In Times of Trouble Read online

  If Eric didn’t push for things to go to the next level, Lisa would probably keep things like they were and continue finding creative ways to tell the truth to her mother and daughter without actually lying. Like tonight when she categorized this date as a “meeting.” It wasn’t so much as she didn’t want them to meet Eric, but rather she was hesitant about him meeting them. She, her mother and Chanelle weren’t exactly the Huxtables. If Dysfunctional were a last name, it would likely be theirs. The nerve of Chanelle getting drunk! And then—

  “Yoohoo. . .Earth to Lisa,” Eric called out, waving his hand in front of her face.

  “I’m sorry; did you say something?”

  “Yes. I said we are very blessed to be part of one of the greatest churches in the city.”

  “Um hmm. . .”

  “Abundant in Christ is virtually incomparable to any other church in Columbus. Pastor Ross is really doing some great things. One of my dreams is to start my own church and be a shepherd of God’s people.”

  “Um hmm. . .”

  “Am I boring you?”

  “No, it’s not you. I’m sorry. My mind is elsewhere.”

  “Would you like to talk about whatever is troubling you?”

  “Thanks, but I’ll pass.” Eric was a single man with no children. The last thing Lisa wanted to do was scare him off with horror stories about her daughter. “There’s no need to burden you with my concerns. I’m sure you have more important matters on your mind.”

  “Currently you’re the important matter on my mind. Galatians 6:2 instructs us to bear one another’s burdens and as a servant of the Lord, your problem is my problem. Being concerned about you is one of my obligations.”

  “Thanks, but I really don’t feel like talking right now.”

  “That’s okay. Do you want to continue this evening another time? It’s obvious that I’ve lost your attention.”

  “I’m sorry; I feel horrible.”

  “Don’t. I’m not offended. You probably just need a little quiet time. The best thing you can do right now is talk to our Father. He’ll definitely have the solution to your problem. As a matter of fact, would you mind if I prayed with you before we leave?”

  “No, not at all.”

  Right there in the middle of the park walkway, they turned and held hands while Eric proceeded. “Father God, I ask in the Name of Jesus that you be with Lisa. Lord, let not her heart be troubled. Whatever is concerning her, deal with it and take the burden off her mind. Give her peace about each and every situation in her life. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. . .Amen.”

  After the prayer, they walked silently back to their cars, still holding hands. “I’m glad we agreed to have dinner at your place next Monday. I’m looking forward to it, but I hope I don’t have to wait until then to see you again.”

  What in the world was he talking about! Lisa didn’t recall such an agreement. He must’ve mentioned it when she’d drifted off mentally. Lisa imagined that she said something like “Sure, okay,” without really paying attention to what she was answering. Lisa wasn’t ready to take this step, but Eric was standing there with a wide grin on his face and Lisa didn’t know how to politely cancel without offending him.

  • • •

  It was a little after nine when Lisa got home. She walked in to find her mother and daughter at the kitchen table playing cards. “Hey guys. . .”

  “Hey, how was the meeting?”

  “It was great. Chanelle, are you going to speak?”

  “I said hi when you walked in.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

  “UNO!” Chanelle shouted.

  “Nuh-uh. . .” Hattie smirked, throwing a Draw Four card on the table.

  “How was school today?” Lisa asked.

  “Fine. . .”

  “I tried calling to let you know I’d be late.”

  “I know. . .”

  “Why didn’t you answer the phone?”

  “Because I’m on punishment. . .I’m not supposed to talk on the phone, remember? You took away my cell phone for that very purpose,” Chanelle said with such a snide attitude that Lisa could’ve smacked her.

  “Go to your room!” she ordered.

  “Why?”

  “C’mon, Lisa, we’re in the middle of a game,” her mother jumped in.

  “I don’t care, Mama. She’s not going to get smart with me.”

  “I can’t say or do anything around here!” Chanelle ranted, smashing her cards down on the table and storming out of the kitchen.

  “Say something else and see if I don’t come upstairs and hold your butt accountable for your smart mouth!” Lisa yelled after her.

  “Why are you always threatening that girl?”

  “Mama, don’t start with me. I’m not in the mood.” Lisa slumped into Chanelle’s chair and began rubbing her aching feet.

  “Don’t you think you were a little harsh?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “She’s almost grown. When are you going to start cutting her some slack?”

  “You don’t seem to think Chanelle should get in trouble for anything. You’re always taking up for her and making excuses when she’s wrong.”

  “I am not,” Hattie said defiantly, gathering all the UNO cards. “I see things from a different perspective and I’m trying to get you to understand that every offense doesn’t necessarily deserve punishment.”

  “Living in this house it does; especially when lying is involved.”

  “Fine, Lisa. I’ve said all I have to say. No one can tell you anything. I raised two children already, but apparently you know more than I do, so I’ll just leave you be. But, if it were my child—”

  “Chanelle’s not your child; that’s the whole point! The sooner you realize that I’m her mother and you’re her grandmother, the better off we’ll all be.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I’m just saying, Mama. You need to let me raise her, even if you don’t agree with the decisions I make. Whether I’m right or wrong, Chanelle needs to obey me. It’ll be much easier for her to do so without you always undermining my authority.”

  “So are you saying that I somehow contributed to her going out and getting drunk Saturday night?”

  “No. Chanelle is no angel, but things have never been this bad. Things seemed to have gotten worse since you moved up here.”

  Her mother stood up with her hand on her hip, cocked her head to the side and looked at her like she was crazy. “Let’s remember that you are the one who begged me to move up here. I had a home and was just fine with my living arrangements.”

  Lisa stood as well. “For the record, I asked, not begged you to move here with me. Excuse me for caring about you getting beat up all the time.”

  She watched as her mother’s cheeks burned with fire. Lisa didn’t really want to go there, but how dare her mother be so ungrateful!

  “Make no mistake about it. . . I’m a grown woman. I didn’t need you to look after me. I could’ve handled your father by myself.”

  Lisa ignored her conscience telling her to defuse the situation by walking away. “Yeah, you could handle him all right. That’s why I kept getting three a.m. phone calls every time he blackened your eye.”

  Her mother’s glare deepened. “I didn’t have to move here. I chose to.”

  Seeing the tears in her mother’s eyes, remorse began to overshadow Lisa’s anger. “Mama, I’m sorry for what I said.” Though Lisa had softened her tone and resumed her seat, her mother hadn’t changed her stance at all. “I merely want peace in my home. . .I want to be able to discipline my daughter without having to explain myself all the time. I’m sure you don’t like this tension between us any more than I do.”

  “I appreciate you letting me stay here, but don’t think I’m dependent on you. In case you have forgotten, I’m moving out at the end of this month. If that’s not soon enough for you, I’ll find somewhere else to stay until then.”

  Like
Chanelle, Hattie also stormed out of Lisa’s presence.

  Lisa plopped her head down on the table in despair. It didn’t feel good coming home to a hostile household. She had to find some way of getting out of this dinner date with Eric next Monday. There was no way she could invite him into her home with so much chaos brewing.

  • • •

  RJ said good night to the Burlingtons, got himself a bottle of water and headed off to the guest bedroom that had served as his quarters since his transition to Columbus four months ago. RJ was speechless when Pastor Burlington called and offered him the director’s position at Hope Ministries Rehabilitation Center. At the time RJ was living in a poor, run-down apartment building in Baltimore working whatever odds and ends jobs he could find. Grateful that the Lord had delivered him from those issues that led to the death of his marriage, he was also living with a huge hole in his heart because of the loss of his family. He jumped at the opportunity Pastor Burlington presented to him. Not only did moving to Columbus allow him a chance to be closer to Lisa and Chanelle, but it also provided him with a decent salary and stable employment. Since he and Lisa had first separated, he’d been struggling to find both.

  RJ had originally planned to have his own place by now, but the Burlingtons repeatedly told him that he was welcome to stay indefinitely. Having never had children of their own, it seemed like they really enjoyed his company. He extended his plan to leave within a few months and resolved to stay a year, or two at the max, and use this time to save up. If things went well, hopefully he’d be able to buy his own home. He definitely needed to rebuild his credit. He’d recently purchased a used vehicle, on which he was paying a very high interest rate. Initially the Burlingtons absolutely refused to accept any money from him, but RJ wasn’t in the business of freeloading and insisted on sharing the household financial responsibilities. Pastor Burlington was like a father figure to him and RJ thanked the Lord for allowing Pastor Burlington to trust him with such an influential position, despite all of his past mistakes.

  RJ lay in bed, slowly drifting to sleep, when a call from his brother on his cell phone brought him to full alertness.

  “I’m sorry, did I wake you?” David asked.

  “Not really. . .I was sort of going in and out.”

  “I’m sorry, man. I hadn’t talked to you in a couple weeks and wanted to check on you. How are things going at the center?”

  “Things are good. We have about three more weeks before the residents move in. I’m looking forward to it, too. Of all people, who’d ever thought that I would be the director of a center that counsels former drug addicts?” RJ chuckled slightly.

  “It just goes to show the power of God and how He can promote us despite anything we’ve done in the past.”

  “Let me guess. . .you’re giving me a summary of the sermon you preached yesterday, huh?”

  “Naw, bruh. . .simply testifying about God’s goodness.”

  “You know you fill the shoes of our father very well?” RJ and his brother grew up under the preaching of their father, the late Robert James Hampton, Sr. As the older of the two brothers and their father’s namesake, RJ had originally taken over as pastor when their father passed away because that’s what he’d always been expected to do. After the mess he’d gotten himself into in Baltimore, no one could argue that David was the one truly called to the preaching ministry.

  “Dad had some pretty big feet. It may take me a long time to fill his shoes. . .if ever. I’m just taking it one day at a time.”

  “Well, you’re doing a great job; I’m proud of you and Dad would be, too.”

  “Thanks, man. Are you coming to Baltimore for Memorial Day?”

  “Naw. . .I’m supposed to help Lisa’s mom move that weekend, but I’ll see you the week after that because y’all are coming for Chanelle’s graduation party, right?”

  “You know it. Sheila and I are going to drive up that morning. How are Lisa and Chanelle doing?”

  “Man, Chanelle is getting way out of line. Would you believe that she skipped curfew Saturday night and was brought home drunk by the police?”

  “My goodness. . .”

  “I went over yesterday after church and got on her. She didn’t really say much to me, but apparently she’s been getting real smart with Lisa. Since she is supposed to be looking for a summer job, I’m going to talk to her about some temporary positions available at the center. I figured it would give the two of us a chance to spend some time together since she’d be working primarily with me. Lisa was cool with the idea. I’m waiting for Chanelle to be in a better mood before I bring it up to her. She’s on punishment for a while and I’m standing behind Lisa one-hundred percent.”

  “Sounds like things are going pretty good between you and Lisa.”

  “I wish. . .She doesn’t hold long conversations with me. I’m surprised she shared the things she did. She was at her wits’ end this weekend because her mother gave her some grief about punishing Chanelle. I’m glad that I’m here to give her some support. I only wish. . .never mind.”

  “You might as well say it now.”

  “I wish she would consider giving us another try.”

  “Give it some time.”

  “Man, I’ve been up here for four months and yesterday was only the third time I’ve set foot in Lisa’s house. She’s not trying to be around me.”

  “Keep standing in faith, bruh. We know God made a way for you to move to Ohio. You’ve done your part; now leave the rest up to Him.”

  “Seeing my girls after all this time makes me want my family back even more. I miss them, but now isn’t the time to approach Lisa about reconciling. It’s been five years since the divorce and she hates me as much now as she did then.”

  “I’m sure she doesn’t hate you. . .strongly dislike, maybe.” He tried to lighten the mood. “Seriously though, she doesn’t hate you, she hates what you did. There is a difference.”

  “I hate what I did, too,” he said solemnly.

  “Look, man, don’t go getting all depressed on me. Before you left you were on cloud nine saying how you felt God was about to fix everything you’d messed up. What happened to all that faith?”

  “It’s still there. . .for the most part. I wish I could get a little glimpse of Lisa showing interest.”

  “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. You have to believe before you see; otherwise it’s not faith.”

  “Yeah, I know. . .Listen, man, thanks for calling, but I’m going to get off this phone and call it a night.”

  “Yeah, I better get going as well. I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon to go preach a three-day revival in Missouri and I still have some things to get together.”

  “All right. Take it easy and have a safe trip.”

  CHAPTER 7

  A Whole ’Nother Story

  By Thursday morning, Callie had finally worked up the nerve to do it. She was going to take Bryan’s advice and tell Lisa all that had recently come to light. The turning point came yesterday during her weekly session with Dr. Samuels, her therapist, who had suggested that she still attend Chanelle’s graduation party next month. Dr. Samuels encouraged her to continue moving forward with life rather than allowing her circumstances to become an automatic death sentence. Unlike Bryan, Dr. Samuels didn’t think full disclosure was necessary, but he said if Callie was ready, it wouldn’t hurt to have the support of additional loved ones. Callie didn’t know if she’d necessarily use the word “ready,” but with such a heavy burden on her heart she had to do something.

  Callie had yet to return any calls she’d received from church members concerned that they hadn’t seen or heard from her in a while. Though she appreciated their sentiments, she wasn’t ready to face them. No Bible-reading, tongue-speaking, Holy Ghost-filled, running-all-around-the-church, fire-baptized Christian was going to get her out of this one, so she didn’t see a need to get her church family involved. No matter how many times she and Lisa bumpe
d heads, they were sisters—by blood. That had to count for something.

  Callie decided to call her sister immediately instead of waiting until the evening as she had originally planned. With so much anxiety building up inside of her, she didn’t think there’d be any peace until she got this over with. Plus, given any extra amount of time, she was sure to find a way to talk herself out of it. Though it was only a little after four in the morning California time, Ohio’s time was three hours ahead and Callie knew her sister would be up. Ready or not, she was going to make the call.

  “You’re up awfully early!” Lisa wasted no time answering her cell.

  “Yeah. . .I couldn’t sleep much. Do you have a minute? I’d like to talk to you about something.”

  “Yeah, go ahead. I’m just on my way to work. I hope you’re not calling about the graduation party. I know by now I should have all the details together, but I don’t.”

  “That wasn’t exactly the reason why I was calling.”

  “Good, because I still have so much to do. I haven’t been motivated lately. Both Chanelle and Mama are driving me crazy. Chanelle is on lockdown until graduation because she was brought home drunk by the police Saturday night. Then, earlier this week, Mama and I got into it because she doesn’t agree with the way I handled the situation. Now she’s mad at me, too.”

  “I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time. What I—”

  “Girl, I feel like I’m about to lose my mind. Mama always has something to say every time I discipline Chanelle. It gets on my nerves. Neither of them has said more than three words to me since Monday night.”

  “Well, Mama’s moving out soon. I’m sure things will get a lot easier for you then.”

  “I hope so. . .Even then that will only solve one of my problems. Chanelle is a whole ’nother story. No matter what I do, her behavior doesn’t seem to be getting any better. I took away her cell phone thinking that might do it, but I broke down and gave it back to her last night. Not that she really deserved it. Odds are she’s going to make some unauthorized calls. I guess it was my way of calling a truce because I’m tired of being perceived as the mean one all the time.”