Going up in Smoke

Heather E. Lane

Description

Welcome to the world of ordinary people whose lives are changed significantly, when their need to be happy comes with consequences and repercussions, and things ultimately go awry.
When yearning to be happy, loved, accepted, and respected come with significant consequences. This fictional novel is created in New Jersey and New York, involving an attractive group of successful, but mostly flawed individuals, making moves, living life and indulging in selfish activities. Secrets are being exposed, and many lies are being told, and their world, will ultimately crumble at their feet.
Going up in Smoke, is an eclectic read, if you are into adult, urban fiction, with copious amounts of drama, lust and foolish decisions.

Sujets

• Erotica
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse
• Date de parution: 30 décembre 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781504951593
• Langue: English

Extrait

Going up in Smoke
 
 
 
 
 
Heather E. Lane
 
 

 
AuthorHouse™
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
Phone: [phone]
 
 
 
 
 
© 2019 Heather E. Lane. All rights reserved.
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
 
Published by AuthorHouse  12/28/2018
 
ISBN: 978-1-5049-5158-6 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-5049-5157-9 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-5049-5159-3 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015915765
 
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]
Contents
Fool’s Paradise
Acknowledgements
Prologue: Summer 2009
Part I
Love you, long time ago
Zoe
REWIND 1988
Zoe
Steven
Marcus
Brooke
Zoe
Steven
REWIND FEBRUARY 1988
Stevenv
Marcus
Steven
Brooke
Zoe
Brooke
REWIND SUMMER 1988
Brooke
Marcus
Zoe
Steven
Brooke
Marcus
Zoe
Steven
Brooke
Marcus
Zoe
Steven
Brooke
Fall 2009
Part II
Cheaters
Brooke
Marcus
Zoe
Steven
Marcus
REWIND SUMMER 1988
Marcus
Brooke
Steven
Marcus
Brooke
Zoe
Steven
Marcus
Brooke
Zoe
Marcus
Steven
Brooke
Zoe
Steven
Marcus
Brooke
Zoe
Pierre
Winter 2009/2010
Part III
Hurt people, hurt people
Steven
Marcus
Zoe
Brooke
Steven
Zoe
Marcus
Brooke
Mack
Steven
Zoe
Marcus
Brooke
Zoe
Steven
Brooke
Marcus
Spring 2010
Part IV
Shit, damn, motherfucker
Marcus
Amber
Zoe
Steven
Brooke
Zoe
Steven
Brooke
Zoe
Marcus
Denver
Steven
Smith
Zoe
Marcus
Lisa
Kenny
Maria
Brooke
Steven
Zoe
Brooke
Marcus
Zoe
Summer 2010
Part V
Brooke
Steven/Zoe
Marcus
January 2011
Part VI
Closure
Zoe
Marcus
Brooke
Epilogue: Jill
Mack
The end
 
Evil is as evil does.
 
When the need to be happy comes with significant consequences.
 
Love and happiness, something that can make you do wrong, make you do right.
Al Green
 
Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled for fornicators and adulterers;
God will judge.
Hebrews 13:4
FOOL’S PARADISE
 
Someone who becomes happy on false facts.
It is the state of happiness that is not considered real since it would be short lived, only until the truth is revealed.
Acknowledgements
God, of course, for giving me the courage, patience and perseverance, to work on this story. It was an arduous and overwhelming experience that challenged me in so many ways.
Many times the thought of giving up, came to my mind but I prayed on it, keeping it my mind constantly. My procrastination and lack of self-confidence resulted in many, many delays, story line and character changes, but I was determined to finish what I started, which is something that I am confident of today.
Since I was a young girl, I have always been an avid reader of so many amazing fictional novels, and I am still a huge fan of a plethora of fantastic and brilliant writers, to this day.
They inspired me so much, and I would be remiss, if I didn’t pay homage to them today.
They are:
Judy Blume, Eric Jerome Dickey, Terry McMillan, Carl Webber, E. Lynn Harris, Mary Higgins Clark, J.D. Mason, James Patterson, Kimberla Roby Lawson, Sister Souljah, Terri Woods, Noire, Zane, John Grisham and Valerie Wilson Wesley,
They all made such a huge impact on my literary life, which inspired me to create a story of my own.
I would also like to thank the few family and friends who knew about my project who inspired and supported me along the way, you know who you are.
Love you all!
 
Going up in Smoke

Prologue
Summer 2009
Part I
Love you, long time ago
Zoe
Zoe Tyler-George hopped off of the cool and crowded Path train, at the Grove Street Station in Jersey City, at 6 pm, to greet the hot and sticky weather outside. She threw on her cat eye designer shades, frustrated at the disrespectful heat, making her sweat in all of the wrong places.
Her black cotton sundress is clinging to the curvaceous folds on her sweaty body, while she walks slowly across the street, with various shopping bags in her hands. She adjusted her dress swiftly, stopping traffic, like she always does.
Zoe knows that she has no business wearing the tight garment, emphasizing the extra weight that she put on her hips and ass over the years, but it was cute and on sale at Express. A few thirsty guys looked her way, making sexy eyes at her, but she ignored them, just like they ignored the ring on her finger. Although things haven’t been great between her and her husband lately, she still won’t entertain the clowns.
Speaking of her husband, the handsome Mr. Marcus George, the two of them own a trendy luxury spa & full service salon, just a few blocks away, on Jersey Avenue. The successful couple has been married for over ten years, with an almost ten year old precocious son, named Myles Marcus. They are living like its golden, in a modern one family home, in Union NJ with a two door garage, spacious backyard and all of the other awesome home amenities for a successful African American family.
She was on her way to their business now, with some food for her man, but when she called him, he confirmed that he’d already eaten. Zoe is a little pissed that she wasted her money on food for him, so she gave it to a homeless guy, on the corner of Grove and Christopher Columbus Streets. She went back to that same Cuban restaurant, to sit and sip and eat alone.
He told her to take her time coming back and indeed she will, because she carelessly had forgotten what day this is. It’s Friday, the day that she used to love so much, but now hates with a passion these past few months. Marcus’s first baby’s momma, Lisa Price, is at the shop today, painting nails and feet, and taking naps in the bathroom in between.
A few months ago, Lisa begged Marcus to let her work at their business, so she can sustain her government income. Hudson County is tired of her trifling ass, abusing the system for years, and demands that she finds work, go to school or lose her benefits for good. Zoe was dead set against allowing a woman who couldn’t stand her, to work twice a week at her business. She and Marcus fought over it for weeks, but her sweet and sometimes caring stepdaughter Tiffany, pleaded with Zoe to help her mom out. She was Lisa’s saving grace, because Zoe was about to say “fuck you” to the both of them.
After Zoe played her daily lottery numbers, she finally reached “ The Cuban Spot ” on Grove and Marin Boulevard, where the food is muy bien and the drinks are the bomb. As soon as she walked through the doors, the loud Cuban music resonated throughout the cozy family owned establishment, making her do an awkward salsa dance.
Zoe dropped her tired and hungry body in a booth, after she spoke to Gladys, her favorite waitress in the whole joint. As soon as the food arrived, she asked for a refill of sangria, with an extra shot of brandy this time.
After her last swallow of wine went down her throat, Gladys came over to give her a recap of her date last night. Zoe is really not in the mood right now to hear about the 51 year old’s sex life, but she appeased her anyway, giving her half of her attention.
Jamal Jackson, her current and younger lover, had her in a very uncompromising position, at Liberty State Park last night, on one of the picnic tables.
“You are one nasty ass!” Zoe said, thinking about the poor person who has to eat their next meal on that same table.
Gladys laughed loudly “Hey, life is too short to have boring sex momma.”
Zoe agreed to that. “Hey, you have customer’s girl.”
When she pointed towards the two handsome guys near the door, she noticed that the darker one had a sexy vibe about him, so she stared at him a little longer, until her eyes bulged with astonishment.
She put her hands over her mouth. “Oh my fucking Lord! It can’t be him?”
“Can’t be who, momma? What’s wrong with your face?” Gladys asked curiously.
“Umm, nobody girl; go handle your business.”
“Ok, mama!”
Gladys switched her flat backside over to them, eager to seat the two good looking gentlemen. They began to follow the loose bar maid and then he looked her way. His dark brown bedroom eyes are very shocked, but excited to see her.
He said a few words to his co-worker and went over to where she is, wearing dark fitted slacks, a blue and white striped business shirt, and brown hard bottom leather shoes. He looks nothing like his former self but nei