Chapter 20 Judged

It was eleven-thirty am on Tuesday and Gabriel was on his way home; he had taken Jasmine to school this morning then he took Lily to the vet. Last Saturday evening was Diane's baby shower; which turned out very well; there were about twenty ladies there including her sisters. Some of the ladies were drooling over him and some even wanted to touch his muscles or hug him, so to keep his wife from strangling anyone he had made himself scarce.

And last night after prayer service pastor announce that the mass choir will be singing at sister Mitchell's funeral the following Saturday which was the same day as his friend's engagement party which was to be held at his house, his aunt had told him earlier that morning that she would be coming into town today with some papers for him to read and sign. His aunt was co-owner of the hotel he bought in Miami; they had decided to be partners because with Diane so close to giving birth he would need someone who could handle his business whenever he couldn't which was exactly what she was doing now.

He had just turned up the hill when his phone rang. "Yeah, Alex, what's up?" "Hey prince….um…. could you stop by my house today, I need to talk to you about something." He said in a nervous tone. "You were actually on my list of people to see today, I'm on my way to your house so I'll see you in a few minutes." "Okay see you in a few," Alex replied before ending the call.

Dana pokes her head around the door and Diane shakes her head and laughs at her. "Come on in snupy." She laughs and Dana came in with a big grin on her face. "You wanted to see me?" She asks flopping down on the bed beside Diane. "Yes, I want some sister time Diane said also with a big grin.

"What's up?" Dana asks eagerly. "It's Gabriel oh Dana I'm so in love with him it's crazy by the way where's Diana?" "She had to go take care of a few things at her son's school," Dana said. "This's kind of personal so bear with me," Diane said taking a deep breath. "You know I love the juicy stuff so lay it on me girl," Dana said getting comfortable.

Oh okay, so this morning we made love and you know he has to go slow because I'm so big but Dana; oh my word it was amazing." Diane said covering her face. "More amazing than usual?" Dana asks laughing. "Well, maybe not more but it was definitely intense. I was lying on my back and he was kneeling between my legs and well you know; he was going in and out real slow but girl, his hands were everywhere; you know massaging down there, my body, everywhere his hands could reach." Diane said looking shy.

"Down where?" Dana asks sitting up. "Down in hell," Diane said rolling her eyes. "Where else would I be talking about Dana; here." She said pointing. "Oh, your clit." "Dana! You don't have to say it." Daine said slapping her shoulder. "Why? We're all adults here, aren't we? So he was massaging your vag-ja-jay and…" "His hands were everywhere but mostly he massages my bell all the while never breaking eye contact with me. Well except for when he leans his head back and sucks air through his teeth; He sounds like a snake, come to think of it he does that a lot when we make love." She smiles.

"And….come on don't leave me in suspense. "Okay so he leans his head back slowly, sucks air through his teeth, and bites his lips all without losing his rhythm it was so erotic I thought I would die from pleasure." Diane laughs. "But I'm scared Dana, what if I can't hold onto him? What if he leaves me?" "He won't stop worrying." "He's so sophisticated, smart, rich and the air of power around him is very overwhelming sometimes; I mean what if I'm holding him back from being all he could be? Sometimes I feel like I'm holding him back." She said with a deep sigh. "You're not, stop it!" Dana said annoyed.

"I wonder what he's doing right now, is he even thinking about me?" She asks in a sad tone. "The amount of times he calls you during the day answers that question," Dana said rolling her eyes. "So did he make that low sexy growl sound deep in his throat like you said he always does when he's about to climax?" Dana asks dreamily. "Yes I do love that sound, it turns me on; I could have a climax just thinking about him and actually I do sometimes and this stays between us right?" "Absolutely," Dana said sighing with content.

A few minutes later Diane was in Jasmine's room, putting away her toys when Aunt Lisa walks in. "Hello, there fluffy." She said with a big smile. "Aunt Lisa? What are you doing here? Then again it doesn't matter; it's good to see you." Diane said as she hugs Gabriel's aunt. "Whoa; girl you look like you're about to pop." Aunt Lisa joke as she touches Diane's stomach. "I feel like I'm about ready to pop," Diane replied. "So where's the one who is responsible for this." Aunt Lisa asks looking around the room.

"Well the last time I spoke to him he was heading to Alex's which means he will probably be in a foul mood when he comes home, that happens whenever he visits Alex." "Where is Lily?" Miss Lisa asks. "Oh, Gabriel took her to the vet." "Is she okay?" "Yeah, it's time for her shots." "Oh, she's so cute. I love that dog." "Yeah, you and Jasmine both," Diane said laughing.

"Oh before I forget; here are my gifts for the babies, I'm sorry I missed the shower, these are for you and this one is for Jasmine." She said as she hands Diane three bags and Diane's eyes widen in awe as she peeks into one of the bags. "Thank you so much this is beautiful." Diane gasps as she holds up a light green maternity dress. "Can I see the twin's room?" Aunt Lisa asks. "But of course you can; follow me."

Diane led her to the twin's room and opens the door. "Oh wow." Aunt Lisa said in awe, placing her hand on her chest. "This is beautiful, they aren't even born yet and they are already royalties, I'm so happy for the both of you; you see the thing is I can't have children, I had three miscarriages when I was married and it broke my marriage apart because my husband wanted kids so badly, but I never question it because I know that my lord knows best, but I'm absolutely bursting with happiness for you and my nephew, and I'll continue to pray that you have a safe delivery."

Diane put her hands around Aunt Lisa's shoulders. "Thank you for the gifts and I'm so sorry for what you've been through." "Oh not to worry; I'm fifty-eight now and all that is behind me, and even though I can't have children I've been very blessed, so I'm not complaining."

Diane claps her hands as if she suddenly had an idea. "Do you want to see something amazing?" She asks with a big smile. "Sure." Miss Lisa said chuckling. Diane then led her into the twin's walk-in closet and Aunt Lisa's eyes widen in surprise. "Oh my dear lord; I've never seen anything like this, I can't even find the words to describe something so beautiful. I love it, I absolutely love it!"

"Good, then you're really going to love the cute little outfits that the ladies bought for them, follow me they're over here." Aunt Lisa walks over to Diane as she took down the first little outfit.

Gabriel found Alex in his study. "Hey Alex, I have something for you." "Hi, prince thanks for coming, what do you have for me?"Alex asks with a smile. Gabriel then wheels the chair into the study. "It's a hoveround chair latest edition, you no longer have to wheel yourself, just push this button and it moves automatically."

"Wow! It's beautiful, thanks a lot man, is it the one that can go into small spaces?" Alex asks running his fingers along the hand rest. "Yep." "This is really going to come in handy; thanks man, after all, that I've put you through it amazes me that you're still looking out for me, I really appreciate this brother; if I can still call you that?" "No matter how messed up you are or where you'll always be my brother Alex; so you said you needed to talk to me about something, what is that?" Gabriel asks as he took a seat next to Alex.

"What is this I hear about you promoting heavy petting before marriage?" He asks and Gabriel groans. "I'm doing no such thing! I…..bloody hell man. None of this was supposed to be public knowledge but thanks to Justin, it's now the topic on everyone's lips." Gabriel said and groans again. "Justin told someone you were?" Alex asks confused. "No, he told his fiancée and she told someone else. I'm being seriously judged for something my girl and I chose to do in the privacy of our bedroom." He said running his hands over his face.

"Yeah you know me, I'm a very sexual person and we were only trying to find a way to release our sexual tension; I never expected to be judged this harshly maybe I should've just kept my big mouth shut about what Diane and I were up to." He sighs heavily. "Hey man I understand and guess what; you are going to be judged no matter what you do and yes you are being judged and they think that you don't deserve to be teaching Bible class or be on the choir but you know what to hell with what they think, just talk to the pastor and get this out in the open once and for all."

"I already did and of course he's disappointed but he understand and he doesn't have any plan to remove me from my posts any time soon because he said that he loves my passion for God and he's pleased that four people has already given their lives to God since I started teaching." He said biting his lips in a sad way.

"Hey see there you have it, so yeah they're going to talk so let them talk, you, just do you man and keep bringing people to God speaking of which I was doing my daily Bible study today and I saw some thing that concerns me a lot. You see I read that it was more possible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven and the last time I check a camel cannot go through the eye of a needle prince, so seeing as though you're not only rich but filthy rich; does that means that you'll not be making it into heaven? And by the way does Diane know just how rich you are?"

Gabriel ran his hand over Lily's back as the puppy made her self comfortable at his feet. "I've every intention of making it into heaven; even if I've to give away every single cent I have to make that happen." Then looking down at the puppy he mumbled. "Diane is my accountant but she has no idea just how much money I have." "Why doesn't she prince? I thought you would have told her by now."

"She's not interested in my money so I didn't see any reason to push it down her throat." He replied his head still down. "I understand that but if God forbid any thing should happen to you, she'll have to take over all your businesses, don't you think she should at least have an idea what she's up against? And another thing; I know for a fact that you didn't need the money so why exactly did you buy that hotel in Miami?"

"I didn't buy the hotel for the money; a business opportunity came my way and I took it." He snaps defensively and Alex knew that was a sign to tread lightly with his questions, their conversation was going great so far and the last thing he wanted was for Gabriel to be angry at him again. Okay fair enough but you do realize that the more business you have, the more money you make which in turn makes you even richer right?"

"I know that but I was the only buyer the owner spoke to that was willing to keep on the staff that is already working there, all the other buyers wanted to get rid of every one and bring in their own workers and all those people would have been out of a job but it's not like I'm storing away my money; I'm using it to help other people by creating more jobs and every Sunday I attend church I hear of someone who needs help and our church is always collecting special offering for one charity or the other, then there's the charity program I do for the less fortunate, every day I find more and more ways to help people and I would like to keep doing it until the day I die." He said in a soft tone which made Alex breathe out a sigh of relief at the fact that he and his friend was having a normal conversation.

"Alright again fair enough but you gave Diane's sisters a wholesale, buy them a van and you're making sure her nieces and nephews get the best education money can buy but why are you doing all this? She already knows you love her, you don't have to keep proving it."

Pushing back his chair Gabriel got up and walking to the window turned his back to Alex. "I know that and I'm not doing them to prove anything I do these things because I can and I intend to keep on doing them for as long as I can." And once again his tone became tensed.

Alex knew he had pushed his friend a little too much and was very quick to apologize. "I'm ….I'm sorry prince I didn't mean to upset you." Gabriel ran his hands over his face and after taking a deep breath turned and faces Alex. "It's nice to know that you're worried about my soul, I would have been the happiest guy on the face of the earth if you were this worried about me when I first got baptized but instead...."

Alex cut him off before he could say any thing else. 'It's okay you don't have to finish that sentence. Ever since I was fifteen you have been my best friend, my counselor, my advisor, and best of all my brother and you'll never know how much I regret hurting you but hey; at least I'm paying for it right?"

"Yeah you are but I really wish you weren't stuck in that chair; anyway Aunt Lisa is waiting for me at home so I've to go." "Alright man, thanks again for the chair and…..um…. say hi to Aunt Lisa for me." Gabriel was almost to the front door when he turns back to Alex who was following him to the door. "An instructor will be here soon to show you how to operate your chair, I'll holler at you tomorrow; take care of yourself." "I'll if you'll bro; bye, drive safely."

Tears sting Alex's eyes as he watched his friend drive away; it was obvious that prince still cared about him but there was no mistaken the tension he felt coming from his friend whenever prince was around him. Every morning he woke up he had to face the harsh reality that because of what he did he had lost the use of his legs but more painful was the fact that he had lost his best friend who had become like the brother he never had and there was nothing he could say or do to get back the relationship they once had.

Food for thought

God's strength is best seen in our weakness

Thank you all for reading peace and love always.