In Times of Trouble

by Yolonda Tonette Sanders

  She stood with her hand out like Lisa owed her something. If she weren’t so angry, she might have laughed at her daughter’s audacity. “You got some nerve coming in here asking me for money after you have acted a fool. You got about three seconds to get out of my face before I jump on your behind again.”

  Chanelle stared at her angrily. “I hate you!” she yelled before running out the room.

  The words stung Lisa like a wasp. She and Chanelle had bumped heads on plenty of occasions, but nothing ever like this. She had never disrespected Lisa the way she’d done so tonight. Her chest felt so heavy, she bawled, hoping to release the tension, but the pain did not cease. She picked up the phone and dialed Eric.

  CHAPTER 20

  High-Maintenance

  RJ raced across the freeway trying to make it to Lisa’s house to get Chanelle. He couldn’t believe what had happened. Part of him felt responsible. If he had not faltered in his duties as the head of the household, this night would have never happened. Things were definitely out of order. So what if Lisa was engaged to be married to what’s-his-face; it didn’t change the fact that Lisa was his first and that Chanelle was his daughter. He had been playing it cool, allowing Lisa to call all the shots as not to ruffle her feathers, but not any more. From now on, he was taking a more active role and it would start tonight!

  RJ pulled in Lisa’s driveway behind a black Taurus about a quarter to one. He wanted to throw a few blows himself when Lisa’s fiancé answered the door like he was the man of the house.

  “Well, hello, there,” he said smugly. “If you’re looking for Lisa, she’s in the back.”

  “Where’s Chanelle?”

  “We don’t know. She took off. I came because Lisa needed me.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m here because they both need me,” he scoffed on his way to the kitchen.

  Lisa sat at the table groping the sides of her head. She looked a mess. Her hair flew in all directions and the puffiness under her bloodshot eyes made it appear as if she hadn’t slept in years. Not expecting to see him, she asked, “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m surprised that you didn’t call me.”

  She looked at him as if to say “For what?” and that alone was enough to irk RJ, but when her fiancé came in the kitchen and stood behind her and massaged her shoulders, RJ couldn’t hold his tongue.

  “I don’t see why you called him and not me. I’m Chanelle’s father. This dude shouldn’t even be involved in the situation.”

  “Excuse me, sir, but this dude has a name, and I’d suggest you lower your voice if you wish to speak with my lady.”

  “Man, I don’t give a care what your name is. And I’d suggest you learn when to speak and when not to. You marrying Lisa is one thing, but for her not to call me when she has a brawl with our daughter is another. The only people this truly affects are Lisa and me, so your best bet would be to stay out of it.”

  Eric didn’t challenge RJ this time, but Lisa had no problem speaking up.

  “Get to the point of why you’re here. Did Chanelle call you to come get her so she could share your guest room at Pastor Burlington’s house? If so, she’s already gone and I don’t know where she went.”

  “No, Chanelle didn’t call him, I did.” Callie appeared in the kitchen door. “Before you start going off, let me say that I called him because I’d rather Chanelle leave with her father than for that child to be out there wandering the streets.”

  “Child?” Lisa hissed.

  “Don’t you think you should at least call the police?” suggested a more controlled RJ this time.

  “That child will be eighteen shortly and has over ten thousand dollars in her bank account. I’m sure she’ll survive.”

  “C’mon, Lisa, be for real.”

  “I am. When Chanelle decides she wants to talk to me with some respect, then I’ll spend my time worrying about her. Maybe if she’d called you out of your name, you’d understand how I feel.” Eric continued rubbing her shoulders silently.

  “Lisa, I’m not saying that you don’t have a right to be angry—”

  “RJ, it’s not worth trying to talk any sense into her,” interrupted Callie. “Lisa was already in a funky mood when we came home because she found out about Mama and Daddy.”

  “Oh,” said RJ.

  “So you knew about them, too? It figures. You know what? I don’t feel like talking to either one of you any longer. RJ, you can get out of my house and Callie, you need to stay out of matters that don’t concern you. Chanelle is my daughter and there was no reason for you to call him.”

  “She’s my daughter, too!” screamed RJ.

  Lisa laughed wickedly. “You sure didn’t act like you had a family in Baltimore, so don’t act like you have one now!”

  “Oh, so you want to throw Baltimore up in my face. Well—”

  “It’s time for you to go,” demanded Eric. “I allowed you to say your peace. Lisa’s already told you once to leave. She’s not going to have to say it again.”

  RJ really wanted to punch Eric in his mouth! “I’m leaving, but only because I’m going to try and find my daughter. Don’t you ever forget that though you may be marrying Lisa, when it comes to Chanelle, I have the final say so.” He pounded his fist on the table to emphasize his point. “Callie, call me anytime I’m needed.” He brushed past her, through the living room and out the door.

  RJ cased the neighborhood and surrounding areas for over an hour with no sign of his daughter anywhere. When fear began to grip him, RJ started praying that God’s angels would surround, watch over and protect Chanelle from any harm or danger.

  All of his messages to her cell phone had gone unanswered. RJ pulled into the gas station several miles from Lisa’s house at the corner of Brice and Livingston and showed the attendant a picture of Chanelle, hoping the man had seen her. “No, sir,” the guy answered. After leaving his number for the attendant to call if Chanelle was spotted, RJ jumped back in his vehicle and continued his search.

  • • •

  Eric stayed with Lisa until about three in the morning, comforting and praying for her. All of Eric’s praying hadn’t done a thing to pacify her rage against Callie and RJ. As soon as Eric left, Lisa marched up the stairs and burst into Callie’s room.

  “How dare you!”

  “What’s your problem now?” Callie sat up and turned on the light, fully alert.

  “You had no business calling RJ over here.”

  “Don’t tell me what I should not have done. Like RJ said, Chanelle is his daughter, too. He had a right to know.”

  “RJ bounces back in town and is trying to play the loving, concerned father, but you and I both know it hasn’t always been that way.”

  “Oh, Lisa, suck it up!” She got out of bed and stood face-to-face with her sister. “RJ hurt you. . .Big deal! Unlike that jerk you’re about to marry, RJ’s human. And like it or not, humans make mistakes!”

  “Mistakes? How does pretending to be on a mission to rid the streets of Baltimore from drugs while secretly using the church’s money to buy crack for himself classify as a mistake? Not to mention that he repeatedly had an affair with one of the women we were supposed to be helping?”

  “Boohoo, RJ cheated on you. Have you ever considered the possibility that you drove him to both the drugs and the other woman by being so high-maintenance? You were more in love with the idea of being a preacher’s wife than you were with him.”

  “How can you stand here and be so callous! That man would have me sitting in the car while he supposedly went in to pray for people and he’d be inside getting high and screwing one of them!”

  As Lisa spoke, the feelings of betrayal and hurt that she thought she’d gotten over began resurfacing. Initially, she had been a part of the mission to save drug-addicted souls and would accompany him inside the residences, but after he went alone a few times, he had forbidden her to go inside ever again, claiming that it was “too dangerous.” Her new responsibility had been to �
��watch and pray” from the outside. Lisa wondered how many times she had foolishly sat in the car thinking her husband was busy about the Lord’s work, but the only thing he was busy doing was getting his freak on.

  Had RJ just done his dirt without dragging her in the midst of it, maybe Lisa wouldn’t have been so angry. Not likely, but maybe. He had smeared her name just as much as he had his own. Unbeknownst to either of them, the police had been staking out the place he frequented. One night, he, Lisa, and Chanelle were on their way to Bible study when RJ suddenly announced that he wanted to stop and invite one of the drug addicts. Lisa remembered thinking how odd this last-minute invitation seemed and how unusual it was that he was taking Chanelle into the neighborhood as well. During previous trips, they’d always obtained a sitter for her. Being the good “Pastor’s wife,” Lisa went along with the plan. It wasn’t long afterwards when the apartment and their car were swarmed with police officers and RJ was literally brought out with his pants down. Having seen her many times before, the police had thought Lisa was somehow involved with drugs as well.

  It was so embarrassing. Their pictures were plastered all over the news and in the papers. Lisa was eventually cleared of all charges, but the stigma never escaped her. Whispers from her neighbors. . .skeptical looks from the other parents at Chanelle’s school. . .most people had already convicted her. What was even worse was that she had nothing. She’d depended on RJ for everything and little did she know that, in addition to the church’s money, he’d also smoked away their savings. It was RJ’s brother, David, who gave her a lump sum of money to start over. It was by the grace of God that she landed such a high position at Brenston. God had brought her through that horrible time. How dare her sister make light of it!

  “Chanelle was more accurate in her description of you than you think. You really are a bi—” Lisa drew back to slap Callie, but her sister caught her hand prior to impact. “Watch, it! I am not Chanelle. I’m a lot heavier and I hit a lot harder.”

  “I can’t believe you would say something like that.”

  “Poor Lisa. . . Everyone’s being so mean to her. RJ cheated on her and her daughter and sister called her a bad name. Her life is so messed up,” she mocked. “Try walking in my shoes for a while. Try being gang-raped at the age of fifteen, causing so much internal damage that it ruined any possibility of you ever having kids. Try marrying a man and, after twenty-four years, he commits suicide. Try finding out that the son of a gun killed himself because he didn’t have the guts to tell you that he was HIV-positive and now so are you! You think you have problems, Lisa? I’d trade lives with you in a minute. You feel like you’re going to die, but I’ve already been given a death sentence!” she screamed.

  Her sister’s confession forced all traces of anger from Lisa’s body. Compassion flooded her veins. “Oh, Callie,” she cried. “I’m so sorry; I didn’t know.”

  “And you didn’t care to know either. I tried calling you to talk, but as usual, you’re so consumed with your own life that you don’t care about mine.”

  “That’s not true,” she pleaded. “I care about you very much! I love you.”

  “No, you love people with titles and money.” Callie’s eyes burned with fire. “Those are the only people worthy of your attention.”

  Realizing now was not the time to defend her honor, Lisa said to her sister, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me, but I’m here now. If you want to talk about this tonight, we can. I know you are hurting, but I promise you that no matter what it feels like God has not forsaken you. The Bible says—”

  “Don’t you dare get all sanctified on me now,” Callie hissed. “Go back to your room and sulk over your own problems like you always do. I can deal with mine.” Callie pushed Lisa out of the room with so much force that she almost fell to the ground.

  Lisa heard her sister lock the door. “Cal, please talk to me. Don’t shut me out. I want to help you.”

  Callie gave no response. Lisa waited outside her door, hoping for an invitation back in. When Callie remained silent, Lisa went to her room and collapsed on her knees and began praying.

  CHAPTER 21

  Familiar Territory

  Lisa prayed and cried, cried and prayed for hours about her sister’s revelation of being HIV-positive. She couldn’t even begin to wrap her mind around the pain that Callie had to be feeling. She was drenched with guilt. Callie had been with her for two months and, instead of taking the time to really find out what was going on with her, Lisa had written her sister’s behavior off as depression. Odds were that Callie was depressed. Who wouldn’t be, under such circumstances? Still, Lisa wished she had made more of an effort to show Callie how much she cared about her well-being.

  It was well into the early morning when Lisa finally drifted off to sleep. She’d been awake long enough to witness the sunrise. The shrilling sound of her phone woke her up Sunday afternoon. “Hey Liv,” she said as if medicated with Novocain.

  “What’s going on? I saw Eric at church and he said you’d had a rough night. He said that I should call you.”

  “Girl, if you only knew.” Lisa gave her friend a very quick recap of the situation with her parents and the fight with her daughter. “Chanelle is more than welcome to come back home if she’s willing to apologize and act like she has some sense from now on, but I’m not about to chase her down. Chanelle knows how to get in touch with me if she wants to. I love my daughter with all my heart, but I refuse to let her run things around here. If she wants to be grown, she needs to be out there on her own.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear all of this happened last night. I wonder what was going on with Chanelle. She seemed fine yesterday. She and Justin ran back and forth between the hotel and the house every time I needed something else for the party. Do you think she somehow found out about your dad being here?”

  “It’s possible, but I doubt she would be as mad as I am about it. She was happy to see him at the graduation party. Chanelle started trippin’ because she didn’t get her way. It all seems so crazy.”

  “No wonder Eric was concerned about you.”

  “Girl, he doesn’t even know the drama that unfolded after he left.”

  “There’s more?”

  “Yeah, Callie and I got into it.”

  “Well, she had no business calling RJ.”

  “I know, but I’m really not even mad at her about that anymore. I found out about some things going on with her and I really need to speak with her further.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “Honestly, I don’t think so.” Lisa’s phone beeped. “Liv, let me answer this call. I’ll talk to you later,” she said and clicked over.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that Chanelle has gone missing?”

  “Mama, you act like she’s been kidnapped.”

  “Well, RJ has been looking for her all night and he still hasn’t found her.”

  “Apparently she doesn’t want to be found.”

  “I don’t see why you won’t call the police.”

  “There’s no reason to. She hasn’t been abducted. She left on her own free will. I’m not wasting their time or mine.”

  “I would’ve never done you like this.”

  “And I would’ve never been crazy enough to call you out of your name. Bye, Mama. . .I’m not in the mood to talk to you about this. I need to talk to Callie.”

  “You done ran her off just like you did Chanelle,” her mother accused.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Callie has gone back home.”

  “No, she hasn’t!” Lisa ran into the guest room to disprove her mother’s theory. She flung the door open and found the room empty with no trace that Callie had ever occupied it. Lisa was gripped with disbelief. “When did she leave and why didn’t she say anything to me?”

  “RJ said he dropped her off at the airport sometime this morning. You gon’ tell me what you did to her?”

  “Why are you assuming that I did somethin
g? I didn’t do anything to her.”

  “Well, she sure left in a hurry and no one knows why. At least we know she’s going home, though. No one knows where Chanelle is and everyone is worried about her, but you.”

  Lisa wanted to retaliate and tell her mother that she needed to worry about not getting her behind beat again, but she held her tongue from being disrespectful and instead said, “Mama, I have to go.” She hung up and called RJ. “You got your nerve, coming to my house to get my sister and not saying anything to me.”

  “Lisa, shut up! I’ve been up all night long and you want to call me talking stupid. You didn’t have the decency to call me about my daughter and now you want me to explain why I didn’t say anything to you when I picked up your sister. I don’t have time for this.”

  Lisa couldn’t believe the harsh way RJ spoke to her and she was even more astonished when he hung up. She was the one who normally indulged in such privileges. Cautiously, she called back and, with a softer tone, asked, “Did Callie at least tell you why she was leaving?”

  “No,” he answered roughly.

  Lisa sighed. “I’m really worried about her. She revealed some things about Marvin’s death last night and I was hoping to talk to her this morning.”

  “Well, I can’t help you; she’s gone. Now if you don’t mind, I’m about to go.”

  “RJ. . .” Lisa swallowed her pride. She wasn’t used to him getting angry with her and she realized that she’d really messed up. “I’m sorry that I didn’t call you last night.” She hoped to appease his anger, though not really certain why she cared. “The whole thing happened so quickly. First, I was upset about Mama and Daddy and then, the next thing I know, Chanelle was calling me out of my name because I refused to let her go pick up her friend. Maybe I did overreact. I don’t know, but I do know she crossed the line. And for that, I’m allowing her to deal with the consequences of her actions. It’s not that I don’t care. . .” Her throat tightened, forcing her to stop speaking.