Forever Blessed (Women of Prayer) (19 page)

Laney couldn’t help but smile. She remembered that conversation well. “I remember washing those dishes when she first moved into her apartment.” Now she was laughing. “You have to admit, they were ugly. We got the biggest kick out of them. I had no idea she brought them back to you.”

“Yep, she sure did. Told us that somebody with real taste, someone who knew what was nice and not nice, told her they were ugly. So, she wouldn’t be needin’ them now that she had a job. She was going to Wal-Mart to get her some pretty plates. Something her best friend would be proud to eat off of.” Jessi watched closely for Laney’s reaction. “You know, she loved you dearly. She thought the world of you. She was proud to call you her friend, her best friend, that is.”

Laney felt the tears slide down her cheeks. “She is the one who taught me so much about life. She taught me how to be strong. Why? Why did she go back to him? Why did she let him hurt her?”

Jessi took Laney’s hand once again. “She loved him. That coupled with her low self-esteem, gave her every excuse to take him back. She wasn’t strong enough to let go. Not many women are.”

“Do you think I am going to make the same mistakes? I think that is what I am most afraid of, that I’ll be next. When I saw that flower on my windshield, I immediately thought he’d found me. The thought is always there. Always nagging at me. I don’t know that I’ll ever be free.”

Jessi looked out the window, watching the cars slowly make their way down Main Street. “There is a difference between taking an abuser back and standing up for your rights. You can confront him without taking him back. You can put some rules in place. You can contact the police and have a restraining order issued. And no, I don’t think you will make the same mistakes. I think you know exactly what you want and it isn’t to spend the rest of your life in fear. You don’t want that for yourself and you surely don’t want it for your children. The question is, how do you get free without becoming a victim again?”

“I don’t know. I suppose I have to face him. I’m just not ready.” Laney looked at Jessi, silently pleading with her to understand, to not expect too much too soon.

“Laney, I don’t think you should do anything without a lot of prayer. I don’t want you to pick up the phone and call the guy. You and your kids are the first priority. You need to be safe. I believe God will lead you. He will open doors that need to be walked through and he will close doors that need to be avoided. I know it’s hard to understand right now, but you really can trust him.”

“That got Keisha real far.” She couldn’t help but have an attitude about trusting God. Keisha trusted him completely and that didn’t work out so well for her.

“I know right where you are. I’ve been there. Believe me, God has a plan. When everything seems like it is falling apart, he knows exactly what he is doing.”

“How could you possibly know what I am going through? You have Mark. He is a pastor. You have Olivia and the twins. You have your big, wonderful, happy family. Your life is nothing like mine. You couldn’t possibly know what I am feeling.” Laney wiped her nose with her napkin.

“I may not know exactly what you are going through, but I meant it when I said I’ve been there. Mark hasn’t always been the wonderful Christian husband that he is today. And I haven’t always been the faithful loving wife. I didn’t think our relationship had a shot at making it. We went through so much. Our lives were nearly destroyed.” Jessi glanced at her cup. “Hey, let me get us another cup of coffee and I’ll tell you all about our situation.”

Jessi spent the next hour telling Laney about everything she and Mark had gone through. Every painful detail was laid out on the table. She left nothing out, not if it meant making a difference in Laney’s life. “Sometimes I long for what used to be, but then again, I am very grateful for today. There were days I didn’t want to go on. Then I look at Olivia and the twins and yes, even at my husband and my heart longs for them. I have to believe that God had a plan through all my pain. That somehow it will be used for good.”

Jessi wiped her own eyes and continued. “One good thing that has come from everything that has happened to me is I am able to help others know it’s okay to forgive. That you can come out the other side of something so horrible and still be capable of breathing in and breathing out. Even if every breath feels like it will be your last. Knowing that God can use all the junk we go through to help someone else, somehow makes it easier. Not then, mind you. But now, when I have had time to heal and as I have grown to trust him more and more.”

Never would Laney have guessed everything this woman sitting before her had gone through. And she thought her life was bad. Wow. Now it was her turn to do the comforting. “Jessi, I am sorry. I didn’t know.”

“How could you? I don’t expect people to automatically know what I’ve been through. It puts things in perspective though, doesn’t it?” Jessi motioned to those sitting around the room. “You never know what the person sitting next to you at the coffee shop might be going through. Everyone has something. Some just hide it better than others.”

Laney looked around the room. The blond woman sitting at the counter looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. The guys sitting together laughing looked happy, but how many times over the years has she put on the same façade? She hadn’t really thought about anyone else in such a long time, that she’d forgotten there was a whole world of people, some going through stuff as terrible as she was, some probably worse. Her eyes settled on a young woman who was sitting off by herself, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. Suddenly, things came into perspective. She could either wallow in her own grief or do something about it. But one thing was for sure. Ella was right. She wasn’t going to sit and take it anymore.

             
             
             
Chapter Twenty-Four

Laney picked up the ringing phone. “Stop calling me. Do you hear me? I’m going to call the cops.”

She slammed the phone. Not twenty seconds later the phone rang. She was irate. “Paul, I know this is you. Stop calling me.”

Before she could finish her tirade, she heard another voice on the line. “Laney, it’s me, Sheila. What’s going on?”

Laney breathed a sigh of relief. “Someone has been calling and breathing heavy on the other line but not saying anything. I’m tired of it. It has to end.”

“It could be kids playing a practical joke.”

“No, I know its Paul. I can feel it.” She might as well tell her everything. “The other day I was at the grocery store and when I came out there was a wilted rose under my windshield wiper. It was a yellow rose. The same color rose he gave me when we first started dating. He’s found me, but the funny thing is I’m not afraid. I don’t know why.” Laney continued. “I’ve decided to fight, Sheila. He is not going to intimidate me anymore. I’m not moving. I’m not hiding. I’m not giving up my friends and I’m certainly not going back. I’m just not going to take his crap any more. It’s over. One way or another, it’s done.”

Sheila listened to her friend. She heard a lot of emotion mixed in with quite a bit of common sense. Even though she was doing the right thing, she had to be scared. “There are things we can do to protect you and the kids. You can file a restraining order. I can talk to our lawyer about it if you want me to.”

“You know what, why don’t we do that? At least then he’ll know I’m standing up to him this time.”

“Okay, I’ll make the phone call. But, the reason I am calling is I have some news. Austin and I are getting married and I want you to be my matron of honor. Will you?”

“Sheila, I’m so happy for you.  But you guys just met. Are you sure you are ready to do this? How well do you know him?”

“Laney, I have been waiting for the right guy my whole life. I’m thirty-four years old and I’m ready. I know it’s quick. But, he is it. He’s the one. I know he is. I am so happy, Laney. We’re thinking a Spring wedding. What do you say? Will you do it?”

Laney couldn’t help but giggle. “Of course I’ll do it. I’d love to be your matron of honor. We have a lot to plan. You want to come over?”

“I’d love to. I’ve got to see someone or I’m going to lose it! I’m just so happy. I’m like a little kid.”

“Come on over. I’ll put the tea water on.”

The two spent the rest of the afternoon discussing the upcoming wedding. Sheila had already talked with Pastor Mark from church. She and Austin were going to meet with him for some counseling before he would marry them, which made Laney feel better about her getting married so quickly. They got down to the details.

Austin joined the party later that afternoon and brought Chinese food for dinner. “Hard work needs to be fueled with energy. Hope you like Chinese food.”

Laney started getting out plates and silverware. “It’s going to be good to have you around. Especially if you come bearing food.” Laney looked at Austin. “I’m assuming you are moving this way, right?” Then she turned to Sheila. “I mean, with the shelter and everything, you aren’t moving to Illinois, are you?” She started opening containers of food and made up the kids’ plates.

Sheila responded. “We are going to live here, although we’re not going to live at the shelter. I’m going to have to hire someone to live on site so we can have a family life.”

Austin put his arms around his soon-to-be-wife. “Yep, I’m going to put our house up for sale and me and the boys will move this way. It’s the only thing that makes sense. The shelter is too important to let that go. And besides, it’s Sheila’s dream and we don’t make light of dreams in this family.” He released her when he realized Laney was making plates.

He placed an eggroll on his plate. “Mmm, this smells so good. I’m so glad I thought of it.”

Everyone was seated and they were halfway through their meal when they heard the sirens nearby.

Laney could see flashing lights through the front window. “That is pretty close. I sure hope everyone is okay.”

Next to drive by was a fire truck, followed by yet another fire truck. Austin got up and looked out the window. It was hard to see in the dark exactly where the trucks were stopping. “You guys, the trucks are stopping near the church. I wonder what happened.” It was then that he saw the flames. “Oh my Lord, please let everyone be safe.” He turned to Sheila. “It’s a fire. I can’t tell where it’s coming from. Sheila, we have to go check it out. It’s too close to the shelter for comfort.”

Laney followed Sheila and Austin out of the house and joined Ella who was already watching from the sidewalk. “You go with them. I’ll stay here with the kids.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to trouble you.”

“Go, something tells me she’s going to need you.”

Laney was just catching up to the couple when she heard Sheila scream. “No, no, it can’t be.”

The shelter was engulfed in flames. Laney saw the ladies who lived there along with their children standing out on the sidewalk. It didn’t look like anyone was missing. The police were talking with some of them, asking them questions about the fire.

“Was anyone cooking and forget to tend the stove?”

One of the ladies was quick to reply. “No, it was pizza and movie night. We were all sitting it the family room eating when we heard the alarm go off.” Another chimed in, “Thank God we were all together and could get out fast. We’d have been done for.”

Sheila stepped up. “Officer, this is my house. I run a shelter for women.” She looked around at the ladies, mentally counting making sure everyone was there. “I’m just so thankful everyone is here and safe.” She looked at her dream house, or what was left of her dream house and broke down. “I don’t know what happened. We just had an inspection last month and everything was in order. As Wanda mentioned, tonight was pizza night. No cooking and no dishes. It’s family night for all the ladies and their children. I just don’t know what happened.”

The police officer jotted down a few notes. “Where were you, ma’am, when the fire started?”

“I was at a friend’s house.” She pointed down the street. “Just down there. My fiancé was there too. We were eating supper.”

No one knew what happened or how the fire got started. It was a mystery. Pastor Mark and Jessi were called and the ladies went home with some of the church families for the night while Austin and Sheila figured out what to do next.

They followed Laney back to her house. The silence surrounded them as each person thought about happened and what might have caused it. What would they do? The ladies and their families depended on them. They wouldn’t know anything until they got the report back from the fire marshal. Sheila kept thinking back to the inspection. “They said everything was great. There were no problem areas. I just don’t know what could have happened. The ladies aren’t allowed to smoke in the house. They weren’t cooking.” She began to panic. “Do you think someone would set fire to the house on purpose? Could someone really do that? Oh God, all my mama’s stuff, everything I have left of her is in that house.” Standing out on the street in front of Laney’s house, Sheila crumpled to the ground. Austin knelt down beside her and held her as she rocked back and forth.