Better Late Than Never Read online

  “Really?” Curtis said.

  Charlotte was just as shocked as Curtis, and she felt like a gullible little child. Both she and Curtis were well aware that Curtina was deleting all her text messages, but not once had they thought she was communicating with boys. As a matter of fact, even though Taylor and Lauren giggled about boys at their school the way most preteen girls tended to do, Curtina never mentioned them around Charlotte and Curtis. And she certainly had never talked about anyone in particular.

  “I just don’t think she’s acting like this for no reason,” Stacey said. “And if she is talking to a boy, she probably wouldn’t add his name to her contact list, anyhow. She would either attach a girl’s name to his number, or she would just memorize it and not include it in her phone at all.”

  Charlotte knew this was a possibility, because men and women did this all the time when they were having affairs. In the past, she’d even done it herself. Still, she hadn’t considered the idea that Curtina might be chatting it up with a boy. And if Charlotte had been that naïve, she knew Curtis had never entertained the idea of it, either. Which just went to show, most parents believed what they wanted to believe, saw what they wanted to see, and ignored anything that they were sure their innocent little child would never do.

  “I hope she’s not texting boys, talking to them on the phone, or doing any of that,” Curtis said.

  “I hope she’s not, either,” Charlotte told him, “but we also know it might be true.”

  “Well, as much as I hate saying this,” Stacey said, “when I was twelve, I was liking boys, texting them, and talking to them on the phone. I had to sneak behind my parents’ back to do it, but I did it all the time. So imagine what must be going on with this current generation of kids. Given all the new technology and social media usage, they have so many ways to communicate. More than most people realize. And parents just aren’t checking every possible medium.”

  “She was such a good girl,” Curtis said. “All the way until just a few months ago. But whether she’s talking to boys or not, we’re not putting up with all these problems. Or her awful attitude.”

  Charlotte agreed. “No, we’re definitely not, and that’s why I took her phone right in the principal’s office.”

  “And I took her tablet as soon as I got home. It’s already locked away with her phone in our safe. I took her laptop, too, and the only way she’ll be using that is if she can prove that she needs it to do her homework.”

  Stacey’s eyes widened. “Oh my. And how did that go over?”

  “Not well,” Curtis said, “but I don’t care. Not when I know it’s for her own good.”

  Stacey stroked her hair behind her ear. “I think you’re doing the right thing, because sometimes cutting off all electronic communication is the only answer.”

  “It’s so sad that we had to confiscate everything,” Charlotte said. “But we need to turn things around before it’s too late. Before she enters eighth grade in the fall and then high school.”

  “Exactly,” Stacey agreed.

  The three of them chatted for another half hour, and the only time they saw MJ was when he returned to the kitchen looking for an apple juice box. Charlotte and Curtis didn’t drink them, and Curtina preferred mango juice, but they always kept a supply on hand for MJ, as though he lived there.

  Soon, though, Matthew came back downstairs raising both his hands in the air and shaking his head. “I really don’t know what to say.”

  “What happened?” Curtis asked.

  “She normally talks to me about everything, but the whole time I was in her room, she gave me all these one-word answers. And when she wasn’t doing that, she pretended she was watching television.”

  “She didn’t say anything?” Charlotte asked. “Nothing about why she’s causing so much trouble?”

  “Only that you and Dad think she’s a baby, and that you won’t let her do anything or go anywhere.”

  Charlotte pursed her lips. “That’s not true.”

  “She goes places all the time,” Curtis confirmed.

  “Yeah, but not everywhere she wants to. And not whenever she wants.”

  “Well, if that’s the problem,” Curtis said, “she’s going to be miserable for a very long time. Until she’s graduated and out of this house.”

  “And she’s really mad at you guys for taking that phone and tablet of hers,” Matthew said, laughing. “She’s through.”

  “She’ll get over it,” Charlotte said.

  “I don’t know,” Matthew said. “She’s so stubborn and bratty.”

  “Did you ask her to come down here?” Curtis said.

  “Yep, but she acted like she didn’t hear me.”

  Curtis got up, walked into the family room, and yelled upstairs. “Curtina, get down here.”

  Charlotte wondered if she was going to respond. But her curiosity was answered when she heard Curtis bellowing again.

  “Curtina, did you hear me?”

  Charlotte knew she’d heard him, because even though Curtis and Charlotte’s bedroom was near the front, winding staircase, Curtina’s was very close to the back one.

  “Curtina, either you get down here now or I’m coming up after you.”

  Charlotte, Matthew, and Stacey looked at each other in silence, and although they couldn’t see MJ, they never heard a peep out of him, either.

  But soon Curtina moseyed into the kitchen with a drab look on her face, with Curtis and MJ following behind her.

  Stacey smiled. “Hey, little sis.”

  “Hi” was all she said.

  “Sit down,” Curtis told her.

  “Why, Dad? Why can’t I just go back up to my room?”

  “Because I want you down here, spending time with your family.”

  Curtina plopped into the chair next to Stacey with her arms folded, pouting. “If I get an F for not turning in my homework, it won’t be my fault.”

  Charlotte squinted her eyes. “You’re suspended until Friday, remember? So you’ve got more than enough time to get your homework done. The assignments you already had for tonight and the makeup assignments they emailed me for tomorrow and Thursday.”

  Curtina stared at Charlotte strangely, acting as though she was shocked to hear about the makeup homework. Did she think she was going to sit around watching television for two days?

  Curtina sat with a scowl on her face, but Charlotte turned her attention to Stacey. “So how are your mom and dad?”

  “They’re fine. I spoke to them on the way over here, and they said to tell you guys hello.”

  “We left church right after the first service on Sunday, so we didn’t get to see them.”

  “I know, and I’m so sorry about Miss Trina. I’ve been praying for her ever since Matt told me she was ill.”

  “Thanks,” Charlotte said, glancing over at Curtis, but he and Matthew were doing what they usually did on most visits: talking about basketball.

  Charlotte looked at Curtina, but only for a split second, and then said to Stacey, “Actually, I haven’t spoken to your mom by phone in a while, so I’ll have to call her to catch up.”

  “Yes, please do, because she’s just as excited about MJ leading a song as he is,” Stacey said, laughing.

  Charlotte laughed with her, but deep down, she didn’t as much as want to think about having to sit inside Deliverance Outreach yet one more Sunday. She’d been so sure she wouldn’t have to, but no matter how she tried to weigh things in her mind, she knew she couldn’t let down her grandson. MJ, without a doubt, expected all of them to be there, so she had no choice but to take one for the team. She would attend service, pretend to be happy, and begin her sabbatical Sunday after next. She would do this for MJ. Anything for him. Even if it meant being miserable the whole time.

  Chapter 13

  Curtis wondered how many more times he’d be able to visit his sister. He wasn’t giving up on God, because he would never do that, but the human side of him couldn’t stop thinking, What
if? What if God’s will was different from his and the rest of his family’s? What if Trina’s time on earth was nearly complete? Yes, it was true that God never caused tragedy, suffering, or even death, and that this was all the work of the enemy, but He still had a certain will and destiny for every one of his children. God also didn’t cause harm to anyone, however, He did allow certain things to happen—even if we didn’t always understand the reason.

  And there was another truth that Curtis thought about, too: Every person born into this world would in fact die one day. There was no getting around it, and there was nothing anyone could say or do to change it. Of course, none of us knew exactly when our time here would be up, but at some point, it would be, and it was best to be ready. It was important to have your life in order, just as he’d always told his congregation—just the way Trina had talked about herself only two days ago.

  Curtis relaxed more comfortably into the seat of his SUV, took a deep breath, and continued down I-90 east, heading to see his sister. But just as he reached to turn up the volume of his radio, his phone rang.

  He smiled when he saw that it was his father-in-law. “Good morning, Joe, how are you?”

  “I’m good, Curtis, what about you?”

  “Hanging in there.”

  “I’m glad to hear it, and I’m very sorry to hear about your sister. Noreen talked to Charlotte and told me what was going on. Such a shame.”

  “I know. It really was the last thing I was expecting to hear.”

  “I’m sure. And there’s nothing they can do?”

  “I don’t think so. She’s had a number of treatments, but she’s decided not to try anything else. So, at this point, what we need is a miracle. We need God to save her life.”

  “Well, Noreen and I have already been praying, and we’ll continue.”

  “I really appreciate that. Prayers are what we need from everyone.”

  “Indeed. Okay, then, I won’t hold you. Just wanted to let you know that we’re thinking about you.”

  “Thank you, and I or Charlotte will keep you posted on how Trina is doing. I’m actually on my way to see her now.”

  “Sounds good. And you be safe out there on the road.”

  “I will. Talk to you soon.”

  “Take care now, and I love you, son.”

  “I love you, too,” Curtis said, pressing the Off button…and feeling emotional. At first, he wasn’t sure why, but then he realized it was because of how far he and Joe had come.

  Over the years, so much had happened—some truly awful scenarios—and it was amazing just how drastically their relationship had changed for the better. For one, Joe no longer hated Curtis, and he loved him like a son. Yes, Curtis was only ten years younger than him, which was the reason he couldn’t bring himself to call Joe “Dad,” but Curtis loved him, too, and respected him like a father. This certainly hadn’t always been the case, though, as there had been a time when Curtis had disliked Joe just as much as Joe had disliked him. But Curtis knew he’d been completely in the wrong, and that Joe hadn’t felt the way he had without reason.

  Curtis still cringed at the idea that he’d gotten Charlotte pregnant when she’d only been seventeen and while he’d been married to Tanya. For a long time, he’d tried to tell himself that he hadn’t committed a crime—no matter how many times Joe had threatened to have him arrested if he didn’t end all contact with Charlotte and Matthew. But what Curtis had eventually learned was that while Illinois law considered seventeen to be the legal age for consensual sex, this didn’t hold true for offenders who held a position of authority or trust over the victim—such as a coach, teacher, and yes, a church leader. For them, the legal age was eighteen. So there was no denying the fact that Curtis had committed a crime. He’d slept with a minor, and what no one knew was that the thought of it always made him sick to his stomach. He’d apologized profusely to Charlotte and her parents many times, but his actions still bothered him. All three of them had forgiven him, yet he sometimes couldn’t fathom the legion of terrible things he’d done so many years ago. It was the reason he now begged people to do right by others. To do the right thing no matter what. To live according to God’s Word daily. He knew most everyone had done something in the past that they were ashamed of, but what he wanted them to know more than anything was that there was always a chance to turn things around. He wanted them to see that change was always an option. That even if it took them a while to make things right, there was no time limit on doing so.

  Curtis drove the rest of the way in deep thought, listening to gospel music, and before he knew it, he was pulling into Jason and Trina’s driveway. When he saw that Jason’s SUV was still parked in the garage, he got a little nervous. Still, he left his vehicle, walked up to the front door, hoping for the best, and rang the doorbell.

  Jason opened the door almost immediately. “Good morning, Curtis.”

  “Good morning,” he said, hugging his brother-in-law. “I expected you to already be at work.”

  “Normally I would be, but Denise wasn’t able to come today. Her daughter isn’t feeling well, and it sounds like a bad case of the flu.”

  “Oh no. I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “I do have a couple of afternoon meetings, though, so if you don’t mind, can you stay until I get back?”

  “Absolutely. You don’t even have to ask.”

  “Thanks, man. I shouldn’t be gone past five or six.”

  “Take all the time you need. Charlotte knew I was planning to stay most of the day anyway, so we’re good.”

  “Denise should be back tomorrow, but if she isn’t I’ll just plan on taking the day off.”

  Curtis followed Jason down the hallway. “No, definitely not. I can drive back over tomorrow, and Friday, too, if need be. All you have to do is tell me.”

  Jason stopped and turned around. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive. I want to spend as much time here as I can, and if I’m able to help you out in the process, that’s even better.”

  Jason swallowed hard, and Curtis could tell he was fighting back tears. “You have no idea how much this means.”

  Curtis patted his shoulder and spoke a little quieter. “I know this is hard, but I’m here for you. I’m here for all of you, and don’t you forget that.”

  Jason nodded and continued toward the master bedroom. The door was already open, so he and Curtis walked in.

  “Well, sweetie,” Jason said to Trina, who was sitting in bed against a stack of pillows, “I’m about to head down to the office.”

  She smiled. “Okay. And hey, Curtis.”

  “Hey, sis.”

  Jason kissed his wife on the lips. “I’ll check in with both of you in a couple of hours.”

  “Sounds good,” Curtis told him.

  “Oh, and if either of you get hungry, there’s a dish of lasagna in the fridge. Amber made it last night before she went home.”

  “Okay,” Curtis said, and soon he heard Jason leaving.

  “So you just can’t stay away, I guess, huh?” Trina teased.

  Curtis leaned down and hugged her. “Nope, which means you’re stuck with me. Like it or not.”

  “Sounds to me like you’re trying to be the boss of me again. You know, the way you thought you were when we were kids.”

  Curtis sat down in the plush brown recliner next to the bed. “I didn’t think anything. I knew I was the boss of you.”

  “Yeah, whatever. Think what you want.”

  “You know it’s true. Especially when all those knucklehead boys thought they were going to date you.”

  “Don’t remind me. You scared off every boy I liked. And for no reason.”

  “Big brothers are supposed to protect their little sisters, and I was no different.”

  Trina shook her head. “You were terrible. You acted like you were my dad or something.”

  “Somebody had to,” Curtis said, and immediately regretted his comment.

  Trina looked at him with
sad eyes. “Yeah, I know.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring him up, and from now on I’m going to try my best not to.”

  “No, it’s fine. Because maybe talking about him and our childhood will help you get past all the pain you’re still dealing with. I have pain, too, but I’ve forgiven Daddy. I forgave him a long time ago, because if I hadn’t, it would have killed me. And do you want to know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I had so much animosity toward you, too, and I couldn’t handle despising two people at the same time. Two people who I loved…and almost hated.”

  “I’ll never be able to make up for that, and I’m sorry. I wish I’d done things differently, but I couldn’t see past my own feelings. I didn’t think about you or Mom or how it would affect both of you.”

  “I already told you that I’ve forgiven you. And Mom forgave you many years before she died. At the time, I just couldn’t, but now that I’m a mother I understand how unconditional her love was for her children. She couldn’t stay mad at you or blame you for leaving.”

  “I will always regret not coming to see her. The last few years of her life, I sent her monetary gifts, but I remember when you told me the day of the funeral that she never spent any of it. And that she saved all of it for Alicia, Matthew, and your children.”

  “She still loved the fact that you thought about her on all the special days of the year. At the time, it made me angry, but she was always happy when your cards came in the mail.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that when she died. But I just couldn’t. I couldn’t tell you anything that might give you peace about walking out of our lives the way you did.”

  “I understand. You had every right to feel the way you did.”

  “But thank God, I’m finally past those feelings. I know it’s likely only because I became ill, but better late than never, right?”

  “Exactly.”

  “And as much as I know you might not want to hear this, Curtis, you’re going to have to forgive Dad.”