The Fighting Forgiveness Collection

Chapter 1

Joy Pembrooke was seventeen-years-old and depressed. She was from a low-income family, but her self-esteem was much lower than her bank account ever would be. She had been fighting a losing battle against puberty and acne, for what she felt was all of the most important years in her life- from twelve to seventeen years- old.

She spent half a decade walking around with a face full of swollen, red bumps that appeared to always be ready to burst. It didn’t help that she was built like a boy and was as tall as one. The only thing feminine about her was her name.

She felt that she was so ugly that not only the boys ignored her but so did the girls. Apparently, she was so hideous that she didn’t meet anyone’s minimal friendship requirement, and she was too broke to buy herself a friend.

With no boys or girlfriends to distract her, she had no choice but to excel in school. But even her brains weren’t enough for the kids to find a need to ask her for her number or friendship. All she had was her family. Her brother was nice enough to escort her to her senior prom so that she didn’t miss out on the experience.

So, one summer day after she had graduated from high school, Joy was walking home from work and happened to approach an average- looking guy who appeared lost as he stood outside, pacing in front of an empty store front and repeatedly looking at the street signs to match the map quest directions with his current location. The closer she got to him, the more entertained she became with his confusion.

She normally didn’t speak to strangers and especially not men, but since she had time to follow his consistent pacing for a few minutes, she decided that she would lend her assistance. When she reached him, she said, Are you looking for ‘The Legal Aid’ office?

The lost guy whirled around to face the curious voice behind him and replied, Yes! How did you know?

Joy smiled, Because there’s nothing else over here, and I know that they haven’t changed their address in the yellow pages yet, so I am assuming this particular location just went out of business. Most businesses always leave a forwarding address if they simply re-located.

Wow! That was great. You sure read me right. He smiled back.

She had done her good deed and was preparing to finish her walk home but decided to leave him with some parting advice, Well, try googling another location and call to confirm it before you make the trip next time.

He wasn’t done, Good idea. Thanks. You can tell that I’m not from around here, can’t you? Are you from around here?

Yes... She was trying to see where he was going with his line of questioning at that point.

It was nice of you to stop me from embarrassing myself. I’d like to repay the favor. Do you mind if I drop you off somewhere? I don’t bite. If you don’t feel comfortable, I’d like to walk with you. It would be great if you told me your real name, so I’d have more than just a nickname. He told her, still smiling.

A nickname? Where’d you get that from?

I gave it to you. I hope that you don’t mind, but I’ve been calling you ‘Beautiful,’ to myself, since we’ve been talking.

Joy laughed uncontrollably and said, That’s the lamest pick up line that I’ve ever heard! But she caught herself before she could say anymore; it was the only pick-up line she’d ever heard.

Chapter 2

His name was Kenneth Edward Biale. She could say it forward and backward, up and down. Since that day, she had fallen hard for him and had written Mrs. Joy Biale just as much as she had written his name. Her mother knew that since she was so depressed about her image all of those years that when someone finally discovered her value she would immediately fall in love with them. Her mother prayed that when she did that this man would not take advantage of her or hurt her so devastatingly that she would regress into her depression again...

Joy laughed and talked as she allowed him to walk her home that day. Then she went in the house only for a moment to unload her things and return to finish her lively conversation with Ken and start their walk back to their meeting point. She thought that it was cute that he wanted to walk her home, but knew that she would need to walk him back to their meeting point so that he would not get lost trying to find his way back to his car (even though it was only a few blocks away).

They exchanged numbers and talked all of the rest of that day and every day for the days to follow. He made her so happy, even when they disagreed about something or when he voiced a strong opinion about something that she thought was very insignificant. All it took was him to flash his beautiful smile. His smile had a healing power to it when he flashed it, and it also had the ability to make her forget all of her problems or complaints.

They dated for a year before she decided that she could not be without him, regardless of the mounting things that she didn’t like but allowed his smile to erase or minimize. They got an apartment and moved in together to build their world together. When she allowed some of those things that she didn’t care for to build up, he’d simply flash his pearly whites and remind her that she was the only girl for him and that he’d be devastated without her.

That was all it had ever took for her to forgive him for whatever it was that he had done. She was too distracted with her new love to go to college to become someone better, which everyone was so sure that she would be. All throughout school, she was voted Most likely to succeed, but her heart had a change of plans for her.

Her heart cried out for love and acceptance and did not want to wait for her to finish school or wait until she was out of school and off work to experience its greatness. She had been so consumed with depression, she decided to put school on a back burner and put her heart up front. She refused to be away from him more than ten hours- eight hours to work and two hours to commute to and from her job.

He didn’t work an eight hour job like she did because he worked for the Chicago Transit Authority as a rail station assistant to passengers who needed help with their transfers or entering the terminal. His position had him on call. Sometimes he worked four hours; sometimes they’d have him work ten. They’d basically place him wherever they needed him. He was like a floater, but he was a well-paid floater.

Although he did not have a set schedule, Joy still ran home every day, just in case he was there or would be coming home soon. He couldn’t control his schedule, but she could, so whenever she could make herself available to spend time in his arms or smile when he smiled, she did. Sometimes she’d run home from work, only to find that she’d be there alone because he had to work late, but that didn’t bother her; it was all for love.

Chapter 3

During their first year of marriage, she began to glow with happiness and less acne. Her sexual appetite for Kenny’s love began to add curves to her new look. To her, she was that same grateful girl to finding love that summer day, but to Ken, she was his discovery. He was possessive, and she belonged to him. Even if he wasn’t home, when she got there, he’d always make sure that she was and that she had everything that she needed to stay. If she had to go out, he wanted her to report in to him to let him know where and for how long because he didn’t want to miss her if he was able to get off early, he told her.

At work, Joy met a guy that she thought was funny and smart. She also thought he was cute, but didn’t focus on it a lot. She basically just saw him as a friend. One day, she invited him into the house after he had driven her home after work. They were having an animated conversation about some of the changes that were being instituted at work, so Joy decided to invite him inside for a cold glass of lemonade so they could continue to talk.

They had not realized how much time had passed as they laughed and slapped hands on the couch in the living room. The TV was on, but they were not watching it; they were still going on about the day’s events. It was seven o’clock in the evening when Ken walked in the house to witness Joy responding to some information that she found unbelievable and was playfully pushing her friend Joseph in disbelief.

Ken walked into the room with an expression of pure distaste for Joseph. Joy began to give introductions, but Ken didn’t hear a thing. He just stood planted in the middle of the floor, glaring down at the two of them on the couch. So Joseph, feeling the air immediately change, stood up to extend his hand for Ken to shake, but instead of shaking it, Ken kept his arms folded across his chest and said, I don’t like change, and since we hadn’t met before, let’s just keep it that way. I see you are up, so you must be leaving. Let me walk you to the door.

Joseph looked at Joy and nodded to let her know that it was okay, and he’d simply see her at work. Though when he left, he didn’t leave the front porch right away. He pretended to gather himself