Unresolved Issues

by Wanda B. Campbell

  What he said just made perfect sense to her. From the first day they met, Staci thought he should be on a platform of some kind, witnessing and telling others about Jesus. Derrick, an astute student of the Bible, could expound on the Word better than most preachers she knew. And now since his rededication, his revelation of the Word was deeper than ever. He’d even brought Staci to her knees a few times during their Bible study time together. Derrick definitely had what it takes to become a great minister. He loved God, and he loved God’s people.

  “I’d be honored,” she answered, then added, “as long as I get my own ministry time.”

  Her grin made him grin. “You and our children will always come first.”

  “Just how many children do you want?”

  “As many as you’re willing to give me.”

  “Dr. Garrison, you keep being as good to me as you are now and I’ll have as many of your babies as you want.” Staci kissed him, and it happened again. She didn’t think it possible, but the love she had in her heart for her husband expanded once more.

  “In that case, Mrs. Garrison, we’re going to need a bigger house.”

  “You are so bad.” Staci removed Derrick’s hands for the umpteenth time. She’d been trying to dress him for discharge, but now with the IV gone, he couldn’t keep his hands off her. She’d been there an hour, and he still didn’t have his shirt on. But he had allowed her to carefully slip his shorts on over his bandages.

  “I can’t help myself. Besides, it’s all I can do for the next two months,” he pouted.

  “If you’re a good boy, one day we can go for a ride, and I’ll drive,” Staci winked.

  “I promise to be a very good boy.” His facial impression of a little boy was so cute, Staci couldn’t help but to lean over and kiss him.

  Derrick wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him, laying his head against her abdomen. “My baby,” he moaned and squeezed her. “My baby is growing in there.”

  She stroked his curls and pressed him even closer to her body. That’s how Dr. Archer found them.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he said entering the room.

  “Then why didn’t you knock?” Derrick snapped.

  Dr. Archer’s eyes bounced from his son to his daughter-in-law. He didn’t know if he should leave or not.

  Finally, Derrick asked, “What brings you here? Are you filling in for the discharge nurse today?”

  “I wanted to speak to you before you left.”

  Derrick didn’t say another word, but waited for John Archer to say whatever it was he had come to say.

  Staci used the distraction to finish getting Derrick dressed. Now he allowed her to slip on his shirt without any resistance.

  “Let me help you with that,” Dr. Archer said when Staci moved the wheelchair next to the bed. Without hesitation, he helped Derrick maneuver into the wheelchair.

  His heart pounded, and his eyelids blinked violently, but miraculously, Derrick’s breathing maintained an even rhythm. As a child, he’d imagined his father’s first touch would be a warm embrace or a pat on the back, not the vice grip John Archer used to lift him from the bed into the wheelchair. “Thank you,” Derrick mumbled, suppressing his emotions.

  “Ready to go home, Dr. Garrison?” The discharge nurse walked into the room carrying the discharge medication and instructions. “Hello, Dr. Archer.” The curly redheaded nurse paused. Her eyes studied her patient, and then the medical director. “Wow, Dr. Archer, a couple of hours in a tanning salon and a little black hair dye and the two of you could pass for twins. Are you related?”

  Derrick mentally prepared himself for his father’s denial. Staci stood behind the wheelchair with her hands resting on his shoulders. Nothing could have prepared them for what they heard next.

  “Derrick is my eldest son,” Dr. Archer smiled at the nurse.

  Derrick swallowed hard—real hard.

  “That explains the strong resemblance. Dr. Archer, you sure have some strong genes,” the nurse commented before going over the instructions with Derrick and Staci.

  Derrick was grateful for his wife because he couldn’t comprehend anything the nurse said. “What did you say?” he asked Dr. Archer the second the nurse made her exit.

  “Honey, I’m going to get the car.” Staci paused in front of Dr. Archer. “It’s way past time for you to have a talk with your son.”

  Father and son stared at each other, both with a look of fear. Dr. Archer nervously rocked back and forth on his heels, as if the motion increased his courage.

  “I’ve arranged for a physical therapist to come to your home three days a week. That way, Staci won’t have to drag you down the hill.” Dr. Archer talked as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell. “I know you and Staci are financially stable, but if you need anything, give me a call. Here’s my home number.”

  “How do you know I live on a hill?” Derrick asked, reluctantly accepting the card from his father.

  “Derrick, from the day you were born, I’ve always known where you were. I knew every house you lived in and every school and graduation you attended. I was there the day you graduated from both Humboldt and UCSF.”

  “You knew all that, yet you didn’t want me?”

  Dr. Archer placed his hands inside his pockets. “Derrick, I’m a selfish person. I’ve been that way all my life. Every decision I’ve made in my life has been to please me and to further my agenda. I married my wife because marrying into a prestigious family would help further my career. You were conceived because I wanted to know what it felt like to have sex with a black woman. Once I found out, I was hooked so I continued. When Cora announced her pregnancy, I paid her to remain quiet because I didn’t want an illegitimate child to interfere with my professional goals. Back then, moral reputation was important.”

  Derrick lowered his head and massaged his forehead. He didn’t want to hear any more, but he had to know the reason why his father rejected him.

  “I’ve treated my two other children the same way I’ve treated you. Sure, I lived in the same house with them when I was home, but I didn’t make myself available to them. Outside of graduations, I never made one recital or one performance where my kids were involved. There’s not much I can tell you about my children other than their sex and birthdates. I provided a good life for them financially, but they wanted me. They wanted my time, and I wasn’t willing to give them that. Now that they’re adults, we’re more like strangers. I haven’t spoken to either of them in almost a year. My wife and I have a living arrangement, not a marriage.”

  Derrick exhaled long and hard as his heart pounded in his chest. Every day of his life he’d carried the burden of rejection—all because of selfishness? This was unbelievable.

  “So you don’t hate me because I’m black; you’re just a self-centered jerk.”

  Dr. Archer hung his head. “I didn’t think my life was so bad, until you came into my office that day. I didn’t know how to respond to you, so I babbled a bunch of nonsense. I wanted to call you and explain, but I didn’t have the courage. Then the other day, I had a talk with Staci.” Dr. Archer sighed. “She said that you’re a better man than I. And I agree.”

  Derrick swallowed the lump that threatened to explode in his throat and saturate his being with raw emotion.

  “I’ve achieved every professional goal I’d set for myself, but now that I’ve reached the top, I have realized that’s not enough. I realize that success is nothing if there’s no one to share it with.”

  Dr. Archer appeared afraid to make his next statement. He wrung his hands, then ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not saying I want to hang out with you every day, but, Derrick, I would like to get to know you. I would also like to see the baby after it’s born, if that’s all right with you and Staci.”

  Derrick remained quiet and still. He wanted him to leave. He needed the seed donor to vacate. His father sounded sincere, and the look in his eyes said he was sincere, but De
rrick wasn’t ready for his father to see him cry.

  “I’ll give you a call.” Derrick’s voice was so faint, he wasn’t sure he’d said the words out loud.

  “I’ll call and check on you in a few days,” Dr. Archer offered, seemingly understanding Derrick’s need to be alone right now. Derrick nodded, and Dr. Archer left the room.

  Epilogue

  Fifteen months later . . .

  Staci was on her third pack of tissues, and the service wasn’t halfway over yet. No matter how she tried, she just couldn’t stop crying. She was too happy and too grateful.

  “Would you like for me to ask the usher for a bucket for all of your trash?” Keisha asked, referring to the mountain of soiled white tissue on Staci’s lap.

  “That won’t be necessary. I came prepared.”

  Keisha could do nothing but shake her head when her sister-in-law pulled out her own personal garbage bag.

  Staci scanned the center section of True Worship and almost started crying again. Everyone in her immediate family was present, and a good number of extended family as well. She smiled down the row at her younger brother, Craig, who was still “holding on,” as he put it, and who was scheduled to enroll in seminary in the fall. Sometimes she wondered if Craig would be saved today had the incident with Malcolm never happened. Only God knows, she decided.

  She smiled proudly at her big brother, Marcus, and her girl Shannon. Nothing had changed between them. At that very moment, Marcus whispered something in Shannon’s ear, and she giggled. She really admired how well they worked together with the twins. Once again, her big brother set the example for her to aspire to. Little Marcus and Mariah were adorable in their coordinating outfits, looking more like Shannon than Marcus.

  Lashay must have forgotten about wanting to kill herself during Briana’s delivery, because now, she was five months pregnant once more, and Brian couldn’t be happier knowing Brian Jr. was on the way.

  Staci nearly laughed out loud when she noticed her mother’s leg shaking. It was just a matter of time before she went forth in dance. Today, Staci believed the entire center section would join in with her.

  Mingled in were Derrick’s aunts, uncles, and cousins. Miss Cora had been gone for nearly two years, but Staci could feel her presence as if she were standing right in front of her. Miss Cora would be so happy, she thought.

  Seated next to Staci on the left was John Archer, and next to him, Derrick’s half brother and sister. John turned out to be sincere about wanting to be a part of his son’s life. Over the last year, the two spent time together at least once a month. John even came over for dinner a couple of times. In the beginning, it was hard for John’s other two offspring to accept Derrick, but after learning Derrick wasn’t trying to hurt their mother or run a con game, they adjusted, actually finding Derrick a fun guy to be around. John, as well as his children, still had a hard time adjusting to the excitement of a Pentecostal worship service, though. Derrick’s stepmother still refused to meet him, and he was okay with that. The only person’s acceptance he sought after now was God’s.

  John Archer sure does have some strong genes, Staci thought, looking into the big brown eyes of Derrick Garrison Jr. who snuggled comfortably in his grandfather’s arms. Her six-month-old son was the spitting image of his father and grandfather, except for his mocha color. She didn’t mind, though, believing this time around she was carrying a girl, and Coriana Garrison would look just like her. She’d have to wait seven months to see if her prediction was right.

  She turned her attention back to the front of the sanctuary just in time to hear Pastor Reggie instruct Derrick to lie down. Staci’s heart bubbled with pride as she watched her giant of a husband humbly lie prostrate on the floor in his ministerial cassock in front of all those people. In no time, the tears were back. It wasn’t until Pastor Reggie raised both arms and began praying did she realize the scene was what she saw in her dream almost two years ago. It was Derrick’s ordination, not his funeral. When Derrick stood upright again, she could have sworn he was glowing. Her mind went back to what Miss Cora told her: “His light is going to shine bright.”

  Pastor Reggie beckoned for her to come, and with pride, she stood by her teddy bear. The smile Derrick gave her almost made her come out of the spirit. Without trying, the man could turn her into mush. She was relieved when Pastor Reggie asked them to kneel. With her head bowed and her hand laced together with her husband’s, she listened to the praise and worship ministry sing “Alpha and Omega.” Tears rolled down both their cheeks. At the end of the song, they were still on their knees, holding each other.

  That’s all Alaina and the rest of the Simone and Garrison families needed. In no time the sanctuary erupted with praise and dancing. It seemed as though everybody felt the spirit that afternoon.

  After assisting his wife to her feet, Derrick noticed his father’s wet cheeks. Staci freed John of his grandson. John stood to his feet and with both hands raised, surrendered his life to God.

  “Thank you, Father. It was worth it all,” Staci whispered, watching father and son embrace. “Yes, indeed, it was worth it all.”

  Discussion Questions

  1. Derrick and Staci participated in premarital sex that resulted in an unplanned pregnancy and subsequent abortion. Yet, they were able to restore their relationship and eventually marry. Do you think it’s possible for a relationship to survive this type of stress?

  2. Staci acknowledged that although Derrick was her soul mate, she married him before the right time. Is this a common practice among Christians today? How do you think this practice affects the high divorce rate in the church?

  3. Staci and Derrick came from opposite family backgrounds. Do you think Derrick’s family dynamics are what attracted him to her?

  4. When contemplating marriage, should a suitor’s family history be taken into consideration?

  5. Do you agree with Miss Cora’s decision to tell Derrick he was the product of an interracial, extramarital fling? How do you think this affected his self-image?

  6. Casual sex is a common and acceptable practice in this day and age. Before partaking in that lifestyle, should we consider the long-term emotional effects on the children produced from this activity?

  7. Although Staci had a strong family support system, she found comfort with a stranger. Why do you think it was so easy for her to ignore the morals she’d been taught?

  8. Why do you think it took Staci so long to end contact with Malcolm?

  9. Do you agree with Derrick’s decision to leave Staci in order to work on his issues?

  10. Although absent, John Archer cared for his son. Why do you think it was so hard for him to interact with Derrick?

  11. Did Derrick’s call to the ministry surprise you?

  About the Author

  A romantic at heart, Wanda Campbell uses relationships to demonstrate how the power of forgiveness and reconciliation can restore us back to God and to one another. Wanda is a graduate of Western Career College. In addition to building a career in health care, she is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in biblical studies. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband of twenty-three years and two sons, and she enjoys spending time with her grandson.

  She is an award-winning author of four Christian fiction novels.

  Visit the author’s Web site:

  www.wandabcampbell.com

  Or contact her at:

  wbcampbell@prodigy.net

  Wanda loves hearing from readers.

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