Redeeming Heart (10 page)

While checking her makeup, Octavia gave
herself a pep talk. She was always on display when she networked,
but when it came to judges, CEOs, attorney, and doctors who didn’t
share her skin hue, she prayed that wouldn’t be a barrier, but a
blessing. She always prayed Jesus would give her favor with her BA
in Business and her MBA.

She stepped out and smoothed any wrinkles on
her dress. Her pearl drop earrings and bracelet jazzed up her
simple tan dress. She walked with confidence to the entrance and
was about to ask for her host when she saw Frank coming to meet
her. “Perfect timing. We haven’t ordered.”

His smile relaxed her nerves as he shook her
hand and then led her by the elbow down a short hall to a dining
area where the men out-numbered the ladies as guests.

Frank pulled out the chair and took his seat
beside her. Once the introductions were made, the server attended
to them, serving salads.

“So, dear, when was the last time you
attended the National Association of Realtor’s conference?” Mrs.
Ashen, a retired surgeon Octavia recalled from the introductions,
asked.

“Although I’m a member—” She stayed current
with its news—“I’ve never been.”

“Oh,” another woman at the table said with an
expression of disbelief.

“So what’s your area of expertise?” Frank
asked.

“I’m a realtor, which sums it up,” Octavia
stated. Not all real estate agents could boast that distinction
without being a member of NAR, which was why she paid her dues, but
her allegiance was to the National Association of Real Estate
Brokers. NAREB was established as the black counterpart when
non-whites couldn’t join Realtor organizations, which made her
proud to be called a Realtist. “I like to build and nurture
relationships, so when a friend is in need of my services, I can
provide them with the highest level of professionalism.”

That seemed to buy her smiles. After a few
hours and a couple drinks from her guests, the mood was festive,
but Octavia had to go back into the city to show houses where the
sales would barely pay her booth rental at the office.

“I’m having an afternoon tea tomorrow. I
would love for you to come,” Mrs. Ashen said.

Octavia tried to tame her excitement, so she
wouldn’t come off as unpolished. This was the open door. Yes!
Octavia was about to accept, but she remembered tent revival. Her
answer was a no-brainer: being in the hot sun to win souls vs. an
air-conditioned party. “I would be honored. However, I have a
scheduled engagement tomorrow afternoon that I can’t miss.” She
smiled. “Another time I hope.”

“Let’s hope,” Mrs. Ashen said in a tone that
was hard for Octavia to decipher.

On Saturday afternoon, Landon stepped outside and
closed the door to Mac’s Place. The humidity was waiting for him in
the dead heat of the day. “Might as well get this over with,” he
mumbled as he prepared to walk the mile and a half to Keiner Plaza
for the revival under the tent. What had he been thinking not
accepting the ride?
Because you thought you might back out,
his mind told him.

His roommate thought it would be cool to go,
but in the heat, a tent meeting was anything but cool. “It’s my day
to spend with my son, and I ain’t missing that for nothing. He
looks just like me,” he said proudly.

Grady’s excitement wasn’t contagious. Landon
tried not to think about being a prodigal father. It was bad enough
he was a prodigal son, brother, cousin, grandson, friend…He
adjusted the straw fedora he had purchased for two dollars at a
secondhand store to keep from suffering a heat stroke.

The hat is not big enough to give you
shade. Do you not remember Jonah?
God whispered, reminding him
of Jonah 4:6.
I give you relief from the sun and shelter from
the rain.

People gathered around the tent came into his
view when he turned on Market Street. It was almost show time as
Landon made his way through the crowd; he was surprised to see many
of the seats taken. Maybe it was for relief. Suddenly, Landon
remembered his hat and removed it. There had to be fifty-plus rows.
Landon took the back seat. He would watch Octavia from afar, listen
a little to Rossi, then sneak out unnoticed.

The microphone shrieked as an older woman
welcomed the crowd. “Praise the Lord, everybody. Come on in where
we have shade and water. Despite the heat, we’re going to magnify
the Lord.” She went through a melody of church songs, slamming on
the tambourine to keep rhythm. Where were the musicians? He saw a
drum set and a portable keyboard. By the third song, a teenager
adjusted the seat behind the drums, twirled his sticks and picked
up the beat.

Rossi strolled onto the makeshift stage.
There was nothing pompous about his mannerism as he knelt before
one of a pair of folding chairs and prayed. Landon sensed Octavia’s
presence before she captured his attention as she appeared with
another one of the other two praise dancers.

When it was their turn to perform, the
keyboardist still had not shown up and the drummer did his best
with “I Give Myself Away,” but it wasn’t enough for Octavia to
soar. Without thinking, Landon stood and strolled down the side
aisle to the front. He situated himself behind the keyboard.

This was for Octavia, he told himself as he
nodded to the drummer and they harmonized the song. Octavia’s body
seemed to come to life. Her dancing was like a drug—he wanted more,
but when she and her partner slowed their steps, Landon ended the
song.

The crowd roared with applause at their
performance as Rossi came to the microphone. Landon was about to
tip his way back to his seat, but Rossi held up a hand to stop him.
“Thank you, Evangelist Gale, for the songs and Sisters Octavia and
Deb for the dance…and our musicians, Brothers Dion and Landon.”

Brother?
Landon hadn’t been anyone’s
church brother in a long time. As it dawned on him what he’d done,
Landon squirmed on the bench, uncomfortable being in a pulpit after
all the sins he’d had committed and for which he couldn’t
repent.

“I’m bringing my text from Luke 15:2–7,”
Rossi said, forcing him to pay attention. “It’s okay, if you don’t
have your Bible, you can find it using your iPads or iPhones. The
passage is a parable about something that was valuable but went
astray, got lost, and was rebellious.

“‘
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured,
saying, This man receives sinners, and eats with them. And he spoke
this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred
sheep, if he loses one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine
in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find
it? And when he hath found it, he lays it on his shoulders,
rejoicing.

And when he cometh home, he calls together
his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I
have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise
joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over
ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance’.”

Rossi closed his Bible and began to pray,
“Lord, in the mighty name of Jesus, You are the Great Shepherd and
we are Your sheep. Help us to stay with the flock…”

Landon began to perspire, and it had nothing
to do with the heat. He was relieved when Rossi said, “Amen.”

“I call this a happy text. Sheep aren’t the
smallest animals, but their instinct tells them there is safety in
numbers. That’s why they flock. God gives us the same instinct.
However, they are easily sidetracked. Over the years, there have
been reports of hundreds and thousands of sheep that perish because
they’re following the leader. Sometimes, sheep do get lost mentally
as well as physically. With urgency, the shepherd has to find that
sheep before it self-destructs. No matter what trouble the sheep
finds himself in, the shepherd—his friend and savior—comes to save
him…and Jesus will find you”

Landon swallowed as his heart sank. The
Master Shepherd had come for him. He didn’t know if that was the
message Rossi intended to preach, but God was speaking to him.

“This is your day to be still and let God
find you,” Rossi said softly, asking everyone to stand.
“Landon…”

He jumped, hearing his name.

“Will you play something soft—altar call
music?” Rossi gave him a look that conveyed Landon knew what he was
talking about, then turned back to the crowd. “All you have to do
is repent to God. You can either walk up to the altar or raise your
hand, and I’ll come to you and pray for you. It’s time to let God
bring you back to the flock…” Rossi continued to plead. “For those
of you who want to be baptized in Jesus’ name, we have vans ready
to take you to church to the baptismal pools.”

The keyboard gave Landon security to keep
from raising his hand or walking to Rossi for prayer, but something
told him things were about to change. Without knowing it, Octavia
had lured him out from hiding.

Stunned was the only way to describe Octavia’s
response to Landon’s musical acumen. He had a whole lot more church
in him than she had suspected. Returning from seeing off the last
baptismal candidates, Octavia walked back into the tent where Rossi
remained praying with a young man and Landon was still on the
keyboard, playing a soft melody. Wanting answers, she focused on
her target and marched Landon’s way.

“We need to talk,” Rossi said to Landon,
intercepting Octavia’s path.

Octavia blinked and whipped her head around.
Wasn’t he just praying for someone moments earlier? And now he had
said the very words that were on Octavia’s lips, so she could only
echo his request. “Yes, we do.” She squinted at Landon and placed
her fist on her hip.

“I’m first,” Rossi countered as Landon
watched them.

Octavia folded her arms “Well, I’m after
you.” Rossi was not only a friend, but a minister of God, so who
was she to argue?

Not happy about being dismissed, Octavia
marched to a nearby chair, flopped down and waited impatiently for
her turn. As she gnawed on her lips, she watched Landon’s body
language as he and Rossi where huddled together near the
keyboard.

Who was Landon really? He played the
selections as if he were the choir director. God had told her
Landon needed rescuing, but judging from what she saw tonight,
Landon wasn’t a random soul Jesus was calling to salvation. He was
a lost sheep that the Shepherd was recovering as in Rossi’s
sermon.

Octavia waited and waited until only a few
people stirred inside the tent, picking up litter or stacking
folding chairs. Rossi stood and walked over to her and took a seat.
“Sister, this may take a while. Why don’t you go on home? Brother
Sam can escort you to your car.”

“Minister Rossi, I’d rather stay. I want to
know what’s going on with him.”

“You won’t tonight. Whatever is on your
heart, I’m sure it will be there tomorrow.” He stood and returned
to Landon who hadn’t looked her way.

As if he had been summoned, Brother Sam came
to her side and offered to walk her to her car. Reluctantly,
Octavia gathered her things. Before stepping out from under the
tent, she took one final look at the two men who were in deep
discussion.

The drive home did nothing to calm Octavia’s
heart. She was flustered, confused and angry. The angry part came
from feeling “used” like Terri had said, which was ridiculous.
Besides treating him to a meal and taking him to Mac’s, she had
done very little for him.

She arrived home on autopilot. Parking in her
garage, she got out and walked through the door. Octavia disarmed
her alarm and dropped to her chair at the table. She sat there
motionless. Her house was quiet, but the chaos going on in her head
seemed loud enough for her neighbors to hear.

Finally, she stood and grabbed her purse.
That’s when she noticed she had two missed calls from Olivia.
Octavia sighed. It was about time her sister called her back, but
at the moment the only person she wanted to talk to was Landon. She
would play phone tag with Olivia later.

She showered, hoping to wash away the
confusion along with the perspiration from the heat. Afterward, she
moved through her home with no destination in mind. She was
restless—a snack, movie or book couldn’t pacify her. She
backtracked to her bedroom and knelt by her bed. Octavia had a
lengthy petition before God to understand why she felt like an
injured party in a relationship that didn’t exist. She hadn’t
realized that she had dozed until her back stiffened from the
awkward position. “Amen,” she whispered then crawled into bed and
turned off the light.

The next morning, Octavia woke early after
having a fitful night. She reasoned if she hurried, maybe she would
have time to drop by Mac’s Place before church and get an
abbreviated version of Landon’s stunt the previous night. Putting
her plan into action, Octavia showered and ate a simple breakfast
of oatmeal. Although she wasn’t feeling the whole makeup regimen,
she applied blush and lip gloss since she did have a showing after
church. Her attire was a colorful flowing print skirt and peach
sweater.

Octavia itched to call Rossi, who was
probably either at his own church or on the way, for any tidbits
about Landon’s past. It was a silly notion, because as a minister,
Rossi took confidentiality seriously. She got behind the wheel of
her own car and seemed to make it to Mac’s Place in record time.
Octavia put on a smile and walked into the lobby. Brother McCoy
stopped what he was doing and greeted her.

“I’m hoping to speak with Landon,” she said
calmly.

“Oh, you missed him. He left about an hour
ago.”

Frowning, Octavia felt her heart sink. “Did
he say where he was going?” She tried to pump him for information
without coming across as desperate to find him.