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Mekhi met us in the garage. I handed Mary to him and took Destiny from Krissy because I could tell she was too tired to carry her sister. We brought the girls in the house and walked them up the stairs.
“I set them up in the big room,” Mekhi said, referring the largest guest bedroom we had. It was nearly as big as the master bedroom. It had a king-size bed and a trundle bed for guests who stayed with children. Mekhi had already pulled the trundle out. I laid Destiny down on it and he placed Mary on the bed. Krissy picked up the new pajamas that waited for her and her sisters. “Are these ours?” she asked.
Mekhi nodded. “I had someone pick them up this afternoon. Hopefully, they’ll be the right sizes. There are toothbrushes in the bathroom.” He pointed toward the bathroom. “I’ll leave you ladies and see you in the morning.”
I pulled the toddler-size pajamas and got down on my knees to undress Destiny.
“I’ll do that,” Krissy said, sharply. She sucked in regret and continued. “My mama told me not to let anyone touch my sister.”
I nodded and stood. “I’ll see you in the morning, then.”
Closing the door behind me, I left Krissy to her sisters and joined Mekhi in our bedroom.
“I guess my plans to fly you to Miami for Christmas are over.”
“Miami?”
“I thought some sun and sand might be a nice memory to carry with you.”
I took his hand and placed it on the side of my face. “I don’t need the beach. All I need is you.”
“Well, you got that.” He moved a tendril of hair out of my face.
“I’m going to need to help her,” I said. “She can move into her new apartment the first week in January, but between then and now...”
“I’ll get someone to take care of it,” he offered. “UMC has a corporate apartment downtown.”
“That would be perfect,” I said. “I thought about one of the nicer extended stay hotels, but a crying baby could be a problem.”
Mekhi nodded. “It’s empty for the holidays and I’ve got a set of keys.”
Relief flooded every nerve-ending in my body. “Why is this so important to me?”
“Because you’ve changed, baby. You’ve gone the way of the righteous.”
I frowned. “I’m hoping that’s a compliment.”
Mekhi chuckled, “It can’t be anything but.”
He picked up the remote and turned on the stereo. Soothing holiday jazz filled the room. Mekhi pulled me into his arms.
I kicked off my shoes and allowed my body to melt into his. “It was hard being at that hospital.”
“You were brave.”
“I had to remember where I’d been just months ago. Alone because I couldn’t reach you and Angelina was there. I had to be there for Darlene.”
“Funny how God sets us up.” Mekhi smiled.
“All things work together for the good for those called according to His purpose,” I said and frowned. “Does that apply here?”
“Sounds right. Sounds like your experience with Angelina was part of a divine circle that would end with you being here for Darlene.”
“You’re deep for someone who tries to downplay his spirituality.”
“I never said I didn’t believe. I said I don’t do church.” He kissed my fingers. “Let’s go to bed. I have a feeling we’re going to have a busy couple of days.”
I woke up to the sound of screaming. It took me a minute to process that I wasn’t having a nightmare. I’d been having those. Nightmares about being locked up and all that that involved, so it took me a minute to realize I was home in my bed and the screaming from down the hall.
The girls.
I threw back my comforter and flew out of the bed and down the hall.
Krissy was trying to comfort Destiny. “I’m sorry, Ms. Samaria. I tried to keep her quiet.”
“I want my mommy,” Destiny cried.
“It’s okay,” I said. “Let me try.”
Krissy handed the child to me. I held her and walked with her until she settled down a little. I could tell she wasn’t done, so I offered to turn the television to Doc McStuffins. Fortunately for me, there were several seasons on Netflix. I let her sit on my lap while the first episode began.
“Where is Mommy?” Destiny asked.
A sleepy Krissy replied, “I told you she was at the hospital with the new baby.”
“When she gonna be back?”
“A few days,” I replied. “Her body has to heal.”
“But I don’t want my mommy in the hospital. I want her home with us.”
“We not even home.” Krissy’s tone was beyond grumpy. She actually sounded like she wanted to hurt her sister with her words.
Destiny looked up in my face. “Are we living here now?”
“Until your mom is better.”
“I don’t want to go back to the shelter.”
“It’s better than the car,” Krissy interjected.
Destiny’s eyes were on me again. “I don’t like living in the car.”
“You’re not in the car now.”
I wondered where Mekhi was. 8 a.m. and he wasn’t in bed on a day that he wasn’t working wasn’t like him. Before I could ponder it anymore, he was standing in the door.
“Who wants breakfast?” he asked.
Mary popped to her feet yelling, “Me!”
Krissy turned to him with interest and replied, “Are you cooking?”
Mekhi clapped his hands together. “I’m the best pancake maker in the southeast region of the USA.”
Krissy giggled. “My dad used to make pancakes and he taught me how.”
“So, let’s go have a pancake cook-off,” Mekhi said.
All three girls raced for the door. Mekhi winked at me and then they disappeared from the room. I could hear Destiny in the background declaring she wanted to help. He had his hands full.
I stood, made the bed and went to my bedroom to call Darlene. I saw that I already had two text messages from her when I picked up the phone. I called her back. I didn’t even get a hello out before she asked about the kids. I explained they were preparing for a pancake making contest with my husband and she laughed a little.
“They not making you crazy are they?”
“I haven’t had them that long.”
“Krissy can be a little handful. I’ve been trying to get her to think before she says mean stuff.”
“She’s ten. She’s angry. She won’t always be either one.”
“Sometimes I wonder. I know I need to get her counseling, but it’s so hard to do right now.”
“You’ll take care of it after you get settled in the new apartment,” I said. “How are you doing this morning?”
“Sore. Nothing new. No matter how many you have, that pain never lessens. I can’t believe this baby come this close to Christmas.”
“They come when they want to and the good news is that he’s healthy.”
“The nurse and them are here to check me. Will you bring the kids later?”
“Sure. I’ll text you when we’re on the way.”
I took a leisurely shower, dressed and joined Mekhi and the kids in the kitchen where I walked in on the tail end of a story.
“He jumped up on the roof and all of us were amazed he could get up that high. Before we knew it, he was gone.”
Six eyeballs the size of saucers were staring at Mekhi.
“Did you ever see him again?” Mary asked.
“No, never did. Not even the next Christmas, but I’m always looking for him.”
I put the kettle on for tea and put a plate with a few pancakes and bacon in the microwave to warm. “Is this the reindeer on the roof story?” I asked, twisting my lips at the tale Mekhi had been telling for years.
“It’s a true story and you know it, Sam.”
“Oh yeah. You saw a reindeer on the roof in the hood.”
“Santa goes to the hood,” Krissy said. “It’s his mission.”
She shocked me. You couldn’t have told me a child that had seen as much as Krissy had, still believed in Santa.
“That’s right. Santa is everywhere,” Mekhi replied.
“Ms. Samaria, is Santa Claus real?” Mary asked me.
I hid under the guise of removing my plate from the microwave. I had no idea what I was supposed to say. “What does your mother say?”
“That Christmas isn’t about Santa Claus and toys. It’s about Jesus.”
“Then you should go with what your mom has taught you.”
“Can’t do that,” Krissy said.
Odd response I thought. “Why not?”
Mary piped in. “Our mama said Jesus loves us. Krissy don’t believe it.”
“Shut up, Mary. I don’t need you talking for me.”
“It’s true, though. You always saying if Jesus love us, why He let daddy get shot?”
My eyes connected with Mekhi’s and I shrugged.
He took the lead. “What does your mother say about your father’s death?”
“She says bad things happen to good people sometimes, but that doesn’t make sense to me,” Krissy said. “If Jesus loves me, why can’t I be happy?”
I took a deep breath. I’d been pondering that question since my baby died. That is, once I got over thinking I had reaped what I sowed. I began to wonder, if I was a new creature, why was I being punished for the things I did before? Why did I, even though I confessed, have to go to jail? Why couldn’t a miracle happen for me to free me of this?
Mekhi looked stumped, so I took the question from him. “I think we have to remember that even though we love God, we still live in the world. We’re a part of the world and everything here on earth. There are people who don’t love Him and those people are still making choices every day. Like, the choice to carry a gun and—”
Shoot it,” Mary interjected.
“So what’s the point of being a Christian if you don’t have no protection,” Krissy asked.
She was posing big questions for a baby Christian like me and I wasn’t even sure if there was any answer I could give her that would make sense. Surely, she’d been around and around with this with her own mother.
I said a quick prayer before responding. “I’m going to be honest with you, Krissy. I don’t have all the answers. All I know is that God promises us that good things come out of all things. Romans 8:28 says ‘And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good.’” I was answering her, but looking into Mekhi’s eyes. “We have to believe that in the end, even when we can’t see it, that things are going to work out for good.”
Krissy’s eyes filled with tears and she looked away from us. When she looked back, she asked, “Can I be excused?”
I nodded. She jumped off the stool and put her and her sister’s dishes in the sink. She took her sister’s hands and said, “We’re going to get dressed.” They walked out the room.
“I guess story time is over,” Mekhi said. “What are you going to do with all that for the rest of the day?”
I snuggled up close, willing the safety of his arms to be a fence protecting me from my own fears. “They need some clothes and I think it’ll be nice if they can get some presents for each other.”
Mekhi nodded.
“Do you mind?” I asked. “I know you had plans for us.”
“I don’t mind,” he said. “But you’re not getting rid of me. I guess I’ll have to subject myself to shopping.”