Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our form;
He is mindful that we are nothing but dust.
Psalm 103:13–14 (NASB)
Wintergrace Manor
Evergrace, Texas
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Elissandro paced the upstairs hallway, outside one of his guest rooms, waiting with Thessaly Westenberg-Arteaga for news of his daughter’s well-being from one of the attending doctors at the gala—thirty-three-year-old Dr. Ocean Bleu.
Finally, Elissandro stopped and faced Thessaly. “Is there someone I should contact: family, a husband?”
She shrugged. “We just met today. All I know is she’s new to Evergrace; she’s been staying with friends until she can find a place of her own. Freedom’s about one month pregnant, and she’s going to be a single mom.”
Elissandro combed fingers through his layered hair. “She’s pregnant?”
Thessaly nodded. “She’s alone, and she’s scared, feeling overwhelmed. Earlier, she broke down, crying, and Destin, Design, and I prayed with her.”
“Thank you for letting me know, and thank you for inviting her tonight.”
“After hearing everybody singing your praises, she really wanted to meet you,” Thessaly said. “She said she’d never had a dad she could trust, one she could depend on, and she thought it would be great to have someone like you in her life—a spiritual dad.”
He could feel warmth spreading through his chest, and he framed his face with his hands. Wow! God has really come through for me. He has gift-wrapped my daughter and brought her directly to me. How great is my God? How merciful? How compassionate? How loving?
Elissandro lowered his hands, his eyes on Thessaly. “You’re free to go. I’ll watch over Freedom and make sure she’s all right.”
Thessaly frowned. “Are you sure?”
He nodded. “She’s in good hands. I promise.”
Thessaly sighed. “Let her know I’ll phone to check on her later.”
“I’ll relay the message. Have a good night.”
Thessaly smiled. “Thank you, sir.” Then, she walked away, stepping down the spiraling staircase.
After she had departed, Elissandro pulled out his cell phone, then punched in his grandmother’s phone number, and she answered on the first ring.
“Hello, Grandsonshine! How’s the gala?”
“Going well downstairs, just without me,” he said. “I’ve got some great news!”
“Tell me!”
Hearing her excitement, he smiled. “Faith is here, at Wintergrace, resting in one of the guest rooms. One of my church members brought her as a guest.”
Sweet Alyce clapped. “God is good, God is just, God is love! Thank You, Jesus!”
“That’s not all,” Elissandro said. “She’s new in town, she doesn’t have a home, and she’s pregnant—about one month. She’s scared and alone, afraid of being a single mom too. She needs me. She needs us.”
“Say no more,” Sweet Alyce said. “Randle and I will be there soon.”
Tears welled in Elissandro’s eyes. “Thank you.”
“I love you, Eli.”
“I love you too.” He disconnected, then lowered the phone, putting it back into his pants pocket.
Suddenly, the guest room door opened, and Ocean Bleu, a tall tuxedoed man with coal-black hair and steel-blue eyes, stepped out.
“How is she?” Elissandro asked. “The baby too?”
“She and the baby are fine, just malnourished.” Ocean stepped closer, then clapped his hand on Elissandro’s shoulder. “Congratulations! She told me in confidence that you’re her dad and that tonight was the first time you met.”
“That’s right!” Elissandro said. “I just found her and learned that she’s pregnant.”
Ocean lowered his hand to his side. “Apparently, the baby’s dad is not in the picture, and she’s afraid of going to the doctor alone. I gave her an appointment card and told her she’s welcome to come to my clinic when she’s ready—sooner rather than later—so I can check her and the baby out more thoroughly.”
“Don’t worry,” Elissandro said. “I’ll see that she gets there, even if I have to play chauffeur.”
Ocean laughed. “You’re one day a dad and already taking charge.”
Elissandro pointed to the door. “May I go in? Talk to her?”
“You might want to feed her first so she doesn’t faint on you again. Something light, like fruit and vegetables, wouldn’t hurt. She might not be ready for meat yet.”
Elissandro bobbed his head. “I can do that.”
“Then, I’ll leave you with your daughter.” He bowed his head, then walked toward the staircase.
Elissandro walked toward the west wall, then pressed the intercom, and immediately requested that someone from his kitchen staff bring a tray of fruit and vegetables to the upstairs guest room as soon as possible.
After retrieving Daiana’s letter from his desk drawer, Elissandro returned to the upstairs guest room and knocked softly on the door.
“Come in.”
Elissandro opened the door, then walked inside the room and found his daughter sitting up in bed, propped against pillows, eating from a tray of fruit and vegetables. Upon his arrival, she put the tray aside on a nearby food cart, then wiped her mouth with a white napkin before dropping it onto the food tray.
“Thank you for the food,” she said.
Standing beside the bed, he smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“Have a seat.” She motioned toward the foot of the bed.
Elissandro sat down and grabbed her hand. “How are you feeling?”
She smiled. “Better.”
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’m glad.”
“So, you’re Elissandro Evergrace, and you’re my missing dad?”
“I am, according to this letter.” He raised the letter from Daiana. “But we still need the confirmation of a DNA test so we won’t have any legal issues down the road.”
“May I read the letter?” she asked.
“Of course.” He handed her the letter.
Silently, she read it, at times drying tears from her eyes. “Mom wrote this all right. I just wished she would have shared it with me and Francesca before she died.” She glanced up, then handed Elissandro the letter. “Do you know how she died?”
He nodded, then slid the letter inside his jacket pocket. “She was killed, trying to protect you, when you were sixteen.”
“She was killed while protecting Faith Palmer, and that’s not who I am anymore. I’m Freedom Faith Forrester.” She fingered more tears from her eyes. “In fact, I’d say Faith Elissandra Palmer is dead to the world, including her own family.”
Elissandro grabbed her hand, folding it into his. “Faith Palmer may be dead to her family, but Freedom Faith Forrester-Evergrace made her meritorious debut and grand entrance tonight.”
She gaped at him, her green eyes wide. “What are you talking about?”
“I want you to live here with me in Wintergrace Manor, the house I had built for your mother. And pending the confirmation of the DNA test, I want you to be declared my legal daughter and heir apparent.” Tears stung his eyes, even as he shared his dream. “That’s not all either. I want you to raise your child—my future grandchild—here as well.” He caressed her hand. “What do you say?”
“You know about the baby—my pregnancy?”
Elissandro nodded. “Thessaly told me, and I want you and the baby both here.”
Lines etched her forehead. “Why?”
“I’m a family man, and you’re my daughter.”
She fingered more tears dry. “This is too good to be true—better than Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel, all in one.”
Elissandro drew her toward him, pressing her hand against his chest, over his heart. “I want you and this baby in this house, under my protection. I want to build a future with you, and I want to get to know you better. I want you to carry more than my family genes; I want you to carry my family’s last name—Evergrace.”
“I just met you, and I already love you,” she said. “I don’t want you to be in danger because of me. I don’t want you to be killed, like my mom, because of me.”
“God is my protection. He’s my shield, my strength, and my salvation.” Elissandro leaned forward and thumbed her tears dry. “So, don’t worry about me. I’m covered, and I’m not afraid of D’Santos Fears and Davalle Spight.
“All I want is for you to take your rightful place in this family as my daughter; all I want is the chance to love you and make up for all those years when I wasn’t around to counsel you, comfort you, encourage you, protect you, and pray for you.”
“But you’re a preacher,” she said. “Won’t there be a scandal with you having a single pregnant daughter?”
“I’m not worried about gossip, scandal, or pleasing people. I’m more concerned with showing grace and mercy and pleasing God. He’s the one who says in Joshua 1:9 (NASB), ‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’”
Her light-brown face flushed red. “But you’re a good, godly man, and you have a good reputation—a good name. I don’t want anything I do now or have done in the past to tarnish that.”
“You won’t.” He smiled, impressed with her resolve to protect him. “I can defend myself—on the physical and the spiritual fronts. I promise.”
She sighed. “If you really want us here, the baby and I will gladly move in.”
Elissandro leaned forward and hugged her. “You’ve just made me the happiest man tonight.” He pulled back, his eyes filled with tears. “Later, after the gala, if you’re feeling better, I’ll give you the grand tour and introduce you to the staff.”
“How will you introduce me?” she asked.
“As my long-lost daughter, of course.” He could sense her apprehension, so he sought to allay her fears. “The Evergrace name will afford you some measure of security, even privacy, not just from criminals but from prying eyes and listening ears in the media as well. I’m friends and also an associate with the founder of The Sword & Shield Security Agency—J.U. Shield—so I have an on-site security team and access to off-site private security as well, so you and your child will always be protected, whether you see the security detail or not.”
He glanced at her belly. “Is there anything I should know about the baby’s father?”
She shook her head. “He doesn’t know who I am, where I am, or that I’m pregnant, and even though neither of us planned this, I don’t consider this baby a mistake. I intend to keep him or her and be the best mom possible.”
“Are you comfortable sharing the father’s name with me?”
“Not yet.”
“All right!” he said. “I won’t force the issue. But I want you to know you can trust me, and I’ll help you as much as you’ll let me.
“So, tell me how do you feel about changing your name legally to Freedom Faith Forrester-Evergrace?”
“I’m all right with it. Really, I am.” Tears glimmered in her green eyes, and she leaned forward and hugged him. “Thank you! For welcoming me into your life and your family with open arms, for inviting me into your home, and for respecting my wishes about keeping this baby’s dad a mystery.” She leaned back, brushing tears away with her fingers. “I’ve made so many mistakes in my life, and I don’t want to make anymore, especially now that I’m about to be a mom.”
“How is your relationship with Jesus, with God?” he asked.
She exhaled. “I haven’t been on good terms with Jesus or God since my mom died, and you can tell by this unplanned pregnancy that I haven’t been living the life of a committed believer or reading anybody’s Bible faithfully or adhering to any godly principles. So, it’s baffling to me why you would want someone like me in your life, in your family, in your home.”
Elissandro smiled. “Your mom would often say the same things, even ask some of the same questions, when we were younger, and I’ll tell you what I told her, ‘Before you let your fears and the voices of others try to separate us: God created you just for me, and you’re my light and laughter, my comfort and my hope, my gift and my blessing, and you’re meant to twinkle—to glow and to shine, even in times of darkness.’
“For all those years we were together, even after we were apart, Daiana was my Twink and my Twinkle, and now, on this day in this season, you’ll be my Twink—my light and my laughter, my sunshine and my starlight, my comfort and my hope.” He pulled her forward, and he hugged her. “I love you, Twink, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life showing you how big this love is, and one day, I’m praying that you and I can reconcile and reunite with your sister, Francesca, and complete our family circle.”
A knock sounded on the door.
“Just a moment, please.” Elissandro slid from the edge of the bed, then stood up and walked to the door. He twisted the knob, then opened the door to find Sweet Alyce and Grandpa Randle standing on the other side, each dressed for an evening out, each with tears in their eyes and a smile from ear to ear on their faces.
Sweet Alyce wore a shiny, silver gown with embroidery and matching jewelry in her earlobes and around her neck, and Grandpa Randle wore a crisp white shirt and a black tuxedo with a silver tie and cumberbund.
“I’m glad you made it.” Elissandro hugged each one.
“Where’s our great-granddaughter?” Sweet Alyce asked.
Elissandro stepped aside, waving his hand toward Freedom, who was scooting to the edge of the bed, putting her bare feet onto the floor. “Sweet Alyce and Grandpa Randle, this is my daughter Freedom, and Freedom, these are my grandparents and your great-grandparents, Sweet and Randle Alyce—better known as Sweet Alyce and Grandpa Randle.”
Sweet Alyce strode into the bedroom with Grandpa Randle on her heels, and she hugged Freedom warmly. “Welcome to the family, sweetheart!” She stepped back so Grandpa Randle could hug Freedom too.
Elissandro shut the guest room door, then stood back, letting his grandparents get acquainted with the newest member of their family.
“You’re as pretty as your mom,” Grandpa Randle said.
Freedom’s eyes got wide. “You knew my mom?”
“Of course we did!” Grandpa Randle said. “She and your dad grew up together, and often, Danny was staying with us at The Alyce Family Farm rather than with her grandparents, Onesimus and Lizette, at their house.”
“That’s right!” Sweet Alyce said. “We’ve got plenty of pictures of your mom and Eli from childhood all the way up through their older years.”
Freedom’s face glowed. “I’ve never seen any pictures of my mom when she was younger, and she rarely talked about her years in Evergrace, so I would love to spend some time with you and find out about her life here, with all of you.”
“You’re welcome at the farm anytime,” Sweet Alyce said.
“You’ve got an open invitation,” Grandpa Randle said.
Elissandro stepped forward, stopping at Freedom’s side. “My daughter has agreed to stay here at Wintergrace Manor with me and to raise her child here as well.”
Sweet Alyce clapped her hands. “Praise the Lord! That’s great news!” She looked at Freedom with tears in her eyes. “You’re not alone either, sweetheart. I retired as a nurse, and I was a midwife too. Now, I’m ninety-five years old, counseling, feeding, and ministering to young adults and college students from our family farm. Any help you need with this baby, just let me know. All right?”
Freedom nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
Grandpa Randle pulled a green-wrapped stick of gum from his pants pocket, then offered it to Freedom. “Here’s something sweet for our newest sweetheart.”
Freedom laughed, then accepted the gum. “Thank you.”
“What are your plans for your birthday tomorrow?” Sweet Alyce asked.
Freedom shrugged. “I don’t have any.”
“Well, that’s not good!” she said. “You’ll come to the farm and celebrate your birthday with us. All right?”
“Do you mind if I invite some friends?” she asked.
“The more, the merrier,” Sweet Alyce said. “Invite anyone you want. We’ve got plenty of room.”
“I’d hate for the night to end without my daughter showcasing this beautiful dress and glorious crown of hair.” Elissandro touched Freedom’s arm. “Are you well enough to go downstairs and enjoy the rest of the Valentine’s Day gala?”
Freedom nodded, then slipped her feet into her glass-like slippers and looped her arm within Elissandro’s. “Lead the way, Dad.”
He laughed, his chest warm, his heart full. “I like the sound of that word—dad—and I look forward to introducing you to everyone as my daughter—soon-to-be Freedom Faith Forrester-Evergrace.”