Blessed Trinity

by Vanessa Davis Griggs

  “You mean Sapphire?”

  “Yes, Sapphire. If you need anything, you let her know. She’s here to make sure you all have a wonderful time.”

  “Are you the hostess or something?” a woman with freckles asked.

  “Me? Oh no. I’m one of the people who helped put all of this together for you guys. I’ve worked closely with Sister Landris on this whole thing, starting with the workbooks.”

  “Those workbooks were wonderful. People have been trying to get mine and make a copy of it. I told them I thought it was copyrighted, and they would be breaking the law if they copied it.”

  “You told them right,” Faith said. “I believe Sister Landris is working with a publisher to have it available shortly for all married Christians.”

  “It’s certainly going to bless a lot of people. I know me and my husband have gone to a whole new level in love because of it and that marriage seminar.”

  “Well, ladies,” Faith spun around with flair, “I have to run. Busy, busy, busy.” She smiled as she practically glided away.

  Pastor Landris was sitting alone near the table where all the VIPs would soon assemble. Faith walked over to him.

  “Pastor Landris.”

  “Faith,” Pastor Landris said. “See, I got it right that time.”

  “Yes, I’m proud of you.”

  “This place looks beautiful. All of you did a fantastic job. Johnnie Mae hasn’t stopped talking about the work that you, Hope, and especially Angel and Sapphire, along with others on the committee, have done over these past few months.”

  “It’s been a labor of love, I assure you.” She looked around the room to see if anyone was approaching them. Satisfied that they could pretty much talk freely without eavesdroppers or interruptions, she sighed loudly.

  “Something the matter?”

  “No. Well, maybe something. I was thinking about all the problems you and Johnnie Mae have had to deal with these past few months. And now it looks like things are getting better. Last week’s anniversary celebration was special, and I hear the two of you have moved into your brand-new house.”

  “Yes. It’s really nice.”

  “And now the new church is close to being finished. The first Sunday in December we’ll be in there getting our praise on like nobody’s business,” Faith said, smiling.

  “Absolutely. It won’t be long now.”

  “Listen, Pastor Landris. I wouldn’t bring this up, except I really would like to do something to help out. I know your brother has been having some difficult times.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “I’ve just been hearing things. At first it was just here around our church, but now people are mentioning things in other churches. You know, the fact that there must be something wrong going on at Followers of Jesus Faith Worship Center.”

  “Oh, you mean the one about ‘If your own family isn’t participating, they must know something other people don’t’?” Pastor Landris said. “I’ve heard. I can’t do anything about what other people say, but you can certainly help, though.”

  “How so?”

  “By not spreading it any more than has already been done. Every time you tell someone, it’s like you’re part of the problem. Think about it: if people wouldn’t keep passing that along to someone else, it would eventually die. Instead, we give things life with that one little busy-body member we call the tongue. That little weapon alone has destroyed too many lives, families, friendships, businesses, and church congregations.”

  “You’re right,” Faith said. “I’ve only brought it up to you, though. As a rule, I don’t talk to many people. I’m a great listener, so sometimes I hear things. Like I know you and Johnnie Mae have been trying to have a child. I don’t know quite how to say this, but I would be honored to carry your child for you, if you’d like.”

  Pastor Landris looked at her and frowned. “Excuse me?”

  Faith saw the look on his face, but she was determined to get this out there. She had no idea when the opportunity might present itself ever again. She would plant the seed, and see where it led later down the road.

  “I don’t mean any disrespect,” Faith said. “You know I love your wife like a sister, and I respect her position as your wife. The reason I want to propose this to you is because if you think it’s a bad idea or that it will hurt you or her in any way, I know you will set me straight.”

  “I don’t like the road this is going down. Maybe I’m missing something here, or maybe you should stop now before you end up really saying the wrong thing,” Pastor Landris said.

  “Oh, I think you have this all wrong,” Faith said, laughing. “I’m not proposing anything illicit. I was suggesting that if you guys are in need of an egg donor…or a surrogate, I would love to do something like that for you…for both of you, really. I would be honored to carry your baby for you.”

  “Where did you get the idea that we’re looking for an egg donor or a surrogate?”

  “I overheard Johnnie Mae on the phone when she and I were working at the church office. She seems truly devastated that she can’t give you a child. I’m young, healthy, and willing to carry your baby if it would bring the two of you the child I know—in your hearts—you desperately desire.”

  Pastor Landris stood up. “This is not the place for me to say what I’m really thinking. I think you’re totally out of line to bring this up to me here without my wife being present. If you were really concerned about her, you would have mentioned this to her, and not me.” He clenched his jaw even tighter.

  “Pastor Landris, I believe you’re getting upset unnecessarily. I haven’t proposed that you and I sleep together or have an affair to produce your heir. I was merely thinking of what I might be able to do to give you two the baby you know you both want. Johnnie Mae knows how badly you want your own baby, and truthfully, it’s eating her up inside. Don’t you see that?”

  Pastor Landris walked back toward her so he could speak without anyone overhearing. “You don’t know my wife at all! And you surely don’t know me.” He rubbed the bottom of his chin. “Not that it’s any of your business, but if my wife and I never have a child together, being with her is all I need in my life. I love her. I hope you understand that, Miss Morrell.”

  Faith cocked her head to the side. “I understand. I apologize. Trust me, I won’t make a mistake like this one again.” Faith stormed off.

  “Faith, ” Johnnie Mae said as she passed her on her way to see Pastor Landris. When she finally reached him, she said, “What’s with Faith? I saw you two talking just now—looked like it was pretty intense.”

  He smiled. “Later. I’ll tell you about this one later.” He let out a long, slow sigh.

  “Well, I have some great news,” Johnnie Mae said, clapping her hands together.

  “Do tell.”

  “We have hired a new sitter for my mother. Rachel, Marie, Donald, and I all agreed—in fact, they called just as I was on my way down here to get all these decorations up for tonight. I didn’t know what I was going to do when Ms. Bertha said she couldn’t do this anymore. I was about to post something on the bulletin board, when I got a call from, of all people, Faith and Hope’s sister, Charity.”

  “Faith’s sister?”

  “Yes. Remember I told you about her last week after our anniversary banquet? I was going to talk with Hope about trying to get her sister to come visit our church. Well, it seems Charity found out I was looking for a sitter for Mama, and she called me. I had her fax her resume and some references, then called her back and had her come meet with me and the others yesterday. We were able to see how she interacts with Mama. We asked tons of questions, and she’s perfect! I mean, she is so sweet, and so caring. Princess Rose even likes her, and you know children can usually see right through people. We offered her the job this morning, and she called back and graciously accepted.”

  “Are you sure about this? Do you know anything about her? Do you know whether or not she has a criminal record?”
/>
  “Landris, come on. Don’t bring ants to our picnic. You’re going to ask me to marry you again during the ceremony. If you start acting like this now, I might not say yes.”

  “Oh, please. Not that. Not the ‘if-you-asked-me-to-marry-you-now-I-would-turn-you-down’ threat.”

  Johnnie Mae threw her head back as she laughed.

  “J. M., have I told you I loved you lately?” Pastor Landris said as he moved in closer.

  She looked at her watch. “Not in the last five hours.” She smiled. “Wow, that must have been a really good one,” Johnnie Mae said. “Oh, yeah.”

  “What?”

  “Whatever it was you and Faith were discussing.” She grabbed his arm and escorted him to the VIP table. “Just let it go, Landris. Whatever it is or was, it’s not worth ruining our evening over. We’ll thoroughly check to be sure Charity doesn’t have a criminal record. She gave us several references we’ve already verified. The people at the nursing homes she visits love her. The staff told us they were jealous that our mother would have such loving, excellent personal care. Charity is Hope’s sister, and honestly, she’s even sweeter than Hope. And I didn’t think that was possible.

  “We’re in our new house, the church is almost ready. There’s only one thing that hasn’t happened, but we’re not going to dwell on it tonight. I’m still saying my confession daily: He maketh me to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.”

  Pastor Landris sat down and smiled up at her. “But we have each other, and Princess Rose, and things are getting better and better every day. And that’s all that really matters.”

  She squeezed his shoulder as she started walking away. “I have to locate the others who are supposed to be up here with you. Faith was in charge of seating the VIPs. I guess she must have more important matters to attend to. So—I’ll be back with the rest of your comrades, my darling.” She blew him a kiss and winked.

  He nodded and smiled as he watched her leave.

  Chapter 45

  Let all your things be done with charity.

  (1 Corinthians 16:14)

  Charity was working out wonderfully. She loved Mrs. Gates, who seemed to instantly improve with her. Charity knew how to get through to her in ways that even impressed her doctor.

  Charity even figured out a way to settle Rachel down. She made everybody feel so at peace whenever she was around. And she was genuine. That was the number one word everybody used about her.

  “I’m planning to come to your church on Sunday,” Charity said. She was wearing a simple pink jogging suit with a hoodie top. “I can’t believe I haven’t been there already. I have visited a few churches, but I was having more fun visiting my usual nursing facilities and having church with them. I love the old songs. I miss them. People don’t seem to sing them much in churches anymore. I’m not talking about the sad ones that make you cry—I’m talking about the songs that tell a story.”

  Johnnie Mae was excited as she sat talking with Charity. And to hear she was finally going to come visit the church after all this time was icing on the cake. “I like some of the older songs, too,” Johnnie Mae said.

  “Me, too,” Mrs. Gates said.

  Charity turned to Mrs. Gates. “What’s your favorite song, Mama Gates?” She made it a point to keep her in the conversation and not ignore her like so many people did.

  “I still love that song by Dorothy Love Coates. You remember it, Johnnie Mae?” Mrs. Gates said.

  “Which one, Mama?”

  “The one you and your sisters tried to sing when y’all started a singing group. Don’t try to act like you’ve forgotten.”

  Johnnie Mae started smiling. “I remember doing that, but I can’t remember the song you’re talking about.”

  “Do you remember any of the words in the song, Mama Gates?” Charity asked. “Sometimes it helps if I can just remember one word. Then all the other words come back.”

  “Faith,” Mrs. Gates said.

  “No, Mama. Her name is not Faith. This is Charity. You know…Charity.”

  “Faith, Mama Gates?” Charity said. “Did you say faith?”

  “She’s probably getting confused now,” Johnnie Mae said, almost in a whisper.

  Charity started smiling. “I’m Holding On, And I Won’t Let Go of My Faith,” Charity began to sing.

  “That’s the one,” Mrs. Gates said as she joined in and started singing it, too. “Oh, I loved me some Dorothy Love Coates and the rest of those singers. Alabama produces some talented people. Most folk have no idea who all’s from here. Take my Johnnie Mae. She’s an author. Most folk she meets probably automatically assume she’s from someplace else—one of those larger, popular cities. Not Birmingham, though.”

  “True, Mama Gates. People have no idea how much talent is here.”

  “And now we have Ruben. You know, he won on American Idol. And that black woman who won the first gold medal at the Winter Olympics. What’s her name?”

  Johnnie Mae was about to answer when Charity touched her arm and shook her head. She nodded toward Mrs. Gates, who was struggling to find the name.

  Charity waited and smiled. “Oh, you remember her name, Mama Gates. We were talking about her just the other day. She has twin boys.”

  “I know. It starts with a ‘V’.”

  “That’s good. Remember what I told you. Go through all the alphabet if you have to until one feels familiar. Then your brain will help you from there,” Charity said. “ V.’”

  “Verletta. No. Voncetta. No, that’s my cousin. Vonetta. That’s it! Vonetta Rose…no, Vonetta Flowers,” Mrs. Gates said.

  “That’s it,” Charity said, laughing with her.

  When Johnnie Mae was leaving, she was bubbling over with joy. “Charity, you’re doing such great work with my mother. I haven’t seen her like this in years. Years. And everybody thought she was pretty much gone, but in just three weeks, you have her closer to her old self.”

  “She loves listening to music, so I found some of her old albums. And I located a needle for the record player, which was hard. CD players have, for the most part, put phonographs totally out of business. But I did find one. In fact, I bought two, just in case we wear this one out.” She laughed. “Songs store memories for her, as they do for all of us.”

  Johnnie Mae thought about that. “You’re right. Certain songs make me remember certain people and times. I love Earth, Wind & Fire, and when I hear certain cuts from those songs, I’m immediately transported back to the memories I shared with that song.”

  “That’s what has happened with your mother when we listen to songs. Only she’s able to go there under her own power. It doesn’t happen to her—she’s the one making it happen. It changes how her mind processes things. There are songs that I already know will calm her, some that will cause her to be happy or sad, or reflective. It’s like in the Bible when Saul had a troubling spirit. David was able to play music and soothe his spirit. That’s what your mother and I do a lot.”

  “Well, you and she do more than that. You take her for walks and play games, help her around the house. You’re just a godsend—that’s the only way I can describe you.”

  “Thank you. I’m just glad everything worked out. I loved being with my grandmother when I was growing up. She taught me how to love and respect what older people have to offer. I still look for that. So every opportunity I’m blessed to be around an older person, I honor it for what it truly is. I learn as much from them as they get from me.” Charity peeked around the corner to see what Mrs. Gates was doing. Her eyes were closed. “I think she’s taking her nap now. When she wakes up, we’ll have our tea.”

  Johnnie Mae smiled and shook her head. “I almost envy you two. I’m starting to think maybe I should drop in more often.”

  “We’d love and welcome the company anytime. I have nothing to hide. I told you and your sisters from my heart what my intentions were. To show love to someone who has shown love to others. Your mother deserves the
best of care, and that’s what I intend to give her. My grandmother, Motherphelia, and I used to cook a lot. And there was one recurring scripture she managed to use whenever we cooked.”

  “Cooking with scripture—what an interesting concept,” Johnnie Mae said.

  “The scripture was Luke 6:38. Would you happen to know it?”

  “Oh, you must have heard I’m married to the Walking Bible,” Johnnie Mae said.

  “Pardon me?”

  Johnnie Mae laughed. “It’s an inside joke. My husband can quote scripture like he sat down and just memorized the Bible. I mean, he can tell you where a scripture is, chapter and verse. If you call out a chapter and verse, he can quote it as though it’s embedded on a memory chip in his head. So I call him the Walking Bible. You know, a Bible that walks and talks.”

  “Yeah. I got it.” Charity smiled slightly.

  “Luke 6:38—I believe that’s the one about giving and it being given unto you?”

  “That’s it. ‘Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.’”

  “I’ve always liked that one. You give with a teaspoon; you get back a teaspoon of blessing. You give with a bucket; you get back a bucket of blessing. Charity, you certainly should get a downpour of blessings because you certainly give a downpour of love.”

  “Thank you. Well, you don’t pay me to stand around talking…well, you do, but you know what I mean,” Charity said. “Thank you for this opportunity. And I’m looking forward to church service on Sunday.”

  “I can’t wait,” Johnnie Mae said. “And you’re coming at a pretty good time because in one more month, we will be in our new sanctuary. And I know that Faith was worried about you and there being too many people, but I think you’ll find we’re a pretty good bunch. Not perfect, by any means, believe me. Even Pastor Landris gets ruffled from time to time. Between me and you, he doesn’t always react correctly. Do you think the three of you will come together on Sunday?”