Read God's Gift to Women Online
Authors: MICHAEL BAISDEN
God's Gift to Women
Also by Michael Baisden
The Maintenance Man
Men Cry in the Dark
Never Satisfied: How & Why Men Cheat
Touchstone
Rockefeller Center
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
SimonandSchuster
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places, and incidents either are products of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual events or locales or persons,
living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
“God’s Gift to Women” by Angela O. Guillory
reprinted courtesy of the author
“Fatally Yours” by D’Ajaneigh Emmanuel
reprinted courtesy of the author
“Moving On” and “Above Average” by B. R. Burns
reprinted courtesy of the author
Copyright © 2002 by Michael Baisden
All rights reserved,
including the right of reproduction
in whole or in part in any form.
This Touchstone Edition 2003
T
OUCHSTONE
and colophon are registered trademarks
of Simon & Schuster Inc.
Designed by Stacy Luecker
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:
Baisden, Michael.
God’s gift to women / Michael Baisden.
p. cm.
1. Radio broadcasters—Fiction. 2. Rejection (Psychology)—Fiction.
3. Stalking victims—Fiction. 4. Single fathers—Fiction.
5. Houston (Tex.)—Fiction. 6. Chicago (Ill.)—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3552.A3925 G63 2002
813’.54—dc21 2003269674
ISBN 0-7432-4692-6
0-7432-4997-6 (Pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-7432-4997-3
eISBN: 978-1-4516-5058-7
This book is dedicated
to my beautiful and sweet cousin,
Monica Goree Adams,
who passed away on December 11, 1999.
You were the little sister I never had.
When I think about your warm smile
and the funny way you laughed, I can’t help smiling.
You were always supportive of me and my work.
I will never forget your kindness as long as I live.
Love ya’, Cuz.
Houston, Texas New Year’s Day 2002
Part I Chicago (September 2001)
Part VI God’s Gift to Women (December)
It’s been eight long years since I sat down to write my first book, and I am more grateful than ever for this incredible gift God has given me. The ability to create stories that touch people’s lives is truly a blessing. I appreciate all the love and support all my fans have given me since I sold my first book out of the trunk of my car back in 1995. I promise you I’ll always remain humble and remember how much that first ten bucks meant to me.
I want to send a special thanks out to all the African American bookstores for doing such a wonderful job of promoting my work. I can’t list them all, but there are a few who have been outstanding in their support: Medu Bookstore in Atlanta, The Shrine of the Black Madonna in Detroit and Houston, Smiley’s Books and Malik’s bookstore in Los Angeles, Culture Plus in New York, Black Images in Dallas, Books For Thought in Tampa, Karibu Books in Maryland, Apple Bookstore in Detroit, and African American Images in Chicago. It’s very important that we continue to support these and other black-owned bookstores. They are the main reason for the success of many self-published authors, including myself.
Of course, I have to thank all the radio personalities across the country who have allowed me to sit in on their show and raise hell over the years. Steve Harvey at the BEAT in Los Angeles; his producer, Hollywood Henderson; and the Angels, Shirley Strawberry, Nautica de la Cruz, and Dominique DiPrima, with whom I’ve had a love-hate relationship for years. Thanks for always making it hot in the studio and for appreciating how hard my journey was.
A special thanks to Donnie Simpson at WPGC in D.C., crazy Chris Paul, and his producer, Reggie Rouse. And of course, Justin Love and fellow Cancer Todd B. for always inviting me to sit in on
Lovetalk.
To my good friends at WEDR in Miami: James T., Tamara G., and Maestro in promotions. My seminars in Miami have been some of the best I ever had thanks
to your support. Thanks to Magic Man and Nikki Thomas at WBLK in Buffalo, New York. I appreciate you packing the crowds in at your expo every year. And I must shout out to the Dream Team in Philadelphia: Donya Blaze; Golden Boy; comedian Dee Lee; Colby Colb (who’s now at Power 105 in New York); and the Diva herself, Wendy Williams, who has moved on to WBLS in New York. Congratulations on your success. You go, girl!
To Deneen Busby at Majic 104.9 in St. Louis: thanks for doing such a great job of promoting me and other African American authors. Your Sunday-morning talk show with the book club is off the hook! And last but not least, my homeboy from Chicago, Doug Banks and his cohost DeDe McGuire, J. J. Jackson, CoCo Budda, and his producer, Gary Saunders. Thanks for making me feel welcome every time I walk into the studio at six o’clock in the morning. Hey, Doug, you still got a Dan Ryan head!
Last, I have to thank Je’Caryous Johnson and Gary Guidry of I’m Ready Productions here in Houston. They shared my vision by bringing my novels
Men Cry in the Dark
and
The Maintenance Man
to the stage. It’s been a pleasure working with both of you. Looking forward to bigger and better things in the future.
I WAS FIGHTING to stay conscious as the paramedics rushed me down the corridor of my office building. In the distance I could hear gunfire and horns blowing.
“You chose one helluva way to bring in the New Year, Mr. Payne,” the paramedic said.
“Where’s my daughter?” I asked while trying to sit up. “And where’s Terri?”
“Please lie still. You’ll only make the bleeding worse.”
The radio station was on the twenty-fifth floor. I didn’t feel strong enough to make it to the ambulance—let alone the hospital. The bullet had penetrated my left side and exited through my back. It burned like hell.
“Am I gonna die?”
They both paused, then looked at one another as if to seek the other’s opinion. That terrified me. Once we boarded the elevator, they began broadcasting my vital signs into the radio. I didn’t know the significance of the blood pressure and heart-rate numbers, but judging by the urgency in their voices, I was in trouble.