What God Has For Me

by Pat Simmons

  “Not yet. She’s been through the fire to purify her and rid her of all the trash that was in her life. Now, I’m waiting for her to recognize her precious value as a treasure. Until then, it’s a waiting game and I’ll continue to pray for her from the sidelines.”

  “Ah, that’s sweet.” Her eyes misted and she disengaged their hands so she could rub his jaw. “You’re such a good man, Zachary Hezekiah Bishop.” She wondered if the mother of his children would carry on the tradition of a Biblical name for his middle name.

  “And you Halcyon Bridget Holland are an exceptional gem. Just because one man didn’t show you how precious you are, make no mistake that another man will appreciate your worth.” He squeezed her hand again then closed his eyes as if he was praying, then stood.

  As she followed his swagger out to the yard to join in a game with the children, Halcyon shivered. Was there still hope for her? Would another man accept her children as part of the package?

  Chapter 5

  Could Halcyon not see his love? Zachary had been asking himself that same question over and over since the barbecue: from the kiss that landed on his lips, the touch, and his heartfelt words, did she know that he wanted more from her?

  Maybe Michael did have a point. Zachary was moving too slow. After all, he had been waiting four years—no fifty-one months—for a chance to explore a more personal relationship with her.

  “Lord, I’m planting these seeds in Halcyon’s heart, please cause the increase,” Zachary whispered his morning prayer as he headed for work, prepared for a busy day.

  By mid-morning his mind was still on Halcyon, so right after a conference call, he ordered a fruit basket to be sent to the Holland household filled with balloons, snacks, bears for the ladies and toys for the children.

  Next on his agenda was to visit two of his three franchises, including Car Craze, a thriving business of mobile minor auto repair services with a fleet of four mechanics now. He couldn’t believe how fast the concept was growing. The day stretched out to be a long evening. Zachary seriously considered hiring more managers.

  It was late when Zachary returned home that night. The only thing he wanted was food and a bed. In less than twenty minutes, he stepped out the shower refreshed and ready to warm up some of Mrs. Holland’s leftovers from Sunday’s dinner. His grip was on the refrigerator door handle when a musical chime floated in the air, coming from his bedroom. He recognized his cell phone.

  Immediately, Zachary glanced at the time on the microwave: 11:12. It was too late for a casual call. Something had to be wrong. He hurried to the phone. After checking the caller I.D., he answered without the cordial greeting. “Mom Holland is everything all right?” His heart pounded, wondering who was sick, in the hospital or worse.

  “I hate to bother you, sweetie, at this late hour. It’s Halcyon—”

  “I’m on my way.” Zachary reached for his pants.

  “Wait,” Mrs. Holland halted his movement. “She had car trouble on her way to work and she’s stuck on I-370, waiting for AAA—”

  Zachary didn’t let her mother finish. “I’m on my way,” he repeated. This time Zachary ended the call as he donned his discarded clothes from earlier. He wasn’t a worrier by nature, but when it came to Halcyon, she drove him crazy followed by her two adorable children. Without saying the words to her, she had to know he loved them fiercely, always had.

  Concerned about her safety, being stranded on a highway at night and alone, Zachary tested the grace of exceeding the speed limit. Soon he could see the hazard lights flashing less than a mile ahead when he exited onto the interstate, yet the distance seemed so far away.

  Finally, Zachary slowed to park behind Halcyon’s black Sonata. Looking in both directions, there was no sight of a motorist assist truck. Grunting, he stepped out of his vehicle and walked swiftly, peering into the back seat. Halcyon jumped when he tapped on her driver’s side window. Relief flooded across her face when she recognized him.

  Once Halcyon unlocked her door, Zachary practically lifted her out the seat. With his arm secured around her small waist, he kept her close, shielding her from oncoming traffic as he pulled her on the other side of the car, even though there were few vehicles on the road. Halcyon didn’t resist his closeness as she seemed to melt against his chest.

  Zachary reluctantly loosened his hold so he could get a look at her and make sure that she was okay. Once he was satisfied, he whipped out his cell phone and called Mrs. Holland. “I got her,” he said when Halcyon’s mother answered.

  “Praise God.” She sighed in relief. “Thank you, sweetie.”

  “She’s safe.” After telling Mrs. Holland goodnight, he turned his attention back on Halcyon. “What’s wrong with the car, Bridget?”

  “It’s the check engine light; it flashed on again.”

  “Again!” Zachary gritted his teeth to keep from saying more. Women, he huffed. How many times had he reminded the Holland women that proper maintenance will keep a car running? He folded his arms.

  “Yeah...” She cast him an alluring smile that he didn’t fall for this time. Well, maybe a little. “It came on once yesterday, then went off, so I forgot it until just now. I planned to get it checked out in the morning.” She smiled again and capped it off with big brown eyes that pleaded for his forgiveness.

  Zachary refused to fall for her charm. He wanted to strangle Halcyon for putting herself and potentially the children in danger. “Hmm-mm.”

  Pulling his arms apart, she attempted to give him another hug. “Don’t be mad at me. I was almost at my exit when it died. I called AAA, but they said it would be at least an hour and a half. I don’t know why the delay. At this hour, everybody should be in bed.”

  “Including me,” Zachary mumbled. Suddenly, he remembered how exhausted he was an hour or so earlier. That was before his adrenaline gave him a shot when he conjured up all the possible scenarios that Halcyon could be facing.

  She must not have heard his comment because she rattled on. “I called my supervisor and told her I was going to be late. Wanda didn’t even ask if I was all right or if there was a problem. She told me the warehouse had a light load, so don’t bother. I didn’t question whether that meant I still had a job or not.”

  “Get your purse,” he ordered, glancing up and down the dark highway. There was still no roadside assistance in sight. Once she complied, Zachary guided her to the passenger side of his SUV and made sure she was inside before he came around and got behind the wheel.

  As he angled his body to look at Halcyon, he noted that the full moon had cast a soft glow on her face, highlighting her seductive eyes outlined with thick lashes. He was supposed to be mad at her, not be seduced by her.

  Zachary cleared his throat to regain control. “Number one, I am your AAA”—he patted his chest—“so call me. I don’t there to be a next time. I do own a mobile auto repair business, you know. Now, back to the problem. There’s a reason why the light alerted you in the first place. Second, I’m not concerned about your boss’s cryptic message. I’m in need of an office manager at my main electronics store. You’re hired. Come in the morning and fill out the paperwork.” Zachary couldn’t believe he had created a job like that in an instant. There was no turning back now. “I’ll pay you twice as much as what you’re making, with benefits.”

  Halcyon’s jaw dropped. “You’ll double $20.00 an hour?”

  “Don’t push it.” He scowled, then winked.

  “Just teasing. I wish I had made that much there.” She looked away. “But I have to keep telling myself that this job allows me to be at home with the children. I can’t afford a daycare for two, so if I include that perk, I’m making more than enough money.” Halcyon sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.

  “Bring them with you tomorrow, Super Mom.” He sweetened the deal.

  Out of nowhere, tears spilled from Halcyon’s eyes faster than she could swipe at them. Zachary couldn’t stand to see her so upset. Reaching over, he gathered h
er in his arms. “I’m sorry, Bridget,” he cooed. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. Shh.”

  That’s when she really sobbed and shook her head. “Zach, I don’t want to be a charity case.”

  Zachary held her while she continued to sob. What Halcyon needed was Jesus’ charity, but she would be too defiant to accept the Lord’s spiritual blessings.

  Once she began to sniff, she rummaged through her purse and pulled out a tissue. Since Zachary had Halcyon all to himself with no distraction, including the tow truck driver, he made up his mind he might as well put everything out there.

  “Let’s get one thing straight, Miss Holland.” He lowered his voice and searched her face to make sure he had her complete attention. “I love you. You’re my heart, and Ashanti and Jonathan are my heart drops. I take care of people I care about and I’ve been there for you…”

  She nodded. He hoped she recalled some of the many times he had cheered her up about some unspoken problem or gave Ashanti more one-on-one attention than her own father. “I know,” she barely whispered.

  “The only reason I didn’t give Scott a beat down, besides wanting to maintain my integrity with Christ, is because you were never Scott’s in the first place. God had you for me.”

  Realization of what he was saying must have finally sunk in because Halcyon’s eyes widened. “Are you crazy? Are you listening to yourself? God wouldn’t handpick a woman already living in sin with a man, then having his two children out of wedlock for a godly man like you,” she argued.

  Zachary thought about one instance in the Old Testament when God led Hosea to marry Gomer, a prostitute, for His purpose and as a testament of His love for His people. He doubted Halcyon would appreciate the analogy.

  “What does your past have to do with what’s in my heart? At some point in our lives, God has kept us all from self-destructing. Been there and done that. I’ve been smitten since I saw you at Desi and Michael’s wedding.”

  “That was before you knew I was living with a man.”

  “You weren’t married to him. That was before you knew I existed…small technicality.”

  “No, that was huge, Zach!” she countered. “I thought we were going to get married too. You mean to tell me that you have been holding out for four years for me?”

  “Actually, four years and three months,” Zachary corrected. He could tell that he was beginning to frustrate her because she started finger combing through her hair, but he refused to back down now. It wasn’t as if he planned to tell her he loved her inside his vehicle instead of across the table, enjoying a candlelight dinner, but he could thank her car trouble for that.

  “What if…” she began as the tow truck finally arrived.

  “Let it go, Bridget,” Zachary said, then got out to meet the driver. After speaking with the man who apologized for his tardiness because he got a flat tire, Zachary assured him that everything worked out fine, then opened his car door. Halcyon didn’t look at him. “Is it okay for me to have it towed to Car Craze? I’ll send one of my cars to pick you and the children up tomorrow.”

  When he climbed back into his SUV, Halcyon was dabbing at her eyes. “Bridget, what’s wrong?”

  “I’m overwhelmed. Scott told me he loved me, but I never saw it. I’m finally seeing it.”

  Zachary grinned. His mission was accomplished. Strapping on his seatbelt, Zachary headed to take Halcyon home. “If you think this is something, can you imagine God’s unconditional love?”

  Chapter 6

  My life is getting out of control, was the only thought running through Halcyon’s mind as she sat quietly in the passenger’s seat. Yes, she needed another job, but not another relationship—not yet. Could Zachary—nothing more than a man who had her big brother up until…a few minutes ago—accept that?

  She stole a peek at him while he steered the SUV on the highway. Judging from his soft humming, she doubted it. She tried to get past his handsomeness, but it was right there day or night, dressed in a suit and tie or in sweats. Stay focused, she chided herself.

  By the time Zachary pulled up to the curb of her mother’s house, Halcyon was in a daze. Since professing his love, Zachary hadn’t said another word, but let the soft music fill the silence. “Goodnight,” she said before he could put the SUV in park, grabbed her purse and scrambled up the steps as if creepy crawlers were on her trail.

  After letting herself in, Halcyon shut the door and leaned against it. She was panting, her heart was racing, and her vision began to blur with tears. Chancing a peep out the side window, Halcyon was relieved when Zachary drove away. She didn’t know who had her more flustered: Scott for not loving her enough to marry her, or Zachary for loving her so much, he had waited for her.

  Turning around, Halcyon jumped when her mother stirred on the couch. Apparently, she was waiting up for her instead of asleep in her own bed.

  Sarah yawned. “Thank God, you’re home. You had me worried.” When it came to her children, regardless that they were grown, she still fretted. And she would tell them in a minute that as their mother, it was her prerogative.

  Squinting, her mother slowly stood. The relief she wore earlier was gone as her brows knitted together in worry. “Baby, you’ve been crying. Did something happen before Zach got there? No one tried to abduct you, did they? Did someone hit your car?”

  Halcyon had to stop her mother before she created a world disaster centered on her car trouble. But as she opened her mouth to explain, tears she thought she had capped earlier, leaked out. “Yes, something happened. He loves me, Momma.” Halcyon fell into her arms and sobbed whole-heartedly. “Zachary,” she mumbled.

  Her mother squeezed her tighter, then loosened her hold. “Ooh, I want to tell you, ‘I told you so,’ but I won’t.” She paused after she already said what she said she wasn’t going to say. “So he finally told you. ‘Bout time. You’re getting a good man.” She chuckled.

  She looked at her mother as if she were an alien. “I just got out of a four-year”—she thought about Zachary’s calculations—“and three-month relationship. This is too soon. I’m still adjusting to it being just me and the children. Now Zachary is messing with my head and heart. He basically expects me to quit my job to come and work for him. Plus bring Ashanti and Jonathan.”

  Sarah laughed, then covered her mouth so as not to wake her grandchildren. “Talk about perks. That’s why I love that young man. If your father was living, he would, too.”

  “Momma, I’m glad you’re happy, because I’m confused. I’m not looking for a father for my children or love. If I jump back into the dating pool just because another man shows interest in me, it could be a bad recipe if my head’s not in the right place. That is how other women have different fathers for their children—looking for both. I won’t go back there. I’m done.” Halcyon threw up her hands. She didn’t care what Zachary had said, when it came to a job, she was a charity case, but she was determined not to be one in the love department.

  “I believe you won’t be one of those women. Zachary is a young man with a heart to serve God. As a practicing Christian, you know he won’t touch you, and since you’re not looking for love, I guess you won’t be puckering up your lips for him either.” She yawned. “We better get to bed. It appears we both have to be at work in the morning. Just remember, what God has for you, is for you. The devil can’t have it.”

  As if cued, her smartphone notified her of a text at this late hour. She pulled it out of her handbag, then groaned. Zachary.

  See you in the morning, any time before noon. Night. Z.

  Chapter 7

  So it hadn’t been a dream, Halcyon realized the next morning when her alarm clock sounded at seven a.m. Too early an hour for a woman who had grown accustomed to sleeping later as a result of working the overnight shift.

  She really had been rescued by a tall, buffed and handsome prince who had whispered his love for her, her children and offered her a job that only pride would keep her from accepting. It was the other
part that made her uneasy. Scared and totally confused.

  But before Halcyon did too much celebrating, she wanted to double check that Zachary’s offer was genuine and not said in desperation before she quit her overnight job. Grabbing her phone, she tapped in his number. When he answered, she asked, “Ah, hi, I wanted to make sure you still want me… I mean working there for you.”

  “Yes to both, Bridget.” His voice relaxed her.

  “And the children, is it still okay to bring Ashanti and Jonathan?”

  “I don’t renege on my offers. You know that. Call me when all three of you are ready and I’ll have one of my mechanics come to get you, most likely it will be Raymond. I’m kinda busy right now.”

  Throwing back the cover, she scooted up in bed and glanced across the room at her children still asleep, Jonathan in his crib and Ashanti in her juvenile bed. Pulling her legs to her chest, Halcyon just sat there, then became overwhelmed, reflecting on the new developments in her life. How could she work alongside Zachary, knowing of his affections? She sighed heavily as a tear tinkled down her cheek.

  “Lord,” she paused, not knowing where to begin or how to continue. “Thank You for the blessing. You know I need the money, but who am I that Zachary would be attracted to me? He’s a good man who deserves more than leftovers from a man I thought would be my husband.”

  Know your purpose! The magnificent Voice caused her to shiver. Bowing her head, Halcyon closed her eyes as tears flowed. She did her best to muffle her sobs with her pillow, so as not to wake and alarm her children. In His presence, she felt small and guilty. Her soul sought repentance for her thoughts and deeds.

  I created you with a purpose, the Lord’s words came as a whisper this time. I am mindful of you and your needs… Read Psalm 8:4.