The Other Side of Goodness by Vanessa Davis Griggs Page B

really. Needless to say, looking back on it, it wasn’t one of my finer moments in life.”
    â€œWould you rather we go someplace where we can talk more freely? Because I need to know what we’re up against if I’m going to make this go away,” William said.
    â€œYeah. I’d feel better talking about this someplace other than here.” Lawrence stood up. “So you haven’t had lunch yet?”
    â€œNo,” William said. “You know good and well I wasn’t leaving here until I knew that woman was gone and that you hadn’t messed up somehow.”
    â€œThen let’s go get a bite to eat and we can talk on the way.”

    Lawrence and William were in the car. Lawrence told William how his daughter had opened up her apartment to this young eighteen-year-old named Gabrielle Booker when she had nowhere else to stay. He’d met her when he was over there checking up on Paris. He’d been immediately struck by her innocence and beauty. The next time he stopped by, Paris wasn’t home and Gabrielle was there alone cooking dinner. She’d politely asked if he cared for anything to eat and he’d accepted.
    The two of them talked while they ate. He learned about her mother having been killed by her father and her having witnessed the whole thing when she was almost four years old. Her father was still serving time for the murder. Gabrielle had then been sent to her aunt’s house where it was apparent she was mistreated. He’d picked up in their conversation that something had happened with her uncle trying to molest her, if he hadn’t molested her. But she’d quickly gotten off that topic when she’d veered in that direction.
    Lawrence had felt somewhat sorry for the young woman. It was obvious she was talented; and she didn’t have a shortage of dreams and goals. He’d started out trying to see what he could do to help her get into a college. He’d known of certain programs available and felt she could get into a college with someone championing her cause.
    He ended up sleeping with her the third time he saw her. Sure, he’d felt bad about it after it was over. But there was just something about this young vibrant woman who was not only beautiful outside but inside as well. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t allow that line to be crossed again. But being with her that one time was like having been introduced to a drug he thought he was strong enough not to get hooked on, but soon found out just how wrong he was. He couldn’t think of anything else but her. And he wanted to be around her . . . to be with her.
    He’d taken precautions after that first time they were together. But she must have gotten pregnant on that first time. She’d told him as soon as she suspected she might be pregnant, some three weeks after the first time. He’d insisted she go to the doctor to be positive. He quickly learned she was indeed going to have a baby.
    His first instinct had been to deny the baby was his. After all, here was this young eighteen-year-old beauty that turned heads merely by inhaling and exhaling. Surely, she had to have some young stud she was also being romanced by. She had to. He figured she’d merely pinned the baby on him because he was stable and could provide not only for the baby but her if she needed him to.
    But Paris (unaware that he was fishing for information about her roommate) had confirmed that Gabrielle wasn’t talking to anyone, at least not anyone Paris was aware of. But then, Paris was into only herself, so she likely wouldn’t notice if Gabrielle was talking to anyone or not.
    Following that, his strategy had been simple. Be supportive of Gabrielle and give her whatever money she would need to make this go away. He would then help get her into a college so she could go on with her budding new life. What he hadn’t counted on was her not wanting to have an abortion. She’d