Forever Blessed (Women of Prayer) (14 page)

“Sheila, I have to leave. I have to pack up the kids. We have to go. I knew he’d look for me, but I didn’t think he’d hire a private investigator. If the first one quit, he’ll just hire another one. It’s only a matter of time.”

“Laney, listen to me. You can run, yes. But at some point you are going to have to stop and fight. You have rights. Those kids have the right to be in one school and have some normalcy in their lives. What about them? And what about you? You have friends here who love you. Friends like Keisha who need the strength you have to offer. You are one of the strong ones who is actually making it on your own. Don’t give that up.”

“Sheila, I don’t want to move. But, I’m scared. What if he finds me? What am I going to do?”

“You will stand strong. You will not give into his demands.” Sheila pulled out another envelope. “Here is your Christmas present from me. I thought you could use your gift a little early.”

Laney opened the second envelope. In it was a gift certificate for a self-defense class.

“Would you like to walk to where the classes are held? I took this class. It’s good, Laney. Some women run their whole lives. No matter where they go, they are looking over their shoulders wondering when he is going to show up. You don’t have to be one of those women. This class will help you get to that point.” Sheila stood up and put her coat on. “It’s just down the block. Come on, I’ll show you.”

Laney followed her out the door and walked in silence, trying to figure out what she should do. Maybe she could wait until after Christmas to uproot the kids. The tree was decorated, cookies were made and the stockings were hung. She couldn’t make them leave all their hard work. “Alright, I’ll stay. At least through Christmas. After that, no guarantees. We’ll have to see.”

The Tae Kwon Do shop owner was standing at the counter. “Sheila, back so soon?”

“Yes, this is the lady I bought the gift certificate for. Can she go ahead and set up her class dates?”

“Sure, we have an opening in next week’s class. It’s on Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7pm. Will that work for you?”

Sheila spoke up. “I’ll come and watch the kids for you. Part of your gift. I insist.”

“Well, then I guess it will work.” Laney gave the shop owner the rest of her information. “I’ll see you next week.”

Sheila and Laney spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for the kids. With the extra money from the church, she was able to get some unexpected gifts for the them. They would be surprised. Maybe it would be a nice Christmas after all. If only Paul would stay away.

Laney bounded through the house with her packages. She had to hide all this before the kids came home. After stuffing everything in her closet, she headed to Ella’s house to get them. She had to hold them close, remind herself what was really important.

Fear and doubt continued to nag. The only thing that kept her from putting the kids in the car and taking off was the looks on their faces as they rushed out to greet her. Joy was first. Matt bounded out next and Ella was holding Joy, her face covered in red goo. “Whoa. I bet you guys ate a few cookies, huh?” Laney took Joy from Ella’s arms and received a wet sloppy pink kiss as her welcome home gift. “Hey guys, hold on a sec. Why don’t you get your coats and boots? I need to talk with Miss Ella for a minute.”

Laney waited until the kids were out of earshot before she filled Ella in on what was happening with Paul. “Did you know there was a private detective at the house the other day? He was looking for me.”

“I knew something was happening, but I didn’t know what. I had finished up in the kitchen, getting things ready for the ladies’ supper when Sheila told me she was heading to the grocery store. I was taken aback when she told me to head home as soon as the car parked in front of the house left, but Joy started fussing so I didn’t have time to question her. Is everything all right?”

“Well, apparently Paul hired him, although he found his conscience and already quit the job. I’m just worried Paul will hire someone who doesn’t have a conscience to find. I need you to be extra careful. Keep your eyes open.” Laney looked out Ella’s living room window. “I don’t put anything past him. He will stop at nothing to find me.” She turned back to Ella. “And pay me for what I’ve done.”

Ella kept her voice low, partly because the kids were near and partly because her heart was breaking. These kids, Laney, they were her family now. She wouldn’t know what to do without them. “What are you going to do?”

“Sheila has prevailed against my better judgment. I am going to stay through Christmas and pray that Paul doesn’t find me before then. She’s right. The kids need this place as much as I do.” She looked into the kitchen where they were teasing one another, laughing freely as kids should. “I haven’t seen them this happy in such a long time, if ever. I can’t take this away from them now. Not before Christmas.”

“Then let’s make this a Christmas they will never forget. Remember, we are all praying.”

“Praying? Well, I suppose it can’t hurt. Although I’m not sure it’s helping, either. Ella, do you really think God cares? That he is watching out for us?”

Thinking back, she could remember just how Laney felt. It was hard to imagine and even harder to actually believe that God would allow such pain in a person’s life. It took some time, but eventually Ella had learned to find peace in the arms of her heavenly father rather than to blame him. “Yes, Laney. I wouldn’t have made it if it weren’t for my relationship with Christ.” Ella swallowed and continued. “Someday I need to tell you about my marriage. It was a lot like yours. I’ve been there. Trust me. You want God on your side. You need him on your side.”

“Well, so far that seems to be the consensus. You, Sheila, even Keisha tells me I need God. Maybe I’ll join you and the kids this week at church. After that first time, I kind of shied away. The kids love it, though. They love Jessi. She is so good with them. They really do seem like good people.”

“Oh, I assure you. They are very good people. Very good indeed.”

Laney bundled Melanie up in her coat, hat and mittens and waved goodbye to Ella from the front walk. With all the snow, they would have to walk the long way around. The kids ran ahead, throwing snowballs at one another, not caring if they were knee deep in snow. Laney, on the other hand, didn’t want snow down her boots. She hated cold feet.

“You guys going to stay out and play a little while? If so, I want you to play in our back yard. Nowhere else. You hear me?”

They both started to complain. “Why can’t we play in the front yard? We don’t have much room back there.”

“Because I said so. That’s why. Got it?”

“Yeah, sure, mom. But it’s not going to be as much fun.”

Laney knew she was putting a damper on their playtime, but she had to take precautions.  She had to protect them. She looked at their downcast faces and felt herself caving. “Alright, you can play in our side yard and our back yard. Deal?”

Matt cheered. “Yay! Deal!” Then both kids ran off, throwing snow the whole way. Laney felt a snowball hit her square in the back, then heard the laughter that followed. She set Melanie down and took off at a full run, packing snow as she went.

*  *  *  *

After tucking in her very tired children, she made herself a cup of tea and studied her to-do list. She opened her planner and added “SDC,” for self-defense class, to Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Ah, life is getting full.

Joy and Matt’s school plays were in two weeks and all three kids had parts in the church play the Sunday before Christmas. Joy was Mary. She was so excited. Apparently Isabel, Jessi’s oldest daughter, insisted that someone else play Mary this year. She had done it last year and it was only fair someone else got the part. Matt was going to be a shepherd and Melanie was going to be the littlest angel ever.
Mark and Jessi really are good people. Even their kids have good hearts.
She set down her pen.

“God, are you there? Can you hear me? I don’t know if I’m doing this right. Truthfully, I can’t remember the last time I tried to talk to you.” Laney looked around the room then suddenly dropped her head and closed her eyes. “Sorry about that. I forgot to bow my head. I guess it has been a long time.” She continued. “God, I need some help here. I don’t know who else to ask. Everyone is doing their best. I just don’t think it’s enough. I want to stay here. I really do. I like my home. I like my job. I love my friends. I don’t want to leave. I’m scared, God. What is going to happen to us?” Laney opened one eye. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but she was still alone. She wasn’t entertaining angels this time around. She shuddered.
That would have been scary.
“So, God, do you think you can help me?”

Laney closed her notebook and her date book. She didn’t have any answers but she did feel peace, something she hadn’t felt in a very long time. She rinsed out her teacup and made her way down the hall. Her first stop was the girls’ room. She stood for a long minute, tenderly caressing each of her girls’ cheeks. She loved them dearly. Just the sight of them made her heart glad. They were here, beneath her roof, safe and sound.

She made her way to Matt’s room. He was sleeping soundly. The solar system was plastered on his ceiling. She loved it. She’d never been able to decorate her room when she was young. It wasn’t allowed. She brushed his bangs out of his eyes and bent down to kiss his forehead. He turned in his sleep as she gently closed his door.

Her eyelids grew heavy as she entered her own room. She crawled between the crisp sheets and pulled the comforter up under her chin. “God, it’s me again. I want to make a deal. If you get us through Christmas without any problems from Paul, I promise I’ll come to church every Sunday with the kids. Is it a deal? It’s only fair, right? You do something for me, and I’ll do something for you. I just want a little time with them before he makes a mess of things.” She waited. Nothing. She’d take that as a yes.

She fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, unaware of the angel hovering over, protecting her from the enemy. Since there had been nothing to interrupt her sleep, not even the slightest fraction of a dream infiltrated her memory; she awoke refreshed and ready to tackle the day. It was Sunday. Pancake Day. To make it special, she took out the package of bacon she had bought and heated up the griddle. She was actually excited about going to church with her kids. “Did you hear that? I’m keeping my part of the bargain. I’m going to church.” She turned on the radio that sat on the counter and began to sing with Journey as she stirred pancake batter and flipped bacon. “Don’t stop, believin' ...!” she belted it out, not caring who heard her.

             
             
             
Chapter Nineteen

Ella knelt at her chair as soon as Laney and the kids left. She knew the heartache and the worry that was tormenting Laney, threatening the peace that was slowly permeating the poor woman’s life.
Lord, watch over her. Protect her Father. Give her peace Lord and bring her to know you, not of you, but know you personally Lord.

She had promised the kids she would help them make Christmas cookies so she bundled up and walked to the shelter, where she found eight kids anxiously waiting for her. She started with all the kids’ favorite, cut-out cookies. She looked at the grinning hoodlums, wondering what she had got herself into. Thank goodness some of the moms wanted to learn too.

“Alright, I am going to mix up the dough and everyone will get their own little batch to roll out. I’ll show you how cause it can be sticky. Did everyone wash their hands?”

The kids took off running for the bathroom while a couple of the moms washed at the kitchen sink.

One of the moms stepped close to Ella and whispered, “Ms. Ella, there is somebody at the door. We ain’t supposed to get it. Ms. Sheila is in her office with door closed. She got somebody in there.”

Ella had been trained to answer the door, but she didn’t like the idea of one of these dear women being found out.

“Keep the kids in here while I see who it is. I’ll be right back.” Heartbeats pounded from all over the room. Everything else was silent and each woman knew what someone at the door could mean. Even the children had lost their fervor for decorating cookies and stood silently by their mothers, waiting.