The Retreat by Dijorn Moss Page A

hours outside of Asilomar Campgrounds and panic started to set in. If Will did not value his own life, then what made Chauncey think that Will wouldn’t kill him as soon as this whole experiment did not seem worth it? There was a gun and a long stretch of highway where a body could get dropped off and no one would notice.
    With that terrifying thought in mind, Chauncey bowed his head.
    Lord, please protect and do not let this boy kill me!

Chapter Ten
    Jamal tried to call Quincy after they’d met for dinner earlier, but all he got was Quincy’s voice mail. The news of his separation from Karen and his abrupt departure from dinner were causes of concern for Jamal. After he hung up the phone, Jamal went back into Jamir’s room.
    Jamal had made sure to get a two-bedroom apartment. He guessed that in light of what had transpired thus far this week, he could move into a smaller apartment. He would save $300 a month on rent with a one-bedroom as opposed to a two-bedroom. He could stay with a two-bedroom and turn the second bedroom into his office, but that would require him to move Jamir’s stuff out. That would be too much to do, but if he saved his money then maybe he could look into getting a house in a year or two.
    Jamir was not his biological son and Jamal ached at the thought. Though he could have a close relationship with him, eventually, he and Chantel would have to tell Jamir the truth. Now, every time Jamir called him Daddy, Jamal felt like he was endorsing a lie. The Bible talks about the truth setting people free; but Jamal could not see it. The truth was that Jamir’s real daddy died in cold blood and Jamal was responsible. The truth was that his mother and everyone involved in bringing him into the world were irresponsible little kids. How could that truth be anything but devastating to a young boy? This was the point when God’s will was beyond Jamal’s understanding. How come God could not let this boy be his son?
    The situation was even more complicated by the fact that Jamal would give anything to be with Chantel. He noticed how neither he nor Chantel had engaged in a serious relationship since high school.
    Deep down they were perfect for each other, but the last time they were together, a life had been destroyed. They’d made an unspoken vow not to go down the road of a serious relationship again. Instead, Jamal and Chantel chose to focus their attention on Jamir. And a love that powerful cannot be joined together, but must remain apart. Jamal turned on his flat-screen TV, set to engage in his latest conquest of Call of Duty. Jamal was very frugal, but he still had full indulgences, entertainment being one of them. The Bible warns about an idle mind, and usually this was the time of night when Jamal would be tempted to see what was on Cinemax. Around this time, the channel was notorious for showing soft-core porn. He loved God with all his heart, but the flesh craved satisfaction. Jamal’s thoughts started to drift toward Mylessa and her proposal.
    Since becoming a Christian, Jamal had been pretty good about abstaining from sex outside of marriage. In the beginning, Jamal still had a ferocious appetite that caused him to indulge in a few women a week, including several women at his job. One thing led to another, and word got around about his above-average performance in bed, because the next thing Jamal knew, a lot of women at the office began to take an interest in him. Jamal fasted and prayed until he nearly passed out, but eventually he was able to develop enough discipline to not give the devil even a foothold.
    Jamal changed the channel, and as a result, he turned the TV off. He did not want his son to be exposed to pornography at a young age like he had been by his own father.
    His son? Yes, Jamal had been there since his birth and had raised Jamir like a father would raise his son, but Jamir was not his son. Well, at least not biologically. Something about that