Anointed (Urban Books)

by Patricia Haley

  “Okay,” he said, still seeming excited about the entire business of having a guest. Tamara didn’t offer a special gift. She was too absorbed into drawing and coloring her welcome sign.

  Suddenly the front door opened as the children froze. Dave walked in. “Hello, everyone.”

  “Daddy,” Tamara said, rushing to him. Don was in hot pursuit. Sam casually followed. Madeline waited for them to get their greetings in. She didn’t dare try to jump in front of the herd of super-hyped children.

  “Where is he?” Sam asked.

  Dave went back to the door, briefly stepped outside, and came back in with Andre. The young boy stood in the doorway, visibly frightened.

  “Come on in, Andre,” Madeline said, slowly walking toward him. “We have all been waiting for you to arrive. We’re very glad to have you here.”

  “Oh boy, do we have some fun stuff for you. Do you like putting together model cars?” Sam asked.

  “He’s giving you his super racer,” Don blurted.

  “Shut up. Mom, nobody told him to tell,” Sam said, stomping to the base of the stairs and plopping down.

  “Don, that wasn’t very nice. You should only talk about your gift and not someone else’s,” Madeline told him, trying to maintain the celebratory atmosphere.

  “I’m sorry, Sam,” Don said, tearing up.

  “It’s okay this time, but don’t do it again.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Andre, you remember Sam,” Dave said, closing the door and pointing toward his son on the stairs. Andre’s gaze wandered around the room, but he didn’t respond. “And Tamara.”

  “Hi, Andre, we made a sign for you,” she said, holding up her masterpiece that was 90 percent complete with only a small amount of coloring left to do. Tamara seemed pleased, which was good enough for Madeline.

  Don went to Andre and handed him his blanket. Madeline wanted to intervene, knowing Don had an unusually important connection with the blanket. She didn’t have any idea how he’d react one night without it. She was about to reach for it when Andre hurled it to the floor. Don jumped back and began wailing.

  “Why did you do that?” Tamara asked him with a very mean look on her face. “That’s Don’s favorite blanket,” she said, scooping it up and taking the cherished blanket to her younger brother. They were only one year apart, but sometimes it seemed as though Tamara was his second mother the way she looked after him. Madeline was going to rush in and diffuse the storm, but Dave beat her to it.

  “Let’s calm down. This is new to Andre, and I imagine he’s a bit scared coming into a new house, new family, and being away from his friends and things. So, let’s do the best we can to make him feel welcome. Can we do that?” Dave asked.

  Each of their children either nodded or said yes. Peace was restored, catastrophe averted, and the party resumed. Tamara went to Andre and attempted to hug him. Without warning, he pushed her away, and she fell on the floor, creating quite a stir. Don clung tighter to Madeline as Andre fell to the floor kicking and screaming. Sam leapt from the stairs and was about to pounce on Andre just as his father snatched him up.

  “Let me go, Dad. He can’t push my sister. Nobody hurts my sister and gets away with it. Put me down.” Dave didn’t, thank goodness. Madeline stood speechless without a plan. She really was rendered helpless, mostly stunned. This was not the reaction her children had expected when they were decorating Andre’s room and heaping colorful decorations throughout the foyer and kitchen. She wanted to do something but wasn’t sure what, hoping Dave had better insight.

  “I need everyone to take a seat. Let’s settle down. No one is going to hit, shove, or say mean things to anyone in this house, and that includes you, Andre,” Dave said to the boy who was still sprawled out on the floor. Dave put Sam down and asked him to go back to the stairs. He then extended his hand to Andre. “Come on, son, get up.”

  Andre got up and latched on to Dave. Each step Dave took, Andre made the same, burying his face from the looks of three seemingly frightened, mad, and confused children.

  After what felt like forever, order was restored. Andre and Dave sat at the kitchen table while the other children played in their rooms. The climate of change was sweeping through the Mitchell household. Madeline could feel the coolness and it didn’t sit well. This wasn’t the time to question their decision. They’d done what was best for Andre. Making the situation work was a different story; one she hoped would have a happy ending.

  Chapter 10

  The throbbing sensation in Madeline’s head wasn’t subsiding. She couldn’t remember if it was her turn to check on Andre or Dave’s. Running back and forth to his room most of the night left her drained. The boy’s nightmares and incessant crying were more than she expected. Even if it was her turn, Madeline’s body was in full rebellion, refusing to move. She stretched her arm toward the center of the king-sized bed, feeling for Dave. He must have heard her patting the covers and rolled over from the other side.

  “I’m here,” he said, touching her hand.

  “Can you check on him for me?” she uttered. “My head is killing me.”

  “Sure, I’ll go.” She heard the covers swoosh back and his feet plopping to the floor. “Can I get anything for your head?”

  “A cool towel would be nice.”

  “What about an aspirin?”

  “I took two a few hours ago. They didn’t seem to help, but I have to wait before I can take any more.”

  “A cool towel it is then,” Dave said. She heard him rise from the bed. Her eyelids wanted to open but the effort heightened her headache. If she could have it her way, Madeline was opting to stay in bed and bury her head under the covers. Dave could take care of Andre, Sam would be in school, and Ms. Jenkins could handle Tamara and Don. She had the plan figured out and decided to see if Dave could accommodate.

  “We have to get Andre registered in school today, but I don’t think I’ll be able to get out of bed, at least not based on the way I’m feeling. Can you carve an hour or so out of your schedule today and take him to school? I can get Ms. Jenkins to help with the other children.”

  “Oh, that’s going to be tough. I’m backed up after being in Phoenix those two days. And with you out, I’m swamped. Today won’t work but let me see what can be done tomorrow.”

  Madeline wanted to be angry but it would only exacerbate the headache. “I need help right now, not tomorrow, Dave.”

  “I know, and I definitely don’t want to put the brunt of Andre’s responsibility onto you,” he said, coming around to her side of the bed and sitting on the edge. “This is going to take some getting used to. I’m sure that once Andre adjusts, he will get past his nightmares and take on a pretty normal kid’s life. He’s going to need some patience, and we’ll work together to give it to him,” he said, as she felt his hand touch hers in the darkness. Five A.M. and the sunlight hadn’t quite decided to get moving either.

  Madeline was twisted. She didn’t want to load Dave with the challenges of the household while he was shorthanded at the office, but he had to acknowledge her needs, too. They were both stretched like a rubber band. She couldn’t speak for him, but hers was about to snap. “How about this, why don’t you stay here until eight or nine? You can get Sam off to school. Ms. Jenkins will be here by seven-thirty. I can get a few hours of sleep and then get up and take over. You can be on your way by nine.”

  Dave was silent, which deflated her increasing composure. “I can’t, not without creating a mess in today’s schedule. My first meeting is at seven-thirty.”

  “Why so early?”

  “Like I said, everything is squeezed into today and tomorrow to make up for the time I was gone.”

  Madeline knew it was pointless to push further. Dave wasn’t going to help. He didn’t have time. She had to figure this chaos out on her own. As he stood, she snatched her hand away from his and rolled over, keeping her back close to the edge of the bed. Dave left the bedroom as anger festered in Madeline. She w
as fixated on how he had the easy job of running their multi-million dollar company, leaving her alone to perform the harder task of managing four rambunctious children. She didn’t allow her mind to rehearse the decision to take in Andre. She’d better not if there was any chance of continuing to believe it was a good idea. Understanding that he hadn’t asked to be orphaned offered no consolation. Madeline buried her head into one of the extra pillows, hoping her worries and impending day of stress would vanish.

  Chapter 11

  Dave squeezed in a cup of coffee and a bite of food wherever he could. He was engrossed with the business at hand but Madeline stayed on his mind. After the night that Andre had, he couldn’t stop thinking about him, either. There were a few more meetings and then he’d steal away to give them a call.

  “Brother,” Frank said, entering the office. “I’ve been trying to catch up with you since early this morning. You’re a tough guy to find,” he said, taking a seat without waiting for an invitation. Frank sailed a small set of stapled papers onto the table. “Consider the IRS a closed subject.”

  “As we expected,” Dave said, giving Frank part of his attention.

  “You were that confident?”

  Dave shrugged his shoulders and continued reading an article.

  “Why?” Frank asked.

  “It was out of my hands from the beginning. Let’s face it. I’m a small business owner. The IRS is a long-reaching arm of the government. There was no way I could beat them outright. I did what has always worked for me.”

  “Don’t tell me, you prayed to God for guidance, help, and who knows what else?” Frank said, half mocking. Dave could tell. He wasn’t bothered by the comments. He knew what he knew. God had been the definitive source of his strength and guidance from the day DMI was conceived. God alone had supplied the inspiration, the resources, and Dave wasn’t ashamed to shout his testimony from the rooftop. Fortunately for him, Frank wasn’t on the roof. He was sitting right there.

  “Why bother worrying? It doesn’t help solve the problem. I might as well stay positive and hope for the best.”

  “Can’t argue with that,” Frank said, resting his elbow on the table. “The proof is in the pudding, and you, my brother, have plenty of pudding,” he said, sealing the comment with a chuckle. “I have to give it to you. Your God routine is working for you. Great wife, kids, and look at this place,” Frank said, looking around the room.

  “I wouldn’t call it a routine,” Dave said, peering up from the article.

  “Ay ay ay, don’t take it like that. I didn’t mean anything by the comment, except that your thing with God has produced results—plain and simple. A sane man has to take notice. That’s why I’m sticking with you, little brother, to see if your Midas touch can rub off on me. Never know. I could stand a good wife too.”

  “You already have a wife.”

  “I specifically said a good wife, one like Madeline who can work side by side with me in the office, take care of home, and the kids, and stay sassy. That’s not an easy combination to find, let me tell you.” Frank picked up his papers, preparing to leave. “You know you hit the jackpot with Madeline.” Dave did and nodded in agreement, knowing Frank didn’t mean any disrespect. “She’s one of a kind. Be sure and treat her right.” Frank said, reaching the threshold of Dave’s office.

  “You know I will.” Dave picked up the phone to call his wife. Much of the day had passed, but he wasn’t going any longer without speaking with her.

  The phone seemed to ring and ring, so long until Dave briefly forgot who he was calling. Madeline picked up, triggering his memory. “I was just about to hang up and dial again thinking I’d called the wrong number.”

  “No, I’m here, pooped of course. I managed to get Tamara and Sam off to school. Don is taking his afternoon nap and Ms. Jenkins is watching Andre while I’m barricaded in your office again.”

  “Maybe I can work the schedule around over the next couple of days and give you a legitimate break. You deserve it,” he said, picking up the family photo sitting on his desk.

  He was concerned about Andre. The way he acted last night required more than Madeline had to give. “Are you getting Andre registered in school today?”

  “I decided to let him relax. We can take him tomorrow. I figured another day won’t make much difference in the grand scheme of things. School started a month ago. He hasn’t missed much. They usually fool around a few weeks rehashing what the students forget over the summer.”

  “You’re probably right.” He set the family photo back in its place. “Just let me know when you’re getting him registered, and I’m there.”

  “Well, we’ll see. By the way, have you interviewed those secretaries I set up for you?”

  Dave let his head press against the high-back chair and closed his eyelids. “No, not yet.”

  “Dave, come on, you have to get it done so you can get some help. Get off the phone this minute and call the temp agency. They can get the ladies in today.”

  “It’s already after one o’clock, might be too late today,” he said.

  “Not for someone who really needs the job.”

  “Good point, I’ll call.” Dave could achieve two goals for the price of one. He’d put an end to Madeline’s worrying while also getting the help he desperately needed in the office.

  He made the call. It took a bit of doing, but two of the three candidates were willing to come in on short notice. The other would come tomorrow.

  By three-ten, the second interview was well underway. “Miss Henderson, tell me what kind of secretarial experience you have?”

  The young lady shifted her weight from one arm of the chair to the other and then said, “I don’t have very much experience.” Her gaze fell to the floor.

  Dave was short on patience and couldn’t understand why Madeline would recommend someone with no experience. She knew how critical it was for him to have a top-notch person in the office. He pressed on with the interview, annoyed. “You understand that I’m looking for a secretary with several years of experience, a person who can start today and handle quite a bit of responsibility. Does that sound like a job you can handle?”

  “Yes, Mr. Mitchell, I can,” she said, sliding to the edge of her seat quite convincingly. “I can do any job you need me to do. You see, I must get this job. I really must.”

  Her spark of enthusiasm claimed his attention. Passion fueled Dave. It was how he ran his life, in the pursuit of goals and dreams. He wholeheartedly believed in being totally and passionately committed to whatever task was being undertaken. Miss Henderson didn’t have the experience but she’d earned a chance to present her case. Dave was actually intrigued. “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you so eager to get this position?”

  Miss Henderson remained at the edge of her seat. “I had to put my college studies on hold last year due to financial reasons. I must get a job now.”

  “But if I hire you, how soon will you quit and go back to school?”

  “I have no idea when I’ll be able to go back. I can’t think about the future. I have to get a job today.”

  He sensed sincerity in her answer. Since he placed high marks on loyalty and trustworthiness, Sherry was quickly moving to the top of his candidate’s list.

  Dave was deemed to be a decent judge of character. Something about Sherry Henderson resonated with him, although he was unable to pinpoint exactly what it was. They spoke for twenty more minutes before concluding the interview at four.

  “Miss Henderson, thank you for coming in.”

  “When will you make a decision about the job?”

  “You will hear one way or the other by tomorrow.” Sherry’s demeanor appeared to turn somber. Dave stood and came from behind the desk. “But you are our top candidate.” The color returned to her cheeks. “If you are selected, how soon can you start?”

  “Tomorrow or even today.”

  Dave glanced up at the wall clock and laughed. “Since it’s already four o’clock,
perhaps today wouldn’t be realistic but I get your point. You’re available to start right away, which is great for me.”

  They said good-byes and she left.

  He’d have the temporary service cancel the third candidate tomorrow. Between the two ladies he’d met today, the job could be considered filled. He got Madeline on the phone. He valued her input and wanted to get her recommendation before closing out the selection process.

  “You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve interviewed two of the three candidates.”

  “Wow, that’s good. Who did you pick?”

  “I’m leaning toward Sherry Henderson. She’s enthusiastic and has the kind of positive attitude that I’d like to see on my team.”

  “I knew you’d like her. She was my pick too. The only reservation I have is her age. She seems very young, like in her early twenties,” Madeline said.

  “And somewhat inexperienced as a secretary, too, but she didn’t come across as immature.”

  “No, she didn’t, as a matter of fact just the opposite. She presented herself very well,” Madeline added.

  “I get the feeling she’ll catch on quickly, and the selling point for me was how keen she was to start. We need that kind of enthusiasm in the office. That’s important to me.”

  “I agree, and we can always put her on a trial period for six months. If she doesn’t work out, we let her go. On the other hand, we don’t know what’s going to happen with your secretary, and her medical leave. You might end up keeping Sherry permanently.”

  “Exactly, there’s no risk,” Dave said.

  “So when does she start?”

  “You know me. Once I make a decision, it’s full steam ahead. Let’s get her in here as soon as the agency can make it happen,” Dave said.

  “Good idea.”

  “You sound relieved,” Dave told his wife.

  “I am. Sherry will be good for us. I’m glad you’re getting the help.”