The Veil (30 page)

He shook his head yes.

“Well, she and her husband won't grow spiritually as long as they're in your ministry. She's done all she can do for you. Now, it's time for her to help her husband. You've got to let them go.”

“What am I going to do?”

“God will send the help you need.”

For the rest of the evening, Misha ministered to him about the goodness of God and she corrected his selfish behavior. He sat and listened quietly to her. His mood went from sadness to anger to conviction. Misha prayed for him and asked God to open his eyes and give him direction on what he should do in his ministry.

“God is changing your focus. You must change with it. If not, God will surely correct you. You're a man of God and He loves you. God will chastise whom he loves. Therefore, you have to walk in obedience. So does your sister.”

“You know, you're the only one who seems to understand me.”

“It's not me. It's the Holy Spirit using me.”

 

 

The following day, Bernard arrived early to pick up Misha for the Empowerment Day Parade. When they arrived at the parade site she found out Bernard was riding on a float in the parade, and he asked her to ride with him. Before they boarded the float, several photographers gathered around them, taking pictures. He spoke to one of the photographers and the man agreed to take a picture of them posing together.

Misha sat back on the float feeling like the queen of the parade. She waved to the people who filled the streets while Bernard lip-synced to one of his songs blaring from a speaker. He glanced back at her and smiled. She returned his smile and continued waving at the crowd. Misha had to admit she was enjoying the star treatment. It was something she could get use to.

After the parade, as they walked back to their car, a young man walked up to them and asked for an autograph. Misha couldn't help but see his hurt and pain. Misha took the young man aside from the crowd that had gathered to meet Bernard.

“This may sound awkward. But you are a good kid. I see it in you,” Misha said to the young man. “You have a lot on your shoulders right now trying to study and take care of your mother.”

Startled, the young man stepped back. “How did you know about my mom?”

“The Holy Spirit told me. When she gets out of rehab, this time, she will be a changed woman. You'll see.”

“I'm trying to do the right thing. I had to quit school to take care of my little brother. I work during the day and study for my GED at night.” The words poured out of the young man's mouth. “My mom has been in and out of rehab, eight or nine times. I don't want my brother to end up in foster care. Somebody's got to take care of both of them.”

“This time . . .” Misha hesitated. She looked toward Bernard, who was staring at her. She returned to the young man and continued, “This time it will be different. Your mother is sincere and has been praying for healing. God is going to honor that prayer. As for you, there is a college scholarship waiting for you. Look for it. It will surely come.”

“Thank you. Thank you,” the young man exclaimed. He hugged Misha tightly. “I've got to go. Thank you so much for the word.” The young man turned and disappeared into the crowd.

“You're a prophet,” Bernard stated after the young man walked away. “I saw the way you ministered to that guy. You looked right into his soul.”

“I am who God says I am.”

He smiled and hugged her. Her baby moved again. This thrilled him and he laughed louder. He was happy with this woman and her child, who kicked him every chance she got.

When he was away from her he was miserable and he made up excuses to come back to Atlanta just to see her. How could he leave her again? It was getting tough. She was special. Her baby was special. He felt at home in her apartment—cleaning and eating ham sandwiches. No one would ever let him do that. Everyone was always fussing over him. But Misha—she let him be himself. She let him be a man, the man. He was a happy man with his Misha and her karate kid.

Misha's dreams had come true. She sat back at her parents' home, watching her mother throw commands at Justin. It was Thanksgiving and she was thirty weeks pregnant and growing larger every day. Her mother did not want her to do any work, including the multiple trips to the store she always sent her on. This year was Justin's turn and Misha was enjoying every minute of it.

Justin returned, singing, from his third trip to the only grocery store that was open on Thanksgiving Day. He placed the bags on the table, pulled a
Jet
magazine out of the bag, and sat down at the table beside Misha. “You know, Mama, there are people in our family that love to keep secrets from us,” he said as he flipped through the pages of the magazine.

“What you talking about, Justin?” his mother asked.

“I'm only saying someone in here has been keeping a secret from us.”

Misha looked up from a magazine of her own that she was reading. “What are you talking about, Justin?”

“Well, I was standing in that long line at the store when I picked up this
Jet
magazine to kill some time. Lo and behold there was a very interesting picture in it. So I bought the magazine.”

“Let me see.” Misha snatched the magazine from him. She flipped the pages. “What picture are you talking about?”

Justin leaned back in his chair with a big smile on his face. “Keep looking. You'll know the one I'm talking about when you see it.”

Misha continued flipping the pages and stopped at a picture of her and Bernard Taylor. The caption read: “Bernard Taylor and his gal pal Misha Holloway at the Atlanta Empowerment Day Parade.” Misha's mouth flew open. She stared at the picture of the two of them hugging each other around the waist, smiling and waving to the crowd. She briefly remembered the moment and smiled. Then, she noticed Justin looking at her.

“Well, do you have something to tell us?”

“Oh, this is nothing. I met him and we took a picture at the parade.” She couldn't tell them she knew him personally and had been spending time with him. She knew how her mother would act. Her daughter knew Bernard Taylor. She would be asking him to do programs at her church for the next fifty years. She couldn't tell them they were friends and spoke to each other almost every day, sometimes two or three times a day. She definitely could not tell them she was attracted to him.

“You met who?” Her mother walked over, wiping her hands on her apron. She lifted the magazine and looked at the picture. “You know Bernard Taylor? Why didn't you tell us? It's just like you to keep this a secret from us.”

“Mom, I met him. That's all.”

“The book says you're his gal pal. Look at what you're wearing. You couldn't find anything better to wear for a picture in
Jet?
Oh my goodness, I'm going to have to call Mama.” She wiped her hands on her apron.

“Mom, think how upset Aunt Mattie is going to be when she finds out your little girl is in
Jet
magazine with Bernard Taylor,” Misha said with a crooked smile. “We can wait until she gets here with Uncle Paul or we can call her now and tell her.”

Her mother raced to the phone on the wall. Misha laughed when she heard her mother telling Aunt Mattie about the picture. She had never seen her mother so excited about anything she did.

“So how long have you known him?” Justin asked Misha.

“A little while. Listen to Mama. By the end of the day, all of Atlanta will know about the picture in
Jet.
”

“You don't tell anybody anything do you? You could have told me.”

“I didn't want anybody to know. Besides, Bernard is very private.”

“You two dating?”

“Naw, it's not like that. We're only friends. That's all.” Misha returned to her magazine.

Misha forced herself up from the chair just as Pam and the children walked into the house. After greeting them, she stepped into the carport and punched in Bernard's number. A loud scream came from the house. Apparently someone showed Pam the picture.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” Bernard said when he answered the phone.

“‘Gal pal,' Bernard?” Misha walked out into the yard.

“Aren't you going to wish me a happy Thanksgiving?”

“Why didn't you tell me about the picture?”

“I wondered how long it was going to take you to find out. Who told you?”

“My brother saw it. Now my mother is telling everybody who will listen about it. I'm sure she's going to send Justin to the store to get more copies.”

Bernard laughed.

“What are you laughing about? It's not funny. You should have told me.”

“You're right. I should have. I wanted to surprise you.”

“Please don't do that again. If I had known, I would have worn something else. That outfit made me look fat.”

“You looked like a beautiful pregnant lady. They asked me if your baby was mine and when she was due.”

Justin walked out of the house, putting on his coat. “Misha, Mama's sending me to the store to get some more copies of the magazine. Do you want one?”

“No, I'm fine.”

“Who are you talking to?” he asked, noticing the phone to her ear.

“None of your business.”

“You're talking to him aren't you?” He ran to the door leading into the kitchen, telling Pam and his mother that Misha was talking to Bernard Taylor. Her mother and Pam ran out of the house, screaming and smiling.

“See what you did?” Misha returned to her phone call.

“Is that Bernard Taylor? Let me speak to him.” Pam reached for the phone and Misha twisted away from her.

“Bernard, my mother and sister-in-law want to speak to you.”

He laughed. “It's okay. Put them on the phone.”

She handed the phone to her mother and listened while she interrogated him. Misha knew he was enjoying every minute of the conversation without hearing his voice.

“Mama, you better check on your food,” Misha reminded her.

Her mother handed the phone to Pam, who tried to act as if she spoke to celebrities every day. Speaking to him briefly, she handed the phone back to Misha and walked into the house.

“See what you did? You should have warned me.”

He continued laughing. He seemed so thrilled about the picture. Misha was excited too but she did not want him to know. They looked good together, like a couple in love. She sighed. He was not Matthew.
God, if this is not what you ordained, please stop it now. This guy is too good to be true.
Misha was falling hard. She had to stop it and trust God that Matthew would be with her soon.

“I'm getting ready to go to my parents' for dinner,” Bernard said. “Call me when you get home this evening. I should be home about eight.”

“Do your parents know?”

“I told my parents about you before we were ever introduced.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Misha, I've got to go. Call me this evening.” That was one thing she did not like about him: he had a way of avoiding questions. She stared at the phone in her hand. What did he mean by telling his parents before they met? The question would have to wait; Miracle was hungry.

This Thanksgiving, Misha was the center of attention. Not because she was pregnant, but because she knew Bernard Taylor. Her family wanted to know every detail. Her mother asked her if he could do a concert for her church.

Misha rushed home from her parents' house to call Bernard. She wanted to set him straight and make sure he knew not to do that again. Thinking about the parade, she realized Bernard had arranged the picture the day of the parade when he asked the photographer to take the shot. But when she heard his voice on the phone, she forgot what she was going to say. He apologized for not telling her about the picture and promised not to do it again.

They continued their conversation until Misha became too tired to talk. They had so much in common. She could talk to him, unlike Roger. He wanted to know her dreams and vision. No one had ever asked her that before. She told him every detail of her completing her master's degree and probably opening up a private tutorial school. She shared with him that God told her she would be moving to Washington. She did not know when or how. All she knew was God sent her places to minister and she did what He said. She talked until she had nothing more to say.

The following day, she decided to call Judy to tell her about the picture. She did not want Judy to find out like her family. To her surprise, Judy already knew about the picture and said she was wondering when Misha would tell her. Her husband stopped her from calling several times to ask her about Bernard. She could not convince Judy they were only friends. Judy insisted there was chemistry between them that showed up in the picture.

“You're putting too much into that picture,” Misha said.

“I know what I see. There's something going on between you two.”

“I'm in my third trimester. I could deliver any day. No man in his right mind would be interested in me.”

“A man in love is not in his right mind.”

“Bernard doesn't love me. Besides, you know my husband's name is Matthew.”

“I know what I see. The two of you were glowing.”

“You have a vivid imagination. I've got to go.”

She hung up the phone.
Glowing? We were not glowing.
She was in total disagreement with what Judy said. Everybody was reading too much into the picture. As she lifted the magazine, she could see it too. How could she be so obvious? He was such a nice guy; she would have to tell him about Matthew soon. Then it will be left to God. She hated to lose him as a friend.