Read The Perfect Christian Online
Authors: E. N. Joy
The Perfect Christian (18 page)
Chapter Thirty-eight
The drive from Ohio to West Virginia was silent, in Terrance's car anyway. Now in Margie's car that followed behind them, that was a different story. Margie and Unique prayed out loud most of the time. Bethany did some praying too, but mostly slept, resting her body. That's the only way her husband, Uriah, finally agreed to allow her to make the tripâif she promised to not be all worked up and rest her body.
Mother Doreen knew her sister and sisters in Christ were praying for her. She could feel it. There was no other explanation for how calm and relaxed her spirit and her mind were. There was no nervousness and no anxiety as she rode the entire time, finishing all but the last twenty pages or so of the journal.
“Well, here we are.” Terrance exhaled and threw the car in park after pulling up into the parking lot of the facility where his mother resided.
Mother Doreen admired the well kept lawn. “Wow, what lovely grounds,” she complimented. “Look at all the lovely flowers and the beautiful rosebushes.”
“Yeah, well, they don't mean much when you can't come outside, take them in, and enjoy them. When you can't do that, well, I guess, they're just like any old plant in the ground.” Terrance got out of the car. To Mother Doreen's astonishment, he walked around and opened her door. She looked up at him with surprise. “Spite what you and your church folks think, I am a gentleman.”
Mother Doreen nodded and allowed him to help her out of the car. Just as he closed the door behind her, Bethany, Margie, and Unique came over.
“Whoa, all y'all not coming up in here.” Terrance held his hands up.
“The heck if we ain't,” Unique spoke up. “No telling what you might do to her behind closed doors.”
“Look, if I wanted to do something stupid, I could have easily lost you all on the drive here,” Terrance countered.
“Well, we already know you're capable of doing something stupid. You did that back at the church. It's you doing something outright insane that gives me pause,” Unique shot back.
“I appreciate you all following along,” Mother Doreen interrupted, “but Terrance is right. I don't think all of us going in there is going to be good for his mother. Why don't you all go grab something to eat, or just stay out here or in the lobby or something, and pray?”
“We could have stayed back at the church with Deborah and Pastor Frey to pray.” Unique rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Or went with Paige to eat.”
Paige had stayed back in Malvonia because her blood sugar level had dropped and she needed to eat and get some rest.
“I think Mother Doreen is right.” Margie patted Unique on her shoulder to calm her down. “I'm sure this place has security and Mother Doreen will be okay. Let's just go grab a bite, and then come back for Mother Doreen to drive her home.” Margie looked from one person to the next. “How does that sound to everybody ?”
All nodded in agreement, including Uniqueâreluctantly.
Each woman gave Mother Doreen a hug and retreated back to the car. Unique was the last to embrace Mother Doreen. After doing so, she cut her eyes at Terrance and reminded him, “Don't forget; I
will
fight a man,” then joined the other women at the car.
will
fight a man,” then joined the other women at the car.
“Oh, don't pay her no never-mind,” Mother Doreen said to Terrance.
“Trust me, I'm not,” he assured her.
Terrance led the way up the walkway and into the building. Once inside, Mother Doreen admired the interior décor just as much as she had admired the exterior. A beautiful place indeed it was. Mother Doreen thought in her head how much Terrance must really love his mother in order to provide only the best for her. This place looked to be one of the best.
“Well, hello, Mr. T,” the woman at the sign-in desk said to Terrance as soon as she buzzed him through the double doors.
“Hello to you too, Rhoda.”
Rhoda looked down at her watch. “It's kind of late for you to be visiting on a Saturday. I didn't think you were going to make it in today.”
“Oh, yeah, well, I had some things I had to do today. But I'm here.”
“And we are so glad you are here indeed,” she blushed.
Mother Doreen stood back and watched the exchange take place between Rhoda and Terrance. It took a moment for Rhoda to take her eyes off of him and even notice that Mother Doreen was there.
“Oh, you brought someone with you?” The smile that had been plastered upon Rhoda's face after seeing Terrance somewhat faded as her eyes darted back and forth between Mother Doreen and Terrance.
“Yes, I did.” Terrance turned to acknowledge Mother Doreen's presence. He also noticed the questioning look on Rhoda's face. “It's okay.”
“Are you sure? Miss Casinoff isn't used to any other visitors besides yourself. You know, ever since your grandmother passed, you've been the only one to come visit her.”
“Yes, I'm sure, Rhoda. Thanks for your concern, though.”
“Well, all right. You know the drill. I just need the two of you to sign is all.”
Terrance signed in, then moved to the side so Mother Doreen could do the same. Afterward, Rhoda hit a button. There was a buzzing sound, and another set of double doors opened for them.
“Thanks, Rhoda,” Terrance said as he and Mother Doreen made their way through the doors.
“No problem, Mr. Terrance,” Rhoda smiled. “No problem at all.”
Terrance led the way down the corridor.
“She seems like a fine woman,” Mother Doreen spoke, referring to Rhoda.
“Oh, who, Rhoda?” Terrance played it off. “Yeah, she's good peoples. She's been a good friend to me and my mother during all the years my mother has been here.”
“She seems nice. And it seems like she wouldn't mind being a little more than just a friend to you.”
Terrance shrugged as if he hadn't noticed Rhoda's huge smile toward him and all her blushing.
“And with good reason too. You're not too bad looking of a fellow. Remind me a lot of my Willie back in the day. Oh, the way he could get the girls to go crazy for him without even trying.”
Terrance stopped in his track and turned to face Mother Doreen. “Yeah, tell me about itâDrive 'Em Crazy Willie. That should have been his nickname.”
Mother Doreen covered her mouth. “Oh goodness. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it.”
Her last comment gave Terrance second thoughts. “I'm not sure if this is such a good idea after all. What if you say something in there that pushed my mother away even deeper?” He shook his head. “I'd never forgive myself ifâ”
Mother Doreen interrupted him, resting her hand on his shoulder. “I promise you, I'll leave my flesh right out here in this hallway. I'll let my every word be directed by the Holy Spirit. What I just said a second ago, I honestly didn't mean anything by it.”
“I'm sure you didn't, butâ”
Again, Mother Doreen cut him off. She would not allow him to talk himself out of the decision he'd made to allow her to come see his mother. “You said you'd do anything to try to get your mother back right again.”
“But the doctors have already tried so much.” Doubt laced Terrance's every word and was the only expression on his face.
“Then let me try what they probably have not. Let me try Jesus.”
The name of Jesus must have certainly had power, because Terrance turned and continued leading the way. “Well, this is it. This is my mother's room.”
Mother Doreen looked up at the door to see the name Lauren Casinoff written on a piece of white stock paper inserted in a slot.
“Are you okay?” Terrance asked with concern after he saw the color drain from Mother Doreen's face as she stared at the door.
At first, Mother Doreen didn't respond. She just held her chest and tried to catch her breath. Finally she was able to compose herself. “Yes, I'm okay. I'm fine.”
“Then are you ready to go in?” Terrance asked.
Inhaling a deep breath, Mother Doreen replied, “Yes; as ready as I'll ever be.” And on that note, Terrance opened the door, and once again, Mother Doreen found herself walking into room 111 where Lauren Casinoff would once again be on the other side in bed.
Chapter Thirty-nine
“Momma? Momma, it's me, Terrance,” he said upon entering the room. He looked over his shoulder and held his hand up for Mother Doreen to stay put where she stood, which was in the doorway. Terrance slowly crept over to his mother.
Mother Doreen couldn't see Lauren's face. She was lying in the bed facing the window opposite the direction of the door. The television was programmed to the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Mother Doreen looked around the quaint little room. She looked everywhere but at Lauren. During her visual tour she concluded that the room was nice and cozy. The bed was queen sized. A nice comfy-looking chair sat on each side of the bed. Over by the window was a couch with a coffee table. Next to the couch was an end table with a lamp on it and a Gideon Bible that in a lot of places served more as décor than a spiritual weapon. The Bible looked as though it had never been touched so Mother Doreen assumed it was for décor. Besides, according to Terrance, his mother probably didn't do much reading.
There was a closet and private bathroom as well. It was quite roomy if Mother Doreen didn't say so herself. She made note of each and every detail in the room. She wasn't big on designing or anything. Her sudden interest in eyeballing every corner of the room was to avoid eyeballing its occupant.
“Momma, there is someone here who would like to see you,” Mother Doreen heard Terrance say and knew it was only a matter of seconds before she could avoid eye contact no longer.
An encounter was about to take place; one Mother Doreen never imagined would. She never thought for one moment she'd have the opportunity to ever do what she was about to do today: ask Lauren Casinoff for her forgiveness.
“Is that okay, Momma?” Terrance asked his mother while he simultaneously signaled with his hand for Mother Doreen to step to his mother's bedside.
Mother Doreen took one step toward the bed. It was the hardest step she could ever remember taking. Just hours ago she'd glided down the aisle of her church sanctuary with ease in a failed effort to say, “I do,” to being Pastor Frey's wife. Now just taking one step was difficult. It was like she wasn't sure whether she could balance or not. If this was anything like a baby learning to take its first step, Mother Doreen wondered how they ever learned to walk.
Terrance swished his hand to hurry Mother Doreen along as if he wanted to get this over with just as much as she did. Mother Doreen picked up the pace until she finally stood next to him.
“See, Momma, look who's here. Do you know who this woman is?” Terrance asked Lauren.
Lauren's eyes were still fixed on the window. Finally looking at the woman, Mother Doreen could see a longing in her eyes as they stared out the window. They seemed to have such a longing; a longing for what was outside of that window. Fresh air. A blue sky. Green grass. Flowers. Life. Freedom. Yes! That was it. That was what Mother Doreen saw. A longing to be free, for behind Lauren's eyes was such bondage. Mother Doreen knew all about that.
Terrance nodded to Mother Doreen, his eyes asking her to speak wordsâto say something to his mother.
Mother Doreen cleared her throat. “Hello, uh, hi, Lauren.”
There was no response. Lauren just lay there continuing her visual plight on the outside world.
Terrance gently pulled Mother Doreen by the arm and stepped aside so that now Mother Doreen was blocking Lauren's view of the window. Now Lauren had no choice but to look at Mother Doreen.
That momentâthe moment Lauren lifted her eyes and they locked with Mother Doreen's, Mother Doreen thought she was going to fall out right then and there and end up being Lauren's neighbor in that place. The energy that generated just from eye contact was overwhelming to Mother Doreen. All the while, Lauren seemed to be unfazed.
“Hi, Lauren,” Mother Doreen spoke again. “You, you might not remember me.” She swallowed hard. “But my name is Doreen Tucker. I was Willie's wife.”
Mother Doreen didn't know if it was the mention of her name or Willie's that made Lauren's eyes light up like a lightbulb. All of a sudden, her hand began to flap up and down. Terrance bumped by Mother Doreen to attend to his mother.
“What? What is it, Momma? Is everything okay?” Terrance asked as his mother continued to flail her hand even faster. He looked at Mother Doreen, then back at his mother. “Is it her? Are you upset?” Still, all Lauren did was flail her hand. Terrance stood up and spoke to Mother Doreen. “I knew this wasn't a good idea. I can't believe I let you talk me into this,” he said, his eyes blaming Mother Doreen for upsetting his mother. “I hate that you came all this way, but I think you better find your friends and go.”
“Ummph, ummph.”
Both Mother Doreen and Terrance looked at Lauren, who was struggling to make moaning sounds.
Terrance rushed back down to her side. “Momma?” Mother Doreen could see the elation in Terrance's actions. She could tell that this was probably the most reaction he had gotten from his mother in a very long time. Although it wasn't much, he was willing to take it.
“Ummmph, ummph,” Lauren continued to moan, now gripping Terrance's fingers on his hand that he'd placed around hers.
Terrance looked at his mother intently as if someone had harmed her. Was she on her last breath and about to tell him who'd done it? “What, Mom? Please.”
“Nnnnnn . . .” Lauren swallowed hard and was finally able to say something that both Terrance and Mother Doreen could understand. “No.” She then looked from her son to Mother Doreen. “No. Stttttttttttttttttâstay.” She exhaled as if it had taken every breath in her body just to get those words out.
Mother Doreen watched as Terrance's shoulders began to heave up and down. He buried his face in his mother's bed to avoid them seeing the tears fall from his eyes. Hearing his mother speak after all these yearsâfinally hearing her voiceâhad moved him beyond measure.
“Ohhhhh . . . k-k-k-k-kay.” Lauren removed her hand from Terrance's, breathing heavily after forcing that last word out. She rested it on his head. It no longer flailed wildly, but now gently patted his head. “Ohhhhh . . . kah-kay. Iiiit-OK . . . ssssssssss-son,” she pushed out, which only made Terrance break down now so that he could no longer hide his emotions. His weeping filled the room.
At first, Mother Doreen didn't know what to do. She felt as though she was invading this special mother-son moment. So she did what she knew worked in every situation; she began to pray. Softly, Mother Doreen allowed words of prayer to flow from her lips. Her words could barely be heard. She was sure that the other occupants in the room were so engaged in each other that they didn't even hear her. Didn't notice her. Didn't even recall she was still in the room.
Figuring that perhaps this wasn't the right time to be there, she began to step backward in order to make a quiet exit while still praying. She had barely lifted her foot to take her first step backward when Lauren faintly spoke a word Mother Doreen could not understand. She looked at Terrance to see if he understood what she'd said since he was closer to her.
“She said, âNo,'” Terrance relayed to Mother Doreen, and then looked back at his mother. “No, what?” He wanted to be sure what his mother meant.
“No . . . leeeavve. Puuuhhh . . . puhleaze stay.” She swallowed again, out of breath, as if speaking each word was like running a marathon. “Tttttttttt . . .” she struggled. “Need ta . . . ta . . . talk . . . youuuuu.”
Terrance wiped his tears and sniffed as he stood up. “Looks like she does want you hereâwants to talk to you.”
Mother Doreen nodded and reversed her step forward again.
Lauren looked at her son, then back at Mother Doreen again. She then looked back at her son.
“You, you want me to go?” Terrance asked his mother. She immediately replied with a nod. Now Terrance stood there looking the same way Bethany had been looking when Mother Doreen wanted to be alone with Terrance back at the church. “But, Momma . . .” Terrance's words trailed off. This was the first time he'd ever been able to communicate with his mother verbally, and he wasn't about to let it be tainted with back talking. “Okay, Momma, but I'm going to be right outside that door if you need me.” He said those words to Lauren but was speaking to Mother Doreen. “And remember, if you need anything, you can always push the nurse's call button,” he added, knowing his mother had never used that button before.
Lauren nodded as Terrance reluctantly exited the room. After Terrance left, initially there was silence. Mother Doreen broke that silence by digging into her purse and pulling out the journal she'd read most of the entire ride there. “Oh, by the way, this belongs to you.”
Lauren looked at the journal.
“I hope you don't mind, but Terrance thought I should read it.” Mother Doreen got no reaction from Lauren. “I'll just go put it over here next to the Bible.” She walked over to the end table and placed the journal next to the Bible. She then stared out the window. She pretended to be admiring whatever it was Lauren had been so fixated on, but what she was really doing was taking a quick moment to ask God for directionâto order her steps and her words.
“En . . . End,” Lauren said, this time a little more relaxed, as if she was finally getting the hang of this talking thing.
“Huh? Excuse me?” Mother Doreen swiftly turned to face her.
“End.” Lauren swallowed, which seemed to help her words come out easier and clearer. “Did y . . . reeeeead endâtheeee end?”
“Oh, did I read the end of the journal?” Mother Doreen guessed, and Lauren nodded. “No, but I read most of it. I read enough to know that you were in love with my husband and that he hurt you very muâ”
“Sssssit.” Lauren looked at the chair next to her bed. “Si' chair.”
“Yes, of course.” Mother Doreen walked over to the chair and sat down.
Lauren swallowed twice. “I tell you,” Lauren said, now her words much clearer for Mother Doreen to understand. “I'll tell yyyy . . . ou the end.” Lauren coughed. Trying to get the words out had nearly choked her. In between coughs she managed to say, “Waaater.” She grabbed her throat. “Nur-urse! Waaater!”
Mother Doreen buzzed the nurse. When the nurse replied via the intercom, Doreen asked her if she would bring Lauren a pitcher of water. The nurse brought the water within minutes. She almost jumped for joy, but certainly cried tears of joy when she saw how well Lauren was doing. Before leaving Lauren alone with Mother Doreen, she took her vitals with promises of returning shortly with the doctor.
“This is nothing short of a miracle,” the nurse exclaimed. “Wait until your son finds out.”
“I think he knows already.” Mother Doreen was sure Terrance knew.
“Why that little . . . Wait until I . . .” the nurse flung her hand. “Anyway, Miss Casinoff, I'm calling your doctor pronto. Saturday night or not, I'm sure he's going to want to head right on over and see this for himself and examine you.”
The nurse exited the room. Once it was just Mother Doreen and Lauren alone again in the room, Lauren nodded toward the closet. “Shoe box. Closet. Top.”
Mother Doreen walked over to the closet and opened the door. On the top shelf was a shoe box. “This?” Mother Doreen asked Lauren over her shoulder. Once Lauren confirmed that's what she needed, Mother Doreen returned to Lauren's bedside with the shoe box in hand. She sat back down in the chair, placing the shoe box on the bed next to Lauren.
Mother Doreen watched Lauren struggle for a moment to get the lid off, then finally assisted her. Lauren fumbled around in the box before finding what she was looking for.
“Yours,” Lauren said, holding something out to Mother Doreen.
Mother Doreen opened her hand, and when the cold piece of metal rested in the palm of her hand, her mouth dropped opened. “My ring! My wedding ring. I'd given Willie permission to claim it from the jail property, but when I got out, he said he didn't know where it was. That he had lost it. Honestly, I thought he'd gambled it away or something.” Mother Doreen took her eyes off the ring and planted them on Lauren suspiciously. “But you have it.”
She slipped the ring on her finger. It still fit just like it did the day Willie slipped it on her finger after saying, “I do.” A part of her was glad to know what had really become of the ring. Another part of her wanted to know how Lauren had ended up with it. Within seconds, Mother Doreen would certainly find out. Lauren would tell her in her own words, just as well as she could get them out.
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