Good to Me (11 page)

“Well, you’ve got yourself an attorney,” Attorney Blalock held out his right hand for Emmitt to shake. He explained the proceedings.
It was too much information for Emmitt to understand or retain. All he could think about was how he would break the news to
his mother. He felt sick to his stomach.

“I know you didn’t call me to eat lunch with you and that’s all you’re going to eat?” April asked, watching her best friend
pick over a plate of rice pilaf, macaroni and cheese, and a roll. “What, you on a carbohydrate diet or something?”

Charity tried to perk up. Meeting with Jeffrey Wright drained her energy. “I really haven’t had much of an appetite since
yesterday, but I know I need to eat something. This is all I could find that I might want to eat.”

April waved her hand over her food as if she were performing a magic trick and smacked her lips every time she paused. “Well,
I’mma enjoy my buffalo wings… my baked potato smothered in melted cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and sour cream… and
my tossed salad with creamy blue cheese dressing.”

“You just be careful driving back to work. I’d hate for you to fall asleep on the road. You know how you do after you eat.”

“I know that’s right,” April agreed. “So, what happened yesterday that you can’t eat?”

Charity chewed longer than needed, pretending like her mouth was full. She had been doing well until she met with Mr. Wright
and then she had to meet April for lunch. She hadn’t had another opportunity to pray or meditate on Scripture. “I was actually
doing pretty good until I met with my last client. He reminded me so much of Emmitt that it sent me into a tailspin. I haven’t
had time to process it all yet.”

“Well, I’mma do you like you do your clients. Give me the version that we can resolve in an hour.”

Charity looked at her watch and forced a smile. “Now I know how my clients must feel.” Her smile faded just as quickly as
it appeared. “I realized this morning that I’m going to have to let my hopes of reconciling with Emmitt go.”

“I know you know what that is?”

Charity rolled her eyes. Usually she and April agreed on everything, especially spiritual matters. But she knew what she experienced
earlier. “I know it’s called spiritual warfare.”

“You got it! That ain’t nothing but an attack of the enemy—”

“I know that, but right now I just want to talk about what’s going on in the natural. Sometimes you have to deal with reality.”

“But your situations always work out, don’t they?”

“Yes, until the next thing comes along.”

“The Bible says you will always have—”

Charity held up her hand. “April, please. I don’t want to talk Bible right now. I just want to be straight up.” April threw
her hands up and sat back in the chair. “For instance,” Charity continued. “Let’s look at my relationship with Emmitt. We
have been divorced for two years. And for those two years, I have prayed and believed God and done everything in between believing
that my marriage would be restored. And Emmitt is still the same. Every time he pulls one of his little stunts, I stick my
head in the heavenlies and say that the enemy is trying to steal my marriage again, he’s trying to get me to give up. So,
I pray harder. I’m just not sure I want to keep doing that.”

“Sounds like an attack to me. But since you’re talking about the
natural
, what did Emmitt do?”

Charity pushed her rice around the plate with her fork as she spoke. “When he dropped off Xavier yesterday, he didn’t come
alone.” She looked up at her best friend. “He had a girl waiting in the car for him.”

“That don’t mean nothing,” said April.

Charity could only imagine what kind of expression was on her face.

April continued, “The enemy ain’t gonna just
give
you your husband back. You’re gonna have to take him. The Bible says the kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violent
taketh by force.”

Charity made direct eye contact with April. “So when I take him by force, do I take his one-year-old daughter, Destiny, too?”

April’s mouth dropped wide open. She grabbed Charity’s hands. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“Me too.”

The two sat in silence and just held hands. Finally, April prayed and asked God to strengthen Charity and give her wisdom.
She prayed protection over her emotional well-being and upon her spirit. Then she prayed for herself, asking God to give her
the right words to say and to be a source of encouragement.

“Amen,” they verbalized their agreement to the prayer in unison.

Charity used a napkin to wipe the tears that rested on her cheek. “Thank you for that prayer.”

“Please. That’s the least I can do.”

“It means more than you know. So,” Charity changed the subject. “Has Minister Adams made any moves yet?”

“No, nada, nothing. All he does is speak and keep going.”

“Have you thought about saying anything to him?”

“A woman is to be found, not to find.”

“I know, but the least you can do is unearth yourself,” Charity giggled. “Would you like for me to hook you up?”

“No, I’m still recovering from the trauma of your last hookup. Matchmaking is not your forte.”

“Well, let me just introduce you two. I want to start letting people know how blessed I am to have you as a friend.”

“No, it’s the other way around. After church yesterday, I was proud to say that I was your best friend. You had the whole
church up worshipping God. The good reverend doctors have never been able to do that.”

“And, they are not happy campers right now.”

“So?”

“Like I need to ruffle feathers in the church. The glass ceiling for women is thicker in the church than it is in the workplace.”

“The way Pastor was talking in that church meeting,
some things are getting ready to change. You better get prayed up because I believe you are going to play a major role in
it.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Iesha was still beaming and replaying everything in her mind that Wallace said and did at lunch. She flitted around the office
suite straightening up the magazines in the waiting area, cleaning up the coffee area, and neatly arranging the papers on
her desk. She was sure that today was one of the best days of her life. She had met a man who was different from the men she
usually attracted. To her that was a sign that she was really changing.

Sha-Lai’s and Raquan’s fathers both were what she called “roughnecks.” They were a challenge to get, hard to keep, and almost
impossible to get rid of. Just last week, a man in a pair of jeans with a sag low enough to display the contour of his muscled
behind would’ve had her slobbering at the mouth. But that was until she met Wallace. She didn’t know a man could look so sexy
in a suit. As far as she was concerned a roughneck could never pronounce her name in the same way a brother in a suit could.
Wallace pronounced her name as
I-e-sha.
It sounded like music compared to the one syllable she was used to hearing.
Iesha
.

The ring of the telephone reminded her that she was at work.

“Horizons Counseling Center, this is Iesha… Yes, I’m Sha-Lai Brown’s mother. How can I help you?… Sick? Is she all
right?… Oh, good,” she said in relief. She looked up to acknowledge Charity coming in from lunch.

“Another appointment?” Charity mouthed with a look of excitement on her face.

Iesha shook her head and scribbled a note that it was the school’s guidance counselor. “Uhm mum… Yes ma’am, physical
discipline?… Yes, I do physically discipline my children but…”

Iesha saw Charity’s expression. She’d gotten on Iesha many times for putting her hands on Sha-Lai and Raquan. Iesha now wished
she had listened.

Iesha looked at her watch. “Yes, ma’am. I can be there at three… I would like for y’all to know that I don’t abuse my
children. I just made a mistake. Me and my daughter talked about it right after it happened. So, I would appreciate it if
you—”

“Hello, ma’am?” Charity took the phone from Iesha, who was crying and raising her voice. “My name is Charity Phillips. I’m
Ms. Brown’s sister. She is really upset right now, is there any way I can help?… Yes, ma’am… Okay, I’ll have her
there at three.”

Charity hung up the phone. “Do you want me to get Harmony to take my one o’clock?”

“No,” Iesha said blowing her nose. “Harmony’s not back from lunch and this is your one o’clock coming in now. I’ll be all
right. I’mma call and talk to Momma.”

“You sure you want to call Momma right now? I can get out of my session if you want to talk.”

“You’re right, calling Momma’s the last thing I need to do. I’mma just go to the bathroom and get myself together.”

Charity grabbed her sister’s hands, hoping Iesha would receive the same strength Charity had just received from April. “Okay,
but don’t go anywhere. I’ll be free to talk after my session. Do you think talking to Harmony might help?”

Iesha forced a smile. “Girl, don’t make me cuss.”

Iesha handed the client a clipboard, and Charity went to her office to pray that God would use the situation to draw Iesha
closer to Him and not drive her farther away.

CHARITY AND IESHA WERE ON THEIR WAY OUT THE DOOR
when Iesha asked if she should let Harmony know they were leaving.

“Is she in session right now?” Charity asked.

“No. I think her next appointment isn’t until three o’clock.”

“I’m going to warm up the car. Will you run back there and tell her to lock up when she is done? Let her know that you’re
riding with me and that your car is still out front.”

Iesha knocked on Harmony’s door. When she did not hear a response, she knocked again. She opened the door to get a piece of
paper to leave a note on her chair.

Harmony was sitting Indian-style on a mat on the floor, with her eyes closed. Iesha couldn’t decide if she should disturb
her. She knew that Charity didn’t like to be disturbed while she was praying. Then again, Charity doesn’t pray like this.

“Harmony?” When Harmony didn’t move, Iesha called her again, but louder. “Harmony?” Iesha walked slowly over to her and put
her hand on her shoulder and yelled, “Harmony!”

Harmony jumped and Iesha screamed. “Why you didn’t answer me?”

“I didn’t hear you. I was meditating.”

“I called you three times. Seemed like you were in a freaking trance or something. You scared me.”

“I’m sorry,” Harmony said, pushing herself up off the mat. “I’m preparing for the workshop I’m giving this evening, ‘Change
Your Mind, Change Your Life.’”

Iesha shook her head. “Whatever. I’m just glad I didn’t walk up on a dead body. Charity sent me in here to tell you that she’s
leaving with me, so you’ll have to lock up. My car’s out front, I’ll pick it up later.”

“Okay. Tell Charity to say a prayer for me for the workshop tonight. I want to help my participants be all they can be.”

“What army are you enlisting them into?”

“The Lord’s army, of course. We all could use a little help finding joy and happiness in our everyday lives, grasping a hold
of our higher selves, and tapping into our potential within.”

Iesha shook her head and closed the door.
That woman ain’t playing with a full deck of cards.

Charity and Iesha arrived at the school almost thirty minutes early. The drive had been completely silent except for small
talk about the terrible way people in Charlotte drive. As much as Charity loved to talk and as much as she usually had to
say as a minister and a therapist, she was at a loss for words. She had never seen Iesha look so somber.

“Do you want to talk?” Charity asked as she parked the car.

Iesha looked in the direction of the school. “I don’t know what to say. I just hope they don’t take my kids away.”

“I bind that up in the name of Jesus. My niece and nephew aren’t going anywhere. What exactly did they say to you?”

“Charity, look. On the way home from Momma’s I got to thinking about all that was said and done and I just…” She paused,
trying to think of how she could explain what she meant. “I was just frustrated. Sha-Lai was whining about her head hurting.
And I just hauled off and slapped her. The mark the school sees on her face is the print from these two rings.” She held up
her hand for Charity to see. “Cherry, I don’t want to lose my kids.”

“Well, let’s pray about it.”

Iesha started crying again. “I can’t pray. I don’t feel right going to God just because I need something. I know He’s tired
of my promising to do better if He’ll just get me outta this and get me outta that.”

“Iesha, that’s a lie from the pit of hell,” Charity said, retrieving some tissue out of her glove compartment for Iesha. “You
have to trust God in this situation. He loves you and wants you to commit your life to Him. Give your life to Him, Iesha,
He’s the only one who can help you out of this.”

“But if I come, I wanna come correct. I don’t want to break any more promises.”

“And you don’t have to. Remember earlier this morning? You said you were turning over a new leaf. Well, God heard your confession
and He wants to help you do it. Without Him you can’t.” She took Iesha’s hands to pray. “If you could’ve done it by yourself,
you would’ve done it already. Do you mind if I pray with you?”

“Yes, please pray for me. And while we’re at it, pray for me to be saved.”

Warm tears streamed down Charity’s cheeks. She let go of Iesha’s hands long enough to raise her hands to God in thanksgiving.
She took her pocket Bible out of her purse and turned to Romans 10:9. “Iesha, salvation is a gift from God to us. It’s not
something we have to earn or pay for. Jesus Christ paid the price for us on the cross more than two thousand years ago. Our
salvation is based on Romans 10:9, read what it says here.”

Iesha leaned over and read the verse: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” She read it again silently. “That’s it?”

Charity nodded. “That’s it. We confess what we believe and we walk it out. If we believe that Jesus is Lord, we walk like
we are under His reign. We live according to the way He does things, we have what He says we can have, we do what He says
we can do, and we believe that we are who He says we are. And, we find all these things in His Word.” She held up the pocket
Bible. “Are you ready to accept Christ as your Lord and personal Savior?”