“What’s so wrong with wanting to go home and spend the day with my family?” Diana shoved her husband. “Amari is baking a cake for me. And our son has offered to make tacos. It will be fun.”
Donavan just shook his head. “At least I didn’t marry a high maintenance woman.” He pulled her in his arms and kissed her.
“Get a room,” Iona said as she came through the door and sat down next to her father.
“Shut up, little sis. You’re just mad because Johnny is out of town this week, and you don’t have anyone to cuddle with.”
“I can cuddle with those three kids Johnny left me with.” Iona rolled her eyes. “He gets to gallivant all over the country being Mr. FBI while I’m stuck here with our kids.”
“You love every minute of the time spent with my grandchildren, so I don’t know why you’re being so contrary about it.” In years past, Isaac wouldn’t have been surprised about his daughter’s comment. She was her daddy’s girl, and didn’t take much mess. Back in those days she had managed to become a successful attorney, but she was so unhappy that she mistreated people without giving it a second thought. Since giving her life to Christ and marrying Johnny, Iona had changed and was much more easygoing. So, Isaac knew that something was bothering her.
“Of course I love my kids, Dad. I wouldn’t trade those little monsters for anything in the world. But since Johnny transferred to the FBI and started doing all this traveling, I’ve had to cut my work hours down to thirty hours a week so the kids won’t feel as if they’re being raised by a nanny.”
“The kids are young. I think you’re making the right decision.” Donavan put his hand in Diana’s as he finished, “Truthfully, if Diana wasn’t working at the church and able to get off work in time to pick the kids up from school, I don’t think I’d want her to work at this stage in our lives.”
“Careful now, hon, you’re sounding like a chauvinist,” Diana told him.
Donavan shrugged. “I’m just being real. There’s not a man alive who wouldn’t want his wife at home taking care of the kids while he goes out and earns the money. Isn’t that right, Dad?”
Isaac shook his head while laughing at Donavan. “You’re not getting me in this fight. You started it, so either back your way out or just go on and say I’m sorry now.”
“He needs to apologize. Because Donavan is straight tripping. This is not the eighteenth century. Women want careers just as much as men do,” Iona told him.
“Yeah, and look at how our society has turned out since mothers decided they didn’t need to be at home with the kids.”
Ignoring Donavan, Diana told Iona, “I’m with you. Because I would lose my mind if I had to stay in the house all day/every day with our children. Working at the church is my way of escaping.”
Iona high-fived Diana. “You said it, sister-in-law. And if Johnny don’t get himself back here with the quickness, I’m about to plan my escape.”
“You just want Johnny to suffer and give up a career he’s worked years to build, simply because you’re bored. That’s not right, sis.”
With fire in her chestnut eyes, Iona kissed her father on the forehead, then got up. “I’d better take my children home, put on my apron and whip up something good to eat, before I say another word that might get me stoned up in here.”
“Iona, come on. Don’t go away mad.” Isaac didn’t like it when his children fought. Especially not now, because he needed their help.
“I can’t deal with him,” she pointed an angry finger toward Donavan, “judging me, like I’m such a terrible person for still wanting a life even though I’m married with kids.”
With an apologetic look on his face, Donavan put an arm around Iona. “You’re right, sis. I have no right to judge you. I know that you love your family and I also know how much you gave up for the good of your family.”
Iona twisted her lips as she contemplated whether or not to forgive her brother. He tightened the arm around her. “Come on, sis. Forgive me or I’m going to tickle you like I used to do when we were kids.”
Smiling at the memory, Iona jerked away. “Okay, big head, I’ll let you off the hook this time.”
Donavan laughed as he said, “Drama queen.”
“Golden boy,” Iona spat back at him.
Isaac clasped his hands together and leaned forward. “Now that we’re all friends again, can the two of you sit back down? I need to talk to you before your mother comes through that door.”
“What’s up? Are you planning a surprise for your anniversary?” Iona sat back down next to her father and Donavan sat in the chair across from the sofa.
Isaac shook his head. “We have at least four months before our anniversary. No, what I want to talk about is Ikee. His teacher asked if something traumatic happened to Ikee recently. I’m not aware of anything, so I need to know if he has talked to either one of you about what he’s going through.”
“What kind of trauma do they think he’s experienced?” Donavan asked with a quizzical expression on his face.
“That’s what I’m trying to find out,” Isaac told them. “I’m receiving calls from the school because he’s being disruptive and skipping class. Matter-of-fact, he’s even been skipping out on church the last few Sundays. I simply don’t know what has gotten into the boy.”
Donavan shook his head. “I had no idea. But Ikee doesn’t say much to me these days. He thinks I’m too”—Donavan did air quotes with his fingers—“ na about the Bible.”
Iona looked a bit guilty as she said, “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something, Dad. But to be honest, I didn’t know how you would take the news. You’re right though, Ikee has talked to me about something that he’s dealing with.”
“Thank God.” Isaac breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad he talked to somebody in this family, because I can’t get a word out of him.”
“I don’t think you’re going to like what I have to say… I guess that’s why I hadn’t told you before now.” Iona took a deep breath and continued, “See Dad, Ikee has only known you as a preacher and as a good man who feeds the homeless, prays with the hopeless and introduces people in need of a savior to Jesus. So, he was confused when he started hearing all these stories about how you used to be the king of the streets.”
“But Ikee knows that I used to be in the life. I don’t understand why hearing something like that would bother him.”
“I really don’t think Ikee has paid much attention to our conversations through the years… especially since we don’t discuss your past during Sunday dinners. And you only make general statements about it during your sermons most recently. But Ikee met up with a couple of bad-news guys who broke your past all the way down for him. Now Ikee thinks he should be a gangster rather than a church boy.”
Isaac exploded out of his seat. “And you failed to tell me any of this, because…?”
“It’s Ikee, Dad. I didn’t think he was actually going to hang out on a street corner. I mean, come on, he’s a suburban kid.”
“Okay, Iona, you tell me then… what has your brother been doing while he skips school and ditches church… before you answer, keep in mind that this is my son were talking about.
As if a lightbulb came on for Iona, her eyes went wide as she said, “I’m sorry, Daddy. I guess I wasn’t thinking of it that way.”
“What are you sorry about?” Nina asked as she stepped into the room. She was five feet with heels on, and since Isaac was a whole foot taller, he had to bend down in order to kiss her. “What are you harassing Iona about?”
You’ve been reading a sample of After the Rain
Book 7
Rain Series
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Through the Storm Page 27