Forever Blessed (Women of Prayer) (40 page)

Joy hugged her mom, holding on for her very life.

Laney held her breath, ignoring the pain that was ripping through her body. Her daughter needed her comfort. Bones would heal.

“You saved my life. Do you know that?”

Joy nodded her head.

Laney knew it would take a long time before Joy would be over shooting her own father.

The nurse entered the room and spoke to Joy. “It’s time for your mom to get some rest, okay?”

Joy left, holding Jessi’s hand. Laney mouthed “Thank you” to Jessi and closed her eyes.

When Laney awoke, she had a new visitor. Her father sat across from her. She had been meaning to call him, to tell him she forgave him, but she hadn’t gotten around to it. She was sorry she had made him wait this long to hear the three words that would free him. “Hey, dad.”

“Hi, honey.”

“Someone called you?”

“Yeah, Sheila made sure we knew what happened. We came up as fast as we could. They let us step in for a few minutes last night to see you, but you won’t remember that. You were pretty out of it.”

“You’ve been here all night?”

“Yep, sitting in the waiting room on those comfortable orange chairs.”

She laughed and instantly regretted it. She never knew her dad had a sense of humor. “I want to apologize for not calling you after your visit.”

He took her hand. “Darlin’, there is nothing to apologize for. I told you, I expect nothing from you. I just wanted you to know right from the horse’s mouth how sorry I am. Your mama’s and my marriage is totally different now.” He looked toward the door. “Don’t tell her, 'cause it’s a surprise, but I’m taking her on a cruise for her birthday. We’ve never done anything like that.” He shook his head. “I wish I had figured this out when I was younger. Life is so much better now.”

“Dad, I do forgive you.”

“You don’t know how much that means to me. Your mama was right. Things do work out if we give it all over to God.”

Laney’s mom walked into the room. “I see the nurse coming so I thought I better come in real quick. I just wanted to give you a kiss. I’ll see you as soon as you get some rest.”

Sure enough, Laney’s nurse told them it was time to go. She had to change Laney’s bandages and then make sure Laney closed her eyes. “It is hard healing if you don’t rest properly.”

*  *  *  *

The sun was setting when Laney opened her eyes for a third time that day. This time she was all alone. She had a few minutes by herself with God before anyone interrupted her. She stared at the sunset, finding God in the colors that filled the sky. His very creation spoke to her.
Some things may end, but as long as we believe and have faith, there is a new day to wake up to.
God still had a plan for her life; this she believed with all her heart. No matter what was in her past, no matter how many times she failed and messed up, God would love her.

She spent a few minutes just praising him when she heard a knock at the door. Austin was wheeling Sheila into her room. On her lap was a tiny little bundle wrapped in pink.

Sheila looked down at her precious daughter and introduced her. “Laney, we want you to meet Elizabeth Laney Stewart. Elizabeth after my mom and Laney after my best friend. Two of the strongest women I know.”

Laney felt the tears start to well up again, and knowing how much she hurt when she cried, she tried to stop them. “Austin, Sheila, I’m honored. Thank you.”

She lifted the head of her bed, just a little. “Let me see her.”

Sheila pulled back the blanket.

“She’s beautiful. She’s tiny.”

Austin stepped up to look at his daughter. “She was a few weeks early but the doctor said she’s as healthy as she can be. We are blessed.” He bent down and gave his wife a kiss on the head then stepped back as far as he could without leaving the room. “Well, honey, are you ready for another one?”

“Austin Richard, you have had it. When I get a hold of you.” She let her thought trail off as she attended to her daughter who she’d startled awake.

He grinned at Laney who was holding her sides. “I’m sorry Laney, really. I just couldn’t resist.”

*  *  *  *

Laney spent three days in a hospital room, trying to get rest. She was thankful when the doctor was no longer fearful of internal bleeding and released her. God had protected her.

The only broken bones she had were two ribs. She had needed stitches from the gash on her cheek. Her eye was still swollen and her face, as well as most of her abdomen was still black and blue. She had bruises on her legs as well as her arms from trying to block the blows. It would take a while before she looked normal again.

*  *  *  *

The ribbon cutting on the Elizabeth House, renamed in Sheila’s mom’s honor, was today and she wasn’t going to miss it. Laney stood in front of the mirror with the makeup Sheila had loaned her. Her face was still a mess. The black bruises had turned yellowish and the scar across her cheek was inflamed and swollen. The doctor had told her plastic surgery was an option. She hadn’t decided yet on whether it as an option for her.

She pulled out the cover up and opened the bottle then shook her head. No. She put it back in the bag and zipped it shut. How would the world know what was happening if the victims of abuse kept hiding it? She wasn’t going to do that. She was going to the ribbon-cutting and the world, at least the little part of the world that would be at the event, was going to see what happens when a woman is abused.

Laney dressed in her best business suit. She curled her hair and pinned it back. She was going as she was and she wasn’t going to be embarrassed any longer. What happened to her wasn’t her fault and she didn’t care if anyone felt uncomfortable because she was revealing her pain. She wasn’t revealing her injuries to spite anyone. She was doing it to raise awareness.

Laney stood in the front of the gorgeous two-story structure and watched as Sheila and Austin quietly cut the little yellow ribbon held by two church members. They couldn’t have an official ribbon cutting because there were still a lot of women out there who needed a place to go that was a safe place to heal.

After the ribbon cutting, Sheila and Austin led everyone on a tour of the house. The rooms now had names, just like the house had been named Elizabeth House for her mother. Laney smiled at the area bearing her name. An engraved bronze plaque reading “Laney’s Library” had a little spot between two of the built-in bookcases. There were oversized chairs situated around the room and a few small tables with chairs. This would be a wonderful room to read a book.

The kitchen was aptly named, “Ella’s Kitchen.” Laney wiped a single tear away when she entered the prayer closet, named for Keisha, the first woman who asked her if she knew Jesus. Laney remembered that day so well, and how she was offended and embarrassed for having to be in someone else’s home, hiding. Not any more.

Laney kept her chin high as she walked from room to room, admiring the plaques honoring the women whose names were engraved. Some of them she knew, some she did not. It did not matter. Every one of them had their own story of pain and endurance. Some overcame in this life. Some, like Keisha, in the next. Either way, they were free.

             
             
             
             
Epilogue

Laney pushed the wheel chair through the facility. He didn’t like her visits any more than she did, but he couldn’t do much about them. Nor would he if he could. She was the only person, besides doctors and nurses, who ever spoke to him. He would endure anything to have those moments of human contact. Even put up with the woman who did this to him.

“I’m getting my degree tomorrow. I’ll be a doctor.”

He grunted. His speech never quite returned after the shooting. He was able to make guttural sounds, nothing intelligible. His mind worked perfectly, it was the rest of his body that had failed him. He was still bitter, after all these years.

“Have you thought about what we talked about last time I was here? Have you asked one of the residents to read you the Bible I left for you?”

He didn’t bother to grunt over that one. It didn’t deserve a response.

“Joy is leaving for college in the fall. Can you believe she’s already going to college?”

Another grunt.
Does she think I really care about those brats, especially the one who put me in a wheelchair?

“Matt will be a freshman in high school. He has forgiven you for abducting him. I thought you should know that. I am very proud of him.”

Forgiven me? Who cares? I didn’t ask to be forgiven. I’d do it again if I had the chance.

"Melanie is getting so big you’d hardly recognize her. She plays baseball every spare moment she gets.

And that matters, why?

"Do you want to sit by the window today while I read?" She didn’t wait for an answer. She settled him next to the window and sat in the plastic back chair provided for her. She took out her Bible. "Let’s see. Where did we leave off?"

He tried grunting to get her attention, but she ignored him. He had learned to not get overly animated about her reading her Bible. He had lost his breathing tube one too many times and didn’t want that to happen again. If she thought she could reform him, so be it. He would just tune her out like always.

She read from the book of John, beginning with the first chapter.

Laney watched the sleeping form of her husband. He always fell asleep during these reading sessions. He was no longer the handsome, charismatic man who had swept her off her feet. He was a shell of the man he used to be. His clothes hung on him, revealing the lack of flesh on his protruding bones. His skin hung from a lack of exercise and good diet. His hair was cut short with no attention to style. He had the typical prison cut. If he knew how he looked, he would be mortified. Fortunately for him, there were no mirrors in this place. He would be here for the next twenty-five years. After that, Laney supposed she would have to take over his care, if he lived that long. Most paraplegics didn't. She motioned for the attendant to take him away.

She had visited once a week, every week, since the shooting. At first he was irate and the medics would need to reinsert his breathing tube. She had to remind him on more than one occasion that she was still his wife.

She sold the house and got a very nice profit from it. Apparently homes in the south suburb of Chicago were selling well, especially from affluent neighborhoods. She sold what furniture she could, then gave the rest to a local charity. The proceeds from the house, the disability from his insurance, along with his social security she got for him being disabled, provided for her and the kids well. Her needs were always met.

She learned after his tirade about him losing his job that he had not lost his job but had taken a leave of absence. He was indeed still employed and he still had her and the kids on his insurance plan. He was too embarrassed to take them off. It would have affected the image he had worked so hard at portraying.

It took time, but Laney learned to forgive the man being wheeled away from her. She didn’t know what God had planned for her future; if she would ever have a husband who looked at her like her father looked at her mother in their latter years. For now, this was her thorn and she would endure.

*  *  *  *

Laney held the degree high in the air, she had worked hard over the past few years and she was proud. She was now Laney Sanders, Doctor of Psychology with an emphasis in treating victims of abuse. She was going to work full time at the Elizabeth house, counseling women.