Praise Him Anyhow - Volume 1

by Vanessa Miller

  Carmella almost laughed in his face. With what he owed her, she could buy a kidney if she ever needed one. She was so thankful that Cynthia introduced her to Deidre Green. The woman knew her stuff and had opened Carmella’s eyes.

  “No, Mr. Marshall, we’re going to let you keep your kidney. But we will take half of the two million that is currently invested in your retirement account. We will also be asking for half of your pension when you retire,” Deidre told him with a sweet smile on her face.

  “That is out of the question,” Nelson barked. He looked at Carmella and asked, “How am I supposed to live? You’re just being vindictive… I never expected this from you.”

  Clearly, Nelson hadn’t expected Carmella to do anything but sign the divorce papers and let him go about his merry way. But her mom hadn’t raised no fool. She knew how much was in every account they had, and after twenty-five years of service, if she was being set out to pasture, she was going in style. “I’m really not interested in hearing you whine. You want out, and I’m tired of begging you to stay. But you best believe that I am well aware of my worth. And I expect to get everything that’s coming to me.”

  “Greed is a sin, Carmella. You know that, don’t you?” Nelson glared at her.

  “Starving to death should be a sin. Thank God I won’t have to do that.”

  “Why don’t you just get a job?” Nelson asked angrily.

  “I had one, but it was stolen away from me,” she shot back. Carmella was getting tired of this back and forth with Nelson. She felt her temperature rising and knew that anything else she had to say to him would not be Christ like, so she did her best to ignore him for the duration of the meeting.

  Deidre passed the divorce paperwork to Nelson’s lawyer. “I would advise your client to sign these papers. It’s the best deal he’s going to get.”

  “What about child support?” Nelson asked grumpily. “After I’ve given you all this money, are you going to then turn around and take me to court for child support?”

  “Read through the documents. The child support is included in the fifty percent of wages we are asking for. Spousal support is slotted at thirty percent, and child support at twenty percent. Both will last five years, which is enough time to get your son through college.”

  “We will review it and get back with you,” Clark said as he stood, tapping Nelson on the shoulder. Nelson stood and began walking out of the office with his lawyer.

  Before they could walk out the door, Deidre added, “If I don’t hear from you in a week’s time, we will prepare for court. And at that time, we will ask the judge for fifty percent spousal support and twenty percent child support.”

  The door slammed behind them. Carmella hadn’t realized that she’d been holding her breath, but as she released it, the tension in her neck and stomach began to ease. “Thank you,” she said to Deidre. “I wouldn’t have been able to get through this meeting without you.”

  “It was my pleasure.”

  “It looked that way. But I don’t understand how you can enjoy meetings like this. Have you always handled divorces at your law firm?”

  Deidre shook her head. “I didn’t attend law school to become a divorce attorney. But fifteen years ago my father left my mother penniless, so he could marry his twenty-year-old receptionist. Mom killed herself right after my father announced his engagement.” Deidre shrugged. “Ever since then I’ve been helping women get what they deserve out of these men who didn’t deserve them in the first place.”

  9

  In her kitchen with her praise music going and chocolate muffins in the oven, Carmella told Rose about her awful meeting with Nelson. She gave her a blow-by-blow account of how her husband had behaved.

  “I’m proud of how you held up and fought back. Nelson is getting what he deserves. Only a slime ball would leave his wife the week after she had to bury her brother,” Rose told her friend.

  Carmella took her muffins out of the oven and began spreading her homemade icing on them. “It wasn’t easy, girl. I was terrified to face him at first, but the more he opened his mouth, the more I enjoyed everything that was happening to him.”

  “Good.”

  Carmella brought a few of the muffins over to the counter island and sat down with her friend. “But you know, it did hurt when he questioned my Christianity. After what Nelson did to me, I had to struggle so hard to regain my faith and my praise, and then he had the nerve to say that I’m too greedy to be a Christian.”

  “I know you’re not letting that adulterer make you feel bad about anything.” Rose took one of the chocolate muffins off the plate and bit into it. The gooey goodness of it melted in her mouth and caused a lingering, “mmmm” to ooze out of her mouth.

  “I know, I know… You’re right. It’s just that after the battle I just fought trying to restore my faith, I don’t want to hear anyone deny my right to call myself a blood-bought Christian.”

  “I hear you.” Rose swallowed the rest of her muffin and then pointed at the plate. “Can I have another?”

  “I thought you were watching your waistline?”

  “Let my husband watch it. I’d rather eat another one of these delicious muffins.” With that said, Rose grabbed another muffin and swallowed it in ten seconds flat. Her head went back and forth as she licked her fingers and she sang, “Mmm, mm, m.”

  Laughing, Carmella said, “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Maybe I should set up a table outside and sell the rest of these muffins to my neighbors as they drive by.”

  “Now why would you want to do a thing like that, when we could just sit here and finish them off ourselves?” Rose jokingly responded.

  “To earn money, of course.”

  “You don’t need to earn money, remember? Nelson is going to be paying your bills.”

  “That’s only going to last for the next five years. I’m forty-seven years old, so I don’t want to be facing the job market in my fifties. I need to figure something out now.”

  “Didn’t you major in liberal arts in college?” Rose asked.

  Carmella nodded. “I was supposed to go to graduate school so I’d be able to teach or something. But Nelson needed me to work so he could finish law school, so I never even got my teaching certificate. Now I’m at a loss as to what kind of career I can realistically expect to have.”

  “Well we both know that you love to cook. So, maybe you should be selling your muffins. Oh and don’t forget about your cakes—and the pudding you make is to die for, too.” Rose snapped her fingers, swung around in her seat and then said, “Matter-of-fact, I have the perfect venue for your first event.”

  “I’m all ears.” Carmella leaned forward, anxious to hear what Rose had to say.

  “I already have a caterer for the party Steven is throwing for clients in a few weeks, but we still need the sweet stuff. So, I am officially hiring you as my pastry chef.”

  Carmella was excited, but apprehensive. “Can you do that? I mean, would Steven be okay with you hiring me? I’m not a professional or anything.” Rose’s husband was an investment banker. His clientele would be top notch.

  “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t be able to find pastries better than yours. And if you’re worried about looking professional, just give your business a name and order some business cards.”

  “Thank you, Rose.” Carmella reached her arms toward her. “You are the best friend anyone could ever have. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

  “Are you kidding, Carmella? You are doing this all on your own. I’ve been watching you, girl, and you’re reinventing yourself.” Rose leaned over and hugged her friend. “I’m so proud of you.”

  When they finished hugging, Carmella said, “I just hope you’re still proud after I deliver the pastries to your event.”

  Before Rose could respond, the telephone rang. Carmella hopped up and grabbed it. The caller ID told her that the call was coming from Dontae’s high school. As she answered, she prayed that Dontae hadn’t hurt himself in
football practice like he’d done two years ago.

  After she said hello, a deep rich, voice on the other end said, “May I speak with Mrs. Marshall.”

  “This is she,” Carmella said as her toes began to curl. Even after all these years, she still recognized that voice.

  “Oh, hi Carmella, this is Ramsey. I need to speak with you for a moment.”

  Ramsey Thomas had been her high school sweetheart. Everyone had assumed that they would get married and live happily ever after. Even her yearbook had been filled with well wishes for her and Ramsey. But after high school they had attended separate colleges. Ramsey met Pam and she met Nelson.

  Ramsey’s wife had died five years ago. Carmella had gone to the funeral and taken several cakes over to his house for the children. Two years ago Ramsey had transferred to Dontae’s high school as the principal.

  “How’ve you been, Ramsey?”

  “I’m doing well.”

  “And the kids?” Carmella asked. If she remembered correctly, Ramsey and Pam had five children.

  “I dropped the last one off at college last month, so I’m experiencing that empty nest syndrome. But I’ll get over it… the kids are all happy and healthy.”

  Carmella felt for Ramsey. He and Pam should be having the time of their lives, traveling and doing things that couples couldn’t afford to do during the early stages of marriage. But instead, Ramsey had to experience the joy and heartache of the last child leaving the nest all by himself. Life just didn’t seem fair sometimes.

  “I’m actually calling about Dontae,” Ramsey said.

  Carmella turned to Rose, lifted the one minute sign and then asked, “Has something happened with Dontae?”

  “That’s what I wanted to ask you.” Ramsey hesitated for a moment and then trudged on. “I don’t mean to pry, but since I’ve been at this school, I’ve heard nothing but positive things about Dontae from his teacher. But something changed this year. He’s moody, getting into scraps with his classmates and he hasn’t been turning in his work. Interim reports will be going out next week, and I guarantee that you will not be happy with what you’ll see.”

  “Thank you so much for giving me a call, Ramsey. I know Dontae skipped a few classes. I talked with him and he promised not to do it again. I didn’t know that he was having any other problems.”

  “His teachers started complaining to me about two weeks ago. I tried to talk to Dontae last week. But since I’m now getting ready to suspend him, I don’t think he’s listening.”

  “Suspend him! Why? What happened?” This is just going from bad to worse, Carmella thought.

  “He got into a shoving match with one of his teammates.”

  Carmella put her hand to her mouth. She wanted to scream, but she refused to fall apart. Dontae couldn’t have a suspension on his record, not with him being so close to getting into the college of his choice. “Is there anything else that can be done, Ramsey? Dontae knows better than this… especially now with all of his college applications sent out.”

  “Maybe Dontae thinks he’s above the rules here since he’s a senior. It might do him well to suffer the consequences of a suspension,” Ramsey said.

  Carmella shook her head. “It’s not that, Ramsey. Dontae has been going through a lot lately. We all have.” She took a deep breath and blurted out the facts. “Nelson left me and we’re in the middle of a divorce. Dontae is having trouble dealing with the whole sordid mess.”

  There was silence on the line and then Ramsey said, “I’m sorry to hear that, Carmella. I had prayed for a lifetime of happiness for you and your family.”

  “Same old Ramsey, huh? Always thinking of others, even when you don’t have to. Like my mother used to say, ‘You must have been raised right.’”

  “Brenda Thomas wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

  She smiled.

  Rose whispered, “What’d he say?”

  Carmella waved her friend away and turned her back, so Rose wouldn’t be able to see any more of her facial expressions. She asked Ramsey, “Is there anything else that can be done? Like making him wash all the faculty members’ cars or something?” She held her breath for the answer.

  “Now that I understand a bit more clearly what he’s been dealing with, I think I can assign him to detention instead of suspending him.”

  “Thank you. Thank you so much for that, Ramsey. And when he gets home, I’ll be taking those car keys from him until he can get his act together.”

  “I think that’s a good idea. And Carmella…”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m sorry about Nelson.”

  She thanked him again for his kindness and then hung up the phone. Turning back to Rose, Carmella said, “I’ve got to figure out how to help Dontae get over what Nelson did to us before he ruins his life trying to get back at his father.”

  “The last thing you want him doing is messing up when he’s so close to finishing school. You’ve got to do something quick,” Rose said.

  A devious smile crept across Carmella’s face.

  “What?” Rose asked.

  “I’d been putting off repairs around the house, because I didn’t have the money. But if Dontae isn’t studying and isn’t motivated to go to college anymore, he might as well get some experience in becoming a jack of all trades, so that he can earn a living.”

  “Oh, that’s good.”

  “It’s going to be all bad for him. Just wait until he gets home.”

  10

  “Mom, why is Dontae outside cleaning the gutters?” Joy asked as she came into the house.

  “Is that boy still working on the gutters?” Carmella opened the kitchen window and hollered for Dontae to come into the house. He came running while taking off his gloves. Carmella asked, “Why haven’t you finished the gutters yet?”

  “I just finished. I was on my way in to get my keys,” Dontae told his mother.

  “Keys?” Carmella picked up the rake that she had leaning against the wall. “You’re not getting ready to go anywhere. There’s a lot more work to do around here.” She handed him the rake and informed him, “I don’t want to see a single leaf in the yard when you’re done.”

  “I’ve got homework, Ma. I can’t be doing all this yard work.”

  “You weren’t thinking about your homework a minute ago. You came in here to get your keys so you could go hang out with your friends,” Carmella corrected.

  “I was going over to Marco’s house so we could study for our science test.”

  “Boy stop lying, you know you haven’t been studying or doing any homework. Now get back outside and rake those leaves.” She wasn’t dealing with his foolishness. But one thing was for sure, by the time this week was over, her son was going to beg for the opportunity to study—and he would mean it.

  Dontae walked back out of the house, dragging the rake and mumbling under his breath.

  “What is going on around here?” Joy asked.

  Carmella watched Dontae walk out the door, she then turned to Joy and said, “My son is trying to sabotage his future and I’m not going to let him.”

  Joy put her Louis Vuitton on the counter and sat down. “What’s he done?”

  “Besides fighting and goofing off in school, nothing much.” Carmella sat down next to her daughter. “I failed you and your brother by falling apart after your father left me. But I’m not falling apart anymore and I’m not letting Dontae get away with this.”

  “What’s your plan?”

  “I’m going to work him like a Hebrew slave. When he’s done with all the manual labor I have lined up for him, studying and getting into college is going to seem like a trip to Disney World.”

  “Okay Pharaoh, so when are you going to let Dontae go?”

  “I don’t know.” Carmella tapped her fingers on the counter. “I’m just praying for direction and a miracle.”

  “Wow, I wonder what you’re going to pray for when I give you my news.”

  Since leaving her apartment
and moving back home, Joy had been nothing but a comfort to her. “Please tell me you haven’t done anything crazy?”

  “I don’t think so, but I’m not sure how you’re going to feel about it.” Joy sat in silence looking at her mother, gaining the courage to say what came next. Then she opened her mouth and let the words trickle out, “I dropped out of law school.”

  “Have you lost your mind?”

  “No, I’m completely sane and finally thinking for myself,” Joy said.

  Carmella stood up and ran her hand down her face. She was so mad that she wanted to drive over to Nelson’s love nest and swing at him again. He got to run off with a girl half his age, while she got to stay home and put their family back together. “Think about this, Joy, you only have one more semester and you’ll be done. Leaving school now might just be the biggest mistake of your life.”

  “Going to law school was the biggest mistake of my life. I only did it because Daddy wanted it so bad. But I’m done trying to please that man.”

  “Well, what does Troy think about this?”

  Joy lifted her left hand, to show her mother that she was no longer wearing her engagement ring. “I gave the ring back. I’m not ready to get married.”

  “You can’t just drop out of law school and call off your engagement without giving yourself time to think and pray about it.” Carmella wrapped her arms around her daughter and kissed her on the side of her forehead and softly said, “Oh Joy, I know you’ve had to deal with a lot in the last few months by coming to terms with the end of your parents’ marriage, but don’t let him win… don’t let him steal your dreams.”

  Joy’s eyes filled with tears. She closed her eyes and the tears spilled over onto her cheeks. “I just need time to figure out what I really want, Mom.”

  “I know you do, baby, we all do,” Carmella sat back down across from Joy and allowed Joy to lean her head on her shoulder. The two women then cried together until they couldn’t shed another tear.

  “What’s going on?” Dontae asked as he came into the house. “Why are you and Joy crying?”