Broken (Endurance) (22 page)

Makayla knew what he was doing and smiled. She blocked his physic energy, not wanting him to know what she was truly feeling. "Stop, I'm fine"

"If you were fine, your walls wouldn't be up," he said, walking away.

Less than an hour later Makayla came out dressed and ready to go. She grabbed a quick bite to eat before Tamarius and she headed to the children's home. They walked silently. Tamarius was annoyed that she wasn't telling him what was going on, and that she had put her walls up again.

"Sorry," Makayla said, as if reading his thoughts. "I'm not trying to block you out. It's just that I...." Makayla searched her mind for the right words to say. "What if we can't have kids? Can you live with that?" Makayla asked, no longer trying to hide her feelings.

Tamarius stopped and pulled her to him. "You thought you were pregnant and found out... you’re not."

Makayla looked down. "Didn't think twice about it at first, but sitting there waiting for the test results felt like a lifetime. I could see what our son would look like and I want that. I want to have your son."

"It will happen."

"I'm thirty-three and I have no child."

"Makayla, it will happen," he repeated, trying to reassure her.

"Promise?" 

"You need to be patient. We don't always know why these things happen, but God knows best."

"I know you’re right, but right now it just hurts."

Tamarius hugged her. He could understand her frustration, but wanted her to just have faith in God’s plan for her. "We will have a bunch of kids," he whispered.

Makayla felt better now that she’d gotten that off her chest. They continued walking to the home and when they arrived they were shocked by the sight that awaited them. The children's home had been robbed. The front door was unlocked and everything, right down to the toilets, had been stolen. Makayla felt guilty when she realized she’d forgotten to lock the door.

"This is my fault. I forgot to lock the door," Makayla confessed.

"Well, it looks bad, but I think it was a good thing because all we need to do now is replace everything."

Makayla looked around and nodded in agreement. "We could even make it nicer this time."

"Yeah, how many kids live here?"

"Twenty-five... thirty."

"How many rooms?"

"Five"

"How did they fit?" Tamarius looked around, shaking his head.

"They didn't."

"Well, let’s make sure they do this time.  I know an architect..."

"Why don't we do it right and buy some land, build a large children's home with all the

amenities?" Makayla looked around the desolate home.

Tamarius turned and looked at Makayla as she headed for the stairs. "That’s a good idea."

Makayla froze on the first step and looked at the top. "We will still have to close whatever portal was opened." She watched the dark shadows move across the upstairs hallway. "It’s daylight and these things are so bold," she grumbled.

"Okay, come back here. We will deal with that later." Tamarius reached out for her.

Makayla glanced at Tamarius then back up the stairs. She wanted to confront them, but knew she was not prepared. Reluctantly, she turned and stepped down taking Tamarius’ hand.

"Let's go buy some land and get this project started." He hugged her.

"Yeah, let’s tell Tia. She’ll go crazy."

Tamarius' cell phone rang. He answered and smiled at the sound of his brother’s voice "Hey, Maxi Pad," he joked. He knew how his brother hated the nickname.

"Nothing much, Tampon," Maxwell shot back.

Tamarius abruptly stopped laughing. "What do you want?"

"I need you to do a reading on Cressida."

"Why?"

"She had this dream and it doesn't sound good."

"Tell me about it." Tamarius followed Makayla out the front door. He stood on the sidewalk waiting for Makayla to lock the front door while Maxwell told him Cressida's dream. He instantly began receiving messages from his spirit guide, Mathius, and seeing images.

Makayla waited patiently for him to complete his phone call.

"Maxwell, why would her father do something like this?" Tamarius asked.

"I don't understand it either."

"Where is she now?"

"She went to visit her mother."

"Okay, what's going on between you two?"

"What do you mean?"

"You guys hooked up?" Tamarius laughed.

"Yeah, I guess."

"I'm not guessing. Wow, you know what, bro, I'm happy for the two of you. You guys make a good couple," Tamarius said.

"Really?" He sounded surprised.

"Yeah, Cressida is a good match for you. I'm glad you finally see that."

"I didn't expect to hear you say that."

"Why, because you tried to hook us up?"

"Maybe."

"Yeah, well you suck at matchmaking."

"Yeah, I've heard that before," Maxwell mumbled.

"Well, there is no better matchmaker than God." Tamarius laughed. "Speaking of which, I have some good news."

"What?"

"You know what, I'll save it for Thanksgiving. Max and Mei will be home for turkey break, right?"

"Yeah, can't wait. I miss my grandson. It's so quiet around here."

"Ah, whatever... you got Cressida to keep you distracted and I can see she is doing a good job."

"All right, get out of my bedroom." Maxwell laughed.

"Okay, I gotta go anyway. Makayla is waiting for me."

"Sure. Tell her I said hello, Tampon," Maxwell said before hanging up.

"Oh, I’m gonna get him back," Tamarius said with a grin.

"Ready?"

"Can you believe Cressida and Maxwell?" Tamarius said, smiling at Makayla as they began to walk.

"She's a nice girl," Makayla said.

"Really? I never heard you say that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Makayla, remember who you’re talking to." 

"Remember who you’re talking to," she retorted.

"Touché," Tamarius replied.

"So reading each other is not a challenge... fine I admit I was a little jealous."

"I know... and you are a challenge to read."

"Really?" Makayla grinned innocently.

"I get it. You like blocking me out?" Tamarius noticed the grin on her face.

"Not exactly."

"Not exactly?"

Makayla laughed as they reached the front steps of her parents’ home.

Tamarius was smiling at her. "You are just too much," he said, opening the front door. 

They quickly found Tia and pulled her aside. "We need to talk to you," Makayla said excitedly.

"You guys are in a good mood." Tia smiled as she followed them.

"Yeah... you got robbed," Makayla blurted out. "Everything is gone." Despite the awful words, she looked at her cousin with excitement.

Tia's mouth dropped open. "Oh, my gosh. You’re serious, or is this a prank?" Tia said as she glanced at Tamarius.

He was smiling at her disbelief and nodded in agreement.

"You’re serious," she muttered.

"Yeah, I forgot to lock the door." Makayla laughed.

"Y-you… you what?" Tia said, looking at her cousin, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Yeah.”

"I don't think I can take anymore good news. I've had a lot already." Tia put her hand to her chest.

"We are going to buy some land and build you a new children's home with all the amenities you need for the kids right there on the property," Makayla said to her cousin, grinning from ear to ear.

Tia jumped up screaming as if she’d won the lotto. "Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much, both of you." She hugged them. "I can't believe it. This is awesome."

"I know," Makayla said, still excited. "You want to come with us to go find some land?"

"Don't you need to call a realtor?" Tia replied.

"Yeah, that would be smart." Makayla laughed.

"We're just excited," Tamarius said, smiling. "I'll go make some calls."

Harmony

Cressida was seated across from her mother who stared blankly into thin air. For the past twenty minutes she stared silently into the distance.  Cressida moved closer to her mother's side and held her hand. Harmony Davis Dash showed no sign that she was aware of her daughter's presence.  Cressida brought her mother's soft, tender hand to her lips and kissed it. She held her hand up to her cheek and, closing her eyes, she remembered how her mother had been before her nervous breakdown. A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered their last Christmas together.

"Angel?" her mother whispered.

"Momma." Cressida moved in front of her mother.

"My angel." Harmony gently touched Cressida's cheek.

Cressida wept in her mother’s lap.

"Why do you cry, my angel?" Harmony gently smoothed her daughter’s hair.

"Mom, I have to get you out of here." Cressida got to her feet.

"Cressida, I'm not the one in danger... angel you are."

"Mom, what happened to you?" Cressida pulled a chair closer and sat in front of her mother.

"I can't talk here," she whispered, cautiously looking over at one of
the
nurses who was walking towards them.

"Is everything all right?" the nurse asked.

"Yes, I’ll just take my mother for a stroll. I think she should get some fresh air." Cressida unlocked the wheels of her mother's wheelchair.

"Well, she gets plenty of air." The nurse placed her hand on the back of Harmony's chair. She didn't want to let Harmony and Cressida out of her sight.

"I’m sorry? Are you telling me what my mother needs?" Cressida replied, instantly exasperated.

"No, ma'am, I just wouldn't want you to think that she is in any way neglected."

"Well, only time will tell," Cressida replied. "Excuse me." She ended the conversation on a tense note, maneuvered around the dumbfounded nurse and rolled her mother out of the room

"Well, done," Harmony whispered as she reached out to gently touch her hand.

Once out in the fresh air Cressida found a secluded park bench underneath a large banyan tree. She locked her mother’s chair into place and sat close to her. Cressida took her mother's hand and gently rubbed the top, happy to have her mother alert and responsive.