“Okay.”
“See you soon. Do your best to avoid making eye contact with anyone.”
“Been doing that for many weeks.”
“Well then, this should be easy,” Mulrooney said, with a half-smile.
Tamika didn’t smile back. She was still trembling from the brief encounter with the airport policeman.
“Don’t worry, sis, God is with us.”
I sure hope so...
Brian shouldered his garment bag and scooped Cocoa up in his arms. “I’ll leave the Chinese food with you. This way, if someone becomes suspicious, just tell ’em you’re delivering it to me.”
Tamika nodded her head. “Least someone’s thinking.”
“See you soon.” Mulrooney closed the car door and went inside to check in.
Tamika scooted over to the driver’s side and took in her surroundings to make sure no one was watching. Satisfied that the coast was clear, she parked the car on a side street two blocks away and remained inside the vehicle until it was time to call the hotel.
After asking for Brian Mulrooney, the woman at the front desk put her through to his room. “NYC taxi driver?”
“Yup...”
“I’m in room five-eighteen. Once you enter the hotel, the elevators will be off to the left. Do your best to avoid the front desk.”
“On my way.” Tamika grabbed the Chinese food, made sure all the car doors were locked, and left at once for the hotel. The only time she raised her head was to avoid bumping into someone, or when she passed a street light pole, to make sure there weren’t any WANTED posters with her name and face posted on them. She was relieved to see none.
Tamika reached the hotel lobby and saw the bank of elevators exactly where Brian had said they would be. She rushed off in that direction as quickly as she could without ever glancing at the front desk. Face mask on, she was determined not to be spotted by someone. She was too close now.
Brian was in the hallway on the fifth floor holding Cocoa waiting for her. “Thank you, Lord, for the protection,” he said, seeing her.
They hurried inside the room. For the first time in many weeks, Tamika Moseley finally felt safe. Relief washed over her.
“Please make yourself comfortable,” Mulrooney said, placing Cocoa onto the plush, carpeted floor.
Tamika lowered her bandanna. “Mind if I use your shower before we eat? Hungry as I am, I feel so dirty.”
“Sure. Take all the time you need. We can always reheat the food in the microwave. Do you have clean clothes in the car?”
Tamika suddenly looked embarrassed. “No...”
“I see. Tell you what, take my robe. It’s clean. In the meantime, I’ll go to the front desk and get some coins, so we can wash your clothes after we eat, okay?”
Tamika smiled faintly and went to the bathroom.
After a refreshing shower, Brian reheated the food. Blessing it, they dug in. It tasted as good as it smelled.
Brian twirled Lo Mein noodles on his paper plate with a white plastic fork, “It’s kinda strange to be staying in a hotel in New York City. If my folks only knew I was here...”
“Do you plan on seeing them while you’re here?”
“Hopefully my mother. If so, I already fear the outcome...”
“Why’s that?”
Brian gazed out the window and sighed.
Seeing sadness creeping onto his face, Tamika changed the subject. “How’s Jacquelyn?”
“As good as can be expected. She’s a wonderful woman!”
“Yeah. You tell me that every time we talk!”
“What can I say, Tamika, I love her. Truth is, I plan on proposing to her when I get back to Michigan.”
A smile broke across Tamika’s face. “Wow! Really?”
Brian nodded. “Just hope she says yes.”
“I’m sure she will. You’re a great guy. I hope to meet Jacquelyn someday.”
Brian took a gulp of his soft drink. “She looks forward to meeting you as well.”
Tamika swallowed the food in her mouth. “Does she know I’m with you now?”
Brian nodded yes. “I called when you were in the shower. When I told her how you came to faith in Jesus, she rejoiced. And guess what?”
“What?”
“When I told her you’ve been sleeping in your car all this time, she insisted that you stay at the hotel with me.”
Tamika’s face lit up. She got teary-eyed. “Really? She said that?”
“Yup. I was going to extend the offer myself. Jacquelyn just happened to beat me to it.”
“I don’t know what to say...”
“There’s nothing to say. Just accept the offer. If anyone needs a good night’s sleep, it’s you. I’m booked here the next two nights. Bad news is I can’t afford another room. But I only need one bed.”
“Actually, I feel safer knowin’ you’re here.”
Brian smiled. “Well then, take a load off. You’re safe here.”
With so much venomous hatred being spewed at her by so many in her city, Brian’s words washed over her like a soothing spring rain. Even with serious charges filed against her, Brian and Jacquelyn still trusted her. It gave Tamika hope to want to continue on her journey. Thank you, Jesus!
When they finished eating, Brian noticed Tamika’s energy level had decreased. Now that she felt safe, much like Tom Dunleavey the other day, the constant adrenaline pumping through her body from being on the run had slowly dissipated. The poor woman looked completely exhausted. Her eyes grew heavy.
“Why don’t we start your laundry before we both fall asleep?”
Tamika got up out of her chair. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Think I should go to the car for you. Just tell me what to get.”
“I dunno. The trunk’s loaded with dirty laundry.”
“I’ll grab everything I can. Whatever’s left over, we can always wash tomorrow.”
Tamika sat on the couch in stunned silence as Brian emptied his suitcase, so he could put her dirty clothes inside. “I’d like to do my own laundry if you don’t mind. Even if I have to put dirty clothes back on for now.”
“By all means. Though I suggest you wear the baseball cap and bandanna whenever you leave the room.”
“Believe me, I have no plans of going anywhere without them.” Tamika handed Brian her car keys and told him where her car was parked.
Brian left at once.
At midnight, Tamika came back to the room with the last of the clean clothes.
Brian suddenly looked ashen. “Remember I told you earlier that I hope to meet with my mother in the morning?”
“Yeah?”
“The reason I fear the outcome is she doesn’t know I’m moving to Pennsylvania, or that I’m about to propose to a woman she’s never even met.”
Tamika shot Brian a sideways look, “Pennsylvania?”
“Yes, to manage a safe house for exiled believers. That’s all I can tell you for the time being. Sorry. Hopefully soon you’ll know more. Lord willing.”
“I understand...” Safe house? Tamika liked the sound of it.
“For now, just pray all goes well with me and my mother. That is, if she agrees to even meet me.”
“You got it.”
“Anything else I can do for you before I go to sleep?”
“I’d really like to brush my teeth.”
“Let me guess, your tooth brush is in the car, right?”
Tamika nodded yes. “In my son’s backpack in the back seat with all my toiletries. Also, would you mind bringing a can of cat food for Cocoa and one of her toys?”
“Okay, but once I get back, it’s bed time for me. I’m bushed.”
“I heard that.”
When Brian returned, Tamika and Cocoa were both sound asleep in Tamika’s bed. “Guess you’re not brushing your teeth after all,” he whispered softly so she wouldn’t hear him.
Before calling it a night, Brian showered and sent a text message to his mother informing that he wa
s in New York and wanted to meet her in the morning at their favorite diner up the street from her house.
Mulrooney flicked off the light switch and climbed into bed.
Within minutes he, too, was sound asleep...
21
THE NEXT MORNING
AT NINE A.M. BRIAN Mulrooney peeked through the window of a half-full restaurant. Seeing his mother seated at a booth set for two, he thanked God under his breath and went inside.
By the time Sarah replied to his text message, he was already sleeping. It said: Will do my best. Wish you had given me a little more notice. Love you too. Brian read it the moment he woke up. It was like music to his soul.
“Thanks for coming, Ma. So nice to see you again.” Brian kissed his mother’s right cheek. He silently gasped seeing her face up close. It was as if she’d aged ten years from when he saw her last Thanksgiving. Brian knew she occasionally dyed her hair prior to last November. It was almost completely gray now.
In the days leading up to the Rapture, Sarah Mulrooney was a happy-go-lucky woman. Her deep blue friendly eyes were always lively; her hair was always combed to perfection. Nary a strand was ever out of place. It’s like she no longer cared. For the first time ever, she looked like an old woman.
Sarah noticed her son staring at her. “You’ll have to pardon my appearance. Coming here was no easy task.”
“I appreciate it more than you know.” Brian did all he could to ignore the tension he saw on his mother’s face. It reflected someone who was barely hanging on. It pained him knowing much of it was there because of him; his father too, stemming from how badly things had deteriorated between the two of them.
The waiter approached, with another coffee cup and a fresh pot of coffee. He poured a steaming cup for Brian and refilled Sarah’s half-empty cup.
Sarah ventured a sip, all the while thinking how dreadful it was that a mother had to do all this sneaking around just to see her son. It was pure insanity. The only way she was able to pull it off was by lying to her husband and telling him she had a hair salon appointment. Perhaps she would stop by the salon later, just to cover her tracks.
She hated being dishonest with Dick, but felt she had no choice in the matter. He followed her everywhere she went these days.
Sarah sighed, “Who would have ever imagined life turning out like this?”
“Only gonna get worse, Ma.” How much worse after this meeting? Brian shivered at the thought, especially if she knew her own flesh and blood was harboring one of New York City’s most hated fugitives in his hotel room.
“Yeah. You keep telling me that.”
“Come on, Ma, what’s it gonna take for you to come to faith in Christ? Do you really think the ground has shaken for the last time, or that bombs will stop falling from the sky? Romanero’s a madman! He’s the son of Perdition! His power comes from Satan himself. Sorry to say this but it won’t be long before bombs start falling on Manhattan. Perhaps earthquakes too. Everything man-made will soon be destroyed.”
Brian paused after his mother flinched. Her posture begged him to stop preaching to her, but her eyes motioned for him to continue. “From what I’m learning in Scripture, God’s about to get everyone’s attention again. I’m sure you’re aware by now that Salvador Romanero is predicting that twenty-five percent of humanity will soon be wiped off the map, followed by another one-third after that.”
Sarah nodded yes.
“What he didn’t say was that he got that information from the Bible, in the Book of Revelation. God’s causing all of this to happen, not Romanero! And that’s just round one!” Brian scanned the restaurant with a paranoid twitch, before continuing. “What assurance do you have that you’ll be fine either way?”
“Hmm.”
“Now more than ever, you need God’s eternal protection. I can tell you to place your trust in Christ as Lord and Savior till I’m blue in the face, Ma, but the decision is entirely yours to make.” Brian paused to sip his coffee. “Who knows, once your eyes and ears are opened spiritually and you receive Christ as Lord and Savior, perhaps Chelsea will follow.”
“Don’t hold your breath. We hardly speak anymore.” Sarah seemed agitated. “I’m afraid she’s become a prisoner to social media. She locks herself in her bedroom chatting with friends all night. Only time she comes out is to eat, shower or use the restroom.”
“Be patient with her, Ma. Insomnia’s on the rise worldwide. Most people are too terrified to leave the house these days. They prefer to remain in their comfort zones, where it’s so much safer than venturing outside. For Chelsea, that place just happens to be her bedroom.”
“I understand that, Brian.”
“We’re all trying to define our new normal. Chelsea’s lost and needs Jesus.
“I know, but it’s just so hard...”
“As my sister and only sibling, it pains me too.” Brian took another sip of coffee. “Almost as much as my relationship with Dad has caused you so much pain.”
The waiter approached, and they ordered breakfast. When he left them, Brian said, “Until Dad realizes the Catholic Church can’t save his soul, he’ll never have peace with God. The very place he goes to for peace and solace just happens to be one of the biggest obstacles in his path.
“I’m sure he knows Catholics are reading their Bibles and are coming to faith in Jesus in record numbers! That’s my prayer for Dad, too.” Brian took a sip of coffee. “What if I told you a former Catholic priest from the church in Ann Arbor is staying at my apartment?”
“Not sure how to respond to that...”
“He’s on the run from the church. Wanna know what made him a defector?” When Sarah didn’t reply, Brian said, “Preaching the Truth. Can you believe that? He gave his whole life to the Catholic church and now they wanna kill him. He’s turned into a mighty man of God and has become a dear friend to me.
“We met because of similar dreams we both had. It led to a spiritual debate. Now he’s on my side. God’s side, rather. I’m sure if Dad met him, he would hate him as much as he hates me.”
Sarah stared at her coffee cup and shifted uncomfortably in her seat in total silence. Brian would rejoice if he knew she was reading the Bible meant for Justin Schroeder’s now-deceased parents every day and having spiritual dreams of her own.
Yet, she was too scared to take the next step and go all in. It wasn’t the life-altering message the Word of God offered that kept her from jumping in head first; it was the fear of losing her husband. The last thing Sarah wanted was to put even more strain on her 35-year marriage.
The waiter approached again. “Your order will be right up.” He refilled their coffee cups and quickly left them.
They sat in silence a moment until, against his better judgment, Brian said, “You’ll never guess who I met last week.”
“Who?”
Brian let his eyes wander the half-full restaurant, to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them. He couldn’t be too careful now. He leaned forward in his seat and spoke in a near whisper, “President Danforth.”
Sarah’s face said it all: unbridled shock. “Are you kidding me?”
“No.” Brian half-smiled. It quickly faded knowing he was betraying the trust ETSM leaders had placed in him, by sharing this little tidbit with his mother.
“What was the nature of your business with the President of the United States? You’re a hotel manager, not a senator or governor.”
Brian looked down at his coffee cup and sighed. “I’m afraid I can’t share that with you, Mom.” When Sarah didn’t reply, Brian said, “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Brian grimaced. “I’m moving to Pennsylvania.”
Sarah blinked hard. “You’re moving where?”
“Pennsylvania,” came the reply.
“I thought you loved Michigan?” Sarah was clearly puzzled.
“I do, Ma, but it’s time to move on.”
“Why Pennsylvania?”
“It’s where the Lord wants me to go.”
“What about Renate?”
“We’re history.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow.
“Come on, Mom, you know we’ve been drifting apart for many months now. She’s not a Christian. And there’s no way I can love someone who loves Salvador Romanero. He’s the Antichrist of the Bible!”
Sarah looked down at the table, hoping no one had heard her son’s outrageous remark. Even if true—which even Sarah thought it was—it was a potentially dangerous thing to say.
Brian took a moment to formulate his next thoughts. “Because, I’ve met someone else.”
Sarah steadied her gaze on Brian, “What? Who?”
“Remember Jacquelyn, the one whose husband was killed at the football game?”
“Yes.”
“We’re in love. In fact, when I get back to Michigan, I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
Sarah’s eyes widened. “Is this some kind of joke?”
“I’m afraid not...” Brian was unable to maintain eye contact with his mother.
“I still remember what you told me last November when the topic of marriage came up. You said, ‘What’s the point. Why be married for only seven years?’ I can still hear your words ringing in my ears.”
“What can I say, Ma? I love Jacquelyn and can’t live without her.”
Sarah was mindful of how badly things had deteriorated between Brian and Renate. She also knew it was purely spiritual. But in love again so soon?
For the first time ever, Sarah Mulrooney felt like an outsider in her son’s life. “We’ll practically be neighbors.” This was said with little enthusiasm. In normal times, Sarah would be thrilled that her son was moving to one of New York’s neighboring states. Pennsylvania was so much closer than Michigan. But try as she might, she couldn’t mask the betrayal on her face. She took a sip of coffee. “Where in Pennsylvania?”
“That’s just it.” Brian took a deep breath. This wasn’t going to be easy. “I can’t say. Only that I’ll be managing a safe house for Christians. You see how hated we are.”
“But I’m your mother...” Sarah’s voice quivered, and her moist eyes drifted away. She watched a cook dishing up an order of bacon, eggs and hash browns, then scooting it up on the counter. A waitress quickly grabbed the hot plate and delivered it to a man sitting at the counter.
The Countdown Begins Page 15