Rescue My Daughter by Marva Smith (famous ebook reader txt) 📕

“Blanche Dunn this here is Tiffany Jordan,

Tony caresses her jaw Tiffany face freezes as she turns her face away from his touch. Jemah squints as he looks at the situation to make sure his eyes are not playing tricks on him.

…..Tiffany say hello to Ms. Dunn”

Tiffany looks at Tony very displeasingly, then back at Blanche. “How do you do ?”

“Have a seat” Blanche beckons Tiffany to sit down. Tiffany looks at Tony and then Blanche Tony raises his eye brows so Tiffany takes a seat and focuses on Jemah as the band plays and people dance.

Blanche lifted up her hand for the bartender who then came from behind the bar to her table to take her order.

“yes, ma’am” the bartender asked.

“yes, may I have a scotch on the rocks please?”

the bartender nodded as he headed back behind the bar to prepare her drink.

“excuse me Ms. Dunn is it?

‘yes that’s correct.

…what is it that you want with me, I don’t know you-

“Ahh, my dear but I know you.” The bartender brings her drink back to her she smiles as a way of saying thank you.

“ladies and gentlemen we here at the Kingsley Club are proud to announce our latest addition…..Jasmyne Marx. Jasmyne enters the stage she is dressed in her frilly dance wear practically nothing there. She sings as Jema begins to play she entertains the audience as the routine requires.

“What do you mean you know me? I have never seen you before in my life.” Tiffany responds as she crossed her legs slowly trying not to lose attention of Jema who eyes her every now and again.

“Quite a catch ha?” Tiffany tries to ignore the remark praying that Blanche would just let her enjoy the break. You like him don’t you?

Tiffany turns to look at Blanche in a most displeasing manner.

“like who?”

Blanche nods toward Jema.

…..the pianists…I can tell by the way your sitting, your poise. He can tell also, why do you think he has continued to play eye-ball with you, do you think it’s because your sitting here with me? She takes a sip of her wine.

Blanche can sense Tiffany’s frustration by the way she sighed and uncrossed her legs to only re-cross them again. She was nervous this lady was making her nervous, what did she want with her and how did she know her. She never actually thought about Jema romantically but once the lady mentioned it, Tiffany thought well hey he isn’t half bad. Tiffany tried to draw her mind back to focus to sit with this lady talk to her or whatever but after that, who is she fooling there could be a million reasons why this lady requested her. She just had to sit and wait. The audience applauds as Jasmine exits the stage. Tony runs on the stage to introduce the next performer.

“Sweetie gone head, you can go. I will talk to you later. Tiffany Jordan right?” Tiffany looked at the lady as she unfolded her arms and stood up.

“yes” she quickly and quietly responded. Amazed that the lady did not want anything from her or did she? She thought to herself as she headed back to the dressing room where Jasmine was getting changed. Tiffany knocked on the door.

“What!” Jasmine yelled, she sounded tired and upset.

“J it’s me, can I come in” the door opened and Jasmine flopped back in the seat in front of the mirror she took a deep breathe as she quickly put on some powder on her face. She looked at Tiffany from the side of the mirror.

…..what’s wrong with you? You look drained and you haven’t even been on stage yet.” Tiffany sat on the couch. Jasmine swung around. “I saw you sitting with Blanche Dunn, what is she like” Jasmine truly was not interested in hearing about the woman but she wanted to humor Tiffany she needed an uplift. Jasmine swung back around towards the mirror and begin to put on her lipstick.

“You know I truly have no idea what that woman wanted-anyway”

“What did she say to you?” Jasmine stands up to adjust her clothes and then sits down once again.

“You know J all she said was that she knows me……….. and can you believe this, she even said she could even tell I had a thing for Jemah….now come on what kind of talk is that? Tiffany throws her hands up in disgust as she crosses her legs. Tony knocks on the door.

“Tiffany, come on…..your next…..let’s go” Tiffany rolls her eyes as she gets up to open the door.

“Ok Tony, calm down.” They leave and head toward the backstage of the bar. Jasmine shakes her head as she fixes her hair. She stands up in looks at her backside. She sits down once more. This time there is a reflection of a gentlemen sitting where Tiffany had sit.

“Thought I forgot about you,” Cleo’s voice ran chills up Jasmine’s back.

“No” Jasmine responded for fear of saying the wrong thing. Cleo stood up walked up behind her slowly he bent down and caressed her cheek, Jasmine’s blood was rushing she was so intimidated of this man she did not know what to expect. On the streets she knew what to do but with Cleo, he had money and connections that could destroy her. Now that she wanted to start fresh. If Tony ever found out that she used to be a prostitute he would throw she and Tiffany out on the streets only to be picked up again by Cleo.

“I saw your daughter the other day, she was walking down the street with her new mommy and daddy, what do you think about that! Ha! I know where your child is and you never even got a chance to lay eyes on her, she’s beautiful too…….

Jasmine’s anger begins to boil up inside she wanted to maintain and let Cleo know that she is not getting to her.

……yeah, they were dressed real nice too, I suppose her new mommy and daddy better enjoy these few years they have with her because before long…….I‘ll have her working the same streets her real mama used to work and believe me she will do better job than you!

Cleo laughed loudly then he drew his hand back and the blow reached Jasmine so hard it knocked her out of the chair she was sitting in. “I’m gon’ tell you one more time, either you get rid of her, or I’m going to get rid of you!”

Cleo leaves out as Jasmine slowly pulls up on the edge of the chair to she finally struggles to get in the chair her tears run down her face ruining her make up. She weeps heavily then she pulls herself together slowly. She begins once again to put on her make-up.

The next few months the Kingsley Club clientele tripled. Not only because of the visit by the Blanche Dunn, but also they entertained such guests as Harold Blackman, Jean Toomer, and many other Renaissance voices. Don’s health begin to deteriorate once again he began to stay home more and more. Angie made sure he had plenty of rest, water and no stress although she could not figure out the real reason for the sudden plight she figured it as to much work. Joel finally found out where the missing funds were coming from and the result caused him to resign from employment with Don Kingsley, there was truly no reason for him to stay employed there the integrity of that business was gone down hill, and Don had no problem with it. Although Joel took a job at a nearby bookstore to pay the bills Zamera and he both decided they needed a change of atmosphere. During this time away it allowed Zamera time to heal and rekindle her relationship not only with her husband but with the Lord. She began to attend church more and more and visit the Club less and less, she even began playing the piano for the church.

There was a lot of things continuing to happen within the walls of the Kingsley Club and out of obedience to the Lord Joel contacted Tony to see how things were going the news was not good. Although the crowds were coming, money had been coming up missing more and more, women were being assaulted, Jemah was threatning to quit and the rest of the band. Tony admitted he has lost control of the stage acts, Eliza stop showing up completely she stated she was trying to repair her marriage after actually catching her husband and another woman in their bed. Ella was more concerned with her wedding plans and decided to take a couple a months off she hired two new bartenders but they have been caught stealing money twice. After hearing that news all Joel was led to do was pray for those who are there but he refused to go back into that atmosphere especially now since he and Zamera were getting back to the way it used to be when they first fell in love.

Joel gets off of the phone with Tony. He then says goodbye to the rest of his co-workers and calls it a night. He gets into his car and begins to drive home. He can’t help but think off all the things that Tony told him regarding the Club. How could it get so bad, but no one truly is looking beneath the surface. They only see the crowd little do they know God is about to turn that club upside down.

“Lord, just keep them safe out of harms way” Joel whispers as he turns the corner. He then thinks about Don and his health and how the last thing he said to Don about vengeance being the Lord’s. God’s word is true, and will come to pass. Whatever a man reapeth that shall he sow, that’s why Joel is so relieved that Zamera was able to forgive Don for the things he had done to her in the past. Joel pulls up to the house. All of sudden all the dreary thoughts of Tony, Don and the Club disappear. Joel gets out of the car and walks up to the door inserts his key into the door knob opens it and walks in. The smell of roses and cinnamon fill his nostrils, he shuts the door.

“Zamera?” Joel calls out as he removes his jacket and unloosens his tie. He then walks into the kitchen where the table is set for two, candles, rose pedals and meatloaf, green beans and buiscuits along with potato salad. Joel grins at the fact that Zamera has really begin to shine now not only as his lover but as his wife.

“You call?”

Joel turns around only to see his wife standing in the doorway poised perfectly. Zamera’s dress was soft and clinging, like a second skin. A flowing jacket draped her slender frame, its vibrant warm colors made her skin glow. With every shift of her feminine frame, its material moved like