Angel Promises Fulfilled

by Angel Promises Fulfilled (v5. 0) (epub)

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Matti rushed to the phone. It was on its fourth ring.

  “Hello, is this Matilda Belafonte?”

  “Yes… this be she…”

  “This is Nurse Johnson, the Supervisor of Palliative Care at the Grey Nuns’ Hospital—”

  “I ‘spect you be calling me. You just wants to say Jenny woke up from her nap. Ain’t that so, now?”

  Nurse Johnson chuckled, “I’m afraid Ms. Hamilton was more than sleeping. She was deceased—”

  “Yes, I know that, but you calling to let me know she no longer be deceased, but come back to the land of the living. Now, that be the gospel truth… ain’t that so?”

  Nurse Johnson shook her head, “My, my, Matilda… you sure are a woman of faith. But you’re absolutely correct; Ms. Hamilton has miraculously come back to the land of the living, as you said. And she is perfectly hea—”

  “Praise the Lord! Halleluiah!” Matti yelped! “I just knew Jesus was busy earlier on. He’s back and tendin’ to business! Halleluiah! I just can’t wait to tell Chloe…”

  Matti dropped the phone and started to run to Chloe’s room and then came back to the phone.

  “I be so sorry, Nurse Johnson, I’m so excited to tell Chloe the news I forgot to thank you for phoning. That be the best news I heard since Harry Belafonte sang in Carnegie Hall!”

  “I also wanted to tell you not to come right away as Ms. Hamilton’s room is completely occupied by doctors and nurses examining her—”

  “I can just see the puzzled looks on their faces! Yes sir, they be scratchin’ their heads for a long time trying to figure out how the great Physician does His healing works. He just say, ‘Jenny, it be time to get up now, that’s right, you wake up and you be openin’ your pretty blue eyes and give me one of your sweet smiles. There ain’t no-one that can resist that, Ms. Johnson. Even Lazarus after sleeping for four days just got up and walked out of the tomb!”

  “Well, I can’t argue with you, Matilda, some mighty Power did an amazing job on Jenny. She was so critically ill; the cancer had attacked almost every cell of her body—”

  “See now, that’s how the Lord works sometime. Not only does He heal the sick, but also heals people who need a boost in their faith. Now tell me, has your faith increased over this?”

  “I must admit it has… this is all so unbelievable, I’ve never seen anything like it in all the years of nursing. And the kiss that Jenny and Henry Pederson had just before she died was so powerful, so filled with love.”

  “And that is what the Lord responds to. Love touches His heart right away. It draws out His power. We all be so filled with love for Jenny and praying so hard for her, He just have to be listenin’.”

  “Well, He did, Matilda…He sure did.”

  “I best be going to the bathroom, I still so excited I better pee before going to Chloe’s room… oh, she in for one biiiiig surprise. That young thing feeling so sad over her Auntie being gone, I just can see her face lightin’ up with joy! We be singing and dancing so hard the hotel management may throw us out!”

  Nurse Johnson and Matilda shared a good long laugh.

  “Be seeing you later, Nurse Johnson. Thank you for calling!”

  “Oh, Matilda!” Nurse Johnson exclaimed, “Matilda, are you still there?”

  “Yes, I be here…”

  “You work for Mr. Hamilton, correct?”

  “Yes, that be so…”

  “He and his staff have been calling nonstop to make arrangements to ship Ms. Hamilton’s body back to Ottawa, but since what has happened that won’t be necessary. He said that you would be assisting in that matter, as well—”

  “That man be in for one big surprise! I forgot all about him. Yes, I’ll call him as soon as I tell Chloe the good news. I don’t know how he’ll take to this. I know he be wantin’ her back, but now… Oh sweet Jesus, Your healing business is a long waaaay from being over!”

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Henry drove slowly up to Jenny’s home and parked the car. After all these months, he still could not call the home he purchased his. It just didn’t seem that it rightfully belonged to him. He had come across this home in such an extraordinary way and always felt a twinge of guilt walking in and taking control of someone’s life. It just never sat right with him. At least now he knew who the house really belonged to and it explained so many of the strange feelings he had when in the home.

  It was uncanny that Marjorie turned out to be Jenny and that I actually bought her home! Truly an angelic occurrence.

  Henry got out of the car and made his way up the winding walk. What a difference from the first day he and Jeremy went to look at the house. Snow was piled at least two feet high on the sidewalk and today most of the snow had melted, revealing the amazing landscaping that was hidden under the winter blanket. Either Jenny was a gardener in her own right, or she came across someone that really knew his craft.

  It was nearing the end of April and an early spring was definitely in the air. The landscaping was starting to come alive. Most of the junipers looked green and he could see as he stopped near the front door that some of the perennials were beginning to peek through the soil. Henry could only imagine how beautiful the front yard was going to look when everything was in bloom.

  Henry fumbled with the lock until he realized that he had inserted the wrong key. Finally, he opened up the front door and walked inside. The fragrance of lilac was especially strong. He detected it right off despite all of the other scents in the room. It was as if Jenny had been there and just left.

  He gazed at the round table which housed the diary. He shook his head and marvelled over the way he had found Jenny’s diary and the manner in which his dear wife had led him to it. He was going to sit on the chair beside the table and relive that moment of discovery, but was drawn to the kitchen and then to the window that looked out to the back yard.

  The first thing he noticed was that some of the plants in the kitchen had been moved. He was certain that he hadn’t touched them. Several of the herb plants had been stripped of some of their leaves… especially the thyme plant. Its odour was strong and competed with the lilac scent for his attention. The lilac was definitely the one that still drew him.

  He looked outside. Most of the snow had melted and just traces of snow remained under the low branches that were shielded from the sun. A glare at the very back of the yard caught Henry’s attention. The rays of the high sun bounced off the white, marble angel near the gazebo. It glistened and appeared as if ready to walk through the garden and collect more flowers.

  “Are more flowers in the basket?” Henry whispered under his breath.

  The angel’s basket definitely seemed fuller than the day before.

  He was drawn to them.

  He made his way to the patio doors and stepped out into the warm air. He took a deep breath and immediately smelled the thyme. He looked down the path and saw that many leaves of the herb had been strewn on the stone path. A puzzled look grew on his face. He partially turned to go back and check the plants again… and then decided to do that later. He walked down the steps and followed the winding lane to the back where the gazebo was. His eyes stayed focused on the angel’s basket the entire time. Unbelievably, there were more flowers in the basket! He looked from side to side to see if there was any evidence of someone coming into the yard… but there was none.

  He stared at the basket overflowing with wildflowers, but where did they come from? There were some peeking through the ground, or so he thought. The fresh odour of the herbs was growing stronger as if coming from the gazebo. He glanced over and he noticed a pile of thyme leaves on the swing inside the gazebo. The statue was hiding part of the swing. He leaned over slightly and was shocked to see what looked like Jenny’s diary, laying on the swing. His heart nearly stopped…

  Is that Jenny’s diary?

  It couldn’t be. How on earth did it get here?

  He slowly made his way over and picked
it up. A pencil was between the pages at the very back. He noticed an entry…It had today’s date on it. An eerie feeling crawled up and down Henry’s spine. The hair on the back of his neck began to rise. Something so strange had happened and his mind was blocked as to what it was. He felt frustrated, as if he were standing in front of a door that housed secrets and he didn’t have a key to open it.

  It was Jenny’s handwriting, he recognized it right off. The eerie feeling returned as he read the entry. She wanted to make her son aware of her daughter, Camilla. That she was his step sister and that it would be so wonderful if they met and she became part of the family. It would be so fantastic for him to have a sister and for Camilla to know she had a brother.

  In the second paragraph, Jenny asked for J.J.’s forgiveness for the way the marriage of his parents went and for the breakup of the family. She hoped that someday he would understand and find it in his heart to forgive her.

  Oh Jenny, you had such a heart of gold. No wonder after all these years, I still loved you so dearly… But, how on earth did the diary get here? He was certain it had been in his SUV… Henry shook his head in awe of what he was seeing. And he still couldn’t figure out why he was not despondent and in tears over Jenny’s passing. He wondered if a miracle could have possibly happened to her, as well. But she had been dead for hours.

  Wasn’t she?

  Her lips had felt warm when he kissed her, yet it wasn’t the same when she was awake and he gazed into her blue eyes. He could taste and feel her tender lips just at the thought of it all.

  It made him think of Father Engelmann and that he should phone him.

  It was the thought of the phone that brought Henry out of his reverie and he realized that the phone in the house was ringing. He ran to get it. He thought for sure the caller would hang up, but whoever it was, was as determined as Henry to communicate.

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  After Matti shared the good news with Chloe, Matti’s prediction came true as the two women danced and jumped around in glee. Chloe was elated and took the longest time to let the truth sink in that Jenny had really come back to life.

  Chloe phoned her dad. Robbie wasn’t surprised. He and his prayer group had been praying, as well. Both Chloe and her father were filled with praise and rejoicing.

  No sooner had Matilda returned to her room when the phone rang.

  “Hello, this be Matilda.”

  “Matilda!” James hollered into the phone, “What’s going on? I just talked to the nurse and she said that Marjorie was miraculously healed and came back to life—”

  “That be true, Mr. Hamilton. Ms. Johnson called me just ten to fifteen minutes ago and said the same. Ms. Hamilton be healed! Praise the Lord, Mr. Hamilton, Jesus has restored her life and healed her of all her ailments!”

  “Matilda, for Pete’s sake, don’t carry on so… how can that be possible? She must not have been dead in the first place. Doctors and nurses are known to make mistakes.”

  “No! Mr. Hamilton, I was in the room the whole time. Nurse Johnson checked her vital signs and confirmed that Ms. Hamilton had passed away. Now, I just knew that the good Lord was going to heal her and so I took it all that Ms. Hamilton just be taking a nap like you be thinking… that’s my personal assessment of the matter, know what I’m saying…?”

  “No! No, Matilda I don’t know what you’re saying. This all doesn’t make any sense to me. I’ve already called my doctor and he can’t explain to me how this could happen either. I am going to fly him there tomorrow to check Marjorie out himself. I want her to have the best care possible. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, I know what you be saying, Mr. Hamilton, but it won’t be necessary. When the good Lord heals, there ain’t a doctor in the world that can improve upon it.”

  “Really, Matilda!”

  After James let out a sigh that carried a tone of frustration mixed with disbelief, he went on. “Are you going to see her, Matilda?” James wanted to know.

  “Chloe and me be waiting until after dinner. Nurse Johnson say the room be filled with doctors and nurses and no-one else can squeeze in until they leave.”

  “Well, try to get there as soon as possible and call me. Make sure Marjorie is well and okay. I still find it hard to believe that she died and came back. The whole thing doesn’t make sense. As soon as you do in fact see her and talk to her and make an assessment as to her condition, you must call me straight away. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, sir, I understands what you be saying. I do as you ask, Mr. Hamilton.”

  “Matilda! Are you still there?”

  “Yes, I am…”

  There was a long silence as if the phone had gone dead.

  “Mr. Hamilton, are you still there…?”

  “Yes, there is something I need to ask you…”

  “Yes, I be listenin’…”

  “When you were at the hospital, did a guy by the name of Pederson come up to see Marjorie?”

  Once again there was a long silence…

  “Yes, Mr. Hamilton, Henry Pederson did come up to see Ms. Hamilton.”

  “Was she… you know, happy to see him?” James was hesitant to know.

  “Yes, she was, Mr. Hamilton. She be more than happy as far as I could tell.”

  “Did he kiss her, Matilda…?”

  Matilda hesitated to answer. Her master could get very upset when things didn’t go his way. She was beginning to suspect where this was going. Mr. Hamilton was beginning to wake up after all these years and see the jewel he had.

  “Yes, Mr. Hamilton, Henry did kiss his teenage girlfriend—”

  “On the lips, Matilda?”

  “Yes, that’s usually where two people who are fond of each other kiss—”

  “I didn’t ask for an analysis, Matilda, just a yes or no will do.”

  James was getting riled. Jealousy was surfacing. His mind immediately recalled that evening when Marjorie told him of the boy she spent the summer with when she lived in Regina. He sensed it then and he sensed it even more now how much Marjorie liked that man.

  James also remembered that night when he called for Jenny. They were just leaving to see a movie in the city. It was a good thing he answered and they were just about out the door. He had made it clear in no uncertain terms that he didn’t want Henry Pedersen involved with his girl again. Fortunately, the farm boy didn’t bother him nor Jenny after that. And yet, after all those years, he’s back in our lives again!

  He wondered what would have happened had Henry and Marjorie spoke to one another that night he had called for her. That’s beside the point; they were conversing with each other now and it concerned James. It concerned him a lot.

  Well, he would take one step at a time…

  “Mr. Hamilton, are you still on the telephone?”

  “Yes, Matilda… call me after you see Marjorie. Note everything. I want to know exactly how she is doing. If there is anything she wants, let me know… flowers? Yes, she would want flowers. What kind does she like, Matilda?”

  Without waiting for an answer, James blurted, “Wildflowers, yes, of course, she’d want that kind. Would florists carry wildflowers or just roses? S…surely they would have something like a wildflower in that small city, wouldn’t they? Matilda. For Pete’s sake, speak up!”

  “I wants to, but you keep prattling on… yes, florists should have some wildflowers. I know she loves daisies. She likes the simplicity of the daisy, especially yellow ones… they remind her of the sun—”

  “Yes, I’ll send her flowers. Ask her indirectly what kind she likes besides daisies and anything else she might need…Yes!…Books! She always had her nose in a book. Find out what she likes to read… go to her soon and phone me immediately when your visit is over, is that clear?”

  “Yes, Mr. Hamilton, it’s all clear as a bell what you wants…!”

  “And, Matilda…” James was getting desperate. He never thought he would ever see the day when he asked his staff for help. Yet, these
past few months had changed his life… and he was sure it was for the better.

  “Mr. Hamilton, our connection not working again…you still there?”

  “Matilda, I need your help,” James finally blurted out. “Do everything you can to convince Marjorie to come back to the estate. She’ll listen to your advice. She’s my wife and I want her back on the estate where she belongs.”

  “But Mr. Hamilton, you divorced Mrs. Hamilton, she no longer be your wife, did you forget?”

  “For Pete’s sake, Matilda, of course I didn’t forget. I meant she was my wife but it’s the same thing, we need to get her back on the estate. I’m sure you would be much happier if she was and so would Thomas and everyone else. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  Matilda could see her master be working himself up like he was after some big deal for his company. But this may be one business deal he will not be closing. Jenny was in love, really in love and I could see it the moment them two kissed this morning. Finally, Jenny would be free to marry the love of her life, and there was no way under the sun that Matilda would interfere with her precious friend’s heartfelt wish and dream for all those years.

  “Yes, it would be nice to have Miss Jenny back, but its Jenny’s… I mean, Ms. Hamilton’s life, it be up to her if she wants to come back or not. And I wouldn’t be setting my hopes up too high, Mr. Hamilton… that boy she met a long time ago will have someting to say about all this; that be for sure…”

  Click.

  Matilda held onto the phone for a long time after James hung up. Matti slowly hung up the phone and muttered, “What one wants one can’t always be getting… even a man with all the money in the world has his limits…

  “That be for sure!”

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Ah, I am glad you made it to the phone. It’s Father Engelmann!”

  “I was just about to call you, Father.”

  “How are you feeling?” Father asked, in a serious tone.