Redeeming Heart (18 page)

The aroma of bacon, eggs and pancakes was absent in
Landon’s childhood home on Saturday morning. The only scent Landon
sniffed was his shower gel. “Lord, get me through this
day—physically and spiritually. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Landon continued to pray after he dressed,
and once he was ready, he picked up his Bible to fortify himself
with scriptures until his St. Louis cartel arrived, minus Karyn and
her daughter who hit the stores in downtown Boston.

His grandparents had arrived at the same time
as Rossi and the others. After anointing everyone’s forehead with
Holy oil, his father led a short prayer before sending them off
with the old saying, Godspeed.

“So, which house are we hitting first?” Levi
asked in the driver’s seat as he slipped on sunglasses.

Octavia gasped from her spot next to Landon
in the backseat. “Brother Tolliver, that sounds callous, as if
we’re going to drug houses or something.”

Rossi agreed while Landon kept his thoughts
to himself. He had Octavia’s hand secured in his. It felt good to
have an intimacy with a woman that wasn’t physical. Clearing his
head, he focused on the task before him. His friends didn’t know
it, but they were about to cross into dangerous territory. Landon
had used these women and tossed them aside. His innocent children
suffered…. He wasn’t going to rehash that.

I am no longer that man, Satan!

When Octavia covered his fist with her soft
hand, he relaxed. “Brittani’s.” He sighed.

As they drove throughout the city, Landon
wasn’t inclined to be their tour guide and point out all the
historic landmarks of his beloved Beantown. As Levi followed the
GPS, Landon’s heart pounded when the navigator said, “You have
reached your destination.”

Landon closed his eyes and took a deep breath
before opening his door. He had been missing in action even before
he left Boston. When he had contacted the mothers of his four
children earlier in the week, he got mixed responses, which was a
heads-up to brace for some drama. “Maybe you all should wait in the
car—”

“No!” they said in unison.

“Okay,” he conceded.

“Although this is a private matter, from what
you told me about Brittani, she may be civil in front of guests,”
Rossi suggested.

Landon didn’t argue as they climbed the steps
to her home. He felt like he was part of a team of Jehovah’s
Witnesses about to knock on her door, but they were coming in
Jesus’ name. When Brittani opened the door wearing a white midriff
shirt and tight jeans, he was glad for their presence. Wasn’t this
woman engaged? He frowned.

She peeped around him. “I thought you were
coming alone.”

“I never said that.”

Twisting her lips, Brittani stepped back and
half-heartedly allowed them entrance. Landon watched as Brittani
eyed Octavia. “Have a seat in here.” She pointed to a room that was
tidy, even with toys stacked in the corner. “I was about to
change.”

Mmm-hmm
, Landon thought. He paced the
room, nervous to see his sons for the first time since their first
birthday party, which Landon had received an invite to the day
before. He took the blame that he hadn’t been more involved. Landon
should have gone head to head with Brittani, but with everything
else going on in the family—that he was to blame—he had picked his
battles.

Would Benson and Bryan remember him? Landon
stopped in his tracks. Why was the house so quiet? Were the twins
even there? His nostrils flared until he caught glimpse of a small
photo on an end table. As if he was a military drone locked on its
target, Landon walked over to it and picked up the photo: his sons.
He strained his mind, wondering if he would be able to tell them
apart after all this time.

“They’re cute,” Octavia said, coming to his
side while Rossi and Levi remained seated.

He grinned. “Thanks. Carbon copies of me as a
boy.” Landon couldn’t deny they were his.

Brittani reappeared and indeed, she had
changed into something more presentable—clothes that covered her
chest and stomach, and pants that allowed her to breathe.

At the same time, keys jingled and the front
door opened. A tall man walked into the room and looked at each
guest before focusing on Landon. Brittani looped her arm through
the man’s, identifying him as her fiancé Charles.

“Sorry, I’m late, babe.” Charles kissed her
on the cheek. “I meant to get here before your guests.”

Landon shook Charles’s hand, introducing
himself and the others. With the pleasantries out of the way,
Landon asked, “Where are my sons?”

“The proud papa returns.” Brittani snorted,
then
humph
ed. “They’re taking a nap. Chill. You’ve waited
this long, you can wait a while longer.”

“Landon, do you mind if you, Brittani and I
speak in private?” Charles waited for Landon to agree before
steering them across the hall into the kitchen. Her fiancé seemed
like an okay guy. Landon hoped Brittani would appreciate him.
“Knowing the boys, they won’t stay asleep long.” He chuckled.

Landon glanced over his shoulder. Rossi and
Levi gave him encouraging nods. Octavia mouthed, “Praying,” and
capped it with one of her brilliant smiles.

Once they were gathered around a rather large
table, Landon silently prayed for guidance.

“I don’t think we should relive past
regrets,” Charles got to the point before Landon could begin his
spiel. “So let’s start from today. Landon, Brittani says you live
in St. Louis now. As a man, I appreciate you stepping up to the
plate…”

“Finally,” Brittani mumbled as she glanced
around the room.

“I paid child support until I lost my job. I
explained that to you,” Landon argued.

“Don’t worry about it, man.” Charles waved
him off with a shrug. “Babe says you have other children. I imagine
that’s a heavy burden, but I’m willing to lighten the load.”

Why did Landon have a feeling he wasn’t going
to like it?

“I love Brittani, Benson and Bryan. They need
a father in the home, twenty-four-seven. I want to be that man and
give them my last name, which means you won’t have to pay child
support as long as you agree not to interfere with our
parenting…”

All of a sudden, Charles didn’t seem like
such a nice guy as Brittani looked at the man with worshiping
eyes.

“Now wait a minute. I don’t think you
understand,” Landon said. “I’ve lost enough time with my sons. I
want in their lives, not out.”

Whatever Brittani was about to say, Landon
cut her off. “We can go to court to work out the arrangements, but
I won’t give up my parental rights. I insist on having visitation
rights to include a month with me every summer…” Landon really
hadn’t thought this through, but since this was coming out of his
mouth, he had to own up to it. “The judge can determine what I
should pay for child support. I’m here to right the wrong in my
relationship with my sons. As far as name changing, I will petition
the court for my sons to keep my last name.”

“It’s a little too late for you to make
demands…” Brittani smarted off.

Landon hoped Rossi, Levi and Octavia were
praying, because he was doing everything in his power to reign in
his temper. Brittani had nerve. When Landon informed her that he
wasn’t marrying her, it was Brittani that had a list of demands
that held the boys hostage from his family...and him.

“I think we all agree we want what’s best for
the boys. I’ve been here for them; I stepped up to the plate when
they needed guidance.” Charles patted his chest. We’re not ex-ing
you out of the picture completely. If they want to seek after their
biological father when they reach a certain age…”

“Ah, naw.” Landon didn’t recall raising his
voice, but Rossi, Levi and Octavia appeared in the doorway with
concerned looks etched on their faces.

“Perhaps we need a time out,” Rossi said, but
didn’t wait for an answer as he joined them at the table. Charles
and Brittani seemed respectful of Rossi’s position as they yielded
the floor to his guidance.

As everyone calmed down and Levi and Octavia
returned to the living room, Landon wondered if Brittani made the
boys take a nap at the time she knew he was coming.

“Benson and Bryan are too young to travel to
the South since you don’t plan to come back to Boston,” Brittani
stated. “And what about her?” She pointed to Octavia. “I don’t want
her mistreating my children.”

Slapping his palms against the table, Landon
gritted his teeth. “The boys are almost three. They are too young
to travel alone, so I would accompany them, and I hadn’t said I
would never come back…” At least he hadn’t to her anyway. “Until
that time, I’m willing to make trips throughout the year for
weekend visits. As far as Octavia, this is not about her—yet.”

Octavia reappeared. “Brittani, none of us
here are the enemy. Landon has changed, and I believe he’ll be a
good dad.”

Brittani grunted. “I see what’s going on
between you two. Old Landon’s got you believing he’s going to marry
you, doesn’t he?” Brittani said with venom.

“Babe—” Charles gave her a side eye—let it
go.” He rubbed her hand, which seemed to have a calming effect.

“Marriage?” Octavia blinked. “I believe
Jeremiah 3:14 that God is married to the backsliders who return to
Him,” Octavia said softly, then pointed at Charles as she said to
Brittani, “You’re getting a second chance at love; give Landon a
second chance with his sons, please…please.” Octavia disappeared to
the living room as the house came alive with bumps, thumps and
little feet running down the hall.

Nothing else mattered at the moment his sons
appeared in the doorway. Landon’s heart soared at the sight. They
looked from one adult to the other before going to Brittani and
Charles’s laps. Landon hid his disappointment. What did he
expect?

Landon could feel all eyes were on him as he
coaxed his sons to him. Charles said nothing as one of the twin
clung to Charles.

Bryan came to Landon out of curiosity and
then Benson followed. Before long, the twins led Landon to the
living room. When the boys raced to the toy box, Landon got on the
floor and played with them. An hour or so later, when Landon
announced he had to go, Bryan and Benson begged him to stay. Their
pleas were bittersweet. He wanted to stay, but he had two little
girls who needed to get to know their father, too.

At the door, Landon shook hands with Charles.
“Brittani, you’ve done a good job with my sons,” he complimented
and handed her an envelope containing a five-hundred-dollar money
order. “This is all I have for them now. I’ll send more regularly
until the judge decides what I can afford to pay. I’m sorry,
again.” Next, he squatted so he was eye level with the boys. “Be
good and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Whew,” Landon and the others exhaled at the
same time once they were back in the rental. “Thanks for being
there,” he told them.

“Always,” Octavia whispered and squeezed his
hand.

It seemed as if Landon had just regrouped
when the GPS brought them to mother number two: Kim Rayford. Once
again, the drama began on the porch at the front door where Kim
refused entry to Landon’s guests.

“It’s okay, man, we’ll wait in the rental,”
Rossi said as the trio walked back to the SUV.

Once inside, behind closed doors and without
his friends to act as a buffer, Kim released four years of pent-up
frustration as a single mother. “I should call the police and have
you thrown in jail…” She started cursing, causing Cherie’s tiny
voice to call out for her mother.

“Aren’t you going to get her?” Landon asked,
growing concerned.

“You don’t tell me what to do!” She got up
and disappeared down the hall. Landon began to pray that God would
bring peace into the home. She returned, dragging with her the
prettiest little girl. How long had it been since he had seen his
second born? Longer than Landon shamefully cared to admit. “Kim,
I’m sorry I upset you and hurt you. I’m working to get caught up on
my unpaid child support…I would also like visitation rights.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Cherie watched him with curiosity as she
clung to her mother’s side. Landon concluded that a couple of hours
wouldn’t be enough time to break the ice to begin the bonding
process. They needed more one-on-one time. He thought about the
dolls Octavia had purchased for his daughters since he was clueless
on what to buy, but he had left Cherie’s gift in the car. If he
went outside to retrieve it, knowing Kim’s mood, she might not let
him back in. “Can you show me your favorite toy?”

His daughter nodded, but didn’t move. Who
said four-year olds were talkative? Cherie was the most reserved
child he had met in a long time. With no assistance for any type of
transition coming from Kim, Landon wished Octavia was there. She
would know how to get his daughter to open up to him. He began to
pray for help, but Cherie didn’t make a move toward him. Time was
up sooner than Landon had wanted, but if he was going to see all of
his children in one day, he had to go. Getting to his feet, Landon
handed Kim an envelope with a two-hundred-fifty -dollar money
order. Cherie stayed close to her side.

Humph
. Kim looked inside. “You’ve got
to be kiddin’ me. You give my baby crumbles with your fancy
job.”

“I lost that job. I’ve been homeless, and now
I’m working at Walgreens until I can get back on my feet.”

There was no lost love between him and the
woman whose relationship was a couple of weeks of hot sex. Kim
released a belly laugh that lingered until a tear dropped.
“Walgreens?” She laughed until she sneered at him. “Next time,
bring me cash!” Kim walked to the door and opened it. Taking the
hint, Landon left. His foot had barely cleared the door when she
slammed it.

When he climbed back into the SUV, he
collapsed against the seat. “What a mess I’ve made.”
Lord, I
didn’t think it was going to be this hard!
Dropping his head
into his hands, Landon slumped over. He had never been so
humiliated. Cursing had come easily before, now he had to bite his
tongue.