Nobody’s Child (New Life Tabernacle Series Book 1) (12 page)

“
B
ree
, I really need you to call me back. As soon as possible. Please. I can’t— Things have changed. We can’t do the interview. I mean, we can’t do what we’d planned for the interview. I messed up and—“

The voice mail recording cut off. Makayla took a deep breath and tried not to give into the panic that had her heart in a vise grip.

Calm down. It’s not a problem. Not yet.

She’d just call Bree again later. It was only Thursday and the interview wasn’t until Monday. There was still more than enough time to stop it. But that wasn’t the most important thing at the moment. The most important thing was what she now knew about Robin and why she left.

Despite the coat wrapped around her and the brisk speed at which she walked down the street, Makayla couldn't stop trembling.

Rape.

The word worked on her body like a sickness far worse than the flu she’d just recovered from. Every few feet, she had to stop and take slow, deep breaths in an effort not to be sick.

Her mind was clouded and she found it nearly impossible to think straight. Like earlier, when she told Robin it was okay to drop her off at her apartment. She’d already agreed to meet Trey on campus the night before. Now she raced to get there, having texted him that her class ran late and she needed to talk to a teacher before she arrived.

She hoped that’s what she wrote. She couldn't be sure. Everything was jumbled in her head. And the more she tried to think about anything other than what Robin said at lunch, the louder the conversation replayed.

Rape…

No, she hadn’t said that specifically, but wasn’t it implied? It lined up with the story Trey told her the night before, too. With everything, really. For weeks, she couldn’t figure out why someone like Robin would leave her child behind. Now it all made sense.

Makayla picked up her pace to a light jog. She needed to get to Trey. She needed someone to tell her what to do. Should she tell Robin? Should she disappear? Should she stay, but keep her identity a secret forever? She didn’t want to hurt Robin any more than she already had. Which option would cause her the least pain? Makayla had no idea, but Trey would. He’d known Robin far longer. He’d not only know what to do, he’d be able to help her do it.

Though she’d started out despising him, at that moment, she couldn’t have been more grateful to have him in her life. Being with him was so easy. Maybe that’s why she always told him more than she intended to. He was the only person she'd ever been truthful with. Though he didn't know it, he knew more about her than anyone else on the planet. The crazy thing was, he liked her anyway.

When she saw him, it would take everything in her not to break down and cry. That was the only reason she’d texted instead of calling. She was afraid hearing his voice would make her crumble. She hoped she’d be able to get herself together within the time it took to reach campus, because falling apart wasn’t an option right now.

Right now, she needed a plan.

He’d help her with that, she was sure of it. She just needed to keep it together until then. When she saw him and his goofy grin, the storm clouds would part and she’d be able to see the sun again.

Only…

To get his help, she'd have to tell him everything. Could she do that? She’d already told him some of her secrets, what was one more?

But it wasn’t just any secret, was it? It was admitting she’d set out to destroy a woman he adored. It was admitting she’d lied to that woman since she’d met her. It was admitting she was likely the cause of the terrible depressions that same woman had suffered through for years.

Trey was a tolerant person, but was he
that
understanding?

Makayla would’ve preferred to keep her worst secrets to herself, but she was in over her head and she knew it. Trey was smart. A lot smarter than she was. She didn’t know what to do, but he would. She had to keep telling herself that. She
had
to believe it.

The closer she got to where the fountain stood, the easier it was to breathe. Yes, Trey would help her. Even after she explained what she’d done. That was the thing about him, the thing she’d never been able to understand. Even when she acted like a beast, he always saw past that to what was real.

She crossed the overpass and saw him standing on the steps, his back to her as he spoke with another student. She didn't even have to see his smile to know everything would be okay.

She ran to him and called out, "Trey!" That's when she recognized the other student. It was Shauna. And when Trey turned to look at Makayla, the expression on his face stopped her cold.

"
H
ey
, Charity!" Shauna was all smiles.

Makayla ignored her and looked to Trey. "Hey, sorry I'm late."

"I got your text about your class."

Shauna snickered.

"Yeah, umm, can we go somewhere and talk?"

Shauna patted Trey on the shoulder. "During that talk, don’t forget to ask her to explain how a class that was canceled for the day can run late."

Makayla looked from Shauna to Trey and back to Shauna again. Makayla felt heat rise in her cheeks. Trey only glared at her, saying nothing.

"And after she explains that, maybe she can do the same for Prof. Hillard. He's convinced there isn’t a Makayla Dawson enrolled in his class. I assured him it must be a mistake because she’d told several people he was her favorite teacher.“

Shauna couldn't have been happier if it were Christmas morning. She took in Makayla's mortified expression and Trey’s stony one and nodded. Seeing her work was done, she waved her fingers in the air.

"See you later, Trey Bear! You too, Makay—well, probably not…huh?” She twirled on her heel and bounced away.

Makayla felt herself cower under Trey's glare. "I can explain."

"I bet you can. You're really good at that, aren't you?" His voice was cold. His words, clipped.

"I hadn’t intended on lying. Not to you. I mean, not at first…"

Makayla felt as if she’d lost all ability to communicate effectively. She knew she needed to tell the truth, but she also knew she needed to tell it in a way that he'd understand. In a way that wouldn't make him wash his hands of her forever. Especially now. When she’d dug a hole so deep, she had no hope of climbing out on her own.

"Who, then?"

“Huh?”

Trey exhaled roughly and Makayla could practically see what little patience he had left, evaporating.

"If you hadn’t intended on lying to me, who had you intended on lying to?”

"Nobody! It just happened. She assumed I was in college. And the way she said it, ‘a college girl!’ I didn’t want her to know! I didn't want to tell her I dropped out of high school! I didn't want her to think I was a loser."

At her outburst, Trey put his hands up. "Wait. What are you talking about? Who assumed?"

"Robin. The first day I met her. I didn't want her to know…" Makayla tightened her fists until her nails dug into the heels of her palms. She’d give anything to go back to that day. To start again, knowing what she knew now.

"I messed up. I've messed everything up."

Trey took a step closer to her and when he spoke, his voice was filled with the warmth and kindness she'd come to rely on.

"No one's gonna think you're a loser just because you're not in college. But you can’t—“ He sighed. “Makayla, you can't keep doing this. It’s not right. You gotta talk to Robin. All you have to do is tell her what you just told me."

Makayla pressed the palms of her hands to her eyes. If only it were that easy. She couldn't shake the feeling she was already past the point of a simple explanation.

"I don't think I can do it by myself. Would you help me?"

"Of course. I'll be right there." He chuckled and rubbed her back. "But chill, okay? I think you’re making more of this than necessary." He crouched a bit so he could look at her downturned face. "You look like you're about to hyperventilate. It's not that bad. Just explain that you panicked and made a bad decision. That's all you've got to tell her."

Makayla shook her head and looked at Trey. "No. I have to tell her a lot more than that."

O
ver the next hour
, they sat in Trey's car while she tried to make him see the situation from her point of view. But the more she talked, the more she realized that wasn't going to happen. It was plain from the look on his face that, out of everything she’d said, he only heard one thing.

Makayla had come to Texas to destroy Robin.

“Things got out of hand. I can understand why you’re angry, believe me, I do. But I need your help.”

Trey shook his head, his hands gripping the steering wheel of the parked car.

"You're unbelievable. You know that? I can’t tell whether you’re a scam artist or just someone in serious need of professional help—“

"I'm telling you the truth! And I'm telling you because I don't know what to do!"

"You don't know what to do? Are you kidding me? Out of everything, that's the one thing that's obvious! Call this lady you've been feeding information to and tell her it was all a setup! Tell her you lied!"

“But I didn’t lie! And that’s not even the point—”

Trey hit the steering wheel in frustration. "See? See? That right there! You say you want help, but you won't stop!”

"I messed up. I know that. I know I never should've contacted Bree. But what I told her, what I'm telling you, is true."

Trey shook his head and waved his hands in the air. "There is no way Robin did what you're saying and you know it. She’d never leave a kid in the situation you say you grew up in. Never."

"It didn't make sense to me either. But when I searched her room, I found the Planned Parenthood pamphlet and I think—“

The car doors unlocked. "Get out. Now."

He couldn't turn on her. Not now. Not when she needed him so much. If he wouldn't understand, who could?

Makayla's panic manifested itself in her voice. "Trey, please, just listen. She told me she could understand if a girl was—“

"Go.”

"I think she was raped! I think it’s the only reason she left!”

Makayla blurted the words out. Trey stared at her in disbelief. He leaned forward and rested his hands and forehead on the steering wheel.

When he straightened up, he refused to look at her. His voice was so quiet, she had to strain to make out the words.

"I don't even know what to say anymore. Searching her room?" He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't know who you are or what your endgame is, but I'm done. I am done with you."

“Don’t say that. Please…"

"You know how she is. You know how she feels about you. And still, you did this.”

"I know, I know. I'm a bad person. No one’s saying I'm not. She doesn't deserve this, but I don't know what to do. When Bree calls me back, I'll explain everything. I'll take care of the interview. But Robin—“ Her voice caught in her throat. “Should I tell her who I am? Should I keep it a secret? Should I just leave? I don’t want to bring back any bad memories or make her—“

"You have till Sunday."

Makayla blinked. ”What?"

"You have until Sunday to come clean. Tell her. Everything. Or I will. And trust me, you don't want me to do it."

“No. Wait. Trey. Listen—”

"Get out of my car."

Stunned, Makayla put her hand on the handle, but didn’t open the door. This couldn’t be happening. He always understood her. Always. Why couldn’t he understand her now, when she needed him most?

"Don't you remember—“

"I'm not going to ask you again." Trey stared ahead, his jaw so tight, she could see the muscles straining.

Despite being seated, Makayla felt lightheaded and tightened her grip on the door handle. She needed someone to help her. She couldn’t make the wrong decision. Not again. Not after she’d already made so many. But she finally got the message. However much help she might need, she wasn’t going to get it from Trey.

M
akayla's grandmother
had an expression she sometimes used when she thought Makayla was out of earshot:
Sweatin' like a whore in church.

Of course, Makayla didn't have a clue what it meant, but because using the word “whore” was the closest she'd ever heard her grandmother come to swearing, she thought it was hilarious.

Turned out it wasn't so funny when Makayla was the one doing the sweating.

It started with the so-called christening.

On the way to church, Robin mentioned there would be one to officially mark the day she became Makayla’s godmother. Makayla assumed it’d be some little private thing in Pastor Thomas’ office. He’d say a few words, do a little prayer and they'd be done.

Wrong.

It was a full-out ceremony.

During the service, right before he introduced the guest speaker, Pastor Thomas motioned at their pew and said, "If you ladies would join me..." While Makayla looked back, wondering who he was talking to, Robin grabbed her hand and pulled her up. Then Pastor Thomas announced to the congregation they were about to take part in a somewhat unusual christening ceremony.

Makayla saw a few people exchange confused glances, but that was nothing compared to the icy stare she received from Trey or the disgusted look Shauna gave her from where she sat in the soprano section of the choir stand.

Robin didn't notice any of it. She stood there, just as happy as could be, literally glowing in her white and silver embroidered suit and hat.

Pastor Thomas read from a well-worn little book and had Robin promise before God to do right by Makayla and always guide her in the direction of the cross. If that meant Robin was supposed to help her stay on the straight and narrow, Makayla was pretty sure that ship had sailed.

She hoped he didn't ask her to say anything because she was certain making a promise before God in a house of worship was going to be the final push that sent her on a slow fall to hell. Thankfully, she didn't have to do anything but stand there.

Next, he called the mothers of the church to come and lay hands on them. They were joined by the guest speaker for that Sunday, an Evangelist Adeline Fleury. Evangelist Fleury stood directly in front of Makayla and looked at her as if she knew her. It made Makayla uncomfortable enough to immediately close her eyes and act like she was feeling the presence of God.

But when they finished praying and she opened her eyes, the woman was still there. She hugged Makayla and whispered in her ear, "You ought to know God loves you, because He sent me clear across the country just to give you a word." Makayla waited for the ‘word,’ but the woman just patted her on the arm and returned to her seat.

If all that weren’t enough, they posed for pictures.

Robin had given her iPhone to another lady for that sole purpose. The woman snapped pictures throughout the ceremony and took some posed shots at the end.

Makayla couldn't believe any of it. She looked at Robin only to find her beaming. First chance she got, Makayla nearly ran down the aisle and back to her seat. If she’d known what was going to happen next, she would've run straight for the door.

T
he longer Evangelist Fleury spoke
, the lower Makayla sank in the pew. The woman had already been up for over an hour and Makayla wasn't sure how much more she could take.

Robin and the rest of the congregation seemed to feel otherwise. They were jumping up and down, stomping their feet and getting happy every which way but Wednesday. And the louder they got, the louder Evangelist Fleury got.

"Listen, you don't know what God's setting you up for. That man, that woman, that mother, that father, that brother, that sister—they may have meant you harm, but God—”

She stomped her foot and shook her head back and forth.

"God has something else in mind. They think they're digging your grave. Baby, they're digging your foundation! God's about to build you up. Don't be dismayed!

“You may say, but Evangelist Fleury, you just don't know. The hole I’m sitting in is deep. Well, let me tell you what I do know: the deeper the foundation, the higher the building. I'm talking skyscraper, honey!”

All over the building, people jumped up and down and waved handkerchiefs through the air.

“You been saying, ‘God, why You let this happen to me? Why You let them do me that way?’ But you can't see what God sees, baby! Lord have mercy! You don't know what my God knows.

“You think it made sense to Joseph that God let his brothers throw him in a pit? Sell him as a slave? You think he understood why God let him go to prison for a lie somebody told on him? You think it made sense to him to be left there and forgotten by the man he’d helped? No! But yet—“

The congregation shouted back. "But yet!"

"But yet! Glory to God! But yet, he stayed true. He didn't hold it against his brothers. He didn't hold it against his accusers. He kept his heart before God and set his face like flint. And what did God do? He raised Joseph to a place he couldn't even imagine.

“Don't you tell me God's forgotten about you. Don't you tell me you’re alone or without help. Because the God I serve—“ She spun and jumped up and down. “Ooh Jesus! The God I serve is a miracle worker! The God I serve can take you from the pit to the penthouse. From janitor to CEO. From orphan to most favored child. From brokenhearted to beloved!"

She waved her white, lace edged handkerchief at the crowd. "Oh, y'all aren't hearing me today. My God! My God! Does anybody know what I'm talking about? Well then, praise God if you believe it!"

The building erupted in thunderous praise.

She descended the steps from the podium, using the handkerchief to pat her face. "Listen, listen, listen: beloved, you need to let go and what?"

"Let God," the congregation replied.

“That’s it, church. Let go of the hurt. Let go of the blame. Let go of the pain. If you only knew all that He wants to give you, it would be so easy. But in order to take what He’s giving, you’ve got to put down what you’re holding.”

Evangelist Fleury made her way down the aisle to where Robin and Makayla were seated. Makayla thought about making a quick dash for the door, but before she could move, Evangelist Fleury put her hand on her shoulder.

Looking out at the congregation she said, "God has something in store for you. The Bible says, eyes haven't seen, ears haven't heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the good things God has prepared for those that love Him.

“You know what that means? No one's seen anything like it. No one's heard of anything like it. No one's even been able to imagine the wonders He’s set up and prepared for your life. Say, good things!"

"Good things," the congregation shouted.

"No one knows all the good things God wants to do for you, but—turn to your neighbor and say, but."

The congregation complied.

"You'll never experience any of it if you won’t trust Him. You'll never get to where God wants to take you as long as you try to do it in your own strength. If you don't get nothing else from me today, get this: Forgive. Let go. Trust God.

‘But Evangelist, he—’

Naw, forgive.

‘But you don't understand, I just can’t—’

No, let it go.

‘But how will I—‘

Trust God.

“There's nothing—no thing—too big that the grace of God can't help you do it. Whatever's been done to you, whatever trial you’re facing, whatever problem you can’t figure out, baby, I promise you this: God is greater.”

She looked down at Makayla briefly before patting her shoulder.

“Amen? Amen. Did God bless you today? Then give Him some praise."