Now, after complaining for several minutes about Kate’s high maintenance personality and how difficult a trial it was to live with her, Merry concluded. “Initially, I thought this would be the right time to head back east and visit with Grandma Jellybean and your family… but they are a bit too eccentric for me. Ergo, I came here first!”
Toni said, “Yes, I suppose they are but what a boon for me!”
The women spent the rest of the day and early evening organizing Toni’s tiny guestroom. Her half dozen items in need of storing were put into the shed behind the main house where Toni kept other nonessentials. Merry brought her two suitcases, small backpack, laptop and comforter in from her car.
Toni was exhausted by nine o’clock. After a quick meal of leftover lasagna, she kissed Merry goodnight. Toni climbed into bed. Her window was open. The curtain draped over the bedpost revealing a sky slightly lit and pale maroon from the sunset. The clinking of dishes stopped after a few minutes and Toni could hear her daughter frolicking with the dogs. Having Merry home again brought a pleasurable inner calm. It had been a lonely year.
With the muted household noise as background, she talked to God for several minutes before a burst of remembrance hit which had been niggling at her mind since she left the plaza in the early afternoon. Celina’s parting words. Toni replayed the scene in her mind’s eye:
Separating from Misha and her grandmother, the two of them crossed over to a plaza trashcan, depositing Misha’s discarded cone. Toni couldn’t remember her exact words but she said to Celina, something to the effect that she and her daughter seemed compatible. Celina nodded but then her face showed confusion before clarity and she said to a startled Toni, “Misha? Oh, Todd didn’t explain before he left to answer his business call?” And then to Toni’s bewilderment, Celina giggled and said rather loudly – people turned to look, “Misha! Oh, no not Misha! The older one is Mishael not Misha. We want you for Mishael!” Toni’s eyes must have been wide with this disclosure because Celina laughed again. “I’ll let you go. Call me before Monday… We’ll make it worth your while.” Celina turned and walked away. Toni watched her join her mother, Rose Cervantes and Misha. Dazed, Toni left them as she headed for her truck.
Under the sheets, she now had time to reflect. Toni wondered how the mix-up continued for as long as it did! Celina pronounced the child’s name and it sounded like Mish-shay-el… Mishael. What language was that? Toni wondered. Was this the “mean brother” that Misha complained about the night before? Questions filled Toni’s mind but she fell asleep with few answers.
Chapter 4
Sunday mornings were always hectic for the Merriweathers when the three children were still young. In those early years of his ministry, Vance would work himself and his family into a frenzy usually because he wanted to arrive at church 10 minutes earlier than planned. As the children grew and Toni mellowed, the Sunday morning rush was the expected routine. The family, including Vance busied themselves but enjoyed the hype as they readied for Sunday Worship. They had never been the perfect, stereotypical pastor’s family. There was too much passion, opinion and mischief in the mix.
This particular Sunday morning resembled not at all those from the past. Merry was up first. She jogged; walked the dogs and showered before her mother had made her first cup of tea.
Merry was looking forward to the church service. This had been her home church all her few years but because she was a missionary's kid she was in the field most of the time. The family had a furlough every two years when they would return to the states to attend a Bible conference, visit the home church and catch up with family. The Merriweathers were a part of the local church before being sent to start a pioneer work in Oregon and then later to South Africa where Merry was born. Because Kate and her older brother, Dale were born in Santa Fe, even if Merry felt vicariously connected to this congregation. She could number on her fingers and toes the times she actually sat through a Sunday morning service at the Santa Fe Christian Assembly.
Once outside Toni’s gate, Merry cast a critical eye toward her father’s old two-tone, pick-up truck painted white and asylum green (as she described the color), and promptly volunteered to drive her Bug with the convertible top down. Toni ran back in to get a scarf and Merry’s Bible. Soon they were dodging potholes on their way down Canyon Road toward morning worship service.
The congregation had bought a dilapidated grocery store building on St. Francis Drive some years back. They remodeled the place and now had a paved parking lot which was a huge improvement over the little storefront they originally rented in the barrio. The congregation grew from the initial 30 people of which Vance, Toni and baby Dale were among, to 203 souls counting the fraternal twins who were born during the recent Memorial Day weekend.
Merry and Toni pulled into the parking lot a few minutes before the adult Sunday School began… not quite the 10 minutes early that Vance would have liked. There was sufficient time to say hello to a few of the Sunday School crowd which was about 75 adults. Unlike most parishioners, Toni seldom sat in the same seat. She liked to move about, sitting with the single female, especially if she were a visitor. Today, she let Merry lead. Once seated, Merry hardly got a clear look around before Pastor Guy Miles began tapping his microphone; a moment later he began his lesson.
It was a study on the Fruits of the Spirit. Merry whispered to her mother that this was the same subject her pastor was teaching back in Flagstaff. Toni nodded and winked.
The study was informative and the sermon encouraging if not convicting. Afterwards, a few of the single guys came over and asked Toni how she was doing and if they could assist her in anyway with yard work or painting. Normally, Toni would have put them to work almost immediately but this time she realized that Merry was the calling card and not “kindness” – which is a Fruit of the Spirit. So, she declined the offers but did introduce each of them to Merry, as was polite.
The Merriweather children were passionately private people. They valued their privacy almost to an extreme. It wasn’t that they weren’t social but growing up as pastor’s kids – PKs, the constant public lifestyle took a toll. The adage that the pastor’s family was like fish in a fishbowl, open to the entire congregation and to much of the community as well, was true-to-life for the Merriweathers.
Toni gently guided Merry away from the young men while mentioning that they had a lunch engagement. Merry followed obediently and a few minutes later Toni was directing her to the restaurant where Josh and Rochelle Sanders were meeting them. Dos Amigos served customary Santa Fe cuisine and the place was popular with the locals.
Josh was getting out of his car with their baby, Samuel when Toni and Merry arrived. Shelly, his wife was seated at a table when they came in. At three months old, Sam slept through their lunch fellowship and didn’t wake-up until some hours later when Shelly put her feet up, when she too planned a quick nap.
To Merry, Toni introduced Josh as her landlords’ son.
“He actually put a bug in his parents’ ear about me,” Toni said. Then she nodded her head at Shelly. “Rochelle is part of the women’s jail ministry; we go together every Monday night.”
“Call me Shelly... Oh, that reminds me,” Shelly said, pulling her eyes from the menu to cast a smile at Merry before looking toward Toni. “Tomorrow night and next Monday, I won’t be doing the jail ministry. I’m taking Samuel up to Michigan to see our… Actually, to see my family!”
“Now you tell me,” teased Toni. “I suppose I would have been waiting in your driveway until poor Josh here, came out to explain that you weren’t going.”
“Well, you would have had some long wait… I’m leaving tomorrow, too. Pastor Miles is taking a couple of us men on his Mexico trip. We won’t be back until Friday.” Josh told her.
After ordering their meals, Josh and Toni talked mission-field while Shelly and Merry got acquainted. Merry was amazed to find that Shelly was only a few months older than she was… Shelly is married and has a baby? She does
jail ministry? Merry tried not to show her disapproval but she was too transparent… (She had always been an easy read which either repelled or attracted people to her). Shelly liked Merry right away.
“You’re going to be in town all summer?” Shelly asked.
“That depends… I need a job. I thought I might apply as a waitress or something.” A vague plan. Merry sighed. It wasn’t that she was desperate for money. She handled her money well while endeavoring to be both generous and frugal. Her long-term financial plan consisted of making as much as she could; followed by giving as much as she could while saving as much as she could. In the short-term, she was trying to beef-up her bank account during the summer months with the hope that the school year wouldn’t be financially tight. What Merry didn’t want was to lie about the house for the next two plus months nor did she relish the thought that her mother might contrive some scheme which would intricately involve her. She sighed again but Shelly did not notice.
Instead Shelly asked, “Do you sing?”
Blushing unreasonably, Merry stammered, “Sing? Yes, well no. I actually mean, sort of.” Merry was caught off-guard. She laughed out loud making baby Samuel throw up his hands in his sleep. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m not a natural singer but I have taken singing lessons since high school. Ergo, I can sing... Yes.”
“Get out! Listen, if you are thinking of waitressing and you can sing, I know of just the job for you! Miguel y Miguel downtown has an opening. I used to work there and my friend is the manager,” said Shelly. She ignored Merry’s mortified expression, adding, “It’s not what you think and the tips are fabulous. Let me tell you.”
The meal arrived. Merry finally responded. “I haven’t sung publicly ever. I started taking singing lessons because I wanted to join a rock band at our church in Cape Town. I never did…” She glanced guiltily towards Toni.
Toni was wrestling two handed with a shredded beef burrito but at Merry’s words she set it down. “Merry, our policy – God’s policy is to look forward not back. If we reference from our blunders none of us can fulfill our destiny in Christ.”
“Hallelujah for that,” Josh said before taking his next bite. They all smiled except for little Sammie who again threw his arms up in his sleep.
Chapter 5
It was a minute before 5am on Monday morning when the house phone, the landline began ringing. Toni sat up. Night prevailed outside although there was creamy pink silhouetting the Sangre de Christos Mountains in the east. Her window was open and the ringing phone seemed a violation to the outside whispering in the ancient cottonwoods which loomed above the northern adobe restraining wall. In the limited weeks that she lived in the “cozy cottage,” she hadn’t yet heard the landline ring. Toni picked up the phone to halt the foreign sound. “Hello.” It was Josh Sanders on the other end.
You weren’t sleeping were you?” he asked. Before she could answer, he said, “I’m sorry to call at this early... but it’s a bit of an emergency... You came to mind.”
“Oh? What’s wrong?” Toni was wide-awake now.
“I left. We’re on our way to Mexico. I’m in the van… What I mean is, its Shelly! Shelly can’t get the car started and the baby has been up since 3 and well, would you mind giving them a lift to the airport? She called me crying a few minutes ago.” He took a breath.
Toni said, “What? Don’t worry Josh. I’ll call her as soon as I hang-up.”
“Great! She’s a train-wreck. She needs to be there by 7 to get through airport security on time,” Josh said. They hung up and Toni called Shelly as she filled the electric kettle.
Merry was up when Toni ran out the front door a few minutes later.
It was quarter to seven when Shelly waved a farewell and turned to go through the sliding doors at the airport. Samuel was strapped into a baby sling at her chest, as she moved off toward the security lines.
Toni climbed into her truck. Her cell phone rang before she pulled out into the busy airport traffic. Shifting gears into park again, she answered. It was Merry. She told Toni that she had fed the dogs and walked them; she would check-in later as she was going to be gone all morning. They finished their discussion and so, Toni eased into the Monday morning airport commuter traffic. The car in front of her stopped at the next crosswalk to allow a pedestrian… a man to cross.
Toni knew that man! Now his back was to her but she was sure it was him. The car behind her, honked. She inched forward slowly trying to get a read on the guy. He looked like a casually dressed businessman but instead of a briefcase he carried a small black leather backpack. Toni wasn’t positive that it was the intruder from Friday night but when the horn behind her blared impatiently, he turned. They locked eyes. His face registered recognition and then he smiled, probably due to her shocked look. A wicked grin, she thought. Next, he lifted a hand to give her a shameless wave! Before Toni could snap her mouth shut, he pivoted and crossed the taxi lane, disappearing into the crowded terminal.
The horn again!
Toni sped up and a minute later, pulled into the cell-phone lot. She dialed up her friend from the Santa Fe jail. Jack Crespin was the Activities Coordinator for the corrections facility which included Toni’s group; they taught Bible studies, but also encouraged and prayed with the inmates. Jack knew everyone working at the jail. At about 8am he would arrive at work, he told her. Accordingly, he would call Toni when he found out about this guy.
Nine o’clock and Toni rolled into her parking space on Upper Canyon Road. Jack from the jail hadn’t called yet.
It was already getting comfortably warm as Toni hurried inside to pull on her running clothes and change her shoes. She had been a perfect size 12 for years but when Vance died she lost 25 pounds and was firming up to an imperfect size 8. Toni didn’t actually run but did fast walking and sprints about 3 miles a day, 6 days a week. Her routine included lifting weights and crunching sit-ups for the last eight months. At night, the dogs went with her but not during the day. Upper Canyon Road was too busy for them most of the time.
Toni ran. After getting out of the shower she called Celina Nelson. Her stomach churned as she waited for Celina to answer.
“Hello… Toni,” Celina gasped. “I’m glad you called.”
“Hi, I was planning on calling earlier but I had to make an emergency trip to the airport for a friend of mine. Her car wouldn’t start and she didn’t want to miss her flight,” Toni explained.
“Certainly… I am glad your friend made it. We have a plane to catch later today ourselves… In the meantime, I would love to meet with you again. By the way, Todd was truly embarrassed about the mix-up concerning the children when we met with you on Saturday. I’ll admit we thought we did our home-work but then to miss the crucial detail… not Misha but Mishael. It’s almost crushing, really. Well then, are you free this morning?” Celina asked as she finished her own explanation.
Toni and Celina made plans to meet at a vogue but modest sandwich shop downtown.
“I absolutely do not have the needed time but Todd and I do have a real confidence that you are the right one for his son.” Celina announced as she vigorously shook Toni’s hand when they met in front of the café.
Toni smiled and then said, “I wish I had the confidence the two of you have but on the other hand, I am not even sure of my job description.”
“Yes, I know… my fault but let’s get our lunch and we can talk,” Celina responded. With a curt nod, she pointed to the squat cafeteria style counter. Toni had been in here before and it served as a private place for a quick, excellent lunch. It was early and since their time was limited the women opted for the soups. Moments later they were huddled in the corner.
Celina with pale blue fingernail polish, pulled out a folder from her oversized bag and placed it on the tabletop between them. “Please wait until after we’ve talked. Then, you can understand better what you’re reading… And in all seriousness if you decide not to take this job, we would rather you not peruse the information.”
“Okay. Should I be asking questions or how would you like to proceed?” Toni inquired. Puzzlement replaced her eagerness.
“Certainly, ask questions… Well, I mean ask a few but after I have given you a brief history and an outline of what is needed.” Celina took the first and last nibble of her soup and then she filled Toni in on Mishael.
Todd and Mishael’s mother, Sonya D’Almata eloped during college. They spent the next six months traveling in Europe and Greece until Sonya’s family caught up to them. Unbeknownst to Todd his bride was a true-to-life princess and in line to become the next monarch of her miniscule country – D’Almata. At this point, Celina arched her thin eyebrows and asked if Toni had ever heard of D’Almata. Toni wracked her brain but confessed that she hadn’t.
“Of course not,” sniffed Celina. She pointed to the file. The country consisted of twelve narrow islands between Croatia and Italy in the Adriatic Sea which had been commandeered several times over the last 2000 years. First, one country and then another seized the island nation; the occupiers included the Romans, the Ottoman Empire and even the Russians during the Soviet reign.
“Presently, Italy, Turkey and Greece are disputing D’Almata’s sovereignty,” Celina informed her. Toni would read later that D’Almata had beat off the Soviet’s stranglehold after the Iron Curtain fell and the islands now continued as an independent nation longer than any other time in its history.
Sonya grew tired of her adventure with Todd and consequently returned to D’Almata with nary a whimper. Their marriage was to be invalidated by the D’Almata courts as illegal until Sonya found she was with child. That changed everything. Celina explained that the D’Almatans have elaborate cultural rules, especially when it concerns their royalty and lineage. An elite guard was sent to retrieve Todd. Along with his immediate family, Todd went to Almata, D’Almata the royal city and a national wedding celebration took place to honor the couple.
Cynic, Surfer, Saint (Scenic Route to Paradise #1) Page 3