The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes….Landon had heard that phrase beat over his head since he was a teenager. He hadn’t listened then, but he was trying now to use restraint. Landon exhaled as he tore his eyes away from the view that Octavia was probably oblivious to giving him. She was shapely and had nice legs. Where was the man, husband or significant other that set his woman free like this?
It’s the pride of life that keeps you from coming to Me, Jesus said, whispering 1 John 2:16.
Landon grunted as a dispute of God’s verdict. He was an outcast. He had nothing—no family, friends, job, food, shelter. His self-worth seemed like all he had left.
Consider the birds in the air. I feed them, I shelter them, I protect them. God whispered Matthew 6:26 to him.
“Hey, are you all right?” Octavia placed a hand on his wrist. Her voice was soft.
He had operated on autopilot, opening the door to the restaurant, but not seeing his surroundings. “Sure,” he recovered.
“Don’t be nervous about your clothes. I’ll ask for a booth up front, okay?” she whispered.
She thought his distraction was about his attire? Her own beauty was the distraction. “Thanks.” At the moment, he was hungry and didn’t care how he looked.
That wasn’t the case a year earlier. Landon had an expensive lifestyle and the money and women to stroke his ego. He always dressed appropriately for any occasion. Landon had been groomed for better than this. It seemed as if every day he was losing a little bit of himself along the way with every sock or shirt that was somehow misplaced.
Yet, Landon was optimistic. He was a survivor, and this too shall pass. He knew his family was praying for him. To them, he was the prodigal son, brother, grandson, cousin and other titles he didn’t want to think about. If anyone could get a prayer through, his maternal Miller clan could.
“It’s a ten-minute wait,” Octavia informed him after speaking with the hostess. “I’m running to the ladies’ room. Be right back.” She began to strut away before spinning on her heels. “Oh, and don’t be a fool and leave without a good hot meal.” She lifted her brow, then gave him a point blank expression. “And you don’t come across as a fool.” She sashayed away.
How quickly she was summing him up, but Octavia had no idea that he called the shots—except when he was hungry.
He took a seat in the lobby across from a couple giving him a curious stare. He ignored them in the same way he had been dismissed many times on the streets when he asked for spare change. It was humiliating and humbling. That had been a sight to see: Landon Thomas begging—a scenario that his estranged family would probably enjoy, recalling the last family gathering where he had been called a fool to his face.
Landon had been summoned to his maternal grandparents’ home in Roxbury, a neighborhood of Boston, not far from Dudley Station.
“You’re a disgrace to this family. If any child could’ve been switched at birth, you’re the leading candidate,” said Moses Miller, the patriarch of the clan. Landon had stared at the older and darker version of himself. His grandfather’s hair was no longer gray, but white.
With a calm demeanor and from the comfort of a worn oversized recliner, Moses had rebuked him with such venom that Landon had been caught off guard. He had never seen the seventy-eight-year-old elder so angry as he shook his head. He twisted his mouth as if he was trying to discharge a nasty taste.
No one came to his defense. His parents, aunts, uncles, cousins all seemed to watch with interest. Not one to let anyone see him sweat, Landon was about to take advantage of the pause when his grandfather’s tirade continued.
“Landon Thomas, this family—your family—can no longer excuse or support your bad decisions. You were born with a good name, and you’re not even thirty-two and you’ve managed to ruin it!” He pounded his fist on the arm rest. “How many demons are you going to allow to feast off of you?”
“Grandpa, even God said to forgive seven times seventy. I’ve tried to live right, but the temptation is too great… He knows I’m weaker.” Others could pretend they were living holy, if they wanted to, but Landon planned to be true to himself. He stuffed his hands in his designer pants. He was tired of playing church. He knew the scriptures as well as any other family member.
Moses waved his arthritic hand at him. “Enough. ‘What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? May it never be! We who died in sin, how could we live in it any longer?’ If you don’t believe me, pick up your Bible that has your name engraved on the cover. Flip to Romans six…”
There was no need for him to do that. Landon was just exercising his free will. Longevity ran in his family. He had time to serve God, but as Shakespeare said, “To thine own self be true.” Landon had done everything in his power not to groan. He made six digits, had a luxury car, condo and money in the bank. All his physical and financial needs were met.
“Grandson, a few days ago God spoke to me. You can’t imagine how surprised I was when He revealed to me that you hadn’t backslid yet—despite the trail of mess you stirred—but you were in process. That’s a warning, Landon. I advise you to take heed.”
That meeting had been more than a year ago and since then, God had taken away his livelihood and possessions as a way of punishing him.
“Our table is ready.” Octavia reappeared with a smile, so he tucked away the past and allowed her to lead the way.
This time he kept his eyes off Octavia’s backside. Sleeping around wasn’t on his priority list. As true to her word, the hostess seated them close to the door and handed them a menu.
Landon’s stomach growled as he eyed the steak selections longer than he intended. What he wouldn’t give for a medium rare sirloin steak, but he wasn’t about to take advantage of Octavia’s kindness. He forced his eyes about from the images as he closed the menu. Landon sighed, “A burger and fries.” Beggars couldn’t be choosy, could they? And he definitely was that. He considered himself a social drinker, but he certainly could use a strong drink at the moment. “And a Sprite,” he told their server when he arrived at their table.
Octavia was watching him as she closed her menu, too. The way she was staring at him, it was as if she was glimpsing into his soul. “Come on, let’s celebrate. Let’s do a nine-ounce sirloin with a baked potato and vegetable medley, and two salads,” she paused. “Unless you really want a burger and fries…then I guess…”
“I would like that,” he said softly as the server revised his order and left them alone again. Over the past months, people’s kindness humbled Landon, and so had the begging, but with Octavia, Landon left different. There was more to this chance meeting than he thought. Somehow, Octavia was in tune with him and he didn’t know what to do about it.
With loving kindness have I drawn thee. I have loved thee with an everlasting love. God whispered Jeremiah 31:3.
“So, what are we celebrating?”
Octavia dazzled him with a smile as she studied him. “I’ll think of something in a minute.” She folded her hands. “So Landon, tell me about yourself.”
“I’m thirty-three; lost my job when my company downsized. When I couldn’t meet my obligations, I decided I needed a change to start over.” Landon gave the standard answers and, amazingly, they weren’t lies.
“I detect a dialect. New York?”
“Boston.”
“Ah.” She grinned. “I can see you wanting to relocate to a warmer climate, especially after that season of record snow fall.”
“Yep, I was on my way to Texas when I had a series of mishaps…” Landon wasn’t about to tell her that he had planned on relocating to Texas or California. With the balance of his savings and cashing out the last chunk of his 401(k) that he hadn’t used to pay judgments against him, Landon left Beantown with only three thousand dollars.
A plane ride was out of reach, so he boarded Amtrak, since Greyhound was out of the question—at first. Months earlier, he was on a Greyhound bus and with a lengthy layover in St. Louis, Landon had wandered downtown and stumbled on the building that housed Fleishman Hillard. At one time, the company was the second-ranking public relations company in the United States. It had a stellar record of accomplishments, including producing award-winning commercials for Anheuser-Bush. Plus, the company gave birth to many of the unique advertising blitzes that everyone in the industry wanted to copy.
When Landon returned to the station, he had missed his bus. That mishap hadn’t fazed him as he thought about the opportunity to work in his field again. Then reality set in that he was stranded without the bulk of his clothes. The people at Greyhound said they would have it shipped back as soon as they could.
But Landon couldn’t wait. He needed a job now. He walked the street until almost dust until he found a shelter. The conditions were awful and smelly, and questionable characters made him sleep with his eyes open. The next morning, he found a cheap motel to shower and iron the few clothes he had, but he needed a shave desperately, so again, he hit the streets until he saw a Walgreens, which commercials boasted were on every corner. They lied. With credit cards maxed and collectors hounding him when he left Boston, he had little cash, which gave him two options.
Hiding his shame, Landon stood outside the store, politely asking for donations for toothpaste, deodorant, and shampoo. Some people had pity and gave him a total of twelve dollars and some change. With the sun becoming unbearable, he went inside to search for clearances. Anything would be a bargain with the little pocket change he had for a watch and electric shaver. Looking around, he eyed the selection. Landon had never been a thief, but he’d never been in desperation mode either. If he was going for an executive job, he needed the toiletries to look and smell the part. He realized there was an art to stealing, and he was an amateur.
Cameras and possibly employees had him under surveillance. “How do they pull this off?” he questioned himself, referring to shoplifters.
“Can I help you, sir?” a young store clerk said, who had suddenly appeared at his side. Landon didn’t even notice the short male with Popsicle-red spiked hair. His name tag read David.
Landon cleared his voice. “No…well, yes. I’ve been unemployed for a while. I need a job real soon. Can you recommend some places?”
The young man looked perplexed. “Ah, I’m still in high school. Let me call the manager. He’ll know if Walgreens is hiring,” he said as if it were a bright idea.
“Wow, I never thought of that. Can I fill out an application?” Landon gave the pretense of feeding into the youth’s eagerness.
Grinning, the teenager disappeared. Landon had to make a decision and quick. The Remington Flex 360 Diamond series rotary shaver looked tempting at eighty bucks, but he decided to play it safe with the Phillips Norelco razor that was half the cost. As he tried to quickly stuff it under his shirt, his heart pounded with remorse. Stealing did not give him an adrenaline rush. When he turned around the clerk had returned with a sheet of paper in his hand. The gleam in his eyes was replaced with disappointment. He had been busted after one attempt.
“If I call my store manager, you’ll go to jail,” David stated as if he were the one scolding a child. Even as Landon towered over him, he felt small.
Removing the razor, Landon handed it over. “Here man.”
After accepting the merchandise, David stepper closer. “My church donates food and clothing and other necessities. We’ll even come and pick you up for a meal.”
“Nah, that’s okay.” He walked out the store with nothing but the cost of his pride.
Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear… Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin… do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” I know that you need them, God said, speaking portions of Matthew 6.
Landon ignored Him. Right, he thought mockingly. Landon couldn’t pray more; he was all prayed out after he lost so much at once—his family’s forgiveness, lucrative employment, a spacious condo and a luxury ride.
That had been his first hand at shoplifting. Since that time, he’d swiped small items, all in the name of survival, which he had planned to do later that night for soap and toothpaste before returning to his hiding place that Octavia had discovered.
“Hey,” Octavia shook his hand, “you zoned out on me.” She searched his face as if trying to tap into his thoughts.
He cleared his throat and summarized his story with, “In my travels from city to city, I left a trail of clothes as I tried to rid myself of excessive baggage. The end.”
What about your spiritual baggage? God asked. Why are you holding on to that?
Landon’s answer was simple. He didn’t know how to let go. People always said they couldn’t forgive themselves, so in all honesty, and God knew it, Landon didn’t even try. He thought about his worldly possessions. “Suffice it to say, all I have now is that one suitcase.” That contained three pairs of pants, six pairs of designer boxers, four T-shirts, and six polo shirts. He knew because he counted them daily.
Resting her dainty chin on her fist, Octavia said, “Uh-oh. This doesn’t sound like the old comedy starring Steve Martin and John Candy.”
Landon shook his head. “I’m hoping for a happier ending than Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.” He shrugged and glanced around the restaurant.
“So you need life’s basic necessities.”
“For now, but I’m a go–getter. I plan to land with both of my feet on the ground.” Despite the odds, Landon never lacked confidence. “What about you? I know you’re a real estate agent.”
“Yes, and I’m part of the Elite Realtist agents. It’s priceless to watch the smiles when someone buys their first home. It’s literally a gift from heaven, and I’m so glad to be a part of it.
She captivated Landon when she talked about her passion about what she did. She was enchanting and very beautiful. Despite his hunger, Landon was irked when the server interrupted them with their salads. Seconds later, he was sucked in by Octavia’s eloquent grace over their food.
“Lord, we thank You for all things—good and bad—and this meal You have provided. Please bless and sanctify our food and help us to remember those who are hungry, and bless them as You have blessed us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
How many times had he said grace and never thought about others? Even now when there were others in the same boat as him? “Amen.”
Octavia didn’t say another word as she attacked her food, which was fine with him as he woofed down the juicy steak with as much finesse as possible for a hungry man.
When the conversation did resume, their banter was light hearted—nothing personal, but engaging.
“I should’ve said it earlier, but I’m sorry for scaring you.”
Octavia laughed and patted her chest. “Yes, that was definitely a calling-on-Jesus moment.”
The waiter returned and Octavia ordered dessert for them both after he declined, not wanting to drain her of her generosity. Although he wasn’t a fan of ice cream, the scoop of vanilla with a chunk of brownie never tasted better. Her eyes sparkled as she watched his gusto.
As he dabbed the corners of his mouth, Octavia asked for the bill. He didn’t know which disappointed him more: a woman picking up his tab, going to church or ending the temporary escape she gave him from his present state. But she didn’t make him feel like a charity case. Smiling brightened her already gorgeous face as she casually asked, “Do you need a place to stay?”
Landon blinked. He definitely wasn’t expecting that. How naïve was she? “Are you offering?”
“I am.” She seemed to be smug in her answer. “Who knows? I can be entertaining an angel and may not know it.”
Baby, I’m far from an angel, Landon refused to say. “Thank you.”
“Not a problem.” She stood and gathered her purse. “We still have to stop by my church first.”
“Not a problem,” he dittoed. So what if he had to brave a few hours in church while she did her thing? It would beat the scolding heat. At least he wasn’t about to sit through a Sunday morning sermon. There was no message that God could deliver to him. Landon felt like he had been kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Didn’t matter, it was the treat coming after church that he looked forward to.