A Christmas Prayer

by Kimberla Lawson Roby

  “From the moment Pastor Black introduced us, I knew you were the man God had created for me. To be honest, I fell in love with you so quickly, it sort of frightened me. But it wasn’t long before I realized how genuine our love truly was. You are every breath I take, and I never want to spend even one day without you. You are my heart and soul…my everything. I love you, I thank God for you, and I am yours forever.”

  Pastor Black asked for their rings and performed the ring vows portion of the ceremony. Then Chase and Alexis slipped the wedding bands on each other’s fingers.

  “For as much as Chase and Alexis have consented together in holy matrimony and have witnessed the same before God and this company, by the authority committed unto me as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I declare that Chase and Alexis are now husband and wife, according to the ordinance of God and the law of the state of Illinois—in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

  Alexis looked over at Paula, who was crying silently, smiling and holding Rick’s hand. As Paula had suspected, Rick had surprised her with an engagement ring this morning, and Alexis couldn’t be happier for her.

  The soloist sang “The Lord’s Prayer,” and Chase and Alexis never took their eyes off each other. Alexis thought about her mother, who she wished could physically be there, but knowing that her mother’s spirit was present in her heart gave her peace. On the other hand, she was sure Chase was thinking about his mother, too, and Alexis prayed they’d be able to salvage their relationship.

  When the soloist took her seat on one of the pews, Pastor Black prayed again and then said, “On this most precious Christmas Eve day, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Chase Dupont the Third. Chase, you may kiss your bride.”

  They embraced and kissed for the first time as husband and wife, and life was good. Alexis knew Christmas wasn’t until tomorrow, but this had already turned out to be her best Christmas ever. It was a blessing all around.

  Epilogue

  Three Months Later

  Moving to a totally different house had taken a bit of time to get used to, but Alexis finally felt right at home. Of course, she’d never felt the least bit uncomfortable or like she was a stranger in Chase’s house, but a change in residence had required a certain amount of adjustment. The good news, though, was that as long as she was with Chase, she was happy anywhere. In fact, they’d just gotten back from Jamaica, and they’d had the best time there, too. They’d eaten well, relaxed on the beach, and made love every single day the way they’d planned, and while Chase had originally preferred going to Italy, he hadn’t wanted to leave the islands. He’d been so impressed and so pleased with the entire atmosphere, he was already suggesting they go again in six months. Alexis certainly didn’t have a problem with that, and she looked forward to it.

  It was still great to be back in the States, however, and great to be doing more prep work for her speaking engagement with C&G Pharmaceuticals. Time had flown by very quickly, and before she knew it, she’d be on a plane next month to their conference.

  Alexis looked up from her desk when she thought she heard the doorbell ringing. Since it was Saturday, Margaret was off for the weekend, and Chase was out picking up lunch for them, but Alexis wasn’t expecting any company. When the bell rang again, though, she left her office, walked down the long, carpeted hallway and the winding staircase, and looked through the upper part of the frosted-glass double doors. She knew she wasn’t just seeing things, but she peered at Geneva again just to be sure it was her. Alexis was nervous and shocked all at the same time, but she opened the door.

  “Hi, Alexis,” Geneva said, half smiling. She was dressed as immaculately as ever, but she looked tired, and like she hadn’t been sleeping. “I know it’s very impolite of me to show up unannounced, but I wondered if I could come in and talk to you. I promise I won’t take much of your time.”

  “Sure,” Alexis said, opening the door all the way.

  They walked through the entryway and, ironically, sat in the same two chairs they’d sat in the day Alexis had come there trying to make peace.

  Geneva set her handbag on the table between them and sighed. “I’m not even sure where to begin, but I think the first thing I have to do is apologize. Alexis, I am so very sorry for everything. I’m sorry for the way I treated you, for all the lies I told about you, and for trying to force my son to break up with you.”

  Alexis nodded.

  “You must think I’m the most awful person in the world, and I certainly don’t blame you for that. But having my own son expose my pathetic past and disclose all my lies to everyone, well…that was a rude awakening. Even worse, the pain and disgust I saw on his face that night hurt me to the core, and I know my relationship with him has changed forever. And it’s all because of how ashamed I’ve always been about where I came from. My mother had me when she was only fifteen, and from the time I was born, she stood on corners, selling her body. But then, when I turned sixteen, she made me start sleeping with men, too. She forced me to do it for nearly a whole year,” Geneva said, and Alexis cringed.

  Her mother-in-law had been through much more than Alexis would have ever imagined, and it explained a lot.

  Geneva stroked her hair to the side. “It was awful, and I knew I had to leave there. I also knew I could never go back. And I didn’t. I moved to Atlanta, changed my name, and worked two waitressing jobs. I struggled for five long, hard years, but one day my luck finally changed. An extremely handsome, wealthy-looking man came into one of the high-end restaurants I worked at, and it was love at first sight for both of us. I was twenty-two, and he was thirty-seven. Like Chase, he’d recently become one of the youngest Fortune 500 CEOs in the country, and I lied and told him that I’d just graduated from Spelman. I told him I hadn’t been able to find a full-time job in the business world yet, and that’s why I was working where I was.”

  Alexis listened, surprised at how forthcoming Geneva was about everything.

  “Anyway, Chase the Second never suspected that I was born in some tiny town in Mississippi…or that I was lying about every aspect of my life. That is, until one day he decided to dig through my background and discovered the truth about everything. It was right after Chase had turned ten, and from that point on, our marriage became loveless and we slept in separate bedrooms. Publicly, we portrayed ourselves as a loving couple, but at home we rarely even spoke unless it was about Chase,” she said with sad eyes. “The reason I’m sharing all of this with you, Alexis, is because the bottom line is that for years, no one has really loved me except my son. So when I saw how genuinely in love he was with you and how genuinely you loved him back, I worried that I would be shut out of Chase’s life completely. I also resented you because of your degrees and because you’d made a life for yourself…without having to marry for money the way I did. I did love my husband, but every time I saw you, it reminded me of who I wished I’d been able to become on my own. You reminded me of all the things I hadn’t done in life, and I envied you for it.”

  “I’m really sorry,” Alexis said. “I had no idea.”

  “Still, I had no right causing so much trouble for you and Chase or for creating such a scandal for him to deal with at Borg-Freeman. But what I’m hoping is that maybe you and I can start over. I’m hoping you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Let me try to become the kind of mother-in-law you deserve.”

  “I forgave you the night of the Christmas party, Geneva. I did it because it was right, and because of something my mom once told me. She said that when people thrive on hurting others, they do it because they’re hurting inside themselves.”

  “Thank you for forgiving me, and although I never met your mother, I’m sure she was right.”

  When the security system chimed, they both looked toward the doorway. Alexis wasn’t sure how Chase was going to react when he saw his mother, but she prayed he wouldn’t say anything out of the way. However, Chase never so much as came in the room.

  Ge
neva seemed nervous but didn’t comment, so Alexis finally got up and went into the kitchen.

  “What is she doing here?” he asked, opening what looked like a container of chicken Alfredo.

  “She came to apologize.”

  “Really? Well, good for her.”

  “Baby, you really need to hear her out.”

  “Why? Don’t you think we heard enough at the Christmas party? It was one thing for her to lie about who she was, but to try to break us up simply because she decided you weren’t good enough? I don’t think so. And anyway, what mother would stoop low enough to hurt her own child that way? She knew how much I loved you, and how happy you made me, but all she cared about was herself. And worse than that, baby, what decent human being walks away from her own mother and doesn’t have anything to do with her for decades? She never called her or went to see her once.”

  Alexis touched his arm. “Honey, she had her reasons. I hate having to tell you this, but your grandmother was a prostitute…and she turned your mom into one as well. She made her sleep with all kinds of men until your mom finally couldn’t take it anymore.”

  Chase set down the knife and fork he was holding but never looked up at Alexis. He paused for a few seconds and then said, “Do you believe her?”

  “I do. I saw it in her eyes when she was telling me.”

  “How old was she?” he asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “When my grandmother first made her sleep with those men?”

  “Sixteen.”

  Chase closed his eyes, and Alexis went over and held him.

  “Baby, I know this isn’t easy, but do you know what I would give to have my mother here with me again? Just to see her face. Just to physically touch her. You only get one mother, and life can be very short. A whole lot shorter than you’re counting on. I mean, what if something happened to your mom, and you’d never allowed her the chance to make things up to you? You would never forgive yourself for that.”

  Chase rested his forehead against hers. “I love you so much, baby.”

  “I love you, too.”

  “And although I know I’ve told you this before, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about my mother’s secrets. I’m sorry you had to find out the way you did, because I never wanna keep anything from you. But I just couldn’t tell you about all her lies. I was so ashamed.”

  “I understand, and that’s all behind us now. We have to move forward.”

  “I know, but even when she told all those lies on you, deep down I knew what she was capable of. But again, I still didn’t wanna believe she would tell lies that would hurt me directly.”

  “You don’t have to keep apologizing for that. What’s important is that we never stopped loving each other and that everything worked out.”

  “You have such a forgiving heart. And thank you for hanging in there.”

  Alexis held both sides of his face. “You’re welcome. Now, go talk to your mother.”

  Chase kissed her and left the kitchen.

  Alexis watched him leave and smiled when she thought about the Christmas prayer she’d written. God had given her everything she’d asked for, and she was grateful. But now she prayed for something else: a close relationship with her mother-in-law. She knew Geneva had done everything she could to hurt her, but Alexis still believed that God had brought them together for a reason. He never, ever made mistakes, and He was always true to His Word—and Alexis depended on that. She trusted Him with her life, and it was for that reason she knew she would be fine. They would all be fine as a family, and that was all that truly mattered.

  Acknowledgments

  As always, I thank God for absolutely everything. Your grace and mercy have made ALL the difference in my life, and it is the reason I love, honor, trust, and depend on You, no matter what. To my wonderful husband, Will, for all the love and support you have given me for twenty-four years—I love you from the depths of my heart and soul; to my brothers, Willie, Jr., and Michael Stapleton for all the wonderful childhood Christmas memories as well as the many laughs we share today—I love you both so very much; to my stepson and daughter-in-law, Trenod and Tasha Vines-Roby, and your children; to the rest of my family (Tennins, Ballards, Lawsons, Stapletons, Youngs, Beasleys, Haleys, Romes, Greens, Robys, Garys, Shannons, Normans, and everyone else I’m related to); to my amazing first cousin and fellow author, Patricia Haley-Glass; my two best friends, Kelli Tunson Bullard and Lori Whitaker Thurman; my dear cousin, Janell Green; and my spiritual mother, Dr. Betty Price—I love each and every one of you so very much.

  To my publishing attorney, Ken Norwick; to my amazing publisher, Hachette/Grand Central Publishing: Jamie Raab, Beth de Guzman, Linda Duggins, Elizabeth Connor, Scott Rosenfeld, the entire sales and marketing teams, and everyone else at GCP; to my extremely talented freelance team: Connie Dettman, Shandra Hill Smith, Luke LeFevre, Pam Walker-Williams, and Ella Curry—thank you all for everything! To all the bookstores and retailers who carry my work, and every newspaper, radio station, TV station, and website or blog that promotes it, and to all the fabulous book clubs that continually choose my books as your monthly selections—thank you a thousand times over.

  To the wonderful people who make my writing career possible—my kind, loyal, and truly supportive readers. I love you dearly, and I am forever grateful.

  Much love and God bless you always,

  Kimberla Lawson Roby

  E-mail: kim@kimroby.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/kimberlalawsonroby

  Twitter: www.twitter.com/KimberlaLRoby

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  Also by Kimberla Lawson Roby

  The Reverend Curtis Black Series

  The Ultimate Betrayal

  The Prodigal Son

  A House Divided

  The Reverend’s Wife

  Love, Honor, and Betray

  Be Careful What You Pray For

  The Best of Everything

  Sin No More

  Love & Lies

  The Best-Kept Secret

  Too Much of a Good Thing

  Casting the First Stone

  Standalone Titles

  A Christmas Prayer

  The Perfect Marriage

  Secret Obsession

  A Deep Dark Secret

  One in a Million

  Changing Faces

  A Taste of Reality

  It’s a Thin Line

  Here & Now

  Behind Closed Doors

  Acclaim for

  Kimberla Lawson Roby

  “Roby writes with high-octane levels of emotion.”

  —USA Today

  “Roby pulls you in until you’re hooked.”

  —Indianapolis Recorder

  “Roby has reached a pinnacle most writers only dream of.”

  —Rockford Register Star

  “Roby is the queen of redemption!”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “[Roby] knows how to give readers what they want.”

  —Essence

  Reading Group Guide

  Do you believe prayer has to be formal or follow a certain structure? Or can it be as simple as talking to God from your heart while driving down the road?

  If you have ever lost a loved one, what helped you deal with the grief? What advice can you give others trying to cope with their own loss? What can you advise in terms of coping with family holidays after the loss of a loved one?

  Are all losses created equal? Is losing a spouse different from losing a parent? What about losing a child or a sibling? Why or why not?

  Do you think Alexis was clinically depressed or just feeling sad? Is there a difference and, if so, what is it? Do you think there is anything else Alexis could have tried doing to help herself? Was Paula right to intervene? What do you do personally when you’re feeling down to cheer yoursel
f back up?

  Was Alexis right to get involved with Courtney and her parents? Should she have handled the situation differently, or done anything else for her niece? If you believe so, please explain.

  What do you think about the way Chase dealt with his mother? Could he—or should he—have done anything differently? Was it fair of Alexis to ask him to talk to his mother?

  Have you ever had a Geneva in your life—a mother-in-law or mother of a significant other, or even a jealous friend who tried to come between you and someone you loved? If so, how did you deal with that person?

  Both Geneva and Alexis disapproved of the person someone in their family was dating. Have you ever disapproved of the person someone in your family was seeing? Is it ever okay to speak up and get involved when you feel this way? If so, when? What are some appropriate ways to handle the situation?

  Do you believe Alexis and Geneva will ever have a close relationship?

  How do you define the spirit of Christmas? If you were to write your own Christmas prayer, what would it say?

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Welcome

  Dedication

  A Note from the Author

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20