“Son? I don’t have a son,” Kevin said.
Oops. That’s what you get for jumping to conclusions, she thought. You are going to have to work on that, girl. Get the facts straight before you open your big mouth. The kids just told you that you talk all the time, “Oh, I’m sorry. I saw a boy about Taj’s age with you the other day and just assumed he was your son. I should know better than to jump to conclusions.”
“That was my nephew, Rashad. Yeah, I get him from time to time to give my sister a break,” Kevin clarified.
“Oh,” she said. Well, that explains that. I even gave that misinformation to Erica. I need to mind my own business for real . . . I wonder where his girlfriend is. I haven’t seen her since that first day.
Chapter Twenty-five
Nikki was just getting up when the phone rang.
“Good morning, sis,” Erica said.
“What a pleasant surprise. How are you?” Nikki responded.
“Great. Just calling to say hey. I’m on my way to a meeting. I really have a good feeling about this one. I might be calling you with some good news later.”
“Oh wow! I can’t wait,” Nikki said.
“Well, pray for favor during the meeting beginning at ten o’clock.”
“Oh yes. Amen. I will be praying.”
Nikki spent the morning around the house, waiting to hear from Erica. When the phone finally rang, she said a quick prayer before answering.
“Girl, your Daddy loves you,” Erica said.
“What? What?”
“I just got out of the meeting, and I have been instructed to advertise for several new jobs, and guess what one of them is?”
“What? What?”
“Accountant.”
“Accountant. Are you serious?”
“But, girl, you are completely on your own. I have to remain unbiased and fair as I screen the applications,” Erica said.
“Girl, I got this. God did not bring me this far to leave me,” Nikki said.
“I will submit the strongest résumés and applications to the controller. Pray that yours is in there. I can tell you this: You’re looking good so far. I mean, I haven’t advertised yet, but as far as résumés go, yours is very strong. It’s going to take quite a bit to top what you submitted. I got your back in prayer,” Erica said.
“How long have you known about this position?” Nikki asked.
“I knew some changes were coming, but Pastor just made the official announcement this morning. Do you see God in this?” Erica asked.
“Clear as day. His timing is perfect. What do I need to do?”
“Nothing. I have your paperwork, and the job hasn’t even been advertised. Just wait for your interview. You might want to go on and knock those new-members classes out ASAP,” Erica said.
“Glory be to God! Thanks, sis. Are we still on for this evening?” Nikki asked.
“Absolutely.”
“Good. See you then. Now I have to go pray,” Nikki said.
“Good. Talk to you later.”
When Nikki hung up the phone, she called the children. “We have to pray. God has created a position for me at the church. Pray that I have the new accountant position because I am the only one called, anointed, and appointed to that position in Jesus’ name.”
They prayed pretty much all day as they went about their normal routine until the girls went outside to play.
Around four-thirty, there was a knock at the door. Nikki looked through the peephole. It was Kevin. She opened the door.
“Hey. Are you busy?” he asked.
“Busy praying. Come in. I’ve got to tell you this and get you to stand in agreement with us,” she said.
He followed her into the apartment.
“Didn’t I tell you I was going to work at the church?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said.
“Well, when I went up there and submitted my résumé, there wasn’t anything that matched my qualifications, but now a newly created position is being advertised. My job. Accountant. God brought me here for that job. Now I need you to stand in agreement with me that that is my job until I start working. It has to be advertised, and others have to be given the opportunity to apply, but when it’s all said and done, we shall see who ends up in that position,” a confident, faithful Nikki said.
“Will that be you?” Kevin asked.
“That will be me,” she answered.
“You know it, huh?”
“Like I know my name. It’s called faith. Do you agree with me?”
“Heck yeah. With all those positive vibes coming off you, if it were up to me, I’d give it to you right now,” Kevin said, setting himself in agreement.
“It’s a done deal. So did you come up to do your presentation?” she asked.
“Do you have time now?”
“Sure. Erica won’t be here till around six-thirty.”
“Cool. I’m going to run down and get my material. Be right back.”
“Just come on in. I’ll leave the door unlocked.”
“Okay.”
“Taj! Come in here,” Nikki called.
Shay and Mia were still outside playing with some neighborhood children. Nikki could see them from her living room window.
“Kevin wants to do a presentation, and he needs an audience. Would you mind listening to him with me?”
“Okay,” Taj said.
Taj and his mother sat on the sofa. Kevin came right in without knocking.
He sure follows directions well, Nikki thought.
He looked at them sitting on the sofa.
“Great. A real live audience. Hope I don’t get stage fright.”
They laughed.
Kevin set up his materials neatly on the coffee table. Nikki and Taj paid close attention as Kevin described how wonderful the knives were, then he demonstrated their effectiveness. He cut a penny in half with the shears.
“Don’t try this with your regular scissors. It won’t work,” he said, smiling.
Nikki and Taj couldn’t help but smile back. Kevin’s personality and charm were drawing them in and holding their attention.
“Can your knives do this?” he asked as he cut through a Coke can.
“Yes, they can, because I have those same knives,” Nikki yelled from the audience.
“Really, Mommy?” Taj asked jokingly, knowing perfectly well she did.
“No way. These same, identical, exact knives?” Kevin said, playing along.
They all laughed. At the end of the presentation, they clapped and Kevin bowed.
“May I go outside?” Taj asked.
“Yes, you may,” Nikki said, watching him bolt for the door. Then she turned her attention back to Kevin.
“That was so good that if I didn’t already have the knives, I would definitely be tempted to buy them.”
“Thanks,” Kevin said. “Now let me really have it.”
“No, that was great. You weren’t nervous. You have knowledge of the product. You answered our questions—even the ones you weren’t sure about—with intelligent, honest responses. I like when you took the time to look in the book to verify your answer. Lets ’em know you don’t mind showing that you don’t know everything and that you are willing to do the work to find out. It was really good, and I wouldn’t say that if it weren’t true. You’re ready.”
“Well, I do appreciate that.”
“No problem,” Nikki said.
Nikki got up and turned on the radio. As Kevin packed up his materials, he sang along. Nikki noticed his beautiful voice. He really loosens up when he gets to know you, she thought.
“Do you sing in a choir?” she asked.
“Not now. I did in college.”
“What college was that?” she asked.
“Randy and I both went to Atlanta State University on football scholarships. And you?”
“Manna State University.”
“In Maryland?”
“That’s the one.”
“We use
d to play you guys.”
“Who won?”
“We did, of course,” Kevin said, chuckling.
“Well, you have skills off the field too. When you finally get to Way Maker and become a member—and I’m sure you will—you should join the choir. You have the voice of a soloist.”
“Yeah, right.” Kevin shrugged.
“I’m serious, and I’m a hard critic. Nobody ever told you that before?”
“I’ve been told. Now, I know some people who can really sing, and I can’t touch them,” he said.
His modesty was very attractive. The phone rang. Nikki went over and grabbed it. It was Erica.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
“I will be when you get here. Are you coming now?”
“On my way.”
“Right on time,” she said, looking at Kevin.
“See you in a few,” Erica said.
As Nikki hung up, Kevin said, “Well, I’ll catch you later,” and headed toward the door.
“I’ll walk down with you,” she said, and went outside to see if the children looked presentable. When she saw Mia, she decided she needed freshening up.
“Stay here and tell Erica I’ll be right out so she won’t have to get out of the car,” she told Taj and Shay, then took Mia back up to the apartment.
“You look like you had a good time, baby. We’re going to have to wipe your face and brush that hair. Let me see your clothes,” she said, standing back to look at her daughter, not noticing any dirt, but her shirt was hanging out.
“I didn’t play in the dirt, Mommy. We just sat on the picnic table and played with Barbie dolls.”
“No, you’re not dirty, just a little sweaty from sitting in the heat,” Nikki said, tucking her daughter’s shirt back inside her shorts. She washed Mia’s face and brushed her hair back into a neat ponytail, then they went downstairs. Taj and Shay were in Erica’s car. Mia got in the backseat with them, and Nikki got up front.
“Evening, sis,” Nikki said.
“Evening to you too. Have you been praying?” Erica asked.
“Without ceasing,” Nikki answered.
“It’s all up to you now. God has put it out there,” Erica said.
“Girl, that is such a done deal we can move on to the next miracle. Where’re we going?” Nikki asked.
“Well, I wanted to take the kids to Laser Land. They’ll love it. Or we can go to the mall. It’s up to you,” Erica said.
“What’s Laser Land?” Shay asked.
“An amusement center with lots of fun things to do. Want to go there?” Then looking at Nikki, she said, “We can hit the mall anytime.”
“Please, Mommy, please!” Taj pleaded.
“All right,” she said
They had a ball at Laser Land. They played laser tag. Erica and Taj were partners against Nikki, Shay, and Mia. Erica and Taj were faster and quicker on the trigger. They planned their attacks and hideouts and took the game more seriously than Nikki and the girls did. No wonder they won every time. They decided to drive race cars next. They eventually played every game and just ran all over the place. The time flew.
“We can’t keep Sister Erica out too late,” Nikki said as they regrouped at one of the benches. “She has to go to work in the morning, and you guys need to start going to bed at nine-thirty to get back in school mode. You only have a couple of weeks before it starts.”
“One more game, please, Mommy,” Taj pleaded.
“What did I say?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Taj said.
They stopped and got some ice cream before Erica dropped them off at home. It had been a wonderful day.
Chapter Twenty-six
The apartment looked like they had lived in it for years with all the pictures hung and boxes gone. It had quickly become home sweet home. Nikki was doing some ironing when the phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Hey, baby.”
“Hi, Ma!” Nikki said, recognizing her mother’s voice.
“You know your dad is still upset that you left his grandbabies home alone in that great big strange city that you know nothing about. His words, not mine,” Jean said.
“I know, Ma. I don’t remember him being that overprotective with me.”
“Think about it, baby. When was he not there? When you were in high school, he didn’t go to see the games, he went to see you cheer. When you didn’t come home for the weekend while you were in college, he was up there to visit you. He looked like he was about to cry during your whole wedding. Every time you went into labor, no matter where he was or what he was doing, he dropped it and rushed to the hospital.”
“You’re right, Ma. So where were you?”
“Your dad was not dragging me all over creation following you. You made me tired just watching you rip, race, and run. And you could go, girl. Look how you just packed up and got out of here. You make up your mind and you’re gone. He can try to keep up with you, but I’ll be here to take care of the home front,” Jean explained.
“I knew you had a logical explanation. So when are you coming?”
“I’ll have to have your father call you back. Mr. Johnson from next door just stopped by, and they’re tangled up in conversation.”
“Okay. I’ll wait until I get both of you on the phone to tell you all about Atlanta . . . or I’ll just wait until you get here. It’s great, Ma.”
“I’m glad to hear it. As long as everything is fine, I’ll wait for the details.”
“Have you heard from Rae?” Nikki asked.
“Not lately, but what I’ve been hearing is not good,” Jean said with concern.
“Like what?” Nikki asked.
“I hear she’s selling those drugs.”
“Yeah, I talked to her about that. All we can do is pray for her.”
“Yes, pray, but don’t worry about her. You don’t have time to be worrying about grown folks. You worried yourself silly about Sam, and see where that got you. Besides, you have my grandbabies to raise.”
“I know, Ma.”
“Okay, baby. I’ll get your dad to call you back later.”
“Okay. Bye, Ma.”
Nikki knew her mother was right about her worrying too much, but she just felt so bad. Rae was her special cousin. All hell had broken loose when Rae’s mother, Nikki’s Aunt Tee, committed suicide three months after Rae’s older brother, Leonard, was killed in a drug-related shoot-out. Rae was only twelve years old at the time and went to live with her father and stepmother. She was so devastated from the deaths of her mother and big brother that she spun out of control. At age fourteen, Rae ran away and became a part of the drug culture. Nikki tried to find her, and when she did, she talked to her. For a while it seemed like she was getting through, but something always drew Rae back. Then Rae had a baby at age sixteen and another a year later. This seemed to settle her down a bit. She attempted to get a job and live right for her children but found that supporting a family was very difficult and expensive, so she resorted to the way her brother had taught her to make money. Thinking about her cousin made Nikki want to hear her voice.
Nikki called Rae and prayed that she answer. God answered her prayer.
“Hello?”
“Rae, it’s Nikki.”
“Hey, cuz. Where are you?”
“In Atlanta. How are you?”
“Hanging in there,” Rae said.
“How are LaQuandria and Jalani?”
“Fine.”
“Where are they?”
“Their dad’s oldest sister has them now.”
“How did she get them?”
“When Darius got shot last month, she asked if she could have them, so I let her. I figured they stood a better chance with her, but I support them and go see them as often as I can.”
“Darius got shot? Is he okay?”
“Yeah, he got shot in the arm at a club.”
“Girl, when are you going to give up the thug life?”
“And do what?”<
br />
“Help her, Lord.” Nikki prayed so Rae could hear.
“Yes, Lord. Please help me. So you like it down there?” Rae asked in an effort to change the subject.
“I love it.”
“Hey, that’s my pager. I gotta go,” Rae said.
Nikki hung up and sighed. She knew God had a plan for Rae.
Chapter Twenty-seven
While Nikki waited for her father to call, her mind wandered to her childhood. She had spent a lot of her time at her Aunt Tee’s. Her aunt was always in bed. She suffered from deep depression. Nikki’s mother had tried everything she knew to help her baby sister, but nothing worked. She eventually resolved to let Nikki go over there and be with Tee’s children, since Nikki was older and very responsible. When they were little, Nikki loved playing in the backyard with her cousins. She recalled their games from long ago.
“You’re it, Rae,” said Leonard, who was two years younger than Nikki and two years older than Rae.
“No, she’s not. You are because she tagged the base before you touched her,” said Nikki, Rae’s self-appointed defender.
“I did touch her shirt,” Leonard said.
“That’s not her. Now you’re still it.”
“You don’t play fair,” Leonard said.
“Just close your eyes and count,” Nikki bullied. “Come on, let’s hide, Rae.”
Rae followed Nikki, who told her exactly where to hide. “If he finds me first, I’ll run him around while you go tag the base. If he comes toward you first, I’ll make noise so he can come after me because I’ll be closer. Then you tag up because he won’t catch me and he’ll be it again,” Nikki instructed.
“Okay,” Rae said, nodding. The plan always worked.
Leonard would count and try to find them. As promised, once Nikki saw that Rae was safe, she would slip past Leonard and tag the base before he could catch her.
“You’re it again,” Rae and Nikki would say in unison, and fall out laughing at a thoroughly frustrated Leonard.
“Cheaters! I quit,” Leonard yelled every time.
She was smiling from the warm memories when the phone rang. It was her father.
“Hey, baby,” Jim said.
“Hi, Daddy. What’s up?”
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