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  In Pursuit of

  JOI

  A Novel

  By

  Olivia Renee Wallace

  In Pursuit of Joi© by Olivia Renee Wallace

  Copyright © 2013 by Olivia Renee Wallace

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyrights under copyright reserved above. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without prior written consent from both the author, except brief quotes used in reviews.

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9852119-4-3

  E-book ISBN: 978-0-9852119-5-0

  This is a work of fiction. It is not meant to depict, portray or represent any particular real persons. All the characters, incidents, and dialogues are the products of the author’s imagination and are not to be constructed as real. Any references or similarities to actual events, entities, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, entities, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.

  Cover designed by Maurice Scriber

  Editor: Carla Dean of U Can Mark My Word

  Interior Layout: Carla M. Dean of U Can Mark My Word

  Printed in the United States of America

  Acknowledgements

  I am going to try my best to keep this short and sweet this time around, so if I fail to mention you, it doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate you just the same. KNOW THIS!

  First of all, I always want to acknowledge and thank my mother, Jean, who continuously pushes me and tells me to “stick to it”. I love you and thank you for all of your encouragement. I have the world’s BEST mother, I swear!

  I don’t have a clique or anything, but I recently realized that I do have some team players who have been helpful to me so I thank you: Moe at Modern Day Hippie who told me not to ever second guess my own work but helped me with it anyway; Carla M. Dean of U Can Mark My Word, my editor who has gone above and beyond to help make this book as great as possible; David, for every bit of help he has given; my beta readers: Lynn, Anjella, Karen, Monica, and Chandra (my one-woman street team!). I thank you all for your words, encouragement, advice and your time. You all are appreciated.

  The All4One Authors Supporting Authors group, I’ve learned so much from you guys (Thanks, Treasure Blue, Allison Essence M. Edwards, and Vonda Howard for creating such an invaluable forum for us newbies). Faye Wilkes, thank you for pushing my work since I first met you and helping the Unseen become Seen. You rock!

  My support system, those who lent their ears, gave suggestions, inspired me, made me laugh, and had faith that I could ‘do it again’. Socra Teez, even when you didn’t realize it, you motivated

  me to take action and I thank you so much. Your words of wisdom: “Don’t try… DO.” I’m getting’ it… To Carra and the REAL Pixie, Spank, Steven, Christal, Autumn, Tudy, and Bino: you guys have always added laughter in my life so this is for you guys too!

  Last but definitely not least, My Pootie and my Roadie: Devon and Dasia. Thank you for giving me purpose and always being proud to have me as your mommy. I LOVE YOU, GIRLS!!!

  So much for short and sweet, huh?

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to anyone who is in pursuit of their own joy…

  In Pursuit of

  JOI

  PROLOGUE

  There I lay on the cold and wet asphalt, bleeding to death.

  I could barely feel the pelts of the rain as it fell upon my battered face and body. I felt nothing and pain at the same time. I lay there, ready for the life to drain from my body’s open wounds. Only days away from my sixteenth birthday, it seemed my time was coming to an end.

  What started out as a night of wonderment turned into something much darker, and I was paying for it with my life. I wished for death to hurry and take me. I wanted the pain to go away.

  Lying there, I thought about the events of the night. We shared a kiss that made me feel funny in my womanly parts. Then we began touching one another tentatively, both of us new to experiencing intimacy with someone. It was the first time for two kids who had seen something in each other that no one else could fathom. It was scary, exciting, and unforgettable.

  Then came the shock and shame of being caught.

  I remember running from the house before I could even get my shirt back on. I ran as fast as I could, leaving behind my books and purse. I debated on turning around, but I didn’t want to risk stirring up any more trouble. I could only hope to get my things back when things cooled off.

  I was still running when a car passed me. I heard the screech of the tires as the driver slammed on the brakes. I paused to look for a second and saw the reverse lights beam from the unfamiliar car. Hastily, I put on the shirt that I had been clenching in my hand. I then ducked between two houses, crept into the alleyway, and leaned against a wall to catch my breath for a minute before beginning to walk to the end of the alley. Thunder could be heard in the distance.

  As I neared the street, the same car crept past me. I froze, knowing something wasn’t right. I turned around and took off just as the car backed up and turned into the alley. I ran as fast as I could, but it felt like I had lead weights for feet.

  It was a pothole that led to my demise. I twisted my ankle and fell to the ground. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have time to brace myself. A flash of light seemed to assault my eyes as my chin made contact with the pavement. For a moment, I was stunned. I slowly tried to rise to my feet, forgetting I wasn’t alone until I heard two car doors slam – or was it three?

  Before I could take my first step, someone grabbed me from behind. I never saw the person, only a fist as it made contact with my face. The second one made impact with my side. Then it seemed like they were everywhere.

  After being dragged to the car and thrown roughly against the hood, I felt my panties being ripped violently from my body as two sets of hands held me down. I cried and yelled as loud as I could, but there seemed to be no one nearby to hear me. My attackers showed no mercy as they took turns molesting me, raping me until my insides were beyond raw. Then I heard two voices.

  “Oh shit! Is she dead?”

  “Who gives a fuck? Let’s go!”

  They left me on the ground, not caring whether I was dead or alive. After watching the headlights disappear, I struggled to my feet and tried my damnedest to at least make it to the street.

  I had nearly made it when my body gave out and I fell. There I lay on the ground, no longer caring myself. As the rain began to pour over me, I just wanted the pain and agony to be gone. Everything around me grew dark.

  I was floating.

  It was my time to go.

  Lord, please take me and this pain away…

  CHAPTER 1

  I awakened with my heart racing. Based on the time showing on the nightstand clock, I had woken up thirty minutes before my alarm was set to go off. I rolled over and looked at my husband, Anthony, and found him sleeping peacefully, oblivious to how I tossed and turned during the night.

  I had dreamed about her again. As much as I would’ve loved to go back to sleep for another half hour, I knew it would be impossible. Tiona had hacked into my dreams again. I had gone a long time, years actually, without thinking or dreaming of her. But, I guess her ghost felt the need to come out of retirement, because she had been creeping into my dreams regularly for several weeks.

  My dreams of her always left me shaken to my core. I would wake up nearly in a panic because the dreams felt so real. I tried to push that part of my past into a box and store it in the furthest regions of my mind. But, every now a
nd then, it would make its way to the forefront, forcing me to remember things I had struggled long and hard to forget.

  I slid from Anthony’s grasp and made my way into our private bathroom, where I brushed my teeth and doused my face with cold water to fully wake myself up. I then went back into the bedroom and changed into a sports bra and a pair of yoga pants. Afterwards, I made my way down to our basement, my haven.

  After buying our second home, we had the once dark basement that had served as a wine cellar for the previous owners completely remodeled. Two-thirds of concrete flooring was now covered in plush carpeting where we entertained and worked out with our fitness equipment. The other third was covered with hardwood where we had set up a bar with five stools and an area for dancing when we had get-togethers.

  I walked over to the wood and glass coffee table and picked up the remote control to turn on the 60-inch flat-screen television mounted on the wall. I selected a music channel and listened to some 90’s R&B as I put in some work on my treadmill.

  My walking gradually turned into a light sprint as I adjusted the speed. I let the music motivate me as I tried to clear my thoughts of the reoccurring dream I knew I could never really outrun. I listened to Jade sing “Don’t Walk Away” as I ran away from memories that continued to haunt me.

  “You’re gettin’ it in this morning, babe!” Anthony said over the music as he walked into the room. He was fully dressed, looking handsome and refreshed in his Sean Jean business suit.

  Have I been running that long?

  “What time is it?” I asked him, looking down at the time on the treadmill. Nearly an hour had gone by since I began my workout.

  “Just after seven,” he answered after a glance at his watch.

  I quickly turned off the treadmill. “Damn, I’m sorry, baby. I’ll be dressed and ready before you know it.”

  “I’m not worried,” he said with a smile, then tossed me the towel he had ready for me to dab the sweat from my face.

  As I rushed by him, I gave him a quick peck on his lips, while he gave me a playful swat on my butt.

  He had a flight at nine, and I had promised to take him to the airport so we could have breakfast together before he left me for another week.

  I quickly showered, lotioned up, and got dressed in a simple sundress and pair of high-heeled sandals. I brushed my lengthy hair into a secure ponytail, added a light application of makeup to finish off my look, and was ready to head out. A few minutes later, I was in the passenger seat of our Chrysler 300 as Anthony headed towards the interstate.

  After getting his hands wet in his family’s business of construction as a teen, he went to school and added the title of architect to his belt. He helped renew the business; their company was one of the most sought after companies in the region. He traveled a lot, helping with community projects in several states as well as design and construction for local businesses and individuals. His work had even been featured in Architectural Digest. He was a smart man, and I respected and appreciated the hustle in him.

  When he wasn’t working, he busied himself with his other occupation of being a good husband and a doting father to our seventeen-year-old daughter, Alexis. We were only a month away from celebrating our fourteenth anniversary. We had been together for several years before I finally accepted his proposal and we exchanged vows. He had pledged to make me happy and make sure Lexi and I never needed for anything, and he’d kept his word. He would’ve been completely content with being the sole provider for our family; however, I would never let that be the case.

  I was also a success in my own right. Doing quite well myself, I had my hands in two businesses that coincided. I made a very nice living in real estate and interior design. I was just as sought-after as my husband, and when we took on projects together, we were a force to be reckoned with.

  I was fortunate and smart enough to be able to balance my work and personal life, very seldom letting one interfere with the other. I prided myself on being the ideal wife, mother, and career woman. I had been dubbed as “Superwoman” by some of my friends. However, I lived for the getaways we took several times each year. Hell, I’m human and I know how to take it easy, as well.

  My upcoming mini-vacation with my friends was the subject during my breakfast with Anthony. “So how many days is this trip again?” he asked before taking in a forkful of his western omelet.

  “It’s just Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,” I answered. “We’re only staying until around three o’clock on Sunday, so I will be back in plenty of time to pick you up from the airport that evening.”

  “Sounds good, babe,” he said, washing down his food with a swig of orange juice. “Who all is going with you on this trip?”

  “Marisa and Angela,” I began, counting my friends off on my fingers. “Antoinette––oh and Josephine is bringing her cousin, but I can’t remember her name.”

  “Six women and no men?” Anthony asked. “I’m glad I won’t be there for that. I refuse to be that outnumbered and listen to talks about how evil men are and your cramps and heavy periods.”

  I laughed and threw my napkin at him. “That’s not all we do!”

  “Oh yeah,” he continued. “I almost forgot about the drinking and off-key singing while you all wait to exhale.”

  “Exactly!” I said with another laugh before picking up a piece of cantaloupe to devour. “Never forget the drinking and singing!”

  We made more light talk while dining on our breakfast. Shortly thereafter, I gave him a kiss goodbye before he walked off to be checked by airport security.

  I smiled a little as I watched him walk away. He was a handsome man, standing over six feet in height, dwarfing my mere five-foot, one-inch frame. He filled his clothes nicely; his still lean and well-muscled body hinted at his days of being an athlete in college as well as regular use of our fitness equipment. His smile made women pause, and his suave demeanor could make an elderly woman blush. He was intelligent, handsome, funny, sensitive, and––let me just be honest––very capable in the bedroom. He treated me like a queen, and I was so proud to say he was mine.

  On my way home, my thoughts returned to the dream that had awakened me so early that morning. Plagued by memories and a feeling of loss, it was a struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by it all. After parking the car and entering the house, I checked and found Lexi still asleep in her bed.

  I then made my way into my bedroom and pulled out a box that I kept tucked in the back of the closet. It had been years since I opened it, but I refused to get rid of it. I sat on the bed and stared at the box in my lap for several moments. I had kept the box for almost eighteen years simply because she had made it for me. It was simple, created from an old cigar box. But, she had taken the time to cover it inside and out with purple satin because she knew it was my favorite color. She had secured it with pink ribbon because it was her favorite color. It was the last thing she had ever given to me.

  Taking a deep breath, I freed the bow that had been tied for some time. My hands trembled as I lifted the lid. Before I could pick up the first snapshot, I felt my throat tighten and my eyes well. I fought the feeling as I looked at a picture we had taken in a booth at the mall.

  She was so beautiful. She was my best friend and had known more about me than even my closest kin. We could almost read each other’s thoughts we were so close. We were kindred spirits.

  And she was gone. Long gone.

  I let the tears flow freely as I gazed over the old newspaper clippings about her that I had kept. One was for an award she had won for her art. Some thought she was a prodigy. I smiled sadly at an article that featured a picture of her standing beside one of her paintings. My heart filled with sorrow as I came across the article about her death.

  She was so young. Her life had been cut way too short. When she died, she took a piece of me with her.

  After a few more moments of mourning, I closed the box and re-tied the bow. After placing it back in its place in my closet, I slid
shut the huge mirror that served as a closet door.

  Shaking off my feelings of sadness, I slipped off my clothes and slid into the softness of my king-sized bed. It was a Sunday morning. I had nothing to do, and after my rare moment of total sorrow, all I wanted to do was sleep.

  I couldn’t wait until the weekend so I could get away from work, my house, and the memories that had begun to haunt me.

  CHAPTER 2

  The week seemed to go by slowly. Meeting prospective clients occupied my days while tending to the needs of my home kept me busy in the evenings. Still, it wasn’t enough to keep the week from dragging on. I spent my evenings making sure my house was in perfect order while reminding Lexi that my secretary, Nelle, had a key and the code to the house and would be randomly checking on her throughout the weekend.

  “I know, Mama,” she told me for the umpteenth time that Friday morning as she grabbed her items for school.

  “What else do you know?” I quizzed her with my eyebrow raised in challenge.

  “No wild parties, no boys, and don’t tear up any of your stuff.”

  “Very good!” I said with a satisfied smile. “And what happens if you fail to meet your obligations?”

  After a sigh, she answered, “You will take my license and my car.”

  “Very good!” I repeated, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “I always knew you were smart!”

  “Ha, ha, ha,” she said sarcastically before giving me a good-natured hug. “I hope you have fun in Tybee.”

  “Thank you, sweetie,” I told her. “You have a good day in school and a good weekend.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” she said while walking out the door to get to school on time.