Forever Blessed (Women of Prayer)

by Shortridge, Darlene

  “I guess so. But, I just don’t know. He is so adamant about not having him. The police have searched the house, his work. They have kept tabs on him. I don’t know, maybe he doesn’t have him.”

  Sheila doubted she meant that. “Well, why don’t we go in the sanctuary and concentrate on God for a while?” She stood up and led the way.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Laney spent her days driving around the countryside looking for black Suburbans or sitting by the telephone, waiting for the phone call that would change everything. She could only hope when the call came it would be good news. She was thankful she’d had the money to fix her van. Between the radiator, the heater and the air conditioning, she handed over a couple of thousand dollars to the auto mechanic who handled the repairs.

  Two weeks had passed. She was going crazy. “God, I don’t think I can take much more of this.” At least she’d been able to pay her bills, thanks to the people who attended church with her. She was also able to finance all the copies and pay for gas for those who were still helping her canvass the rural areas. She knew money was tight. It was a blessing to have the help and she could at least pay for their expenses.

  Sheila and Austin had their hands full with the teashop and the construction on the shelter. Ella was doing everything she could to help Laney. She brought her meals so she wouldn’t have to cook and spent more time with Joy and Melanie than Laney did. Jessi was a constant source of encouragement, praying for her and calling her in the middle of the day just to remind her she was there for her.

  The ladies in the church took turns with Ella bringing food and desserts. They tried to comfort her. She was polite, but nothing worked. No matter how hard they tried, nothing would bring her comfort except the feel of her son in her arms.

  * * * *

  Laney started when the phone rang. She was fully clothed. She took to sleeping in her clothes each night in case she had to suddenly leave to get her son. Some people called it irrational. Some had already given up and told her to accept the inevitable. Obviously it wasn’t Paul that took him and every day that passed was a bad sign, indicating something worse than death had happened to her son. She refused to believe them. She refused to give up hope.

  It was the FBI agent that had been working the case. They had a lead. An anonymous tip had been called in. It could be Matt. Or it could be nothing. If it was Matt, it would be good if she was there. Did she want to come?

  “You bet I want to come.” She started putting her shoes on. “When and where?”

  “Meet me at the gas station at five points in fifteen minutes.”

  She hung up and quickly called Ella. “Ella, they might have found him. Can you come over? I have to go.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Laney started the van and was waiting outside the door when Ella arrived. She squeezed her outstretched hand then hurried to her van. She drove as fast as she could to the gas station and pulled in right behind the agent that had called her. He didn’t say where the tip originated, but every tip was worth checking out.

  “The caller said he knows where Matt is. Then he gave us this address.” He handed her the piece of paper. She knew the area and had in fact driven by the house several times. It was run down but there were never any signs of life, nor had there ever been a black suburban when she’d driven by. If there had been, that would have alerted her to the possibility.

  The caller told them no one was there but Matt. Regardless, the agents pulled their weapons and approached cautiously. Laney could hear them yell "clear" as they moved from room to room.

  When she heard, “I’ve got him,” she took off at a full run. No one could stop her. She ran from room to room, searching for her little boy. Finally she found him at the top of the stairs in a small bedroom. Matt was lying on a mattress, shivering from the cold. Laney heard an ambulance being called for. Her baby was alive. She rode with him to the hospital, afraid to leave his side. He was malnourished and dehydrated. The doctors were pumping him with fluids and checking all his vital signs. After a thorough examination, she was told he would recuperate, at least physically. No one was sure yet what he had endured, so his mental and emotional states would need evaluating.

  She sat by his side and watched him sleep. He had been so weak, the only time he opened his eyes he had looked at her, whispered, “Mom,” and fallen back asleep with a smile on his face. The fluids disappearing in his arm would help restore his vitality.

  She quietly made phone calls, letting everyone know their prayers had been answered. For some reason the kidnapper left him and called the FBI to let him know where Matt was. There could be no other explanation but prayer, and lots of it.

  Ella let Melanie and Joy know as soon as they woke up. They quickly got dressed and Sheila picked them up to take them to see their brother. They were so excited.

  Laney watched her girls walk as quickly as they could to her side. She hugged them tight then took them in one at a time to see their brother. She held onto Melanie who wanted to wake him up. “We can’t wake him up Mellie, he’s sleeping. He’s tired. He’ll wake up soon, okay?”

  Melanie smiled and called out Matt’s name anyway. Laney tried to keep her quiet but saw Matt stirring. “Mellie, is that you?”

  Joy heard voices and joined her mother, sister and brother. She was old enough to understand what had happened and started crying when she saw Matt lying on the bed. Ella had ridden along and she and Sheila interrupted the family reunion, both with tears in their eyes.

  Sheila took Ella and the kids back to the house after a short visit. Matt would need his rest to get better. Besides, as soon as he was up to it, the FBI wanted to talk with him to try and figure out what exactly happened to him.

  Later that afternoon Sheila sat with Laney waiting to hear in Matt’s own words what had happened.

  The FBI agent sat next to Matt, trying not to intimidate him. “Hey, Matt. How are you feeling?”

  “Pretty good, I guess. I’m hungry.”

  “Yeah? I think the nurse is bringing you some soup. Does that sound good?”

  “Chicken Noodle?”

  “I think that is what your mom ordered.” He looked to her for confirmation and she shook her head yes.

  He continued. “Do you think you could tell us what happened when you came out of school that day?”

  Matt nodded. “I can try.”

  “Well, that will be good enough then. We just want you to do your best.”

  The nurse appeared with a tray and Laney moved to help her son eat. The broth was thin and the noodles were miniscule. His first meal had to be small to see how his stomach would react. No one was sure yet how much he’d had to eat over the course of the two weeks.

  She spooned some broth in his mouth. “Mmm, this is good.”

  She smiled. “As good as Ms. Ella’s?”

  He grinned. It was good to see the old Matt shining through this shell of a child. “Naw, nothing is good as Ms. Ella’s.”

  “She’ll be glad to hear you say that. I have it on good authority she is making a special welcome home supper, just for you.”

  Matt grinned in anticipation. “Is it chicken and noodles?”

  “No, something you like even more.”

  His eyes grew wide. “Is she making honey glazed chicken and mom’s potatoes?”

  “How did you know?”

  “I just guessed. I’m good like that, you know.” He smiled then added. “Don’t worry, mom, I’ll share.” After a few bites of his soup he settled back against the pillow.

  The agent quickly took Laney’s place on the chair next to Matt and began to ask him about his memories of the kidnapping. “Matt, can you tell me how you ended up with the man who had you?”

  Matt told him all about his friend and thinking his dad was waiting for him. He also told the agent his dad was not in the SUV.

  “So, at any time did you see your father?”

  “No.”

  “Did you talk to
him on the phone?”

  “No. I didn’t talk to anybody. But the man, he yelled on the phone a lot. I could hear him through the register on the floor.”

  “Do you know who he was talking to?”

  “No.”

  “What kind of things did he say?”

  “He said he was only s’posed to have me for a day or two, then someone else was s’posed to have me. He said he had other things to do and he couldn’t stay with me anymore. Then he left and I didn’t hear him come back anymore. He didn’t bring me any more McDonalds either and I got hungry.”

  “He brought you McDonalds? Did he get you Chicken McNuggets? Or a cheeseburger?”

  “A cheeseburger. And the French fries were always cold. I ate them anyway 'cause I was hungry.”

  Matt started yawning so Laney stepped in. “He needs to rest for a while. You can talk with him more later.”

  The agent nodded and left the room, leaving the boy and his mother.

  Laney sat back down in the chair he had just vacated and held Matt’s hand. He fell asleep almost instantly in the safety of his mother’s presence.

  Sheila whispered, “Maybe Paul really didn’t have anything to do with Matt’s kidnapping.”

  Laney watched Matt, making sure his breathing was even before she replied. “I’m not buying it. If it wasn’t Paul, then who? And why would they all of a sudden tell us where he was? I’ll tell you why. Because it was Paul and things didn’t quite work out the way he expected, that’s why.”

  “You may be right. I sincerely hope not. What kind of father would do something like that to his own son?”

  “The kind that is only concerned about himself.” Her gaze said it all. “The kind that would beat his wife.”

  The two women sat in silence.

  Laney watched her son, the rise and fall of his chest, and wondered what he had endured. Her heart was still broken, not knowing the horrors of what he experienced did not help. She prayed he wasn’t violated sexually. He was so innocent, so full of life before he was taken. She would never complain about his practical jokes again. Lord, please give me my son back. Please restore his innocence and help us be a family again.

  A voice Laney had learned to recognize and cower in fear before sounded in the hallway just outside the hospital door. She turned to Sheila. At first her reaction paralyzed her. Then she looked at her boy and found a strength she did not know she had.

  She exited the room with a determination that spoke volumes and marched directly to where he stood. “How dare you show your face here?”

  Paul was temporarily stunned. Where did this fiery creature come from? It certainly wasn’t his wife. He quickly recovered. “I’ll show my face where ever I feel like showing my face. He is my son too. I have every right to be here.”

  “May I remind you of the restraining order? What are you doing here?”

  “My son is here. That, as far as I am concerned, is as good a reason as any. And I have every right to see him. He’s my son too!”

  Laney faltered for one second too many. Paul smirked then hissed, “I’ll do what I want exactly when I want and no one, especially not you, can stop me. Do you hear me?”

  He turned and walked in Matt’s room. “Sheila, I presume?” He looked at his son. “Get out. I want to see my son alone.”

  Laney called the FBI agent who promptly headed her way. “I’ll stay with him.”

  He stepped in the room, then turned to Laney and nodded. He wouldn’t be intimidated.

  Laney and Sheila went to the cafeteria. “At least Matt is sleeping.”

  * * * *

  Paul watched the agent. He wanted to be alone with his son but Laney had seen to that not happening. He could intimidate Laney but he doubted this guy would bend to his wishes.

  He looked at Matt, not sure what to think. The kid looked like his mother. He was weak too. If he had been abducted, he would have found a way out. Not only did he not try to get away, he did every math problem in his workbook. What kid does that?

  He looked around for Matt’s schoolbooks. Not seeing them, he looked back at the agent who was watching his every move.

  Time to get going. A small voice interrupted his thoughts.

  “Dad? Is that you?”

  “Um, yeah, it’s me, buddy.” He hesitated. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m tired. How come you didn’t come? I thought you were going to come?”

  Paul anxiously looked at the agent then back to Matt. “No, I didn’t know anything about you being taken. I think they told you that so you would go with them.”

  “But, they told me mom said it was okay that I go and visit with you. They told me you missed me and wanted to see me.”

  “No, you misunderstood, Matt. I don’t know those people. They don’t know me. I didn’t want you to come and see me.” Paul realized his mistake. “At least not that way. I would never do anything to hurt you.”

  “But Dad ...”

  “No buts, Matt. I have to go. I hope you get better soon.”

  “Dad, did you bring me a present? Mom bought me a new football.”

  Paul looked down. This looked bad. What parent doesn’t bring his kid a gift after an ordeal like this? “I had one sent to you. You should get it soon. I thought it would be easier that way.” He stepped toward the door. “I really have to go, Matt. Your mom will be back soon. Get better.” He turned and quickly left the hospital.

  The agent waited by the door until Laney returned. She followed him into the hallway, questioning him with her eyes.

  “There is something fishy about your husband. We’ll keep an eye on him.” He left her and Sheila alone with the boy, dialed his cell phone and walked away.

  Sheila shrugged and turned to the room but Laney watched the man as he left. Did he really believe her? That Paul had something to do with Matt being kidnapped? And if he did, then what was it he heard that made him a believer?

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Jessi and Mark bounded through the hospital room door with balloons, flowers, and a present.

  “Hey, dude. How are you doing? We’ve missed you!”

  Matt was sitting up playing a video game. Laney motioned for him to put it down. “Ah, mom.”

  “Remember your manners, young man.”

  “Yes ma’am.” He said and then sat the controller on the side of the bed. He looked to Mark. “I’m doing good. I ate a whole plate of spaghetti. And I get to go home tomorrow.” He stole a glance at his game.

  “That is great news. I’m so glad to hear it.” Jessi handed him his present. He tore into it. “I hope you like it. Our boys aren’t as old as you are so, we did our best.”

  “Oh man, look mom. It’s a remote control truck. Cool.”

  Laney coughed.

  “Oh, yeah, right. Thank you.”

  Jessi and Mark laughed. “You’re welcome.”

  Mark offered to assemble the truck and get it charging. Jessi motioned for Laney to move to the hallway where they could talk in private.

  “You look exhausted.”

  Laney yawned. “I am pretty tired. A good tired, though, know what I mean?”

  Jessi smiled. “You know I do.” She glanced at the two guys who were talking trucks. “Mark and I planned on being here for a while. Would you consider going home and getting a little bit of rest?”

  “I couldn’t do that. You are busy and…”

  Jessi cut her off. “We are not busy. We purposefully set this time aside to spend with Matt. Mark has been praying about how to help you. He really feels God put Matt on his heart. He wants to be a male role model for Matt. You know, spend some time with him. Play ball with him. That kind of stuff.”

  Laney nodded her approval for Jessi to continue.

  “He thinks the trouble Matt has been getting into at school is because he is looking for male approval.” She swallowed hard, not sure how Laney was taking this conversation. “We want to help. More importantly, Mark wants to help. Will you let us?�
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  She could hear her son’s giggle, a crash and male laughter. She couldn’t deny it. Matt needed a man in his life, one who she could trust, who was a good example.

  Jessi could tell Laney was considering it. “When I was sitting in the hospital, my aunt made me go home and get some rest. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.” She laughed. “The shower felt almost as good as the sleep did.”

  That did it. Laney felt grimy and smelled like antiseptic. She did need a shower and if she could trust these two to lead her and her children spiritually, she should be able to trust them with his physical body.

  “Alright. I’ll go. But, please, if anything at all happens, call me?”

  “You know we will. I promise.”

  Laney walked out to her van, beat. She had one foot in the door when she saw the yellow rose on her windshield. She was too tired to maintain control. Her emotions led her. She ran to the front of the van, snatched the wilted flower from its resting spot and threw it. “Leave me alone. Do you hear me? I said leave me alone!”

  She sat in her car and cried on her steering wheel. “God, help me.”

  She started her van and left for home, a hot shower and a comfortable bed. It was all she could do to think straight enough to get her there. She was thankful the hospital wasn’t too far from her home.

  Laney stood in the shower, willing the hot water to wash away the confusion that clouded her mind. If only.

  Was she wrong about her husband? Just because he could hit her without blinking, did it mean he was capable of burning someone’s house down? Or stealing his own child? She had to rest. She couldn’t think straight. She began to doubt her rationale. Was she jaded? Did she hate men? Did she automatically blame him because he was convenient to blame?

  She climbed between the sheets. The need to sleep replaced the worry that was plaguing her and her eyelids closed of their own volition. She startled awake three hours later, a little confused but feeling better than she had in days.