by Tyora Moody
Lenora looked over and spotted her. “Oh, Angel. I’m glad you were able to come. Florence, take care of my little bride here. Make sure she gets the dress she wants. If the mother has questions, she can see me. Angel, let’s go to my office.”
Angel took long strides to keep up with Lenora, who, with the stilettos she was wearing, had to be nearly six feet in height. All business, Lenora closed the door and reached out her arms. “How are you doing?”
Angel accepted the hug. “I’m doing okay. Thank you for asking.”
“Bless your heart. You know, I would have understood if you couldn’t make it. How’s your grandmother doing? Pastor and I are both praying for her.”
“She’s stable. I appreciate the prayers, Mrs. Freeman—”
“Uh-uh.” The woman cut Angel off with her finger. “When are you going to learn? Call me Lenora.”
Angel grinned. “Lenora. My grandmother has some rehabilitation to go through. The stroke has affected her right side a bit, and she is understandably frustrated.”
“I can imagine. Ms. Fredricka is a ball of fire, even at her age. We are praying for a full recovery. Your grandmother has been such a blessing to so many people.” Lenora walked over behind her desk. “Look, I don’t want to hold you. I know you need to get back to the hospital. I just want to go over the wedding details for this weekend.”
Angel took the seat across from Lenora’s desk, which was filled with neatly stacked and organized catalogs. Lenora quickly flipped through her appointment book, which occupied the middle of the desk. From where she sat, Angel could see the perfect handwriting. Angel wished she could say her desk looked like this, but instead it was full of sticky notes, scribbled-in notebooks, and DVD cases.
“Now, I have scheduled a couple more weddings for the summer, and they all indicated they would love a videographer. I will check with you about those before you leave.”
Angel responded, “Sounds good. So the couple this week is Tommy and Sharise?”
“Yes, they both like the package where you interview them individually before and after the wedding. If you can arrive a bit early, they also want you to interview some of the guests as they arrive and then again at the reception. By the way, Brad took some great shots. Aren’t they a beautiful couple?” Lenora passed an envelope to her.
Angel took the envelope and slid out a few photos. Tom, the groom, was slender, tall, and reminded her of the actor Morris Chestnut. The bride was simply stunning. Sharise was equally as tall and had long, flowing hair. “These are beautiful. You indicated last week that they want to do some footage in another location.”
“Yes. They are college sweethearts, so they are interested in doing a shoot at UNC Charlotte. They want footage of the places where they first met. Will you be okay with meeting them on the campus Thursday?”
“Yes, that’s fine.” It would be a busy week, but Angel looked forward to filming the couple. Her mind whirled like a movie projector as she began thinking of how the final production would come together. It felt good to focus on work.
“Okay, now, here are the names of weddings I have coming up. Let me know if you are able to add these to your calendar. They all loved your portfolio.”
Angel reached over and took the list from Lenora. There were about five couples listed, but one couple leapt off the page.
“Angel, is something wrong?”
She had sucked in a breath sharply, but she didn’t realize how her reaction appeared to Lenora. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” Lenora eyed her. A knock on the door saved Angel from having to explain. Not that she even knew what to say. She folded the list and stuffed the paper into the side pocket of her bag.
A woman burst into the office. “Mrs. Freeman, I need to have a word with you.”
Lenora lifted a well-groomed arched eyebrow at the woman. “Excuse me. I have someone in my office right now. Can you please wait outside? I will be with you shortly.”
“Yes, but—” The woman stopped and stared at Angel. She was petite, probably just a few inches shorter than Angel. Her blond hair was pulled back, showing off intense blue eyes. The woman stepped back and placed her hand on her chest. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
Angel stood from her chair. “It’s okay. Lenora, I will meet with Tommy and Sharise on Thursday and will see you on Saturday, before the ceremony begins.”
Lenora had a smile on her face, but her eyes displayed displeasure as she focused first on the woman who had burst in and then on Angel. “Okay. Thank you for stopping by, and tell your grandmother we are praying for her.”
Angel turned to walk out of the office, but the woman remained standing at the door, still staring at her. This woman clearly has some issues. “Excuse me. I need to get by.”
“Yes, of course.” The strange woman stepped to the side.
Angel slid by her and out the door. As she turned the corner, she looked back to find that the woman continued to stare at her. Angel felt sorry that Lenora had to deal with the creepy woman. Angel couldn’t leave fast enough. All she wanted was to breathe fresh air.
Chapter Ten
Angel closed the front door behind her a bit hard, rattling the picture frames in the hallway. Really? All the wedding planners in Charlotte, and they had to pick Lenora? Okay, okay, granted, Lenora was the best. If Angel ever had the opportunity to walk down the aisle, she would choose Lenora to plan the wedding. The woman was good at what she did. Angel enjoyed having the opportunity to work with her, but she was not going to be working with Denise and Kenneth.
She threw her bag on the couch and sat down in a huff. Angel wanted to kick herself for not speaking up during her meeting with Lenora. She wanted to make the money, but Angel knew she couldn’t seriously document the marriage of two people who had betrayed her trust. What really upset Angel was the fact that Denise and Kenneth knew she did the video productions. Lenora had Angel’s bio with a link to Angel Media on the bridal Web site. Maybe she should just get over it. This happened four years ago. Life goes on, right?
“Angel, what are you doing home?”
Angel jumped at her uncle’s voice. “I think I should get to ask the questions. Where have you been? Why are you so hard to find?”
This morning she had tried to catch up with her uncle Jacob, but it was almost like he was avoiding her on purpose. Even though she didn’t hear his arrival last night or his departure this morning, the guest bedroom was occupied with his suitcases and the bed was unmade.
She got up from the couch and peeked out the window. “I didn’t see your car out there. Why aren’t you with Grams?”
“I don’t need the twenty questions. I came to get a shower. She’s in rehab now, anyway. Shouldn’t you be working?”
Angel stared at her uncle like he had grown horns. “I am working. I just came back from consulting with one of my biggest clients.” Why did they go through this every time? For some reason, her uncle couldn’t get it in his head that she ran a business. He should be proud of what she’d accomplished at a young age.
As a media arts major, Angel had been determined to be a film producer. She was a big movie fan, and her most treasured gift was the Sony video camera her granddad had given her at the age of thirteen. Grams didn’t get the reason for such an expensive gift, but during family reunions, birthdays, and parties, Angel loved capturing people in action. Movie production was a big dream, but she still loved producing videos and was getting paid to do it.
“I just want to be sure you can carry your own weight,” Jacob said and smirked. “My mother doesn’t need to be carrying you. You’re an adult now.”
Angel rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag off the couch. “I know that! I work just like anybody else and pay my own bills. By the way, I’m here taking care of things for Grams. I did the same with Granddaddy. Why do you insist on insulting me?” By this time Angel was yelling. She knew she needed to calm down, but Angel hated when he treated her like a child. Of course, she had clearly lost it.
Jacob continued without even looking at her. “My parents spoiled you, just like they spoiled your mother. I need to make sure you are doing the right thing.”
Angel’s mouth dropped open. “Why are you so mean? Why would you throw something like that in my face?”
Jacob looked at her. “I’m not throwing anything in your face. I just want you to . . . Never mind.” He walked out of the room, leaving the smell of his cologne in the air.
She shouted at his back as he went out the front door. “No wonder Liz asked you to leave.” She didn’t know if Jacob heard what she said. All she heard was the door close.
What was wrong with her? That was a low blow, even if Jacob deserved it. A swift cloud of shame fell over Angel. She had entered the house feeling rattled about seeing Kenneth’s and Denise’s names. Jacob had just added to the mix. She dragged her feet to her room and sat on the edge of her bed.
When did life become so complicated? If she was over Kenneth and Denise, why was the pain of the betrayal just as fierce today as it was four years ago? When did Jacob stop being a fun uncle and begin treating her like she was her mother all over again? Was her mother that bad?
She took a deep breath and prayed. Lord, please help me. I thought I was over being angry at Denise and Kenneth. I’m not. I think I just shoved down my emotions and tried to put it behind me. But I haven’t. Then Angel thought of herself. Jacob wasn’t the only one who had uptight issues. Why was she so angry? Last week I blew up at Grams, before she had the stroke. Was that caused by me? I need you, God, to help me stop being so angry. What’s really eating me? I thought when I accepted you, I would be different. Help me. I don’t want to feel and act like this. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Angel climbed back on the bed and reached for her Bible and notebook on her nightstand. They were starting a new topic of study this week, forgiveness. She turned to the verse for this week in the book of Philippians. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13–14 New International Version). Angel broke out in a laugh mixed with tears. That was all she could do, move forward. Tomorrow would be a better day.
Angel went over to her computer and decided to e-mail Lenora. She carefully worded her e-mail. Lenora didn’t need to know the whole story, and there would be plenty of other weddings this summer. Denise and Kenneth could find another videographer. Before Angel hit SEND, she read the e-mail again. And again. Instead of sending the e-mail, she saved it as a draft. She wasn’t sure why, but sitting on it another day wouldn’t hurt.
Angel clicked over to Facebook so she could read and respond to any new messages. When she logged in, she had a few new friend requests. To her surprise, one of her friend requests was from Wes Cade. He was actually serious about wanting to help. She tapped her fingers on the desk.
Wes might be her only avenue to getting some of the information she needed. Hopefully, this wouldn’t be a decision she would regret. She confirmed his friend request and then surfed to his profile page. He looked really handsome in his profile photo. She noticed on his wall that most of the messages were from women and that he personally responded to everyone.
Not that she cared.
She clicked on the message button and typed. Hello, Wes. You mentioned on Sunday about staying in touch. Can we meet to talk? Without a bit of hesitancy, she sent the message. It occurred to her as she logged off the computer that she had delayed sending a message to get out of a potentially painful situation. Instead, she had chosen to contact a man who could lead her to some truths that would bring more pain.
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.
Chapter Eleven
Melanie had since lost track of the days, but she knew it was daytime. While the window in the room had been boarded up from the outside, inside the bathroom that was off from the bedroom, there was a window made of glass blocks. She had figured out she was in a cabin. Years ago, she remembered visiting a cabin with Lisa and her family. The cabin was up in the mountains, with nothing but trees around it. Melanie placed her face against the glass, feeling the warmth of the sun. She couldn’t see clearly but could hear birds fluttering and singing nearby.
Whoever took her wanted to keep her around for a while. She just couldn’t figure out why. She tried to think about the people who had come up to her in the club. No one had followed her out of the club that she could remember. There were a lot of creeps who had asked her to dance, but no one stood out to her as a horror movie–type creep. That was exactly the way she felt, like she had been snatched up and dropped in a scene. She laughed out loud. “Could this be another reality show? Let’s take a peek inside the life of a woman as she slowly loses her mind.”
She kept leaning her head against the thick glass. Melanie never heard vehicles or voices. Her throat was still raw from yelling over and over again that first day. Melanie returned to the bedroom. The bedroom was at one time probably used a lot. It was decorated like any other cabin bedroom. The quilt on the bed was quaint. She could tell from the dust that adhered to her hands when she touched the furniture that the room had not been used in a while. This didn’t help her. There was no telling how far this place was off the map if no one used the place.
She didn’t know what was beyond the door. Was anyone else here? She wished there was a television on the stand across from the bed.
Melanie didn’t have the best relationship with her stepmother, but she’d let her move back in until she could get a new apartment. Hopefully, she had noticed that Melanie was gone. Even if she hadn’t, Lisa would have noticed. She called without fail every day. Melanie sat on the bed. He’d taken her bag and her phone. He’d even taken her shoes. Smart man. Those three-inch heels would have come in handy.
She reached for the bottled water on the table beside the bed. When she’d explored the room, she’d found water and other snack items, like you would in a hotel room. She twisted the cap and gulped down the liquid. The smell of roasted peanuts filled her nostrils as she pulled the packet open. She’d never eaten this many peanuts in her life. It wasn’t a four-course meal, but she was so hungry. She’d waited as long as she could to open it. It was the last bag of peanuts.
As she drank and ate, she prayed.
This wasn’t her first prayer, but one of several. The first time she’d prayed, her words had sounded so foreign in her ears. Praying was something she did when she was a little girl. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Now she just prayed, God save me. Save me, please.
Chapter Twelve
Thrilled he had a chance to catch up with one of Melanie’s teachers, Wes sat engaged as Janice Yarber chattered and moved around the classroom with the energy of a much younger person. “She was an excellent student. I knew she could sing, but, oh, I was so proud of her on that show. Melanie should have won.” The older woman picked up papers and placed books back on the shelf in the back of her classroom.
Wes smiled. He liked that Melanie’s former English teacher had such fond memories of her former student and continued to keep up with her students after they left her classroom. Rick Jenkins, the cameraman on the shoot with him, was following Mrs. Yarber. They had arrived during her planning period to conduct the interview, and the teacher was wasting no time as she prepared for her next period of students. Finally, the silver-haired woman sat down and continued talking as she began organizing papers on her desk.
“The only thing that concerned me about Melanie was her home life.”
Wes asked, “Why the concern?”
She looked at Wes and then looked over at Rick behind them. “Oh my! Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No. Hold on. Rick, let’s stop rolling tape. Why don’t you get some B-roll from around the school?”
“Sure, Wes!”
Wes t
urned to Mrs. Yarber. “We will continue off the record. Will that be okay with you?”
“Okay.” Mrs. Yarber sat very still, in stark relief to the whirlwind of activity she’d engaged in, as she watched Rick grab his bag and camera.
Rick called over his shoulder, “Wes, I will see you outside in a bit.”
“Thanks, Rick.” Wes turned his attention back to Mrs. Yarber. “Now, you mentioned you had concerns about Melanie’s home life.”
She swallowed and fidgeted in her seat. “Well, neither of her parents ever came to support her. They missed teacher conferences all the time. One day I made a trip out to her home. Her mother was there taking care of some younger children. She seemed to be more interested in her other children and didn’t seem to care that Melanie had been missing her classes.”
Wes asked, “Melanie was skipping classes?”
“Yes. Now, I understand the mother had her hands full. I believe all the other children were under the age of four. The mother . . . Well, I should stop referring to her as the mother. She was really Melanie’s stepmother.” Mrs. Yarber shook her head. “She just kept saying, ‘Melanie can take care of herself.’ At the time, Melanie was only fourteen years old. Children still need guidance at that age. Teenagers need adult guidance even more so because they are learning about themselves and witnessing so many new experiences.”
“Where was her father?”
“Now, that really disturbed me. I never met Melanie’s father. I heard later that her dad was serving time in prison. Something about getting caught with drugs. That’s terrible.”
He looked down at his notes. Serena had spoken to the stepmother; in fact, they had some clips of her talking to the media. There was no footage of Melanie’s father, even with his daughter missing and showing up on the news each night. Larry Stowe had to have been released from prison in the last year, though. Melanie’s father had found a way to see his daughter on American Voices. Wes wondered if Larry might have worked out something with his parole officer that allowed him to leave the state.