Mercy and Stoney had gotten even closer over the weeks. It was to the point where Vicky and Mike couldn’t get in contact with Stoney. She spent so much time with her new friend, and if they could get in contact with her, they couldn’t stay in contact with her. And it was all fine by Stoney. The more she busied herself in Mercy’s presence, along with e-mailing Keithe, she felt it was another step closer to being near her mother.
Mercy sat in front of the computer, plugging in the information as Stoney gave it out. They had been going strong for months, trying to locate Stoney’s birth mom and everything that had to do with her. Granted, Stoney seemed to eat, breathe, and sleep the search, but Mercy just figured all the nervous ticks were because it seemed they were getting closer. Stoney still hadn’t shared with her the deep, dark secrets of her past.
To break the monotony of the task, Stoney paced the floor, admiring Mercy’s small home, which actually was the pool house her parents had converted for her a year prior. It was like something right out of the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
“I still can’t believe your parents handled your entire pregnancy with ease.” Stoney kept walking around the petite home setting.
“Oh, no,” Mercy interjected, making eye contact with her friend. “Don’t let my mother fool you.” She adjusted the small pillow behind her back. “My parents literally tore into me. I mean, really. A bishop’s daughter? You know my dad laid it on thick.”
Turning back to the screen, Mercy continued. “But they know I’m not perfect. That’s not an excuse though. Don’t get me wrong.” She stopped typing again. “Because I really did screw up. Just stupid.” Mercy stepped into sadness.
“You’re not stupid, that’s for sure.” Stoney came to her friend’s rescue. “You just made a mistake is all.” Stoney thought about her own mistakes, even to the point of pushing Vicky and Mike away.
“Yep. And my parents know that I’m going to do everything I can to be the best mom. I’m still going to finish school. It’s not easy, but I’m doing it.” Mercy had already started off her first year of pharmacy school in Houston and made the trip back home to Dallas as often as her pregnant body would allow. Sometimes she’d fly in for a quick getaway since she didn’t have class on Fridays. Other times she would carpool or drive alone.
“You’re right. Wish I had that same support system.” Tears welled in Stoney’s eyes.
“I’m here, Stoney.” Mercy rose from her seat and walked to give her friend a hug. With a wobble, Mercy embraced Stoney. When she felt the bones pushing through Stoney’s back, Mercy allowed worry to cross her face, but decided to ease her concern toward her friend.
“You know what, Stoney? You can’t allow this to get to you.” Mercy didn’t want to keep drilling it in her friend’s head how important it was to keep living in the midst of her storm, but knew no one else was there to remind Stoney otherwise.
Easing from their embrace, Stoney said, “I know. But you—”
Mercy didn’t let her finish. “But me, what? I’m no different than you.” Letting out a breath, Mercy hoped her truth would help Stoney.
“My dad was mad about my pregnancy, Stoney, but he has a kind heart, an understanding heart at that.” Then, with the roll of her eyes, she added, “I’m not even going to let you know just how hard my mother laid into me.” She shook her head, wanting Stoney to believe there was truth in what she said. Mercy knew Stoney thought highly of her mother and that she was a sweetheart. Not yet meeting Mercy’s father due to his traveling and his ministry keeping him occupied, Stoney couldn’t even make herself believe that he would be any different.
“Look, my mom was married before, even to the point of her having a baby by her deceased husband, my real father. My daddy, Bishop, didn’t come into my life and take the role of being my father until I was three years old.”
Wanting to reclaim her seat for the sake of her aching feet, Mercy thought enough of Stoney to share what she knew her mother didn’t mind. “My mom had a hard life growing up. Some of her problems weren’t even hers to own. Other people brought their problems and dumped them on her, and the rest she did to herself. It got to the point of my mom being promiscuous and acquiring HIV before it was all said and done,” Mercy eased from her lips, not knowing how Stoney would take the news.
When Stoney’s eye drooped and dragged her mouth along for the ride, Mercy knew exactly what her friend would have said had she not been in shock.
“So when my parents initially got together, they didn’t even try for their own children. They were advised not to. My dad doesn’t have any biological children. So for me, having a baby, a grandbaby for them, he’s charmed underneath the pain. He told me so.” Mercy was glad Stoney allowed a smile to creep across her face and joyous tears to touch her eyes. “So see, you don’t know someone’s hurt behind their story. You can’t just look at our glory and think it’s all gravy, baby.” Mercy made a whimpering Stoney cackle. With another quick embrace, Mercy sat back down.
“I haven’t even met your dad yet and he sounds cool,” Stoney said. “I mean, not even having a biological child and loving your mother enough to call you his?” her thoughts rested on Keithe, wondering how he would react to her being his stepdaughter even if her mother didn’t want her. Besides wanting to get closer to him in order to get information on her mother, Stoney wanted him to be nothing more than a father to her; the father she never had.
Studying the screen, Mercy absentmindedly said, “Well, years ago, before he came into our lives, he did think he was the father of a lady’s baby,” she shared. “Girl, yes, my mom said there was some drama going on with my dad and Uncle Marcus. What was that lady’s name?” she processed her thoughts while tapping on the keyboard’s keys.
Stoney looked over her friend’s shoulder at the screen as Mercy still pondered her dad’s ex-girlfriend’s name.
“I can’t think of it right now. Oh well. It’ll come to me, I’m sure,” Mercy said.
“Where is your dad now anyway? I never get to see him.” Stoney broke up their research time.
Without looking back at her friend or stopping her typing, Mercy said, “Traveling to some church, of course. I think he’s in Houston now. When I was coming into town, he was leaving.”
Clicking on her YouTube icon on her computer’s desktop, Mercy went to her “favorites” link and selected James Fortune & Fiya, “I Trust You.”
The words, “I’ll trust you/I need to know you’re here,” rained throughout the atmosphere.
“I will/trust you.” each word was sung in rotation with deep meaning. It crept into Mercy’s own thinking and heart. Stoney closed her eyes as her mind finally listened to the words.
Backing away from Mercy and no longer wondering what was on the computer, Stoney walked over to the sofa. Seeing the song working a positive response in her friend, Mercy turned the volume up. Knowing that music could minister to a soul, Mercy started singing along with the words that blared through the speakers. The vocal ability her grandmother had passed down to her mother had also been passed down to her. Able to transition a song into her own, Mercy was able to share her gift from God.
By the time Mr. Fortune added his own vocal and started ministering in word, Mercy stood from her seat and walked to her friend.
“Dear God, please come into Stoney’s heart. Allow her peace, God. The peace that only you can give her. Let her know that there is purpose in her despite what it looks like.” She sat with Stoney and hugged her. “Let her know that you died so that she can live. You are her mother, You are her father, Lord. Fill her void, God. Help her, Lord, as only you can. Let her know, dear God, that in your word, Psalm 27:10, when it says ‘when my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up,’ let her know that you are the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings. You are the strong tower that she needs.”
Stoney dug her head into Mercy’s shoulder as the worship song screamed in unison all of what God could do.
“God will make a way.”
As the song slowed, Mercy knew she had to continue ministering as God had led. Knowing he could use who he wanted to use, and when he wanted to use them, even a pregnant, unmarried young lady who had tripped up her own walk, Mercy wanted to be that person Stoney needed.
“Stoney. The Lord is the keeper of your soul. You cannot fight the battles of this world on your own.” Mercy lifted Stoney’s head. “Don’t hinder your walk, or your praise, because of this, Stoney.”
“I…I don’t know how to.” Stoney let out a breath. “This is driving me crazy. I mean”—she sniffled—“Why me? why me, Mercy? Why am I in the world by myself?” she jabbed at her chest, which covered her aching heart. “Do you know what I went though growing up?” she asked the question knowing that Mercy hadn’t a clue.
Resting her own head in her lap, Stoney rocked and released. “I had to take care of a grandmother who didn’t know how to take care of herself. When I was younger I just thought she was mean and hateful. But she was sick. And…” she hated to recall her past. “And I hate to think that my mother knew it and still left me there. Why would she leave me there to suffer like that?”
Slightly shaking her head, Mercy just wanted to listen.
“It was torture. My grandma hit me, called the police on me, and cursed me. The abuse wasn’t her fault.” She wanted to let Mercy know she knew the difference. “But still, for a young girl to go through that, it was way too much.
“She would think I was my mom and forget about me all together. I didn’t really exist in her life after I hit junior high.” now sitting with her knees pulled together on the sofa, Stoney finally felt like sharing more of what she’d gone through.
“She even thought I was her own mother at times.” Stoney replayed the times when Grandma Susie’s mental problems, not leaving out depression all together, were intertwined and worked against the young girl.
“What was her illness?” Mercy thought to ask.
Stoney pointed to her left temple. “Her mind. Schizophrenia.” with the look of understanding on Mercy’s face, Stoney felt like someone finally got her. “The doctors had told me Grandma Susie didn’t want to believe she needed the medicine and other help they offered. She just…she just did what she wanted to.” She didn’t want to scare Stoney into hiding, but Mercy couldn’t pretend with her friend anymore.
“The medicine that you used to pick up?” Mercy dared to ask, but needed her friend to verbalize what was really going on in her world.
A nod was all Stoney was giving. She wanted to go on and share with her how she had started taking her grandmother’s medication at a young age, but didn’t want the questions or the help in that way. There was no doubt Mercy wanted to and probably could help her move in a positive direction, if she allowed her to. She wasn’t ready.
The prescriptions were the only things that were keeping her going, and with the feeling as though Jesus had put her on back burner, and certainly didn’t come through with a nice reunion with her mother, Stoney only wanted to dwell in her own world. And for the time being, someone else’s medication seemed to be her way out.
On his slow days, Mike had no meetings or choir rehearsals. He just had time to do whatever he needed to do. During that time the only thing Mike was required to do was to spend time alone with the Lord. Even with his surround sound blasting the latest WOW compact disc, while he cleaned his home, Mike was certain he heard his home phone ringing.
With his thumb still on the down button of his Bose remote control, Mike answered, “Hello, you’ve reached Brother Mike’s residence.” his announcement rang clear through the cordless receiver.
More than happy that Brother Mike couldn’t see her expression, Vicky rolled her eyes and gripped her felt-tip pen firmly in her tiny hand. “Uh, yes. Brother Mike? This is sister Vicky.” it took all of her energy to carry on a bit of conversation with him. If it hadn’t been for Stoney not showing up at work the last week or so, eventually getting herself fired, or dodging her calls, Vicky’s silence to the guy she had gone on one date with would have been continued even longer.
Wondering why Vicky would be calling, Mike sat during the silence and considered if the woman he still had a crush on was actually calling to rekindle a friendship. “Vicky? hey, how’s it going?”
Noticing that Brother Mike left off the usual signature church title that made her everyone’s sister, Vicky rerouted the friendly feel of the conversation and went right into her motive for calling.
“Stoney was released from her position here for constantly not showing up. Now I really can’t get in contact with her. Is she with you, or do you have any idea where she is?”
With a “go figure” attitude, Mike allowed his response to register with what Vicky had affirmed. “She’s not here. I haven’t spoken to her in a couple of weeks. Have you tried her cell phone?”
“I did.” Vicky allowed her worry about Stoney to take precedence over any ill feelings she held for Mike. “It’s so unlike her for her to not even have her phone on. I…I just don’t know what to think.”
“For sure.” Mike finally set the remote down and followed suit himself. “Well. Hmm. Hold on. I’m going to click over and try to call for myself.” after Mike followed through, with the result being the same, he clicked the line back to Vicky and confirmed her worries.
“Yep. No answer for me as well,” he said. “It’s going right to voice mail.”
“Exactly what I thought.” Concern lodged itself into Vicky’s voice. Drumming her manicured nails on her desk, Vicky didn’t know what else to say or do.
Knowing how strong willed Vicky was, an independent woman of sorts, Mike, hearing hesitation, knew Vicky wouldn’t ask anything more of him.
“I’m glad you called, and let me know. I think I’ll just take a ride by her apartment and see if everything is all right. I mean, I don’t know of any family Stoney has. I mean, you know her grandmother passed on even before Stoney started coming to the church.”
“Right. I…I…” Vicky didn’t want to lose her nerve. If it weren’t for the love she had for Stoney, Vicky wouldn’t have even suggested it. But before she knew it she said, “I should have known something was wrong. Stoney’s been acting crazy. She went part-time at the doctor’s office awhile back when her car was acting up. Then the doctor, he—” Vicky stopped short.
“He what?” Mike prompted.
“Well,” she whispered, figuring she could share with Mike since both of them seemed to be all Stoney had. “They’ve suspected she’s been taking medication from the sample closet.”
“Wow,” was all he could say. He was ashamed for not following through when his gut feeling tugged at him to intervene and ask Stoney more about her taking prescription drugs. He just hadn’t gotten around to it. “Well. Uh. I know where she lives. I’ll just call Pastor and let him know what’s going on, before just popping up.”
“Okay. Well. It’s almost my lunch break anyway. Do you think you can call me back and let me know if you find out anything? Or can I meet you somewhere?”
“I can do better than that. How about I come through and pick you up? are you still at Medical City on Forest Lane?” when Vicky let him know she was still in the same spot, Mike answered, “Cool, I’ll be there in a few,” while trying to keep in mind it wasn’t about him, but all about Stoney.