Ray of Hope

by Vanessa Davis Griggs

  Sahara grinned. “Yes, ma’am. My father, Quinton Nichols.”

  “I’m not trying to start nothing,” Ma Ray said. “Lord knows I’m not trying to start anything. But you’re telling me your father, Quinton Nichols, bought you this car?”

  Sahara laughed. “Yes, ma’am. That’s what I’m telling you.”

  Ma Ray looked up toward the sky as she slowly spun around a few times.

  “Ma Ray, what are you doing?” Crystal asked as she began to look up as well.

  “I’m looking for Jesus. He must be on His way back. He’s supposed to come back on a cloud. That’s how He left. And He said He was coming back the same way He left.” Ma Ray looked at the girls and laughed. “If Quinton Nichols bought Sahara a new car, then I know this has to be a sign that Jesus is on His way back.”

  “Ma Ray, that’s not nice,” Sahara said.

  Ma Ray spanked her hand with her own hand. “You’re right. I’m wrong. Lord, forgive me. Forgive me, Lord.” She looked at Sahara and Crystal. “Now you know I was just playing about your father buying that car. I think that was really great of him. And it’s a little bitty cute thing, too. Perfect for you, Sahara. That’s wonderful, really wonderful.”

  “Considering he hasn’t paid child support in who knows how long,” Sahara said. “That’s what you really want to say, isn’t it, Ma Ray?”

  “Who me? Not me.” She primped her mouth and shook her head.

  “Well, you don’t have to say it,” Crystal said. “That was the first thing out of Mama’s mouth when Daddy brought it over.”

  “It’s not my business, and I’m keeping my nose out of it,” Ma Ray said.

  “Hi, Crystal,” Aaron said with a smile. “I’ll be happy to get your bag for you.”

  Crystal smiled back. “Hi, Aaron. Thank you,” she said. She looked over at Sahara, who grinned and popped the trunk, using the key to the car. Crystal walked to the back of the car with Aaron, who got both their weekend bags and carried them.

  “Such a gentleman,” Ma Ray said as Aaron carried the bags.

  They all went inside the house. Thirty minutes later, Tootsie called Ma Ray.

  “Marva is in the hospital,” Tootsie said, practically out of breath. “I want to go over and see her. Will you ride with me? I’ll drive.”

  “What happened to Marva?”

  “She had a slight heart attack. They’re going to do bypass surgery on her. I want to get there before they do the surgery. I want to see her before they wheel her into surgery.”

  “Sure. I’ll go with you,” Ma Ray said.

  “Thank you. I’ll be there to pick you up in about fifteen minutes,” Tootsie said.

  “Well, I need to change into something more presentable,” Ma Ray said. “I’ll be ready when you get here.” Ma Ray hung up and hurried to go change her clothes.

  Sahara followed her to her bedroom. “Ma Ray, what’s wrong?” Sahara asked.

  “A good friend of Ms. Tootsie’s had a slight heart attack. They’re going to do open-heart surgery on her. Tootsie wants me to ride with her to the hospital to see her before they do.”

  “I hope her friend is going to be all right,” Sahara said. “I’ll say a prayer for her.”

  Ma Ray stopped and patted Sahara on the shoulder. “I appreciate that. The devil and his minions are busy. But the Bible tells us in Leviticus 26:7 and 8 that ‘we shall chase our enemies, and they will fall before us by the sword. Five of us will chase a hundred, and a hundred of us shall put ten thousand to flight.’ The devil may be busy, but our God is busier. Somewhere else in the Bible it tells us that one can put a thousand of those demons to flight, and two can put ten thousand. Let’s send some demons packing and on their way.”

  Ma Ray put on her pink hat to match the soft pink dress she was wearing. She grabbed her matching purse and headed outside to wait on Tootsie, who pulled up just as she stepped out on the front porch. Ma Ray looked up and said a quick prayer.

  Chapter 50

  And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you.

  —Joshua 23:3

  Aaron was still there with Crystal. Ma Ray had always told them not to have anyone in the house when an adult wasn’t there. But Ma Ray had been there when Aaron came. She’d left without telling him to leave. Crystal didn’t know whether she should put him out or if it was okay for him to stay. Crystal decided, to be on the safe side, it was best that they go sit outside on the porch. At this point, she didn’t even want the appearance of disobeying Ma Ray in any way.

  About an hour later, Andre came over. Crystal went inside and got Sahara.

  “Hi,” Andre said when Sahara stepped out on the porch.

  “Hi,” Sahara said, walking closer to him.

  Then there was nothing but silence between them for a good two minutes.

  “You’re looking good as always,” Andre said, finally breaking the silence.

  “So do you,” Sahara said. “I mean, you look nice.” She blushed.

  “Grandma called about ten minutes ago. They’re taking Ms. Marva into the operating room. She and Ma Ray are going to stay there until she comes out. They’ve called the prayer warriors, as they call their little prayer group. So they’re down there at the hospital, I’m sure, praying up a spiritual storm.”

  Sahara laughed. “That hospital had better be careful. With Ma Ray and Ms. Tootsie, along with the prayers of their prayer warriors, they’ll have that hospital almost empty in no time with all the people being healed from their powerful prayers.”

  “Yeah. Grandma and Ma Ray are two praying folks, that’s for sure,” Andre said.

  “Would you like to go out in the back?” Sahara said. “I mean to see how the swing you put up is faring?”

  “Don’t tell me it broke already,” Andre said with a slight chuckle.

  Sahara shook her head. “Oh, no. I didn’t mean to imply anything like that. It’s doing very well; at least the last time I checked it was. In fact, I’ve missed it since I’ve been back home. I’ve missed being out there completely.”

  “It definitely is a nice place to retreat to,” Andre said. “Those tall weeds and wildflowers back in that natural area. Certainly, we can go out there if you like.”

  They walked through the house to go out the back door. Sahara turned to Andre. “Ma Ray doesn’t like us having people in the house when she’s not here. We’re just taking a shortcut, so this doesn’t really count.”

  “I understand perfectly. My grandmother is the same way. She doesn’t like us having our friends in the house when she’s not there, either. Must be an old folk thing.”

  They went outside. Sahara sat on the swing. Andre stood behind her and gave her a push off.

  “Thanks,” Sahara said, glancing back at him with a smile.

  “No problem.”

  After a few pushes, he allowed her to swing on the inertia of his prior actions.

  “Andre, I want to apologize to you,” Sahara said.

  “For what?”

  “For the way I’ve acted toward you. You really are a nice person.”

  “Yeah, but I hear most females prefer a roughneck. They’re not interested in the nice guys. I guess we’re too boring, not exciting enough for their taste.”

  “Not all girls like bad boys,” Sahara said, using her legs to pump higher.

  “What about you?”

  She leaned back as she pumped. “Maybe at one time, I used to. But I’m not the same person I used to be.”

  “Really now. What changed you?” Andre asked.

  “Not what—Who. Who changed me? I can sum up the difference in my life in one word: Jesus. I finally learned for myself who Jesus was and is to me. I found someone who loves me unconditionally. Someone who loved me before I even loved Him. Someone who loved me enough that He actually gave His life for me.”

  “Oooh, sounds like you and I are in love with the same person. Because I
love the Lord, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’ve never been ashamed. I gave my life to Him when I was eight years old, and I meant it. My relationship with Him has only grown and gotten stronger each year after that. And through His strength, I’ve been able to do some amazing things. Through His strength, I’ve been able to overcome things that should have taken me out. Having a mother who was, and truthfully still is, so on crack that she doesn’t know who she is, let alone who me and Aaron are. But that’s okay. God has been a mother for us. And we have been so blessed to have Grandma, a God-fearing, Holy Ghost-filled woman, in our lives to lead and guide us in the right direction.”

  “That’s a great testimony, Andre,” Sahara said. “Almost makes me jealous.”

  “Jealous?” Andre said, pushing her a little when he noticed the swing was starting to slow down.

  “Yes, jealous. To have what you have for as long as you’ve had it. And to think: all those times, I thought I was having fun, when really I wasn’t. I was making some bad … foolish decisions really. Thinking I was something when I was so far off the mark that I didn’t have a clue and wasn’t in a position to even buy a clue.”

  Andre laughed. “You certainly have a way of saying things.”

  “Yeah. I really like words. I love the syntax of words. I love metaphors, similes. I love synonyms, homonyms, antonyms, rhythmations, and alliterations. I love adverbs and adjectives, nouns and verbs. I love words … the way they roll off your tongue.”

  “Rhythmation? I’m sorry. I’m not familiar with that one.”

  “Oh. Actually, I made that word up. Rhythmation: the art of rhythm and rhyme.”

  “Okay. Well, you know God blessed man with something no other creature truly possesses, and that’s the gift of speech. I know you’re probably going to argue that parrots can talk. But really, they can’t. They mimic. Man is the only creation that can truly speak. Dogs bark. Cats meow. Cows moo. Horses bray. But man, man can speak. Man has the power of the tongue. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. Humans can speak to a situation, and change begins to take place behind the power of spoken words.”

  “May I ask you something?” Sahara said, stilling the swing completely.

  “Go for it.”

  “You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to.” Sahara took a deep breath, then released it. She looked up into Andre’s gorgeous brown eyes and twisted her mouth a few times. “Are you a virgin?” she asked.

  Andre laughed. “Isn’t that what a guy normally asks the girl?”

  “Generally, that usually is the case. At least, that’s what I’ve experienced.”

  “So, why do you want to know?”

  “Look, you don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to,” Sahara said, refusing to turn away from his smiling stare.

  “I don’t have a problem with answering that. Yes. I’m a virgin.” He held up the hand with his purity ring on it. “And I decided long before I put this ring on that I would remain a virgin until my wedding night. It is a gift I’ve vowed to give only to my wife—the gift of me. A gift no one else will taste or sample, a gift she, and she alone, will possess. Nobody else will ever be able to claim having had it before her, only the bride of my affection. Not my girlfriend, not my fiancée. It will be my wife, and only my wife. But that’s just me. It may sound crazy to others. I may be called all kinds of names…. Oh, wait. What am I saying? I have and am being called all kinds of names right now. But the only voice I care about and what He has to say is God. The only name I care about being called is a child of God. I love God too much to compromise, if it’s at all within my powers not to do so.”

  “Wow, that was powerful,” Sahara said, nodding. “Impressive … truly inspiring.” And before she knew anything, she was crying.

  Andre squatted down before her. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “What’s the matter?”

  Sahara stood up. “I have completely messed up my life. Hearing what you just said with such conviction and passion … Oh, what I wouldn’t do to be able to say that. And the thought of the woman who is so special to you that you’re willing to sacrifice and keep yourself for her and her alone … I’m talking about a guy … a handsome guy, at that, saying all of this. That’s special, Andre. It really is.” She wiped her eyes, then wiped the tears from her hand on her taupe Capri pants.

  Andre stood up. “You’re crying. I’m sorry if I said something that disturbs you.”

  “Oh, don’t be sorry. You’ve nothing to be sorry about. You have shown me something in what you said. Honestly, I wish I’d met you earlier in my life. In fact, I wish you and I had had this conversation a few years back. Maybe I could be strong in the Lord the way you are. Maybe I could have had a relationship like you have with God.”

  “Well, you still can. You can have everything I just said. Just start now. Start from where you are. Put your hand in the hand of the man who is able to keep you from falling. Put your hand in the hand of the only wise God and magistrate, who has dominion over every name that exists on earth and galaxies beyond, and follow His lead.”

  Sahara nodded as she wiped her face with her hands some more. “Okay. I’ll start now. And I’ll start from here,” she said, shaking her hands dry and forcing a smile.

  Andre smiled back.

  “I suppose we should go back now.” Sahara looked down at her feet.

  “Back?” Andre said.

  Sahara looked up. “To the house. We should go back to the house. I trust your brother, but I don’t trust him that much. Not alone with my sister. She really likes him.”

  Andre laughed. “Got’cha. Yeah. My brother really likes her, too.”

  Chapter 51

  Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left.

  —Joshua 23:6

  As Sahara walked a few steps behind Andre, she saw Junebug waving at her from the place where she usually went to get away. She figured he must have been there the whole time she was sitting on the swing talking to Andre.

  “Go on,” she said to Andre. “I’ll catch up with you in a few minutes.” She didn’t mention anything about Junebug.

  “Did you forget something?” Andre asked as he stopped and looked around. “I don’t mind waiting for you.”

  “Oh, I’ll just be a few minutes,” she said. “You go on. That way if you need to jack up your brother before I get there, you can handle that, and keep me from having to go off on him like my mother or Ma Ray would.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you in a few then?”

  “Yeah. I’ll just be a few minutes. Five tops.”

  Sahara stood and watched Andre walk toward the house. Sahara figured he wouldn’t go through the back door because she wasn’t accompanying him. Andre was respectful like that. She just hoped Crystal and Aaron were behaving themselves. When Andre was near the house, she turned and hurried through the natural area and past it.

  “Junebug,” she said when she was close enough for him to hear her without her having to raise her voice.

  “Here,” he said. He came up from the bank she normally went down and walked into the clearing near the natural area.

  “What are you doing here?” Sahara said. “Were you there listening to us the whole time?”

  “You mean that wuss … that little punk you were talking to? Yeah, I heard him. A virgin at his age. Don’t tell me if he could get with a girl, he wouldn’t have already.”

  “You still haven’t told me what you’re doing out here,” Sahara said, refusing to go there with him about Andre.

  “I was looking to talk to you. I saw your sister on the front porch, so I figured you were probably out here. I got a call yesterday talking about some HIV/AIDS test or some nonsense like that. They say you gave them my name and number? What’s that all about?”

  “They’re just now calling you?”

  “Yeah. They finally were able to catch up with me. I d
on’t believe this.” He shook his head. “They’re saying you may have exposed me to AIDS?” He grabbed her arm hard and pulled her up to him. “Your little tramp self may have given me AIDS? AIDS?”

  “Stop, you’re hurting me!”

  “Oh, I ain’t near ‘bout doing what I’d like to do to you right about now if this is true!”

  Sahara tried to pull her arm loose, but his grip was firm. “I said you’re hurting me!”

  “I should have known not to bed with a hack-poodle like you. My mama always told us that if we lie down with dogs, we’ll end up with fleas. Looks like I hit the motherlode with your stank self.”

  “I said let go of me!” Sahara shouted and jerked. She fell to the ground.

  “I ought to slap that look off your face,” he said, standing over her. “Done messed around and possibly given me some killa disease!”

  “I was tested, and my test came back fine. But when you’re being tested, they ask you for all the names of anyone you have sexually come in contact with. I gave them your name because I didn’t want you to possibly be in danger and not know it. But I don’t have AIDS. My results were negative. I’m fine.”

  “Yeah, well, you’d better pray that I don’t have it,” Junebug said. He reached down and yanked Sahara up off the ground. “Fooling with you has definitely not been worth it. And that chump cash and crap jewelry don’t begin to make up for any of this.”

  “What cash and jewelry?” Sahara said as she fought to break loose from his grip.

  He grabbed her around the waist and picked her up off the ground to manage her better. “The cash I took out of your grandmother’s purse, that diamond watch with a chipped diamond that caused its value to be less, the diamond necklace out of her jewelry box, a man’s ring, some other useless junk. The only things that were even worth taking, for real, were that collectible Joe Louis clock and that Swarovski crystal swan. Did you know that swan was worth a few grand? Who would have ever suspected that? I only took it because it was sitting there on the coffee table practically begging to be taken that day your little virgin boyfriend stopped by and interrupted our romantic time together.” Junebug yanked her again and shook her. “Be still!