Blessings From the Father Page 4

  Raquel swallowed hard; her eyes were shining brightly. “Wow, I’m speechless and you know I always have a comeback. I’ve never received anything so generous in my life. Thank you, sis. I don’t have any ties to Chicago per se. My family can come visit me here. I would love to move to Hammond. If I can help in any of your business ventures let me know.”

  Rosemary moistened her lips. “I’m like the girls: I don’t know what to say. I am content with my life. I can certainly stay in the Garden. I don’t know that I want to uproot myself from the only home I’ve known.”

  “Oh, no, you’re not, Granny.” Mariah shook her head and peered at her grandmother. “You’re the closest thing to a mother to me. Sonni and Rocki are my sisters by another mother. Granny, I want you to stay with me. I’m almost one hundred percent sure that I will convert this house to a transition home, or group home for teenage girls. If you feel like you still want to work, Granny, then you can cook. Personally, I’d like you to just sit back and enjoy the rest of your life.”

  Rosemary looked down, then up at Mariah. She smiled from ear to ear. “That sounds like a plan. Count me in. But why a transition home, Mariah?”

  “I guess because I’ve always had a strained relationship with Cassie. And I’d like to help other young girls in similar circumstances. Daughters struggling with the negative choices their mothers have made.”

  “The Lord will surely bless you, darling,” Rosemary said. “Maybe you could use some of the money and send Cassie to rehab?” she asked her granddaughter. Her eyes shone hopefully.

  Mariah exhaled loudly. “If only it were that easy. Cassie has to want to change to stop taking drugs, and from what I’ve seen, she isn’t quite ready.”

  “Maybe she needs help making that decision, and you’re in a position to help her. Maybe we could talk to her, and see what she thinks.” Rosemary looked at her granddaughter pleadingly.

  Mariah shook her head. Her lips tightened. “Humph. She was just hitting us up for money last night. If she catches wind that I’ve got money and a lot of it, what do you think would happen then? She’s going to wonder where we got the money from and then she’s going to want her share. We all know she would use it to score more drugs.”

  “But, she’s never been to a real good place for rehab, just a few state-run outpatient programs. Maybe a private program would make a difference. Please think about it, Mariah. It wouldn’t be fair for you to help everyone else and not your own momma.” Rosemary pleaded her case earnestly.

  “Granny, Cassie has never been a mother to me. She’s been more of an irritant, and embarrassment. You’ve been a mother to me,” Mariah retorted.

  “But, I’m not your mother,” Rosemary said softly. “Cassie can’t help herself. After her daddy died, she changed. Then she fell in with the wrong crowd and became wild. I don’t think she ever really got over his death. She’s sick, baby, and she needs help.”

  Raquel and Sonyell nodded their agreement thoughtfully.

  “I’ll think about it,” Mariah said weakly. “Why don’t we go look at more of the properties and then we can head back to Chicago. Oh, before you ask, Granny, I do plan on making a hefty donation to the church.”

  Good,” Rosemary said approvingly. “Now, you got me excited. I’m ready to go.”

  The women gathered their belongings and headed to the car. Mariah was bursting with pride. Happy that God had given her the means to help her beloved grandmother as well as her friends. She looked forward to seeing the rental and commercial properties. She programmed the first address in the car’s GPS unit.

  Several hours later, the women had stopped by most of Mariah’s properties. They were thrilled for their friend. Sonyell and Raquel felt blessed that Mariah planned to include them in her future plans. Raquel had her eye on one of the smaller houses, while Sonyell envisioned raising Sasha in a three-bedroom, gray painted frame house not far from the house Raquel planned to occupy. The two friends also saw other properties they liked. Mariah promised to look at the lease agreements ASAP.

  Conversation among the friends on the drive back to Chicago was gay. There was a constant chatter from everyone except Rosemary. Due to the excitement of the day, none of the women noticed that Rosemary wasn’t participating in the conversation. She wore a troubled expression on her face as she stared out of the car window.

  Chapter Four

  A week later Mariah made an appointment with Rosalind, Reverend Dudley’s secretary. Rosalind promptly penciled in Mariah for two o’clock on Thursday afternoon. Mariah drove to the Christian Friendship Church, and stepped out of her car amid a gray sky and drizzly rain. Mariah put up her umbrella and rushed into the church.

  After Mariah removed her coat and sat on the sofa across from Rosalind’s desk, the two women exchanged pleasantries. Within fifteen minutes, after an intercom call from Reverend Dudley, Rosalind escorted Mariah to the minister’s office.

  “Hello,” Reverend Dudley said as he stood to greet Mariah with a smile. “How have you and Rosemary being doing?”

  “We’ve both been doing fine,” Mariah replied as she crossed her right leg over her left knee. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

  “No problem,” Reverend Dudley replied. “I had a cancellation this afternoon, so the timing was great. What can I do for you?”

  “Well, I recently came into a large inheritance and I wanted to donate a portion to the church. I wanted to talk with you to see how the money could best be used,” Mariah explained earnestly.

  “Praise the Lord,” Reverend Dudley exclaimed with a twinkle in his eyes. “What brought about this turn of events?”

  He listened intently and nodded at the appropriate places while Mariah explained about the legacy from her father.

  “That is an intriguing tale. I am happy for you, Mariah. I know life hasn’t always been easy for you and Rosemary. We never know where our blessings may come from.” Reverend Dudley leaned back against the back of his burgundy leather chair.

  “I agree, but still something doesn’t seem quite right to me,” Mariah confessed as she leaned forward in her chair.

  “What do you mean by that?” the minister asked her with a puzzled look on his face.

  “The whole situation seems surreal to me. A man who I’ve never known—just learned his name not quite six months ago from an attorney—has left me his entire fortune. If it wasn’t for Attorney Cook’s call, I don’t think I would have ever known his name. I’m still trying to process all the information,” Mariah confessed unhappily.

  “You know, we don’t always understand why things in life happen the way they do, but know that whatever happens is part of God’s plan. It wasn’t meant for you to know your father in this lifetime. He obviously knew of you and maybe the gift or legacy he left you is his way of atoning for not being a part of your life.”

  Mariah looked downward, then back up at Reverend Dudley. “I guess you’re right,” she said doubtfully. “I mean, I saw a picture of him and his wife at his house, and I can’t figure out what my mother could have seen in him to have a child with him. He’s old enough to be my grandfather,” Mariah sputtered.

  Reverend Dudley nodded his head gravely. “I see. Have you tried talking to your mother or Rosemary about him?”

  “I have with Cassie—I mean, my mother—once, and hit a brick wall. My mother is a difficult person. We rarely have conversations unless she’s hitting me up for money. She spoke so cryptically of the matter of my father that I never dared ask her again. I’ve asked my granny many times about him over the years, but she claimed that she didn’t know who my father was.” Mariah stared out the window behind Reverend Dudley. “The whole situation seems strange.” She shrugged her shoulders.

  “If it is meant for you to know about your parentage, God will answer all your questions. The truth will be revealed in time,” Reverend Dudley advised her. He spoke earnestly with a caring expression on his face.

  “Reverend Dudley, I have a questi
on for you. I’m almost embarrassed to ask you, but how does one love a parent who doesn’t seem to love or care about you? As the years have gone by, I realize on some level that I detest my mother because of the lack of attention she has paid to me. I know on another level that she doesn’t love me. When I was smaller, Granny would tell me to read Ephesians 6:2. I know it by heart.”

  She closed her eyes, moistened her lips, and recited, “‘Honor thy mother and father which is the first commandment with promise.’ When I think of my mother, verse four comes to mind, and I would substitute father with mother: “‘And ye, fathers, provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.’” A tear slipped from her eye.

  “I’m sorry you feel that way,” Reverend Dudley consoled Mariah. “I have talked to Rosemary over the years regarding Cassie and I truly think that whatever is going on is something within Cassie that she has not come to terms with. Rosemary has told me how Cassie’s personality changed after her father passed. People rebound from tragedy differently, while others never recover for various reasons. I would advise you to stay prayerful. I am certain all that you need to know will be revealed in time. Don’t give up on your mother; she may not know it but there will come a time when she needs you. Just believe God is our Savior, and our Redeemer, and that He can fix all things.”

  Mariah brushed away the tear from her eye. “I guess so,” she replied dolefully. She put a smile on her face. “Anyway, on a more pleasant note, I plan to make a donation to the church in the amount of half a million dollars. I would like to donate two lump sum payments, one this year and the other one next year.”

  Reverend Dudley was stunned silent for a minute. “I didn’t expect such a generous gift, Mariah. I think I can speak on behalf of the church when I say thank you. Bless you.”

  “It is my pleasure, Reverend Dudley. I guess as a child I would play the ‘what if’ game. For instance, if I had a million dollars, what I would do with it. I never imagined that I would actually be in a position to do that in real life.” Mariah beamed.

  “Do you have any suggestions as to how the money should be spent? Do you have any specific ministries in mind? Or would you like to leave it to the discretion of the official board?”

  “I know I’d like to do something for the Sunday School ministry. Perhaps buy new Bibles and new teaching materials. I think the rest could be used at the discretion of the board.”

  “Would you like to participate in the disbursement of the funds?”

  Mariah nodded. “I hadn’t thought about it, but, yes, I think I would.”

  “Great. I’ll have Rosalind set up another meeting and see if we can come to a meeting of the minds. If you’re donating that much to the church, then your father must have left you a hefty inheritance?” Reverend Dudley probed gently.

  “He did. Not only did he leave me money, but residential and commercial properties, too. I plan to share the proceeds with my friends and of course Granny. I’m almost one hundred percent sure that I will move to Hammond, Indiana. That’s where my father lived.”

  “I hope you continue to attend our church,” Reverend Dudley remarked.

  “For sure. Although I’ve wondered if God has a plan for me in Hammond.”

  “I understand, take your time and heed God’s voice.” Reverend Dudley nodded. “Now, what about your mother? What do you plan to do for her?”

  “Because my mother has been such a thorn in my side all of my life, I haven’t really considered doing anything for her. Granny thinks I should consider using part of the money for therapy for my mother. I told her I would think about it.”

  “With money comes great responsibility. You must use it wisely and knowing you as I do, there is no doubt in my mind that you will. I agree with Rosemary, you should try to help your mother.”

  A grimace crossed Mariah’s face. “I can’t promise that I will but I will certainly give it consideration.”

  “You know what the Lord said about forgiveness don’t you?”

  “I sure do. Matthew 18:22 says, ‘Jesus saith until him. I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.’ Truthfully I think my mother had exceeded those times. ” Mariah tittered nervously.

  “That can be said of a lot of people whom we are close to.” Reverend Dudley laughed. “But on a more serious note, maybe helping her will effect a change. Sometimes we have to be the bigger person and reach out to those in need. Drug addicts definitely fall under the category of those in need. I will tell you as I’ve told others that an addiction is an illness, so try to be patient with her.”

  “You’re right and I know that but because we don’t have a relationship, it’s hard for me to be forgiving with her.”

  “Be that as it may, God still provided for your needs through Rosemary. You were brought up in a Christian home. And, most of all you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior. Now, it’s time for you to put into practice all that you’ve been taught. You know what, Mariah? I know that you are up to the task.”

  “You have more faith in me than I have in myself,” Mariah said. She swallowed. “Maybe it’s time for me to grow up and try to make amends with my mother again.”

  “Meditate on it. I’m sure God will steer you in the right path.” Reverend Dudley glanced at his watch. “I don’t mean to rush you, but I do have another appointment. Think about what we’ve talked about. I have a meeting scheduled with the board on Friday and will talk it over with them. Keep God’s teaching in your heart and share your blessings, in turn you become a blessings for another person in need.”

  Mariah stood up and thrust her hand out to the minister. “Thank you, Reverend Dudley, for seeing me and the advice. I will certainly give serious thought to what you’ve said.”

  Reverend Dudley rose from his seat and shook Mariah’s hand warmly. “If you need someone to talk to, you know that I’m here for you.”

  “Again thanks,” Mariah replied.

  Reverend Dudley walked her to the door. “Don’t forget to set up another appointment with Rosalind for next week.”

  “I will. Have a blessed day, Reverend Dudley.” Mariah smiled.

  “It has already been.” The minister smiled. He greeted his next appointment and they disappeared into his office.

  Mariah made an appointment with Rosalind. Soon she was back in her car and driving home. After she parked her car in the residential parking lot, Mariah sat inside. Her thoughts were centered on her conversation with Reverend Dudley.

  A teeny part of her wanted to try to forge a relationship with Cassandra. After all, Cassandra had given birth to her, as Granny so often reminded Mariah.

  The other part of Mariah, the one that had been burnt too many times, was averse to subject herself to further rejection.

  She bowed her head and scrunched her eyes together tightly. “Lord, show me the way,” she whispered. “Help me to do the right thing by Granny and Cassie. I know you can make a way out of no way, and with me and Cassie there is nothing, no feelings, no relationship, we are a big fat zero, nothing. Guide me, Jesus, help me find the way. You have given me such blessings and sometime I don’t know if I am worthy.

  “I don’t know so many things. Why my father didn’t come around and why he left me so much money. I feel like I’m about to embark on a journey and I know you will be there to catch me if I fall. Lord, I am excited about the wonderful things I can do in your name, I just ask that you guide and keep me on the right path. Amen.”

  Mariah opened her eyes, grabbed her purse, and exited her car. She rushed into the house she shared with Rosemary, exhilarated about the positive changes that lay ahead in her life.

  Chapter Five

  On the second Sunday in September, Mariah squirted a few drops of perfume over her body. She pulled a lock of hair across her forehead and smiled in satisfaction at her image in the mirror. Mariah nodded approvingly at her appearance. She had on a black suit, along with a lemon-colored blo
use, and stylish patent leather pumps on her feet. She grabbed her Bible and purse and hurried downstairs, where Rosemary waited for her. They left to attend the morning church service.

  After Sunday School ended, the women slid into their usual seats in the middle section of the sanctuary. Mariah looked around the sanctuary until she caught sight of Sonyell, Sasha, and Raquel. Mariah flashed a smile at her friends.

  As the service progressed, the church members sang the second verse of the congregational hymn, “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” Hands were raised in the air, and choruses of “amen” rented the air at the conclusion of the song.

  The microphone cracked briefly before Reverend Calvin Nixon adjusted it, and prayed. Later the choir director rose and stood in front of the adult choir. He lifted his arms to signal the choir to rise. Nichole Singleton moved the congregation to tears when she sang the A selection, “Long As I Got King Jesus.” At the end of the song, her voice caressed the words, “I don’t need nobody else.” Quite a few members stood, clapped their hands, and sang along with the choir during the stirring rendition of the B selection, “Victory Shall Be Mine.”

  After the choir finished singing the offering was collected. Reverend Dudley rose from his chair and walked to the pulpit. He adjusted the microphone and said, “Good morning, church. Let us rejoice in being able to praise God another Sunday morning.”

  The membership responded with “hallelujah’s” and “amen.”

  Reverend Dudley bowed his head. “Gracious Father, thank you for waking us up this morning and allowing us to see another day. Bless everyone assembled in your house this morning. Bless the sick and shut in. As Sister Singleton sang, long as I got King Jesus, I don’t need nobody else. Truer words were never spoken. These blessings I ask in the Father’s name. Amen.” He sipped from a glass of water.

  “The Lord placed it upon my heart to speak of two matters today: selflessness and charity today. The two often go hand in hand. The dictionary defines selflessness as being concerned with the needs of others instead of one’s own. Charity is defined as benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity, along with generosity and helpfulness, especially toward the needy or suffering. The greatest example of selflessness for Christians is God sending His only Son here on earth to die for our sins. That single act alone is the greatest sacrifice ever made. It is a blueprint of how we should lead our own lives; incorporating selflessness, sacrifice, and charity as part of our regular routine or daily lives.”