Beating the Odds Read online

  Beating the Odds

  Sherrod J. Tunstall

  www.urbanbooks.net

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the book

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1 - What a Day

  Chapter 2 - The Deal

  Chapter 3 - The Ice Queen

  Chapter 4 - Welcome to Brazil

  Chapter 5 - Nightlife

  Chapter 6 - Conquer and Destroy

  Chapter 7 - First Encounter

  Chapter 8 - Where Do I Go from Here?

  Chapter 9 - Going Down

  Chapter 10 - I’m Here, but I’m Not Here

  Chapter 11 - Taking Care of Business

  Chapter 12 - Time Bomb

  Chapter 13 - Testify

  Chapter 14 - Sick

  Chapter 15 - Taking My Place

  Chapter 16 - Hunger Games

  Chapter 17 - Happy Thanksgiving

  Chapter 18 - Taste of Insanity

  Chapter 19 - What About Your Friends?

  Chapter 20 - Plan B

  Chapter 21 - Plan In Action

  Chapter 22 - It’s Goin’Down

  Chapter 23 - The Quest

  Chapter 24 - King

  Chapter 25 - The Awakening of a Boss Bitch

  Chapter 26 - The Proposal

  Chapter 27 - Dawn of a new Era

  Chapter 28 - A Taste of Freedom

  Chapter 29 - Campfire Stories

  Chapter 30 - The Memoirs of Carter Marie

  Chapter 31 - Rebirth

  Chapter 32 - New York

  Chapter 33 - Blood, Love, and Fashion

  Chapter 34 - Bonjour

  Chapter 35 - Ancient Rome

  Chapter 36 - Beating the Odds

  Epilogue - Taylor and Desmond Diaz

  Urban Books, LLC

  300 Farmingdale Road, NY-Route 109

  Farmingdale, NY 11735

  Beating the Odds Copyright © 2017 Sherrod J. Tunstall

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the Publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.

  ISBN: 978-1-6228-6573-4

  This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.

  Distributed by Kensington Publishing Corp.

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  About the book

  Brad Carter is a twenty-two-year-old man down on his luck. He loses his job, catches his woman in bed with another man, and he’s days away from being booted out of his home. Wanting to get away from his problems, Brad and his boys go to a nightclub, where they meet a wealthy stranger who offers them each $50,000 to go to Rio de Janeiro and traffic cocaine back to the U.S. They jump at the opportunity and have the time of their lives in Rio. When it’s time to return to the U.S. with the drugs, all hell breaks loose. Brad and his friends get caught, and being in jail is not what they had hoped for. They plan an escape that, ultimately, leaves Brad and his friends scrambling to stay alive. He’s determined to make his way back home, but with many obstacles, including a beautiful woman who has captured his heart, Brad’s survival journey may turn out to be impossible.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to all people who kept going with my career as an author. I came from a bad publishing experience with my first publisher and almost gave up on my dream of being an author for good. I just want to thank those people who pushed and kept me going in this industry, because without you, this book wouldn’t be completed today. Mama, Brenda Hampton, Keisha Ervin, Darryl Chatman, Rose Jackson-Beavers, Fabiola Joseph, Matthew Ramsey, Jeffery Roshell, and William Fredrick Cooper, if it weren’t for your wisdom and kind words, I don’t know where I would have been. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

  Acknowledgments

  First off, I have to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Lord, I thank you that you gave me the gift of words and expression. This journey as an author has had its good times and bad, Lord, but you kept my head high and pushed me to be the best author I could be. Even when I almost gave up my dream of being an author, you always kept it in my mind to write and to stop hanging and being around negativity. When I cut certain things and people out of my life, my blessing from you came, and I thank you, Lord, and I love you.

  Dear Lola,

  Mama!!! Thank you for always having my back no matter what. Even though we have our disagreements and we argue, we always have each other’s backs no matter what. You have been with me with this writing journey from day one, and I thank you for always pushing me to be my best. It was hard, but in the end it was all worth it.

  Love you,

  Your Baby

  Darryl Chatman,

  To the best attorney on earth, thank you so much for putting up with me all these years. Thank you for always having my back legally. Even though sometimes I don’t understand some of this legal business and contracts, you always have my back no matter, and I’m glad Charles Price told me all about you. Thanks again, bro.

  Brenda Hampton,

  My literary angel/agent, God put you in my life for a reason. Thank you for always giving me literary advice and breaking down the industry for me. We been talking since 2009, and we stayed talking until we met face to face in 2012. It’s like the old saying: People are in your life for a season, a reason, or a lifetime. I believe you are someone that will be here for a lifetime. Thank you for getting me this deal with Urban. Thank you and I love you. May God bless you.

  I have to say thank you to my dad, Curtis, my siblings, Corey, Curtis Jr. and Jeana, Chris Renee, Mary L. Wilson, Wanda Graves, Fabiola Joseph, Ronald Gordon, Jonathan Royal, Matthew Ramsey, Qiana Drennen & DRMRB team, Millie Carter, Jeffery Roshell, Bronchey Battle, Johnna B, Kai Leakes, Nikki Michelle, and the entire Tunstall, Isabelle, Wilson, Johnson, Manuel, and Lowe families.

  And to Carl Weber, my idol, and the entire Urban staff, thank you for welcoming me into your world and taking a chance on me. I won’t let you down.

  For all my readers out there who supported me from day one with my debut novel, Spicy, I thank you all for rocking with me, and I won’t stop writing.

  If you want to contact me with any questions or feedback, e-mail me at [email protected], Twitter:@Sherroddaauthor, FB: Sherrod The Author, IG: Sherroddaauthor. Website coming soon.

  Chapter 1

  What a Day

  Brad had just dropped a whole basket of french fries on the floor, making a loud noise. The new restaurant manager, La Bailey, aka The Bitch, was always on his back. Her face was twisted as she barked at him for making another mistake.

  “Why are you always dropping shit? You know product cost money, lazy fat boy!”

  Brad had taken a lot of bullshit from this woman, but cursing and insulting him in front of his coworkers and the customers was crossing the line. His nice switch went off, and his hood side was on the verge of coming out.

  “Look, don’t talk to me like I’m stupid,” he said, raising his tone. “I’m warning you.”

  La Bailey didn’t like to be challenged, especially when other people were around. Some stood with their mouths wide open, while others whispered and waited to see who would throw the first blow.

  La Bailey stepped a few inches forward, speaking to Br
ad through gritted teeth. “You just dropped product on the floor, stupid! I’m warning you not to do it again, or there will be consequences.”

  “Don’t yell at me if I’m not yelling at you! One more word and you’re going to regret ever opening your fat mouth.” Brad’s light skin turned beet red, and his whole body started to tremble. He had to stand his ground.

  Everyone was shocked to see him display so much anger. They never saw this side of Brad before, and it was almost scary. The Brad they knew was very nice, quiet, gentle, and laid back. La Bailey hadn’t seen him like this either. Even she was shocked. Nonetheless, the evil glare in her eyes remained as she marched back into her office, slamming the door behind her.

  Now that she was out of his sight, Brad felt embarrassed but relieved. He poured himself a cup of cold water and then found a rag to wipe the sheen of sweat from his forehead. He quickly got back to work, starting with picking up the fries off the floor.

  It wasn’t long before La Bailey opened her door and called out to him.

  Shit! What does this ho want now? he thought. His anger had subsided, but after what had just happened, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to control himself in La Bailey’s presence again. He took a deep breath, and after going into her office, he took a seat, listening to her numerous complaints about him not following the rules.

  “Your facial hair is too much,” she said, peering over her glasses that sat on the tip of her pug nose. “You’ve been late three times since I’ve been here, and there are times when I’ve seen you standing around doing nothing.”

  Brad rocked low waves with a perfectly trimmed beard, so he wasn’t sure what she was griping about. He admitted to being late three times, but only by minutes. As for him standing around, that claim was false. He’d worked harder than anyone else in the restaurant, and he hadn’t been named Employee of the Month for no reason.

  While stroking his beard, he narrowed his eyes, looking at La Bailey sitting with her legs crossed behind the desk. He didn’t want to classify her as an angry black woman, but she sure as hell was representing.

  “I don’t know what your problem is with me, La Bailey, but I can tell you that this shit ain’t funny. I work my ass off around here and—”

  She quickly interrupted. “I do have a legitimate problem, and here’s the deal. Our boss, Jon, put me in charge of this restaurant. I’m trying to get everything in order, and I don’t appreciate people who slack all the time. This is a business, and—”

  This time, Brad cut her off. “I know who the boss is, and I’m not knocking you for doing your job, but your position doesn’t give you the right to talk nasty to people like you do. I’m grown, and so are you. You should know better, and if you want respect, you have to give it.”

  “Respect is something that you don’t know anything about. You need to respect this place of business and do as you’re told.” She laughed, but he didn’t see a damn thing funny.

  “Listen, trick. I got one mama, and you ain’t her. So are we done here, or would you like to speak to me about something else?”

  She rolled her eyes, and with a tight face, she allowed her evilness to show. She was already an unattractive woman to Brad. He always thought she strutted around as if she were the prettiest brown-skinned woman in the world. With her shaved head and very thin frame, he didn’t think so. She made claims about people telling her she resembled Beyoncé, but all he could do was laugh about that. If anything, that told him how messed up in the head she was.

  Brad was also disgusted with La Bailey because she had the reputation of a whore. Her position came from her opening her legs, and everyone knew she’d slept with Jon to get the job. He even gave her a new car and an apartment in Town and Country, Missouri, an uppity part of town where affluent people resided. She literally thought that she was Ms. Rich Bitch, and to top it all off, she was married to a clueless, simpleminded man who thought she was a jewel. She’d told her husband that all the stuff she’d gotten was through the company. Brad figured her son came from the company, too, especially since he looked like Jon more than he did her husband. But like everyone else, Brad kept his mouth shut. It was none of his business, unless La Bailey continued to put him on blast.

  She did, telling Brad exactly what else was on her mind. “I want you to clock out. You’re fired, and no one—you hear me?—no one speaks to me like you just did.”

  Brad shot up from his chair like a rocket, releasing words that he had been dying to say to her. “Bitch, you can have this stupid-ass job! I wouldn’t want to work another day with your trifling, messy ass. Good riddance, and don’t forget to put my final check in the mail!”

  She fired back, hissing at him so loudly that people outside the door could hear. “Messy? You’re the one who is messy, fool. And as for your check, wait on it. I’ll get to it when I can.”

  Brad tightened his fists. He was so ready to jump over the desk and crack her face, but the last thing he wanted was to be hauled out of the restaurant in handcuffs. He didn’t have money for a lawyer, nor did he have bail money to get out of jail. With that in mind, he was able to maintain his composure. He loosened his fingers, and the only word that spilled from his mouth was, “Whatever.”

  La Bailey marched to the door then opened it. Everyone who had been listening in scattered as if they had been busy doing work. Brad was saddened by all that had happened, and as La Bailey began to rant to another manager about Brad, he ignored her. He clocked out and put up the deuces sign to everyone who looked on.

  “And all y’all can kiss my light-skin ass!” Brad shouted.

  Minutes later, Brad walked out of the building where he had been working for almost five years, still making minimum wage. He’d had bigger dreams than working at a restaurant, but he wasn’t quite sure how to go about pursuing those dreams. For one, he could rap his ass off. He’d thought about pursuing that career, but everyone knew how difficult it was to break into the music industry. He was also skilled at drawing. Art was his second love, but most people weren’t paying big dollars for artwork. He felt stuck, and it was so easy for him to settle. Now, though, he had to come up with a better plan—a plan that would help him satisfy his bills that were already tremendously behind.

  * * *

  Before Brad knew it, he’d driven at least seven miles away from the restaurant. The air conditioner in his car wasn’t working; it was hot as hell. His shirt stuck to his sweaty skin, and the wrinkles on his forehead showed his frustration. He couldn’t get La Bailey’s words, “You’re fired!” off his mind.

  All he could think about was what he was going to do next, but after he pulled over at a gas station, he spotted a close friend who worked at the restaurant. Brad exited the car with a smile on his face.

  “What’s up, Stan?”

  “What up, B?” They gave each other dap. “Why you off work so early?”

  Brad looked away, trying to hide his disappointment. He then swallowed the huge lump in his throat before responding. “That bitch La Bailey fired my ass.”

  Stan cocked his head back and frowned. “What? Why?”

  “Because I did something everyone in that place is afraid to do.”

  “And what was that?” Stan asked with a goofy smile.

  “I stood up to her ass. Told her exactly what I felt, and she didn’t like it.”

  Stan could only imagine how it had all gone down. He knew how Brad was when he got angry. It was funny to Stan, only because he was one of Brad’s goofy friends. He knew how La Bailey was, and he would have given anything to see Brad crack her face. More than anything, though, Stan was a loyal friend. If any of his friends, including Brad, needed money, Stan would give them his last. He was only twenty-one years old, with a fat face that was real bumpy and a low-cut fade that did him no justice. He wasn’t anywhere near as good-looking as Brad, but for some strange reason, some chicks appreciated his chubby frame and the thick Steve Urkel glasses on his face. Brad was sure it was Stan’s personality that h
ooked him; he was undeniably a character.

  “I wish I could have been a fly on the wall,” Stan said, laughing. “And you know not to stand up to La Bailey. Everyone in that place either scared of her or kisses her ass, hard. I’ve never done it, and I’m surprised that she finally pushed you to your limit today.”

  “She did, and I just wasn’t in the mood. The only reason I put up with her shit is because the economy is bad and people like me gotta keep they jobs. That’s what I was thinking, but enough is enough.”

  “I feel you, man, trust me I do. But since you unemployed, what you gon’ do?”

  Brad took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure yet, but he needed to think of something fast. “I got a little money saved up, and if all else fails, maybe I’ll go back to school and take up a trade or something. Then I can find another job that’s not related to the restaurant business.”

  “Man, good luck with that. You need money now. What you gon’ do now?”

  “Now, as in right now, I’m gon’ go to my baby house and see what’s up with her. Probably go catch a movie later and get some dinner. She ain’t gon’ be happy about me being fired, but she knows that I’ll be back on my feet in no time.”

  “You know how women are, so I’ll be praying for you, my brotha. Give me a holla later and let me know if I can help in any way.”

  They pounded fists then parted ways.

  * * *

  At the corner of Delmar and North Kingshighway Boulevard, Brad made a right and then parked his gold 1999 Toyota Camry in front of his girlfriend’s apartment building. The second he walked inside, he saw that the elevator was out of order again. Already exhausted, he began to walk five floors upstairs to Nichelle’s apartment. He knew that he needed to lose some weight, but even with a bulging stomach, Brad Julian Carter was a handsome man built like a linebacker. His smile and dimples were to die for, but his slanted, dark-brown eyes drew women to him.