Forever Blessed (Women of Prayer)

by Shortridge, Darlene

  “Sure, you need any moral support? You might need a big pregnant woman on your side in case things get really ugly.”

  “Get out of here and go bug your husband.” She walked away and smacked the hood as she was leaving.

  Laney entered the kitchen and poured herself a glass of tea. She noticed her mother had already poured herself and her father one. “I see you found the glasses okay.” She joined them at the table.

  “Well? What’s wrong?”

  “Well, honey, what makes you think something is wrong?”

  “Mom, if dad is here, something is wrong. I know he doesn’t approve of what I’m doing.”

  She looked to her father. “Well, dad. What is it?”

  Laney had never seen her father looking so defeated. Was it his health? Was he dying?

  Dave cleared his throat, not exactly sure how to start. He whispered a silent prayer and said the first thing that came to his mind. “I’m sorry.”

  Laney had thought she heard him say, “I’m sorry,” but that couldn’t be the case. She’d never heard her father say those two words before.

  “Excuse me? I don’t think I heard you correctly.”

  “You heard me Laney, I said I’m sorry.”

  “For what?” She hadn’t meant to be so blunt but she couldn’t for the life of her think of what he would be sorry for. Was that a tear on her father’s cheek?

  “For everything. For how I treated you and your mother, especially your mother.”

  He looked at her mother in a way that even made Laney jealous. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen him look at his wife that way. She had to know what was going on.

  “Dad, what are you talking about? You’re scaring me.”

  “I’m sorry, Laney, I just don’t know where to start. So, let me collect my thoughts for a second.” He cleared his throat, yet again and began to speak. “Your mother and I have been married forty years. I don’t know if you realize that. You were a miracle. Our miracle baby. When I first held you in my arms, I cried. I was so thankful.”

  She was silent, listening to a man who barely used three or four words at a time and instead used his hands to express his wishes.

  “Like I was saying, I was so happy. I don’t know what happened. I have no excuses. I won’t try and blame my parents or how I was raised. Simply put, I should have known better. I called myself a Christian yet I knew nothing about the love of Christ. I could quote scripture, but I had no idea what the words really meant.”

  He took a sip of tea and looked at his daughter whose face he could not read. “You, Laney, have changed all that.”

  “Me? I didn’t change anything. I haven’t even seen you in months.”

  “I know. But, you have encouraged your mother without even knowing it. You have opened the Word to her and created a stirring in her heart that prompted her to seek out what God is looking for in his people. How he looks at hearts and not works. She in turn prayed for me and encouraged me. When the Holy Spirit opened up the scriptures to me, not just man's explanation, but God’s purpose, I was humbled and broken.”

  He was crying. Her father was actually crying. She had never seen him cry.

  He spoke through his tears, not bothering to wipe them away. “The Holy Spirit showed me how much I failed you and your mother. I was supposed to be your protector and instead, I was the one you feared the most. You were supposed to be safe under my roof and you weren’t. I did you wrong, and I am so sorry.” Laney’s mom handed him a tissue. “I don’t expect you to forgive me. I don’t think I would if I were you. But, I just had to say I was sorry in person. From the day I held you in my arms, I have never stopped loving you. I’m so sorry I didn’t show it better.”

  He stood up and walked outside, not giving her time to respond.

  She stared at her mother partly because she didn’t know what to say and partly to see if she too had heard what her father had just said.

  Her mother slowly nodded her head yes; she did hear her father correctly. He was sincerely repentant for his actions.

  Her mother started to rise to follow her husband. She was still dedicated to the man, no matter what. “Sweetheart, he truly doesn’t expect your forgiveness. He knows he doesn’t deserve it. He still wanted you to know how much he loves you and is sorry for how he has hurt you.” She hugged her daughter. “Please pray about this. I know your relationship with the Lord has grown. If God directs you to talk with your dad, will you?”

  Laney nodded her head, not sure how to respond. She had to absorb it all before she would even consider reacting. Parts of her were angry. Why couldn’t he have seen this sooner? Parts of her were thankful; glad her mother was happier and safer. Laney still had a world of hurts to work through. She hugged her mom. “I’ll pray mom, I promise.” She held on. “I love you.”

  Her mom squeezed back. “I love you too.” Then she left.

  The whole visit lasted maybe an hour. When the kids came running in the house a few minutes later, Laney didn’t even notice the wet mess they were making as they ran through the house. Her thoughts were elsewhere.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  The kids had been back in school for a full month and life seemed pretty peaceful. Laney hoped it would stay that way. Work was going well. She was back to full-time hours. Melanie started preschool. Laney wasn’t sure she was ready for that, but Melanie seemed to thrive on the interaction with the kids in her class. The thought of her baby being in school made her eyes tear up.

  She had managed to save up some money and was thinking about buying a house. Something a little bigger would be nice for a family with three kids. Not having a garage was an inconvenience. Having a permanent home where she could put down roots and know she was here to stay, that was worth going in debt for. She longed for permanence.

  First she had to get through the pregnant woman’s shower. She chuckled. That woman was waddling. There was no mistake; she had turned into a duck.

  Laney looked around her living room. Everything was ready. The cake and the food were prepared. Ella had helped tremendously. Sheila offered to have the shower at the teashop but Laney said no way. She wasn’t letting her host her own shower. Her living room would be jam packed, but they would manage. At least the heat of summer was past and the windows were letting a cool breeze pass through the house.

  Ella knocked on the screen door. “It’s me. I’m cleaned up and ready to help set up.” She looked around the house. “Looks like you have everything under control.”

  “I sure hope so. Sheila should be here in a few minutes. Want to sit down and have some tea?” They were back to hot tea, both Laney and Ella’s favorite.

  “Of course.” They both were sitting at the table when they heard a voice call out. “A little help here.”

  Laney jumped up to find Sheila trying to climb her back door steps. “Go around to the front. You’ll never make those things.”

  Sheila started crying. “I’m tired of being pregnant. I want to be normal.”

  “Being pregnant is normal, just not a continuous normal.”

  “Oh Lord, I wouldn’t make it. I don’t ever want to be pregnant again.”

  Laney smiled. “You might change your mind after she arrives.”

  “I don’t think so. One kid is enough for me. No more.” She looked at Laney with her most serious face. “I already told Austin, there’d be no more. If he even tries to touch me, he’s had it.”

  Laney busted out laughing and Sheila started crying all over again. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up before your guests arrive. You don’t have to have any more if you don’t want to.” They walked past Ella and Laney rolled her eyes. Ella grinned.

  Sheila washed her face and was instructed to put on a happy face, and then they both joined Ella at the table. Laney looked at her watch. “We have fifteen more minutes, girls, before the masses arrive. Is there anything else you can think of that I need to do?”

  Everyone looked around. The gift table was set
up with a stack of gifts already in place. The punch was made and the quiche was cooling. The fruit was cut up and the French toast casserole was almost ready to come out of the oven. Sheila decided she wanted breakfast food for her shower so that was what Sheila was getting. Ella had baked two of the quiche in her oven and Laney had made the other two. There was taco quiche, ham and Swiss, bacon mushroom, and asparagus with Gruyere. There would be no shortage of food, even with a hungry pregnant woman.

  Austin’s mom came from Illinois and brought a carload of gifts. From the looks of things, their first granddaughter was going to be spoiled.

  She bought dresses from Gymboree and the Gap as well as a few upper end stores Laney had never heard of. The boxes were too numerous to count. Lunch was perfect and several ladies asked for the recipes. Ella was accommodating. After lunch Laney’s hand got tired from writing down all the gifts the woman received. “It’s a good thing you bought that four bedroom house. You’re going to need the room.”

  When no one guessed by a long shot the length of string it took to wrap around Sheila’s belly, Sheila started crying. Most of the ladies had been there and felt for her so she received more than a couple of reassuring hugs.

  Austin brought Matt home and loaded up the loot in his truck. “It’s a good thing I brought this or we’d be making two trips.

  He helped his very pregnant wife out the door and into the truck. He kissed her cheek. “Only a few more weeks. Then you never have to be pregnant again.”

  “You promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Matt dug into the leftovers then asked if he could go out and play. Joy helped Laney clean up before she disappeared down the hallway into her own room. Laney could hear her singing along with a popular song on her iPod. Laney smiled. The girl couldn’t sing at all. Melanie was napping, tired from attempting to steal Sheila’s gifts from her during the shower.

  Laney was alone in the kitchen finishing up a few things when she heard a creak in the living room. She figured it was Matt and quickly dismissed it.

  She sighed; relieved the shower was over and dried her hands on the dishtowel. She was ready to relax. She walked into the living room and stopped abruptly. She took a quick breath and made a quick dash for her bedroom and the gun. Paul stopped her before she reached the middle of the living room. “Going somewhere?”

  She tried to act braver than she felt. “What are you doing here?”

  He pulled her to the couch and sat her down. “Why, I’m here to see my wife. You are still my wife, are you not?”

  She stayed still, praying for her children to stay where they were. Maybe placating him would work. “Of course, Paul, I’m still your wife.”

  He bent down and grabbed a fistful of her hair. “Don’t toy with me you stupid woman.” He pushed her back and continued talking. “Do you know what your disobedience has cost me? Everything!”

  Laney watched the hallway. For the first time ever she was thankful he had bought Joy that iPod. She wasn’t hearing this and she wasn’t going to have to witness it. Maybe he would hit her and then leave like he used to. She wasn’t so sure that was to be the case this time.

  He smacked her across the face. “Look at me when I am talking to you.”

  She kept her eyes focused on him. He continued to rant. “You have stolen my family. You have ruined my career. You have the cops looking for me. I can’t show my face in public again because of you.” He was yelling at her.

  She looked to see if she had left any of the windows open. Not a one. She felt herself being pulled off the couch. He slapped her across her other cheek. “I told you to look at me when I am speaking to you. Now you’ll have to stand when I talk to you.” Paul continued on.

  Laney tried to remember what her instructor in the self-defense class had taught her. She was too scared to try anything. If she had to endure Paul to keep her kids safe, she would.

  She realized her mistake a second too late.

  “Answer me.”

  She had no idea what he asked. She hadn’t been listening to him. He hit her upside the head this time with his fist and she fell to the floor, sideways. He kicked her. “I told you to stand up.” He dragged her to her feet.

  Her cheek was sliced open from his ring where he punched her. She could already feel her eye swelling shut. She tried to focus.

  Matt wouldn’t be home for hours if she didn’t call him in. Melanie could sleep through anything. Joy was her only worry. As long as she had those headphones in, she couldn’t hear a thing. Please God, keep her headphones in.

  Laney’s ears were ringing. He hit her again on the other side of the face. She fell the other way. She tried to run out the door. He dragged her back and threw her over the couch. She screamed and he held his hand over her mouth. She bit him. He punched her full in the face then forced a hard crushing kiss on her mouth. He was trying to force himself on her right there in the living room.

  She silently pleaded. Oh God, please no. She tried with all her might and raised her knee as hard as she could and struck him between his legs. She didn’t have much strength left, but it was enough to make him stumble long enough for her to start crawling away. He dragged her by the leg then pulled her up by the hair. “I wouldn’t want you anyway. You never were any good in bed. I had to go elsewhere for that.” He threw her against Joy’s bedroom wall. “You put up a better fight than your weakling son did. He sat in that room doing his math problems and reading his book. I bet he isn’t even my son. No son of mine would act like that little wimp.”

  “So you took him?”

  “Did I say you could speak?” He hit her again. "Yeah, I took him. It was me, everything was me. Did your old lady friend get her window fixed? I see they painted the church to cover up Satan’s symbols. I was especially proud of that one. I see your friends are building their little shelter again. How should I burn it down this time? Maybe I’ll do that after I kill you.”

  Again, she tried to crawl away from where her daughter's attention would be drawn.

  “You know what I enjoyed the most? Watching you look over your shoulder, trying to figure out who was watching you. It was me. It was me all along.” He kicked her and was about to kick her again when she heard a shot.

  Laney looked to Paul who seemed stunned. He stood still for a moment then fell over. Standing in the hallway directly behind Paul was her daughter, holding the .22 that Austin had given Laney for protection. Laney heard shouts coming from outside just as she passed out.

  * * * *

  Sheila heard the shot as she was getting out of the van. “Austin, go, quick.” She had forgotten her purse and was halfway home when they turned around to retrieve it.

  Austin ran in the door and saw Laney lying in a pool of her own blood. He yelled to Sheila who was still trying to get in the front door. “Call an ambulance, now.”

  Paul was lying near Laney, also in a pool of blood. When Sheila entered the house, Austin was carefully taking the gun out of Joy’s hands. Joy’s face showed no emotion. Austin was trying to talk with her. “Austin, she’s in shock.” Sheila gently led her by the hand to the couch and sat her down. Austin was checking Laney and Paul’s pulses. “They’re alive.” He turned to his wife who was staring at him, horrified.

  He quickly called 911 again. "You better send three ambulances. We’re going to need them. We have two down, one of which is shot and we have a woman in labor."

  Laney and Sheila were wheeled out on stretchers. The paramedics called in a fourth ambulance when they saw Joy, still sitting on the couch in shock. Paul was wheeled out next and Austin rode with Joy, making sure she was safe.

  * * * *

  Ella had arrived as the first ambulance did and was holding onto Melanie, who was crying for her mother. Matt entered the house, wondering what was going on, and immediately started blaming himself for not being there to protect his mother. Ella held him with her other arm as he cried. She took both children to her house. They didn’t need to stay there look
ing at the blood that was drying on the floor. They had too many bad memories to deal with as it was. They didn’t need the drying blood as one more.

  * * * *

  Austin didn’t know which way to turn. He had a twelve-year-old girl who was in shock and obviously needed someone with her. He had a woman who was beaten to within an inch of her life and he had his wife who was bringing his daughter into this world. He could care less about the guy who was shot.

  He called Jessi. He needed help.

  Pastor Mark, Jessi and Aunt Merry arrived at the hospital fifteen minutes later. “Where do you need us?”

  “Can one of you sit with Joy? I have to go to my wife. Laney is in an examining room. I have no idea what is going on with her. She looked bad. Joy shot Paul in the back with a .22. I have no idea, nor do I care, how he is.”

  Pastor Mark spoke up. “I’ll take Paul.” He shot a knowing glance to Jessi, then took off in search of more information.

  Aunt Merry sat with Joy and Jessi went to find out about Laney. That freed up Austin to go find his wife. He took off at a run for the elevator.

  Austin reached the maternity ward in record time. He approached the first nurse he found. “My wife was brought in by ambulance. She’s in labor. Her name is Sheila Stewart.”

  The nurse helped him find his way then let him enter the room on his own. She smiled and wished him luck.

  At first he was afraid to speak, thinking she was sleeping. Then she turned and looked at him. “I was afraid you would miss it.”

  “Not on your life.” He took her hand and kissed it. “You are the most important person in the world to me.”

  “Austin, Joy needs you more than I do right now. She’s just a child.”

  “Aunt Merry is with her.”

  “Laney could be in serious trouble. Shouldn’t you check on her?”

  “Jessi is with her, she’ll keep us updated.”