{"id":1343,"date":"2009-04-23T05:33:59","date_gmt":"2009-04-23T10:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/\/?p=1343"},"modified":"2009-04-22T17:37:35","modified_gmt":"2009-04-22T22:37:35","slug":"god-only-knows-by-xavier-knight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=1343","title":{"rendered":"God Only Knows by Xavier Knight"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/strong> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/div>\n
Xavier Knight<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

God Only Knows<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Grand Central Publishing (March 23, 2009)<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Xavier Knight is the Christian fiction pen name for C. Kelly Robinson. He is a native of Dayton, Ohio and magna cum laude graduate of Howard University and Washington University in St. Louis. Robinson is a marketing communications manager by day and has a long record of volunteer experience across organizations including United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Mentor St. Louis, and Student Venture Ministries. Author of five previous novels including the best-selling No More Mr. Nice Guy and the critically acclaimed Between Brothers (Random House), he lives outside Dayton with his wife and daughter. He is hard at work on his next novel and on a nonfiction project.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Product Details:<\/p>\n

List Price: $13.99
\nPaperback: 288 pages
\nPublisher: Grand Central Publishing (March 23, 2009)
\nLanguage: English
\nISBN-10: 0446582395
\nISBN-13: 978-0446582391<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Two Decades Later<\/p>\n

Chapter One<\/p>\n

For the first time she could remember in years, Cassandra Gillette felt like a woman fulfilled. Freshly showered, she sat before the laptop PC in her spacious dressing room, checking email. She had another hour at least before her newly-built luxury home would be overrun by her family; her husband Marcus had gone to pick up their twelve-year-old twins, Heather and Hillary, from a friend\u2019s birthday party out in Middletown. In addition, her seventeen-year-old son, Marcus Jr., was still seven hours away from his midnight curfew.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is so much to be thankful for,\u201d Cassie whispered to God, letting her words ring through the quiet of her master suite. This was not the average lazy Saturday afternoon; for the first time in nearly four months, Cassie had made love to her husband.<\/p>\n

Their separation had gotten off to a fiery start, but as tempers cooled and nights passed, God had brought Cassie and Marcus back together. Marcus had quickly tired of Veronica, the twenty-something news anchor who had welcomed him into her condo, and Cassie\u2019s eyes had been opened. When her best girlfriend Julia confronted her, she had finally realized how her actions in recent years had starved Marcus of the respect and affirmation that even the strongest man needed.<\/p>\n

So it was that after several late-night telephone calls and a Starbucks \u201cdate\u201d hidden from their children, Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Gillette had decided to get up off the mat and keep the promises they made before God seventeen years earlier, a few months after M.J.\u2019s arrival. They had agreed to surprise the children with news of their reconciliation tonight, but with the house empty this afternoon, the couple had started a private celebration. The house was new enough that aside from the master bedroom, their frisky activity had \u201cchristened\u201d the kitchen\u2019s marble-topped island, the leather couch in the finished basement, and the washing machine in the laundry room.<\/p>\n

As she dashed off an email to the staff at her real estate agency, sharing news of the latest deal she had closed \u2013 a four hundred twenty thousand dollar sale, their thirtieth property sold for the quarter \u2013 Cassie nearly shuddered with delight as she recalled Marcus\u2019 smooth touch. Although she had lost thirty pounds over the past year, she was still nearly twenty pounds heavier than she\u2019d been on their wedding day, and she had been pregnant then. Nevertheless, Cassie\u2019s Marcus knew and loved her body, in exactly the way that frank scriptures like those in Song of Solomon encouraged. Like most everything else in marriage, the Gillettes\u2019 sexual relationship had experienced ups and downs, but Cassie licked her lips unintentionally as she mentally applauded her man: when he\u2019s good, he\u2019s GOOD.<\/p>\n

An instant message popped up on her screen: Julia, her best friend. \u201cI heard a rumor,\u201d she IM\u2019d.<\/p>\n

Cassie smiled as she typed back, \u201cNo idea what you mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julia\u2019s IM response popped up. \u201cThey say a handsome, bulky brother tipped into your crib this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cassie smiled as she typed, \u201cGirl, I am too old to be kissin\u2019 and tellin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019m too old to be listening to such filth,\u201d Julia typed. As a PhD and superintendent of schools at their shared alma mater, Christian Light Schools, Julia let her words communicate their humor; Cassie\u2019s friend was above the use of those corny emoticons. Julia sent another missive: \u201cYou are coming to my Board of Advisors meeting Monday, right? I need help saving this school system, child.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cassie stuck her tongue out playfully as she entered her response. \u201cStill not sure how I fit in with this crew. You said you\u2019re pulling together the \u2018best and brightest\u2019 Christian Light alumni? Don\u2019t see how I count, given that the school expelled me when they realized why my belly was swollen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop it,\u201d came Julia\u2019s response. \u201cBesides, you have what matters most to a struggling school system: Deep pockets!\u201d<\/p>\n

Cassie shook her head, her laughter easing any guilt she might have felt about throwing the painful memory of her expulsion \u2013 accompanied by the school principal\u2019s labeling her a \u201cgirl of loose morals\u201d \u2013 in her friend\u2019s face. Julia alone had led a student protest in Cassie\u2019s defense at the time, marching on the school\u2019s front lawn and even calling local media in a vain attempt to embarrass the school into reversing its decision.<\/p>\n

Cassie was typing a light-hearted response when her front doorbell rang, the chime filling the house. Changing up, she shot her friend a quick, \u201cDoorbell \u2013 call you later,\u201d before taking a second to tuck her blouse into her jeans. Padding downstairs to the foyer, she chuckled to herself. She would have to help Julia save the world later.<\/p>\n

When she peered into her front door\u2019s peephole, Cassie\u2019s heart caught for a second at the sight of a tall, blonde-haired gentleman flashing a police badge.<\/p>\n

M.J.\u2019s fine, said the voice in Cassie\u2019s head as the badge stirred anxiety over her teen son\u2019s safety. She wasn\u2019t sure whether it was the Lord or simply her own positive coaching. For years now Cassie had combined her faith in God with affirmative self-talk meant to power her through life\u2019s stresses and adversities. In her youth, she had crumpled one time too many in the face of indifference, prejudice, sexism and just plain evil; by the time she and Marcus walked the aisle of Tabernacle Baptist Church, where each had first truly dedicated their respective lives to Christ, Cassie had vowed to never be caught unaware again. That same spirit of resolve propped her up as she confidently unlocked and swung back her wide oak door.<\/p>\n

As strong as she felt, Cassie\u2019s knees still flexed involuntarily when she saw M.J. standing beside the plainclothes policeman. At six foot one, her son was every inch as tall as the policeman and stood with his arms crossed, a sneer teasing the corners of his mouth. Though relieved to see he was fine, Cassie sensed an unusually defiant spirit in her boy, so she locked her gaze onto the officer instead. If her man-child had done something worthy of punishment, she wouldn\u2019t give this stranger the pleasure of witnessing the beat-down. She unlocked her screen door and, opening it, let the officer make the first move.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Gillette?\u201d The man held out his right hand and respectfully shook Cassie\u2019s as he spoke in a deep, hoarse voice. \u201cI\u2019m Detective Whitlock with the Dayton PD. I\u2019m really sorry to bother you, but I was hoping we could help each other this evening, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cassie opened her screen door all the way, one hand raised against the fading sunlight in her eyes. \u201cPlease, come in,\u201d she said, focused on editing the airy lilt out of her tone. She didn\u2019t mind letting her naturally fluttery voice out when among family and friends, but now was no time for it. \u201cWhy don\u2019t we have a seat in the living room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, I apologize for showing up unannounced. A neighborhood this nice, one of those draws a lot of eyebrows probably,\u201d Whitlock said, nodding toward the sleek police car parked out front. \u201cMarcus Jr. and I had an unfortunate confrontation this afternoon. The more I talk to him, I\u2019m convinced we can handle this without a trip downtown.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cassie nodded respectfully. Who can argue with that? She thought as she motioned toward the expansive living room. \u201cMay I take your suit jacket?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no thank you,\u201d Whitlock replied. He slowed his gait and allowed M.J. to first follow Cassie into the room. The detective stood just inside the doorway, peering at Cassie\u2019s expensive sculptures and paintings as M.J. reluctantly took a seat beside his mother. Once they were settled, Whitlock strode to the middle of the living room, his hands in the pockets of his dress slacks. \u201cMarcus, why don\u2019t you tell your mother how we crossed paths?\u201d<\/p>\n

M.J. stared straight ahead, his line of sight veering nowhere near Cassie and shooting over the top of Whitlock\u2019s head of wavy blond hair. \u201cI was minding my business, Mom. Officer Whitlock here\u2013\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDetective Whitlock, son,\u201d the policeman replied, a testy edge betraying the professional, placid smile on his tanned, leathery face. Cassie found herself admitting he was a relatively handsome man, one who even reminded her of the male cousins on the white side of her family. The policeman was probably her own age, she figured, somewhere between thirty-five and forty.<\/p>\n

Grimacing, M.J. continued. \u201cThe good detective here pulled me over on 75. Said he clocked me at seventy-eight in a fifty-five.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh I see,\u201d Cassie said, a wave of relief cleansing her tensed insides. She placed a hand on her son\u2019s shoulder but kept her eyes on the detective. \u201cIf that\u2019s all that\u2019s involved, my son should certainly pay whatever fine is required by the law. You\u2019re not doing him any favors giving him a simple talking-to.\u201d She nearly chastised herself for fearing the worst. This was probably just a case of her super-jock son\u2013a varsity star in Chaminade-Julienne football, basketball and track\u2013getting special treatment for his local celebrity, a celebrity nearly as big as the fame that had first attracted her to Marcus Sr. back in the day.<\/p>\n

Holding Cassie\u2019s smile with calm blue eyes, Whitlock reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved a manila envelope. \u201cAsked and answered. The state trooper wrote this ticket up for your son during the traffic stop.\u201d He walked over to the loveseat and slowly extended the envelope to M.J. \u201cI agree that Marcus needs to pay his speeding ticket, Mrs. Gillette. If that\u2019s all that was involved, I would have never been called to the scene.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everything is fine. My son has done nothing illegal. Cassie fingered the gold locket around her neck but prayed she was otherwise masking the dread pulsing back into her. \u201cThen get to the point please, Detective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whitlock paced quickly to the corner of the adjacent couch. When he plopped down, he was less than a foot away from Cassie. \u201cYou see,\u201d he said, his elbows on his knees and his faintly yellowed teeth glinting as he seemed to smile despite himself, \u201cI was called in because Marcus had a convicted criminal riding with him, the sort of character who can make even this fine young man look guilty by association.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease tell me,\u201d Cassie said, pivoting rapidly toward M.J., \u201cthat you weren\u2019t riding around with him again.\u201d When M.J. bunched his lips tight and shrugged, Cassie couldn\u2019t stop herself from popping him in the shoulder. \u201cBoy! You promised me! You promised me, M.J.!\u201d<\/p>\n

Whitlock had removed his cell phone from his suit jacket. His eyes focused on the phone as he punched its buttons, he asked, \u201cBy \u2018him,\u2019 are you referring to Dante Wayne?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Cassie said, her forehead so hot with rage it scared her. She wasn\u2019t sure whether to be more upset at this white stranger lounging on her couch, or her increasingly disobedient son.<\/p>\n

Whitlock stared straight into Cassie\u2019s eyes. \u201cAnd you\u2019re familiar with Mr. Wayne how?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cassie sucked her teeth angrily. \u201cHe\u2019s my cousin\u2019s oldest son.\u201d Donald, Dante\u2019s father, ran a small taxi service and was the first relative on her father\u2019s side of the family \u2013 the Black side \u2013 who had reached out to Cassie when they were both struggling teen parents trying to figure life out. Though they didn\u2019t talk often these days, Cassie still counted Donald a personal friend, and her loyalty to him through the years had led her to foster M.J. and Dante\u2019s friendship from the time they were toddlers. That was before she realized that Dante would adopt the morals of his mother\u2019s family, nearly all of whom had died in their twenties or spent significant stretches in prison.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo M.J. was straight with me, they are cousins.\u201d Whitlock stroked his chin playfully as he observed mother and son. \u201cMarcus insisted that was the only reason he was riding around with Dante in tow. Dante took up for him too, insisted there was no way Marcus was hip to the drugs we found in the car.\u201d He nodded toward M.J. \u201cWhy don\u2019t we discuss this one adult to another, ma\u2019am. Marcus, based on your exemplary reputation in the community \u2013 as well as your parents\u2019 \u2013 I\u2019m willing to assume you had no knowledge of your cousin\u2019s activities. If you\u2019ll just excuse us.\u201d<\/p>\n

M.J. looked between his mother and the detective, the first signs of a growing son\u2019s protective emotions on his face as he tapped Cassie\u2019s knee. \u201cYou okay with him, Mom?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGo down to your room,\u201d Cassie said through clenched tooth, \u201cand shut the basement door after you.\u201d As her son rose, she punctuated her words. \u201cDon\u2019t even think about coming up until your father and I come down for you.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1343"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1343\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1344,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1343\/revisions\/1344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}