by H. H. Fowler
Armando couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face, because right then and there, it felt as if a huge boulder had rolled from his shoulders. He reached for his cell phone and speed dialed Rena’s number. There was no need to wait to tell Rena, who answered on the first ring, the good news.
Armando could barely contain his excitement. “My mother always says that the Lord works in mysterious ways. For the first time I would agree with her. Annalise has finally decided to divorce me.”
For the next two hours, Rena and Armando talked excitedly about the plans concerning their relationship as a future couple.
****
There is a season for everything under the sun
“By the power vested in me by the province of Devin’s Cay,” Drake announced enthusiastically, this being the first wedding he’d ever performed, “I now pronounce you, man and wife – the newest couple on the island – Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Beckford! You may kiss your bride.”
Kevin didn’t have to be told twice. He threw back Hunter’s translucent veil and smashed his lips against the prettiest mouth he’d ever seen. Kevin wasn’t one to cry easily, but when he thought about the hell they’d endured to get to this milestone, the tears flowed and mixed along with his laughter. However, Kevin wasn’t the only one shedding tears. Hunter was too and so were Sasha and Suanne, who’d been bawling since before the ceremony started.
The congregation had exploded into excited applause, and had rushed from every direction to memorialize the moment, using their camera phones and video recorders. Kirk Franklin’s version of “September,” which was originally recorded by Earth, Wind and Fire, blasted through the outside speakers. A garden wedding was what Hunter had chosen in the fine month of June. The sun was shining brightly and the sky was free of clouds – just as it was being portrayed in the song.
There was a joyous feeling in the air and it wasn’t long before Kevin took his wife by the hand toward the middle of the dance floor and threw down some steps. But Hunter wasn’t about to be outdone. She may have been a white girl, but she could pull out a few ‘hip-hop’ moves from back in the day. Drake was too conventional to try anything so daring. He had a good excuse anyway to stay by Sasha’s side. She was almost eight months pregnant with their son. That alone was enough excitement for Drake. He could barely sleep these days, knowing the arrival of his son was just around the corner.
He moved his gaze to his far right and noticed Levi had a good reason too why he couldn’t get up on the dance floor like everyone else had done. He was babysitting Yasmine’s three-month-old baby, while Yasmine stood as one of the bridesmaids in Sasha’s place. A lot had happened in six months, including parts of Levi’s memory being restored. Strangely, he remembered little of his love/hate relationship with Sasha and more of his brief romance with Yasmine.
Even though Sasha had initially hoped that Levi would regain all of his memory, she had come to see this ‘pause’ in Levi’s life as a blessing in disguise. Because Sasha knew if Levi really knew everything that had happened between them within that last year, it could produce a wave of negative reruns of their misery. She knew he would prefer his life to remain exactly as it was right now – becoming better acquainted with Yasmine and her baby, but in a mindset that was more relaxed and carefree.
For Levi, the most unbelievable thing about this entire situation was when Drake mentioned to him that he’d become a Christian, just two days before he was shot at Kevin and Hunter’s engagement party. The circumstances that led Levi to that point in his life were still a little fuzzy, but he believed every word Drake had told him about his spiritual conversion. Somehow, he sensed a change deep within that he could not explain and he knew it had nothing to do with his loss of memory.
In fact, Levi had already determined in his heart to recommit his life to the Lord, if only for his own personal affirmation. With the baby held securely in his arms, he sat back and had a hearty laugh at the crazy moves Kevin and Hunter were making on the dance floor. He then cast his gaze over at Drake and Sasha, their expressions scintillating with godly contentment. Suanne was still dabbing at the corners of her eyes. And right before Levi turned his attention back to the dance floor, Yasmine winked at him, as if to express her gratitude for the affection that Levi had shown toward her and her baby.
Surrounded by such a positive depiction of love, it was hard for anyone to keep their tears at bay. It was love indeed – real love – nothing short of a divine creation by God so that even King Solomon, in all his wisdom, had been enthralled by its wonders:
Many waters cannot quench love: nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned. – Song of Solomon 8:7 (NLT)
Levi pressed his lips on top of the baby’s head and smiled. If this was a dream, he didn’t want to be awakened.
THE END
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Character Updates
Mrs. O’Grady
Her alias, Anonymous_Eyes and those threatening and inappropriate emails she’d been sending to Drake and Sasha were investigated by a private detective, secretly hired by the couple to protect themselves from being victims of a public spectacle. Though she claimed that her actions had been obscured and could never be proven, the private detective was able to track the emails back to her IP Address at the school. Legal proceedings were brought against her and she was forced to either resign as the principal or spend three years in prison for blackmailing and other criminal charges. Of course, she begrudgingly resigned and is currently seeking employment.
Rafael "Raffie" Ahmed
Currently serving a fifteen-year sentence in Devin’s Cay correctional facility for a number of charges, including possession of an illegal firearm, attempted murder, perjury and extortion. He tried to explain to the police that he was hired by a woman named Shiloh, but he could not remember his co-conspirator’s last name. Sad to say, it was a dead end that police paid no attention to.
Waldo St. John and Kipling
Both are on the run from Mexican authorities after trying to smuggle large quantities of an illegal substance into the country.
Shiloh Bethune
After Raffie’s arrest, she lost interest in exacting revenge against Kevin and Hunter. She was too busy settling a divorce from her first husband and making plans to marry her second. Unbeknownst to her, several significant investors are banning together to overthrow her business influence in Dubai.
Annalise Beckford
Her off and on relationship with Sabrina Wheelie has reached rock bottom to the point where they decided to call it quits for the final time. Nursing a damaged self-image and too embarrassed to beg for Armando’s forgiveness, she settled into a life of promiscuity, sleeping with as many women as her stamina would allow. The last anyone has seen or heard from her remains a mystery.
Suanne Beckford
Her role now as a brand new grandmother has motivated her to do things she didn’t normally do, such as in moving into a new home with Drake and Sasha. She enjoys doing all of the housework, including cooking up a spread and running errands for her son and daughter-in-law.
Lewis
Currently attends El Shaddai Ministries and humbly accepts Drake and Sasha in their roles as his spiritual leaders. He also offers free legal advice to the members of the church.
Levi and Yasmine
Currently maintaining a strong friendship and working toward adding in the romance. And even though Levi is now employed as the head coach for the National Basketball Association, he happily arranges his time to share in the babysitting responsibilities for Yasmine’s baby. Yasmine is presently enrolled in evening classes with Devin’s Cay Community College and is pursuing a degree in Clinical Psychology. The couple also attend
s El Shaddai Ministries, helping to support Drake and Sasha.
Armando and Rena
Currently spending time together in Paris and are considering setting a wedding date as soon as Armando fulfills his upcoming six-week music tour in Brazil. Every now and then they receive calls from Drake, reminding them that he is still praying to see the day that they turn their lives over to the sway of the Holy Spirit.
Kevin and Hunter
They have settled comfortably into their new life and are currently assisting Drake and Sasha with the Marriage Club for newly married couples in the church. Kevin has recently opened his private accounting practice and Hunter continues to excel amongst her contemporaries in the jewelry-making industry. She currently owns three fully-staffed boutiques and plans to open a fourth after the birth of her and Kevin’s first child.
Drake and Sasha
Currently serving as the pastors of El Shaddai Ministries. The new edifice is currently under construction and is expected to open the doors of its 1.7 million-dollar, state-of-the-art facility within the next two months. Their son, Drake Jr., was born at 8 lbs, 4 ounces and they all presently reside in one of the most affluent communities of Devin’s Cay. Their six-thousand-square-foot home sits on 2 acres of land and is a hangout spot for many of the young people who attend the rapidly growing church. The national academic board offered Sasha the recently vacated position as principal of Xavier High. However, desiring to work full-time alongside her husband in ministry, she graciously declined.
Love…bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:7 (NKJV)
FROM THE DESK OF H H FOWLER
Thank you, my dear readers for sharing this journey with me. Please visit my blog page: www.churchboyz.org and leave your comments about my story, or contact me at: [email protected]. Huge appreciation to all for your support and encouraging words. I always say, without you, the reader, we writers could not be successful.
