He encouraged Aimee to call the law and get a restraining order on LJ. Aimee couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She told him she would think about it, but she had a feeling LJ won’t be around anymore.
Aimee took a shower and put on some comfortable PJ’s, she was not going out anymore tonight. It has been forty five minutes since they left Dolli’s, but her food was still good reheated. Everyone had gone out but her and Aiden. The others offered to stay, but Aimee told them, if they did, she would lock herself in her room for the whole night.
An hour later, she was watching a movie alone. Aiden has not spoken to her since they left the restaurant and was in his room now. She wasn’t sure why, but she would give him his space. Mark and Tessa, called to check on her, thanks to James, and she received another lecture on pressing charges. She told everyone that she was fine and he wouldn’t bother her again.
Only if she could believe it herself. She went out to take a walk to her private beach spot, but she didn’t make it off the patio before turning back in the flat and double locking the back door. She turned to go watch another movie, when she hit a body hard as she turned.
She didn’t need to look up. She smelled his cologne. She took a step back and hit the door. “You are going to hurt yourself more, if you are not careful.” Aiden went to the refrigerator.
“Wow, he speaks.” She walked to the living room and sat on the couch.
She flipped through the stations, but she could not find anything on. Just as she laid the remote on the coffee table, Aiden walked in and took the spot beside Aimee and started eating the sandwich he just made.
Aimee didn’t look at him. She just kept looking at the TV. “You know, Aimee, you did a fine job convincing the others you are fine, but you can’t fool me.”
Aimee opened her mouth when the doorbell rang. “I got it, Aims.”
Aiden returned to the living area with Mark and Tessa. Tessa came and sat on the couch beside her. “Your voice was not as convincing as your words.”
Aiden sat in one of the chairs. “It seems I am not the only one you can’t fool. I just told her, she couldn’t fool me.”
Aimee looked at Tessa, with the tears in her eyes. They were all right, no matter how brave she tried to act, she was scared. “I was so afraid.” Her voice cracked as she spoke.
Tessa wrapped her in a motherly hug. As Aimee went through every detail of the evening with LJ, she watched Aiden grip his fist. “I wish I had let you go and hide at another table.”
Aiden looked at her, she was so scared. He came over and sat in front of her. “Hey. It is ok, we are here now. None of us thought he would go this crazy in public. If we did, I wouldn’t have listened to you.”
Aimee shook her head. “If I hadn’t been so stubborn, I wouldn’t be sitting here, crying with my face beat up again. I should have listened to Lexi and broke up with him over a text message.”
Mark came over and sat on the other side of Aimee. “Don’t dwell on the things you cannot change. It is just one of the devices the devil uses to bring you down.”
Aimee took a deep breath. “There is more I need to tell you, but please, don’t think I am crazy. But when Mia, our waitress, came to help me, I told her about the man and the lady left when she got there. Well, Mia told me, the people who told them about me, said I was alone and talking to myself.”
Aiden looked down at her. “That doesn’t make sense. How could they see you and not the man and woman? They were right beside you, right?”
“Yes, he was and she was on the sidewalk. But, I am confused about other things too. When the man sacked LJ and I fell into the bushes, everything went blurry, until after LJ ran away and the man came over to me.”
Mark looked at her questionably. “You never seen her face?”
“No, just a silhouette of her. I could tell she was a woman, but she never talked. One other thing, she brought a cup of tea for me to drink. It was so delicious. The man told me it was a family recipe.”
Tessa looked at the others and then Aimee. “What makes that weird?”
“When I was telling Mia all of this, I couldn’t find the cup or the ice bag to show her.” Aimee looked at Mark. “Do you believe in guardian angles?”
“Yes, I do. God knew what would happen today. Even if you would not let us be there with you, He was and God protected you today, Aimee.”
“I am so glad to hear you say that, I was afraid I was going crazy.”
Mark looked at her. “Aimee, honey, let me read Hebrews 13:2- Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. We never know when Gods angels are with us.”
“Thanks, Uncle Mark.” She hugged him. She needed to know she was not crazy. When they left, she told Aiden how the man looked at her with such loving and warming eyes. He just had to be an Angel.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next morning, Aimee’s face looked surprisingly well. The bruises had majorly lightened up. She had no problem using her make-up to cover them. Aimee walked in the doors of Wise Chapel with Aiden, Colin, and Kelli. Aimee noticed Mia standing beside Mark.
Aimee and Aiden walked over to Mark and Mia. Mark introduced Mia to Aiden; and then, Mia introduced her baby girl, Skylar, to them. Aimee ask Mia to sit with them through service; there was enough room for Mia and Skylar in their pew.
After Sunday school, Mark preached on Repenting to the Lord. He started the message by preaching from 2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. He talked about how simple it is to come to God.
He touched on how the wages of sin is death while, comparing the Glory of Heaven to the misery of Hell. Aimee listened closely as he talked about how to be careful to not become of the world. He was saying we live in this world, but we need to put ourselves aside from the worldly desires. Listen to the voice of God and remember that when God speaks to us, it is up to us, whether we listen to him or not.
He ended his sermon by reading from John Chapter Three 15-18 (15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.)
Mark began the alter call and Mia slipped out of the pew and walked to toward the altar to pray. Tessa and a few of the older ladies went to pray with her. When Mia rose up, Mark asked her if she had something she would like to share with the congregation.
Mia cleared her throat. “I knew God was real, but I have never paid much attention to Christianity, until yesterday. That is when God...” she had to regain composure the tears flowing from her eyes. “Yesterday my rent was due, and I didn’t have enough money to pay my rent and still buy the things I needed to care for my nine month old baby, Skylar. God sent an angel my way, who tipped me three hundred and fifty dollars. The exact amount I needed.”
Aimee had tears in her eyes, as the congregation listen to Mia explain what God had done for her in the past twenty-four hours. Aiden laid his hand on top of Aimee’s, the second she looked up at him, she saw the tears rolling down his face. “God turned a bad into a good.”
Aimee nodded as he took her hand. Without words, she knew what he needed. She walked beside him as he went to the altar to pray to God to forgive him and come into his life.
Mark raised from the alter and clapped his hand as he recited Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Aiden decided he did not want to wai
t to be baptized. Both he and Mia stated everyone that they wanted with them was here. Lexi offered to face time Aiden’s parents for him, when he told them he was getting baptized this morning, Aimee heard his mother praising God. Lexi held the camera, so they could watch their Prince Aiden be baptized in the name of the one true Prince, Jesus Christ.
Lunch that day was a true celebration. They invited Mia and Skylar to the Andrew’s for dinner. The group loved spoiling little Skylar. They also learned Mia was twenty two. She has a major in accounting, but she became pregnant her last semester of school. The guy bailed on her. She had lots of interviews, but no one wanted to hire a pregnant woman.
Aimee became angry as Mia spoke about her hard time finding a job because of her pregnancy and being a single mom. Jaxson took Aimee aside after they ate. “I noticed a job posting for an entry level accountant on the company intranet site.”
“You are right. I don’t think we have had any applicants.”
Jaxson and Aimee asked Mark to join them in his office. Jaxson printed the application from the website for Mia. While Mark went to ask Mia if he could talk to her. Mia was surprised to see Aimee and Jaxson in the study. Jaxson explained he worked for Roseednay Fruits and he recalled seeing an opening for an entry level accountant. As he handed her the application, he explained that they are accepting applications this week. Aimee noted the fear in Mia’s eyes. So, she explained to Mia, that she owns the corporation that owns Roseednay Fruits. Aimee told Mia to meet her at the company on Tuesday at two.
Aimee arranged with Mr. Myers and the head of accounting department to meet Mia and her on Tuesday. They offered her the job that day. The position was full time with benefits and the pay was triple what she was making waiting tables, they even had a daycare in the building, so Skylar would be close to her.
When they left to go to Tessa’s, Mia told Aimee how now she would be able to afford to rent a home for her and Mia in a nice neighborhood. The apartment they lived in was a very small apartment in one of the rough neighborhoods in town.
Aimee went back to the flat and told the others about Mia’s job and her living conditions. James said he would talk to their dad and see what the church can do to help Mia. Aiden was on the phone with someone he knew, who helped people like Mia, trying to make a life for herself and her daughter.
God knew what Mia’s needs were when he led her to Wise Chapel. She found a new life in more ways than one. Aimee felt so blessed to see all her friends and her new friend, Mia, come to the Lord.
Chapter Eighteen
The day of the fall ball was here. The group of friends had been busy with school, helping with the Fall Ball, and moving Mia and Skylar into their new home in a very safe neighborhood near the church. Aiden was able to work out a land contract deal, so that her rent would go toward purchasing the home.
Aimee was standing in the ball room, admiring the large crowd that had come out to make a stand against alcohol abuse. She and the others were anxiously awaiting the arrival of their old roommate, Josiah. He called to tell them he was on his way with the others from the Starting Over clinic. He sounded so good on the phone.
Mark opened the ball with a word of prayer to God, then the first group Seven Times Around played their set. Josiah was sitting with his friends, just as though nothing happen in the spring and he still lived in the flat. He informed them he and the others had a curfew they had to meet, even with a counselor with them. So, James had his mom rearrange the program.
When the band set was over, Tessa came to the mic. “Thank you guys, that was awesome. I love hearing praise songs. We need to make a couple of changes in the program. Our speakers from the alcohol treatment program need to go shortly, in order to meet curfew, and we do not want to get them in trouble. So here to introduce the first speaker is two of his best friends and former roommates, Aimee and Piper, with his cousin, Colin.”
Piper spoke first, about watching a lifelong friend become an alcoholic. She mentioned how she watched him spiral down a path of the destruction, all the while, knowing she could not cure him on her own. Colin spoke on the effect of watching his cousin slowly fade away to alcohol. He mentioned how he made the entire family feel lost and hopeless. He talked about how scared he was sometimes, that maybe Josiah had drank one too many, causing him to have alcohol poisoning.
Aimee stood at the mic to take her turn to speak about Josiah. “A year ago, God put me in a flat with a group of college students I knew nothing about, with exception of Piper. God turned that flat into my family. A family I have grown to love and respect. I came to accept them and their flaws rather quickly.
In the short nine months I knew Josiah, I watched him slowly drift farther and farther into this huge black hole we call alcoholism. He was very moody, withdrawn, and hard to communicate with. In fact, he was the hardest roommate to get close to. That caused me to pray harder for him. I knew he was struggling and using alcohol to hide from the pain caused by the struggles. There was no way to rationalize things with him; so, along with my Christian friends, we prayed for Josiah to be healed every day. I still pray for you every day, because I know your battle is not won just yet. So, I want to bring Josiah to the front, so he can share his battle with you.”
Josiah stood up to the mic to speak. “I want to thank my family and friends. If it had not been for their love and prayers, I would not be standing here today.”
As he shared his story of his hard childhood and his grandmother blaming him for his mother’s death to the large crowd of strangers, he showed so much courage and grace. When he spoke about how very few people realize that, even at the young age of eighteen or nineteen, a person could feel so trapped, hopeless, useless, and lonely that they start abusing alcohol.
“Drinking was never about having fun for me. It was a way I made myself not care about the hard things in life. It took me realizing how unreliable my word was to my friends, for me to realize that I had a problem.”
Josiah sighed. “It takes the Love of God, my family, the staff at Starting Over, and my friends to give me the strength to recover from the alcohol abuse. I want to thank you all for coming here tonight and supporting our fight against alcohol abuse. Alcoholism changes us into a person that we are nothing like. It has a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde effect on people. Alcoholism is an illness that slowly kills people every day. It is not just the person who is abusing that suffers. It is our families and friends as well. I encourage you to pray for us, our families, friends, and Starting Over; every day is a battle we fight to stay sober. Pray that we can help educate others about the dangers of alcoholism.”
The next speaker was a fifty five year old gentlemen from Starting Over. He talked about how alcoholism cost him his home, his job, and, most important, his family. Then, the counselor came to the mic and gave a brief history of Starting Over. He said they receive a unique year-long treatment plan that includes studying God’s word. The clinic offers alternative coping strategies, so that when a client is ready to leave, they have the tools and support they need to continue on the road of recovery.
The last speaker was a gentleman who was now a counselor for Starting Over. He first went to Starting Over ten years ago as a client. He spoke about how the battle to fight alcoholism never ends. It is a day to day battle. He talked about how he had drank on and off for thirty years. He said he had tried many of the other alcohol treatment plans, but it took Starting Over’s faith based treatment to work. The key to his recovery was, and always will be, God.
Over dinner, Josiah talked to his friends about his plans for the future. He was beginning his studies to become an alcohol abuse counselor. He wanted to help the teenage kids who struggled with problems so bad they think they need to turn to alcohol. He felt it was important for someone to educate the kids of today about the dangers of alcohol and other substance abuse issues.
Once everyone had dinner and said good bye to Josiah, One Step Closer started playing some slow songs. Aiden lead Aimee to the dance floor and the
two danced to every slow song. When she was in his arms, all was right with the world. No one was having any issues right now.
Aimee took a break from dancing when One Step Closer started playing their gospel songs. She needed to go to the lady’s powder room and remind herself she could not date Aiden right now. She had the over alarming feeling someone was following her. She tried to shake the feeling, but was having no luck. She started walking faster toward the powder room. Just as she opened the door to enter the powder room she felt a hand on her shoulder, then she was jerked backwards.
LJ came out of nowhere. He held one of her arms behind her back and was holding her by the hair with his other hand. She could smell alcohol on his breath as he spoke loudly into her left ear. “Don’t scream, just walk.” He demanded, as he roughly shoved her forward.
Aimee has never been one who likes to be told what to do. She immediately started squirming to get loose and yelling for help. She was trying to do some of the self-defense moves she learned in the class she took with Lexi and Piper.
BREAKTHROUGH (Love's Not Easy Series Book 2) Page 16
