
<p>He entered his basement, walked pass the lounge area and over to one of the three desks, and seated himself. The lounge area was actually two and a half rooms before he took down the partitions. He used the entire basement for his business. It consisted of a professional studio, with two sound rooms—both were medium orchestra size with three individual booths for vocalists; a high-end, high-tech, state-of-the-art mixing console; and the heart of it all, his computer network and file system. The lounging area consisted of a full bar, a mini-kitchen, two full-length white leather sofas, and two matching love seats centered around a large thick squared jewel, a gold leaf coffee table with the top made of onyx. On the coffee table sat all the usual black publications—Black Enterprise, Essence, Ebony, Source, Vibe, and others—to entertain his guests, followed by the small work area, with the three desks, and computer terminals.</p>
<p>At one of the computer terminal, he searched for an album, just one of thousands stored on the system. He selected The Best of Sade. The volume was preset at a low and moderate level. The music played through the eight pairs of slim line speakers placed in various locations throughout the oversized room.</p>
<p>He walked behind the bar and began to prepare his drink—Chivas Regal and Coke on the rocks—in his favorite crystal rocker glass. After a long sip, he walked back to the computer and selected the track, “The Sweetest Taboo.”</p>
<p>It’s been over three weeks since his wife left him. She told the children she would be staying with Aunt Vanessa. She needed time to get away and to think things over, sort out the details and weigh her options. Her plane landed five days ago. The Bahamas was her destination. She left no phone number other than her cell phone, no hotel name, nothing. Well, not with him anyway. She refused to speak with him; she’d only conversed with the kids. Shit, she really didn’t give a damn whether he wanted to speak with her or not. The bastard had the nerves to have done what he did, and she really wasn’t feeling him. Was putting his cards on the table actually come from the act of some stupid shit he did and got caught? Hell no, he was too good to get caught at the shit he did; his game was mad tight. Yet, she left her home, her domain, her position of absolute authority.</p>
<p>William was a woman’s dream—tall, dark, and trained. He possessed the ability to do all domestic house chores, all the handyman chores, all the major electrical and mechanical chores; and besides being able to sew, make patterns, crochet, and garden, he loved pleasing a woman. So what were his faults? Well, he was highly intelligent, he was very secretive, he dreamed too damn big, and he was too damn pleasing to women.</p>
<p>He sat at the desk and sipped from the glass. A sense of loneliness washed over him, making him feel empty. He looked into the glass, ice, and brown liquid—not enough to get him drunk, or fill the emptiness. He had not been sleeping well the last three weeks since she left. He missed her, deeply. Hell, he had it so bad he had yet to change her pillowcases. The scent reminded him of her—she felt closer—and provided him with hope of her return. His cell phone rang, he lifted it from out it’s poach. </p>
<p>“Hello?”</p>
<p>“Hi, Poppy,” said a young woman.</p>
<p>“Hi, baby girl.”</p>
<p>He only called one person by that name, and that was because she would not have it any other way. It was his oldest daughter, Jasmine, and only she solely retained that title. She just turned twenty-two years old and began to explore her sexuality. She stood five- foot-nine; she was almost as tall as her father was. She liked to keep her hair and nails long, and she had the lightest skin tone in the family. She would be best described as a smart, sassy, big-boned, big-assed young woman, who has nothing but love for her father.</p>
<p>“Where are you tonight?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I’m out with Jess and Helen. I’ll be spending the night with Helen, unless you need me to come home.” She prayed he’d say no.</p>
<p>“No. No reason for you to come home, I’m okay.”</p>
<p>“Sure, Poppy?” </p>
<p>“Yeah, baby girl. I’m all right. Coming home tomorrow?” </p>
<p>“I don’t know. I might be in late, there is something I wanna to watch at nine. So I’ll be home before then. Okay, Poppy?” She prayed he had nothing for her to do. </p>
<p>“Yeah, cool,” William responded. </p>
<p>“Has Ma called you yet?” </p>
<p>“No,” He replied. </p>
<p>“How’re the kids?” </p>
<p>“They’re okay. Everyone’s asleep. Jake will be by in a little bit. So we’ll just sit here and get drunk together, play some music, and talk shit for the rest of the night.”</p>
<p>She chuckled. “Okay, Daddy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“Good night, baby.”</p>
<p>“Good night, Daddy.” She knew he had everything under control.</p>
<p>They disconnected the call. He sled down in the love seat and took a couple of sips. He spied into his glass, and it was three quarters empty. “Hum. Down. Now that’s a no-no.”</p>
<p>He stood and headed back to the bar. As he reached for the Chivas, the doorbell rang. His heart pounded for a second at the thought—could it be her?—but quickly he realized it should be Jake. He placed the bottle on the counter and headed upstairs. He opened the door. No surprise, it was Jake. They embraced and headed back downstairs.</p>
<p>Jake took off his Yankees baseball cap, tossed it over to the far-end sofa, and said, “Hey, drink time.”</p>
<p>“Oh yeah. Pour your own. And bring the bottles over to the table.” William smiled to himself. Finally, he had some company, it had been months since he and his longtime buddy, Jake had shared any time together.</p>
<p>Jake knew where everything was. And why not? It truly was his second home. He had been a part of William’s life for over fourteen years. They worked the same job for more than seven years. They started about the same time. Jake watched William climb his way up from a company delivery driver to the company’s operation manager. All was going well for William until he stepped in to save Jake from getting fired and from possible imprisonment. Back then, keeping Jake out of trouble was something William had done many times before this last great sacrifice.</p>
<p>William took the blame and confessed to stealing over nineteen thousand dollars of produce. He was fired and was lucky not to have served time. He was sentenced to serve three years probation. To Jake, William was a success story, because he turned his life around. William went back to college, graduated with a masters degree in electrical engineering from NYU, started his own company, made lots of money, bought a modern mansion, and rubbed elbows with the stars, so he thought. Actually, William hosted or leased out the studio to a few of the music industry’s celebrities. But he primarily corrected, sampled, or created sound recording; produced masters for some of the top recording labels, companies, and soundmen from around the world. Occasionally he would provide his services to government and local law enforcement agencies.</p>
<p>Oh, and the Pentagon. William had a patent on an invention called “the Filtrex,” a five-year project, which paid off big time. The Filtrex was a box, which could filter out the sound of a roaring disco to hear an ink pin drop and bounce off the floor. The Filtrex had the ability to filter out and focus in on whatever sound one chooses to hear from a recording, tape, disc, or live. William was hoping to make lots of money by selling thousands, millions, but instead he’d only sold twenty.</p>
<p>The Pentagon dropped the ball, and William’s patent was granted before they realize what the plans actually yield. They stopped the manufacturing for the Filtrex, and for two years, there were threats, court battles, and bullshit harassment techniques used against William. They went as far as labeling William and Yvonne as major drug dealers. They said William murdered three reviled dealers up in the Bronx for their drugs. They couldn’t provide any evidence to lay to their claim, so when that didn’t work, they threaten to have William and his family erased. William informed them that several people had copies of the Filtrex plans and would publish them on the Internet if anything were to happen to his family or to him. They came to an agreement. William could only market the Filtrex in a scaled-down version, and he had to retail that version for an unreasonable one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. And last, a contract and a five-million dollar – a – year grant to perfect the Filtrex where it would be able to pick up sound from great distances in real time, like from a spy plane, or from a satellite out in orbit. William was more than your average man was, he was into more than smarts, a career, and money. Unknown to family and friends, he was in bed, sleeping with Uncle Sam. William R. Green was connected and protected.</p>
<p>“Hey? Where is that fine Latino chick Maria?” Jake asked as he placed the bottles and his glass on the large coffee table.</p>
<p>“Gone. Got her check and split,” William said from his seat on the far-end sofa as Jake took a seat on the sofa opposite him.</p>
<p>“Damn. That girl looks good. Let me ask you . . . is that why Yvonne left?” He poured the Absolute Vodka into the glass he held.</p>
<p>“No. She didn’t say she was the problem. Although there was a time she did accuse me of fucking her,” William admitted.</p>
<p>“Have you?” Jake poured in the orange juice.</p>
<p>“No. She’s my housemaid, my babies’ nanny. I don’t fuck people who work for me. They expect more and do less. Thinking they got something over you.” Jake chuckled. “Actually, I’m not screwing anyone. I told you this crap before. I’m out the game. I don’t have time for all that. I have enough on my plate. No time to be chasing ass,” William confessed.</p>
<p>“Think she’s coming back?” Jake asked.</p>
<p>“Don’t know. Don’t know much of what she does anymore.” William finished his drink, looked into the empty glass and felt his life running in parallel—empty and uncertain. He never fathomed the thought of living without his wife, or her ever having the courage to leave him.</p>
<p>“Maybe that’s why. You weren’t spending any time, you bastard. You’re all wrapped up in this shit you do.”</p>
<p>“Naw. I was always available for her and the kids. My time is my own. No, she stopped coming home, she stopped having conversations, she stopped everything . . .”</p>
<p>“Yeah, because she caught your ass fucking somebody. I know. Yvonne loves you, and the only thing that would make her leave you is another bitch. A woman has got to be out of her fucking mind leaving all this shit behind.” </p>
<p>“I’m telling you man, no. I’m cool now. Nothing’s happening outside or inside of this house.” William started to fix another glass. </p>
<p>“William, let me say this. You’re a nice guy, but you’re also a real bastard. Confess, you’ve done something? What about those panties?” Jake downed the remaining half glass and joined William in the preparation of another glass for himself.</p>
<p>“That was damn near two years ago,” William stated.</p>
<p>“Yeah, like women forget shit. They love making us guys pay for shit years later in life. They get off on that trick.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know, man.” William leaned back. </p>
<p>“And you still don’t know whose panties they were?” Jake leaned back. </p>
<p>“No idea. That sport jacket sat on that hook over there”—he pointed behind him, at a wall with seven hooks—“for like three, four days, and people were all in and out of here. Don’t know who she is—”</p>
<p>“Or he,” Jake added.</p>
<p>“Oh shit. Don’t destroy the fantasy.” William paused. “No clue, man. She never revealed herself.” He sipped. “Man, back then, at that time I don’t even know if I would have, but these days, I’m getting backed up.” </p>
<p>“Backed up? You really haven’t been doing anything?” Jake sipped. Knowing the history of William’s whorish ways and past behavior, he was surprise. He would have bet money his friend was operating under the radar.</p>
<p>“No. I’ve been good for a while. I’m talkin’ years. There have been lots of changes in my life. A lot of shorties pushin’ up on me, but I’m tired of all that crap.” </p>
<p>“Yeah, your ass is getting old, that’s all, or finally growing up. Now me, I need the exercises.” </p>
<p>“What, Tam’s not taking care of you?” William asked. </p>
<p>“Man, I’m chasing Tam off me. Shit, you know she’s still asking me to do that.”</p>
<p>“Do what? The booty?” William chuckled. </p>
<p>“Yeah, man.”</p>
<p>“What’s up with that?” </p>
<p>“No.” Jake waved his hand at William. </p>
<p>“Yo. You better take care of your girl. She’s calling. You better hit that before someone else does.” </p>
<p>“Yeah, like you, you bastard.”</p>
<p>“Your girl looks good, but no. That’s okay. I like you, you dumb fuck.” </p>
<p>“I don’t know how you can do that shit. It’s nasty. Putting my dick in someone’s ass. That shit is sick.” Jake declared.</p>
<p>“How the hell would you know, if you never done it?” </p>
<p>“I did it before, and seeing shit all over my dick wasn’t pleasing, or a rewarding sight, let me tell you.”</p>
<p>“You did it wrong. You got caught in the moment and got nasty. Now if you’re going to do that, you have to prepare.”</p>
<p>“Prepare?” Jake reached for the bottle again. “How the fuck you do that?”</p>
<p>“I told her how. She’s ready for you. She’s going to get tired of that dildo.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, you and your conversations. Ever since that night, she has been getting on my damn nerves.”</p>
<p>“Jake, not for nothing, that’s your lady; take care of her needs and dreams, and she’ll be with you for life.”</p>
<p>“Bullshit. Where’s yours? And I know you took good care of her.”</p>
<p>“Now that’s low, you bitch.” He leaned forward toward the table to mix another drink. Jake’s statement was why William disliked telling people his business; they always threw it in your face at some point and time. “But you’re right. I did everything I thought I should be doing. I’ve tried to give her all of her desires and still it wasn’t enough.”</p>
<p>“Did you try giving her you?”</p>
<p>“Look who’s talking? Won’t fuck his wife in the ass and you ask me that shit? She always had me. I was always here. Even when I whored around, she came first. I love her Jake. She’s my girl, my friend, my boo. Hell, I like her more than I like you.”</p>
<p>“Something pissed her off. Man, maybe it was that shit on your back.” </p>
<p>William wondered. Could that be the reason for her behavior? No. She couldn’t have a clue to its legion, what it really symbolized. No one knew. He caught a chill. The same cold chill he received when he was looking in the mirror while shaving a week ago. Oh God, was it true? He saw it in the mirror. Could he have been mistaken? Silence reined for a moment, and it wasn’t from the possibility of Yvonne having a clue to the tattoo on his back.</p>
<p> <br />Author Lord&#8217;Williams<br /><a href="http://lordwilliams.net" rel="nofollow">http://lordwilliams.net</a></p>
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		<title>Comment on Guyana: Memories of Paradise by Michelle Monkou by Michelle Monkou</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/guyana-memories-of-paradise-by-michelle-monkou/#comment-9</link>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Monkou</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/guyana-memories-of-paradise-by-michelle-monkou/#comment-9</guid>
		<description>Tracy, &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Yep that would be the masterplan.  Now if everyone else could get on board, I&#039;d be thrilled.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Let me go call up those editors...&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Michelle</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Tracy, </p>
<p>Yep that would be the masterplan.  Now if everyone else could get on board, I&#8217;d be thrilled.</p>
<p>Let me go call up those editors&#8230;</p>
<p>Michelle</p>
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		<title>Comment on Guyana: Memories of Paradise by Michelle Monkou by Tracy Montoya</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/guyana-memories-of-paradise-by-michelle-monkou/#comment-8</link>
		<dc:creator>Tracy Montoya</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2008 18:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/guyana-memories-of-paradise-by-michelle-monkou/#comment-8</guid>
		<description>Beautiful post, Michelle! I have the same feeling about my childhood versus my daughters&#039;. We&#039;ll just have to get massive amounts of money from our books so we can live part-time with them in Guyana and Honduras! ; D</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Beautiful post, Michelle! I have the same feeling about my childhood versus my daughters&#8217;. We&#8217;ll just have to get massive amounts of money from our books so we can live part-time with them in Guyana and Honduras! ; D</p>
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		<title>Comment on God Has a Plan &#8211; He Always Does! by Lmajor</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/24/god-has-a-plan-he-always-does/#comment-7</link>
		<dc:creator>Lmajor</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 24 May 2008 03:55:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/24/god-has-a-plan-he-always-does/#comment-7</guid>
		<description>This message could not come at a better time. I&#039;ve spent a lot of time writing on the side. Finally, I opened my ears to hear the charge the Lord has been placing before me since I was six years old. Believing God will provide if I just trust in him, I am beginning my full-time writing career and I&#039;ve never been more at peace. Blessed Be!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This message could not come at a better time. I&#8217;ve spent a lot of time writing on the side. Finally, I opened my ears to hear the charge the Lord has been placing before me since I was six years old. Believing God will provide if I just trust in him, I am beginning my full-time writing career and I&#8217;ve never been more at peace. Blessed Be!</p>
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		<title>Comment on Guyana: Memories of Paradise by Michelle Monkou by Michelle Monkou</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/guyana-memories-of-paradise-by-michelle-monkou/#comment-6</link>
		<dc:creator>Michelle Monkou</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 16:53:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/guyana-memories-of-paradise-by-michelle-monkou/#comment-6</guid>
		<description>Ella,&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Thank you. Since 2002 when I published with BET, I have ten books (the tenth will be out in October).  I&#039;m now publishing with Harlequin&#039;s Kimani.  The first --NO ONE BUT YOU-- in the Ladies of Distinction series came out in April and the sequel--GAMBLE ON LOVE--comes out in October of 2008.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Michelle</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ella,</p>
<p>Thank you. Since 2002 when I published with BET, I have ten books (the tenth will be out in October).  I&#8217;m now publishing with Harlequin&#8217;s Kimani.  The first &#8211;NO ONE BUT YOU&#8211; in the Ladies of Distinction series came out in April and the sequel&#8211;GAMBLE ON LOVE&#8211;comes out in October of 2008.</p>
<p>Michelle</p>
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		<title>Comment on Guyana: Memories of Paradise by Michelle Monkou by Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/guyana-memories-of-paradise-by-michelle-monkou/#comment-5</link>
		<dc:creator>Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 16:35:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/guyana-memories-of-paradise-by-michelle-monkou/#comment-5</guid>
		<description>Michelle you write so beautifully! What books do you have published? What&#039;s new with you in 2008?&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Ella Curry&lt;br/&gt;www.edc-creations.com</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Michelle you write so beautifully! What books do you have published? What&#8217;s new with you in 2008?</p>
<p>Ella Curry<br /><a href="http://www.edc-creations.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.edc-creations.com</a></p>
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		<title>Comment on To My Mother By Gwynne Forster by Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/to-my-mother-by-gwynne-forster/#comment-4</link>
		<dc:creator>Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 14:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/to-my-mother-by-gwynne-forster/#comment-4</guid>
		<description>Drive Me Wild--Pick up your copy!&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Publisher: Kimani (April 1, 2008) &lt;br/&gt;Language: English &lt;br/&gt;ISBN-10: 0373860609 &lt;br/&gt;ISBN-13: 978-0373860609</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Drive Me Wild&#8211;Pick up your copy!</p>
<p>Publisher: Kimani (April 1, 2008) <br />Language: English <br />ISBN-10: 0373860609 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0373860609</p>
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		<title>Comment on A RAPIST IS THE DEVIL’S OWN by Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/a-rapist-is-the-devil%e2%80%99s-own/#comment-3</link>
		<dc:creator>Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 13:41:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/a-rapist-is-the-devil%e2%80%99s-own/#comment-3</guid>
		<description>Check out Gloria on the Black Authors Network Radio Show.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Black-Author-Network/2008/05/22/African-Literature-at-its-BEST</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Check out Gloria on the Black Authors Network Radio Show.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Black-Author-Network/2008/05/22/African-Literature-at-its-BEST" rel="nofollow">http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Black-Author-Network/2008/05/22/African-Literature-at-its-BEST</a></p>
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		<title>Comment on A REAL WOMAN by Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</title>
		<link>http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/a-real-woman/#comment-2</link>
		<dc:creator>Sankofa Literary Review, Editor</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 13:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://edcvirtualtours.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/a-real-woman/#comment-2</guid>
		<description>Gwynita Leggington is a writer on a mission.  Her creative writing style speaks for itself.  Gwynita is a published author, columnist, editor, freelance writer, poet and researcher.  In addition, she is the owner of Infinity Literary Services . &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Gwynita has written poetry, short stories and essays since the age of ten, and she has always enjoyed sharing her work with others.  &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Gwynita realized at a very young age that she was destined to become a writer.  She published her first essay entitled &quot;America the beautiful,&quot; at the age of ten, which appeared in a weekly television publication.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Gwynita Leggington is a writer on a mission.  Her creative writing style speaks for itself.  Gwynita is a published author, columnist, editor, freelance writer, poet and researcher.  In addition, she is the owner of Infinity Literary Services . </p>
<p>Gwynita has written poetry, short stories and essays since the age of ten, and she has always enjoyed sharing her work with others.  </p>
<p>Gwynita realized at a very young age that she was destined to become a writer.  She published her first essay entitled &#8220;America the beautiful,&#8221; at the age of ten, which appeared in a weekly television publication.</p>
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