Genesis House Inspirational Romance and Family Drama Boxed Set: 3-in-1

by Angela Benson

  "Evelyn should be here any moment. She and Franklin went to pick up baby Ronald—," Daniel began, but he stopped at the sound of measured footsteps coming down the stairs. Shay turned her head toward the sound.

  "That must be her now," Daniel said. He left the group and went toward the stairway. He reappeared with Evelyn, who was holding a bundle—which Shay knew was the baby—against one shoulder and what she suspected was a diaper bag over the other. She smiled at the relieved expression on Evelyn's face when Daniel took the bag from her shoulder. As if propelled by unseen forces, Shay was out of her seat, along with the other women, and moving to greet Evelyn and to make goo-goo sounds over the baby.

  She almost jumped in surprise when Marvin walked up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder, looking over her head at the chubby baby dressed in blue and held in Evelyn's arms. She turned back to him with brightly shining eyes. "Isn't he a darling?"

  Without answering, Marvin reached over Shay's shoulder and placed his finger in the baby's tiny palm. She felt his smile when the child grabbed tightly. "He's a strong one," Marvin said to Evelyn. "How old is he?"

  "Four months," she answered, smiling down at her son. Shay looked from mother to child, unable to miss that the two shared the same smile.

  "Okay," Daniel said, interrupting the greeting time. "Let's get back to the topic at hand. I'm sure Evelyn wants to get off her feet, and we do have business to conduct before we're done for the afternoon."

  Shay reluctantly took her eyes off the baby and followed Marvin back to their seats, the sweet baby smell filling her nostrils and bringing joy to her soul. She felt especially blessed when Evelyn took the seat next to her. She couldn't stop herself from patting the baby's tiny, soft, sock-covered feet.

  "This outreach effort will combine evangelism with community service," Daniel explained, again standing in front of the group. He'd long ago removed the robe and his suit jacket. "We're modeling our work after the Genesis House project that Marvin and Shay started and successfully implemented in Atlanta. Since they know more about that work than I do, I'll yield the floor to them."

  Shay had to force her attention away from the baby and toward her husband when he exchanged places with Daniel. Though she knew her husband's story well enough to give it herself, she was always encouraged when she heard him share his experiences and tell how they had led up to the founding of Genesis House.

  "I was one of the kids who would have frightened you," Marvin said, hands in the pockets of his deep green suit, relaxed and comfortable with himself and the words he spoke. "I know I would have because I frightened myself. A kid with no hope is a scary kid, and that's what I was: a kid with no hope. Until God sent a judge, Lawrence Green, into my life."

  "Judge Green did a couple of things for me," he said. "First, he kept me out of jail by opening his home to me. I could only stay out of jail if I had someone responsible in charge of me, and Judge Green volunteered to be that person. I didn't understand him at first, and I was skeptical about his motives. But, over time, I learned he was sincere. The second thing Judge Green did for me was open his heart. It took me a while to realize he loved me with the love of Jesus. And in time, he led me to the Lord."

  The baby gurgled, and Shay's attention moved from her husband to the infant. She smiled at the little darling and would have sworn that he smiled back. Oh, what she wouldn't give for her and Marvin to have a baby this precious. She was very pleased with Marvin's reaction to the child, and could imagine how he'd be with their child. She remembered how good, how perfect, he'd been with Marvin Jr. There was no better father. Why—

  A husky "Amen, brother" from one of the volunteers interrupted her thoughts. She reluctantly returned her attention to her husband.

  "And that was our goal for Genesis House," Marvin said. "We wanted it to be a place where people who needed help could find help, where people who had no hope could find hope, where people who had lost their way could find it again."

  * * *

  Marvin looked over in Shay's direction and had to stare at her for long seconds before she turned her attention from Evelyn and the baby to him. "Now Shay, my better half and the wonderful woman who lovingly keeps me in line, will tell the rest of the story."

  Marvin watched as Shay, country chic in her tailored dress and pillbox hat, pulled herself away from the baby. The bright eyes she raised to him as she stood before the group caused him to take a small step back. He'd known his wife wanted a baby, but now he saw the determination in her eyes. That look told him that she wouldn't give up until she got what she wanted. Marvin took a seat to the right of Evelyn and watched his wife. The anxiety in his heart grew as he waited for her to speak.

  "Genesis House," she finally began, "is one of the few Christian-based organizations serving the poor and underserved living in downtown Atlanta. The work has resulted in turning the Robinwood section of Atlanta into a thriving community that spans socioeconomic levels. With volunteer efforts, private and public funding, a strong community self-governance board, and a whole lot of prayer, we have been able to address many of the area's needs."

  Marvin relaxed a bit as Shay went on to give statistics for the decrease in unemployment, the increase in average education level attained, and other signs of community growth and improvement. Maybe he'd read the look in her eyes wrong. Maybe the look he saw was her yearning for the ministry, and not her yearning for a child.

  Don't kid yourself, Taylor.

  "But those numbers don't reflect the real changes in Robinwood," his wife said with a voice full of enthusiasm. She waved her hands as she spoke, another indication of the level of her excitement. "The real changes have occurred in the heart of the community—in its people. We've seen dozens of people come to the Lord. The line between the haves and the have-nots was growing wider and sharper before Genesis House, but now the line is almost invisible."

  "Don't get me wrong. The differences in socioeconomic levels still remain, but the people have found that they are more alike than they are different. Middle-income parents don't love their children any more than poor families do. And poor families don't have the market cornered when it comes to family problems. Through God's help, these people have come together in a real community—supporting each other and loving each other."

  "Two Scriptures guided our work," Shay continued, "both from the book of Matthew. The great commission from Matthew 28, where Jesus tells his disciples to go into all the world and make disciples, and the parable of the talents that Pastor Dan covered in this morning's sermon from Matthew 25. Our goal with Genesis House was to harness the talents and resources that God gave us and to use them to make disciples. "

  She smiled over at Marvin, and he felt he was seeing into her soul. Her simple smile told him how much she loved him, and as always, he was humbled by that love. Daniel had been right—if God gave wives according to how deserving a man was, there was no way that Shay would be his. Oh, but how he thanked God she was.

  "In a nutshell, that's what Genesis House is all about," Shay was saying by the time Marvin tuned his ears back to her words. "Are there any questions?"

  After Shay opened up the discussion to the floor, Marvin came and stood at her side and, her hand in his, they spent the next hour answering questions about Genesis House and considering strategies for the Odessa implementation. When baby Ronald began to cry, Daniel stood and said, "I think we've covered enough ground for one day. Let's plan our next meeting for two weeks from today—same place, same time." Everybody agreed, with the exception of baby Ronald, and after taking prayer requests, Daniel led them all in a closing prayer.

  * * *

  As soon as Daniel said amen, Shay rushed over to Evelyn and the fussy baby. "Oh," she said, shaking the baby's finger. "I'm sorry he's so uncomfortable. Is there anything I can do to help?"

  Evelyn shook her head, but Shay read the frustration in her eyes. "He'll be fine. He's not used to sitting quietly for so long, unless he's asleep. I probably need to f
eed him. I brought a bottle. But he's been pretty irritable since we picked him up, and I'd rather nurse him."

  Shay looked around the basement and, seeing that the men were already headed for the stairs and Vickie was engaged in conversation with another one of the women, she suggested to Evelyn, "Why don't you nurse him here?"

  Evelyn glanced around too, but she still shook her head. "He can wait until I get home. If Franklin were here, I could feed him on the drive home, but he had to stay home with our other children."

  As if he wanted to correct his mother's assumption that he could wait, baby Ronald let out a yowl.

  Shay laughed at him. "Maybe he can't wait," she said, grinning down at the baby.

  Warily, Evelyn adjusted herself in her chair and began to nurse her son. As Shay watched the baby greedily take sustenance from his mother, the wave of melancholy that she'd been feeling yesterday seemed to overtake her again. Why can't I be the one with the baby? her heart cried silently. When will I be the one with the baby?

  "Shay?"

  She turned around at the sound of her name on Vickie's lips.

  "What's wrong?" Vickie asked, concern in her voice and in her eyes.

  "Wrong?" As Shay spoke, she realized tears were streaming down her face. She tried unsuccessfully to wipe them away. Then she began shaking her head and backing away. "Nothing." The word tripped off her tongue as though it had to traverse mountains to make it through her lips. "I've got to go."

  She turned and quickly rushed up the stairs, no particular destination in mind, just needing to get away so she could compose herself.

  "Shay." She vaguely heard her name being called again and the sound of footsteps following quickly after her. She made it safely up the stairs, slowing her steps so as not to draw attention to herself, and out to the front parking lot, hoping the fresh air would help. Vickie caught up with her as she reached the car. "What's wrong?" she asked again.

  "Nothing," Shay choked out, the tears in her voice obvious even to her.

  "I know how you feel, Shay," Vickie said in a soothing voice, pulling Shay close.

  "You can't." The words came out muffled because Shay's face was pressed against Vickie's shoulder. "Nobody can."

  "It's about the baby, isn't it?" Vickie's question caused Shay to raise her eyes to her new friend. "Are you and Marvin trying to have a baby?"

  That question seemed to cause the dam of Shay's heart to break. Though she tried, she was unable to stop the tide of tears.

  Vickie held her, murmuring words of comfort and patting her hands up and down her back. When Shay finally was able to stop crying, she pulled away and wiped at her face with her hands. "My makeup must be ruined," she said.

  Vickie smiled at her. "That's an understatement."

  Shay took in Vickie's perfectly together look—red-belted dress and matching pumps—and felt even worse than she thought she looked. "Thanks."

  "Do you want to talk about it, Shay? I'm here if you do."

  "You wouldn't understand," Shay said. Even as she spoke the words, she knew she was wrong. Vickie must have understood something because she had known why Shay was crying. Was it merely a good guess, or something more?

  Vickie gave a self-deprecating grin and lifted a knowing brow. "I'm thirty-four, knocking hard at the door of thirty-five, and single. Maybe I'd understand better than you think."

  Shay found Vickie's declaration comforting, but at the same time she ached for her new friend. "I know it's awful to feel this way," she tried to explain, "but sometimes—not all the time, but sometimes—it really gets to me. Just look at Evelyn. She has four children—four—and we have to suffer so. I don't get it."

  Vickie lifted her feminine shoulders in a light shrug. "I don't get it either, but I try not to think of it as us versus them. Whether or not Evelyn, or some woman on the street that I don't know, has a baby doesn't really impact my getting pregnant. Of course, I have to get married first, which adds yet another wrinkle to my prayer request."

  "You're right," Shay said after a long sigh. She was beginning to feel a bit guilty for her outburst. Finding her composure, she said, "I'm being self-absorbed. Sorry for getting out of control. Talk about making an unforgettable first impression. I may have set a record."

  Vickie chuckled. "I think we're even. You saw me at my worst with Daniel the other day. I think this seals our friendship."

  Shay reached over and hugged her friend close. "I like that. As you can see, I really do need a friend."

  Shay had expected Vickie to laugh, or at least smile, but she didn't do either. "So are you and Marvin trying to have another child?" Vickie asked, repeating her earlier question.

  Not wanting to wear out her welcome with Vickie by burdening her with the gory details of the Taylor quest for a child, Shay stated briefly, "We're praying about it and believing God it'll happen soon. When I'm not falling apart, that is."

  Vickie chuckled again. Then she placed her hand on Shay's shoulder. "Don't even think about apologizing for being human. You fall apart today, and I get to fall apart tomorrow. Deal?"

  Shay read the acceptance and love in Vickie's eyes. "I certainly hope you don't have to fall apart, but I'm here if you do," she said.

  "Good." Vickie draped an arm around Shay's shoulder. "Now let's get back inside before that handsome husband of yours comes looking for us."

  Shay nodded agreement. "And I'd better apologize to Evelyn, or she's going to think I'm a crazy woman."

  Chuckling, the two women strolled back inside the church.

  * * *

  Marvin stood in the vestibule and looked around for his wife. He'd followed Deacon Greg out back to check out his new pickup and had found Shay gone when he'd come back inside. Where is Shay? he wondered anxiously.

  "She's outside with Vic," Daniel said, coming up behind him. At Marvin's panicked expression, his friend added, "Love bug's got you bad. Been married more than ten years, and you still can't stand to let her out of your sight."

  Marvin forced himself to relax. Shay was fine. "Fifteen years next year, if you want to be accurate. Marriage is good, man. You ought to try it."

  Daniel held up both hands. "No way, no how. Single is what I am, and unless the Lord tells me differently, single is what I intend to remain. We each have our callings, and I've made mine sure."

  Marvin considered his friend. Some single people they knew begged, literally and figuratively, to be introduced to someone, but Daniel was different. He was content in his singleness. Unfortunately, his contentment acted as a magnet for single women, and it had since he'd ended his engagement with his longtime girlfriend back when he and Marvin were roommates at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Marvin guessed women took Daniel's singleness as a challenge, as if one of them could be the woman to change his mind. What those women didn't know, but he and Shay and everybody who took time to know Daniel did, was that Daniel was certain God had called him to singleness, and he was happy in that calling. The fact that he and his ex-fiancée, who was now happily married with a couple of kids, maintained a close, though long-distance friendship, was testament to Daniel's contentment.

  "Shay wants to have another baby?" Daniel asked without preamble. But then, that was his way. Marvin noticed that he hadn't said "you," referring to both of them. He'd said "Shay." He knew Daniel well enough to know that the word choice was deliberate.

  "What makes you ask?"

  Daniel met his gaze and held it. "I saw the way she was looking at baby Ronald, and I saw the way you were looking at her. Want to talk?"

  Marvin leaned back against the paneled wall behind him, not surprised by Daniel's perceptiveness. "Not much to say. She wants a baby, desperately."

  "You have a problem with that?"

  Marvin stared out the stained-glass window to the left of the double doors flanking the entry. "Let's just say our prayers are going in different directions."

  Daniel studied him before asking, "You don't want any more kids? I can't believe that. From the momen
t you met Shay, you've talked about the family you wanted to have with her."

  "Those are old dreams," Marvin said, "and this is a new day. I'm perfectly happy with the life we have now."

  "Have you told Shay how you feel?"

  Marvin lifted his brow. "I've tried, but you know Shay…"

  Daniel chuckled, but quickly sobered. "So what are you going to do?"

  "Nothing," Marvin answered. "You know our history. She won't get pregnant."

  "Unless I've forgotten how these things happen, there's only one way to guarantee that outcome. Are you really that determined?"

  "She won't get pregnant," Marvin repeated, unwilling to allow any room for doubt.

  Daniel looked as though he would offer some argument, but when he opened his mouth, he said, "Come on back to my office. I want to show you this present the church gave me last year. You're not going to believe it."

  Marvin breathed a relieved sigh and pushed away from the wall, glad for the change in topic. "I can't wait to see it."

  Chapter 4

  As the early morning light filtered through the closed blinds, which were slapping lightly against the windowsill, and cast shadows on the queen-size bed he shared with his wife, Marvin cuddled closer to the woman he loved so dearly. Lying beside her this way in the wee hours of the morning, just being with her, was one of the things he'd missed most during their separation. When life matters cluttered his mind, he liked to lie close to her, where he could feel the comforting breath of her sound sleep and replay the day's events in his mind or ponder some issue he had to resolve. He loved having her near when his heart sang praises of joy. It even helped when his heart cried out to God with words his mouth couldn't utter, as it did this morning.

  His wife wanted a baby. Badly.

  He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to fight back the memories displayed in his mind's eye, but the memories proved stronger than his will. He remembered. Oh, how he remembered. He saw Shay pregnant, very heavy with child, and a smile filled his heart even as a tear slipped through his closed eyelids.