Into Each Life

by Shelia E. Bell

  Prodigal lay asleep on the couch. The wine had served its intended purpose. He didn’t know how long the phone had been ringing.

  “Hello,” he finally answered, his voice groggy.

  “Prodigal, is that you?” the familiar voice on the other end asked.

  “Hey, yeah, it’s me,” he replied, easing up into a sitting position on the couch. “Woman, am I glad to hear your voice.” His heart raced. He didn’t know if it was from the three, or was it four, glasses of wine he had drank earlier or if it was because Teary was on the other end. “How are you? It’s been a while.”

  “Yeah, too long,” Teary responded.

  “Tell me what’s going on with you, Miss Fullalove.”

  “Actually things are going pretty good. I’m still one of the editors at the Commercial Appeal. I’m loving every minute of it too.”

  He could see her smile as he listened to her. “I’m glad you got something you love. That’s important you know.”

  “Guess what?”

  “What?” he responded.

  “Can you believe I have a dog and two cats? Who would have thought that, huh?”

  “You must be crazy. What are you running, an animal sanctuary or something?” Prodigal was overcome with laughter.

  “Nope, I just fell for these adorable creatures. One of my co-workers got me hooked on cats. They keep me from feeling so lonely. When I get home, they run and greet me, you know.”

  “Well, that’s good. Whatever works for you. Still involved in church?”

  “Yep, and I still attend the same church.”

  “Met Mr. Right yet?”

  “I wish, but nope I’m still not married, engaged or anything like that. Don’t have any prospects either. But such is my life. Now, that’s enough about me. What’s going on? What’s wrong with Faith? You said it was serious. But I know your idea of serious. You just wanted to make sure I called you back, huh? One of your practical jokes.”

  “I wish I could say it was a practical joke, but it’s not. Faith was diagnosed with breast cancer several months ago. We’ve been through the surgery thing, chemo, radiation, the whole works. The doctors say it’s practically all over her body now.” He burst into tears. “Oh, Teary, they say she won’t make it but a few more days. I’m going crazy. I don’t know what to do.” He continued to sob.

  “Hey, listen to me. Faith is a strong woman. She always has been, and you know it. She won’t let this get the best of her. She just won’t. And you can’t let it get the best of you either. Look, do you want me to come up there? I have a few days I can take off anyway because of the holidays. Why don’t I do that, okay?” She knew he needed her and she wanted to be there for him.

  “Naw, don’t come here now. I just wanted to hear your voice. I needed to hear your voice.”

  She could still hear him sniffling. “Why haven’t you called me before now? You know I would have come a long time ago, if only I had known.”

  His reply was, “Let’s just talk, okay.”

  “Okay.” And the two of them did just that. Teary quickly took his mind off of his present circumstances. They talked about everything from her divorce to his sister Hope and her clan of children and Sara, Anthony and Andrew, as well as talked about Teary’s job. By the time they ended their conversation some two and a half hours later, he felt a bit of pressure lifted off of him. He almost felt like things were normal until he heard Faith’s voice.

  “Hey, I’ll talk to you later. Faith’s calling me,” Prodigal said into the phone receiver.

  “Okay, I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  He abruptly hung up the phone. “Baby, here I come,” he yelled. With two giant steps he was by her side. “What is it, sweetheart?” His voice was etched with worry. “Are you in pain? He stroked her head and kissed her hair.

  “Yes,” she whispered hoarsely, “but don’t push the button just yet, I want to tell you something.”

  “What is it? Talk to me.” He leaned in close to her parched lips.

  “Prod,” she whispered, raising her frail and bony fingers to his face. He couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. They were warm, running down his cheeks across his fingers. “Prod,” she whispered once more. “I love you.” she struggled to release each word. He leaned down even closer until she could feel his tears dripping down upon her face. “This thing called death will never separate our love. Remember what I’m saying. Okay?”

  “Of course, I will.” He kissed her hot, feverish lips ever so softly. He wanted to lie in her chest, rest in the comfort of her arms like he used to do but he knew he could not. Her body was far too weak and fragile. He saw her ribs and the print of her pelvis through her white cotton gown. He loved this woman. Now he was going to lose her any moment now and he didn’t know what he would do.

  Her breathing became labored. “Take me to the boys. I want to see them.”

  “Baby, you need your rest. You can see them in the morning. It’s almost daylight and I’ll bring them in first thing.”

  “No, take me to them now. I won’t be here at daylight.”

  “Sure you will. Remember, it’s almost Christmas, Faith.” He kept trying to fight back his tears. “You’re going to make it. You’re going to be here for the boys and me. You can’t leave us like this. We have a lifetime of living left.”

  “Please, take me to my boys,” she begged softly, flinching from the piercing pain pounding through her body.

  Without another word being said, he obeyed her request and gently lifted her small body from the bed, carrying her into the boys’ bedroom. He placed her down gently beside Kevin. She reached over and stroked his sandy brown hair.

  “I love you Kevin. Kevin didn’t move a muscle. She looked at him and a tear rolled down her sunken cheek. She motioned for Prodigal to take her over to Kaleb.

  “Kaleb, my dear sweet Kaleb,” she cried. “My two precious gifts from God. Leaving the two of you is going to be so hard.” She bent over and kissed him, and like his brother, he didn’t flinch.

  Prodigal then carried her back into the bedroom.

  “Come, Prodigal,” she said. “Lie beside me. I want you to hold me. Hold me like you used to hold me” He climbed in the bed next to her. “Take off your clothes. Take all of them off,” she whispered. “I want to feel you. The real you next to me. I want to sleep my life away wrapped in your arms. You have been the best husband a woman could ever hope for. You’ve been my gift, my knight in shining armor. You have given me what people are in search of - true love. Some people are together a lifetime and never experience the kind of love we have.” She looked into his eyes and he into hers.

  “I love you,” he cried.

  “I love you back,” she said softly, a faint smile of love etched across her face. Her eyes locked into his as she took her final breath.

  Chapter 30

  I’ll Be There

  Teary finished some last minute packing. Hearing about Faith’s death was taking a toll on her. She was devastated. Teary could only imagine the pain Prodigal was experiencing. Placing the last of her things in her suitcase, Teary rolled two pieces of luggage to the kitchen door hoping she had packed enough clothes. Moving to the kitchen window, Teary peeped outside just in time to see Patricia pulling up in her driveway. Her co-worker, Patricia, had become a close friend and volunteered to drive Teary to the airport.

  Patricia had never been married, but she had gone through several unhealthy relationships. When she met a guy, she fell instantly for him and put her all into making the relationship permanent. She scared guys off with her head over heels emotions. It wasn’t that any of the guys Patricia met were bummers either. They were mostly good, decent men with a lot to offer but of course the thought of commitment to someone too soon caused the icing on the cake to melt quick and fast.

  “Patricia, take good care of my babies,” said Teary, referring to her pets.

  “Don’t I always take care of them when you have to travel?”

  “Yes,
you do. But this time is a little different because I don’t know exactly how long I’ll be gone. I asked for a thirty day leave of absence. I’m going to stay as long as Prodigal needs me. I told you, we go way back and I have to be there for him.”

  “I know that,” Patricia said. “Just take your time. Everything here will be fine. I sure hate this happened during the holidays. I mean, I hate that it’s happened at all. I didn’t mean that the way it came out.”

  “I know what you mean. And I agree with you. I know it must be hard for him and the boys. I mean, right before Christmas too. Instead of opening presents and singing Christmas carols, they’re burying their momma and he’s saying goodbye to his one and only true love. I just can’t even imagine the pain he is going through, Patricia. I don’t know what I’m going to say to him when I see him. I just don’t know.”

  “It’s going to mean a lot to him just to have you there.”

  “There’s no other way. I have to go to him. And there’s something else I’m thinking about.”

  “What is it, Teary?”

  “I know I shouldn’t be thinking about my ex-husband right now. But I know I can tell you what’s on my mind.”

  ”You know it.”

  “I’m wondering if he’s going to be at Faith’s funeral. I talked to Prodigal’s youngest sister, Hope, not long ago. She told me the last she heard, Skyler was still with that home wrecker, Geena. They’re married now.”

  “That’s pitiful. I guess they both deserve each other, huh?” Patricia responded.

  “Yeah, but she also said they were doing pretty good for themselves.”

  “I wouldn’t give a cahoots about them, Teary. He is a thing of the past so I say forget him.”

  “You’re right, but I can’t help but wonder about him. What if he comes to the funeral and brings her with him, Patricia? They have two kids now too.”

  “Good for that fool. Maybe he’s learned a thing or two about being a man.”

  “I doubt it, but she also said Geena opened a boutique that’s doing really well. He’s supposed to be helping her operate that. He also finally got his degree in physical therapy. And you know what kind of money PTs make.”

  “I hope that money goes through his hands like water. I can’t believe you hadn’t told me any of this stuff. What else did she say?” Patricia said in an attempt to hide the slight attitude she had caused by Teary holding out on her.

  “I hadn’t had a chance to tell you with everything that’s been going on with Prodigal. Anyway, you’re really going to trip on this last thing.”

  “What is it?”

  “I know I should be happy and thankful.”

  “Forget all that. Come on. Tell me.”

  He and Geena got saved. Hope said he’s walking around spouting scripture verses all over the place. Can you believe it?” Teary didn’t give Patricia time to respond before she continued talking. “Why couldn’t that have been me and him?”

  Patricia looked up at her friend with a glint of sadness pouring from her blue eyes.

  Teary seemed to know what she was thinking. “I guess you’re saying that Skyler and I couldn’t be like that because I still wouldn’t be able to give him what he wanted most in the world.”

  Patricia remained silent for a moment. Choosing her words carefully, she responded, “Teary, it doesn’t matter anyway. He’s out of your life for good. The past is gone and can never be brought back again. Live for today. Remember that all things, not some things, but all things work out for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Not our purpose, God’s purpose, Teary.”

  “I know, but sometimes I just think, what if.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean. But so be it. Let it go. Now come on, stop thinking about the past and remember that your best friend needs you. It’s not about you right now. It’s about him and those two precious little boys of his.”

  “You’re absolutely right,” Teary smiled as they continued the drive to the airport.

  Patricia quickly pulled up to the passenger drop off lane of the busy Memphis International Airport. She flicked on her flashers, jumped out of the car and helped Teary get her luggage out of the back of her steel gray Saturn.

  “Girl, you be strong now. That man is going to need you. I know he has family and all, but sometimes the shoulder of a good friend is better.”

  Teary answered, “Yeah, I know. One of the reasons I love you is because you will tell me the truth, even if it does hurt sometimes to hear it.”

  “The feeling is mutual. Now go on, get going. Your flight leaves in less than an hour.” They hugged each other while the baggage carrier tagged Teary’s bags and carried them to the ticket counter.

  “Bye, I’ll call you.” Teary checked in then rushed through the busy terminal to catch her flight.

  Gazing out the window of the airplane, Teary thought about all the years of friendship she and Prodigal shared. She envisioned him watching her, Sara and their friends playing hopscotch from across the street in his front yard. In all the years she’d known him, there wasn’t a time he judged her or teased her. She rested her head against the leather seat and reflected on their friendship. A half smile formed on her lips when she relived the intimate kiss they shared as teenagers after their high school graduation. She could feel his lips touch hers and his hands roaming over her body. She opened her eyes to stop that thought. This surely wasn’t the time to be thinking about something like that.

  She was on her way to share with him the greatest pain of all -- grief. Sure, it hurt him real bad when his daddy died, but he was a young boy then and he was worried more about his momma. Losing Faith would be a totally different kind of grieving for him because it was a different kind of love. If only she could know for a moment the kind of love Prodigal and Faith shared. She thought she had it when Langston slithered into her life, wrong. Then she just knew she had found it when she met Skyler – wrong again. Thirty-two years old and she’d only seen love through the eyes of another, never knowing or having it for herself.

  The mechanical voice of the stewardess brought her back to the present. “Please buckle your seat belts. We’ll be landing in Bonsai Bay in approximately fifteen minutes.”

  chapter 31

  Afraid to Love

  Sara was doing quite well for herself and Andrew. The two of them lived in a middle class gated community. She and Anthony had continued their relationship, but still remained unmarried. Anthony had decided several years ago to move to Seattle to be closer to Sara and his son. It was hard to figure out the two of them. They appeared to have a good relationship. Like always, Andrew never had to want for anything. He had the love of both parents.

  Anthony, however, wanted more. He didn’t want just a baby mama. He wanted Sara to be his wife. Anthony had popped the question many times over the years, yet Sara’s answer was always the same. Today was another such time. Andrew was attending an out of town basketball clinic. Anthony decided he’d take Sara to dinner. After a pleasant dinner at one of her favorite restaurants, the two of them returned to Sara’s apartment where Anthony pleaded with Sara, once again, to marry him.

  “I’m just not ready to marry you, Anthony. “Don’t you see that everything is all right just the way it is? I mean, we get along. We’re both doing well for ourselves, plus you know you’re free to walk out that door at any time. As long as you don’t you walk out of Andrew’s life that is,” Sara emphasized.

  “Girl, why do you talk so crazy? I’m not going anywhere. All I’m trying to do is make things right between us, Sara. It’s not right for us to deprive Andrew of having a real family. And here you are, calling yourself a child of God but the two of us are living in sin.”

  “Living in sin?” Sara whirled around and gave him a stare that bore straight through him. We’re not living in sin. You have your own place and I have mine. How is that living in sin, Anthony? Tell me that!” shouted Sara.

  “Hold up,” Anthony retorted. “J
ust because we don’t live together doesn’t mean we aren’t sinning just the same. I may not go to church like you do, but even I know that much,” scolded Anthony. “We might as well be living together as much as I’m over here. And oh yeah, I guess you forgot another important factor — we are sleeping together. I’m not trying to sound sanctimonious because I’m far from it which is one of the reasons that I don’t go to church with you,” he added.

  “Don’t try to use our relationship as the reason you don’t go to church.” Sara paced around the family room, her temper rising to a boiling point. “You don’t go to church because you don’t want to commit your life to God. I know that I’m not perfect, Anthony. That’s why I do go to church. The two or three times that you have gone to church with me and Andrew, everyone welcomed you there with open arms. So your faith, or should I say your lack of faith, is all on you. Not me.”

  Anthony walked over to where Sara stood and wrapped his football size arms around her full figured frame. “Baby, I don’t want to argue with you,” he said nibbling Sara on her neck. “All I’m trying to say is that we have to do better. If not for us, then for our son. Have you really taken a good look at Andrew lately? He’s not a baby anymore, Sara. The boy is sixteen years old. Do you hear me? Sixteen years old?”

  “But, Anthony, that’s just it, we aren’t depriving him of anything. He has your name. He has the love of both of us. So why can’t you just be content with the way things are?” Sara’s voice resonated the uneasiness she felt inside at what Anthony was saying. She didn’t want to face what she knew was true and right.