by Pat Simmons
After taking two steps into the free-for-all room, I yelled. Steadying my left foot, I lifted the other. I yelled again. Like a dart, a safety pin was clinging on my silk sock. I yanked it out and cautiously laid my left foot down. I examined the other and pulled out a straight pin.
Exhaling, I rested that foot only to be attacked by another pin. Biting my mouth to keep anything ungodly from escaping, I dropped to the floor, only to discover a bent pin was strategically pointed at my behind. That’s it, the room was booby-trapped, and this would definitely go down as my worst Christmas on record.
Momma barged into the room, drying her hands on a kitchen towel. She bent until we were eye level. “Noel? What’s wrong with you?”
I stole a deep breath as I massaged the waves in my head. “You have a war zone in here. I should’ve known better than to come in here.”
“I’ll have you know, I vacuumed this room thoroughly last night after I made the plate mats. She spun around in her house-shoes and left as Pierce strolled in with our snack, laughing.
“She got me last week. It is a battle field.” As he set our pie and coffee on the table he backed up, and a pin got him. I barked out a laugh as I rubbed my behind, walking on the side of my feet to the sofa.
We engaged in a few more episodes of teasing before slapping each other’s back. Pierce ate his dessert and waited for me. His face was unreadable, so I had no idea what was on his mind. After gulping down my last bit of coffee, I waited.
“She’s pretty.”
I didn’t have to guess. “Yes, Mackenzie is very pretty. I can’t believe no one has snatched her before me.”
“She’s the one. I can tell by the way you watched her at church, and you’ve been a pain in the butt—and I don’t mean from that pin either—since you’ve been here.”
I looked away to keep Pierce from reading the emotions that played across my face. I couldn’t help but smile as I faced my brother again. “Mackenzie’s everything a man could want. She’s fine, wears her own hair that isn’t detachable, and has legs that peek out every now and then. She’s sweet, confident, professional, but when we’re together, we’re laughing, teasing, praying, and battling the devil to keep our carnal lusts out the way.”
Pierce stopped me. “I wonder what’s keeping the right woman from crossing my path. Anyway, congrats on a good choice, does she love you?”
“She says she does, and I believe her. Hey, mind if I ask you something?”
He shrugged and nodded.
“Caleb says Mackenzie has a high-pitch, annoying, and whiny voice. Does she?”
“Yep.”
***
A few days after Mackenzie left, I texted Lana and invited her to lunch. Relaxing inside Tony Roma’s at the St. Louis Mills, we sampled each other’s food as we exchanged amusing tales from our past. I paused when I glanced over Lana’s shoulders.
Pierce was strolling toward us accompanied by a very attractive woman. I smirked. Boy that was fast finding the right woman. “There’s my brother. I didn’t know he would be out here. You remember Pierce.” I stood and waved to get his attention.
“Noel, invite them over.” Lana also stood.
Nodding, I got up from the booth. Taking long strides, I blended with others in the food court until Pierce noticed me and grabbed his acquaintance’s hand. Face-to-face, Pierce and I exchanged hugs and slaps on the back.
The woman’s face was in awe. “You two look just alike.”
“Yeah, we get that a lot. I’m Noel,” I said before turning and leading them to my table. Lana gave Pierce a warm hug.
Turning to his date, Pierce made the introductions, “Donna, this is our good friend, Lana. Lana, Donna.”
“If you haven’t eaten, join Lana and me,” I offered and made room for them.
“Are you buying?” Pierce teased me.
“Absolutely.”
Lana and I resumed eating while Donna and Pierce scanned the menu. His date said something that caused Lana and me to exchanged bewildered looks. Pierce turned to us and signed. “Donna said your ribs look good, but she just got her nails done, and she’ll probably remove her polish licking the barbecue sauce off her fingers. She was joking.”
Donna’s confused expression blinked to disdain. Pierce saw it, too. I didn’t have to read his lips to understand what Pierce’s eyes revealed. Donna would be history. She wasn’t the one.
Pierce wasn’t picky when it came to a woman’s looks. Yes, she had to be pleasing to his eyes—not necessarily a bombshell or knockout—but he wanted a Christian woman with a sweet spirit.
Plus, a woman had to be comfortable with my deafness. If the “right woman” wasn’t willing to even learn finger-spelling, she wasn’t the one. Pierce refused to budge from that perquisite. His stubbornness was humbling.
CHAPTER 22
I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day. The night cometh, when no man can work. It had to be God’s voice.
“Okay, Lord, I’ll talk to Valerie the next time I see her.” I groaned as I parked in front of Barnes & Noble. I had time to skim through some sport magazines until I met Caleb and Pierce to roll a few games of bowling,
Bypassing the bestsellers table that greeted me at the door, I plucked copies of Sports Illustrated, ESPN, and Sporting News off the shelves. Strolling to the café, I ordered a tall espresso.
With a steaming cup in one hand and magazines under my arm, I dropped them on a nearby round parlor table, removed my coat, and took a seat. I offered a thirty-second prayer over my drink before taking a cautious sip. Sighing, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warm brew on a cold winter day.
Two magazines later, I checked my watch as I finished the article on Tiger Woods. Standing, I gulped down my remaining espresso, grabbed the magazines, and headed to the register. On my way out, I literally bumped into Valerie, who was gracing Barnes & Noble’s doorway. I cringed.
Now, Lord? I didn’t really have time to talk to her now.
God spoke, “This is your time and place.” Reluctantly, I opened the door wider.
She tried to pass, but I blocked her. “Excuse me.”
When I didn’t move, Valerie looked up. “Noel?”
“Hi, Valerie. It’s a coincidence that you’re here because I’ve been meaning to talk with you.” I was ready to get whatever God wanted me to say to this woman. “We need to talk,” I repeated, hoping I wasn’t too loud to draw attention, or too low where she wouldn’t hear me.
She had cleared the door when she spun around. “About what, Noel?” She torpedoed daggers, her nostrils flared, and her hands balled into fists. The idea of using Mackenzie as backup didn’t seem like such a bad idea after all. How ugly is this going to get, God?
“You.” I chided myself for my bad choice of one word that was so accusatory, it was sure to put anyone on defense.
When I moved out her way, she kept walking so I followed her to a display table of sale books. I couldn’t make out what her lips were saying, and she didn’t bother to sign.
God, You’re not going to make this easy for me, are You? I asked. He commanded me to talk to her, but He didn’t give me what to say. Basically, I was on my own. Scanning faces, I searched for some divine intervention for the perfect words. Of course, my vocabulary had abandoned me.
“To be truthful, Valerie, I want to get to know you, and for you to get to know me.” That was the best that I could come up with on short notice.
Valerie faced me with a smile. “So you’re finally coming to your senses.” She huffed. “It’s a little late for that, don’t you think? You did choose someone else that God didn’t send you.” I couldn’t tell if her voice was raising, but I did catch a few stares directed at our way. Yep, that’s what it meant.
“Listen, Valerie, I’m trying to be pleasant and settle a score we must’ve created in another life.” I checked my watch. I would give her fifteen minutes and then I was out of here. “Come on, we can have a seat in the café. A cup of latte is
on me.”
After a brief hesitation, she squinted. Finally, she shrugged and led the way. I trailed her. At the counter, she considered the menu box posted above the workers’ heads. Turning around, she grinned at me mischievously. “I never pass up a free meal.”
A cup wasn’t a free meal. Valerie was a leech. She tried to get over on Nick. I’m surprised he didn’t let her. I angled my head so I at least knew what I was paying for.
“A caramel latte, I want a slice of the cherry swirl cheesecake, and double chocolate brownie,” she paused again, thinking as she tapped one clear-polished finger to red glossy lips. “A bottle of cream soda for later.”
Valerie appeared to be finished when she took a breath, but she regained strength and kept ordering. The cashier continued punching items on the register. “Anything for you, sir?” the cashier asked, amused.
I shook my head. I wanted to say, Are you kidding? I might suffer an upset stomach watching Valerie digest all this food, a thought I kept to myself.
After paying for her purchases, I accepted her tray laden with enough junk food to energize a kindergarten class. With only three customers in the café, Valerie circled tables before choosing one.
Setting the tray down, Valerie patiently waited as I helped her out her heavy winter coat, and scooted her chair back. Settling in the seat across from her, I forced a smile. “Are you sure this is enough, I wouldn’t want you to starve.”
Her eyes brightened. “You’re right. I might need a few items to take home.”
“Shall we pray?” Valerie suggested.
I nodded. “Go ahead.”
I held my breath in annoyance. If she was stalling this conversation, she was doing a good job. Unfortunately, I had to meet my brothers and I needed to get this over with so I could leave.
“Why don’t you bless my food? I want to hear you pray,” she requested.
Shrugging, I bowed my head, said grace, and I opened my eyes, “Amen.”
“I wanted to hear you pray.”
“You heard me. Amen.”
She meticulously lifted her napkin and let it drift to her lap. I was amused and getting peeved. Somehow, I knew I wouldn’t be bowling with my brothers if Valerie treated a paper napkin as if it was white linen in a five-star restaurant.
Seemingly in no rush and with much fanfare, Valerie peeled the paper off her straw and then sipped her cream soda before tasting her latte. The combination of drinks was weird, but the method seemed to match her unusual personality.
“Mackenzie was right about you,” she said, giving me the first genuine smile since I had started attending the church.
“She was? How so?” Curious, I sat back, wanting to hear this. Massaging my chin, I watched her lips.
Valerie nodded. “I had no right to judge you before I got a chance to know you. God never makes a mistake.”
Finally, she got the message, so why had she walked around church with a chip on her shoulders? Tapping my fingers on the table, I waited for her to chew.
“I prayed unselfishly for and fasted, too, for a friend. The deal was that my prayer partner, supposedly Mackenzie, would ask the Lord to send me a husband, a good man, and a kindhearted man who would learn my ways and be patient with my imperfections.”
Whew, I wasn’t expecting her poetic response. “I see, but—”
Valerie waved her hand to stop me. “Noel, you’re that man. You’re good looking, have a good job, you’re faithful in attending, but you’re as imperfect as I am. God has a bad sense of humor, doesn’t He?”
I ignored her remark. I was as perfect as God wanted me to be. Stroking my mustache, I chose my words carefully as I studied her feature. She appeared serious. “Valerie, why do you feel I’m that man? One minute—no, scratch that—almost all the time, I feel you hate me.”
“I do love you, Noel.”
Her latte had to be spiked. When I didn’t respond, she stopped eating and folded her hands.
“God spoke to me, Noel. I know it was Him. When I got off my knees, not praying for myself, mind you—” she paused and patted her chest—“God spoke to me and said, ‘His name is ‘N.’ God told me I had to look through the man and find his heart, so I kept looking at you. I couldn’t see past your deafness to see your heart.”
Talk about calling the wrong number, I knew God didn’t send me. I could tell her it was Nick who had a crush on her, not me. Nick was probably one prayer away from asking Valerie for her hand in marriage and having three point-seven kids or whatever the saying was.
There was no way I was getting in the middle of that. I doubted Valerie would believe me anyway. I drummed my fingers against my thighs, thinking how to respond.
I had to make this woman understand, so I signed. “God is faithful. Please don’t let me be a distraction to the magnificent blessing that God has for you.” I pointed at her. “I’m not the one. My spirit doesn’t bear witness.”
She resumed eating as if I hadn’t said a word, which technically, I hadn’t. She reached for a napkin, dabbed her lips before sipping her latte then her soda. When she lifted her brow, I braced myself.
“So I guess Mackenzie is your heart’s desire?” Squinting, she tightened her lips and imaginary steam flared her nostrils. When she folded her arms, I knew she was gearing up for a fight.
I didn’t back down, as I had wasted enough of my time. The only reason I was missing bowling with my brothers was because this was God’s doing. There was no lesson in this for me except obedience to God is mandatory.
Without blinking, I leaned forward. “You’re right. Mackenzie is the desire of my heart, but you’ve doubled your prayer request to send her packing to Chicago. I’ve already got a preview of her leaving me this week.”
Valerie calmly pushed away the remnants of her meal, which wasn’t much. She unfolded her arms and re-crossed them. “Brother Noel, how do you know I was praying for Mackenzie to move to Chicago?”
“You said so.”
“Not to you, I didn’t. Either you two have been discussing me behind my back or you’ve been lip reading our conversations.” She stood, almost knocking over the chair. She grabbed her handbag off the table and stormed away. I’m sure if I could hear, her footsteps would be deafening.
Exhaling, I bowed my head, thinking back to square one. “Lord, I hope that turned out the way You expected, because I’m not feeling it.”
CHAPTER 23
Flight 134 from Chicago O’Hare was late. I waited impatiently at Lambert St. Louis International Airport under the pretense of being patient. I thought about bringing her a flower, but I could get her a dozen if she wanted them.
I considered a box of candy, but that stuff was bad on the teeth. I guess I could’ve bought her a trinket or something, but if she wanted that, I would take her shopping.
My arms were free for one reason only—Mackenzie to fill them. So I paced with my hands stuffed into my pant pockets, waiting for Mackenzie to make her grand appearance.
Then I saw her—the walk, the confidence, the glow, and even her mass of curls were back—all Mackenzie’s signature. Like a telescope, I followed her every movement. My lips curled into a grin as Mackenzie searched for and then found me.
God, she is definitely one of Your marvelous works, and I praise You for my eyes to behold such splendor, I thought, pushing off the wall to meet her.
The initial hug released the buildup of stress that I suffered all week. The second contained kisses suitable for a G audience. Finally, the third, I told her I missed her, completing my preliminaries. “How was Chicago?”
“It was wonderful. I missed you a little,” Mackenzie signed, wrinkling her beautiful molded nose. The longing in her eyes revealed she was holding back.
“Only a little?”
“Let’s just say, Mr. Richardson. I looked forward to coming home.”
“Good answer, woman.”
“I thought so, too,” she teased. “My friend Rhoda and I shopped, ate, then shopped some more. Yeste
rday, we attended an exhilarating gospel play.”
I chuckled at her animation. Squeezing her hand, I linked hers with mine as we rode the escalator downstairs to the baggage claim area. At the carousel, she pointed to her luggage and I retrieved it.
After the sixth piece, I turned and waved for a sky cap. “Woman, you’ve only been gone for six days. You checked one bag and had one carry-on. How did you manage all this?”
She shrugged as if it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. “This is a holiday ritual. I usually stuff my new purchases into Rhoda’s luggage, and once I’m home, I empty them, and ship the suitcases back to her.”
I shook my head in disbelief. Only a woman would devise should a scheme. Once seated inside my car, we shared a fourth hug and private kiss. It was a PG-13, barely. When we parted, I squinted at her bare hands for the first time.
“They are in my purse.” Mackenzie didn’t wait for me to ask, teasing.
***
“Ready to begin a new year?” I asked Mackenzie as we shared a light lunch after leaving the airport.
“Absolutely.”
Although I preferred to sign in a restaurant because I couldn’t control my volume, I had to speak. I needed my hand as a point of contact with Mackenzie, so we played with each other’s fingers. “I’m looking forward to it with you, baby.”
Mackenzie didn’t speak or sign, but the reflection in her eyes told me everything I needed to know—that she was deeply in love with me. Good, I smirked, because Mackenzie had taken her last trip to Chicago without me. Reluctantly, I dropped her off at her home to rest before the church’s annual Watch meeting. It took me two trips to bring in all her luggage.
Hours later at home, I jumped into the shower. My life up until tonight flashed through my mind. I couldn’t help but smile. “I told her I loved her. She agreed to explore my world. My family knows I’m crazy about her…” I frowned. I had yet to meet the elusive Mr. Norton. Before the stroke of midnight, I would.