Drama in the Church Saga

by Dynah Zale

  “Exactly.” She pulled her coat tightly around herself and left.

  Anger boiled through Val’s veins. She was furious that Caitlyn would again get away with the wrong she had done. Val was ready to tell the whole world how Caitlyn was responsible for her brother’s death. She would love nothing more than to see her rot behind bars, but then her eyes rested on Jonah. He was finally happy. He and Hope would finally be reunited forever, and if she told what she knew that could jeopardize his happiness.

  For now she would have to swallow her pride and allow Caitlyn to bask in her triumph. Val prayed that today would be the last time she ever laid eyes on Caitlyn. Hopefully, she would be walking out of their lives forever.

  Jonah shook hands with Mr. Lawson before returning back to Val. “Mr. Lawson said if I wait here they’ll bring Hope to me.”

  “Are you still upset with me?” Val asked.

  “No. I apologize for acting like a fool.” He took her hand in his. “I overreacted, and I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t accept my apology.” Then he bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips.

  “I think I can accept your apology.” She smiled.

  Later that evening Hope, Jonah and Val stood on Mrs. McCormick’s doorstep. “Are you sure you’re ready to do this?” She held her finger inches away from Mrs. McCormick’s doorbell.

  “Yes, I think it’s time for Mrs. McCormick to meet her granddaughter.” Jonah kissed Hope on the cheek, then turned and also gave Val a kiss.

  She nervously pushed the doorbell. This reminded her of the first time Julian brought her home to meet his parents.

  When Mrs. McCormick answered the door, she was so happy to see Val, Jonah and Hope together that she insisted they stay for dinner. Mrs. McCormick loved to cook and she made enough to feed the entire neighborhood.

  After she served dessert and everyone was chatting around the table, Jonah gave a subtle nod to Val that he was ready to tell them.

  “Mr. and Mrs. McCormick, we have some startling news to tell you and we don’t want you to get alarmed.”

  Mrs. McCormick braced herself for the worst.

  “Hope.” She nodded toward the little girl who was licking the vanilla ice cream from her fingers. “She’s adopted.”

  Mrs. McCormick laughed. “Oh! Is that all? Val, that isn’t startling news.” Relief showed over her face.

  “Yes, but”—Val suddenly wished she didn’t have to tell her this—“what you don’t know is that Hope is your grandchild.”

  Mrs. McCormick looked at her strangely.

  “I know this may be hard for you to understand, but Julian might have fathered a child before he died.”

  Speechless, Mrs. McCormick dropped the butter knife she was holding on her plate. She looked toward her husband then she looked at Hope. The little girl was so absorbed in eating her ice cream, she had no idea what was going on around her. Mrs. McCormick got up and walked around to Hope’s chair. When Hope saw her, she smiled at her grandmother before pushing another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.

  “This is my grandbaby?” Mrs. McCormick ran her fingers over Hope’s hair. “She’s really Julian’s daughter? How could this be?”

  After Val explained Caitlyn’s pregnancy and the DNA tests that were performed by the courts, Mrs. McCormick cried tears of joy and hugged her grandchild close to her.

  “You don’t know how badly I’ve wanted a granddaughter. I loved Julian and I always will, but to have a second chance with his daughter is a blessing. The Lord took my son, but He kept his promise to give me a grandchild.” Then she got up and hugged Jonah. “Thank you! Thank you so much for taking care of this child and enduring everything you had to go through. You had to risk your life, and I love you for that.” Tears fell from her eyes. “And I want you to know that I would never try to take her away from you. Since Val recommended we do a DNA test I will contact my lawyer sometime this week, but I would never try to disrupt Hope’s life with you.”

  Hope’s new grandparents wasted no time in spoiling Hope. They started making plans for Disney World and private school.

  With so much movement in the house and everyone making such a big fuss over Hope, Val slipped away into the living room for a moment by herself.

  It was hard being back in Julian’s parents’ house. Memories filled the room. Mrs. McCormick still had the room full of his pictures. She remembered the day they got engaged. Julian asked her to marry him in the same spot she was standing in.

  “Are you happy?” Jonah scared her.

  “Very. No more secrets and no more lies.”

  “You how know important it is for me to give Hope a family,” Jonah said, “and with her grandparents being a part of her life, the only thing missing is a mother.”

  Val closed her eyes a moment, and when she opened them again he was down on one knee.

  “Marry me?” Jonah popped the question.

  Val was unsure how to react. They were in her ex-fiancé’s parents’ house.

  “Valencia.”

  The sound of her name brought back memories of Julian. He was the only one who called her Valencia. She looked around the room, and it was Hope calling out for her.

  Hope walked over to Val and opened up her arms for a hug.

  “I told you she would warm up to you,” Jonah reminded her.

  Val picked her up and hugged her so tight that she cried.

  Chapter 35

  Five days following Baxter’s successful lung transplant, Colin returned to the hospital to visit with his former boss. When Colin walked in, Baxter was asleep. Colin stood for a moment and watched as the breathing apparatus pumped life into his lungs. Baxter’s chest rose up and down. Colin couldn’t believe a part of his friend now lived inside Baxter. He reached out his hand to touch Baxter’s chest. He just wanted to feel a small piece of his friend again, but before his hand settled, Baxter’s eyes flung open.

  Baxter looked petrified. Colin pulled his hand back and waited to see what Baxter would do.

  Baxter moved the mask from his face. He had a little trouble breathing, but he talked rather well. “How is West’s grandson?”

  “He’s dead,” Colin told him. “Good. At least something positive came out of this.” Baxter seemed to relax better at the sound of that news.

  Colin chuckled. He didn’t question God when He took Dean home to be with Him, but he often wondered why God would leave Baxter on earth with them. “It’s good to know you’re pleased with the outcome, but just because Dean is dead doesn’t mean parts of him won’t live on.” Baxter looked at him strangely. “What do you mean by that?” Colin gave him a sly grin and walked out of the room.

  Olivia spread every outstanding bill she had over the kitchen counter. She studied the balance of each credit card statement, her car payment and her monthly utility bills. She gathered everything into one pile and prayed over it.

  She refused to worry because she knew God would make a way when she had none. Her daily prayers went up and God knew the petitions of her heart. Dean was a great provider when he was alive, and she thanked the Lord every day for their union, but she knew God wouldn’t leave her wavering in the wind. It wasn’t easy to let go and let God, but ultimately she had no choice. Olivia was sure she was living in the center of God’s will.

  One worry she didn’t have to burden herself with was a mortgage or rent payment. Judge West opened his home to Bryce and Olivia for as long as they needed. Living rent-free would help her in paying off her bills. But, as soon as she was financially able, Olivia wanted to look for a house of her own. This place held too many memories of Dean.

  Olivia took a sip from her coffee mug before realizing how late it was getting. Dean’s lawyer had set up a meeting for her to finalize his estate. She finished off her cup and did a little cleaning before leaving.

  The huge gold-plated revolving doors were much heavier than they looked. Olivia pushed her way into the office building and stopped in the middle of the floor. “You look lost. C
an I be of any assistance to you this afternoon?” A friendly overweight security guard grinned at her.

  “Yes, I’m looking for Mr. Sexton’s office.”

  “He’s located on the seventh floor. Walk around to the elevators on the far right side of the building, and the doors will open right in front of his office.”

  “Thank you.”

  Olivia maneuvered around the maze of office workers and mail carriers as they raced to and from their destination. She found the elevators with ease and boarded along with a crowd of people. The elevator stopped at every floor, making the duration of the ride longer than expected.

  Finally it reached Mr. Sexton’s floor. She got off the elevator and walked straight into the law office of Marcus Sexton. Marcus was a close college buddy of Dean’s, and after Dean passed she’d learned that he was handling most of Dean’s business matters.

  She introduced herself to the receptionist, and within seconds Marcus came out into the lobby to greet her. “Olivia, I’m so glad you could make it.”

  They shook hands, and he escorted her down a narrow hallway. They entered his plush office, and he offered her a seat.

  “How are you making out?” He sat down behind his desk.

  She sighed deeply. “Every day I think it gets a little easier, but it’s still hard to believe that my husband is gone. I still don’t think my son understands that Dean isn’t coming back.”

  “I understand. I miss him myself. A few times I had to catch myself from picking up the phone and dialing his office.” He grabbed a huge manila envelope and pulled out a copy of Dean’s will. “I guess we should get started. It’s not really that difficult. He left you everything. You are the sole beneficiary of Dean’s estate. Today, I’m going to take the time and go over everything with you. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m here to assist you.” He laughed to himself. “Dean gave me strict instructions to treat you special.”

  Olivia smiled.

  “He also told me not to hit on you.”

  Olivia gave him an amused look.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hit on you. You’re pretty, but I’m married.” He flashed his wedding ring.

  He pulled out some forms and placed them down in front of Olivia. “Before I give you any checks, you must sign for them.” He pointed to a few lines on the paper.

  Olivia squinted. “These are a lot of forms.”

  “Well, this one is from Dean’s pension plan.” He pointed to the first form. “I took the liberty of rolling his pension into an IRA in your name so that you wouldn’t be penalized.”

  Olivia picked up a check that was written out for over seventy-five thousand dollars and set it back down. “At least I don’t have to worry about retirement,” she commented.

  “This is also a pension fund that he had from his second job.” Marcus pulled out a second packet and had her sign in various spaces. The check for that pension was close to eighteen thousand dollars. “I’ll also roll that over into an IRA account for you if you want.”

  “I had no idea Dean had so much money put away for retirement.”

  “Yeah, he often called me for legal advice. Fortunately, we both learned how to save a dollar when we were in college.” Marcus chuckled. “These next four documents are from different stocks and investment clubs Dean was involved in. He was sure you would need the money, so he asked me to cash these out for you.”

  Olivia signed for all four checks, and he handed her checks that totaled close to a million dollars.

  “This is all mine?” Olivia stared at the dollar amounts. She never saw a check with so many zeros. Each check was written out for no less than two hundred thousand dollars. Her eyes began to get blurry, so she rubbed them and sat back in her chair.

  “Let me get you some water.” Marcus ran out of his office and returned with a cold bottle of spring water.

  “Dean never mentioned he was into the stock market,” Olivia said.

  Marcus opened the water bottle before handing it to her. “He didn’t participate that much. I encouraged him to invest, and fortunately he invested at the right time. His stocks doubled in a few short years.”

  Marcus could tell Olivia was not expecting to receive this kind of money. “The last check is from his life insurance policy. He had three policies that equaled over two hundred thousand dollars each. Two of the checks are made out to you, and the third he wanted put into a trust fund for your son.”

  Olivia cried. She couldn’t believe Dean was providing for her even after his death. Marcus handed Olivia a few tissues to wipe her face.

  “I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting all this,” she cried.

  Olivia knew that Dean was gone, but she never felt more alone than she did at that moment. More than anything in the world she wished her husband was still alive. Having all this money and not being able to share it with the one she loved broke her heart. She wished she could tell him one more time how much she loved him.

  “Thank you, Marcus.” Olivia put her signature on the last of the forms.

  “There were a few more checks, but that went toward Dean’s medical expenses and the funeral. Believe me when I say you and your son were Dean’s first priority. He said his soul would be at ease knowing you were well taken care of.” Marcus sounded so sincere.

  Olivia held out her hand. “I appreciate all your help.” They shook hands.

  When she stood to her knees she felt a little weak. The room spun, and she quickly held on to the chair until she was able to regain her balance.

  “Are you all right?” Marcus asked.

  “I’m fine,” she reassured him.

  “Olivia, spend your money wisely, and if you need any legal or financial advice you can call me day or night.”

  She smiled warmly before closing the door behind her.

  “Thank you, Dean,” Olivia whispered in the elevator. “You always did have my best interests at heart.”

  Chapter 36

  Four months later

  Today was opening day for the Dean West Elementary School. Olivia gave a generous donation to the school, which helped expedite the opening for next school year. Colin and Judge West worked hard to make sure their dream of opening a good, safe school for their children was a reality. Standing in front of the school steps were the mayor, along with numerous other government officials. Even the governor of Pennsylvania had made it to the ceremony. Lots of people stood out in the audience anxious for them to open a school that cares about their children getting a good education.

  Val held Hope’s hand as they listened to the different speeches being given by several city dignitaries when Jonah approached her with a copy of the USA Today newspaper.

  “Look at this,” he said.

  Val took the paper in her hand. The front page displayed a picture of Caitlyn being hauled into the Seattle police headquarters. Val quickly skimmed through the article to discover Caitlyn had been arrested for her third drunk driving offense. Currently her lawyers were working overtime to avoid her from doing any jail time.

  “I guess money can’t buy everything,” Val whispered.

  “I guess not,” Jonah replied. “It’s a blessing she did what she did and gave full custody of Hope over to me.”

  “Yes, I have to agree, Caitlyn made the right decision.”

  Jonah hugged Val tightly around her waist and planted a wet kiss on her cheek.

  After Caitlyn left town, Val had told Jonah everything about Cole and the inheritance. The couple cleared up any misunderstandings they had and made a vow to never keep any secrets from one another again.

  Right beneath the article about Caitlyn there was a small article that reported Reverend Baxter was sentenced to fifteen years in jail for the murder of Judge West’s grandson.

  Val tossed the paper in the trash.

  “Parents,” Judge West announced, “I promise you that this will be a school that will reach high. We will strive high in expectations, and we will not let your chi
ldren down.”

  Everyone cheered. Judge West and the mayor cut the ribbon strings together, and everyone was welcomed into the school to get a grand tour.

  Olivia, Bryce and Danyelle stood on the far end of the stage together.

  “Dean would have been so proud.” Tears poured out of Olivia’s eyes.

  “Yes, he would have,” Danyelle replied.

  Chapter 37

  The Wedding

  It was a splendid fall day for a wedding. First Nazareth looked more like heaven than a church. The entire interior of the church had been covered in white. The pews were decorated with white sheets. Huge long white centerpieces sat in each windowsill adorned with red long-stemmed roses.

  Tressie looked around. She had never seen the church look lovelier. She was a bit jealous, but at the same time happy for her friend. She wished that she was the one getting married, but she knew her turn would come one day.

  Val took Jonah’s hand in hers. The couple snapped pictures of Hope as she stood at the front of the church dressed in a simple yellow-and-white flower girl’s dress. Hope saw them, smiled and waved back. She and Val were quickly becoming close friends. They did things a mother and daughter would do together.

  After Jonah had proposed, Val took her time giving him an answer. As a matter of fact, he was still waiting. Once he realized she was stalling for time, he told her it was no rush. He would wait until she was ready to say yes.

  Grateful for his patience, Val took that extra time to go back to school, get to know Hope better and make sure they had God situated right in the center of their relationship.

  The bride looked radiant in her gown. After searching endlessly for the perfect dress, she had decided to wear her mother’s gown.

  “Do you, Danyelle Benson,” Reverend Simms began, “take Colin Montgomery to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

  The look of love in their eyes was obvious.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  It came as a complete surprise to everyone when Danyelle announced that she was getting married. No one even knew they were dating.