Humbled

All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

Table of Contents

“Phenomenal . . . Haley did an outstanding job on each person's outlook and how, without forgiveness, no problem can truly be solved.”

 

“Haley has a gold mine with this series. If I [were] a hat wearer, it would definitely be off to her. All I can say to her right now is, ‘You go, girl!'”

 

“Haley shared how God does choose the most unlikely person for ministry when we think there is no way.... A must read . . . Highly recommended.”

—
APOOO Book Club

 

“Haley engages one with subtle intrigue and touches of comedy.... An intriguing read with a subtle inspirational message woven into the story . . . Riveting.”

 

“A must read . . . highly recommend this book . . . promise you will not be disappointed.”

—
Urban Christian Fiction Today on
Destined

 

“Haley showcases how God's word can be misinterpreted with greed, lust, and selfishness.”

 

“The perfect blend of faith and romance.”

—
Gospel Book Review

 

“Haley has hit the mark yet again! I couldn't put this book down—the characters are believable and compelling.”

—
Maurice M. Gray, Jr., author of All Things Work Together

 

“The story grabs the reader from the beginning, drawing you in . . . and keeping you on the edge of your seat as the plot takes unexpected twists and turns.”

—
RT Book Reviews on Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

 

“Haley's writing and visualization skills are to be reckoned with.... This story is full-bodied.... Great prose, excellent execution!”

 

“A deeply moving novel. The characters and the story line remind us that forgiveness and unconditional love are crucial to any relationship.”

—
Good Girl Book Club

 

“
No Regrets
offered me a different way, a healthier way based in faith and hope, to look at trying situations.”

—
Montgomery Newspapers

Also by
Patricia Haley

 

 

Mitchell Family Drama Series
(Listed in story line order)
Anointed
Betrayed
Chosen
Destined
Broken
Humbled

 

 

Other Titles
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Still Waters
No Regrets
Blind Faith
Nobody's Perfect

Humbled
is dedicated to my
Girls' Weekend sister friends,
a special group of women who keep me
laughing, encouraged, and humble.
Each year together we've grown older, wiser, and better.
Much love to my girls for always being there.

 

 

Rena Burks
Diedre Anise Campbell
Eddie J. French, III
Patricia F. Hill
Paulette Renée Lenzy
Tammy Jo Lenzy
Kirkanne (K.D.) Moseley

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with
humility comes wisdom.

 

Proverbs 11:2 (NIV)

Stability had been a stranger in Joel Mitchell's corner of the world for well over a year. He sat in Grant Park, situated in the heart of downtown Chicago, as the autumn breeze quieted his soul. So much had happened, too much to rehash, but he was certain getting a divorce was best in the long run. There was no question he was going to be better off ending a loveless marriage. He sighed, feeling an extra dose of relief as he anticipated how quickly the personal chaos in his life was coming to a close. He was finally going to be free, and it felt good.

One problem down, now he had to shift gears and concentrate on restoring his professional reputation. Spending a few days away from Detroit was the hiatus he needed. Joel intended to gather his thoughts and come up with a plan on how to regain his spot on the corporate scene. He clasped his hands behind his head, leaned back on the bench and sighed as he felt the noose of failure loosen, facilitating an inkling of enthusiasm.

A half hour or so later, Joel was disturbed by the buzzing sensation coming from the phone in his pocket. He must have fallen asleep. He was tempted not to answer, unwilling to frivolously relinquish the tranquility he'd scraped together just to answer an unwanted phone call. The ringing stopped, allowing him to relax again. When the ringing resumed, he was irritated but snatched the phone from his pocket.

“This is Joel.” There was a lull on the line. He repeated his greeting, not sure if the person on the other end had heard him.

“Joel, it's me, Zarah.”

Wow, his soon-to-be ex-wife was the one person he wasn't expecting a call from. “I thought you'd be heading home to India by now,” he said, trying to balance his rising anxiety and concern.

“I'm not going.”

Ha-ha,
he thought, accounting for her accent shaving off some of the humor in her jokes. “Pretty funny, Zarah.”

“Really, I'm not going,” she repeated.

“What?” he fired at her. The blood drained from his face, along with a coherent response. His sampling size of tranquility took flight. Anxiety and pure fear rushed in, tackling his words ferociously. He struggled to speak but had to push something out to keep this train from derailing. “But we've already talked about this. After the divorce you're going to be better off with people who care about you.”

“I'm pregnant,” she blurted out.

“Excuse me? What did you say?” Joel asked as his body jerked forward on the bench.

“I'm pregnant,” she said again. Joel experienced a piercing pain upon hearing those words. The park bench was twirling fast and faster. Joel couldn't hang on. He was in a whirlwind. Zarah rattled off something else, but he couldn't process what she was saying. Each cheery word out of her mouth was a dagger in his heart. She wouldn't stop talking. He repeatedly pulled the phone away from his ear and then brought it closer again.

She hadn't sounded this happy since their wedding five months ago. Words and thoughts were racing around his head but couldn't seem to connect long enough for him to create a rational statement. So he kept quiet.

“The gods have shown mercy on me and blessed us with a child.”

Joel continued to struggle with formulating a coherent statement. Maybe he didn't know what to say, or maybe he did know what to say but wasn't comfortable sharing what was truly in his heart. Either way, the peace he'd realized earlier in Grant Park had evaporated. The sun, which had been dishing out the perfect amount of warmth to his face, was now feeling unusually hot and scorching. Joel couldn't breathe. If there was a way to escape, he would have jumped on it. But where was he going?

Sick with fret, Joel kept focusing on how this had happened. He had been careful not to mislead Zarah during their brief marriage and had intentionally avoided showing her too much affection. They'd spent less than five intimate nights together as husband and wife. This couldn't be happening. Divorce was one thing, but a baby was another. He was desperate for an out and wasn't willing to get worked up until there was undeniable proof that his world was crumbling. He needed confirmation, especially since Zarah was determined to remain his wife. Joel wasn't sure how far she'd go to keep him. His appeal was for her to accept the reality of their breakup and get on with life.

“How do you know you're pregnant?”

“I went to my doctor when you left. He thinks I'm about six weeks along. I'll have to wait for the official test results, but he's very certain.”

Joel was clinging to the notion that Zarah was lying out of desperation, but hope was fading rapidly. From what he knew about her, she didn't seem to be the type who'd lie about something this serious. Since he was 100 percent sure there was no other man in the equation, certainty began choking the air from around him again. It was hard to believe that six weeks ago his fate had veered off course without his knowledge. As the shocking news sank in, Joel could think more clearly. He recalled the night with Zarah vividly. Right before her emotional breakdown, he'd felt sorry for her and comforted her as only a husband could; so much for his unselfish deed. Who was going to comfort his troubled soul now?

“When are you coming home?” Zarah asked.

“I'm not sure. I need time to wrap up a few matters here,” he told her, which was partially true. The full truth was, Joel just didn't know what to do. The pregnancy had to be addressed. He just wasn't convinced it had to be right away. There were many months of pregnancy left, which offered him at least a few more hours, possibly weeks, to think.

“At least we aren't getting divorced anymore. We're a family now, and we must prepare for the baby. I'm very happy,” Zarah said.

Joel was numb. Rushing home to the wife he'd planned to divorce as recently as an hour ago didn't elicit a fulfilling sensation. While nothing had changed for him emotionally, everything had realistically. He genuinely didn't know what to do. Overcommitting was definitely not the answer.

“Zarah, I'll call you tomorrow and let you know when I'll be in Detroit. In the meantime, you should take care of yourself. Maybe I'll see you soon.”

“Yes, I will take very good care of our baby.”

Joel let the word
baby
linger. This day would be burned into his memory forever. This moment marked the day when his reckless decisions of the past were marring the promise of a brighter future. Marrying Zarah Bengali with the intent of merging their companies was costing him dearly. He remained on the bench, clutching the shattered fragments of peace and freedom, not sure what was coming next.