A Song Of Redemption

by Todd Kirby



  A Song of Redemption

  By Todd Kirby

  Copyright © 2016

  All Rights Reserved

  The following is a work of fiction.

  Any relation of the characters and events to actual individuals or events is purely coincidental.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

  As with my first book, I need to thank God first for blessing me with opportunities and passions to do things like this. I also need to thank my father, Floyd Kirby, and my lovely wife, Kim Kirby, for being willing to edit what I write. Seriously, I cannot be an easy person to work with. “Are you done yet?” “Did you read that chapter yet?” Thanks to those willing to read this stuff and leave reviews on book marketing websites - my friends, family and anyone else who reads my books. Really… thanks.

  The following people have also leant their expertise to me involving everything from medical terminology to how a motorcycle engine works. Thank you for your input - Inez Smallwood, Hayley Trusty, Chris Burton, Wendy Walker and Randi Kirby.

  CONTENTS

  VERSE 1: Mrs. Berry and Ratchet

  VERSE 2: Hello Jenny Mahoney

  VERSE 3: Senior Year

  CHORUS 1: The Brawl

  INTERLUDE: The Truth Revealed

  VERSE 4: Consequences, Consequences

  VERSE 5: Disenchanted

  CHORUS 2: Turning Point

  CHORUS 3: New Beginnings

  OUTTRO: Old Friends

  VERSE 1

  (Mrs. Berry and Ratchet)

  Jeremy Bonds grew up an only child of a single-mom, so he learned to play by himself and keep his hands busy. He never knew his father, and his earliest memories included being left with a neighbor lady while his mother went out.  As he got older, Jeremy learned to get himself up and ready for school while his mom was still asleep.  He rationalized that she was working two jobs and that it was all in his best interest, but the fact was, he rarely interacted his mother.  She certainly never brought cupcakes to school on his birthday, like the other kids’ moms.  And she was never home when Jeremy did his homework, so she didn’t help him there either.  There was always food in the fridge, so Jeremy learned to make his own meals.  His mother usually came home around 7:00 or so, but was always so tired that she didn’t have much energy for dealing with a growing boy.  Between the time when Jeremy got home from school and the time his mother got home from work, he learned to go knock on Mrs. Berry’s door whenever he needed anything.

  Mrs. Berry was an elderly widow who lived next door in their apartment complex.  Jeremy spent a lot of time at her place while his mother was gone, and on the few occasions when Mrs. Berry had to go somewhere, she would take Jeremy with her.  One of those occasions was church on Wednesday evenings.  Mrs. Berry taught children’s choir at her church, and Wednesday evenings were when the children’s choir practiced, so Jeremy got a healthy dose of vocal lessons for free.  Eventually he began going with her to church on Sunday mornings as well, and with Mrs. Berry’s teaching, he became one of the best singers in the children’s choir.

  Jeremy didn’t care much for the church lessons.  All that talk about a Father who cared for His children was foreign to him, having never had a father figure in his life.  But he did enjoy singing, and he loved Mrs. Berry.  She didn’t treat him like his mother treated him, Mrs. Berry would challenge Jeremy and push him to be better at things.  And the cookies...  Mrs. Berry always had fresh-baked cookies around.  She baked them for the church children on Wednesdays, and she always had them in her apartment when Jeremy came over.  There was almost a constant smell of freshly-baked sugar cookies coming from her apartment, and it was rare to see Mrs. Berry without the white apron she used when cooking.

  Mrs. Berry taught Jeremy a lot about singing, but she tried to teach him about other things as well.  If Jeremy had a grandmother, he imagined she would be like Mrs. Berry.  Her son was evidently all grown up, as she kept photos of him and his family strewn throughout the apartment, but they never came to see her.  It seemed a shame for such a sweet grandma like Mrs. Berry to have grandkids who never came to see her.

  Sometimes when Jeremy was in church with Mrs. Berry and the preacher gave an altar call, Jeremy thought about going down.  He knew Mrs. Berry would be pleased, but the timing just never seemed right.  He wasn’t sure what the kids at school would think, or what the preacher would think.  Would they even let him go down since his parents weren’t there?  Jeremy would think, “If the preacher makes one more call, I’ll go down.”  Then the preacher would make another call, and Jeremy would think, “Okay, just one more after this…”  But Jeremy never went down.

  By the time he graduated middle school, Jeremy had developed an amazing talent for singing.  He tried out for, and got accepted into, the varsity singing group at high school as a freshman - which was no small feat.  When he got home from school that day, Jeremy didn’t even stop by his apartment first, he went right to Mrs. Berry’s apartment and knocked on the door.

  “Mrs. Berry!” he called, “It’s Jeremy!  I’ve got great news!”

  But when the door opened, a man in a suit was standing there looking down at Jeremy.

  “Yes?” the man said.

  “Um, is Mrs. Berry home?” Jeremy asked.

  “She isn’t feeling very well today.” the man replied.

  “Can you tell her I need to talk to her?” Jeremy begged.

  “I’m sorry,” the man apologized, “Mrs. Berry is going to be moving to a retirement home where they can take better care of her.  She’s had a stroke... do you know what that is?”

  “I’m not stupid,” Jeremy said defensively, “I know what a stroke is.  Is she going to be okay?  Can I see her?”

  “Not right now.” the man said.  “She’ll be at St. Matthews starting this evening, maybe you can visit her when she’s better.”

  “St. Matthews?” Jeremy whined, “That’s on the other side of town!  How am I supposed to visit her?”

  “I’m sorry,” the man apologized again, “but she needs to rest right now.  I’ll tell her you stopped by.”  And the man closed the door.

  Downtrodden, Jeremy moped down the hall to his apartment.  Getting a key out of his pocket, he unlocked the door and went inside.  He set his backpack on the counter, and got a bowl and some cereal out of the cupboard.  Opening up the refrigerator, he pulled a half gallon of milk off the shelf and checked the expiration date.  Frowning, Jeremy unscrewed the lid and smelled it.  Pausing a second, he smelled it again and decided it was okay.  He poured some over his cereal and put the rest back in the fridge.

  Taking his ‘dinner’ over to the kitchen table, Jeremy opened his backpack and pulled out two textbooks and a notebook.  He got a mouthful of cereal and opened up one of the textbooks to that day’s lesson.  Opening the notebook to a blank page, Jeremy began doing his homework.  He knew that if he didn’t keep his grades up, the teachers would start asking questions.  They may even send someone out to the apartment, and that would be bad.  No, it was important that Jeremy keep his grades up.

  After he had eaten dinner and finished his homework, Jeremy watched television until his mom came home.  She looked tired, but then she always looked tired.

  “Have you had supper?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” Jeremy answered, “and I finished my homework too.”

  “Good.” she said.  “Say, what’s happening over at Mrs. Berry’s apartment?”

  “She had a stroke,” said Jeremy. “She’s going to be moving to St. Matthews.”

  “Oh no.” Jeremy’s mother said.  “Well, that just confirms it then.  Jeremy, you can’t stay here by yourself anymore while I’m at work.  With Mrs. Berry not here to help, there’s som
eone else who’s offered to start watching you after school.”

  “Mom…” Jeremy started, “I’m 14 years old, I don’t need anyone to watch me now.”

  “I’ve been talking to ‘Ratchet’”, his mom interrupted, “and he says you can help out at his shop after school until I get off work.”

  “Ratchet?” Jeremy responded. “Who’s Ratchet?”

  “He’s a friend of Mrs. Berry’s,” his mom said. “She recommended him very highly and said he would be a good influence...”

  “Mom… why?!” Jeremy argued.

  “She also said he could teach you to work on motorcycles,” his mom returned. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you honey?”

  “No mom,” Jeremy answered, “I most certainly would NOT like that.”

  “Well if you don’t want to flip burgers for a living,” his mother shot back, “then you’re going to have to learn a skill.  Ratchet is willing to teach you that skill, you should be thankful.  Tomorrow you’ll ride over to his shop after school and you’ll wait there until I pick you up.”

  As Jeremy stomped off to his room, he grumbled so his mom could hear, “Worst... day... ever!”

  But after school the next day, Jeremy did as he was told and