by Monica Mathis-Stowe
The Sequel to Where Did We Go Wrong?
Forgiveness is the pulse that sustains all friendships. Where Did We Go Wrong? left readers asking, Who got shot? Where Did We Go Wrong Again? continues immediately after the shooting.
One of the beloved central characters is critically wounded and another
is murdered. The bonds of friendship and love are tested after the
tragedy causes all involved to make irrational decisions that complicate
their lives even more. Nothing will ever be the same as everyone is
forced to make monumental, life-altering decisions. Can relationships be
salvaged in time to help one another through the consequences of poor
judgment?
Excerpt Where Did We Go Wrong Again?
Chapter 1
“Oh, my God! Where did all this blood come from?” Joy wondered just before everything went black.
Bea and Juan rushed past the toppled Christmas tree to their daughter’s side. Sobbing, Bea dropped to her knees and tried to wake Joy.
“Don’t move her, Bea.” Juan took his cell phone out of his shirt pocket and dialed 911.
Trent slammed and locked the front door, then rushed to Maxine’s side, moving his hands all over her body to check for injuries. “Are you hurt? Are you okay, Maxi?”
“No! No! No! This isn’t happening!” Maxine cried as she stood paralyzed with fear watching the chaos unfold in Joy’s living room.
“You’re not hurt! Everything’s gonna be okay! Help is on the way!” Trent put an arm around Maxine, trying to comfort her.
Maxine didn’t respond. Her eyes were focused on what was happening in front of her. It looked like a scene from a war movie. Everybody was hysterical. The living room was filled with echoes of people crying and screaming.
The dead weight of Allen’s unconscious body had Gabby pinned to the floor in a puddle of blood. “Get him off me! I can’t breathe!” Gabby screamed as she tried to wiggle herself free.
Allen’s sister and brother, Tyesha and Tyrese quickly lifted Allen off Gabby and gently laid him on the floor.
“Oh, my God! Help me!” Tyesha screamed. Her entire body shaking, she stared at Allen with bulging eyes and a terrified expression. Blood gushed from his chest as she pressed down to stop it.
“Somebody get some towels! Quick!” Tyrese bent down to help Tyesha examine Allen.
Trent ran upstairs and grabbed all the towels he could carry from Joy’s linen closet and rushed back down. He gave the towels to Tyrese, went into the kitchen, fixed an ice pack for Joy’s head and gave it to Bea.
After Juan ended his call, he helped Gabby to the couch. Blood dripped down her right arm and off her fingers. Juan rolled up her sleeve and found an open gash. Snatching a dinner napkin off a nearby table, he wrapped it around her arm to stop the bleeding. She winced from the pain as tears trickled down her face.
Three loud knocks made everyone stop and look at each other with uncertainty. A deep voice yelled, “Police! Open the door!” Trent left to open it.
“No, Trent! Don’t! It could be Dean coming back to kill us!” Maxine screamed.
“No, Maxi. It’s not Dean,” Trent responded in a calm tone. “You can see the flashing lights in the window.”
Maxine quickly turned her head to the living room window, then whispered, “Okay.”
A few minutes later, Prince George’s County police officers and detectives were scattered everywhere. Some were inside the house taking pictures and gathering evidence while others were outside searching the neighborhood and surrounding areas for Dean. Maxine and Trent answered questions while paramedics brought in stretchers and medical equipment to treat the injured. Allen was quickly put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital with Tyesha and Tyrese trailing behind in tears. Two police officers escorted them to the hospital.
Another paramedic was on the sofa with Gabby. She glared at him as he cleaned her cut, put a bandage on it, and then examined her. She couldn’t believe how close Nadia came to losing her mother tonight. She was going to make Dean pay for what he did to them.
( Story Continues... )
Copyright © 2013 by Monica Mathis-Stowe. All rights reserved. Book excerpt reprinted by permission of the author, Monica Mathis-Stowe. This excerpt is used for promotional purposes only. Do not reproduce, copy or use without the publisher's written permission. Copyright infringement is a serious offense. Share a link to this page or the author's website if you really like this promotional excerpt.
About the Author
Monica Mathis-Stowe is the author of bestselling contemporary fiction novels, Where Did We Go Wrong? and Where Did We Go Wrong Again? She was voted best new author by the Gatsby Book Club and nominated for Breakout Author of the Year by the African-American Movers Book Club (AAMBC). Mathis-Stowe’s debut novel, Where Did We Go Wrong? was voted 2012 novel of the year by the Future Bestselling Authors Group, voted one of the Best Three Novels of 2012 by AAMBC and nominated as Best Book of 2013 by AAMBC.
Both of the author’s novels have held steady in the top 100 African-American Drama category on
Amazon
and received numerous outstanding reviews. Monica has been selected as
Author of the Week on WFKX 96KIX in Tennessee, featured guest on radio
talk show Trending with EZ and interviewed in TOCSIN Magazine as well as
the featured author in the Spring 2013 edition of Pen to Paper and The
Examiner When she’s not writing and promoting her work, the author works
as an investigator in Washington, DC and spends time travelling with
her husband and son.
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