Chapter 39 Glimpse

Later in the day Diane steps into the toilet area and closes the door, she had just sat down when she heard two women enter the bathroom. "I seriously thought you were exaggerating when you were describing him but you weren't; I mean O.M.G. girl the man is gorgeous; that body; those blue eyes; and that accent lord have mercy. He's like a well-bred stallion and damn the man can sing; I mean the man can really sing." One of the women said and right away she knew they were talking about Gabriel.

"You can say that again." Diane recognizes the other voice as Karen. "I know Diane is my friend but it's taking every ounce of strength I've not to jump the guy," Karen adds. Diane straightens her dress and leans against the wall waiting to hear more of the conversation. "So does that mean you won't be going after him?" The other woman asks. "Oh man I don't know, I'm so in love with him I could scream. I dream about him every night. I think about him every minute of every day and most of all I wish more than anything in this world that this baby I'm carrying was his." Karen said.

"So why are you holding onto this promise about not going after him, weren't you the one who says that you don't even count this woman as competition and from what I saw, she's as big as a barrel any way so he can't be getting much action in the bedroom." The woman snorts. "What if he wants you as much as you want him? As far as I can see if you play your cards right, your next child could very well be his." The woman said laughing. "You know what, you're right we'll just have to keep it on the down-low for now and besides what she doesn't know won't hurt her." Karen laughs.

Diane couldn't listen anymore, she flushes the toilet, pulls the door, and step out and Karen almost fainted when she saw her. Diane took a deep breath and glared at the woman that was once her very good friend. "At least now I know for sure how you really feel and base on what I just heard; I don't think we should be friends anymore," Diane said coldly. Karen seems hurt at first but then she lifts her chin proudly as she fixes her hair and looks at herself in the mirror. "Fine, if that's the way you want it but know this Diane; our friendship was the only thing stopping me from going after Gabriel." Turning on her heels she and her friend walk away.

Diane was making her way back into the church when her phone rang. "Hi Dana." "Hey sis where are you?" "I'm inside the church." "Okay we're going to get some cupcakes; we'll be right in." A few minutes later her sisters came and sat beside her.

"Where's Jasmine?" Diane asks as she hands Diana two thousand dollars. "She went to the bathroom with her friends, what's this for?" "Well, you did bet me two thousand dollars that Karen was still in love with Gabriel and you were right." "Wait a second, she actually told you that?" "No, not really, I heard her talking to her friend in the bathroom, and let's just say that I heard enough to terminate our friendship," Diane said coldly.

Diana claps her hand together. "I knew it, I knew it. Talking about she doesn't have feelings for him anymore, what a load of crap. I'm just glad you found out sooner rather than later."

Gabriel was sitting in the driver's seat of his vehicle checking some documents on his laptop for his Aunt when Karen ran up to him threw her arms around his neck and kiss him on his cheek almost knocking the laptop out of his hand.

"What in God's name do you think you're doing?" Gabriel asks his voice was harsh and sharp and for a moment Karen saw a glimpse of the guy that was in the hotel room with her that night. He may have changed a lot but his cold hostile personality was still very much there, just lurking below the surface.

"Sorry I was just saying hello." She smiled sweetly. "I don't know about you but that hello was too personal for me." He said his tone still cold. "I'm sorry, anyway I had a few things to take home with me and I was wondering if you could give me a drive home later." "I'll call you a taxi." He said but Karen just rolls her eyes. "Why because of your wife?" She asks touching his knee.

"Keep your hands to yourself; you make me uncomfortable." He said disgust evident in his voice but again she chooses to ignore it. "I make you uncomfortable? Is that because you still have feelings for me?" she asks biting her lips. "The only feelings I ever had towards you was what I was feeling in my pants at the time Karen but the truth is; been around you reminds me of the person I once was and I don't like it, but on the other hand I like the fact that you're attending church and I want you to continue doing that; despite how I might or might not feel about you; also your next step will be to get baptized and get to know God as your personal savior then get married; settle down and live a clean honest life."

Karen shakes her head and smiled at him. "That sounds all well and good but it's going to be difficult considering that I'm still in love with you." "I'm married Karen, so please, don't go there." "Alright, so you are married but back then the feeling you had in your pants was a reaction of what you saw right? You liked what you saw and I think you still do." She said smiling seductively.

"You were just someone who could give me what I wanted at the time nothing more." He said without looking at her. "I don't believe you." She said pouting. "Look I don't give a damn whether you believe me or not; you meant nothing to me back then and you certainly don't mean anything to me now so if you don't mind, I'm trying to get some work done." He said coldly.

But again she acts as if he hadn't said anything harsh even though she was very hurt by his words she wasn't going to let him see that. The fact was she wanted this man and there was nothing she wouldn't do to get him; she had lost him once already and she was damned if she was going to lose him again.

So tilting her chin up she smiled and began playing with her hair. "I know that you are married now but things could change, I mean you're my knight in shining amour, you protect me when Josh wanted to hurt me, doesn't that tell you anything?" He took a deep breath before answering. "I already told you that Diane was the one you should thank for that; I wouldn't have been there if she didn't convince me to follow Josh."

"Alright, so I may not be able to thank you for saving me that day but I can certainly thank you for getting that great job at the golden age home for me. I started last Monday, it pays very well and it has a great insurance policy; not to mention they'll be giving me two months maternity leave; isn't that cool?"

"Yeah that's cool but once again you'll have to thank my wife for that, you see, I made the call but Diane was the one who vouched for you." "Hold on a minute, Diane got me that job?" "Yep." "Well in that case I can kiss that job goodbye because Diane heard me telling my friend that I was still in love with you, she was so angry that she ended our friendship."

Gabriel felt a rush of relief at that bit of news because the last thing he wanted was for Karen to enter his house and if she and Diane were to remain friends that's exactly what would have happened. "Oh; I'm sorry to hear that but even though she is upset with you I don't think she would do or say anything to make you lose your job, she isn't like that." "Well for my sake I hope you're right."

Diane and her sisters were getting something to eat when Jasmine came running up to them. "Mommy, mommy, I think daddy only like kissing you because I saw that pretty lady that you were talking to in church the other day kiss him on his cheek and he didn't seem to like it one bit," Jasmine said hopping from one foot to the other.

Diane felt an electric shock ran clear from the top of her head to the sole of her feet, and in a matter of minutes, she was practically shaking with rage and jealously. "She did what?" Diane asks gritting her teeth.

The child was about to repeat her statement but Diane held up her palm and stop her. "That is it, I think it's time I give this woman a piece of my mind, just who the hell does she think she is?" Putting down her plate Diane begins walking around trying to locate Karen. She spots Karen in the churchyard talking to the woman that was in the bathroom with her. She rolled her fingers in a fist and was about to storm in Karen's direction when Gabriel stepped in front of her and was met with a hostile glare from his wife. "You allow her to kiss you?" She asks her blood boiling with both jealously and anger.

He could feel the anger radiating from her body and knew right away that he needs to calm her down before she does something she'll regret. "I'm sorry baby girl, she took me by surprise, it won't happen again." He said in a calm tone and taking her hands in his he massages them gently but she yanks them away from him. "You're right about that and I'm going to make sure it doesn't." "Oh no you don't, hey, look at me, you need to calm down, what she did was wrong, I told her that, she apologized, it's okay, let it go."

"Like hell, I will," She sneers as her sisters came up beside them. "Calm down Diane this isn't the place to make a scene," Dana whispers. "Don't." Diane snaps at her. "But you know what you're right and I'll let it go, just as soon as I give her a piece of my mind." "I can't let you do that." He said blocking her. "You can't let me?" She asks in disbelief. "I wasn't asking for your permission Gabriel." She tried to move around him but he stops her by placing both his hands on either side of her face. "Baby girl, you're angry I get that but don't let your anger get the better of you." "It won't," she said still trying to move away from him.

"Really? Because I think it already has, because of your anger you have already forgotten two things, where you are and who you are. You're on the compound of the house of God Diane and you're a child of God; now we all know that the tongue is a dangerous weapon, you may not be able to tame it but you can control it, do you understand what I'm trying to say to you, baby girl?"

Diane could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, what was wrong with her, once again she had allowed her jealousy to control her, not only had she embarrassed Gabriel at his friend's reception, now she was about to do it again by causing a scene with Karen and in the house of God, of all places. She closes her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." The words were whispered so softly it was as if she breathes them out. He kisses her gently on her lips and smiled down at her.

"That's better and since I don't have to sing again; I think it's time I take you back to the hotel; I need to speak to pastor about something so um Dana could you please help her in the car." He asks. "Yeah sure." "I'll go get Jasmine," Diana said walking away. Diane was almost to the vehicle when she saw Karen leaning against a car. She twists away from Dana and walks over to Karen. "Stay away from my husband." Diane sneers in a hostile tone as she fixed the woman with a cold stare.

"That's not going to happen, we may have had a rough start but he's a changed man now and I want him and he wants me but doesn't worry; you'll still have the memories of your time together; after all, it's not as if you could hold onto him; it was only a matter of time before he leaves you; he's way too much man for you, honey." She said flipping her hair behind her.

"You listen here, missy….." "No, you listen, you don't have what it takes to keep a man like him; I think he's already bored to death with you and the sooner you let him go the happier he'll be and….." Diane's palm connects with the side of her face before she could say another word. Karen was about to react when Gabriel steps between them.

"Easy baby girl, that's enough now, let's go." He said calmly. "You're not going to say anything, she just hit me! I should charge her for assault." Karen hissed. "No, you won't." He said fixing her with a cold stare. "Let it go but remember if you antagonize a rattler, it will strike." He said leading Diane to the vehicle.

Food for thought

Righteousness in the heart

Can make any life beautiful.

Thank you all for reading, lots of love to you all