Into Each Life

by Shelia E. Bell

  “Sheerah, I don’t want to lead you on about anything, especially my feelings when it comes to you.”

  “Listen, Prodigal, you’ve done no such thing. I like you and I know you like me to.”

  “But I don’t think I’ve been fair to you. Especially lately.”

  “How is that, and what do you mean?”

  “Things have changed so fast for me. Every since Teary left I’ve been forced to face my feelings. I don’t know how to tell you this.”

  “Tell me what?”

  He took another sip of his Valencia before continuing. “I think I’m in love with Teary.” He hurriedly apologized, “I’m sorry, Sheerah. I didn’t want to do this to you, to our relationship. We had something special I know, but I can’t deny what I feel for Teary any longer.”

  “Prodigal, there’s no need to feel like you’ve betrayed me. To be honest, I had no idea that you were this serious about us. I like you a lot, but I’m not in love with you.”

  “You aren’t?”

  “No, and you’ve never given me the impression that you were in love with me either.”

  “But I had serious intentions about you and me. I thought about taking our relationship to the next level.” He looked somewhat surprised but relieved at the same time.

  “Maybe you thought you wanted to take it to the next level.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “When I first met Teary, maybe even before I met her. I heard it in your voice.”

  “Heard what in my voice?” he questioned.

  “Love. It was quite obvious to me that she meant a lot to you.”

  “Is that right?”

  “That’s right. Then when I met her in person, I could tell that she cared just as deeply for you too. Only it wasn’t like a sisterly type of caring. The girl loves you. I guess the two of you are the only ones who can’t see it.”

  “Sheerah, this is all so surprising coming from you. Here I was ready to beg you to not hate me for telling you how I felt about Teary. Instead, you’ve read me like an open book.” He laughed, shook his head, took another sip of his Mocha Valencia and leaned back in his chair.

  Sheerah kept talking. “Don’t get me wrong. I care about you and the boys. But I’ve said it time and time again, I’m not ready to commit myself to any one person right now, especially so soon after a divorce. I want to take my time and enjoy me for a change and spend time with Alexis; watch her mature into a young lady. You know what I mean?”

  “Yeah, I know. You’re quite a woman, Sheerah. Your ex was a fool to let you get away.”

  “Thanks, Prodigal. I’m enjoying my freedom. I feel like a new person since my divorce and I’m determined to enjoy my new life. As for you and me, I hope we’ll remain friends.”

  “I understand where you’re coming from. And you can always count on my friendship.” Prodigal reached across the table and held on to her hand. He could now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the relationship with Sheerah was not broken but instead it had been strengthened. He was now left to face his true feelings for Teary. He went on to confide in Sheerah about what had transpired between him and Teary and the real reason she had left Bonsai Bay so hastily.

  After listening to him, Sheerah told him what she thought he should do. “You should call her and try to make things right. Don’t let love slip through your fingers because you’re too stubborn to admit you made a mistake.”

  Sheerah was special and Prodigal respected her for being truthful and real with him. He would take her advice. He had to work it out with Teary, but he had to do it face to face.

  Chapter 42

  To See You Again

  “Daddy, can we call Teary?” Kaleb asked.

  “Yeah, can we, Dad? We want her to come to our birthday party. We never get a chance to talk to her anymore,” Kaleb said with a sad expression on his face.

  “I tell you what,” Prodigal responded without thinking. “Why don’t we do better than that? Why don’t we fly to Memphis and see her. We might even celebrate your birthdays there.”

  Prodigal couldn’t believe what he had just said. Go and see Teary? Without talking to her? He thought. With no warning? How could he even entertain such an idea as popping up on Teary? “I’d better call her,” he said out loud. I sure wouldn’t want to pop up on her only to find that she has someone in her life. I wouldn’t know how to handle that.

  “I tell you what, let’s go out and grab something to eat first. When we come back home we can get on the computer and check out some tickets. Then we’ll call Teary.”

  “Wow, Daddy that would be fantastic,” Kevin said.

  “All right, come on, let’s go.”

  ♦

  Teary turned the lock to the side door entrance of her house just in time to hear her phone ringing.

  Who could that be? she wondered hurrying to get the door unlocked. Her phone was programmed to ring three times before rolling over into her memory call service. Just as the door opened, the final ring ended.

  “Oh, well,” she mumbled. She sat her purse down on the kitchen counter. Diamond and Sassy gathered around her feet, meowing loudly.

  “Oh, you sweet babies. Momma’s here now and I’m going to pet you in just a few minutes,” she cooed to them. Before she could take another step, Rocco came racing toward her jumping up and down like a horse.

  “Hi, ya boy,” she said, talking in baby talk. “Hi, you big old sweet thing you.”

  She stooped down and loved on all of them a few minutes. She then went to the back door to get Rocco’s leash from off the hanger so she could take him out to relieve himself. She would check the caller ID and her messages when she returned.

  The air was still. Other than a couple of dogs barking somewhere else in the safely guarded neighborhood, all was quiet. Rocco led her over toward the playground area and then down the walking trail by the lake. There was only one other person walking his dog and a couple of teenyboppers holding hands and smooching on one of the benches.

  Teary slipped into her own world. She thought about her life. She went all the way back to when she was a teenager and Langston Silverman deceived her. She couldn’t believe she had been so stupid and naïve. She should have known better. And not only that, she kept on allowing him to use and misuse her.

  When she married Skyler she faced the same thing but just in a different form. He wasn’t a Christian when she met him but being young at the time, she thought that he would come around eventually. He did go to church with her a few times but he never accepted Christ, that is, until much later in his life and after she was long gone out of the picture. If only she had listened and taken heed to her parents, to her upbringing, and married someone who shared her same beliefs then things probably would have worked out differently for her.

  Rocco finally relieved himself, and she turned and did a light jog back home. She gave him some fresh water, fed the cats and then went in her bedroom to check her messages before running her bath. She looked at her caller ID. At first she didn’t recognize the number. She stared closer and read the name on the box. Prodigal Runs… and the rest of his name was cut off. Her heart picked up its pace. She grabbed her cordless phone and heard the tiny fast beeps indicating she had a message. She dialed her pass code and listened.

  “Hello, Teary.” She heard the all too familiar voice of not only Prodigal, but Kevin and Kaleb were talking in the background as well. Then she heard him say, “Pipe down you guys.”

  “Hi, Teary,” he said more slowly this time. “It’s me, Prodigal, and the boys. Give us a call when you can. Kevin and Kaleb have been riding me about calling you. They really miss you, and so I was thinking about bringing them to Memphis to see you. Well, sorry we missed you. Just call me when you get a chance and let me know what you think about us visiting you for a few days. Talk to you later.”

  She couldn’t believe what she heard. He actually wanted to come to Memphis? She didn’t know what to think or how she was going to resp
ond. She really wanted to see the twins again and him too for that matter. But she didn’t know how she would face him after all this time.

  She decided to take a nice long bath before returning the call. The feel of the warm, bubbly water helped her to think and relax. She leaned back against the soft purple bath pillow, closed her eyes and whispered a prayer.

  “Lord, I’m going to really need your help on this one. I want to do the right thing. More important than that, I want to do your will. Guide each step I make. And whatever you want for Prodigal and me, I will accept it. I know you don’t make any mistakes. So I’m placing my total trust in you. Amen.”

  Her eyes remained closed as she visualized Prodigal and the boys coming to Memphis. When she climbed out the tub, an hour and a half had passed.

  She found herself dialing the number. The phone rang about four times. She was just getting ready to hang up when she heard his voice.

  “Hello,” he answered.

  “Hi, Prodigal.” Teary said, trying to sound nonchalant.

  “Hey, it’s good to hear your voice. I’m glad you called back.”

  “Why wouldn’t I call back?” She knew full well why he made that statement.

  “I didn’t say you wouldn’t call back. I just wasn’t sure. Look, let me say this before I lose my nerve. I’m sorry about what happened the last time you were here. I really crossed the line. I know that. But I want you to know that I would never intentionally do anything to jeopardize our friendship. You mean too much to me, girl, and the boys too, for that matter. So please, won’t you forgive me?”

  “The same here, Prodigal. And there’s nothing to forgive. Anyway, that was a long time ago. We just got caught up in the moment,” she responded.

  Both of them were lying to each other. They had crossed the line and there was no turning back. They just couldn’t admit their feelings toward each other were deeper than mere friendship.

  “Look, like I said on your answering machine, I was thinking about bringing the boys your way. They’ve been missing you like crazy. And since their birthday is next week, we thought we could come and celebrate with you.”

  “And you?”

  “What did you say?”

  “I said, and you? Have you missed me too?” she asked him again.

  “Of course I miss you. What kind of question is that?” He squirmed in his lazy-boy recliner. He only wished he could tell her just how much he missed her. He ached for her like a dope fiend for a hit. He still replayed that last night she was in Bonsai Bay in his mind. He loved her, plain and simple. He just didn’t know how to tell her. But he would. He was going to do it, that was, if she would allow him to come and see her. He wasn’t going to let love pass him by, not after God allowed him another chance to love again. Some folks didn’t even get a chance to know the God sent kind of love one time, and here he was being allowed to experience it yet again. He had prayed long and hard about his decision.

  She interrupted his thoughts. “When were you planning on coming?”

  “As soon as you give me the go ahead. I don’t have anything holding me down here and the boys are out of school right now, so just say when and we’ll be on our way.”

  “When.” She jumped up and down floor. She could barely contain her excitement.

  “Huh?” He sounded quite puzzled.

  “You said to say, ‘when’ and I just said it, ‘when.’ Silly, that means come right now if you want to. My place isn't as large as yours, but what’s mine is yours still.”

  “That’s no problem. It doesn’t take much for us. We just want to see you. Let me finalize our flight and I’ll give you a call back. It’ll probably be as soon as the end of the week.”

  “Okay, no problem. I’ll talk to you later.”

  Teary hung up the phone and immediately picked it back up and dialed Patricia’s number. As soon as Patricia answered, Teary started telling her about her call from Prodigal. “Girl,” she said squealing into the phone. “Guess who just called me? Prodigal,” Teary squealed.”

  Patricia’s voice was full of lazy excitement. “No, he did not, girl.” She had just turned over in her bed and was in the first stages of getting her sleep on. But she bolted straight up in her queen size canopied bed when she heard this. “What did he say?”

  “He’s coming to Memphis,” Teary screamed. “He and the boys are coming sometime this week. You have to help me get things cleaned up and ready. I cannot believe it.”

  “Will you please stop screaming in my ear? Look, I’ll be over there first thing after work tomorrow and we’ll get everything fixed up. But you don’t have much to do anyway. Shucks you keep that doggone place of yours so clean it’s like being in a hospital operating room. Did you ask him about Sheerah?”

  “No, and he didn’t mention her either. I’m not thinking about her right now anyway. If things were that tight between them, he would have said so. He’s not one who’d mess over somebody. He’s going to be truthful and honest. I’m excited and nervous at the same time. He said he was sorry about what happened between us and that he would never do anything to jeopardize our friendship. Oh, Patricia, I’m so glad I heard from him.”

  “I am too. I can’t wait to meet him. Look, calm yourself down and try to get some sleep because you won’t be getting much when they get here you know.”

  “Okay, talk to you later,” Teary said, hanging up the phone. She snuggled up against Rocco and her cats that by this time had all jumped in the bed with her. She closed her eyes in sleep but not before saying happily, “Thank you Jesus.”

  ♦

  Not wanting Teary to be inconvenienced by his visit, Prodigal rented a car. The trip was sudden enough already. But he had something to say. It was time he told her how he felt once and for all.

  She paced nervously back and forth across the lacquered hardwood floor, checking her watch every few minutes. It was approaching one o’clock. Prodigal’s flight had landed almost forty minutes ago. They should be arriving at her place any moment. She had his cell number but she wasn’t going to call it right now. She would give him about fifteen more minutes. The airport was about thirty minutes away, so she realized it would take time since he had to get their luggage, the rent-a-car and find his way to her place. But she was anxious. She didn’t know how much longer she could wait.

  At one thirty she dialed his cell phone. He answered on the first ring.

  “Hello,” Prodigal said into his cell phone.

  “Hi, where are you?” Teary asked anxiously.

  “I’m standing in the Hertz line. We should be leaving here in about fifteen minutes or so. I’ll call you when I’m headed your way. “

  “Okay. I’ll see you soon.”

  After getting the rental car, Prodigal followed the directions Teary had given him over the phone. By two fifteen he and the boys were driving up to her gated neighborhood. He dialed the access code she had given him and proceeded to maneuver the rented black and gray Yukon XL through the somewhat narrow gates.

  The boys loved the idea of staying at Teary’s instead of a hotel. Once inside the community, they passed by a monstrous man made lake meticulously designed and landscaped. They yelled in excitement when they saw a family of ducks waddling across the perfectly manicured grounds.

  “Daddy, Daddy! Look, look at the ducks.” Kaleb squealed in excitement.

  “Kaleb, look on this side,” his brother replied. “There’s a playground with slides and a monkey bar and swings and stuff too. Daddy, can we go over there?”

  “We’ll go, but not now. The first thing we’re going to do is find Teary’s place. Then we’ll plan what we’re going to do next.”

  Reading the directions, he made a left turn, took another left onto Plum and then a right onto Wheeler Drive.

  “Boys, help me look for 2378 Wheeler Drive.”

  “2370,” Kaleb read.

  “2375” Kevin yelled pointing his finger at the same time.

  “Look, there it is! 2378,” Kevin
yelled out first before his brother could get another word in edge wise. Prodigal tapped the horn.

  Teary heard the blare of a horn and raced to the front entrance.

  “Hey, you guys,” she yelled, running to the car with Rocco, Diamond and Sassy trailing behind her. “Boy, am I glad to see you. You’re a sight for sore eyes!”

  The boys jumped down out of the SUV and dashed straight for her waiting outstretched arms. She stooped down to welcome their embrace then she kissed their faces.

  Kevin and Kaleb knelt down, allowing Rocco to welcome them with sloppy dog kisses while the felines raced back into the safety of the house.

  Next Teary sprinted toward Prodigal. He lifted his prostheses clad leg out of the SUV and prepared to stand up but she didn’t give him a chance to. She climbed up on the running board of the Yukon XL and dashed straight toward him and gave him a tight hug before he could get out and sturdy himself. He fell back against the tan leather seat with her almost on top of him. Tears rested in the corner of her eyes until they refused to stay back any longer. She held on tight to her best friend in the entire world.

  He welcomed her warmth and inhaled her fragrance. His heart pounded wildly for the woman he loved with all of his heart.

  She soaked in the handsome dark frame of the man who had been part of her life, for all of her life. Only this time when she looked at him, she saw him through the eyes of someone she loved deeply.

  ♦

  Prodigal’s plans were for him and the boys to stay in Memphis from Wednesday through Sunday. He respected the fact that Teary had to work and he didn’t want to do anything to get her off track. She had been on and off work so much during the past two and a half years and it was mostly because of him.

  They celebrated the boys’ eighth birthday by going to Chucky Cheese’s Pizza Parlor. Teary invited Patricia’s nephew, who was the same age as the twins, to come along. While the boys wolfed down several helpings of pizza, and played arcade games, Teary and Prodigal caught up on what was happening in each of their lives. They laughed and talked like old times.