to be their next music director and work with their choir. Sure, she’d have to travel a few hours each way on the weekends, but she was single and had a wellmaintenanced vehicle, so why not? From the very beginning, she hit it off with the choir members, the pastor, and her new church family. Now, she felt complete. Solid, easy career, creating beautiful music again, a new church family…Deja was now content. Deja’s humble, warm, and confident manner was noticed by everyone, including Denzel. It was funny how Deja had never noticed this man before, even though the sanctuary probably held less than 500 people. But there he was that day, making his way up to her to greet her at the end of service. He said he alternated between that church and the larger one of the same denomination in town. She briefly thought to herself that there was something fascinating about him that she couldn’t put her finger on and then dismissed the thought. That was all Denzel needed - for now. In that one encounter, Deja had no way of knowing he was divorced and had emotionally abused and coercively controlled his former wife during the marriage, and had plans for his next target. No way of knowing he had coercively controlled his children from the marriage and was still doing so. In that same encounter, Deja didn’t notice the way he was studying her reactions and responses then and had done so through the entire church service as well, nor did she notice when he clocked her fascination. As her name implied7 , what she would soon fully experience had indeed “already happened”, as Denzel had carefully planned it all long before he said “hello”. ESTABLISH A CONNECTION As I said, Deja’s manner was noticed by everyone - and liked by many if not all of the adult parishioners - including Lilith. Lily was a woman at the church that Deja never noticed either, until after she introduced herself, then Deja wondered how she could ever have not noticed her. Lily seemed to shine so brightly that Deja saw her now first in the congregation before she saw anyone else. Lily and Deja talked during church dinners to the point that Deja wanted more. Deja came over to Lily’s house, met Lily’s husband, ate dinner with them, spent time with them, and just plain enjoyed Lily’s company. One day Lily wasn’t at service, and Lily was always there. It made Deja concerned about Lily’s wellbeing, so right after service ended she called. Lily indeed was not feeling well, and Deja asked if she could visit. Lily gratefully agreed. Deja had just come back from a
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