In Times of Trouble (30 page)

Hearing someone stir in the kitchen, RJ turned to see his brother. “Hey, man. . .could you possibly be any louder? I'm trying to sleep, you know?”

“Hold on. . .” He turned the garbage disposal on and quickly back off. “Did that help you out some?”

RJ sat up. “I see one thing hasn't changed. . .you're still my pesky little brother.”

“Whatever. . .this little brother of yours can take you on any day.”

“Is that right? You and what army? I got you by both height and weight.” Despite the fact that he hadn't followed through on his good intentions to get to the gym regularly, RJ still had a nice,
burly build. David was a few inches shorter and not as muscular.

“Man, that's okay. All I need is a slingshot and rock. I'll take you out like David did Goliath.”

RJ laughed. “You would bring the Bible into this.”

David came and sat on the sofa bed next to his brother. “I had a good time today. I wish we could stay until Sunday, but I need to get back to handle some things.”

“Hey, man, I'm just glad you could make it. I enjoyed having you.”

“It seems like things between you and Lisa are going well. I was watching the two of you interact. Aw. . .it was so cute, like two little love birds flirting with each other,” he mocked.

“I don't know about all of that. We are getting along well, but we're a long way from going down the aisle again. This whole trial with Chanelle has brought us closer together.”

“Is Chanelle still going to testify when the trial starts next year?”

“Yep. . . Lisa blames herself for everything that has happened and I hate when she does that because it's really my fault. The whole chain of events started with me. I'm the one who messed up. It was because of my mistakes that they moved up here in the first place.” RJ had pretty much been able to hold it together for Lisa's and Chanelle's sake, but now, talking one-on-one with his brother, best friend and confidant, he released his tears that had accumulated like fluid inside a blister. “This is all my fault,” he cried. “I let my family down.”

“Bro, don't blame yourself. This is not your fault. This is the work of the enemy.”

“He wouldn't have had a chance to work had I not messed up. I failed my family. I failed my wife and my baby girl. What if God is punishing them because of me?”

“RJ, hush. You know that God is not like that. He's not going
to hold Lisa, Chanelle or anyone else accountable for your actions. Besides, He's already forgiven you. Why are you backtracking now?”

“I know He's forgiven me. It doesn't mean that there aren't consequences resulting from my actions. People think they can go out and do whatever they want, ask for forgiveness, and not have to deal with the consequences of their sin. Yes, it was
my
sin, but unfortunately when one person sins, it not only affects that person, but it can affect others as well. I mean, if that weren't true, then we would not have to suffer because of Adam and Eve. It doesn't just stop there. You've read the book of Joshua. Look at what happened to Achan's family in chapter seven. His children and everything he owned were destroyed because he sinned. Likewise, my getting arrested affected everybody. . .Lisa and Chanelle, the most.”

“You're right, your actions affected everyone, but RJ, you've been given something that Achan wasn't. . .a second chance. You have to believe that, no matter what transpired in the past, God is able to mix all of it together and make it work out for your good in the end.”

“It seems like we would all be better off if I had just kept preaching. Lisa wouldn't have had to start life from scratch; and Chanelle. . .” He swallowed hard. “Chanelle would not have been raped.” Hearing that any person had been violated by rape, be it an adult or child, was heartbreaking enough for RJ, but the thought of his daughter being victimized was bone-crushing.

“Now you're falling into the trap of the woulddas, shoulddas, and coulddas. The reason you were so frustrated preaching is because it wasn't your purpose. Any time we're operating in something that is not our God-given purpose, there will be a great deal of tension.”

David was right. Preaching was never something RJ felt God had intended for him to do. It was something that everyone else expected him to do because he was the eldest child and his father's namesake. From the time he could remember, his parents talked about him taking over his father's ministry and everyone else jumped on the bandwagon, including him. RJ was on his way to making it “big time.” He'd rubbed elbows with some of the well-known, prominent television ministers of the day. But, night after night, sermon after sermon, RJ left the pulpit feeling empty. He was always striving to take his ministry to the “next level,” thinking that doing more would make him feel better and maybe even validate the call that others had put on his life.

The drug outreach program he implemented at his church was supposed to get dealers and users off the streets and into the church. Though he was the pastor, RJ didn't believe in delegating everything. He led by example, working hard like the other church members and gladly making visits to the homes of known drug addicts. He really wanted to help. . .he really tried to help. One day he was interviewing a user and he listened to how she described the euphoric experience with smoking marijuana.

“Come on, preacher man. . .try it,”
she had enticed him.
“You come here every week all stressed out. I can see the tension lines on your face. I know you're trying to help me, but let me help you.”

That particular day had been hard. RJ had officiated a funeral earlier that morning of a thirteen-year-old boy who was beaten to death by gang members. RJ wasn't particularly fond of attending funerals, let alone officiating them, but that was part of his “duty” as the pastor. In a moment of spiritual weakness, RJ took a hit. The user had been right. The drugs did help with his stress level, but only temporarily. Every time his high ended, he couldn't wait for the next one to occur. He'd listened to the
voice inside of him telling him that marijuana was a mild, harmless drug. “Everyone has a vice. . .even preachers,” the still voice would say. He thought that he'd stick with marijuana, but over time, his high didn't last as long and the desire to do stronger drugs overtook him; and his recreational drug use with this woman evolved into an adulterous affair.

Her name was Delilah, which should have been a red flag by itself seeing how, in the Bible, there was a woman by the same name who tricked Sampson into telling her the secret of his strength, only to turn him over to the Philistines. Looking back, the whole thing was pure insanity. No man in his right mind would cheat on his wife with a drug addict. He learned one hard-nosed lesson about sin: it would always take you further than you meant to go. RJ was so focused on keeping up his preacher appearances for everyone else; and ironically it was the drugs that enabled him to do it.

“Look how God has even used your drug experience,” David continued. “It's no coincidence that you are here in Columbus. God knew Lisa would move up here with Chanelle. He knew this would happen to her and He has planted you here for them.”

“Man, if God knew it would happen, why didn't He just stop it in the first place?”

“Unfortunately we live in a world where bad things happen, which are beyond our control. That's the destructive nature of sin. Don't start blaming yourself for everything bad that happens. Yeah, you made some mistakes, RJ, so what? Who hasn't? Now, just be there and let God use you the way He wants to. Use this opportunity to be the man of God that you wanted to be for your family all along.”

RJ soaked in his brother's words and once they resonated in his spirit, he did feel better. At least good enough to get a good
night's sleep, something that had been eluding him. David also said a powerful prayer of encouragement over him.

“Thanks, man. I really needed that.”

It was about one or so when RJ and David finished talking. Four hours later, Lisa was calling him to see if he was still on his way to pick her up so they could go shopping. “I don't know how I let you talk me into this one,” he mumbled as they rode on the freeway.

Still sleepy herself, Lisa half-smiled. “Thank you. . .”

“Did your mom call you last night?”

“No. I went straight to bed after everyone left. I didn't even stay up to talk with Bryan and Tyra. Why?”

“She left a message for me with a few things that she and Callie want us to be on the look out for and get for them.”

Lisa looked at him and laughed. “Nuh-uh, they are wrong for that. I'm not buying anything for them. They should've come themselves.”

T
he remainder of that year flew by quickly. Lisa had turned thirty-nine in December and she, Chanelle and RJ drove to Baltimore to bring in the New Year with David and Sheila. Reporters and photographers swarmed the front of the courthouse as Justin Scott was escorted in by his parents. Lisa watched from afar as her former best friend did not appear to be camera shy. She couldn't make out what was said, but she was sure it was along the lines of proclaiming Justin's innocence. Olivia was camera ready, looking way better than she had the time when Lisa saw her at the store.

“Come this way.” RJ grabbed her arm and they proceeded in another door.

The Scotts had really used the media to their advantage and Lisa was slightly worried about whether or not there would be a “fair” trial with all the exposure. Columbus was Ohio State football crazy and her daughter had pressed charges against one of the star players. Thankfully, Chanelle hadn't received any backlash from this ordeal that Lisa was aware of. Her identity was supposed to be kept anonymous, but somehow information about her being Justin's accuser mysteriously appeared on the
Internet. They'd started receiving calls from reporters to hear “Chanelle's side of the story.” After a few days of being bombarded with calls, Lisa was forced to change the home telephone number.

Twelve jurors lined the wall looking intently as the prosecuting attorney, Richard Griggs, instructed Chanelle to tell the ladies and gentlemen about the night Justin had raped her.

It was the second time Lisa had heard her daughter repeat the story, but it was still as painful as the first. She couldn't help but feel responsible for allowing the Scotts into their lives—for hand delivering her daughter to a rapist! Tears welled in her eyes as Chanelle, who appeared confident and strong, recounted the events.

Holding her hand, RJ whispered in her ear, “Are you okay?” His breath was warm and his lips lightly touched her ear, causing a slight sensation.

She nodded. It was just the two of them there. Initially, Lisa's parents had attended, but her mother would get so emotional that neither Lisa nor her father thought it would be good for her to sit through the entire trial. Several times Stacie, Kyle, and Chanelle's best friend, Gericka, had accompanied them, but she and RJ had been the only ones there daily.

“It's not your, fault,” he said.

She wanted to scream, “Yes, it is!” but instead silently turned and looked at him. Her stomach tickled with his lips inches from hers and she was once again aware of the temptation she'd been fighting for quite a while to allow their lips to reunite. Though the timing to respond to the urge was all wrong, she was encouraged by his comfort and smiled and said, “I love you.”

That didn't quite come out right! What she meant to say was “I love having you here.”
Here,
like in Columbus, so she didn't have to experience this alone.
Here,
like in the courtroom
holding her hand. Having made no secret how he felt about her, RJ looked pleasantly surprised. He smiled, then quickly refocused on their daughter.

“Chanelle, is it fair to say that you didn't come forth with charges against Mr. Scott because you felt your credibility wouldn't hold up against that of an Ohio State football player?”

“Objection!” yelled Isaac before Chanelle got a chance to answer. “Prosecution is leading the witness.”

“Sustained. . .” ruled the judge.

“Sorry, Your Honor, I'll rephrase the question. . .Chanelle, please tell the court why you waited several weeks to make these accusations against the defendant.”

“Because I was scared that no one would believe me.”

“Just for the record, other than the allegations of rape, do you have any personal vendettas against Justin Scott that would prompt you to falsify your testimony as a way to get back at him?”

“No, sir, not at all. . .”

“Thank you; no further questions. . .”

Isaac looked at Chanelle like a hungry bear ready to tear her apart. He took his time rising up from his seat, obviously a theatrical performance. “Ms. Hampton, how many intimate relationships have
you been in prior to meeting Justin Scott?”