A Time to Stand

by Robert Whitlow

  Adisa reached the hospital parking lot and stayed in her car for fifteen minutes talking to Shanika. When she finished, her sister was open but skeptical.

  “I didn’t know any of that stuff about the old cemetery and church,” Shanika said. “What was it again that made you dig through all those records?”

  “It’s hard to explain,” Adisa said, realizing herself the tenuous connection between Sister Armistead, Reggie’s comment at the drive-in, and her genealogical quest. “Reggie mentioned the importance of the past, and I couldn’t get the idea out of my head.”

  “Okay,” Shanika replied. “But I hope you don’t get run out of town.”

  “Me, too. Listen, I’m at the hospital. I need to check on Aunt Josie and then return to the law office for a meeting with a judge this afternoon.”

  “Not so fast,” Shanika responded. “What’s going on with you and Preacher Reggie? It sounds like he’s doing more than proselytizing you as a potential tither to the church budget.”

  “I’m pretty sure he’s interested in me,” Adisa said. “And I like him, too. But it’s not a good time to try to juggle a relationship. There’s too much other stuff going on.”

  “And when do you believe there’ll be enough time in your life to do that?”

  “Hey, you convinced me to pursue a job with Theo Grayson,” Adisa said, a smile on her lips. “Don’t try to take over every detail of my life.”

  “If I did, it would be the best thing that ever happened to you.”

  “Be praying for me instead.”

  “Oh, I will. I really will.”

  TWENTY-TWO

  ADISA FOUND AUNT Josie awake, alert, and enjoying a lunch of “soft” foods. While her aunt ate, Adisa told her about the road that had brought her to Theo Grayson’s office and the agreement to represent Luke Nelson. The only time Aunt Josie interrupted was to ask again about what happened at the cemetery.

  “It’s so interesting to hear you say that,” the older woman said. “I’ve always felt close to the Lord at the graveyard but never mentioned it to anyone. I was afraid they’d jump to the conclusion that I was communicating with the dead. I mean, they’re not really dead because they’re with the Lord.” Aunt Josie stopped. “That just shows why I never brought it up.”

  “I know,” Adisa replied. “And I’m not trying to analyze it, even though that’s the way I’m wired. But you, me, Shanika, her kids—we’re all connected in some way to those who’ve gone before us. They didn’t leave us any earthly wealth, but I believe there’s a spiritual inheritance available if we’ll reach out and claim it.”

  Aunt Josie slowly lowered her fork to her plate and raised a trembling left hand in the air above her head.

  “Hallelujah!” she shouted in the loud voice she’d used when Reggie first entered her hospital room. Adisa immediately looked toward the door to see if the minister had returned. They were alone.

  “Adisa, you’re a never-ending source of blessing to me,” Aunt Josie continued. “It’s like Naomi and Ruth. You’re better than the daughter I never had.”

  Adisa reached over and squeezed the older woman’s left hand. “I love you,” she said.

  “And when it’s my time to leave this world, I want you and Shanika to receive every blessing I can give you. Maybe one of the reasons you came back to Campbellton was to claim yours in person.”

  Adisa started to release Aunt Josie’s hand but then continued to hold it for several moments. “Thank you,” Adisa said.

  “You’re welcome,” Aunt Josie replied. “The Lord’s doing a powerful work in your heart.”

  “So you’re not upset with me for agreeing to represent the police officer who shot Thelma Armistead’s grandson?”

  “How could I be after the powerful testimony Thelma gave at Reggie’s church? You’re brave, and you’ve given me something new to be praying about while I lie here with nothing else to do.”

  There was a gentle knock on the door. This time it really was Reggie.

  “We were just talking about you,” Aunt Josie said, her face lighting up.

  “Actually, it was your church,” Adisa added. “I told Aunt Josie what Sister Armistead said last night.”

  “Which continues to stir up more controversy than I’ve been able to manage,” Reggie said, shaking his head.

  “Well, it sure touched Adisa,” Aunt Josie said.

  “I know,” Reggie said. “But I wanted to come by and pray with you.”

  “I’d like that,” Aunt Josie said. “I’m feeling better, and your prayers have been like daily bread.”

  The three of them closed their eyes. Reggie prayed. Adisa listened. The young preacher never seemed to offer up a perfunctory, one-size-fits-all prayer. She could tell he was really trying to craft petitions tailor-made for Aunt Josie’s particular needs. He finished with a strong request that she be able to return home soon. Regardless of her words to Shanika about it being an inconvenient time for a romantic relationship, Adisa was attracted to the minister in a real, deep way.

  “Amen,” he said.

  “Amen,” the two women echoed.

  “Today has been better than most Sundays in church,” Aunt Josie said.

  “Why is that?” Reggie asked.

  “Adisa can tell you,” Aunt Josie replied with a yawn. “You two run on. It’s time for my second nap of the day.”

  Her heart beating a bit faster, Adisa followed Reggie out of the hospital room.

  In the afternoon mail, Luke received a letter informing him that as a result of the indictment, he would no longer be on administrative leave with pay from the police department. The notice wasn’t a surprise, but it was tough to realize that he wouldn’t be able to provide for his family.

  “I’m going out for a few minutes!” he called to Jane, who was in the laundry room at the rear of the house.

  Jane stuck her head out of the doorway and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. “Why now?” she asked. “You have to be back downtown in a few hours.”

  “I need to go—” Luke started.

  “Okay, okay,” Jane said with a wave of her hand. “I get it.”

  Relieved he didn’t have to give a detailed explanation, Luke bolted from the house. When he passed the Lincoln Drive-In, he saw Bruce Alverez’s police cruiser and pulled in beside his former colleague. Bruce motioned him over, and Luke got in the police car. It felt like coming home.

  “Are you sure it’s okay for me to join you?” Luke asked.

  “I need someone to help me eat these chili cheese fries,” Bruce replied. “If I eat all of them, my next stop will be the ER at the hospital.”

  Bruce signaled for one of the carhops and ordered Luke a limeade.

  “I miss this,” Luke said.

  “You can order this food anytime you want to.”

  “I mean the job.”

  “You don’t miss the morning I had. I’ve already been on a domestic violence call in which the husband ended up in the ER, and then I had to break up a fight on the west side of town.”

  “The husband went to the ER?” Luke asked.

  “Yeah, his wife broke a bottle over his head. He deserved a headache for cussing her out and threatening to take the kids to Arkansas, but she went over the top. The Department of Family and Children Services is going to step in and check on the kids.” Bruce paused. “Will you take the corn dog off my hands? I know you like them.”

  Bruce handed the corn dog to Luke as well as a couple of packets of mustard. Luke carefully squeezed the mustard along the length of the corn dog. The corn dogs at the Lincoln Drive-In were much better than the ones at the county fair. Luke took a tangy bite.

  “What kind of fight did you have to break up on the west side?”

  “Actually, it wasn’t far from the spot where you shot the Hamlin boy.”

  Luke was about to take another bite of corn dog but lowered it instead. “On East Nixon Street?”

  “Yeah, one of the smaller houses for ren
t. It’s the yellow one with the brown roof. A bunch of teenagers who should have been in school were in there. Mike Dailey and I both responded to a call that came in from a neighbor. When we showed up, most of the kids took off running. The only ones left were the Ott boy and an older kid who was in his early twenties. Both of them had blood on their faces but refused to say who started the ruckus. There wasn’t anything to do except tell them to stay away from each other and go to the doctor. Mike and I checked the house for drugs and weapons but didn’t find anything.”

  Luke ate a couple of bites of the corn dog.

  “How are you doing?” Bruce asked and then quickly added, “Sorry, that’s a dumb question.”

  “It’s okay,” Luke replied.

  Neither of them said a word while Luke finished eating the corn dog. He thought about telling Bruce about the black lawyer agreeing to represent him but couldn’t see the point in doing so.

  “Thanks,” he said, dropping the corn-dog stick into an empty bag. “Someday I hope I’ll be back in one of these cars.”

  “Yeah,” Bruce said. “See you around.”

  “I hope it’s not in court,” Luke blurted out.

  “Things happen in life. I have to do my job.”

  Luke got out of the car and closed the door. He knew Bruce Alverez doing his job was going to be tough on both of them, but worse for Luke.

  “Have you eaten lunch?” Reggie asked Adisa as soon as they were in the hallway outside Aunt Josie’s room.

  “No, I thought I’d grab a salad in the hospital cafeteria,” she said.

  “Sounds good to me, too,” he replied.

  They rode the elevator to the first floor. The small cafeteria was located at the rear of the building and wasn’t much more than a glorified snack bar. All the salads were prepackaged and lined up in a glass-front cooler. Adisa selected one with tomatoes that looked fresh, although she knew the flavor would be vastly different from the ones grown by Aunt Josie. They sat at a table for two. Only one other person was eating, a doctor who paid no attention to them as he concentrated on his phone. Reggie checked his watch.

  “I need to eat fast if I’m going to see Deshaun and get back to the church for a one thirty appointment.”

  Adisa carefully poured dressing over her salad. She had little appetite but placed a solitary cucumber slice in her mouth. It was a notch above a piece of thin round cardboard.

  “I have some big news,” she said, trying to sound chatty. “I accepted a job this morning as an associate with Theo Grayson’s law firm. He’s the one I worked for when I was in high school. He knows about Aunt Josie’s condition and is willing to be flexible with my hours.”

  “What about your job in Atlanta?”

  Adisa gave him a quick summary. She could see him getting upset as he listened.

  “I can’t believe—” he started.

  “Please, I’m trying to move on,” Adisa said. “But I wanted you to know.”

  “Okay. I’m sorry for the way you were treated, but I’m glad you’re going to be in Campbellton.”

  Adisa chewed and swallowed a tasteless bite of salad. “And handling a very challenging case.”

  “Can you tell me anything about it?”

  Adisa stirred her salad around in the clear plastic box for a moment with a disposable fork. When she answered, she wanted her voice to sound calm with a hint of confidence.

  “Part of my responsibilities at Theo Grayson’s firm will include representing Officer Nelson in his criminal case,” she said more rapidly than she wanted to.

  “What?!” Reggie spoke so loudly the doctor on his phone glanced over at them.

  “You heard me,” Adisa said, lowering her voice. “Mr. Grayson and I are going to serve as cocounsel for Officer Nelson.”

  “And your job will be to try to get him off for shooting Deshaun in the chest and head?” Reggie asked. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing!”

  “I knew you wouldn’t understand,” Adisa answered in a tone she feared sounded like an accusatory teenager. “But lawyers do things like this all the time. It’s not about my personal feelings but about protecting someone’s constitutional rights.”

  She stopped. Reggie simply stared at her. She suspected he didn’t know what else to say.

  “It doesn’t mean I believe what the officer did was right or even justified,” Adisa continued.

  “This is crazy,” Reggie said, pushing his chair away from the table.

  “And I probably shouldn’t have said that,” she added quickly. “Please don’t quote me about the Constitution since I can’t discuss any aspect of the case due to attorney-client confidentiality rules.”

  “Quote you?” Reggie replied, still apparently struggling for words. “Why would I want anyone to know what you’re doing?”

  Adisa stabbed the salad with her fork so vigorously that one of the tines broke off. “I don’t want to eat that,” she said, picking up the white piece of plastic.

  “Does your aunt know about this?”

  “Yes, I told her this morning. Thelma Armistead’s testimony at the church played a big part in my decision,” Adisa said, preparing to lay out the whole sequence of events that influenced her.

  “That’s not a reason to do anything,” Reggie cut her off. “I told you she’s on shaky theological ground.”

  “And I’m not a theologian,” Adisa answered. “But her words spoke to my heart, and along with some other events, everything fell into place. I believe I’m doing the right thing.”

  “If you defend the white officer, you can’t expect me to defend you,” Reggie said. “You’re going to be on your own.”

  It took a lot to make Adisa mad, but the young minister’s response lit the fuse of her temper. She felt her face get hot.

  “It’s going to look like a betrayal of your family,” he continued. “And the inevitable reactions you’ll face all over town will be terrible.”

  “Starting with you?” Adisa asked, her eyes flashing.

  “Hey,” Reggie said, holding up his hands. “I’m just being honest with you.”

  Adisa picked up her salad container, walked over to the trash receptacle, and threw it in. She left the snack bar without looking back.

  TWENTY-THREE

  CINDY BERMAN, THE law firm administrator at Grayson, Baxter, and Williams, led Adisa down the hallway to a wood-paneled office that was twice as big as her space had been at Dixon and White. Two windows provided a nice view of the flowering bushes in the side yard of the building. There was a large wooden desk and a brand-new computer setup. A vase of fresh flowers rested on a side table between two leather conference chairs that faced the desk.

  “This is gorgeous,” Adisa said, standing still in the doorway. “How long has it been empty?”

  “Oh, four or five years,” Cindy answered. “The partners don’t hire people just to take up space, but Mr. Grayson didn’t waste time making up his mind about you. Congratulations.”

  Still stinging from her encounter with Reggie, Adisa managed a smile.

  “Thanks,” she said. “And I appreciate you getting this set up so quickly.”

  “There wasn’t much to do except bring in the flowers. There’s a new employee packet on the desk. Did Mr. Grayson go over any of that with you?”

  “Nothing much except my salary and hours.”

  “It’s self-explanatory, but let me know if you have any questions.”

  “I will.”

  Cindy left. Adisa walked around the office, touching the furniture and trying to acclimate to her new professional surroundings. She took a few quick photos of the office on her phone so she could show Aunt Josie and Shanika. She flipped through the employee information that was much less extensive than what she’d received at Dixon and White. She heard a light tap on her doorframe and glanced up. It was Theo Grayson.

  “It’s very nice,” Adisa said before the older lawyer could ask. “And Cindy gave me the official employment paperwork to review and sign.”


  “Good,” Grayson said, pressing his hands together. “Luke will be here in a little while, and we’ll walk over to the courthouse.”

  “Okay. What about the files from Mr. Williams?”

  “Mike is in Atlanta this afternoon but wants to meet with you first thing in the morning. His paralegal is preparing and prioritizing a list of matters that need attention.”

  “I look forward to jumping in,” Adisa said.

  “There will be challenges, but Mike and I talked about how you may be able to bring us more fully into modern practices. We’re excited and hope you are, too.”

  Adisa hesitated before she answered. “The negative reactions to my involvement in the Nelson case have already started,” she said.

  “Who?” Grayson asked, a puzzled look on his face. “I sent over a brief press release to the newspaper, but nothing will be public about your involvement until tomorrow.”

  “Aunt Josie was fine, but I told a new friend, and he let me have it.”

  “I’m sorry,” Grayson replied. “I’m going to defend your decision every chance I get.”

  “And I appreciate it,” Adisa said, recognizing the stark contrast between the positions of the white lawyer and the black preacher. “But the gaps in the bridge on this issue are so huge that I don’t feel capable of bringing the two sides together.”

  “All you can control is your own response,” Grayson said. “That’s what Deshaun’s grandmother did, and look at the effect it had on you.”

  Adisa nodded. “True. And I need to keep her words in the forefront of my mind.”

  Adisa, Theo Grayson, and Luke Nelson crossed the street and walked down the sidewalk toward the courthouse. Adisa knew it was the first of many times the three of them would make the short journey. Unlike the day before when the grand jury had issued its indictment, no one paid special attention to them. Adisa felt nervous but tried to relax.

  The main floor of the courthouse was empty, and they walked directly upstairs to the judge’s chambers. In Atlanta, they already would have passed at least two levels of security and multiple metal detectors. In Nash County, September 11 had happened far, far away.