Blessed Trinity

by Vanessa Davis Griggs

  “I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. It would be nice, but it’s a challenge getting all of us in one place at the exact same time,” Charity said. “We’re close, just not like that. Personality conflicts we don’t care to air in public.”

  “Yeah, I’ve sort of noticed that. When Hope is there, Faith isn’t. When Faith comes, Hope either gets held up or she’s not feeling well. I do see Hope on Sundays, first service most times, except for the last two Sundays. I’ve not seen Faith or heard from her since September 11, when she ran out on us before the celebration began.”

  “I don’t know what Faith is up to.” Charity shrugged and shook her head. “I have sensed she’s extremely upset. But it may be because I’ve decided I want to work at what I enjoy doing and not what she or Hope think I should do. When Faith is mad, there’s no telling what or who she’s scheming against. But be assured, she’s plotting something.”

  “Maybe I should try talking to her.” Johnnie Mae shifted her purse to her other shoulder.

  “Charity,” Mrs. Gates said, “it’s tea time.”

  Charity and Johnnie Mae laughed.

  “I won’t hold you any longer,” Johnnie Mae said. “I’ll see you on Sunday.”

  “If the Lord willing and the creek don’t rise,” Charity said.

  “Since you were the one who just brought that up, I’ve always wondered. What is that really talking about?”

  “I don’t know. That’s an old folk phrase. I speak the language; I don’t claim to always know the interpretation. But I suspect it had to do with a person going to a place where they had to cross a creek. If the creek rose, they couldn’t cross it, so they wouldn’t be able to make it. The Lord willing probably had to do with them stating that if they were alive or physically able to make it, they would—If the Lord willing…and the creek don’t rise.”

  “That works for me,” Johnnie Mae said.

  “Charity,” Mrs. Gates sang her name again.

  “Duty calls.” Charity smiled and turned to go back in the other room. “Coming, Mama Gates.”

  Johnnie Mae smiled and quietly left.

  Chapter 46

  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.

  (Romans 8:15)

  Pastor Landris hadn’t told Johnnie Mae what Faith had said to him, and he was glad because it would have only added to the feelings she was experiencing already about not having gotten pregnant. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel in any way less than the woman he’d vowed to love, honor, and cherish. It didn’t matter what they faced, they would do it together. And he was not about to spread hurtful words to someone he cared about. Not if he could help it.

  Pastor Landris had been to see his brother. Thomas was not doing well at all. As much as Pastor Landris hated to, he knew he was going to have to intervene if Thomas was to get the help he needed. Talking to him wasn’t getting anywhere.

  Faith hadn’t been back to the church since that night at the marriage ceremony celebration. Johnnie Mae hadn’t spoken with her, either. Angel and Sapphire wondered where she’d gone so suddenly without a word to anyone. She left them in the lurch—not that she was really doing that much to help, but it was the principle of the thing.

  Sapphire had been visiting Mrs. Gates regularly during the transition from Ms. Bertha’s care to Charity’s.

  “I’ll admit,” Sapphire said to Charity, “I was a little concerned about how this would work. I knew whoever came in, they would have to be strong, yet gentle enough to put Mrs. Gates at ease. You’ve done that, Charity, and then some. Her doctor is so very, very pleased with her progress.”

  “Thank you, Sapphire. I appreciate your words so much,” Charity said.

  “I hear you’re coming to church this Sunday.”

  “Yes, and I’m excited. I just know I’m going to be blessed. Johnnie Mae is super nice and her mother is…” she placed her hand over her heart, “she’s so precious to me. And she’s lots of fun. I can’t imagine them putting her in a nursing facility just yet. I can tell from the short time I’ve been here, not all of them feel she should still be here in her home. But she has too much life in her to be shoved in a corner, and only pulled out on visiting days.”

  “Yeah, but you realize not everyone is as equipped as you are to deal with her down times. Her medication helps a lot. She’s great when she’s herself, and even when her mind travels back in time, she can be a joy to talk with,” Sapphire said.

  “Oh, I know,” Charity said. “It’s like time traveling for real. Sometimes she’ll say something, and it will transport me back to a time with my grandmother. Sometimes I have trouble distinguishing what’s real and what’s just part of my own mind.”

  “But when she’s badly disoriented and agitated and wants to fight…when you have to cover the mirrors because she looks in them and the person looking back at her is a stranger to her…when she can’t figure out why this older woman is being reflected back to what is, at that time to her, a younger self—that’s when it’s hard on everybody.”

  “Rachel has a difficult time when her mother wants to go home and she’s telling her that she is home,” Charity said, “and Mama Gates doesn’t believe her. She’s trying to get back to her home-house. I understand that. Memories are a tricky thing, and they can be quite a force to a fragile mind. Trust me: nobody understands that better than me.”

  “Why is that, Charity?”

  Charity had been staring and smiling as she spoke. When Sapphire asked her why she understood, she suddenly realized she’d let her guard down for a minute in the wrong place at the wrong time. Faith had told her she always had to be on guard. One slip-up, and there was no telling what the consequences would be. Sapphire made her feel comfortable. That could be dangerous for the three of them.

  “Don’t you understand better when you’re around other people and you think the way they think?” Charity said. “Even if what they think or believe is skewed? Who’s to say what is real and what’s not? You and I see this chair. It seems real, but somebody may walk in and not see it. Or maybe they see something we don’t. Is something less real just because it’s unseen? I’ve never seen God, but I know He’s real. We can’t discount or dismiss the unseen. We just can’t.”

  “How do you know all of this?” Sapphire asked. “You sound like you’ve studied psychology in college or something.”

  “Or something. I didn’t go to college. But I love the library, so I read a lot. In fact, reading is my favorite thing next to cooking and caring for people.” Charity took the teacups into the kitchen and put them in the sink. “Tell me about church services. Do you honestly think I’ll really enjoy myself?”

  “Oh, definitely. Pastor Landris is an outstanding teacher and preacher. Have you not heard him? I mean, I would think with both your sisters attending, you would have at least listened to his tapes.”

  “He has tapes? Oh. Well, I suppose Faith and Hope must have kept those for themselves. There are some things both of them will refuse to share with me.”

  “I don’t know why they wouldn’t have at least shared some of his tapes with you,” Sapphire said.

  “It’s probably because they know I prefer reading to listening any day. I don’t much listen to books on tape. Now, if Pastor Landris had a book to read, they might have brought that to me.”

  “He and Johnnie Mae wrote a book on Walking in God’s Divine Favor about two years ago.”

  “Oh well, that explains it then. If Faith sees or has anything she cherishes, she’ll put it away to protect it.” Charity grinned, then started clapping her hands a few times. “But I’ll get to hear him for myself in just a few more days. I’m so excited!”

  Charity knew now how much opposition she’d face going to this church on Sunday. Hope wouldn’t dare get in her way, but Faith had been visiting another church the past few weeks, a church called Divine Conquerors. She was truly upset abo
ut something, and it seemed to have had something to do with Pastor Landris. Charity hadn’t been able to find out what had happened, but it would come out eventually. Things always did.

  She was getting stronger and Faith knew that. Faith might not have liked it, but she’d have to come to terms with it at some point. Soon.

  When Charity got home, she was glad to see the furniture was just as it had been for the week. The phone rang. She was not a phone person and started to let the answering machine get it. Faith was the one who liked talking on the phone, so anyone calling would likely be looking for her. After it rang again, she decided to answer it.

  “Hello.”

  “Faith, how are you? This is Thomas. Why haven’t you called me or come by in the last few days?”

  “This is not Faith,” Charity said.

  “Faith, quit playing, girl. You know I know your voice.”

  “I told you, I’m not Faith. I’m Charity.”

  “Charity, huh?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, Charity, then why haven’t you asked if I would like to leave a message?”

  “Not to sound rude, but because you just said your name is Thomas and you’re calling for Faith. Besides, I don’t know when or even if Faith will be back anytime soon.”

  “Faith, if you don’t want to talk to me, just say that. But don’t be playing games. The thing that I liked about you from that first time I saw you at church…you remember: when you came over to tell me you liked my Faith Hall of Fame speech.”

  Charity held the phone and shook her head. She didn’t know what she could say to this guy to convince him she wasn’t Faith.

  “I don’t remember, Thomas, because I wasn’t there. If you were talking to Faith when this happened, you need to be strolling down memory lane with her.”

  “Okay, so it’s Charity, you say?”

  “Yes, Charity.”

  “That means love, huh?”

  “I’m hanging up now.”

  “Whoa…whoa, hold up! You’re a little fireball, I see. Don’t get schizo on me,” Thomas said. “Okay, Char-i-ty. Would you please take a message for Faith for me?”

  “Sure.”

  “Do you have pen and paper ready? This is a rather long message.”

  “Hold on, please.”

  Thomas laughed while she was away. “Charity…yeah, okay, Charity. You sound too much like Faith to me. Identical, in fact.”

  “I’m ready,” Charity said.

  “Faith, I’m waiting to hear from you. Please don’t keep me waiting. I like kicking it with you. And I like kicking it to my brother even more. I hope to see you at church on Sunday, and I’m hoping you can go out to dinner with me. Reverend Walker wants to talk with us afterward about our wedding plans. He says the date we want is available.”

  “You think you’re actually going to marry Faith?” Charity said with a laugh. “What century were you planning on doing this?”

  “Charity, you’re not supposed to be making comments. You’re supposed to be taking my message. And since Faith isn’t there, according to you, then I need to be sure she gets all of this. Is that all right with you?”

  “Well, Faith isn’t here, just like I said. But I also know Faith is not marrying anybody, and that includes you. If Faith were getting married, trust me, I would know.”

  “Did you know she and I were dating? Did you know she’s going through new members’ class at my church?”

  “No.”

  “Then I suppose you wouldn’t know that she and I are planning a small wedding. It will be on December 4, in my home. We’re only inviting some family—in my case, none—and friends. I can’t speak for Faith, but since it’s a little less than a month away, and you don’t know about it, I don’t know if she’s planning to invite her family, either.” He snickered. “Thanks, love.”

  “It’s Charity.”

  “Yes, Charity. Thanks, Charity. Tell Faith to call me, okay?”

  They hung up.

  “Faith? Faith,” she yelled. “Who is Thomas? And I hope you know, you’re getting married only over my dead body.”

  “Now that’s not love, Charity,” Faith said. “And Hope already knows, so Hope is not going to help you. As you can see, I need to go to church on Sunday. I certainly hope you don’t have any plans. If you do, you’ll just have to cancel them. I need the vehicle.”

  “I’m going to church on Sunday,” Charity said.

  “You’re more than welcome to come with me to Divine Conquerors.”

  “I’m not going to Divine Conquerors. You have me going to these churches where you know I won’t be blessed. I’m going to Followers of Jesus Faith Worship Center,” Charity said. “Over there with Pastor Landris and Johnnie Mae.”

  “No, you’re not. Didn’t you hear what Thomas said? We have to go with his pastor or he might not marry us. And I don’t want to go to the courthouse to get married.”

  “You’re not getting married! So it doesn’t matter if you miss going with his pastor or not. Hope, you tell her. She has to listen to me. Tell her, Hope,” Charity said. “I’m going to church with Johnnie Mae. I told her I was coming, and I am. Do you understand me, Faith? And what have you done to Hope?”

  “Charity, I don’t think you want to do this. And Hope is a bit upset with me right now. But, she’ll be all right. Now you…you need to think about what you’re doing. You’re out there taking care of someone five days a week. So it wasn’t enough for you to go here and there occasionally to nursing homes, spreading your brand of love? Well, it’s dangerous for you to be in one place like this. You’re making a terrible mistake. You know I’m telling you right. You’ve always listened to me. Don’t start messing up now.”

  “I’m not the one talking about getting married to some guy…” Charity stopped as she noticed she was stuttering. “How long have you known him, anyway?”

  “I met him when I was first going to FOJFWC—”

  “‘F’ ‘O’ what?” Charity sat down and started rubbing her head.

  “FOJFWC—Followers of Jesus Faith Worship Center. That’s easier than trying to say all that other nonsense. DCC—Divine Conquerors Church. TCOR—The Church of Revelation, although that pastor resigned months ago, and I hear he has a one-way ticket leaving this earthly realm very shortly,” Faith said. “That’s what the Right Reverend Walker told Thomas. All those preachers are out there jockeying for Reverend ‘Poppa’ Knight’s old job. Anyway, I met Thomas last year, so we’ve technically known each other for a while. I ran into him again around the second Sunday in September. He and I have been pretty steady every since. I understand him, and he understands me. Unconditionally. What more is there to love?”

  Charity’s head was pounding hard. She got up, ran to the bathroom, and commenced to throw up.

  Chapter 47

  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

  (1 Corinthians 15:58)

  It was crowded at Followers of Jesus Faith Worship Center. People could tell something powerful was about to take place spiritually.

  Johnnie Mae was hoping to see Charity. There were always so many people there. She’d told her where she sat, in the front row, generally the second seat, next to Pastor Landris when he was sitting down. Unless Charity came in before the praise and worship part of the service and waved as Johnnie Mae had asked her to do, she wouldn’t know if she was there or not.

  The Praise & Worship Team walked in singing You Are Good by Israel & New Breed. They followed that with Here I Am to Worship. Praise was on another level on this day. Pastor Landris could only imagine what the first Sunday in December would be like if everybody was like this now. It didn’t seem like it was scheduled, but suddenly they started singing Yes by Shekinah Glory. If they’d planned on singing any other songs, it would have to wait until next week. There was a spiritual joy that flowed throughout the church. People were bowing down, on their knees, where they were. Those who stood were lifting up holy h
ands and weeping with joy.

  Johnnie Mae was a little disappointed after the service was over. She’d hoped Charity would make it. Something must have come up. Maybe the creek rose.

  “Johnnie Mae?”

  Johnnie Mae turned around and smiled. “Charity, you’re here!” She hugged her.

  Charity was plain-Jane for sure. No makeup, which Charity had explained to Johnnie Mae she didn’t wear because it got on people’s clothing and was too much trouble and time-consuming. She wore comfortable clothes—mostly loose-fitting and easy-clean—because she hated feeling constrained. She wore flats because they didn’t hurt her feet, and she could get from point A to point B faster than most people wearing heels. Her dress was pretty, just definitely not something you’d find in Faith or Hope’s closet for sure. The hair was the only thing consistent among all three.

  “I promised you I’d be here. I always try to keep my word.”

  “I appreciate that, but I know things come up unexpectedly sometimes. You hair is pretty. So why didn’t you come up front and sit with me? I saved a seat for you before the service started. After it starts, they like to fill them, so someone came and sat in it.”

  “I saw you,” Charity said. “I started to walk up there, but the Praise & Worship Team came in. I didn’t want to be in the way—they were so good.”

  “I take it since you’re here alone neither Faith nor Hope came with you?”

  “Faith’s not coming here anymore. She’s decided to join another church along with some guy she’s planning to marry in a few weeks, from what I hear. Hope is probably trying to stay out of Faith’s way. She does things like that. But it worked out. At least neither of the two was in my way today. Faith did declare she was going over to that other church and make me miss coming here. She did her best to stop me, but as you can see, I made it.”

  “Why would Faith do that? I don’t understand what’s going on with her these days.”