Soul Matters

by Yolonda Tonette Sanders

  “Where would she have gone?”

  “Your daddy and I have made it no secret that our house will always be your house. She could have come back home. She didn’t have to stop teaching.”

  “She wanted to be there with the baby.”

  “Key word: she wanted. I understand that. There are many women who want the same thing. However, the reality is they do what they need to do in order to take care of the child. I’m not working. I would have kept Kimberly for that girl. She ought to know that she wouldn’t have had to pay me ’cuz I keep your kids for free whenever you need me to.”

  True, Kim thought to herself as she continued listening to her mother.

  “Wendy wanted her cake and she wanted to eat it too. There’s no doubt in my mind that she was hurt by Kevin. She may have wanted to leave him, but she didn’t want to leave the lifestyle he provided for her. Kevin and the lifestyle come as a package deal. She thought she could have one without the other. That’s why she finds herself in the predicament she’s in. It’s not Kevin’s fault. He’s like any other human being with sense. He’s only going to allow himself to be used for a certain amount of time.”

  “I see your point, but that also proves my point.”

  “Which was?”

  “There’s nothing good that came out of this. Everyone loses: Kevin, Wendy, and, most of all, Kimberly. She can’t even walk or talk yet and already comes from a broken home.”

  Marlene chuckled.

  “What? Why are you laughing?” Kim frowned.

  “I’m sorry—it wasn’t funny. I laughed because someone who doesn’t know the Bible might agree with you. You sound so convincing. However, my mind keeps coming back to Romans 8:28. It doesn’t matter what the situation looks like, honey—it’s the end result that counts.”

  “Okay, Mama. You gotta help me out now. I’m slowly learning this whole Bible thing, but you know that I can’t quote scriptures. What does that passage say?”

  Marlene rolled her eyes. “Girl, if I didn’t know any better, I would think that you never cracked open a Bible before in your life. I know that’s a lie because I used to take you and your sister to church with me all of the time.” As an adult, Kim hadn’t retained much of what she’d learned in church as a child. She knew a few basics like Psalm 23 or verses about sparing the rod and spoiling the child. However, in general she wasn’t good at connecting scriptures with their specific books in the Bible. “Do you even know whether or not the book of Romans is in the Old or New Testament?” Marlene playfully asked.

  “Yes—I—do, thank you very much! It’s in the New Testament, immediately before First Corinthians—so there.” Kim sounded like Tori did when she made a point with Tyler. Except Tori was serious and said it with a lot of attitude. Kim was kidding.

  Marlene lifted her hands in the air. “Thank You, Jesus. Something soaked into that child’s head.”

  “I know where the book is at. I don’t know that scripture, though.”

  “Well, Romans 8:28 says that ‘all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.’ You see, honey, when you really get serious about seeking a relationship with God, you don’t have to worry about trials and tribulations that arise in your life. We all have them. As Christians, we may not know all the roads we have to take, but that’s okay. Just go along for the ride because if we truly love God, then we know how things will end—all things will work out for our good. Your situation with Darius, my situation with Harold, and even your sister’s situation with Kevin. Sure, it seems ugly right now. But God can make something good come out of it. We don’t know what He has in store. That’s why we just have to trust Him.”

  “That’s just like a mama—when you think you got a point, she starts throwing scriptures up in the air to refute it.”

  Marlene laughed. “You know they say ‘Mama knows best.’ ”

  “Last time I checked it was ‘Father knows best,’ ” Kim said wittily.

  “You’re right. It is ‘Father,’ but our Heavenly Father, see, He knows what’s best for us. He knew that I probably wouldn’t have been able to handle the news about Harold until now.”

  “Well, I’m still sor—” Kim was about to apologize again.

  Marlene quickly stepped in. “Shh! I don’t want to hear it. If you want to apologize for something, apologize for breaking my figurine and give me the two hundred dollars to replace it,” she kidded.

  “Two hundred dollars!” Kim was stunned. “It really cost that much? I can’t believe y’all would pay that much for something so small.”

  “It was handmade. I know it sounds expensive, but it was well worth it, especially when you consider how much time and effort the person put into making it.” Marlene really wasn’t concerned about Kim replacing the figurine that had accidentally been knocked over. She had intentionally broken a few things herself after she found out about Harold. When Michael returned home that day, dinner was burning on the stove, Frances was a frozen fixture on the couch, and Marlene was an emotional basket case. Frances never said a word to Marlene that day. She humbly had told Michael that she believed she had worn out her welcome and requested to be taken back to the senior center. Of course, Marlene had no argument with that.

  A few days later, Marlene called Harold. Her phone call was no surprise to him. Otis had already told him about Kim’s visit and how angry she was. Harold was glad Marlene had made the call. He’d wanted to, but didn’t know how she would react. Initially, Marlene was upset and asked why he hadn’t told her the truth. Harold apologized numerous times. He said that he loved Marlene and was more concerned with not hurting her than he was with setting the record straight. So much time had passed since Frank’s death. Instead of causing turmoil in her life, he just wanted to have some type of relationship with her, even if she never knew he was her father.

  After their conversation, Marlene understood how difficult the situation was for him also. Frances had betrayed everyone: Marlene, Harold, and her husband, Frank Gibson. Pastor Jones became very instrumental in helping Harold and Marlene work through the pain of her discovery. As Pastor Jones suggested, they began counseling together.

  “Will it be okay if I pay you back on the thirtieth of this month?” Kim said, referring to the item she had broken.

  “You really don’t have to. I was just playing, but I sho’ won’t stop you if you want to.” Marlene laughed.

  “Sure, no problem.” Kim kissed her on the cheek. “Anything for my dear mother.”

  “Aren’t you sweet.”

  “Yep!” Kim checked her watch. “Mama, I gotta go. Terrance and I have a meeting with Shelly.”

  “Who’s that?”

  “Remember, the wedding coordinator?”

  “Oh, that’s right. Are the kids staying with Evelyn again tonight?”

  “Yes, but I’m going to pick them up in the morning and take them to church. Tomorrow is Evelyn’s fiftieth birthday.”

  “Are you serious? That woman doesn’t look a day over thirty-five.”

  “I know,” Kim agreed.

  “I’m surprised that you and Terrance aren’t celebrating with her.”

  “Doug is taking her to some fancy restaurant downtown. I believe he has an evening for two in mind ’cuz Terrance and I were told about it, but we weren’t invited.” Kim winked.

  “Oh, I see.”

  “Anyhow, we bought her a gift certificate to Charles Penzone.”

  “She’ll love that.”

  “Yeah, she will. She’s mentioned before that she would like to go there.” Evelyn faithfully got weekly facials, massages, and other beauty maintenance treatments. She’d just never been to that particular day spa before, though.

  “I’ll give her a call in the morning to wish her happy birthday. Maybe I’ll run out today and try to find her something.”

  “Okay. Well, I better get going.”

  “All right, honey. Thanks for coming by. I’ll see you at church t
omorrow.”

  “Okay.” Kim headed downstairs, giggling to herself as she put on her coat and boots.

  “Wait a minute!” Marlene yelled. She walked out of the bedroom to the top of the stairs. “There aren’t thirty days in this month—it’s February!”

  Kim looked up and grinned. “I know.”

  “You brat. I should make you give me my money for real.”

  Kim looked very seriously at Marlene. “Mama, you do love God, don’t you?”

  Marlene frowned. “Yeah. What kind of question is that?”

  “Then you should know that the figurine being broken will work out for your good. That’s what Romans 8:28 says, right? If you believe that, then it doesn’t need to be replaced because somehow my breaking it will benefit you in the end.” Kim laughed hysterically at herself.

  Marlene laughed and threw a shirt down the stairs. Kim ducked to the side as it flew past her. “Get out my house,” she teased her daughter, and walked back into the room.

  “Bye, Mama! I love you.” Kim picked up the shirt and laid it on the railing.

  “Love you too!” Marlene replied.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  One of Those Faces

  KEVIN AND RENéE WERE ENJOYING A QUIET DINNER at Skyler’s, one of Columbus’s classiest downtown restaurants that overlooked the Scioto River. The soothing sounds of classical music played in the background, creating a very elegant atmosphere. Skyler’s was known for its tableside menu. Dressed in black slacks, a white shirt, and a tie, the server would carry out the food on a cart and then describe, in detail, all of the choices. Meals ranged from fifty-one to seventy-five dollars per person. Skyler’s was the type of place where guests didn’t know how much a meal had cost until the bill came.

  Renée was dressed in a snug-fitting brown satin pantsuit. Because she hadn’t seen Kevin for quite some time, she wanted to make sure he got a good look at everything he’d almost let go. Since their spat on New Year’s Eve, the two of them hadn’t spoken until this past week, when Kevin called to invite her to dinner. At first she refused. She had left several messages for him in the last few weeks, and he had waited until February was nearly over before calling her back. Renée did not appreciate his actions. Kevin apologized for not getting back to her sooner. He told her what had happened with Wendy and explained that he needed time to sort things out by himself.

  At first Renée wasn’t willing to give him the time of day. She had never been rejected by any man and was used to getting what and whom she wanted. It wasn’t until he uttered the word divorce followed by the sentence “Give me a chance to make things up to you” that Renée was certain of Kevin’s interest in her. Then, for the greater good, she was willing to overlook his not calling—the greater good being that in due time, she would reap the benefits of dating a wealthy man.

  The money, that was what Renée’s pursuit of Kevin had been all about. He was just too blind to see past her facade. He thought she liked him for qualities such as his personality, chivalrousness, sense of humor, and attractiveness. All of that was true, but what Renée liked most about him was his success.

  “Do you know how much longer the divorce is going to take?” Renée asked.

  Kevin wiped his mouth with his napkin. He had just taken the last bite of his sautéed shrimp entrée. “Honestly, I’m not sure. It depends on how big a fight Wendy puts up. My attorney hasn’t heard from hers yet. She has six months to adhere to all of the terms I set out, and then we go from there.”

  “Oh,” Renée mumbled and put her fork down.

  “Don’t ‘Oh’ me. I know what you’re thinking.”

  “And what is that, Mr. Mind Reader?”

  Kevin laughed. “You’re going to continue giving me a hard time, aren’t you?” He pushed his plate aside, folded his hands on the table, and looked her straight in the eye. “I don’t think either one of us got all dressed up to sit here and talk about my divorce.”

  “Sounds like an interesting topic to me.” Renée took a sip of her wine.

  “I have a better topic, if you’re interested,” Kevin said.

  “Like what?”

  “Let’s talk about us. If you’re still willing to be friends, I want to try again. This time, with the understanding that we are definitely more than just friends.”

  Renée gave a sly grin.

  “I still want to take things very slow, though,” Kevin admitted. This divorce was not easy for him. He still had a few unresolved feelings about Wendy. However, she had apparently moved on, and so would he. Kevin thought that Renée was a great girl and didn’t want to miss the opportunity for a wonderful relationship with her.

  “And how slow is slow?” Renée inquired. “We’ve been through slow before.”

  “Let’s just say that it would be at least a few years before I think I would be ready to remarry, but”—Kevin emphasized the word but after Renée rolled her eyes—“I think we’ve graduated from the hug to the kiss stage,” he teased.

  “Oh, really?”

  “Really,” Kevin stated with an affirmative nod.

  Roberto, the Italian, dark-haired waiter, walked up with his food cart. “Excuse me, would either one of you be interested in having dessert?”

  “I think we’re having dessert at his place tonight,” Renée responded to the waiter, but kept her eyes on Kevin.

  Kevin chuckled and adjusted his tie. Renée’s forwardness in front of the waiter was unexpected, but flattering. “No sir—we’re fine. I’ll take the check now.”

  “Yes sir. I’ll be back in a few moments,” he responded.

  Kevin looked at Renée. “I can’t believe you’re that anxious for a little peck on the cheek. You do know that is what I was referring to, right?”

  “Yeah, whatever.”

  He poured the remaining wine into their glasses. “Let’s make a toast”—he held his wineglass up to Renée’s—“to us . . . to the start of something new.”

  “To us,” she repeated. They both took a drink. “Will you excuse me for a moment while I go to the ladies’ room?” she asked.

  “Sure.”

  Renée got up and Kevin continued sipping his wine. Instead of taking her to his place, he would drive her back home. He had every intention of kissing her good night, but that was all. He wouldn’t take it any further. Wendy had already accused him of adultery, and he wanted to make certain that the accusation remained false.

  “Evelyn?” Kevin said to the person walking by his table.

  Evelyn turned. She smiled when she saw Kevin and took a few steps backward. “I didn’t even see you sitting there.”

  “How are you doing?” Kevin stood up and gave her a hug.

  “I’m fine. I haven’t seen you in a month of Sundays.”

  “I know. It’s good to see you. What brings you out here?”

  “My husband brought me here to celebrate my birthday.”

  “Is that right? I guess you only turn twenty-five once.”

  “Oh boy, stop it,” Evelyn said in a flattered tone.

  “Where is Doug? Are you coming or going?” Kevin noticed that she had her coat on.

  “We’re just getting here. Doug is sitting over there.” Evelyn pointed to her left. Kevin looked across a few tables and waved. Doug waved back. “I was just on my way to the rest room.”

  “Here you are, sir.” Roberto handed the check to Kevin, who was still standing with Evelyn. “I’ll take that whenever you’re ready.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to inconvenience you, but can you add the cost of a private room to this bill?” He looked at Evelyn. “It’s my birthday present to you.”

  “No, you don’t have to do that.” Evelyn looked at the waiter. “I’m fine, really.”

  “No, I insist.” Kevin turned and gave the waiter his debit card. “Please see if you have a private room. Thank you.”

  Roberto left.

  “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “No problem at all. It’s good to
see you. Man, it’s been what, over a year now since I last saw you?”

  “Yeah since you—” Evelyn cut her sentence short and there was an awkward moment of silence. Neither one of them wanted to mention Wendy or the divorce. Evelyn knew about Wendy’s and Kevin’s separation in general, but she didn’t know many of the details. “You have a beautiful baby,” she stated.

  “Thank you. She’s pretty special.”

  “Here you are, sir. I have revised the bill.” Roberto gave Kevin the payment slip and turned to Evelyn. “Ma’am, we’ll get you seated in a few minutes.”

  “Thank you very much,” Kevin said, signing the receipt and giving Roberto a large tip. “I appreciate your service.”

  “You’re welcome, sir. Thank you, and have a nice evening.”

  “You too,” Kevin responded.

  Renée walked up to the table. “Sorry I took so long. I—” She stopped speaking when she saw Evelyn.

  “Evelyn, this is my friend Renée; Renée, this is Evelyn.” Kevin introduced the two. “Evelyn is the future mother-in-law of my soon-to-be ex-sister-in-law.” He smirked. “That sounds crazy, doesn’t it?”

  “Haven’t we met before?” Evelyn asked her with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

  “No, I don’t think we have,” she responded with a straight face and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  Evelyn gripped Renée’s hand. “You look very familiar to me. I’m sure I know you from somewhere,” she now said with conviction.

  “I guess I just have one of those faces.” Renée felt uncomfortable as she pried her hand from Evelyn’s grip. She turned to Kevin. “Are you ready?”

  “Sure.” He hugged Evelyn one more time. “It’s good to see you, it really is. Happy Birthday!”

  “Thank you. You take care.”

  “I will.”

  Instead of going to the rest room as she had originally planned, Evelyn walked over to where her husband was sitting.

  Kevin assisted Renée with her coat. The two of them walked out of Skyler’s hand-in-hand as Evelyn stared after them.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Something Like That