by Pat Simmons
“Thank you, Aunt Tweet,” he said and kissed her cheek.
Her aunt nodded, then allowed Marcus’ mother to guide her to the front pew.
“Ready to become my wife?” He gave Tabitha a tender expression.
“More than ready.” In sync, they finished the journey to the altar together.
Pastor Nelson nodded. “Dearly, beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and these witnesses...” he began. “Sister Tabitha Knicely, will you take Brother Marcus Whittington to be your lawful wedded husband?”
The moment was surreal as Tabitha stared into Marcus’ eyes. She was in tune with his breathing rhythm, cologne, and the strength of his hands, holding hers. Tabitha blinked when she heard a small voice, reciting the vows along with the pastor. It was Aunt Tweet. Even that distraction didn’t stop her from saying, yes. When it was Marcus’ turn, Tabitha trembled as the strength of his voice made her weak and she stayed in that state until Pastor Nelson said, “Brother Whittington, you may now salute your bride.”
With a smirk that made Marcus’ nostrils flare, he gathered her in his arms and delivered a passionate kiss.
“Now, that’s a whopper!” Aunt Tweet declared loudly.
“The End” for now, but the Beginning of Forever. Make sure you visit my website at www.patsimmons.net and be the first to know when Rachel’s story is out.
Book Club Discussion
1.Talk about whether the sisters’ caregivers’ pact was realistic.
2.Talk about Marcus’ interaction with Aunt Tweet.
3.Tabitha wasn’t the only caregiver in the story. Identify the other one.
4.Aunt Tweet is now in the care of Rachel. What do you think is going to happen?
5.Discuss whether a single person should place a loved one in a nursing facility when there is no help.
6.How much do you know about dementia and the many diseases that are impacted by its symptoms
7.How much do you know about the Alzheimer’s Association?
8.Discuss Demetrius’ concerns about Marcus getting involved with Tabitha.
9.The Knicely sisters considered themselves tight-knit. Discuss how being a caregiver affects families living in and outside the house.
10.Talk about your experience as a caregiver.
11.What is your definition of a caregiver? Does it have to be limited to the care of an elderly or physically challenged individual?
12.Discuss Marcus’ relationship with Victor and Latrice.
13.Tabitha cried out to the Lord twice for help. Discuss whether you felt she expected God to send her help.
Author’s Note:
I hope you have enjoyed My Rock. The Lord Jesus Christ and my grandmother Jessie Atkins inspired me to write this story to bless someone.
Many of Aunt Tweet’s antics mimicked Grandma Jessie who suffered from advanced stages of dementia symptoms. The ice cream on the face while the dog went missing was one of Grandma’s escapades. Being a caregiver is probably one of the most misunderstood positions. There is joy, sorrow, depression, frustration, pity parties, and more.
If you know someone who is a caregiver, drop them a card, send them flowers, give them a gift card for maid service or a day out... The blessings are endless.
For more information about dementia and Alzheimer’s, visit alz.org.
Rachel’s story is next. Every caregiver’s situation isn’t the same, and this Knicely sister is about to find out what it means to be a full-time caregiver.
Please take a moment to post a review, and purchase a copy of My Rock for a friend.
Until next time, hug a caregiver and be blessed!
Pat
About the Author
Pat has celebrated ten years as a multi-published author of more than thirty-five Christian titles, and is a three-time recipient of the Emma Rodgers Award for Best Inspirational Romance. She has been a featured speaker and workshop presenter at various venues across the country.
As a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth, Pat is passionate about researching her ancestors and then casting them in starring roles in her novels. She describes the evidence of the gift of the Holy Ghost as an amazing, unforgettable, life-altering experience. God is the Author who advances the stories she writes.
Pat currently oversees the media publicity for the annual RT Booklovers Conventions. She has a B.S. in mass communications from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts.
Pat converted her sofa-strapped, sports fanatic husband into an amateur travel agent, untrained bodyguard, GPS-guided chauffeur, and administrative assistant who is constantly on probation. They have a son and a daughter.
Read more about Pat and her books by visiting www.patsimmons.net or on social media.
Other Christian titles include:
The Jamieson Legacy series
Book I: Guilty of Love
Book II: Not Guilty of Love
Book III: Still Guilty
Book IV: The Acquittal
Book V: Guilty by Association
Book VI: The Guilt Trip
Book VII: Free from Guilt
Book VIII: The Confession
The Carmen Sisters
Book I: No Easy Catch
Book II: In Defense of Love
Book III: Driven to Be Loved
Book IV: Redeeming Heart
Love at the Crossroads
Book I: Stopping Traffic
Book II: A Baby for Christmas
Book III: The Keepsake
Book IV: What God Has for Me
Book V: Every Woman Needs a Praying Man
Making Love Work Anthology
Book I: Love at Work
Book II: Words of Love
Book III: A Mother’s Love
Restore My Soul series
Crowning Glory
Jet: The Back Story
Love Led by the Spirit
God’s Gifts:
Couple by Christmas
Prayers Answered by Christmas
Perfect Chance at Love series:
Love by Delivery
Late Summer Love
Single titles
Talk to Me
Her Dress (novella)
Christmas Greetings
Anderson Brothers
Book I: Love for the Holidays (Three novellas): A Christian Christmas, A Christian Easter, and A Christian Father’s Day
Book II: A Woman After David’s Heart (Valentine’s Day)
Book III: A Noelle for Nathan (Book 3 of the Andersen Brothers)
IN Love by Delivery, Senior Accounts Manager Dominique Hayes has it all money, a car and a condo. Well, almost. She's starting to believe love has passed her by. One thing for sure, she can’t hurry God, so she continues to wait while losing hope that a special Godly man will ever make his appearance. Package Courier Ashton Taylor knows a man who finds a wife finds a good thing. The only thing standing in his way of finding the right woman is his long work hours. Or maybe not. A chance meeting changes everything. When love finally comes knocking, will Dominique open the door and accept Ashton's special delivery?
In Late Summer Love, it takes strategies to win a war, but prayer and spiritual intervention are needed to win a godly woman's heart. God has been calling out to Blake Cross ever since Blake was deployed in Iraq and he took his safety for granted. Now, back on American soil, Blake still won't surrender his soul—until he meets Paige Blake during a family reunion. When the Lord gives Blake an ultimatum, is Blake listening, and is he finally ready to learn what it takes to be a godly man fit for a godly woman?
IN Crowning Glory, Book 1, Cinderella had a prince; Karyn Wallace has a King. While Karyn served four years in prison for an unthinkable crime, she embraced salvation through Crowns for Christ outreach ministry. After her release, Karyn stays strong and confident, despite the stigma society places on ex-offenders. Since Christ strengthens the underdog, Karyn refuses to sway away from the scripture, “He who the Son has set free is free indeed.” Levi Tolliver, for the most part, is a practic
ing Christian. One contradiction is he doesn't believe in turning the other cheek. He's steadfast there is a price to pay for every sin committed, especially after the untimely death of his wife during a robbery. Then Karyn enters Levi's life. He is enthralled not only with her beauty, but her sweet spirit until he learns about her incarceration. If Levi can accept that Christ paid Karyn's debt in full, then a treasure awaits him. This is a powerful tale and reminds readers of the permanency of redemption.
Jet: The Back Story to Love Led By the Spirit, Book 2, to say Jesetta “Jet” Hutchens has issues is an understatement. In Crowning Glory, Book 1 of the Restoring My Soul series, she releases a firestorm of anger with an unforgiving heart. But every hurting soul has a history. In Jet: The Back Story to Love Led by the Spirit, Jet doesn’t know how to cope with the loss of her younger sister, Diane.
But God sets her on the road to a spiritual recovery. To make sure she doesn’t get lost, Jesus sends the handsome and single Minister Rossi Tolliver to be her guide.
Psalm 147:3 says Jesus can heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds. That sets the stage for Love Led by the Spirit.
In Love Led By the Spirit, Book 3, Minister Rossi Tolliver is ready to settle down. Besides the outwardly attraction, he desires a woman who is sweet, humble, and loves church folks. Sounds simple enough on paper, but when he gets off his knees, praying for that special someone to come into his life, God opens his eyes to the woman who has been there all along. There is only a slight problem. Love is the farthest thing from Jesetta “Jet” Hutchens’ mind. But Rossi, the man and the minister, is hard to resist. Is Jet ready to allow the Holy Spirit to lead her to love?
IN Stopping Traffic, Book 1, Candace Clark has a phobia about crossing the street, and for good reason. As fate would have it, her daughter's principal assigns her to crossing guard duties as part of the school's Parent Participation program. With no choice in the matter, Candace begrudgingly accepts her stop sign and safety vest, then reports to her designated crosswalk. Once Candace is determined to overcome her fears, God opens the door for a blessing, and Royce Kavanaugh enters into her life, a firefighter built to rescue any damsel in distress. When a spark of attraction ignites, Candace and Royce soon discover there's more than one way to stop traffic.
In A Baby For Christmas, Book 2, yes, diamonds are a girl's best friend, but in Solae Wyatt-Palmer's case, she desires something more valuable. Captain Hershel Kavanaugh is a divorcee and the father of two adorable little boys. Solae has never been married and longs to be a mother. Although Hershel showers her with expensive gifts, his hesitation about proposing causes Solae to walk and never look back. As the holidays approach, Hershel must convince Solae that she has everything he could ever want for Christmas.
In The Keepsake, Book 3, Until death us do part...or until Desiree walks away. Desiree “Desi” Bishop is devastated when she finds evidence of her husband’s affair. God knew she didn’t get married only to one day have to stand before a judge and file for a divorce. But Desi wants out no matter how much her heart says to forgive Michael. That isn’t easier said than done. She sees God’s one acceptable reason for a divorce as the only opt-out clause in her marriage. Michael Bishop is a repenting man who loves his wife of three years. If only...he had paid attention to the red flags God sent to keep him from falling into the devil’s snares. But Michael didn’t and he had fallen. Although God had forgiven him instantly when he repented, Desi’s forgiveness is moving as a snail’s pace. In the end, after all the tears have been shed and forgiveness granted and received, the couple learns that some marriages are worth keeping
In What God Has For Me, Book 4, Halcyon Holland is leaving her live-in boyfriend, taking their daughter and the baby in her belly with her. She’s tired of waiting for the ring, so she buys herself one. When her ex doesn’t reconcile their relationship, Halcyon begins to second-guess whether or not she compromised her chance for a happily ever after. After all, what man in his right mind would want to deal with the community stigma of ‘baby mama drama?’ But Zachary Bishop has had his eye on Halcyon since the first time he saw her. Without a ring on her finger, Zachary prays that she will come to her senses and not only leave Scott, but come back to God. What one man doesn’t cherish, Zach is ready to treasure. Not deterred by Halcyon’s broken spirit, Zachary is on a mission to offer her a second chance at love that she can’t refuse. And as far as her adorable children are concerned, Zachary’s love is unconditional for a ready-made family. Halcyon will soon learn that her past circumstances won’t hinder the Lord’s blessings, because what God has for her, is for her...and him...and the children.
In Every Woman Needs A Praying Man, Book 5, first impressions can make or break a business deal and they definitely could be a relationship buster, but an ill-timed panic attack draws two strangers together. Unlike firefighters who run into danger, instincts tell businessman Tyson Graham to head the other way as fast as he can when he meets a certain damsel in distress. Days later, the same woman struts through his door for a job interview. Monica Wyatt might possess the outwardly beauty and the brains on paper, but Tyson doesn’t trust her to work for his firm, or maybe he doesn’t trust his heart around her.
IN A Christian Christmas, Book 1, Christian’s Christmas will never be the same for Joy Knight if Christian Andersen has his way. Not to be confused with a secret Santa, Christian and his family are busier than Santa's elves making sure the Lord's blessings are distributed to those less fortunate by Christmas day. Joy is playing the hand that life dealt her, rearing four children in a home that is on the brink of foreclosure. She's not looking for a handout, but when Christian rescues her in the checkout line; her niece thinks Christian is an angel. Joy thinks he’s just another man who will eventually leave, disappointing her and the children. Although Christian is a servant of the Lord, he is a flesh and blood man and all he wants for Christmas is Joy Knight. Can time spent with Christian turn Joy’s attention from her financial woes to the real meaning of Christmas—and true love?
In A Christian Easter, how to celebrate Easter becomes a balancing act for Christian and Joy Andersen and their four children. Chocolate bunnies, colorful stuffed baskets and flashy fashion shows are their competition. Despite the enticements, Christian refuses to succumb without a fight. And it becomes a tug of war when his recently adopted ten year-old daughter, Bethani, wants to participate in her friend’s Easter tradition. Christian hopes he has instilled Proverbs 22:6, into the children’s heart in the short time of being their dad.
In A Christian Father’s Day, three fathers, one Father’s Day and four children. Will the real dad, please stand up. It’s never too late to be a father—or is it? Christian Andersen was looking forward to spending his first Father’s day with his adopted children—-all four of them. But Father’s day becomes more complicated than Christian or Joy ever imagined. Christian finds himself faced with living up to his name when things don’t go his way to enjoy an idyllic once a year celebration. But he depends on God to guide him through the journey.
(All three of Christian’s individual stories are in the Love for the Holidays anthology (Book 1 of the Andersen Brothers series)
In A Woman After David’s Heart, Book 2, David Andersen doesn’t have a problem indulging in Valentine’s Day, per se, but not on a first date. Considering it was the love fest of the year, he didn’t want a woman to get any ideas that a wedding ring was forthcoming before he got a chance to know her. So he has no choice but to wait until the whole Valentine’s Day hoopla was over, then he would make his move on a sister in his church he can’t take his eyes off of. For the past two years and counting, Valerie Hart hasn’t been the recipient of a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner invitation. To fill the void, Valerie keeps herself busy with God’s business, hoping the Lord will send her perfect mate soon. Unfortunately, with no prospects in sight, it looks like that won’t happen again this year. A Woman After David’s Heart is a Valentine romance novella that can be enjoyed with or without a box of
chocolates.
In A Noelle for Nathan, Book 3, is a story of kindness, selflessness, and falling in love during the Christmas season. Andersen Investors & Consultants, LLC, CFO Nathan Andersen (A Christian Christmas) isn’t looking for attention when he buys a homeless man a meal, but grade school teacher Noelle Foster is watching his every move with admiration. His generosity makes him a man after her own heart. While donors give more to children and families in need around the holiday season, Noelle Foster believes in giving year-round after seeing many of her students struggle with hunger and finding a warm bed at night. At a second-chance meeting, sparks fly when Noelle and Nathan share a kindred spirit with their passion to help those less fortunate. Whether they’re doing charity work or attending Christmas parties, the couple becomes inseparable. Although Noelle and Nathan exchange gifts, the biggest present is the one from Christ.
IN A Mother’s Love, to Jillian Carter, it’s bad when her own daughter beats her to the altar. She became a teenage mother when she confused love for lust one summer. Despite the sins of her past, Jesus forgave her and blessed her to be the best Christian example for Shana. Jillian is not looking forward to becoming an empty-nester at thirty-nine. The old adage, she’s not losing a daughter, but gaining a son-in-law is not comforting as she braces for a lonely life ahead. What she doesn’t expect is for two men to vie for her affections: Shana’s biological father who breezes back into their lives as a redeemed man and practicing Christian. Not only is Alex still goof looking, but he’s willing to right the wrong he’s done in the past. Not if Dr. Dexter Harris has anything to say about it. The widower father of the groom has set his sights on Jillian and he’s willing to pull out all the stops to woo her. Now the choice is hers. Who will be the next mother’s love?
