In Times of Trouble

by Yolonda Tonette Sanders

  “It’s not too late to end this, you know?”

  “No thanks!”

  “C’mon, this is ticking me off, Lisa. Justin has missed out on playing football this year because of this stupid ordeal.”

  Even without Justin on the team, Ohio State was doing very well. They’d only lost one game and that was after going into overtime. Yeah, Justin had been a great player, but the team had learned to survive without him; and the cop who’d brought Chanelle home drunk earlier this year hadn’t been by to bug Lisa for tickets anymore. “How dare you make this about football! Justin is a rapist, so his playing sports is not high on my list of priorities.”

  “It is on mine. He’ll be allowed to play next year once he’s cleared of these ludicrous charges. You better hope that happens.”

  “That’ll be up to the jury.”

  “My husband has been practicing law now for over twenty years. He knows the ins and outs of the legal system. How do you think he was able to get a trial date so quickly? Don’t you think he knows how to stack a jury?”

  “If Isaac stacks the jury, then they’ll vote in Justin’s favor, so you don’t have anything to worry about, do you?”

  “My son’s reputation and future are at stake! Tell Chanelle not to testify. We will make sure that she and the baby have enough money to last them for the rest of their lives.”

  Lisa got irritated at Olivia’s reference to their grandchild as “the baby,” as if Chanelle had been impregnated by a stranger. She laughed cynically as she wheeled her shopping cart to the designated area. Olivia followed to her annoyance. “We don’t want your money; we want justice.”

  “Remember. . .justice can be bought.”

  “Maybe. . .but peace can’t be. That’s obviously something you don’t have. You continue to rely on your money and we’ll continue to rely on God. No matter what the outcome of the trial, we will be at peace—will you?” Lisa slammed her cart in with the others and jogged back to her car, not giving Olivia a chance to speak further, and quickly sped off.

  CHAPTER 33

  Woulddas, Shoulddas, Coulddas

  Thanksgiving morning, Lisa got up early to start dinner, assisted by Chanelle and her mother. RJ ran around making sure everyone got picked up from the airport. Between Lisa’s home, her parents’ apartment and Pastor Burlington’s place, all the out-of-town guests had places to stay, so no one would need to stay in a hotel. RJ was still staying with the Burlington’s most of the time, and was giving up his guest room to his brother and sister-in-law. RJ could really afford to get his own place, but it seemed like Pastor and Sister Burlington enjoyed his company.

  Dinner was ready around four and everyone was present; Kyle and his family had just arrived. The men had set up tables in the basement so that all twenty something people could fit comfortably for dinner. Callie, Tyra and RJ’s sister-in-law, Sheila, were down there putting on tablecloths and place settings, while Chanelle was busy playing with baby Naomi, Callie’s granddaughter. Lisa’s mother was in the kitchen with her putting all the food into serving dishes when Kyle came into the kitchen carrying a pan. “Where should I put this, Miss Lisa?”

  “What is it, sweetie?”

  “Some baked beans that Stacie made.”

  Lisa still cringed when Kyle referred to his mother by her first name, but that was an issue she didn’t have the right to correct him on. Lisa was, in many ways, a young parent; not as young as Stacie, but young nonetheless, having Chanelle when she was only twenty. But Lisa was “old school” when it came to raising children. She believed in butt whuppins, saying “Ma’am,” and “Sir,” and she definitely believed in drawing the line between parent and friend. Friends call each other by their first names, but children called their mamas, “Mama” or something similar. “You can just sit it on the counter and we’ll take it downstairs with the rest of the food.”

  “Hello. . .” Stacie poked her head into the kitchen.

  “I’m sorry, I was coming out to properly greet you guys.” She gave her a hug. “Thanks for the baked beans. You didn’t have to bring anything.”

  “I know. . .I wanted to throw in something Chanelle said you weren’t making. I didn’t feel right coming empty-handed with all the mouths I brought to feed.”

  “Girl, please, I knew how many people you were bringing when I invited you. I do appreciate it, though. Kyle, hang up their coats for me, please. Then you guys can get settled downstairs. We’re going to bring the food down in a minute.”

  When Kyle, Stacie, and the rest of the Lewis crew were safely out of earshot, Lisa’s mother leaned over to her and whispered, “You’re really not going to put them baked beans out with the rest of the food, are you?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Humph. . .you don’t have to worry about me eating any of them. Lord knows, I don’t eat no white folks’ food. It just don’t taste the same as ours.”

  “Mama. . .,” Lisa said with as much patience as she had left after having been up since four this morning. “In case you didn’t know, every time you eat out, unless it’s a Soul Food restaurant, you’re eating ‘white folks’ food,’ so don’t even start that mess.”

  “What mess, Skeeter?” Her father rounded the corner.

  Lisa rolled her eyes. “I don’t even want to repeat it. Here, carry this downstairs, please?”

  Everyone gathered in the basement, holding hands as Pastor Burlington said grace. Dinner turned out to be great. All the food was delicious and even though several people had commented on how good Stacie’s baked beans were, Lisa’s mother stuck to her word and didn’t have one bite.

  After eating, everyone talked, laughed, and a few people even dozed off a bit. Pastor and Sister Burlington were the first to leave, followed by Stacie and her kids. Kyle, unsurprisingly, stayed behind with Chanelle. Eventually, the women trickled upstairs into the living room and left the men in the basement watching a basketball game.

  “Anyone want to go shopping with me in the morning?” asked Lisa. Shopping on the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving was one of those traditions that she and Olivia had started together that she was now forced to continue on her own. She used to go for fun, but now she was going because of necessity. If anyone was going to get anything from her for Christmas, in light of her current employment situation, it would definitely have to be bought on sale. “I plan to be there as soon as the stores open.”

  Callie was the first to speak. “Girl, naw. Tomorrow is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. I never go to the store then; and anyhow, you know I don’t like dealing with crowds.”

  “I’m with Callie,” echoed Tyra.

  “You know better than to ask me,” scolded her mother. “I am not that much of an early bird.”

  “What about you, Sheila?” Lisa asked David’s wife who was always so quiet and reserved.

  “I won’t be able to. David and I are headed back in the morning.”

  “Chanelle, are you going shopping with me in the morning? I want to leave the house no later than five.” Lisa hollered out to her daughter who was sitting in the kitchen playing a game with Kyle.

  “No, I’m straight.”

  “Why all of y’all have to be such party poopers?” she sulked.

  “At least we’ll be some well-rested party poopers,” snorted Callie playfully, and stuck her tongue out at Lisa.

  • • •

  Later that night, RJ lay on the sofa bed in the Burlingtons’ living room, thanking God for allowing him another chance to spend this day with his family. It had been an extremely long time since both sides of their families had gathered together for a holiday. When he and Lisa were married, it used to happen at least once a year, but their separation and subsequent divorce put an end to all of that.

  Hearing someone stir in the kitchen, RJ turned to see his brother. “Hey, man. . .could you possibly be any louder? I’m trying to sleep, you know?”

  “Hold on. . .” He turned the garbage disposal on and quickly bac
k off. “Did that help you out some?”

  RJ sat up. “I see one thing hasn’t changed. . .you’re still my pesky little brother.”

  “Whatever. . .this little brother of yours can take you on any day.”

  “Is that right? You and what army? I got you by both height and weight.” Despite the fact that he hadn’t followed through on his good intentions to get to the gym regularly, RJ still had a nice, burly build. David was a few inches shorter and not as muscular.

  “Man, that’s okay. All I need is a slingshot and rock. I’ll take you out like David did Goliath.”

  RJ laughed. “You would bring the Bible into this.”

  David came and sat on the sofa bed next to his brother. “I had a good time today. I wish we could stay until Sunday, but I need to get back to handle some things.”

  “Hey, man, I’m just glad you could make it. I enjoyed having you.”

  “It seems like things between you and Lisa are going well. I was watching the two of you interact. Aw. . .it was so cute, like two little love birds flirting with each other,” he mocked.

  “I don’t know about all of that. We are getting along well, but we’re a long way from going down the aisle again. This whole trial with Chanelle has brought us closer together.”

  “Is Chanelle still going to testify when the trial starts next year?”

  “Yep. . . Lisa blames herself for everything that has happened and I hate when she does that because it’s really my fault. The whole chain of events started with me. I’m the one who messed up. It was because of my mistakes that they moved up here in the first place.” RJ had pretty much been able to hold it together for Lisa’s and Chanelle’s sake, but now, talking one-on-one with his brother, best friend and confidant, he released his tears that had accumulated like fluid inside a blister. “This is all my fault,” he cried. “I let my family down.”

  “Bro, don’t blame yourself. This is not your fault. This is the work of the enemy.”

  “He wouldn’t have had a chance to work had I not messed up. I failed my family. I failed my wife and my baby girl. What if God is punishing them because of me?”

  “RJ, hush. You know that God is not like that. He’s not going to hold Lisa, Chanelle or anyone else accountable for your actions. Besides, He’s already forgiven you. Why are you backtracking now?”

  “I know He’s forgiven me. It doesn’t mean that there aren’t consequences resulting from my actions. People think they can go out and do whatever they want, ask for forgiveness, and not have to deal with the consequences of their sin. Yes, it was my sin, but unfortunately when one person sins, it not only affects that person, but it can affect others as well. I mean, if that weren’t true, then we would not have to suffer because of Adam and Eve. It doesn’t just stop there. You’ve read the book of Joshua. Look at what happened to Achan’s family in chapter seven. His children and everything he owned were destroyed because he sinned. Likewise, my getting arrested affected everybody. . .Lisa and Chanelle, the most.”

  “You’re right, your actions affected everyone, but RJ, you’ve been given something that Achan wasn’t. . .a second chance. You have to believe that, no matter what transpired in the past, God is able to mix all of it together and make it work out for your good in the end.”

  “It seems like we would all be better off if I had just kept preaching. Lisa wouldn’t have had to start life from scratch; and Chanelle. . .” He swallowed hard. “Chanelle would not have been raped.” Hearing that any person had been violated by rape, be it an adult or child, was heartbreaking enough for RJ, but the thought of his daughter being victimized was bone-crushing.

  “Now you’re falling into the trap of the woulddas, shoulddas, and coulddas. The reason you were so frustrated preaching is because it wasn’t your purpose. Any time we’re operating in something that is not our God-given purpose, there will be a great deal of tension.”

  David was right. Preaching was never something RJ felt God had intended for him to do. It was something that everyone else expected him to do because he was the eldest child and his father’s namesake. From the time he could remember, his parents talked about him taking over his father’s ministry and everyone else jumped on the bandwagon, including him. RJ was on his way to making it “big time.” He’d rubbed elbows with some of the well-known, prominent television ministers of the day. But, night after night, sermon after sermon, RJ left the pulpit feeling empty. He was always striving to take his ministry to the “next level,” thinking that doing more would make him feel better and maybe even validate the call that others had put on his life.

  The drug outreach program he implemented at his church was supposed to get dealers and users off the streets and into the church. Though he was the pastor, RJ didn’t believe in delegating everything. He led by example, working hard like the other church members and gladly making visits to the homes of known drug addicts. He really wanted to help. . .he really tried to help. One day he was interviewing a user and he listened to how she described the euphoric experience with smoking marijuana.

  “Come on, preacher man. . .try it,” she had enticed him. “You come here every week all stressed out. I can see the tension lines on your face. I know you’re trying to help me, but let me help you.”

  That particular day had been hard. RJ had officiated a funeral earlier that morning of a thirteen-year-old boy who was beaten to death by gang members. RJ wasn’t particularly fond of attending funerals, let alone officiating them, but that was part of his “duty” as the pastor. In a moment of spiritual weakness, RJ took a hit. The user had been right. The drugs did help with his stress level, but only temporarily. Every time his high ended, he couldn’t wait for the next one to occur. He’d listened to the voice inside of him telling him that marijuana was a mild, harmless drug. “Everyone has a vice. . .even preachers,” the still voice would say. He thought that he’d stick with marijuana, but over time, his high didn’t last as long and the desire to do stronger drugs overtook him; and his recreational drug use with this woman evolved into an adulterous affair.

  Her name was Delilah, which should have been a red flag by itself seeing how, in the Bible, there was a woman by the same name who tricked Sampson into telling her the secret of his strength, only to turn him over to the Philistines. Looking back, the whole thing was pure insanity. No man in his right mind would cheat on his wife with a drug addict. He learned one hard-nosed lesson about sin: it would always take you further than you meant to go. RJ was so focused on keeping up his preacher appearances for everyone else; and ironically it was the drugs that enabled him to do it.

  “Look how God has even used your drug experience,” David continued. “It’s no coincidence that you are here in Columbus. God knew Lisa would move up here with Chanelle. He knew this would happen to her and He has planted you here for them.”

  “Man, if God knew it would happen, why didn’t He just stop it in the first place?”

  “Unfortunately we live in a world where bad things happen, which are beyond our control. That’s the destructive nature of sin. Don’t start blaming yourself for everything bad that happens. Yeah, you made some mistakes, RJ, so what? Who hasn’t? Now, just be there and let God use you the way He wants to. Use this opportunity to be the man of God that you wanted to be for your family all along.”

  RJ soaked in his brother’s words and once they resonated in his spirit, he did feel better. At least good enough to get a good night’s sleep, something that had been eluding him. David also said a powerful prayer of encouragement over him.

  “Thanks, man. I really needed that.”

  It was about one or so when RJ and David finished talking. Four hours later, Lisa was calling him to see if he was still on his way to pick her up so they could go shopping. “I don’t know how I let you talk me into this one,” he mumbled as they rode on the freeway.

  Still sleepy herself, Lisa half-smiled. “Thank you. . .”

  “Did your mom call you last night?”

&nb
sp; “No. I went straight to bed after everyone left. I didn’t even stay up to talk with Bryan and Tyra. Why?”

  “She left a message for me with a few things that she and Callie want us to be on the look out for and get for them.”

  Lisa looked at him and laughed. “Nuh-uh, they are wrong for that. I’m not buying anything for them. They should’ve come themselves.”

  CHAPTER 34

  No Further Questions

  The remainder of that year flew by quickly. Lisa had turned thirty-nine in December and she, Chanelle and RJ drove to Baltimore to bring in the New Year with David and Sheila. Reporters and photographers swarmed the front of the courthouse as Justin Scott was escorted in by his parents. Lisa watched from afar as her former best friend did not appear to be camera shy. She couldn’t make out what was said, but she was sure it was along the lines of proclaiming Justin’s innocence. Olivia was camera ready, looking way better than she had the time when Lisa saw her at the store.

  “Come this way.” RJ grabbed her arm and they proceeded in another door.

  The Scotts had really used the media to their advantage and Lisa was slightly worried about whether or not there would be a “fair” trial with all the exposure. Columbus was Ohio State football crazy and her daughter had pressed charges against one of the star players. Thankfully, Chanelle hadn’t received any backlash from this ordeal that Lisa was aware of. Her identity was supposed to be kept anonymous, but somehow information about her being Justin’s accuser mysteriously appeared on the Internet. They’d started receiving calls from reporters to hear “Chanelle’s side of the story.” After a few days of being bombarded with calls, Lisa was forced to change the home telephone number.