Chapter 28
As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
(2 Corinthians 6:10)
“George, how are you?” Thomas asked.
“Great, and you?”
“I’m happy and excited. I just wanted to call you and say, about last night—”
“Thomas, look. I’m sorry about that—”
“Oh, don’t apologize. It was the best thing you could have done for me. Sometimes cutting a person loose, like you did me last night, can work out for all concerned.”
Pastor Landris was quiet a minute. He could sense that something didn’t feel right. “Well, I’m glad you see it this way.”
“Also, my brother, I wanted you to be the first to know—I’ve gotten a job. Full-time, with great pay, and a great benefit package. In fact, they were so excited about getting me, they wrote me a check today—in advance, mind you—for $2500.”
“Wow, that’s great, Thomas. I’m really happy for you. I really am. Things seem to be working out for you, after all. So what company did you hire on with?”
“It’s not really a company, per se, although you could say I’m technically still working in the family business. I accepted an executive position over at Divine Conquerors Church with Reverend Marshall Walker.”
“Really,” Pastor Landris said. He didn’t know how he was supposed to feel about this news.
“Yes, really. And since this is a full-time position, I will no longer be able to help out with your church. In fact, I’m also required to become a member. They don’t believe in filling their jobs with outside people. So, I start working officially tomorrow, and this coming Sunday, I’ll join their church and begin a 15-week New Member’s class. Can you believe they’ll be paying me to attend that class? I’m getting paid for what some people volunteer to do.”
Pastor Landris was stunned into silence. He tried to think of something to say, but he was not prepared for any of this.
“George, I know this is a shock to you, and I’m sorry that it’s taking you a few minutes to process it. I do want to thank you for everything—and I do mean absolutely everything. You’re a great brother, and I’m honored to have been able to serve under your leadership. In fact, much of what you’ve taught me over the past few years is probably what helped me land this awesome job in the first place. With that said, I love you, I thank you, and I ask the blessings of the Lord for your life and your continued ministry.”
“Thank you, Thomas. But are you sure about this? I mean, there’s something not setting right.”
“Of course you’re not feeling too good about it. I’m leaving you, and I’m sure you’re concerned about how this might look to other people. But don’t you be concerned about other folk and what they might think. You and I know we’re still cool. There’s no rift between us. We’re brothers, we always will be, and we still love each other. You also know if you need me, I’ll be there for you.”
“Yeah, Thomas. I know.”
“Well, I’m going to get off the phone now. I have some more calls to make. I have to let Sapphire know what’s going on. And George, in case you’re wondering—I won’t try to take members from your church along with me. If Sapphire chooses to go, you know it’s only because she and I have this special relationship.”
“Sure.”
“I’ll talk with you later,” Thomas said. “And George, thanks again. For everything, and I mean that from my heart.”
Pastor Landris hung up the phone. Johnnie Mae walked in and looked at him.
“Okay, what’s wrong now?”
“Thomas accepted a job with this preacher, Divine Conquerors, and he’s planning to join the church this Sunday.” Pastor Landris sat down.
“You mean Reverend Walker’s church? Oh, Landris, I’m so sorry. Please don’t let this get to you.” She came over and took his hand.
“It’s not about me,” Pastor Landris said. “I just hope he knows what he’s doing.”
“This is Thomas we’re talking about,” Johnnie Mae said. “Thomas.”
Pastor Landris looked at her. “We’d better start praying and covering him with the blood of Jesus right now.”
“I’m already way ahead of you,” Johnnie Mae said.
Chapter 29
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
(Proverbs 15:17)
Johnnie Mae was taking care of more of her own housework since she told Ms. Bertha she’d much prefer she work those three additional days at her mother’s instead of coming to her house. There were enough bodies around already without Ms. Bertha being there, trying hard to get something done. With six additional people underfoot, it was becoming almost impossible to keep anywhere clean for long anyway.
Rachel was supposed to be making her crew pick up after themselves. They did sometimes. Johnnie Mae felt her mother’s house needed the help more now.
Her mother wanted to wash her own clothes and clean her own house, but things were going from bad to worse when she was left alone. Having her “sister-friend” Bertha around made it easier—Bertha was great at making her friend, Countess Gates, feel she was doing the work, when, in fact, she really wasn’t.
Johnnie Mae had been invited to speak on a panel along with other authors from around the country—she would only be gone for two days. With Rachel and Ms. Bertha there to watch their mother and Princess Rose, Johnnie Mae felt okay about leaving.
There was an author at the conference on another panel who attracted Johnnie Mae’s attention, a woman named Fern Reiss.
Fern was there to share some information from three of her latest books: The Publishing Game: Bestseller in 30 Days; The Publishing Game: Find an Agent in 30 Days; and The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days. She was also promoting a newsletter that Johnnie Mae would soon discover was becoming all the rage with a lot of people.
But what really captured Johnnie Mae’s attention was when Fern touched briefly on her battle with infertility. She’d published a book back in 1999 entitled The Infertility Diet: Get Pregnant and Prevent Miscarriage. Fern had spoken briefly about her book when Johnnie Mae visited a writing/publishing/promotion workshop in Denver, Colorado. Fern had just published this book and had candidly mentioned how the information it contained had changed her life. As proof, Fern had become, by then, the mother of two.
An honors graduate from Harvard University with a degree in government, Fern also studied cooking and nutrition at the Culinary Institute of America and the Kushi Institute for Macrobiotic Studies in Massachusetts. She now owned her own publishing company. Johnnie Mae walked over to her and pointed to The Infertility Diet: Get Pregnant and Prevent Miscarriage. “Excuse me—I don’t want to take up too much of your time, but this book…I’m really interested in it. I’ve been trying to get pregnant for almost eighteen months now. My doctor can’t find anything wrong with me or my husband—I hope something you’ve written in here will help,” she added, picking up a copy.
“My husband and I tried for years to get pregnant with no success. The doctors couldn’t find a reason for us, either. You know, there are foods a woman should eat before and during this crucial time, and there are foods she should totally avoid.”
“Like?”
“Like—you’re around what age now?” Fern asked.
“I’ll be forty-four, six months from now.”
“Okay, I would say to you—not knowing any of your specifics, of course—you should avoid eating pickled ginger at sushi bars. Ginger has been linked to miscarriage, and in China, it is used to abort.”
“I’d never heard of that. I’m not a sushi kind of person, though. But I’ve had ginger tea a few times, although I much prefer green tea,” Johnnie Mae said. She noticed others in the line who, rightfully so, were growing impatient.
Fern saw them as well and smiled to let them know she wouldn’t be much longer. “Yams are a food I would recom
mend.”
“You know, I’ve heard about yams from my mother. In fact, she said eating yams was the best way to produce a girl.”
Fern laughed. “I have girls.”
Johnnie Mae shook her hand, thanked her, and walked toward the exit.
Johnnie Mae started reading portions of the book she’d bought on infertility while on the plane home. She wasn’t sure how much of this she’d actually do, but there were interesting points about many different foods.
As soon as she saw Pastor Landris waiting for her near baggage claim, she could tell by the look on his face that something horrible had happened while she was gone.
“Landris, why are you looking so distraught? And where’s Princess Rose?” Pastor Landris was supposed to bring her with him.
“Four words: Rachel and her crew. We’re going to have to do something, and soon.” He took her suitcase from her. “We can talk about it after we get home. I know you’re exhausted from your trip—and Princess Rose was just too upset to come along.”
“Landris, except to see my baby, do I even want to go home?” Johnnie Mae asked.
He looked at her. “Not really. Just keep saying to yourself: they’re only things. Just things.”
Johnnie Mae stopped walking. “It’s that bad? Maybe you should tell me now instead of later.”
“Trust me on this, sweetheart. Even later will be too soon.”
Chapter 30
So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
(Job 5:16)
“Okay now, Landris. We’re almost home. I’ve had a long two days. I don’t want any surprises. Tell me—what happened?”
“For starters, the walls and the carpet,” Pastor Landris said as he drove and alternated his gaze between the road and Johnnie Mae.
“Go on.”
“There are huge holes in some of the walls, compliments of Justin. Katie decided she wanted to color and paint the little one, Chevon, with permanent magic markers and her paint kit she got for Christmas. Chevon was very pretty, though. At least, she matched the walls and the floors perfectly. And Chevon stuffed the toilet upstairs with all of her favorite toys…or, should I say, all of Princess Rose’s favorite toys, as she tried flushing them individually. She’d watched a television show and happened to see a character flushing toys down the commode as he sang the toy’s name and the words ‘down the hole.’ Chevon did the same and enjoyed seeing these toys circling downward, right before they disappeared ‘down the hole.’”
“Please, don’t tell me any more.”
“Oh, but you need to know the rest, since a few of the toys refused to go ‘down the hole.’ It flooded the upstairs—messed up the carpeting, some walls, and a few other things. Your sister was asleep at the time, but as she puts it, ‘Even had I not been, I wouldn’t have known how to shut the water valve off.’ So the ceilings in a few rooms are also in pretty bad condition now.”
When Johnnie Mae arrived home, it was even worse than Landris had described. With the exception of Chevon, who was almost marker-and paint-free. Almost.
“I don’t believe this,” Johnnie Mae said as she surveyed the damage.
“Johnnie, now don’t go getting all upset. I’ll have all of this fixed in no time,” Rachel said. “I know it looks bad right now, but we can plaster those holes right up. Buy some paint—you know you can match up existing shades really easy nowadays with the computers these home places have.”
Johnnie Mae just looked at her. “Plaster the holes? Have you seen those holes, Rachel? I mean, really—have you looked at them at all?”
“I’ve seen holes bigger than those before. Somebody who knows what he’s doing can have that looking good as new in no time.” Rachel turned toward Pastor Landris. “You should be pretty handy. I’m sure even you could fix something like that.”
“Rachel,” Johnnie Mae said, “those holes are big enough to throw a basketball through. What was Justin doing?”
“I’m not sure. As I’m confident your loving husband has already informed you, I happened to be resting my eyes at the time. I was having one of my headaches, and I decided to lie down for a few minutes, just a few. I suppose I must have dozed off. Princess Rose came running in the den like somebody was trying to kill her or something. That child really does need to be around other children more than just at kindergarten. The girl is five years old and practically scared of her own shadow. She’s hiding somewhere now.”
“She’s not scared of her own shadow. And she was doing just fine until your grandchildren came here and started terrorizing everybody,” Johnnie Mae said, looking at them as they wrapped themselves around Rachel’s legs.
“See, Johnnie? Now you’re scaring them. They’re terrified of you. They think you’re mean.”
“They’re not terrified of me. They know I’m not going to let them run over me like you do.”
“They don’t run over me. There are just ways to discipline children now other than hollering, fussing, and whipping on them,” Rachel said. She began peeling them from her legs and sitting them on the couch.
“I don’t advocate fussing and whipping, either. In fact, I can count on one hand the times Princess Rose has gotten a spanking from me,” Johnnie Mae said. Princess Rose ran in and gave her mother a bear hug.
“Mommy, Chevon flushed my stuffed animals down the toilet—even Mr. Ears. I told her to stop, and she just laughed at me and said, ‘Fluffy go down the hole.’ I tried to go tell Aunt Rachel, and that’s when Justin took the bowling ball and tried to throw a strike while I was walking down the hall. It crashed into the wall. He started laughing, and I told him I was going to tell on him. He took the bowling ball and starting swinging it and hitting the wall with it on purpose.”
“Princess Rose,” Rachel said sweetly. “What has Auntie Rachel told you about tattling so much?”
Johnnie Mae looked at Rachel almost crossed-eyed. She raised her hand and pointed it at Rachel. “Don’t you dare!” Johnnie Mae said. “Don’t you dare try to make my daughter feel bad about telling what shouldn’t have ever happened in the first place. Look at this house! You mean to tell me you slept through all of this commotion?”
“This is a really big house, Johnnie. Besides, I’m used to tuning out noises.” Rachel walked over to Johnnie Mae. “I told you I’ll pay for whatever damages were done.”
“With what, Rachel? Do you know how much it’s going to cost to get this house right?”
“Johnnie Mae, let’s go upstairs and get you unpacked,” Pastor Landris said. “I’ve taken your suitcase up to our room.” He grabbed her by the elbow and steered her as he held out his hand for Princess Rose, who reached up and placed her hand inside of his. “Come on,” Pastor Landris said to them both. “I know, it’s been a long day. We can deal with this later. It’s going to be all right. I promise.”
Johnnie Mae clenched her jaw and shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Johnnie.” Rachel hollered after her. “And I’m going to figure out a way to pay for this. I promise you—I’m going to make this right.”
“Keep walking, Johnnie Mae,” Pastor Landris said in a soft voice. “This is going to be fine. They’re just things, remember? Things. Only things.”
The floor made squishing sounds from the water in the carpet as they walked down the hall to their bedroom. Johnnie Mae stopped and just stared at him. “Things,” she said between clenched teeth. “Just…things.”
Chapter 31
Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
(Psalm 127:1)
“Johnnie Mae, let’s look at floor plans for our new house,” Pastor Landris said, attempting to direct her thoughts away from all the damages that had occurred earlier at the house. “I’ll go put Princess Rose in her own bed.”
Johnnie Mae was sitting in bed; Princess Rose was sound asleep next to her.
“I don’t know if I really want to look at any house
plans tonight, Landris.”
“Why not? You’ve put this off for the past two weeks as it is. The builders are going to need these if they’re to build the house of our dreams.”
Johnnie Mae wiped her eyes again. She had been crying since she came upstairs. She could hear Rachel downstairs, cleaning up. She knew Rachel was feeling bad about what had happened, but it was still hard for her to get over it.
“Why is it that people don’t seem to care as much about other folks’ things as they do about their own? Rachel would never have allowed those kids to tear up her house like she let them tear up ours today,” Johnnie Mae said. “I’m sure she probably is tired. It’s hard raising children—little ones, big ones, and especially the grown ones. Her teenagers are over in the guest house acting like they think they’re full-fledged adults.”
“I know. But I don’t think we’ll be having any more problems out of them in that area. Not after I showed them the security cameras that identify every person entering and exiting our property,” Pastor Landris said.
“And when you told them you’d be turning over the tape to the police if you found any more unauthorized people on our property—that stopped all the traffic in a hurry.” Johnnie Mae dabbed her eyes and smiled. She touched one of Princess Rose’s pigtails. “Chevon flushed Mr. Ears down the toilet, and now he’s gone. Her father gave her that mini bunny on her very first Easter. Look at her…sleeping so peacefully.”
Every night, Princess Rose had made sure Mr. Ears was in the bed next to her and her favorite doll, whichever doll that happened to be at the time. Johnnie Mae would hand-wash him often, trying to keep him clean. Wherever Princess Rose went, Mr. Ears was usually in tow. People had tried giving her a new bunny to replace it, but no matter how large or beautiful the new one was, Princess Rose would say, “Thank you, but I don’t need another bunny besides Mr. Ears. He’s family. My daddy gave him to me.” She would then hug him that much tighter.
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