Stand by Me (46 page)

Rochelle came back alone and didn't say a lot, just that they'd had a good talk. “Mom and Peter feel good about Conny and me staying here with you guys. In fact, I think they really like it.” She grinned with a slight irony. “You know, close but not too close, if you know what I mean.”

Over Kat and Bree's lunch—Conny turned up his nose at the quinoa salad but grabbed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and ran off to “explore”—Rochelle said she and “the parents,” as she called them, had decided all four of them should go to her ex's apartment at the regular time she'd normally take Conny back that evening, take the order of protection if they needed it, but tell Dexter she had a place to stay now and was taking Conny. “Peter said Conny should have a chance to say good-bye to his dad, not just not go back. That it's the decent thing to do.” She shrugged. “Guess that makes sense. But I don't know—stuff that makes sense to most people doesn't always work with Dex. One way or the other, guess we'll be back tonight. That okay with you guys?”

All three nodded.

Rochelle took a taste of the quinoa salad and raised her eyebrows. “Looks weird, but it's kinda good.” She laid down her fork. “Just want you guys to know I'm gonna look for a job as soon as possible. It oughta be easier to find one now that I've got an actual address. That was always the stumper when I filled out applications. No address. And most of the time no phone 'cause I couldn't add minutes to my cell.”

Nick and Bree told Rochelle not to worry, she could help with the rent when she got a job. And if they knew what kind of job she was looking for, they'd keep their eye out for her.

“Anything, really. Retail, phones . . . not so much secretarial though. My typing's a little rusty. Would love to find a babysitting job or something where I could keep Conny with me. But that's not likely.”

Kat's mind did a double take. Babysitting? Of course! Olivia had quit her nanny job—and Rochelle needed one. Breathlessly, she spilled her idea. “Does anybody know the name of the family Olivia was working for? We could call and—What?”

Rochelle was shaking her head. “I . . . Most families won't hire me.”

“Why not? Of course they would!”

Rochelle stared at her plate with its half-eaten sandwich and small serving of salad. “Not when they find out I've got HIV.”

Now it was Kat's turn to stare. Nick and Brygitta seemed just as astounded.

“I'm sorry.” Rochelle looked miserable. “Mom said I needed to tell you guys. Maybe you won't want me either, now that you know.”

Kat looked helplessly at her other housemates. What did she know about HIV? Not much. But there was medicine now, wasn't there? . . . and laws about discriminating against people with HIV in the job market . . . and basic safe practices. They even had them posted in various places at CCU, assuming there were people living with HIV within the college community.

“I know you're wondering how I got HIV.” Rochelle's eyes came up and she had that fierce look Kat had seen before. “Well, I'll tell you. My husband. Dex and I got married young, and I've never had sex with anyone but him. That's how my mom and dad raised me. But Dex . . . he gave it to me.” She snorted with disgust. “He's a real looker, a ladies' man, had girls running after
him
. But I didn't know about the HIV until after I left him.” Tears welled up in her beautiful brown eyes. “See? Even now Dexter is about to ruin something beautiful!” She stood up so suddenly her chair tipped over and fell on the floor with a crash. “I'll . . . I'll get Conny and go. I should've told you . . . I'm sorry.”

“Wait!” Nick stood in her way. “Rochelle, you don't have to go. Everything's happened so fast today, we don't blame you that you're just now telling us. It's a lot for one day. But our invitation stands—right, Kat? Bree?”

Kat nodded. Bree did too.

“We want you, Rochelle—you and Conny. Because God's been putting all this together, and we know He'll take care of this too.” And in a gesture Kat had never seen before, Nick took both of Rochelle's hands in his, closed his eyes, and began to pray. “Jesus,
thank
You for Rochelle and Conny. Thank You for bringing them here to be with us. We know it was You, Lord, because none of us could have put together this crazy, wonderful plan . . .”

Kat didn't close her eyes. She was staring at Nick, seeing him as she'd never quite seen him before, and her heart felt as if it were doing flip-flops. What was it Mr. D had said as he'd gone out the door?
“Take care of the f lock.”

God had given Nick a pastor's heart. Even here. Now. Could she live with that?

Yes, oh yes.

Chapter 43

A
vis wrapped the black silk head wrap around her twists to keep them in place and slid between the sheets, scooting over until she was cuddled against Peter's broad bare back, her arm resting along his side, their bodies like spoons. She lay with her head on the soft pillow, feeling the energy that had kept her going all this startling, astounding day draining out of her body.

She was tired. Exhausted even. But her eyes were wide open, staring into the velvet darkness. “Peter?”

“Mm.”

“Isn't it amazing to think that this morning we had no idea where Rochelle and Conny were, and tonight they're sleeping in the room right beneath us?”

“Mm-hm.”

Rochelle and Conny . . . safe. Together. Here in this building.
Oh Lord, it's almost too wonderful to comprehend! Thank You, Jesus,
thank You. Thank You for protecting them, for bringing them home .
. .

How long had her Yada Yada sisters been praying for Rochelle and Conny? Months. Well, years if she counted everything that had happened since Rochelle had fled her abusive marriage and then discovered Dexter had infected her with HIV.

She really needed to call Jodi and Estelle and Edesa with the good news. Well, she'd see them at worship tomorrow. And she'd call the rest of the sisters tomorrow afternoon to tell them how God had answered their prayers.

And yet
. . . she shuddered. Rochelle and Conny's situation had been even worse than she'd imagined. She never once thought Rochelle would risk letting Conny stay with his dad. And it'd been touch-and-go that evening too.

“Peter?”

“Mm.”

“You really stood up to Dexter tonight. I was proud of you. And so glad you were there.”

Peter turned his head slightly, letting her see part of his profile in the moonlight streaming through the window blinds. “Yeah, well, when Rochelle said Conny had been staying with the man and she'd need to go back to get his stuff, no way was I going to let her face him alone. We know what he's like.”

“But you said Conny should go with us too. That surprised me.”

“
Humph
. I did it for Conny's sake. Poor kid doesn't understand all the adult reasons his mom and dad are separated. It would just be more confusion if he didn't get to make some transition, say good-bye to his dad. He's been living there for, what? Four months? And I knew showing up without Conny would just set the man off, and we'd have a big scene on our hands.”

Avis felt a nervous giggle escape. “We almost had a scene on our hands anyway.”

“Yeah, well . . . Dexter wouldn't be Dexter if he didn't try to bully Rochelle, make her feel guilty for taking Conny back.”

“I know.” She raised up, leaned over his shoulder, and kissed his scratchy cheek. She caught a slight whiff of his leathery aftershave. “Thank you for standing up to him. You were so . . . strong. Told him what's what. No shouting. But no nonsense either.” She kissed him again. “My man.”

Peter's head sank back onto his pillow and his breathing evened out. Avis cuddled closer, her heart swelling with love for him. And yet, not twelve hours ago she'd been so angry with him! But that was before . . .

“Peter?”

“Mm.”

“Thank you for apologizing to Rochelle about last Valentine's Day. I know that meant eating some humble pie.”

“
Humph
.”

She thought that was all he was going to say, but after a moment he murmured, “Yeah, I was upset at her barging in on us late at night. I had designs on you that evening, which she completed disrupted.” He gave a little snort. “To tell the truth, I didn't
want
to admit she needed us that night. But . . . she was hurting and I was being selfish. So I meant it when I asked her to forgive me.”

Suddenly he rolled over to face her in the dim moonlight. “Actually, I need to ask you to forgive me too. I thought the whole thing would blow over in a couple of weeks, and she'd get her act together. When we lost contact, it was more serious than I wanted to admit. I know you've suffered a lot these past few months, and . . . I'm sorry, Avis. Really sorry.”

A lump caught in her throat. She couldn't speak. But reaching up she traced his lips and stroked his face. “Forgiven,” she finally whispered. “And I know Rochelle forgives you too. Did you hear what she said to Kathryn and the others when we got back here with Conny's stuff?”

“No, what? I was putting the car in the garage, remember?”

“She said, ‘You should've seen Dad stand up to Dexter.' ”

Now Peter leaned up on one elbow. “She said that? She called me
Dad
?” He chuckled. “How about that.” He lay down again, still chuckling.

They were quiet again for several minutes as Avis's mind ran through all that had transpired since that fateful day in February, including the missing ruby earrings.

“Peter?”

“
Mm
.” His eyes were closed.

“I think I know how the earrings got back on my dresser.”

“
Hm
. You didn't ask Rochelle?” he murmured, eyes still closed.

“No. The first thing she said to me at the coffee shop was she was sorry about the earrings, but I didn't want to talk earrings right then. But I've been thinking . . .”

Silence.

“It was Kathryn Davies.”

“Kathryn?”

“Rochelle said she met Kathryn Dumpster-diving, and they ran into each other several more times. She must have given Kathryn the earrings and told her to put them on my dresser sometime when she was here. Maybe the night they came for dinner? I don't know. But it makes sense, don't you think?”

Silence.

Dumpster
-
diving
. Avis's heart twisted. The first time she'd met Kathryn at SouledOut, the girl had her arms full of food she'd “rescued” from a Dumpster. Florida was offended by it. To Avis, the whole thing had been slightly annoying, one more of Kathryn's idealistic ventures to save the world. And yet . . . her own daughter, her precious Rochelle, had been Dumpster-diving because she was hungry. Because she was homeless. Had no money. No food.

And it was Kathryn who'd found her. God had used Kathryn's Dumpster-diving to bring her daughter back to her. God had used Kathryn . . .

Oh God! Forgive me for judging that girl. Your Word says that
all the parts of Your body are important—even the Dumpster-divers,
I guess. And that we need each other! I didn't realize it, but You did,
my Father. You knew I needed Kathryn, that she was the one You were
going to use to bring my daughter home again
.

“And Kathryn needs you,”
a Voice whispered in her spirit.

Avis was startled by the clarity of the words.
Kathryn needs
me
, Lord? She seems like such an independent young woman, totally
self-sufficient, with all these big ideas
.

“She needed you this morning.”

That morning . . . it was true. Avis could hardly believe what Kathryn had said when she'd discovered the girl crying outside the coffee shop. That she couldn't remember being hugged like that by her own mother—or even hugged at all. Was that possible?

Okay, Lord. I see it now
. She needed to learn more about Kathryn's family situation. Stand by her in the same way that the girl had stood by Avis and her family, in spite of how often Avis had pushed her away, kept her distance. Why? Why had Kathryn continued to show up on her doorstep, so to speak?

She was hungry. Hungry for a mother's unconditional love? Yes. But more than that. Kathryn was a fairly new Christian. She'd been reaching out to Avis, needing a woman of God to show her the way. Didn't Scripture say for the older women to teach the younger?

Oh God, I've been so blind! Forgive me, Lord. Forgive me .
. .

And then there was Nick. What was it Peter had said? That Nick was sweet on Kathryn? Avis wondered how Kathryn felt about that. Or if she even knew. But if it was true, then Kathryn and Nick needed both her and Peter. So maybe it was a double blessing that Peter had given Nick a job. Maybe he could be a mentor to him . . .

Which he'd already become, in a way. After all, it was Peter who said he felt God was prompting him to support Nick's pastoral internship at SouledOut. Even if it meant that one of them should withdraw from the process of becoming part of the interim pastoral team.