The Atonement (54 page)

“True. But even though David
had to go through all those things, God remained with him and
vindicated him from his enemies. Though David suffered some
hardships God did not allow him to be overcome by them. God had
mercy and that’s what the grace we stand in today is all about.
Then think of what you are sowing in the now, that you will also
reap. Right now, I see you sowing good things, Davis – spiritual
things that have an everlasting reward.
⁶
Remember Davis, your past sins
aren’t any worse than anyone else’s sins. All sin is sin and Jesus
died for all sin. Of course we don’t deserve it, but still it is
the gift that he has given us – a very precious gift that came at a
great cost. Don’t throw that gift away trying to punish yourself
for things He’s already forgiven you for. Even if others don’t
forgive you, it’s still okay to forgive yourself.”

“I don’t think I’d even know where to start
with that.”

“Forgiving yourself is hard, but its even
harder if you allow yourself to get too caught up in you. Forget
about you and what you’ve done, and think about what you can do for
others. That always helps me.”

“You’re right. I Guess oughta stop feeling
sorry for myself like I’m the only guy going through this.”

In the midst of their discussion, Sister
Gaines, the choir director came down the aisle in her usual
quick-paced trot.

“Davis, I’ve been looking for you. I thought
you were in the upper room. Rehearsal is in five minutes. Chop –
chop.”

“I’ll be right there Sister Gaines. If you’ll
excuse me Pastor.”

“Go ahead. I know how sister Gaines is.
Wouldn’t want you to get kicked out of the choir. I just hope you
think about what I said.”

“I will.”

He had already begun to think about what the
pastor said and with each step he made toward the choir room, he
could feel the burden he’d been carrying getting lighter and
lighter.

Fifty-four

“I tell you mother, I think we’re going to
have to get a bigger dining room table for our Sunday dinners,”
said Pastor Bynum.

“Yes, Pastor. I’ve noticed that our Sunday
dinners are becoming very popular all of a sudden, especially with
the young men of the church. It seems like every week there’s a new
fellow stopping by, like this young man here,” said Mother Rose,
gesturing with her fork in his direction.

“His name is Chris, mother Rose. I invited
him because I didn’t think anyone would mind,” said Jim.

“Of course we don’t. However I do find it
interesting that he should suddenly show up when our friend Tom is
curiously absent. Strange indeed, since that young man has never
missed a dinner since Allen first brought him here,” said Mother
Rose.

“He was planning on coming, Mother Rose, but
his sister called and she wanted to talk to him about something,”
said Allen.

“Really?” said Tamiko, “He and Allyson are
talking again?”

“That’s what he told me.”

“Well praise God! I was praying for them,”
said Lena.

“So you don’t have to worry, Tim will be back
and he said his sister may stop by now and again, too. At any rate,
the next time I see him, I will tell him how much you missed him
Mother Rose,” said Allen.

“She’s not the only one that misses him,”
said Riley.

Tamiko kicked Riley’s leg under the
table.

“Ow!” she said wincing in pain.

“Once we start these kids on the ladies
cookin’ you know they gon’ be back. Ain’t that right, Davis?” said
Vernon.

“I have to admit, I’m hooked on Mama Lena’s
meatloaf,” said Davis.

“I hope they find more friends and family to
invite. I love watching our family grow. We started out with just
three between us and now I think we got more than twice that. Makes
me feel like a mother hen,” said Lena.

“Well that’s all well and good when
everyone’s getting along, but when the conflicts starts that’s
something different,” said Vernon.

“Everyone here is getting along fine,” said
Jim.

“Is that right?” said Vernon looking toward
Allen.

“Yes. Just so you know, I should have all my
stuff back in the house by the end of the week,” said Allen.

“I’m glad to hear you done came to your
senses,” said Vernon.

“Praise the Lord! Another prayer answered!
Hallelujah!” said Lena.

“Does this mean I’m going back to NC solo?”
said Riley.

“I don’t know. I might tag along for a short
vacation, but I definitely wouldn’t be staying as long as I
originally intended,” said Jim.

“Since Jim’s not in such a rush anymore,
maybe you could extend your visit here a little longer,” said
Tamiko.

“Though I know you would love to have her
here indefinitely, we have to think about what’s best for Riley and
her family. I’m certain her father is beside himself with worry by
now and is anxious to have her back for the holidays,” said Mother
Rose.

“With all due respect, Mother Rose, I just
spoke to my daddy yesterday on skype, and he said that as long as
I’m close to Uncle Vern and the Pastor, he’s not worried a bit. Now
that’s not to say he doesn’t miss me,” Riley replied.

“Of course he misses you. You’re his only
daughter. I’m sure you’re probably missing them as well,” said
Mother Rose.

“Kind of. But It’s not like I’ve been here
that long.”

“Whatever you decide, just know that we don’t
mind having you here. So if you want to stay through the holidays,
you’re more than welcome,” said Pastor Bynum.

“Thank you, Pastor. I’ll think about it,”
said Riley.

As everyone continued to alternate between
dining and conversing, the doorbell rang.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it” said Allen rising
from his chair. He walked out to the living room and stopped in
front of the door.

“Who is it?” he asked. He listened for a
response, but there was none. Then he looked out the peephole to
see if there was someone outside. He didn’t see anyone. Then he
heard something. It sounded like the muffled moans of a baby.

Cautiously, Allen opened the door. Someone
had left a child alone in a stroller. Allen recognized the stroller
and turned it to look inside. Just as he’d suspected, it was
Darius. He looked weak and glassy-eyed. He was moaning and moving
his head from side to side. Allen brought the stroller inside and
picked up Darius. As Allen held him close, his suspicions were
confirmed. The child had a fever.

“Mom! Mother Rose!” said Allen, “I need your
help out here.”

The two women came rushing out of the dining
room followed by the others who were curious to see what was going
on.

“Allen, dear, what on earth?”

“What’s Darius doing here? I thought you and
Callie broke up.”

“We did. She just rang the bell and left him
here. I think he’s really sick though. His color’s off and he’s
really warm.”

“Let me have a look at him,” said Mother Rose
taking the child from Allen. “You’re right, I’m afraid. This baby
is very ill. We’re going to have to take him to the emergency room
right away.”

“Will they let us? When I went for my
violence and abuse training for school, I was told you had to be at
least the legal guardian of a child to get them care at a hospital
or register them for school. If not, they could remand Darius to
foster care,” said Tamiko.

“What?! No!”

“Tamiko’s right, son. We’ve got to think
about this for a second,” said Vernon.

“Darius may not have a second.”

“Do you think they’d let me…” began Jim.

“Only if Callie named you on the birth
certificate,” said Tamiko.

“You know she wouldn’t have done that,” said
Jim.

“What about you, Allen?” asked Tamiko.

“Callie left it blank,” said Allen.

“Did she at least leave his health insurance
cards or something?” asked Lena.

“There’s a diaper bag on the back. We could
look through that,” he said handing it to her.

Lena looked through it with Tamiko peering
over her shoulder. She took out several diapers, bottles, toys, and
a stuffed animal before he got to an envelope. She opened it and
started to read the contents.

“Oh, my stars,” said Lena.

“What?” asked Allen.

“I found his medical papers, but I also found
this note for Jim. I think you need to read this.”

Jim took the note and read it out loud with
Allen looking over his shoulder.

“‘Now it’s my turn to run. Welcome to
single-parenthood.’”

“How could she – this is her baby!” said
Tamiko.

“I can’t believe this,” said Allen.

“I can,” said Jim, “Forget about her, Darius
needs us right now.”

“And if we try to get him help, they may take
him away from us,” said Allen.

“Even so it’ll only be temporary. Me, Lena
and the boys will take the baby to the hospital and I’ll call
Ballard and ask him if he can meet us there. Maybe he can help us
get temporary custody until things get worked out in court. Anybody
know any good family court lawyers?” said Vernon.

“Let’s try to get in touch with Tim and see
if he knows anyone,” said Allen.

“We’ll do that,” said Davis.

“In the meantime, pray for us,” said
Vernon.

“We will,” said Tamiko.

*****

“Lord, please watch over Darius. He’s just an
innocent baby. He didn’t do anything to deserve what he’s going
through right now. Please protect him, and heal him of any disease
or illness. Cover him with the blood that you shed for our sins and
deliver him. Please, Lord God. Please,” prayed Allen as he sat in
the waiting room of the pediatric wing of the hospital. His parents
were in consultation with officer Ballard and the hospital social
worker, while he and Jim were waiting for the results of Darius’s
blood tests. His heart hurt for little Darius who he had always
considered as his son. Then he looked over at his friend Jim, who
he could tell was just as tortured as he was.

“You okay, man?” asked Allen.

“I was just thinking – I never even got the
chance to get to know him,” said Jim.

“He’s going to be okay. We have to have
faith.”

“I know.”

Just then a young woman wearing scrubs and
carrying a clipboard approached them.

“Is either of you Detective Ballard?” she
asked.

“No, He’s upstairs with the social worker.
I’m Allen Sharpe. My family and I were the ones who brought Darius
here. Is he okay?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t give you any other
information except to say that we have the child stabilized.”

“What?! Are you serious? We’re the only
family that child has right now!”

“I’m sorry, but I’ve no choice in the matter.
This is the law. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to find the
detective.”

“Can’t we at least see him?”

“Under the circumstances, you’re not allowed.
I’m sorry,” she said leaving them and looking warily at Allen.

“This is insane!”

“Al, calm down. Us getting upset like this
isn’t going to change the situation. Besides we can find out about
Darius from Ballard when he gets the information.”

“If this is Callie’s way of getting back at
us, then she deserves to…”

“Don’t go there, man. Don’t even entertain
that thought. We gotta forgive her, too. We also gotta stay focused
on that little boy and what’s going to happen to him now.”

“You’re right. But the idea of him being
handed over to some strangers in foster care – I just can’t – Jim,
you have to petition for custody, ASAP.”

“I can, but do you think they’d let me have
him? I have no job, and I’m practically homeless. What kind of
father could I be?”

“The kind of dad that God wants you to be.
Don’t worry so much about the circumstances. The Lord has a way of
working things out.”

“I know, but it’s enough to have to worry
about my future, and now I have to think about Darius, too.”

“You’re not going to be alone. Mom, Dad, me,
our friends – we’re all going to be there to help you.”

“He doesn’t even know who I am. He’ll
probably want you more than he wants me.”

“Maybe at first. But you’ll have time to get
to know him and he’ll get to know you. That’s how it works, man.
That’s what being a dad is all about.”

“Al, I know how you feel about Darius. I want
you to know, that no matter what happens, you’re always going to be
a part of his life.”

“Thanks, man. I’d be honored.”

“I know this will work out for all our
good.”

“It has to.”

Just then, the Detective had reappeared along
with his parents. None of them looked very happy.

“So?” said Allen who had raced over to meet
them.

“Darius is suffering from acetaminophen
poisoning,” said Detective Ballard.

“You mean like the stuff in the cold
medicines,” said Jim.

“Right. It seems Callie must’ve been giving
it to him over several days and wasn’t careful about the dosage,”
Ballard explained.

“But she’s a nurse. How could she not know?”
said Allen.

“Unless she was using it to knock him out,”
said Jim.

“They’re going to keep Darius at the hospital
for a while to conduct more tests, but right it now it’s looking
like he might have liver damage. He may even need a transplant,”
said Lena.

The words hit Allen in the stomach like a
sucker punch from a world-class boxer.

“He’s barely more than a year old yet and he
may have to have surgery and they won’t even let us see him,” said
Allen.

“It’s okay, good news is, I’m working with
social services to have Darius placed with your mom and dad. We
were just starting the preliminary paper work. In the meantime,
we’re also going to have to get Jim’s petition in for paternity and
the blood test done in order to get legal custody of Darius. You’ll
need to go down to the court tomorrow morning and file papers,”
said Ballard.