Goodness and Mercy

by Vanessa Davis Griggs

  Tiffany looked at Darius, then stormed off.

  “Thanks a lot, Clarence,” Darius said, then quickly hurried after his wife.

  “No problem. My pleasure,” Clarence said loudly, forcing the words to follow Darius. “Good seeing you again!” He looked at Gabrielle and started grinning.

  “Now, you know you were being bad, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, well, that bad was for a good cause. I absolutely despise hypocrites. Always have. And then, for him to be over here trying to make you out to be the bad guy and him as some kind of a saint. Nope, I was not going to stand around and let him get away with that,” Clarence said. “Not on my watch. So, are you ready to go?”

  “Yeah,” she said, smiling. “I have something important to take care of later today.”

  “And what’s that, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “I need to talk to Zachary. I need to see if there’s anything there for me and him to pursue in the way of a possible relationship.”

  Clarence nodded as they walked to his car. “You really like that guy, don’t you?”

  “Who?”

  “Don’t be acting like you’re an owl; you know who. Zachary.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Oh, yeah”—he grinned—“you like him. You like him a lot!”

  When they reached his car, he opened his door and slid inside.

  Gabrielle opened her own door and got in. She couldn’t help but smile as she thought about how Zachary always opened the door for her. “Yeah, I do,” she finally said, in answer to Clarence’s question. “I really do.”

  But Gabrielle faced a dilemma. Would she tell Zachary everything he needed to know about her past? Everything? The fact that she had been an exotic dancer. Of course she would tell him that. But what about her other secret? The secret no one else even had a clue about. Was now the time for her to come clean with someone about it, for her to come clean with him? Or should she just wait and see how the relationship developed over time, and if things looked like they were getting serious, then she could tell him? God would truly have to direct her on this one.

  Chapter 44

  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

  —1 John 4:1

  Reverend Marshall Walker’s cell phone rang. Surprised to see who it was when he looked, he hurriedly answered it.

  “Hey, how are you?” Reverend Walker said, bypassing the customary greeting of just hello.

  “I’m great. Doing very well, in fact,” the deep male voice said.

  “It’s been a long time,” Reverend Walker said. “I’m surprised you still have my cell phone number. It’s good to hear your voice.”

  “Yeah, it has been awhile. Look, I just wanted to call and let you know before you hear it from someone else, I went forward today and gave my life to Christ,” the male voice said. “I’m scheduled to be baptized next Sunday night at six. I would love for you to come.”

  “You gave your life to Christ? You’re being baptized? Why would you do that? You’ve already done that before. You joined the church, and you were water baptized when you were twelve years old. What’s the matter with you?” Reverend Walker said.

  “Nothing’s the matter with me. For the first time, I feel like I’m actually doing the right thing. I would think you’d be happy for me. Proud even. Isn’t this what you’ve been praying for . . . that I would come back to the Lord?”

  “I’m glad you’re coming back to the Lord. And yes, that is what I’ve been praying for. But if you were going to rededicate your life—”

  “I’m not rededicating my life. I didn’t dedicate it the first time around.”

  “Okay,” Reverend Walker said. “If that’s what you believe. But if you were going to do this, why didn’t you come to my church and do it? Can you imagine the impact that would have had on my congregation? To see you returning home like the Prodigal Son? That would have been scripture coming alive for all of us. You know I’m not the only one who’s been praying for you. We’ve all been praying for a long time.”

  “Well, I didn’t intend to do this today.”

  “Where were you?” Reverend Walker asked.

  “Followers of Jesus Faith Worship Center.”

  “Pastor George Landris’s church? I should have known. What is that man doing over there?”

  “Preaching the Word. Living the Word. Being a doer of the Word and not just a hearer only. Telling people what the Word says and not letting them live and do anything and think that it’s okay.”

  “Don’t take that tone with me,” Reverend Walker said. “I’m still your father.”

  “Yeah, Dad. You’re still my father.”

  “Clarence,” Reverend Walker said, “I know things have been strained between us over these years. But I still love you. Listen, I’m happy something got through to you to make you see that you needed to repent. You know the Bible tells us if we train up our children in the way they should go, when they’re old, they won’t depart from it. I know your mama and I did our best, even if she and I did end up going our separate ways. I still love the children we had together. I’m looking for you and your other brothers to carry on the family name. I was hoping and praying one of you would carry on the family business—my church I’ve worked so hard to build. So, why don’t you come on back home? Come back to Divine Conquerors Church, where you belong.”

  “Dad, I’m staying at Pastor Landris’s church. There’s something different there. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings, but I can’t serve God sitting under you. I just can’t,” Clarence said.

  “Fine. Embarrass me then. Stay over there and have folks talking about why my own son, who was a total disgrace by having that devil’s dancing lair with all those women and pathetic men hanging out day in and day out, won’t even come back to be under his father’s ministry. Give people one more thing to drag my good name through the mud about. Of course, I shouldn’t be surprised.”

  “Dad, I didn’t call you for all of this. I called to let you know how much I love the Lord, and that today, He answered my cry.” Clarence couldn’t hold it any longer. He began to softly cry. “Dad, God is real. Do you hear me? God is real! He’s real in my soul. He’s not just an idea or a thought. He’s real! And today was the first time I’ve actually seen that He’s real for myself!”

  “Oh, so what are you saying? That you didn’t see God in my life? That you didn’t know God was real after all I’ve preached and taught all of my life? I was eighteen when I was called into the ministry. Eighteen. I’ve been on the battlefield for a long time,” Reverend Walker said. “I bet you Pastor Landris will have you working in that church before long. Probably up there singing like you ain’t never done a thing wrong in your life.”

  “Dad, if God can use what He’s given me for His service, then I want to be used. I don’t want to argue with you. I just thought for some crazy reason that you might be happy for me. I suppose some things never change. But you know what, Dad?”

  “What?” Reverend Walker said bluntly.

  “I still love you. In spite of everything, I still love you. And I’m going to keep on loving you because I have the love of God in my heart. I don’t wish any ill to come to you. Despite how awful you were to my mother. Despite the fact that you didn’t do right by us after you and she divorced and you took a new wife and family. I still love you.”

  “Well, I love you, too. And I’m going to pray that God opens your eyes and lets you see that you need to come home to my church, where you not only need to be but where you belong.” Reverend Walker tempered his voice. “Look, I need to get off the phone now. But I do hope we talk again soon. Good-bye for now, son.”

  After Clarence said good-bye, Reverend Walker clicked off his cell phone. Looking at the nowsilent phone, he nodded several times before slightly tossing it onto some papers on his desk.

  “Yes, Lord, Pastor Landris
has messed with the wrong one this time. My own flesh and blood . . . choosing this man and his church over me?” He shook his head before resting it against his overstuffed burgundy leather chair. He then placed his fingers together in a steeplelike fashion and closed his eyes.

  Chapter 45

  And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

  —Hosea 2:23

  Zachary couldn’t wait to call Gabrielle. He was so relieved to find out this had all been a big misunderstanding. He and Queen laughed about it on their way home. How something so innocent could have gotten so blown out of proportion.

  Queen had come to visit him from Pensacola, Florida, at his new house to help him get settled in. Actually, she and her husband were having marital problems, and she needed to get away for a little while . . . separate herself while they tried to work things out. She didn’t know when she would be returning home since her husband didn’t appear to be making any real efforts to do better. Zachary had told her she was welcome to stay at his home as long as she needed.

  It had been all her idea to hire a housekeeper. Zachary didn’t care one way or the other since he worked so much and wouldn’t be home that often for it to matter. He knew he would get around to unpacking things and putting them away eventually. And as for cleaning the house once things were in their proper places, well, he knew how to run the vacuum cleaner and how to dust. He had a dishwasher, so cleaning the kitchen would be relatively easy. His dry cleaner washed and ironed his white shirts. Besides, when Queen wasn’t there, no one was at the house to mess up but him. How much of a mess could one man make by himself ?

  When Queen came, she knew she couldn’t do much unpacking, being five months pregnant and told by her doctor she needed to take it easy since she’d miscarried twice already. She couldn’t put away a lot, especially anything that required her bending or lifting too much. So she’d asked a few of the neighbors for a housekeeper recommendation, and she learned many of them used the same agency to find great, dedicated housekeepers. She decided to go with that agency.

  Zachary agreed to go along with whatever she decided, but he told her he had neither the time nor interest in getting involved. It was all her project. All he needed to know was how much to write the check for. She could hire the person she thought was right and direct the housekeeper on what she wanted done. And maybe, just maybe, after everything was set up, he might decide to contract her to come in once or twice a week after Queen went back home. But the way things were going with Queen and her husband, it didn’t look like that would be anytime soon.

  Since after Queen left, he would be there alone, he actually thought once a week would be too often. But Queen informed him that he couldn’t hire someone and only use them once every two weeks. At least, not someone from that prestigious agency.

  “Besides, houses still get dusty, even if no one is there to make a mess,” Queen said. “She’ll still have plenty to do. Believe me, I know you. She’ll have plenty to do.”

  But for now, there was enough work to employ a housekeeper for a month or two. So when Gabrielle showed up, it was Queen she’d met. And Queen was the one who told her what needed to be done and how. Gabrielle had learned Zachary was a doctor—something Zachary had failed to ever mention to her. He thought she had figured it out, so it wasn’t like he’d tried purposely to keep that information from her. He just wasn’t the type who bragged about his accomplishments—something Queen had told him more than a few times was a major character flaw. “If you’ve got it, flaunt it,” she said.

  When Gabrielle had put everything she knew together—Doctor Morgan, a woman, a pregnant woman at that, living at the house she was hired to clean—she couldn’t help but arrive at any other conclusion except that Zachary Morgan was a liar and a cheat.

  Zachary asked Gabrielle if he could come over so they could talk. She really didn’t want to be alone with him in her house. She had strong feelings for him, and she just didn’t trust them being alone for this particular talk. Besides, she’d packed a lot of her things when she’d first sold the house, thinking she would be moving out soon. Now, she was in the process of unpacking those things since she and Clarence had signed an agreement for her to buy the house from him at substantially reduced monthly payments from what she’d been paying to her mortgage company. God was so good!

  What she’d been told was true. The devil may bring it, but if it’s a blessing, it was sent by God. Every good and perfect gift did, in fact, come from above. And to think, in the process of her having not cut Clarence off completely after she became saved and he still wasn’t, she’d helped win over a fellow brother to the Lord. Gabrielle had learned that as long as you stand strong on what you know is right and you don’t compromise, you can become a light for Jesus to those walking in darkness. And the Bible says that if Jesus is lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him. That’s just what had happened with Clarence.

  Without her even realizing it, Clarence had watched her actions. He had heard her when she talked. He had seen the change in her life. She had prayed for him and with him. And on this day, when he heard the Word that had come forth, Clarence went running into the Lord’s awaiting arms, asking what he needed to do to be saved. Gabrielle knew now, without a doubt, that this is what we’re on this earth to do. Not just us getting saved, but that we become a light . . . a beacon, and hopefully help lead others to Christ. Dancing was the gift God had given her. But she now understood that the life we live before others was indeed the only Bible some people might ever read.

  Chapter 46

  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

  —Micah 6:8

  Gabrielle was more determined now to live the way she believed God was calling her to. She decided, because of how she felt about Zachary, it was best they meet in a place where someone else would be present. Queen was still at his house, so she suggested they meet there.

  They sat in the living room she’d so lovingly cleaned and decorated, and laughed at what had already transpired in their lives.

  “May we begin again?” Zachary said.

  “Sure.”

  “Hi, my name is Zachary Wayne Morgan. But a lot of people call me Z. W.”

  “Hi, Zachary. My name is Gabrielle Mercedes, although I was born Gabrielle Mercedes Booker. I dropped the Booker and legally changed my name to Gabrielle Mercedes because I liked the sound of it.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Gabrielle Mercedes,” Zachary said with a quiet nod.

  “And what exactly do you do for a living, Zachary?”

  “I’m a doctor. I deal with burn victims mainly, although I’m quite proficient, and at home, in the emergency room whenever I’m called upon or needed.”

  “A doctor, huh? Wow, that’s interesting. So, how long have you been a doctor?”

  “I just finished my last year of residency earlier this year. I now have my own private practice. Many of my patients call me Doctor Z. or Doctor Z. W. There are a few who insist on calling me Doctor Morgan. I leave it up to them.”

  “So, what would you prefer I call you?”

  He grinned. “Whatever you like,” he said. “Zachary is fine. That’s what my sister calls me when she’s not calling me Z. or Z. W. You’ve met Queen, haven’t you? She’s my baby sister. I call her Q. when I want to mess with her. She acts like she hates it, but she loves being called a letter of the alphabet like she calls me. She’s staying with me for a little while, helping me get my house in order.” He turned more squarely toward Gabrielle. “So, Gabrielle, what do you do for a living?”

  “Right now I’m a housekeeper. Earlier this year, I worked for a maid service. They downsized and ended up firing me, so I went through this employment agency that gets people assignments to clean specifi
c homes exclusively. I loved the first house I was assigned to,” she said, looking around the living room she’d recently cleaned and decorated. “I truly did. Nice place you have here, Doctor Morgan.”

  He nodded as he also scanned the room. “Yeah, my sister hired this off-the-chain housekeeper, and she really got things in order for me. Unfortunately, she asked to be reassigned, so I lost her, in more ways than I care to admit. I’m hoping I can somehow woo her back into my life. Any suggestions or advice?”

  Gabrielle shrugged. “Well, you never know. I hear that God works in mysterious ways.”

  “It’s true,” said Zachary. “I’m a living witness.” He raised his right hand.

  “So, I take it you’re not married, then?”

  He shook his head and pouted his lips slightly. “No. Unfortunately not.”

  “Do you have anyone you’re serious about in your life?”

  He nodded. “You know, I have to be honest with you. I do.”

  Gabrielle looked at him as she tilted her head slightly. “Really?”

  “Yeah,” he said, smiling. “I met this woman back in January at this Inaugural Ball. She was the sweetest, most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on. And on the inside, she was simply awesome. She and I talked. We danced a couple of times. Then at midnight, she suddenly had to leave. I didn’t want to let her go. You see, I knew when I saw her that night that she would someday be my wife. But stupid me, I didn’t get her phone number to contact her. I had nothing to go on except her church home and the way she danced.