“You’ve learned a lot in a short period of time, haven’t you, brother?” Reverend Cambridge observed after wiping his glasses with a white handkerchief. He planted the glasses back on his nose. The minister smirked as he gave Carson a knowing look.
“I guess so; opportunity presented itself and I rose to the occasion,” Carson said. He sheepishly shrugged his shoulders.
“What type of woman did Brother Ellison’s daughter appear to be? Or were you able to tell in that short period of time?” The minister leaned forward and placed his arms on his desk.
“She is very attractive. She looks very much like Brother Ellison. She is bitter that he didn’t spend time with her while she was growing up. From what I can tell, her family hasn’t told her about the events surrounding her birth.”
“That’s unfortunate. Still events unfold in life in God’s time, not in our own. Praise God that Brother Ellison put some mechanisms in place that will help explain his actions. I just hope his daughter is receptive. What is her name?”
“Mariah Green.” Carson’s tongue seemed to caress Mariah’s name.
His soft tone of voice didn’t go unnoticed by his minister. “You seem impressed with her. Or is ‘smitten’ the word I should use?” Reverend Cambridge grinned as he teased Carson.
“I, ah, liked what I saw. She doesn’t seem to have let her inheritance influence her. By that I mean she didn’t seem snobbish. I met several of her childhood friends. She and her friends all seem firmly rooted. I would say we shared a vibe,” Carson admitted.
“That kind of puts you in an awkward position, son. As Harold’s story comes to light, Mariah might feel you deceived her. I would suggest you tread lightly,” Reverend Cambridge cautioned Carson. He folded his hands together in a triangle.
“Oh, I will.” Carson nodded. “She’s been hurt badly by what she perceives as her father’s defection. I can tell she puts up walls. I feel other than her grandmother and friends, Mariah doesn’t let people get too close. Complicating matters is her mother’s drug addiction. One can’t help but feel Mariah’s anguish and be moved by it. If, and I think it will, our friendship progresses, I plan to invite her here to worship here with us at St. Mark.”
“That sounds like a good idea. I just hope that her faith in God is strong enough, that she can understand Harold’s actions in time.”
“I think if she weighs the good against the bad, Harold will come out okay. But, I don’t know her well enough to say that with certainty.” Carson held out his hands.
“God in His infinite wisdom brought the two of you together, so I have a feeling you will be the vehicle God uses to enlighten Mariah about her father. I will pray for God to give you guidance. Who knows what might come of this new friendship?” Reverend Cambridge commented lightly, though his eyes twinkled.
“Well, it’s time for me to go. I don’t want to take up too much of your time. I plan to stop by my parents’ house, visit my girls, and then Mariah and I are having dinner.” Carson rose from his seat.
“Is that so?” The minister’s eyebrow arched upward. “Be careful, son.” The minister’s face and tone became stern. “This matter has to be handled gently and with sensitivity.”
“I will, Pastor,” Carson promised. “Have a blessed week and I will keep you posted on Mariah.”
“Thank you. You too have a blessed week and enjoy your date.” Reverend Cambridge rose from his seat. He and Carson exchanged farewells.
Carson departed. After he entered his black Cadillac STS, he fastened the seat belt. Carson decided to pick up his daughters and take them to his parents’ house. The family hadn’t seen his daughters in a while. He couldn’t keep a smile from filling his face as his thoughts traveled to Mariah.
In anticipation of her date with Carson, Mariah had suffered a bout of indecision. She had changed her outfit several times. At 7:30 P.M., Mariah and Carson were seated inside a cozy leather booth at Freddy’s Steak House. The restaurant was located at 165th Street and Kennedy Avenue.
The waitress had taken their orders and left a basket of warm bread at the table, along with glasses of water.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything to drink?” Carson asked Mariah. He wore khakis and a polo pullover with a lightweight sports jacket. His locks were held together with a thick rubber band and Mariah thought he was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. His green eyes enthralled her.
Mariah, not to be outdone, looked very attractive as well. Raquel had hooked up her hair before departing to Chicago. Mariah had finally settled on a pair of dark leggings, with a belted, tomato-red oversized top. It brought out reddish tones in her dark skin. She wore multiple bangles on her wrists along with a tiny gold watch. Her feet were encased by short black leather boots. Mariah wore a black leather cap pulled over her head. She loved caps. Mariah had an extensive collection of them.
“No, I’m good. I’m not much of a drinker,” Mariah confessed. “My girls and I tend to imbibe on special occasions and yesterday was one of those days. That’s my quota for a while.” Her eyes stole around the restaurant.
“I’m not a heavy drinker myself. I like to have a beer every now and then, but with girls in the house I try to set a good example.” Carson commented, “You look lovely.”
“Thank you, Carson.” Mariah dipped her eyes. She then sipped from the glass of water and placed the glass on her left side.
The waitress returned to the table with French onion soup for Carson and a Caesar salad for Mariah.
Carson blessed the food. They chatted easily and dined until the waitress brought their entrees. Mariah had chosen salmon with rice pilaf and steamed broccoli. Carson had a T-bone steak, with a baked potato and asparagus.
Mariah had just eaten a piece of salmon when she asked Carson if he was a Christian.
He wiped his mouth on his napkin, laid it back on his lap, and answered, “Yes, I am. I was raised in an AME church. I still attend my childhood church here in Hammond. What about you?”
“I definitely am. I think I told you that I attend Christian Friendship Baptist Church in the city. My minister, Reverend Dudley, stopped by yesterday to bless the house. I teach a children’s Sunday School class. How do you serve?”
“I am a member of the usher board and head of the beautification committee,” Carson answered. He cut a piece of steak and placed it inside his mouth.
“What is that exactly? The beautification committee?” Mariah asked with a puzzled expression on her face.
“My group helps with church repairs, cleaning up the inside and outside of the church. We mow the lawn in the summer, and shovel in the winter. We paint and do whatever is necessary to keep the Lord’s house in order.”
“That’s cool,” Mariah replied enthusiastically. “It’s kind of like one of those behind-the-scenes ministries.”
“Exactly. Most people want to sing in the choir, whether they can carry a note or not, or be seen walking down the aisle. My family has served on the usher board, and I didn’t want to break tradition. Truthfully, I’m more a low-key person, so that committee was another way for me to serve the Father.”
“You continue to surprise me. I haven’t met many men who admit to going to church. Or if they do”—she crinkled her nose—“it’s not for the right reasons. Most of the time they want to hook up with a sista.”
“Oh, I told you”—Carson put down his knife and fork—“to stick with me. There are more surprises in store for you. I should also tell you that Mr. Ellison also attended my church.”
Mariah dropped her fork. It clattered as it fell on her plate. Her smile turned to a frown. “Is that right?” She was clearly flustered; her hand fluttered to her throat. Mariah swallowed and deftly changed the subject. “Speaking of church and trying to do all things pleasing in His sight, this might be a good time to mention that I am practicing celibacy,” Mariah told Carson after sipping water.
Carson nearly choked on the water he just swallowed. “Is that so? How long h
ave you have you been celibate? And, yes, this is a good time to mention that.”
“Truthfully”—Mariah dipped her head—“a little over a year. I had a bad experience with the last guy I dated. It became a physical relationship and I was looking for more. So after I manage to shed him like a bad haircut, I decided to treat my body like the temple it is.”
“Okay,” Carson quipped. “I can’t say I’ve met many women who practice that theory.”
“I’m sure there are some of us out there. So if you can’t hang, Mr. Palmer, then we will need to keep this relationship on a friendship basis.”
“I’ve never been one to shy away from challenges and keeping my body in check will definitely be a challenge.”
“Just so you don’t view me as a challenge and try to change my mind,” Mariah declared ardently. “Like the old song my granny sings, ‘I Shall Not Be Moved.’ That is my position and I am sticking to it.” She thumped on the top of the table for emphasis.
Carson held up his hands. “Gotcha. Just don’t get an attitude if I slip up accidently. You know a man likes to show affection for the woman he is interested in.”
“There are ways to show affection other than sexually. You seem to be smart, I’m sure you can think of some of them,” Mariah teased him.
“You’re right, but I’m still a man. Seriously, I respect your position, and I’ll try, no, do my best, not to defile that lovely temple.”
“Deal?” Mariah held out her hand to shake Carson’s. She sighed and thought, that hurdle is over. Thank you, Lord.
Instead, he took her hand in his and kissed it. “Deal.” He smiled wickedly.
They continued to enjoy the meal, the ambiance, and getting to know each other. Mariah hadn’t enjoyed herself with a man in a long time.
“So, my father attended your church. What type of member was he? Did he tithe? I suspect he did. Did he attend church most Sundays? What was his ministry?” The questions flew from Mariah’s mouth.
“Whoa.” Carson held up his hand. “Let’s see, the answers are as follows: He was a faithful member. He rarely missed church. And, yes, he did tithe. He also donated money and his time equally as needed. Officially he was a member of the finance committee. But truthfully, he served wherever there was a need to be filled. My minister, Reverend Cambridge, was very fond of Mr. and Mrs. Ellison.”
“Somehow, I’m not surprised. I figured he was a big shot in church. I saw the many awards from the church as well as business-related ones,” Mariah commented.
“That’s true, he was especially proud of the ones from the church. Reverend Cambridge believes in giving credit where credit is due. There were times he planned to borrow from Mr. Ellison, and Mr. Ellison would tell him that the monies were gifts. Mr. Ellison was a charter member of the church.”
“Hmm, that’s interesting. My father sounds like a saint, if we don’t include how he wasn’t a part of my life,” Mariah stated bitterly.
“Oh, no, I don’t want to give you that impression. He was a man with flaws like most humans. He did a lot of good with his money. Mr. Ellison admitted to me that there were parts of his life he wasn’t very proud of,” Carson told Mariah.
“It sounds like you knew him quite well,” Mariah commented as her eyes probed Carson’s.
The couple’s heads turned toward the entrance of the dining room when they heard a female voice yell, “Carson, is that you?”
Their eyes turned toward the sound. A woman walked hurriedly to the table.
“Hey, Tiffany. What are you doing here?” he said to the pretty, young woman as he rose from his seat. She turned her head and he kissed her cheek.
“I might ask you the same.” She looked point blank at Mariah.
“This is my friend Mariah. Mariah, this is my youngest sister, Tiffany,” he introduced the women.
“Hello, Tiffany.” Mariah offered her hand.
The women checked each other out as they shook hands.
“Nice to meet you. Do you live in Hammond? I don’t remember seeing you around,” Tiffany observed. She slid into the booth next to her brother.
“No, you wouldn’t,” Mariah explained. “I literally just moved to Hammond.”
Tiffany glanced back at the waiting area. One of her friends waved her hand, indicating their table was available. She turned back to Carson. “I’m having dinner with some of my friends. It looks like our seats are ready. I’ll talk you later, big brother,” she told Carson. She looked at Mariah with her head tilted. “It was nice meeting you, Mariah.”
“Same here,” Mariah answered. She and Carson watched Tiffany walk back to her friends.
Tiffany’s gaze wandered back to Carson and Mariah as she talked to her friends.
“Your sister seems nice,” Mariah said. She watched Carson watching his sister.
“I wouldn’t say all of that.” Carson shook his head. “If anything she’s a pest. But, I love her. Now, where were we? Tell me about this transitional house you plan to open.” He gave Mariah his undivided attention.
A twinkle sparkled in Mariah’s eyes. “Growing up in the projects gave me a lot of insight into people, the good, bad, and ugly. There seems to a growing epidemic of mothers inside prisons. A good many of them don’t have the people skills to reenter society. They need help trying to enter the work world. I’d like to provide short-term housing, with counseling sessions and parenting classes, to get them ready to reenter society.” Mariah had a fervent expression on her face as she explained her plans.
“That’s a tall order,” Carson noted after he took a sip of water. “Somehow I have the feeling you’ll accomplish that and more. What made you decide on prison mothers? Surely there are other social programs you could have pursued?”
“I guess not having a real mother”—she made quote marks with her fingers—“has just made me sensitive to the needs of female children. My mother has always been an embarrassment to me. I remember as a child, if I saw her in the Garden, I’d go out of my way to avoid her. I want to help girls who find themselves in similar circumstances.”
“What have you done so far?” Carson asked after he chewed the last bit of steak. He leaned back and placed his arm across the top of the booth.
“I’ve applied for licensing and grants,” Mariah answered with a smile, warming to her favorite subject. “I think it will be a win-win situation for Hammond and prospective clients. The project will create jobs in this tough economy. If all goes well, we should be up and operational in a year to eighteen months. One of my church members is a grant writer and she wrote an awesome proposal. So I have a lot on my plate right now. I am also hiring a construction company to work on renovating my father’s house if I get approval. That’s where I plan to house the facility. I know you mentioned you own a construction company. I’d like to work with someone local, so if you’re interested in submitting a bid, I can give you an application.”
“Wow! You plan to take Hammond by storm,” Carson said admiringly. “I think what you’re doing is great. Of course I’d like to submit a proposal. What is your vision?”
Mariah leaned forward in her seat and gave him an overview of the house renovation.
As Mariah continued talking, her happiness and dedication to the project became contagious. Carson was receptive to her plans and reacted enthusiastically.
Before long the waitress returned and removed their dishes from the table. “Can I get you anything else? How about dessert?”
“No, I’m stuffed, but I would love a cup of espresso,” Mariah answered as she patted her tummy.
“I’d like a cup of decaf,” Carson replied. “Are you sure you don’t want anything else?”
“I’m positive. I can’t eat another bite.” Mariah shook her head
“I know dinner is your treat, but I’d love to pick up the check. This evening has been special. I feel comfortable with you, like we’ve known each other forever.”
“Same here.” Mariah smiled. “You can’t pick up the tab,
at least not this time. It’s my repayment for helping me out the other night.”
“I appreciate it. You know I would have helped you whether I had dinner with you or not. I have enjoyed myself tonight. You are deep, Mariah, and compassionate. I find that a great combination in a woman.” He nodded approvingly. Then he smiled so brightly that Mariah’s knees felt weak.
“Thank you, Carson. I’ve enjoyed myself as well.” She stood up. “I have to go to the ladies’ room. I’ll be right back.”
Carson stood up and watched her retreating figure. A smile played across his face. He was pleased with the way the evening had progressed.
A few minutes later, Mariah returned to the table. “I took care of the bill when I left the ladies’ room. I need to get going. I have a million things to do tomorrow, and need to do some prep work.”
Carson exited the booth. “I’m sorry the evening has to come to end. Maybe we can do this again? My treat?”
Mariah knew Raquel would tell her to play coy, and how that would keep a man coming back for more. But Mariah had no interest in indulging in games. She liked Carson, enjoyed his company, and wanted to see more of him. “I think I would like that,” she said simply.
“I’d like to call you during the week. Is that okay? And we’ll take it from there. I don’t want to rush things. I want us to spend time to get to know each other.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Mariah said demurely. Her lips curved into a brilliant smile.
The couple departed and within twenty minutes, Carson had pulled inside Mariah’s driveway.
“While you’re here, why don’t you come in and I can give you an application,” Mariah suggested.
Blessings From the Father Page 11