“So your answer is to get out of his way?”
“What else can I do?” she asked, thinking about the list of jobs she’d scanned on the Internet. Surely, she could get one of them.
“You tell Dolores and Monika they should fight. Why aren’t you fighting?”
“Fight George? What do you mean?”
“He’s verbally assaulted you more than once. Do you think that’s right?”
“It’s not right, but I understand he wants somebody to pay for what happened to Toni. So do I.”
“Ah, vengeance again,” he murmured. “But you’re not the person at fault, so why are you taking George’s trash?”
“Because I am at fault.”
Stuart shook his head. “You can’t have it both ways, Francine. Either you believe God forgives you and you move forward, or you don’t and you wallow in the past. Your letting George abuse you the way he does, letting him dictate your life, is a way of wallowing in the past. Can’t you see that?”
“It’s not the same,” she said. “It’s not the same at all.”
“Tell me how it’s different.”
“I wasn’t there for Toni when I should have been.”
“And letting George abuse you somehow makes up for that? Is that your tribute to Toni? Does it in any way help you to make sense of her death?”
“You don’t understand,” Francine said.
Stuart placed his glass on the counter. “I think I do understand,” he said. ‘You’re more interested in vengeance, making people pay, than you are in listening to God’s voice and being obedient to Him.” He shook his head sadly. “Maybe I don’t know you as well as I thought I did.”
Francine felt his disappointment in her but she had no defense. She watched in silence as he opened the door and left.
Chapter 25
With closed eyes, Dawn listened to the back-and-forth conversation between Sly and his grandfather as she rocked in the wicker swing on the deck of Grandpa and Grandma Ray’s patio. The cool breeze from the ocean near the senior condo complex, the sound of the male voices, and the sway of the swing combined to give her a feeling of total relaxation.
“I like this collective idea a lot, Vester,” Grandpa Ray said. “I’m so proud of what you’re doing with the business. You’re going to make it so much more than what we gave you. I know Willie and Grady are looking down on you with big smiles.”
Dawn smiled at that notion. She liked to think her grandparents were happy with the way she and Sly and Francine were taking care of the business that had been left to them.
“I hope so, Grandpa,” Sly said. “Your approval means a lot to us. We want you to be proud of us.”
Dawn opened her eyes as Grandpa reached out and placed a strong, callused hand on Sly’s knee. “There’s never been a time we haven’t been proud of you, Vester. You’re a son and grandson any man would be proud to have.”
“I had a good teacher,” Sly said. “You’re the best, Grandpa.”
“The best at what?” Grandma Ray called from the door. “Somebody had better be the best at opening doors. If I have to open it, I may drop somebody’s cobbler on the floor.”
Grinning, Dawn got up and slid open the screen door for Grandma Ray. “Let me help you with that,” she said, reaching to take the tray from the older woman.
“I can do it,” Grandma Ray insisted. “When I get too old to carry a tray of dessert, I’ll be the first to tell you about it. Now you sit back down.”
Sharing a quick smile with Grandpa Ray and Sylvester, Dawn sat back down in the swing while Grandma Ray placed the tray on the wicker table. She handed bowls of apple cobbler with rich French vanilla ice cream to Sly, Grandpa Ray, Dawn, and finally herself. “I hope you like it.” She took a seat on the glider next to Grandpa Ray.
Grandpa Ray took a big scoop and put it in his mouth. “Ooh,” he said. “Doris, this dessert is about as sweet as you are.”
Sly chuckled. “Stop flirting with my grandma. She’s a married woman.”
“I know,” Grandpa said. “I like ’em married.”
“Stop acting silly, Lee,” Grandma said. “Dawn is going to think you’re getting senile in your old age.”
Grandpa wriggled his brows. “I’m not getting older,” he said. “I’m getting better.” He leaned over and kissed his wife’s cheek. “You tell ’em, honey.”
Grandma Ray pursed her lips together, but Dawn caught the twinkle in her eye. “Pay him no mind, Dawn,” she said. “Sly, I hope you have better manners with your wife than your grandpa has with me.”
“I think Grandpa has it right, Grandma. I think I ought to follow his example.” Sly leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on Dawn’s lips, giving her a taste of his dessert in the process.
Grandpa Ray chuckled. “I always knew the boy was smart.”
Grandma just shook her head. “What are we going to do with them?” she asked Dawn.
Grandpa Ray gave Dawn a big wink. “I can think of a few things,” he said to his wife.
Sly laughed outright. “You two haven’t changed a bit,” he said.
Grandpa Ray huffed. “Why mess with perfection?”
Grandma Ray took a big spoon of ice cream from her bowl and shoved it into Grandpa’s mouth. “That ought to keep him quiet for a minute or two.”
Dawn loved seeing the playfulness of this couple. They’d been married for more than fifty years and they still enjoyed each other. Her grandparents had been the same way. She so wanted that for herself and Sly. She wanted to grow old with him. She wanted to sit out on the porch with him and toss teasing words back and forth with their grandchildren. She wanted a family. She cast a glance at Sly. She wanted her husband.
Grandma Ray asked a question that brought Dawn back into the conversation. They chatted about one thing and then another for over an hour, until Grandpa stretched his arms above his head. “I don’t know about y’all, but after all that good dessert, I know I’m going to sleep well tonight. You ready, Doris?”
“I guess so,” Grandma said. “It’s getting to be our bedtime. You go on, Lee. I’ll be along as soon as I put these dishes in the dishwasher.”
“Go on to bed, Grandma Ray,” Dawn said. “Sylvester and I’ll clean up.”
Grandma looked from her grandson to his wife. “Are you sure? You two must be tired from that drive from Fort Lauderdale this morning.”
“We’re not that tired, Grandma,” Sly added. “You go on to bed with Grandpa. We’ll take care of everything.”
“But—”
Grandpa stood and took his wife’s arm in his. “Let the young folks take care of it, Doris. They don’t need half as much sleep as we do.”
“Okay, then,” the older lady said. She leaned down and placed a kiss on Sly’s jaw and then Dawn’s. “Sleep well, you two. We’ll see you in the morning.”
“Bright and early for you, Sly,” Grandpa said. “You promised to hit a few golf balls with me.”
“I’ll be up, Grandpa,” Sly said. “See you in the morning.”
Grandpa clapped Sly on the back and kissed Dawn on her cheek. “It sure is good to see the two of you. You have to visit us more often. Your happy faces make me feel young again.”
“You are young, Grandpa,” Dawn said.
“Come on, Lee,” Grandma said, “and stop fishing for compliments.”
Grandpa smiled at his wife. “She’s a bossy bit,” he said to Dawn with another big wink. “But I guess I’ll keep her.”
Grandma murmured a retort that Dawn missed because of the noise of the screen door opening and closing. “They’re wonderful,” she said to Sly when the older couple was out of earshot. “I’m so glad we came down. Grandma’s right. We should visit more often.”
Sly draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. “So you’re enjoying yourself?”
“A lot. We needed to get away.”
He pressed a kiss against her hair. “It’s been special for me too.”
S
he turned her head and kissed him full on the lips. He returned the kiss, showing her how much he loved her. When she would have deepened it, he pulled away. “While I enjoy kissing you more than you can know, I can’t take too much of it.”
Dawn knew he referred to their physical abstinence. With an inner sense of well-being, she decided to end the drought. “Let’s clear the dishes so we can go to bed,” she said.
“You go ahead,” Sly said. “I’m going to stay up a while longer. I’ll put the dishes in the dishwasher before I turn in.”
Dawn knew he was continuing the pattern he’d taken on for their trip. He’d let her go to bed and to sleep before he’d join her. She didn’t want him to follow his routine tonight. “Let’s do it together, Sly.”
He looked up at her with a question in his eyes.
“I want us together,” she repeated. “In all ways.”
When he continued to stare at her without speaking, she grew self-conscious. To hide her nervousness, she stood and reached for the tray of dirty dishes. He covered her hand with his to stop her. “What are you saying, Dawn?”
She lifted her eyes to his. “I’m saying I want a full marriage, Sly. I want to make love with you again. Tonight.” When he still didn’t say anything, she added, “If you want to, that is.”
A wide grin broke out over his face. “I want to,” he said. “I’m just trying to figure out if Grandma and Grandpa will be upset if we don’t take the time to put the dishes in the dishwasher.”
Dawn smiled at his quip and rewarded him with a kiss that he returned in full measure.
~ ~ ~
On Sunday morning, Francine dressed for church after a sleepless night. She’d tossed and turned all night, her thoughts going around and around, from Rev. Campbell’s lies about his relationship with Dolores, to Stuart’s challenge to her about George, to her job search and relocation plans. She needed some peace about all three and hoped that today’s service would provide some answers.
With Dawn and Sly still out of town, it seemed pointless to brew coffee or make breakfast, so she decided to grab a breakfast bar and bottle of water to consume during her drive to church. The phone rang as she passed it en route to the refrigerator. “Amen-Ray residence, good morning,” she said, remembering her manners. She took the handset with her and opened the refrigerator door.
“Miss Francine?”
Monika’s frantic voice stopped Francine’s perusal of the refrigerator contents. “It’s me,” she said. “What’s wrong, Monika?”
“I want to see my father,” she said.
Francine closed the refrigerator door. “Where’s your mother? Did you and she talk last night?”
“Momma’s gone to church.”
Francine waited for Monika to address her second question, and when she didn’t, she prodded, “And?”
“We talked. She told me who he was.” The girl gave a sigh so full of anguish that it should have come from a much older and life-worn woman. “I looked up his church in the phone book. I want to go there this morning.”
Francine braced herself for the direction she feared this conversation was heading. “What did your mother say?”
Silence. Then, “I didn’t ask her.”
“Monika—” Francine chided.
“Miss Francine, I have to see him, and Momma won’t go with me, I know she won’t. Since he doesn’t want to meet me, she thinks we should leave him alone, but I want to see him. I’ve never seen my father and I want to see him. Please go with me. I just want to see him.”
Francine’s heart ached for the teenager. She wished she could contact Dolores and get her permission, but there was no way of doing that now. She didn’t doubt that Monika was well aware of this. The teen might be hurting but that hadn’t interfered with her plotting skills.
“If you don’t go with me,” Monika threatened, “I’ll take a cab and go by myself. I have money.”
“You will do no such thing, Monika. Wait and talk with your mother.”
“I’m not waiting, Miss Francine. I’m going this morning—either with you or without you. Please go with me. I’m scared.”
Francine copied Monika’s earlier sigh. “You stay put,” she told the teenager, “until you talk to your mother.”
“She’s not going to let me go. I just know it. I’m calling a cab.”
“No, Monika—”
Instead of getting a response, Francine got a click followed by a dial tone. She took the phone from her ear and stared at it. Monika had actually hung up on her. Having no idea how to contact Dolores, Francine dialed Stuart’s cell. She wasn’t surprised when he didn’t answer. He’d probably turned it off for church. She left a message on his voice mail that she was going to try to intercept Monika at Rev. Campbell’s church.
Francine hung up the phone and rushed out of the house, praying that she’d get to Monika before the girl got inside the church. Her prayer was answered and she caught up with the teenager just as she was walking up the concrete steps leading to the doors of Pilgrim Church. When Francine called to her, she turned and gave a smile that didn’t quite reach her lips. “I love you, Miss Francine,” she said. “Thank you so much for coming. I knew you’d help me.”
As Francine fell into step with the girl, she had the feeling she’d been conned by the teenager. “I love you too, Monika,” she said, “but you should have talked to your mother before coming here.”
Monika kept walking as if she hadn’t heard Francine speak. When the two of them reached the top step, Monika took Francine’s arm and stopped her. “I’m scared,” she said. “What if he recognizes me?”
Francine thought it was a bit late to consider that possibility. Besides, even if Rev. Campbell didn’t recognize Monika, Francine knew he would remember her from the disastrous meeting she, Dolores, and Stuart had with him last night. A part of her was glad of that. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that Rev. Campbell would weasel his way out of the situation with Dolores and Monika. She could feel it in her bones. Well, he might try to weasel his way out of it, but with their presence this morning, she was going to make sure he squirmed. “We can turn around and go on to Faith Central,” Francine offered, though now she was psyched at the idea of shaking up Rev. Campbell’s world a bit.
Monika shook her head and took the last step to the landing of the church. “I want to see him,” she said aloud, though Francine felt she was talking to herself. “I just want to see him.”
The church secretary was reading the week’s announcements when Francine and Monika slid into a pew about midway down the center aisle of the sparsely populated sanctuary. The low turnout surprised Francine. She estimated two or three hundred people in a sanctuary that could easily hold twice that many.
The announcements finished, the secretary read the names of the visitors who had submitted visitors’ cards, asked them to stand, welcomed each one individually to service, and invited them to stay for the visitors’ reception in the pastor’s lounge immediately following the service. When she asked if there were other visitors who had not completed a card, Francine was unsure if they should stand. How much did she want to throw their presence in Rev. Campbell’s face? From her seat, she could glimpse him in the pulpit when he leaned over to whisper to the man sitting next to him. Otherwise, he was pretty well hidden by the podium. Monika ended Francine’s internal debate when the young girl stood up. Francine felt compelled to stand with her. She took great pleasure in seeing Rev. Campbell lean to the side when he heard their names. She met his eyes and issued a taunting smile. Yes, he remembered her, and she bet he knew who Monika was too. If he didn’t, she bet he wondered.
After they sat down, Rev. Campbell stood at the podium. Francine glanced to her side to see how Monika was doing. “Are you okay?” she whispered.
The girl nodded, but otherwise her eyes remained fixed on her father. He had all of the teen’s attention.
Francine turned her head back toward the pulpit. She watched Re
v. Campbell but she couldn’t focus on his words. She wondered how he could stand before these people and preach when last night he’d lied about being Monika’s father. She allowed her gaze to roam the congregation. Did any of them know the kind of man he was? Would they do the right thing if they knew, or would they go along with the status quo? She wasn’t sure, but her instincts and past experience gave better odds to maintaining the status quo. Then she wondered if they were already keeping secrets for him. Were there other Doloreses seated in the sanctuary today?
When the service was over, Monika spoke for the first time since they’d entered the church. “I want to go to the visitors’ reception,” she said. “I want to see him up close.”
Francine studied the girl. “Are you sure you want to do this, Monika?”
“I’m sure.”
Francine wasn’t so sure though. Monika was a mature fifteen, but she was still a child. How would meeting her father affect her?
“I’m not going to throw a tantrum or anything,” Monika said. “I just want to see him up close. I think I have his nose and eyes. I just want to see him.”
Francine couldn’t fight the sentiment in those words. She followed Monika to the back of the church where the ushers were directing visitors to the lounge. An usher dressed in all white greeted them at the entrance, asked them to complete the visitors’ cards, and gave them visitors’ badges to wear. They took the offered cards and badges and then sat at one of the six-foot-long metal folding tables to complete them.
“He’ll come, won’t he?” Monika asked anxiously.
“I don’t know,” Francine said. Rev. Campbell might be such a coward he’d come up with some fake excuse so he wouldn’t have to face them. She glanced around at the other visitors mingling with church members. The visitors, with the exception of her and Monika, were easily identified by their blue-and-white name badges.
When they had completed the visitors’ cards, Francine and Monika returned them to the usher and went to join the others congregated around the refreshment table. A petite woman with honey brown skin turned and greeted them with an open and loving smile. Francine couldn’t help but smile back.
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