Praise Him Anyhow - Volume 1

by Vanessa Miller

  Judge Nelson shuffled a few papers around as he avoided looking in Joy’s direction. He then said, “All we are doing today is setting bail, so let’s get to it.”

  Joy said, “I am not prepared to have a bail hearing yet.”

  Nelson took his glasses off and glanced in his daughter’s direction. “What’s the problem, Counselor?”

  Joy smirked. Using the court in this manner could seriously damage her career, but she didn’t care. Every chance she got, she was going to let her father know what an awful human being he was, and if anyone had a problem with it, she would simply start her own law firm. “You are the problem, Your Honor.” As she said the words Your Honor, her eyes rolled and it was obvious to all present that she thought he was anything but honorable.

  Nelson Marshall seemed to shrink in his seat for a moment. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “This is not the time or place for this, Joy. You have a job to do and so do I. Let’s just get on with it, all right?”

  “No,” Joy said flippantly. “You should have recused yourself from this case the moment you saw that I was the attorney of record, but since you didn’t, I am now publicly asking that you recuse yourself.”

  “Am I missing something?” Lance asked as he looked from Judge Marshall to Joy. His client nudged him, and then whispered something in his ear.

  “I see no reason why I should recuse myself. I am more than able to be an impartial judge in the matter that is before the court.”

  “It is well known that I informed the media about your marital misconduct, so if you do not recuse yourself, I will request a judicial review.”

  Lance lifted his hand in order to get the judge’s attention. When Judge Marshall turned to him, Lance said, “If there is some sort of problem between you and the assistant DA, then I respectfully request that Attorney Joy Marshall recuse herself so that we can move forward with the case. My client is entitled to his day in court and he does not want to delay the process waiting for another judge to be assigned to the case.”

  Joy hadn’t seen that coming. The defendant was entitled to a speedy trial, so his wishes might outweigh hers. She turned to Lance and said, “If the defendant is concerned about being able to post bond today, I am more than willing to work out bail with this judge.”

  Lance took her up on the offer. Bail was set for ten thousand and then Joy got back to her mission. “Now that we’ve handled that bit of business, I would like to reiterate the fact that I would like you to recuse yourself,” she said to her father, the judge.

  The defendant nudged Lance again. Lance spoke up again, “Your honor, if one of you has to go, my client would prefer that it be the prosecutor. He does not like the idea that his case would be delayed while he waits to be put on another judge’s docket.”

  “What’s his problem?” Joy asked indignantly. “If he makes bail, he’ll be at home with his family and friends while he awaits a new trial date.”

  Lance turned back to Judge Marshall. “My client has a right to a speedy trial. His rights shouldn’t be tossed aside at the whim of the prosecution.”

  Nelson turned to his daughter and said, “Well, Counselor?”

  “Well what?” she snapped at her father, confused by the entire incident. Why on earth wouldn’t a criminal be happy to have his court appearance moved back? He’d have more time to spend with his family and fellow criminal buddies before he is proven guilty and spends the next ten years behind bars.

  “It looks like you’re the one who needs to recuse,” Nelson said to his daughter.

  Joy threw up her hands, grabbed her briefcase and shouted, “Fine. You win. You always win!” She grabbed her purse and rushed out of the courtroom before she made a bigger spectacle of herself.

  It just wasn’t right. Her father was an awful human being, but things kept coming up roses for him. She wanted Nelson Marshall to pay for leaving her mother and ruining the family unit that she, her mother and brother had held dear. She had been a Daddy’s girl, wanting to be just like Judge Nelson Marshall, for she had imagined that there was no greater human on earth than her dad. But that was before her father left her mother for Jasmine, her ex-friend, the skank. As a matter of fact, Jasmine had been Joy’s roommate and her father had met Jasmine when Joy brought her over to the house for Sunday dinner.

  As Joy reached the exit door, her head swiveled to the left as she spotted Jasmine seated in the last row of the courtroom. The woman had the audacity to roll her eyes at Joy as she looked her way. Joy wanted to reach across that aisle and go upside her head, the same way her mother had done to Jasmine years ago. But she reminded herself that she was in a courthouse and could get arrested for doing something like that.

  Joy pushed open the door and walked out of the courtroom, and had almost made it out of the building when she heard Lance hollering behind her.

  “Hey Joy, wait up.”

  She turned and waited for him to catch up. When he was standing in front of her she said, “Make it quick, Lance. I have a ton on my plate today.”

  “What happened in there? I’ve never seen you so frazzled.”

  Feeling foolish, she looked down at her feet and then glanced towards the wall behind Lance. She didn’t owe him an explanation for her behavior. He wanted her to recuse herself and she did. That’s it, end of story.

  When Joy didn’t respond he asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “Yeah,” she said, regaining her voice. “You can stay out of my business.” With that she turned and left the building.

  2

  Jeremiah 29:11

  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

  “I just can’t believe that I made a fool of myself like that today.” Joy was seated at a table inside of the Hallelujah Cakes and Such Bakery that her mother, Carmella Marshall opened a year ago.

  The bakery sold decadent cakes, donuts, brownies and any other sweet treat that Carmella could think of, all freshly baked and served within hours of coming out of the oven. Since firing Joy and sending her back to law school, Carmella had gained ten other employees. Each of her employees loved baking just as much as Carmella did. They had all worked hard to make her growing business a big hit in the neighborhood.

  Carmella handed her daughter a warm wheat donut with a cold glass of milk as she sat back down at the table with her. “You always let bitterness get the best of you where your father is concerned.”

  Joy dunked her donut in her milk and then took a bite. “It just makes me so mad that he gets away with everything.”

  “You let God deal with your father. You need to concern yourself with finding a husband and getting me a few grandchildren.”

  Coughing loudly, Joy almost hacked her delicious donut back up. She was finished with college, had been working in her field for almost two years now, and making strides as a prosecutor, but her mother’s favorite question was still, ‘when are you going to get married so you can give me some grandchildren?’ But Joy wasn’t even entertaining the thought of dating. Men simply weren’t on her radar… they had been at one time. Joy had been engaged to be married five years ago. But after her father showed his true colors, Joy didn’t know how she could ever trust another man. So she’d called off her wedding and hadn’t so much as been on another date since. “Not interested, Mom.”

  “If you say so,” Carmella said while giving her daughter the look of a doubting Thomas.

  “What’s that look supposed to mean?”

  “I’m not saying anything.” Carmella held her lips together and locked them with an imaginary key.

  Joy could play that game, too. She put her hand up to her mother’s mouth and unlocked her lips. “Spill it.”

  “Well, if I was going to say something, I’d probably mention that defense lawyer you mention every time you have a case against him. And if I had to guess, I’d say you’re probably more upset about not being able to spar wi
th that Lance Bryant, than you are about what happened with your dad.”

  “Mom.” Joy’s mouth hung open. “Why would you even say something like that? I have no interest in Lance or any other man, for that matter.”

  Carmella held her hands up. “Hey, I’m just saying.”

  “Mom, you have to stop this. Just because you found love again with Ramsey, doesn’t mean that everyone wants to get married.”

  Just as Carmella opened her mouth to respond to her daughter, the door swung open. Carmella looked toward the checkout counter to make sure that Sylvia, her part-time afternoon clerk was standing behind the counter, prepared to serve the new arrival.

  “What is she doing here?”

  At the venom in her daughter’s voice, Carmella swung her head back towards the door. “Dear Lord, and all the disciples except Judas, give me strength,” was all Carmella could say as Jasmine Walker strutted over to their table like she had stock in the place, and was about ready to demand that they get back to work, so they could make her money grow. Five years ago, Carmella had beat this woman like she’d stolen something, because she had… she’d stolen Carmella’s husband. Most days, Carmella was over it, and had no desire to fight over her ex-husband, especially since she had now been married to her wonderful new husband for the past two years. But Jasmine might not want to test her.

  “I knew you’d be here,” Jasmine said as she walked over to the table, glaring and waving her finger at Joy. “I need to talk to you.”

  “And people in Hell need ice water, but from what I hear, they’re still thirsty.” Joy wasn’t about to waste another second of her life on a scallywag like Jasmine. The woman had befriended her, just so she could get her hooks into her father. Joy now questioned the motives of anyone who tried to befriend her. She had become closed off and unapproachable and Joy blamed the woman standing in front of her for that.

  “Who do you think you are?” Jasmine demanded. “I’m tired of you treating Nelson like he’s some sort of pariah. He is your father and he deserves respect.”

  When Joy didn’t respond, but rather sat there staring at Jasmine as if she was two seconds away from going to jail for assault, Jasmine ignored the warning signs and continued on. “Fine, if you want to continue disrespecting your father like a two year old, that’s your problem. But what you won’t ever do again is disrespect him in his own courtroom. Because if you try to get him kicked off of one of his cases again, I’ll file so many complaints against you that you’ll be begging for traffic court cases by the time I’m done with you.”

  “Don’t you come in here threatening my daughter. Haven’t you already done enough to this family?” Carmella’s blood was boiling as she popped out of her seat and got in Jasmine’s face.

  Jasmine backed up a bit. “If you touch me, I’ll have you arrested.”

  Joy stood and grabbed her mother’s arm, pulling her back into her seat. “I got this, Mama… wouldn’t want you to break a nail on this unworthy piece of trash.”

  “Call me all the names you want, Joy. But I’m not playing with you. Nelson has lost a lot of money behind the outrageous alimony and child support your mother demanded of him, so I’m not going to stand by and let you cause him to lose another dime. Not now that he is finally through with alimony and child support.”

  The alimony had stopped three years ago, when Carmella married Ramsey, the love of her life. But she had received child support for Dontae until six months ago, when Dontae graduated college and got drafted into the NFL.

  “I know you don’t want another beat down, so what on earth could have possessed you to come to my mother’s place of business and bother us?” Joy asked as she stepped in front of Carmella. Her mother had rededicated her life to Christ since she’d given Jasmine the beat down she deserved, but by the look on her mother’s face, Joy wasn’t so sure that Carmella Marshall-Thomas wouldn’t be willing to go a few more rounds.

  Jasmine swung her Gucci bag onto her shoulder, and put her hand on her hip as she told Joy. “I just don’t like the way you’ve been treating your father.”

  “What were you doing in the courtroom, anyway? Did he call you for moral support or something?”

  “Nelson and I had lunch plans until you ruined his day with your pettiness. You really need to grow up.”

  “Get out of here, Jasmine. How I treat Nelson Marshall,” she refused to call him her father, “is none of your business.”

  “I beg to differ. As Nelson’s wife, everything that affects him, affects me.”

  “Well, since you’re not his wife, then it’s like I said before… none of your business.”

  Jasmine lifted her ring finger and declared. “We’re engaged, and we will soon be married, you can bet on that.”

  Joy waved a hand in the air, dismissing Jasmine. “Get real. It’s been five years. If he hasn’t married you by now, I can guarantee you that Mr. Marshall has figured out that he made the biggest mistake of his life when he left his wife for you.”

  “That’s not true,” Jasmine yelled and started wagging her bony finger in Carmella’s direction. “Nelson has been afraid to get married since your mother stole his money in the divorce. But things are getting back on track for us, so you’ll be receiving our wedding invitation soon enough.”

  “Don’t bother, I already have enough trash to throw away,” Joy said with a smirk on her face.

  Another customer walked into the bakery, glanced over at the three women and then hesitated for a moment, as if she was unsure if she’d entered a safe environment.

  Carmella waved the woman in. “Come on in, Betty, Sylvia has your order packed and waiting for you at the register.”

  “Oh, okay,” the woman said, but still appeared nervous as she headed towards the checkout counter.

  Jasmine opened her mouth to say something else, but Carmella shushed her. Betty paid for her baked goods and then rushed out the door as fast as she could. Once her customer had left, Carmella went to the door, opened it and pointed toward the cool outside air. “Get out. And please refrain from bringing your drama to my place of business in the future.”

  Jasmine rocked her hips as she strutted towards the door. “Do you think I keep a figure like this by hanging out in donut shops?”

  Carmella wanted to yell at her to get it right. She didn’t own a donut shop. Her bakery was high-end and supplied its customers with all sorts of tasty treats. But she didn’t want to waste any more lung activity on her. She was too busy silently praying for the Lord to stop her from acting on her fleshly desires—hitting Jasmine until blood gushed out of her head.

  “Leave my man alone,” was Jasmine’s finally parting shot as she left the building.

  Carmella closed the door behind her and exhaled. “Whew, I barely passed that test. I need to turn on my praise music and get my mind right after dealing with that woman.” Carmella walked behind the counter, and switched on her CD player. Kirk Franklin’s Smile was playing. Carmella popped her fingers and danced back to the table where she had been sitting with her daughter.

  Joy looked despondent as she said, “See that’s the difference between you and me. I’ve been so angry about the whole situation that I couldn’t praise God if I wanted to.”

  Carmella gently put her hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Honey, I know that things didn’t turn out the way you dreamed they would. But God didn’t do this to us. Nelson chose to leave of his own free will. And you know what?”

  “What?” Joy reluctantly asked.

  “I spent a lot of time in prayer asking God to give me the kind of heart that forgives. And one day, as I was praising the Lord, I realized that I wasn’t angry with Nelson anymore.”

  “How long did it take you to get to that point?”

  Carmella answered honestly. “About two and a half years. Once I freed myself from the bondage of unforgiveness the situation with your father had put me in, I was then free to marry Ramsey.”

  “But Ramsey would have married you muc
h sooner than that, Mom. I talked to him… he was ready from day one.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t want to bring bitterness into our marriage. That wouldn’t have been fair to him. I love Ramsey too much for that.”

  Joy nodded as she put her hand to her heart. “I’m happy for you and Ramsey, Mom. I really am. But I don’t think I’ll ever find love again. I know you think that I’m just bitter, and I can admit that I am. I don’t know how to get past this barrier that has me so full of hate.”

  “Can you take some advice from your old mom?”

  Joy grinned. “Of course I can. You know I value your opinion.”

  “Start praying again. Talk to God about how you’re feeling and what’s troubling you. And in the midst of all of that, you’ll begin to sing a new song of praise… I guarantee it.”

  Joy shook her head. “If I tried talking to God it would probably come out as a bunch of angry questions.”

  “And that would be a good start,” Carmella told her daughter.

  “Mom, come on. All I heard since I was a child was how God was sovereign. He could do what he wanted to do, and we couldn’t question Him about any of it.”

  “Oh really,” Carmella said as she leaned back and studied her child. “So do you think that Daniel never had a question for God when he was thrown into the lion’s den, or the three Hebrew boys when they were thrown into the fiery furnace? What about King David, when he and his men came back from battle and discovered that their families had been captured and taken from them? How about Apostles Peter and Paul… all that time they spent in service to God and what was the thanks they got for it? Prison and death. Do you think they never questioned God?”

  Joy raised a hand. “Okay Mom, I get your point. Bad things have happened to a great deal of people who have gone on to serve God anyhow.”

  “That is correct. But what I’m really trying to get you to understand is that we are all human. Sometimes we question the wisdom of God for allowing certain things to occur, because we can’t see the future and we don’t always understand that better days are ahead. So, if your prayers start off as questions to God, go ahead. Asking those questions might just be the loudest praise song you’ll ever sing. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just praise in disguise.”