by Iris Bolling
“Hmm, he’s the one that got away huh?”
“No, not really, no.,” Roc protested a little too much. “This is good.”
Lucy laughed. “Just plain old bacon and eggs, but, if you say so.” A moment of silence filled the room. “He looks bad.”
Roc reached over and touched Lucy’s hand. “He is going to be fine. Joshua has a special force within him, he just has to tap into it again.” Roc continued to eat. “I’m not sure what caused him to go rogue, but if it was the Akande situation, time will heal that, when he allows it. Then he will see that it was a lesson to prepare him for what is coming to him. God works in that way.”
Lucy watched and listened as the woman talked. She didn’t look her age, but the wisdom was there. She seemed to be a loner, and definitely a fighter. It was clear she knew very little Joshua. The real Joshua had yet to emerge. Lord help her when that happens. She’s not going to stand a chance.
A buzz sounded. Roc looked around with her hand on her weapon. “What’s that?”
Lucy stood. No need for alarm. Someone is trying to reach out. I have to go down to the Cave to see what’s happening.”
“The Cave?” The curiosity was clear in her eyes. “Joshua mentioned the Cave. May I accompany you?”
Lucy smiled. “Sure, come on. I’ll be happy to show off my creation.”
The two walked toward the back of the house, past Joshua’s bedroom. The double doors at the end of the hallway opened as they walked by the sensors.
“Wow,” Roc exclaimed as she looked around at the monitors, each flashing with a different scene than the other. There were rows of monitors on the wall directly in front of her. Three rows, ten monitors deep. “Is that Israel?”
“Yes,” Lucy smiled.
“Iran, Germany, South Africa, Somalia,” she pointed at the monitors then stopped. Is that the White House on the center screen?”
Lucy looked closer, “Yes, ma’am. We keep our eyes on everything around here.”
“I see,” she looked around at the equipment. “Can you hear the conversations?”
“If we want to,” Lucy replied as she pushed a button. “What’s up Spicy?”
“Did Absolute make it home?”
“Yes, he’s here.”
“How is he?”
“Not good, but mending,” Lucy replied.
“Let him know as soon as I handle this situation for Sly, I will be there.”
“Where are you?”
“Right outside of Laredo in a little town called La Presa. They are holding Melissa Sue.”
“Is she alive?”
“Barely,” Spicy replied, “but I’m bringing her home. Any word on Ned?”
“Negative,” Lucy replied.
“Strange,” there was silence. “Got to go. I’ll check in later.” With that she was gone.
“So, that’s Monique,” Roc brushed her hair back. “Well, she’s a beautiful and young woman.”
“That she is,” Lucy replied. “She is going to be as good as my Joshua when it’s all said and done.” The buzz sounded again. Lucy pushed a button to switch to another screen. The tunnel came into view. “Samuel is back with Sally. Things are about to get real.”
Chapter Twelve
Quantico, VA
“What do you mean he’s not the same? He’s your brother.”
“Yes, mother, he is. However, Joshua has been through some things most men have a difficult time dealing with under normal circumstances.” Samuel explained. “The one area of his life Joshua has never had difficulty with is women. This thing with Akande messed him up a little bit. He became self-destructive.” He continued to drive as he talked.
Sally sat next to him, excited to see her son. Oh she listened, but for three years she had been worried about Joshua and all he endured because of some woman she had never met. Didn’t he know that was a sign? Didn’t he know if God meant for him to be with that woman they would be together today? If she was not someone you could bring home to your family, she was not the woman for him. She realized Joshua was hurt, but that was no reason for him to turn his back on his family or God. She knew God was going to forgive him, because that’s His job, to forgive. However, her job as a mother was to guide him in the right direction. She didn’t know what that direction was for Joshua, but she was sure she would recognize it when she found it. After all, she now had two children happily married. Her middle daughter, Diamond, was married to, Zachary, a man who worships the ground she walks on and there was her Sammy. She looked over at him and smiled as he continued to talk. He was married to Cynthia. Truth be told, she could not stand Cynthia’s mother, however, Sally loved Cynthia as if she were her own child.
“Mother, are you listening to me?”
She patted Samuel on the hand. “Of course I am Sammy. You are explaining how much Joshua has changed since that woman hurt him. I heard every word you said. In my heart, I know a change is about to come for Joshua. I don’t know why I feel that way, but I do. I trust and believe God has put this chain of events in place to help Joshua heal.” She looked out of the window. “Why are we stopping here?”
Samuel played the tune on his stereo system while the lights on his vehicle flashed to the rhythm.
“Samuel, what is going on here,” Sally asked as the trees opened. “We’re going to see Joshua.”
“Why didn’t you just drive up to his house?”
“Until Joshua is well and can fend for himself, we don’t want anyone to know he’s home.”
“Are his injuries bad?”
“He has the best medic taking care of him. A few days and he will be back on his feet.”
“I knew Joshua needed me. He needs his mother.
Before Sally could get out of the car good, Commando came running out to her. He jumped up, licking her and wagging his tail, then he began barking. Sally reached into her pocket and pulled out a treat. He jumped down and bowed his head. “You’re welcome Commando. Where’s Joshua?”
Commando ran back to the door, passed Lucy, then stopped to make sure Sally was following.
“Well, it looks like he’s happy to see you,” Lucy smiled. “Come on in let’s talk.”
“Mom, I’m going to leave you here while I check out a few things,” Samuel said as he got back into the car. “I’ll see you later.”
Sally waved, then followed Lucy into the house. They walked into the kitchen where Roc was sitting at the table drinking a hot cup of tea.
“Roc, this is Sally Lassiter, Joshua’s mother. Sally this is Roc, she was the one who brought Joshua home. She’s also been caring for him as much as he will allow.”
Roc extended her hand. “Good morning Mrs. Lassiter,” she smiled.
“Hello, how is my son?”
“Have a seat Sally,” Lucy said as she placed a cup of tea in front of her.
Sally looked around the kitchen, then back to Lucy. “Thank you,” she took a drink. “Tell me about Joshua.”
“Well, he’s not our carefree boy we are used to seeing,” Lucy took a sip of her tea. “He’s hurting, physically and emotionally.”
“Let’s talk physical first.”
Roc nodded. “I’ll take that. He received multiple stab wounds in the back. One came dangerously close to his kidney. That’s the wound giving us the most trouble. The first twenty-four hours were the most critical. Unfortunately, we had to move him and the journey was not easy. Now we need him to stay still just long enough to let his wounds heal. If he does that, then he will be as good as before.”
“Then he stays in bed a few days until he heals,” Sally shrugged her shoulders thinking it’s a simple solution.
“That would be ideal”, Roc stated. “However, the reason Joshua was injured is causing some controversy for the White House.”
“Who cares at this point? Joshua needs to heal and that’s what he is going to do.”
“It’s not that simple Mrs. Lassiter. Joshua’s duty is to protect his country. He takes his duty very se
riously, as do I. My job is to get him back into action as soon as possible.”
“Then you are not the right person to be caring for him. Your job should be to ensure his health and well being. Are you a doctor?”
“Yes ma’am. I’m also an agent for this government as is Joshua. Please know, my first loyalty is to my country. As such, I’ve been ordered by my President to get Joshua to his full strength and back into his mother’s arms. It is Joshua’s wish to assist the administration in this situation.” Roc stood. “Let me be very clear, what Joshua wants, Joshua is going to get. Excuse me.” She walked from the room.
Sally watched as the woman walked out of the kitchen. Lucy began to laugh. Sally soon joined her. “I guess she told me.”
“I guess she did.”
The two women stared at each other. Sally put her elbow on the table, placing her chin in the palm of her hand. “Tell me about her.”
“Glad you asked, cause you know I checked.” Commando put his head down and covered his eyes with his paw and groaned.
Lucy looked over at the dog. “Oh shut up.”
❖❖❖
Ten minutes later Sally walked into Joshua’s bedroom suite to find Roc sitting on the sofa reading from her tablet with sports center on the television. She looked up and began to stand when Sally entered the room
“No, please don’t get up.” Sally smiled. “Is he asleep?”
“Yes ma’am. But I believe a visit from you will be worth waking him up,” Roc pointed to the room. “Please go on in.”
Sally walked to the open doorway, then stopped. “Roc, I owe you an apology. I questioned your loyalty to your patient without cause. Please accept my apology.”
Roc smiled. “Apology accepted. Have a good visit with Joshua.”
Standing in the doorway, Sally admired the burgundy and gold, she and the girls had decorated Joshua’s room in. It was fit for a king. To them Joshua was a king. Tears filled her eyes as she walked closer to the bed. The realization that it was indeed Joshua grew stronger with each step. She stopped before touching him, to thank God for sending Roc to bring her child home. Yes, he was a thirty-five year old grown man, but he was still one of her babies. And this one had lost his way. That’s why she’d kept him prayed up over the last few years. She knew at some point God was going to step in and take over. Her prayer was answered, for there was her son, asleep in his own bed. Instead of waking him, she pulled up a chair beside the bed, took his hand and prayed.
Joshua felt it the moment she touched his hand, peace. Then he heard her voice, praying, thanking God for his deliverance. He listened as the words tried to ease his spirit, but it couldn’t pierce through. As much as he wanted her words to touch his heart, he just wasn’t ready. His hand closed around hers.
“Joshua,” Sally spoke softly in case he wasn't’ fully awake.
He turned his head on the pillow and looked into the teary eyes of his mother. “Hi Mommy.”
Sally exhaled tears, that she wiped away as she stood. She kissed her son on the cheek. “Hello my son.” She gathered her son in her arms and held him. The tears flowed, dropping onto his bare shoulders. With each drop, she could feel his hold tighten around her. Feel the pain, the hurt, the confusion he was going through. Three years of needing his mother’s embrace came through as the tears flowed.
Joshua spoke first. “My grief is beyond healing: my heart is broken” Jeremiah 8:18
“The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in him and I am helped: Psalms 28:7.
“You must believe, Joshua.” Sally held her son until his hold lessened, then she sat on the side of the bed as he turned away from her.
“Believe,” that is the one thing I cannot do. “The Lord has forsaken me twice. First with Akande and now, with this,” he smirked. “And you ask me to believe.” He turned away pulling the cover back over him. “You shouldn’t be here, mother.”
“This is exactly where I need to be at this moment,” Sally touched his shoulder. “Look at me Joshua.”
“Go away Mother.”
Sally’s shoulders began to slump, at being rejected by her son. She was his mother and he was shutting her out. It hurt, especially from this child. Of her twelve children, this was the one she worried about the most. He was so carefree, filled with life and had this craving for danger. This man lying before her was only a shell of her son. Sally closed her eyes and said a prayer, asking for strength. A moment later she opened her eyes, lifted her shoulders and spoke with a deadly calm. “I said look at me this instant Joshua Theodore Lassiter and don’t make me say it again.”
Joshua turned to look at his mother. Yes, he was a grown man, with only a few things in life that he feared. The little woman sitting on his bed was one.
“Sit up,” Sally now stood over him. “I realize this is your home. But the one thing you will not do, is disrespect me. You say the Lord has forsaken you yet I’m looking at you and see you are very much alive. Who exactly do you think saved your behind? You? I think not. Who gave you the strength to escape after you were captured or whatever happened to you? How many times have you tested Him by putting your life in danger?He has brought you back to us every single time. Don’t you dare lie there talking about God has forsaken you. You better be happy He is a forgiving God, for you have truly tested His grace and now you are testing my patience and understanding.”
Roc walked through the door balancing a tray weighed down with food. "I thought you two would like to have lunch together. Lucy has made a pot of vegetable soup that smells like heaven."
Before she could sit the tray on the dresser. Joshua bellowed. "Just leave it and get out!”
The rude reply caught Sally by surprise. Never had she heard Joshua speak to a woman in such a disrespectful way. "Joshua," she began to scold him.
"Stay out of this mother," he snapped never taking his eyes off of Roc.
Roc never showed any emotion. She nodded. "As you wish your highness,” she gave him a full bow then turned and walked out of the room.
Sally couldn't help but laugh as she watched her son struggle not to laugh at the woman he was watching leave. "So she gets a rise out of you, huh? That's no reason for you to treat her like crap. I've never heard you bark at a woman like that."
"Maybe if I had barked sooner I wouldn't have gotten bit."
"You can't hold Roc responsible for your choice."
"What choice?" He raised his voice. "The choice was made for me."
"What choice Joshua?" Sally yelled back. She was tired of everyone tiptoeing around the topic. "Akande. What were you going to do? Leave the United States to be the kind of husband she needs? She needs a King. Someone who will be there to help her build her an army to protect her country, someone who would be there to plan strategies day in and day out on how to rebuild and restore her country. She needed a King. You are not a King, Joshua, you are a King maker. They are called Presidents. Go back to your Bible. Joshua was the strength and support beside Moses. He was there to help Moses carry out God's will. He was not Moses."
"She could have made a different choice. She could have chosen me.” Joshua yelled.
"Oh stop it," Sally snapped. "And did what? Sit around here waiting for you to come home from whatever assignment you were on for months at a time while she watched her people suffer? Would you have given up your country as easily as you asked her to? No, you would not have and you still won't, because you are a patriot to the United States just as she is to Asmere." Sally sighed as she began to calm herself. She looked at her son and could see the anger fighting with reason. "Joshua," she reached out and took his hand. Tears streamed down her face as his pain radiated through their touch. "God gave us free will. You made the choice to allow this woman into your heart even when you knew something wasn't right. She was your choice, not God's. You shouldn't be angry with Akande, Roc or God. You should be thankful he protected you from a far greater heart break." Joshua looked up at her as if wondering what could have been
worse. As if reading his mind, Sally continued. " She could have left here carrying your child. There is no heartbreak worse than wondering if your child is well, is he hurt, is he safe, is he being treated as a human. You could be wondering all those things. But God's mercy saved you from marrying the wrong person and the heartbreak of wondering about a child. He did not do all of that on a wasted life. If that was so, when Roc found you, you would have been dead." She wiped the tears from her cheek, stood, picked up the tray and placed it on either side of his legs. "You need to rebuild your strength if you plan on getting out of that bed anytime soon." She went to reach for the top on the food.
Joshua brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "I never meant for you to worry. I know it only felt like God deserted me, but I knew better. I continue to talk to Him. I'm just not sure my faith is as strong as it once was."
Sally shook the napkin out and placed it on his bare chest as she thought of the right words. “The book of Joshua, Chapter 1, Verse 5: There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, I shall be with thee. I will not fail thee or forsake thee."
She waited.
"The book of Joshua, Chapter 1: Verse 9: Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
Sally smiled, picked up the spoon and began feeding her son. She could still see the troubled look in his eyes, but now she saw something else begin to take root…acceptance. Her job was done.
Chapter Thirteen
Quantico, VA
A few hours had passed since Sally’s visit ended. Roc decided to check on Joshua after his mother's visit. Things seemed to have gotten a little heated there for a moment, but later the two had settled down. She wondered why they were at odds with each other. According to Lucy, they were very close. If there was anyone who could bring Joshua out of this funk, it was Sally. After the little she’d heard, Roc wasn’t so sure of that.
She rounded the corner and stopped dead in her tracks. He was standing at the dresser, naked from head to toe. The bandaging did not distract from his broad back, the masculine shape of his butt or the powerful grooves of his thighs. All that glory wasn’t what caught her off guard. He had shaved, cut his hair low and this profile was that of a different man, one she had never seen before.
