What God Has For Me (12 page)

Knocking on her door, Paisley walked in
without waiting for an invitation or taking note of the evidence
that she was about to leave. Halcyon’s purse on her shoulder and
Ashanti’s tiny backpack hung loosely on her back. “Is everything
okay between you and Zachary? I noticed you two seemed kind of
distant.”

Halcyon didn’t hide her irritation by rolling
her eyes. She placed one hand on her hip and was about to act ugly
when the Lord seemed to extract the harsh words ready to fire from
her mouth, reminding her of James 3:8-10, which she had read that
morning:
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil,
full of deadly poison.
 
Therewith
we bless God, even the Father; and therewith we curse men, which
are made after the similitude of God.
 
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and
cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Instead of saying, mind your own business
and stay out of mine
, Halcyon smiled until it felt genuine. “I
appreciate your concern for me, Paisley, but we’re trusting the
Lord to work everything out for our good. I can’t tell you where it
is in the Bible or quote it word for word, but for those who love
God, all things work together for good. See, it will be all
right.”

Paisley turned down her lip in
disappointment. Evidently that wasn’t the scoop she wanted to hear.
“Well, pray on.” Without another word, she waved and walked out of
the office.

Halcyon turned off the light and ushered the
children down the hallway. She couldn’t help but smile. Hmm.
Resisting the devil by mentioning Jesus’ name, really does make the
devil flee. Yay.

On Sunday, Halcyon slid into the pew next to Zachary.
She knelt, prayed and took her seat as the praise team was warming
up. “Hi,” her voice was soft.

“You look pretty.” Zachary smiled. “Always
do. Where are my sidekicks?”

“I enrolled them in children’s church today.”
Halcyon stared at him. He was one fine man, the perfect
package.

Then she looked away toward the praise team
and tapped her foot to an old gospel artist, Byron Cage, favorite,
“We Love You.”

Zachary watched her body language when he
should have been focusing on the service. She seemed nervous as she
fumbled with her fingers. He reached for her hand and squeezed it.
When she glanced at him, Zachary smiled. “We’re more than
conquerors in Christ Jesus. Everything will be okay.”

“Thank you.” Halcyon closed her eyes and when
she opened them, they were glazed over. “I’ve missed you so much,”
she mouthed.

“I’m here, babe. I’m here. I need to be sure,
and you need to be sure about us. That is the only way we’ll work…
permanently.” When the praisers asked everyone to stand, Zachary
pulled Halcyon to her feet. Then he stretched out his arms and
began to worship God, praying for deliverance.

Soon, the worship service ended, and the
pastor stood at the podium to deliver the morning sermon. Zachary
snuck one more glance at Halcyon, who appeared relaxed.

Pastor Reed greeted the congregation and
welcomed the guests. “Praise the Lord, everybody! A while back, I
preached that without a test, there is no testimony. And God let me
know in my spirit that the saints are really going through some
rough trials, whether it’s a job, children, marriage, or finances.
Whatever it is, be encouraged, go through with faith in God, hang
in there, and look straight ahead. Keep your eyes focused on the
prize.”

Every word of encouragement seemed to pump
Zachary’s spiritual heart faster, so much so that he didn’t realize
he had scooted to the edge of his seat as if to capture the next
words that would spill out of his pastor’s mouth. But the sermon
ended too soon to his disappointment.

“Let me close today by referring you to the
last book in the Bible. The Word of God is full of promises.
Revelation outlines seven of those promises to overcomers in
chapters two, three and twelve. Refresh your mind with these
assurances when you become discouraged or impatient.”

Pastor Reed closed his Bible and extended the
call for discipleship. “I know some things are easier said than
done, which is why I’m asking you to come to the altar, repent of
your sins, as the Bible says, and be baptized in the name of Jesus,
as the Bible says and He will fill you with his Spirit with the
evidence of speaking in other tongues, as the Bible says. That is
how you have the strength to overcome….”

The service continued to be charged as seven
souls requested the baptism in Jesus’ name and before Pastor Reed
had proclaimed the benediction, two of them—both men—came out of
the water with the Holy Ghost, displaying the evidence of speaking
in other tongues. Another wave of praise spread throughout the
sanctuary.

“Feel better?” Zachary captured Halcyon’s
hands in his at the close of the service. She looked better than
when she first walked in.

“Yes.”

“You know I’m praying and rooting for you to
be an overcomer in your heart and mind. I’ve waited five plus years
for you…”
And it’s killing me,
he didn’t say, but struggled
to say, “I’ll continue to give you space until you come to me and
tell me you’re over the hurt from Scott and the uncertainty about
me—us,” he said, hugging her. “But you’ve got to come to me,
Bridget,” he added, then turned her over to Granny Rose and Mrs.
Holland for their hugs.

Lord, please don’t let her take too much
longer. I am beyond patience.

***

Halcyon didn’t want Zachary to let her go—not
physically or in his heart. The message hit home. She knew she
loved him in a way she didn’t think possible toward her “big
brother.”
Lord, I want to be that overcomer so that the
bitterness against Scott is gone from my heart.
Please help
me, because I don’t want to lose Zachary, but I can’t give him my
whole heart not yet.

Zachary had never felt worse. As a matter of fact,
the pain wasn’t easing. He barely made it inside Michael’s
electronic showroom when he practically collapsed in a nearby
chair. Not one to make a scene, Zachary felt he just needed to rest
a few minutes and catch his breath, but then he realized that was
the source of his pain. It seemed like breathing was causing his
pain to magnify.

“Mr. Bishop, you don’t look too well,” an
associate fussed over him. “I’m going to get your brother.”

Closing his eyes, Zachary measured his
breath, so as not to inhale too deeply. What was wrong with him
anyway? He couldn’t remember the last time he was sick. He moaned.
His brain was hurting thinking about being ill. He figured he’d
better go home and get in bed. What if he was contagious or dying
or…

“Hey, man. What’s wrong?” Michael’s voice
seemed to echo around him and cause more pain.

Zachary opened one eye and tried to focus.
Forget it.
That took too much effort.

“You look terrible, and I hope whatever
you’ve got, I don’t catch it.” When Michael touched his shoulder,
he pulled his hand back. “Zach, I think you’re sick. You’re burning
hot.”

Straining, Zachary forced both eyes open.
“Thanks for your diagnosis. I think I’m going to head home and call
a real doctor in the morning.” After two attempts, Zachary was able
to stand with Michael’s and an employee’s assistance.
How
embarrassing
. The pain punched his gut to the point where he
had to ease back into the chair.

“Mr. Bishop,” the employee said, getting both
of their attention. “I mean, Michael, I think you need to take your
brother to urgent care.”

Zachary was too weak to protest as Michael
gave the woman instructions. Jingling his keys, which seemed to
ring in Zachary’s ear, he let his brother slowly guide him out to
his car.

Once he was strapped in, Zachary closed his
eyes. He was about to throw up as his brother drove off. Before
Michael could make it to a light, he pulled over, just in time for
Zachary to relieve his stomach of what appeared to be this
morning’s breakfast, yesterday’s dinner and possibly yesterday’s
lunch too.”

“Ugh,” Michael said. “I’m taking you to
MoBap’s emergency room.”

Zachary didn’t argue as a sharp pain seemed
to stab him in the side. He didn’t want to go, but when he felt
another punch to his gut, he asked how close they were to the
hospital.

“Close,” was all Michael would say as Zachary
prayed that he would pass out as a solution to numb the pain.

It seemed like forever, but they finally
arrived and Zachary was guided into a wheel chair and wheeled into
the hospital. That’s when everything went black.

Opening his eyes, Zachary studied his
unfamiliar surroundings. He turned his head from the left to the
right before spying a nurse in a cubicle area.
?
Lying flat
on his back, he was wrapped in a cocoon of sheets and felt strapped
to a gurney. “What happened to me?” His voice was too weak to make
a sound above a whisper.

When he moaned, the nurse looked his way,
then stood and took her time coming to his side. “Welcome back, Mr.
Bishop.” She smiled, but at the moment, Zachary didn’t feel happy
enough to smile back. He felt like someone had drugged him.

“What happened”—he paused to conserve his
strength.—“to me?”

“Your appendix ruptured. That was the source
of the pain your family member told us you were having.” She patted
his arm.

Okay, so I didn’t die.
Zachary’s heavy
lids drifted closed. He returned to that peaceful place where the
pain was gone.

What was going on? Someone was shaking him.
No, his bed was moving and whoever was doing the driving didn’t
slow down for the curves. Zachary was more alert this time when he
opened his eyes. The nurse he saw before was nowhere in sight.
Coming into view were Michael and Desi, smiling as he was rolled
into a hospital room. His two male drivers parked him alongside a
narrow bed, then heaved him from one bed to the other. They pulled
the rails up on both sides and left.

“You had us scared, big bro,” Michael said.
Desi nodded.

“I’ve never experienced a pain like that
before in my life!” Zachary eyed the IV stand and wondered if it
could get him a shot of pain relief. He was sore and aching, so he
might as well get a head start.

Minutes later, Mrs. Holland, Granny Rose,
Tracey and Halcyon flooded his room. Concern was etched on all
their faces. Everyone seemed to fade to the background as Halcyon’s
beautiful face shone with clarity. She had been crying.

Granny Rose was the first to speak… or rather
fuss, “Don’t you ever scare us like that again. You had me praying
the minute Desi called me.”

“I missed a meal to get here,” Tracey
teased.

The last thing on Zachary’s mind was food
after the nausea and the pain he had experienced most of the
day.

“Looks like you’re going to need a nursemaid
for a couple of days,” Mrs. Holland stated as she hovered over him.
“I would suggest a bland diet—”

“Please, let’s not talk about food.” Zachary
held up his hands. “I’m getting nauseous just hearing about
it.”

“Okay, sweetie. That’s understandable.” Mrs.
Holland rubbed his foot.

“I’ll do it,” Halcyon volunteered. “I can
work from your home.” She came closer as the family seemed to part
a path for her. Sitting gently on the edge of his bed, she took his
hand and squeezed it.

“Then I accept. There is no way I’m going to
turn down the services of a pretty nurse.”

Zachary’s doctor entered his room and
introduced himself. After checking on Zachary and addressing his
concerns, the doctor fielded questions from the family, which gave
Zachary more than enough information for his recovery.

The next morning, Zachary was discharged and
placed in Halcyon’s care to take him home. Michael had given his
mother-in-law his spare house key, so Mrs. Holland and Granny Rose
could let themselves in to cook and clean. Zachary couldn’t recall
what condition he had left his bachelor pad in, but he wasn’t messy
by nature, so he hoped everything was acceptable.

“How are my sidekicks?” His throat was still
scratchy as he got into his SUV with her behind the wheel.

Halcyon smiled. “Relieved that you’re okay,
and Ashanti refuses to read her books until she sees you. She slept
in the bed with me last night, crying for her daddy, and she wasn’t
talking about Scott.”

“That’s love.” Zachary tried to chuckle, but
it hurt, so he settled for a nod.

The ride back to his home was anything but
smooth. It had nothing to do with Halcyon’s driving or his vehicle
needing shocks. It seemed like his entire body was tender and he
felt the slightest road imperfections.

As his SUV rounded the corner, he saw an
unfamiliar sight in the distance. “Wow, I’m not used to all this
attention. Balloons?” They were swinging from stings tied to his
mailbox.

“And the children made you get well cards, so
get used to it, because you are about to get pampered, Mr.
Bishop.”

“Hmm. I am so liking the sound of that.” He
grinned, then grunted when Halcyon rolled over a speed bump in the
street.

***

Halcyon loved him. It took her a while…no, an
emergency to realize her heart was taking too long to mend and she
was ready to move forward. And she planned to nurse him back to
health with all the love she had, so they could grow as a
couple.

When she pulled up to Zachary’s driveway and
honked, Michael came out the door to help Zachary in the house
while Halcyon trailed with his bag of belongings. The screams of
“Welcome Back!” greeted him as the garage door to the kitchen
opened.

Besides Halcyon’s mom and Granny Rose, all
the children were there. Tracey’s two boys, little MJ and hers too.
The relief on her daughter’s face as soon as she saw Zachary was
heartwarming. Halcyon had felt the same way when she saw him lying
in that hospital bed.