Chapter Seven

The Reveal – The Day My Life Changed

For almost two years Eric and I lived and loved our lives through email, instant messages, and occasional phone calls. We talked about everything, every day, for hours at a time. We planned on being together with our children for the rest of our lives.

At this point I’ll revert to my actual journal. There is no way I could recreate the emotions of the “reveal” except to give you the actual words spoken between Eric and me on September 10, 2012. I will never forget that day. We first got into a very spiritual, spirited discussion. It lasted for hours before our internet got disconnected. Upon resuming our discussion this was said.

Eric: I remember the last question I asked you is what do you know about FORGIVENESS?

Debby: Yes and I answered that...did you get it?

Eric: Please send it to me again. Are you alone at home?

Debby:  Yes.

Eric: Ok, good .

Debby: I am alone except for the SPIRIT, which is trying to keep me calm!

Eric: Yes, He is aware of this conversation as He led me in the first to initiate it

Debby: okay...

Eric: I know this will break you down on the inside....You shared so much with me and I thank God you came my way but I have a confession to make to you today, Debby, and whatever decision you make, I will not blame you. But I want you to listen to my heart as this was done by the leading of the Holy Spirit residing in me.

Debby: Okay, are you sure you want to continue?

Eric: Yes please.....Now please know that this confession is not born out of my human flesh but by the Spirit. I am a born again Christian but I've wronged/offended you as my sister and friend before the Lord. This occurred to me when I was touched by the Spirit of God residing in me to stop and desist from my wrong deeds and live out my life in sincerity and truth as I was bought with a price by Christ Jesus and shouldn't be found living as Satan's seed...This revelation came to me not quite long ago and in humility, I confess to you my wrong deeds of scamming you all along as it was selfish and inhuman especially to your kind and your love for Christ. This isn't right and I was once blind but thanks be to God who has opened my eyes to see the light and retrace my steps from darkness unto His glorious LIGHT .

Debby: THIS ISN’T TRUE...

Eric: Yes it is Debby....It is true

Debby: I don't believe you...

Debby: Who are you then? Who is the dear man I've loved for the last 22 months?

Eric: It's sad but there is no Eric Cole

Debby: There is...and I believe he is so distraught by our situation that he's making this up now...

Eric: This is the honest truth Debby. It's not a make-up

*Now the logical, intelligence officer, banker-trained Debby comes into the “real world”*

Debby: What have you done with all of the money that I've sent to you...to Eric? and to his family? What about Mary and Kenny? What about Peter and his family? I have too much information about your families to have this not be true. Why are you making this up now? After all these months?

Eric: There is no Peter, Mary or Kenny. It's all a make-up.
 

Debby: I DON’T BELIEVE IT.
 

Eric: It is true Debby
 

Debby: Prove it to me
 

Eric: My confession is the proof Debby. I wouldn't do this with my normal mind. Like I said, this was prompted by the leading of the Spirit of God. Let me show you who I am…let me come online in person to show you my real self…there is a camera on your computer and with yahoo chat I can come on live…let’s connect.

Here is what I saw when we connected…

At this moment I was speechless. I can’t believe I had the presence of mind to snap a picture with my phone .

Debby:  How about your confessions about loving me all along? How about my giving you funds from my father? How about the notes written to my folks? This couldn't be all false. Why are you telling me this now?

Eric: Of a truth, I never intended to go this far or deep. But as time persisted, I developed passion for you and knew this wasn't right as you were a good lady and didn't deserve this kind of mal-treatment.

Eric: I am telling you this now because I was moved by the Spirit of God

Debby: Then you need to make things right with me and with God

Eric: That is exactly what I am doing Debby. But I have to begin by confessing to you and seeking for your FORGIVENESS.

Debby: What is your name? I still believe I'm talking to Eric.

Eric:  JOSEPH

Reflections:   My emotions are just welling up inside me while I’m reading this confession in my journal. The last two years of my life were just ripped out from under me and this time I was responsible for part of it happening. What would I do now? I felt worse than when Lou died because I was a part of what happened. I look at his messages in the reveal and realize that his language is not the same as when he wrote to me before. I’m noticing the grammar, the word choices, the tone…this isn’t “my Eric” anymore. The way this man is writing I KNOW I would have thought him to be a scammer and a fake. I NEVER would have fallen for him and I never would have written to him for TWO YEARS and I NEVER would have sent him any money! NEVER!

Debby: I can forgive but it will be a hard thing for my family to do so if you don't make things right.

Eric: How can I make things right?

Debby: You need to return all of the money you took from me. I willingly gave it to Eric, Mary, Kenny and Peter but not to someone that wasn't honest with me.

Eric: Ok, but please I need to know if you've forgiven me.

Debby: Why is that so important to you?

Eric: It is right for me to do so by asking for forgiveness. It is our responsibility as Christians.

Debby: And it is right for Christians to make restitution after being forgiven?

Eric: Yes I totally agree with you on that.

Debby: Please tell me who you are...and where you are. If you return the funds so that I can move on with my family and my business then I'll be okay, whatever that means.

Eric: Debby I know this is so unbelievable right now but it is true and I am renewed especially now that I have confessed my sins.
Debby: I fell in love with Eric...and you must have some of his qualities...

Eric: It beats me on the inside to feel you suffer even now. I know that feeling of loss.

Debby: I have poured out my whole life to you...You know me better than anyone else... Eric, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?

Eric: I need to restitute with you Debby. I have wronged you and God is our witness. Please forgive me as I was a child but I've grown with a new mentality of Christ in me...The hope of GLORY!!

Debby: I will forgive you if you make good on everything I have done for you...I have family responsibilities, children that depend on me, parents that depend on me. I was DEPENDING on you for my future and now I need help. I was relying on the Spirit all along and I can't believe HE would lead me astray...

Eric: Yes I know and I am willing to do all you desire but I need to know if you have forgiven me. Please don't talk ill of the Spirit. There is a reason why God allowed this to happen
 

Debby: Care to tell me why?

I have asked myself that question many, many times since Eric, or Joseph, tore the rug out from under me on that fateful day. It wasn’t until I was interviewed in 2016 that a woman, a pastor from Indiana, said the following to me that I realized a possible WHY:

“I’m jumping. I’m shouting. I’m doing a lot of things. I’m a minister as well as an entrepreneur. This is what I want to say to you, Debby. This morning’s inspirational message that God had me send out to my phone ministry said, ‘Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me…Thy rod and staff they comfort me.’

I know God had you in that valley. He knew. He set you there for a purpose for such a time as this. Though you say you didn’t have the million dollars, you did have the million dollars. It was prepared for you to do what you needed to do to come forward so that you could share with us your story.”

I was grateful for her feedback. I was grateful for her support of my cause. I was encouraged to continue speaking up because of her and the many other women that sent me emails and hugs from afar.

Why would God let this happen? As a very spiritual person I had to ask this question. I truly believe that things happen for a reason and in the eternal plan I had to live this story so that I could tell it to others. I hope it will help at least one person going forward!