The Fall of the Prodigal (22 page)

“Well, where do you think he got it from? I have a relationship with him,” her father bragged.

Checkmate.

For God hath
. . .
What if he doesn't show up?

Mindy popped her gum and looked at her watch. Her stomach was in knots. She knew it was nervousness. She had already been to the bathroom twice.

She eyed the clock. It was ten a.m., the day after New Year's, and she was sitting outside Dr. Forrester's office. If her father knew where she was, he would be furious. She had told him she was on a beauty regimen run and Bill had reinstated her Amex card, saying, “I'm glad you're acting normal. Go get all dolled up. We can go out later since we didn't do anything for New Year's Day.”

Mindy wanted to say, “If I have to act, it's not normal,” but she was not about to argue with him. And, which “normal” girl her age spent New Year's with her father?

Mindy touched her face running her fingers across the small scars above her lip and on her right cheekbone. Bill had suggested plastic surgery but Mindy had recoiled at the idea. All she needed was time and she'd be good as new. On the outside, anyway.

Where was Pastor Keith? He'd made the appointment and had promised to come to the session with her. This day and time had been the earliest Dr. Forrester could squeeze her in to accommodate them.

She tapped her feet. By chance, Mindy looked down. She cupped her mouth. What was she wearing? Those were her stripper shoes! Mousie!

You might take those pills to silence me but I'm a part of you,
Mousie said.
I'm not going away that easy.

Desperate, Mindy covered her ears. Then two doors opened at the same time. Pastor Keith rushed in and Dr. Forrester opened her door.

“I'm sorry; there was an accident on the road.”

“Hello, Mindy, it's good to see you. Come in.”

Pastor Keith greeted the doctor and smiled. For the first time, Mindy noticed his dimples and his smile. He was
fine
.

The three of them made themselves comfortable in Dr. Forrester's office. Mindy liked the sound of the small waterfall. The hues of blues and pinks on the walls were comforting. She couldn't resist touching the small bonsai tree.

“Dr. Forrester, do you mind if we begin the session with a short word of prayer?” he asked.

When the doctor nodded, they lowered their heads. Mindy kept her eyes peeled on Pastor Keith.

“Father, we invite you in. Please provide guidance and healing. We pray this prayer in Jesus' name. Amen.”

He was not kidding when he said short. Did God hear that? She wondered.

“Mindy?” Dr. Forrester held a sheet of paper in her hand. “Please read and sign this statement saying of your own free will, you agree for Pastor Ward to sit in on the session with us. This is not normal protocol.”

Mindy's heart pumped fast as she glossed over the words. Her father would kill her if he knew. But he was not here. With bold strokes, Mindy scribbled her name.

“What do you want to talk about today?” Dr. Forrester asked.

“I want to talk about that night. I need to remember,” she said. “But everything's all jumbled inside my head.”

“The best possible method is hypnosis. Are you finally ready to try it?”

“Yes,” she breathed. She looked toward Pastor Keith.

He recognized her distress and he came over to hold her hand. “I'm here with you.”

As fine as Pastor Keith was, Mindy did not feel feminine attraction. To her, Pastor Keith was being the father she never had. It was like God was speaking to her. She opened her mouth to tell him but changed her mind. She would sound crazy.

She giggled at that thought. “Thank you, Pastor.” Then she addressed the doctor. “I'm ready.”

 

 

Keith watched as Dr. Forrester coached Mindy under. Was this of God? He wondered. Unlike the movies, there was no light or swinging stopwatch. Instead, her voice was soothing and calming.

“There's no need to be afraid. I'm right here and we can stop at any time.” Dr. Forrester told Mindy.

Within minutes, Dr. Forrester nodded at him.

Keith admitted he was a skeptic. A lot of church folks believed hypnotherapy was a form of enchantment. But what if it worked? Could the human mind really be manipulated in this fashion? Nevertheless, he took out his pad and paper to take notes.

“I see Carl.” Mindy's voice held a childlike quality.

Wait a minute. Carl?
Keith eyed the doctor. She held her hand up and pointed to her ears. Keith relaxed. He had prayed. He had to let God lead.

“You want to talk about your brother?”

“He's dead,” Mindy cried. “I found him hanging in the air and Daddy wants me to pretend I didn't see it. But, I did. I did. He killed himself. He was my only friend. Now who's going to play with me?”

Keith jotted down the word: loss.

“I'll play with you,” Baby said.

She was reliving the trauma, which triggered her multiple personalities. Keith felt goose bumps prick his arms.

“How old is Baby?” the doctor asked.

“She's five.”

“Is that how old you were when you found Carl?”

“Yes. And there's Mousie. She's the brave one. She makes sure no one hurts me,” Mindy explained.

Keith wrote another word: loneliness.

“I was sad when Carl died. I didn't think I would ever smile again,” Mindy cried. She looked at Dr. Forrester. “My father didn't let me cry. He told me crying wouldn't help bring Mommy and Carl back.”

This time he penned the word “depression.”

Loss. Loneliness. Depression. The devil's tools.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Dr. Forrester said, “Today I'm giving you permission. Mindy, go ahead and cry.”

Mindy's shoulders shook and she wailed. Keith's heart constricted. He could not remain silent any longer. “I know you feel alone, but God is here. He can fill that void,” he said.

Mindy grabbed him and sobbed into his chest. “I felt lonely when I met Michael.”

Keith released her and picked up his notepad.

The doctor took over the conversation. “How did you feel meeting Michael?”

“He was nice to me. He spoke to me and treated me like I was a human being,” Mindy offered. “I couldn't wait to see him.”

“Did he do or say anything you weren't comfortable with?”

Mindy shook her head. “Michael was my friend. He wouldn't hurt me.”

Keith's heart rejoiced at her confident words. He knew Michael was innocent but her words were confirmation.
Thank you, Lord!

“Tell me about that night,” the doctor commanded.

“I'd been with Elle G.”

Keith wrote the name down. Mindy had mentioned this person before. He tapped his chin with his pen. Was this a real person, or another personality?

“Who's Elle G?” Dr. Forrester asked.

“She's a friend. Well, she's Mousie's friend. Mousie met her outside the club at Finn's,” Mindy whispered conspiratorially. “Mousie was a stripper. I think she did it because if my father ever found out, he'd blow the roof.”

Keith was no expert but this sounded like resentment and rebellion. However, Mindy had taken it to a whole other level. Now he understood why God had placed him on three days of fasting and prayer. She needed deliverance.

He continued to listen to her recap. “Mousie met up with Elle G at the Ritz-Carlton. She'd brought wine. I don't drink, but Elle G convinced Mousie to try it. Mousie didn't care for the taste either but she had a friend. She only drank one glass to calm her nerves, but it made all of us woozy. It was worth it though. For the first time, Mousie had a girlfriend. Mousie and Elle G talked and laughed, mostly about Michael.

“Then Elle G suggested Mousie e-mail Michael and invite him over. I told Mousie I was scared, but Elle G told us Michael loved me too. He was simply scared to admit it because he was my father's friend.”

It sounded like Elle G was manipulating her. Keith noted Mindy had now switched to “I.” It was confusing, but he was keeping up. He glanced over at the doctor who was scribbling on her notepad. One thing he knew, this job required patience.

As a minister, he spent hours counseling and talking with his parishioners. He could relate.

Dr. Forrester gave him a warm smile before coaching Mindy to keep talking.

“My legs were shaking. When Elle G saw how frightened I was, she offered to stay with me. She gave me the skimpiest piece of lingerie I'd ever seen. I went into the bathroom to change. I . . .”

Dr. Forrester asked, “Do you need to stop?”

“No, I've got to face this,” Mindy said. “I want to continue.”

“What happened when you went into the bathroom?”

She grabbed Keith's hand again as if to make sure he was still there. “I cut myself.”

Mindy kept her eyes on him as she said it. Keith schooled his expression. There was no way she would know how affected he was by her words. But being a parent himself, Keith was shaken. If that were Epiphany . . .

Mindy continued talking. “So Mousie took over. She cleaned me up and got me dressed and I left the bathroom. I wobbled. I remember vowing never to drink again. I got on the bed. Elle G promised she'd wait in the bathroom.”

“What did you use to cut yourself?” the doctor asked.

“I have a small blade. I carry it in my bag sometimes. That's why Elle G didn't see it either. I lay on the bed and waited for Michael to come. He would pick up the extra card at the front desk. Elle G had worked it all out. I got nervous. I reached for the blade,” Mindy said.

That explains the blood.
It had been everywhere.

Mindy continued, “Michael came in. As soon as he saw me, he said, ‘Mindy! Who did this to you? What happened?' By then, I was barely conscious, but I remembered saying, ‘Why? Why did you do it? You hurt me and all I did was love you.'”

Goose bumps rose on Keith's flesh for the second time. Mindy had repeated verbatim what Michael had said. He interjected. “Why did you say that to Michael?”

Dr. Forrester intervened. “Pastor Ward, let her—”

Keith continued. He had to know. “Mindy, why did you say those words?”

Mindy's face was flushed and flooded with tears. “I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was confused. It was Baby who said those words. She was talking to my brother. She was talking to Carl.”

Keith excused himself. He rushed outside and stumbled over to his vehicle. Once inside, he released a warrior's cry. He gripped the wheel. All Mindy had was a mere apology for ruining Michael's reputation and for throwing him behind bars. Keith knew she was sick. Mindy was tortured, but he was human.

“Oh, God,” he cried. “Her illness put my brother in serious trouble.” He knew he should feel relief the truth was out. Instead, Keith grappled to control his anger.

He should be rejoicing but he wanted to . . . he wanted to shake Mindy, to scream and yell some mean words. “Help me, Jesus. Help me see her as you see her 'cause I'm struggling right now.”

Keith leaned his head on the dash of his vehicle and communed with God, meditating on His soothing voice.

He heard a rap on his window. It was Mindy. “Do you hate me?” she asked.

Her question tore at him. He could not provide a suitable response without lying.

Keith narrowed his eyes. He could not say yes. He could not say no. He wanted to say yes, but knew he should say no. And so it went.

So, instead, Keith shared a Biblical truth. “God loves you and He forgives you.”

“I'm going to the police station to talk to the officer,” Mindy said.

Keith wanted to go home and work out the punching bag. However, he was still on God's job. He thought of several young men who were dying to be ordained ministers. If they only knew.

“I'll be right beside you every step of the way,” he encouraged her.

Keith watched Mindy trot over to her vehicle. She kept looking back until Keith gave her a reassuring wave. Mindy didn't have anything to worry about. Keith was not going anywhere.

What choice did he have? God had chosen him for this path. He was the vehicle God would use for her healing. Keith started up the truck and followed her out of the parking lot, but he was not done whining to God.

“Three?” Keith voiced. Michael. Mindy. Who was the third? Several possibilities ran through his mind, but then Keith gave up. He was learning to stop predicting what he thought God would do. God did whatever He pleased. He would just have to wait to find out.

 

 

“But what about the condom found on the scene?” Nigel questioned. “Did Mindy mention that when she spoke?” The two men were at the coffee shop across from the district attorney's office. Keith had called Nigel to assist in the meeting with the district attorney the next morning. He had called the meeting as soon as Mindy had finished her statement at the police station.

Keith shook his head. “No, she didn't. She's made it clear she never slept with Michael. How his DNA ended up there will remain an enigma. Michael has no clue and I've presented several scenarios but he's holding firm he has never stayed in that room.”