Read Online My Father's Gift by Mary M Hall-Rayford - Free Book Online

back to his office and changed into work overalls and decided to clean one of the limousines himself.  He rarely cleaned the cars, but he knew it would take his mind off D’Cerner.  Thinking about her reminded him that he had been alone much too long. 
    “Besides,” he thought, “I need time with my Father on this one.”  He tried to pray, but couldn’t concentrate.  At least that’s what he thought when He didn’t respond him.  “Work, work, work a little harder,” he thought.  “I’ll call her later when I’m finished and apologize.”
    *****
    “Hello.” D’Cerner looked at the clock.  She didn’t think it would be Cal since it was only eight o’clock.
    “Sister Everett, this is Cal.” She couldn’t help but detect the formality he used.
    “I think I know your voice by now.”
    “I’m sure you do.  Look, I apologize for rushing off this afternoon, but I remembered some important work I needed to do,” he said, thinking to himself that it wasn’t a lie because the car needed to be cleaned.
    “I understand.  I thought perhaps I had offended you.”
    “No.  You didn’t.”
    “Well, would you mind telling me if I passed inspection?”
    “You were not being inspected.”
    “Really?  Somehow that’s how I felt.”
    “No, you weren’t.”
    “So, and your opinion is?”
    “You are a very attractive woman.”
    “You weren’t disappointed?”
    “No, were you?”
    “No.  I told you Daddy said we wouldn’t be disappointed.”
    “So you did.  Well, look. I’ve got an early day tomorrow so I’m going to turn in now.  You have a good evening.”
    “Thank you.  You do the same.” D’Cerner hung up the phone, puzzled.
    “That was certainly strange,” D’Cerner mused aloud.  We usually talk for hours at a time.  Oh well.  This gives me time to get some work done.” 
    She convinced Chantelle and Carlos they needed to do laundry as well as some other chores and stayed busy until about midnight, when she fell asleep, exhausted.
     
     
     
     

Chapter Ten
    Cal spent an unsettling evening with Kathy and Don.  Both, it seemed, were deliberately trying to get on his nerves, so he sent them to their rooms to pray.  He went to his room, fell on his knees and tried to pray, but couldn’t because he kept seeing D’Cerner’s face.  Finally, he gave up and got into bed where sleep, for the most part, eluded him.
    *****
    For the next few days, conversation was strained between Cal and D’Cerner.  Whenever he called, they would end up arguing the merits of scriptures—water baptism, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues—and getting frustrated with one another.  Trying to have a normal conversation was getting so ridiculously tedious that, one morning, after a particularly trying conversation with Cal, D’Cerner decided she’d had enough of this nonsense.
    “Daddy, I know what you told me, but this is ridiculous.  I cannot marry this man.  I don’t even like him any more.  I can’t do this.  I won’t do this.  I’ll deal with the consequences, whatever they are, but I cannot do this.”
    At that moment, the phone rang.  At first D’Cerner thought it was Cal, then, realizing he wouldn’t call early in the morning, picked it up.
    “Hello,” she said frustrated.
    “Hey, Dee.  What’s happening?” Angela’s cheerfulness somehow grated on D’Cerner’s nerves a bit.
    “Hi, Angie.  Same old thing.  What’s going on with you?”
    “While I was sitting at work this morning, just before time for me to leave, Daddy told me to tell you, ‘you can do this.’ ”
    “Great.  He’s talking to you, but not to me.”
    “Okay, what’s going on?”
    “You probably won’t believe me when I tell you, but here goes.”
    For the next hour, D’Cerner filled her in on what was going on with Cal.  She had not had an opportunity to tell Angela anything about Cal before now because of her work schedule, but it felt good getting if off her chest.