A Deal With God: The Power of One (25 page)

Sandy looked at Matthew and smiled. “You’re lucky. Your step–mom really seems concerned about you. My parents never have talks like this with me.”

Over two hours had flown by and they could see their house two blocks down the road. As they finished the last small part of their walk, Deana had one last request.

“You can tell me to mind my own business or tell me I am being unrealistic,” Deana added. “If there is any way you can wait to consummate your relationship until after you are married, I would be so happy!”

The next Monday, Deana asked Mark to bring his girlfriend with them on their walk. There were a few things Deana wanted to talk to them about.

Valentine’s Day this year was on a Thursday. It didn’t deter Leon. He showed up at the restaurant just before 10pm. He brought Deana a bouquet of flowers and a little dolphin ankle bracelet in a cute gift box. Deana jumped up in his arms and gave him a big hug.

They walked to his truck with their arms around each other; they drove down to the lake and seriously celebrated Valentine’s Day together. Leon and Deana made sparks fly as they warmed up a cold February night. Things got hotter and more intense than ever before.

On Sunday April 20th, 2019 Deana realized this was it. The final year was upon her. Deana refused to get down or be depressed. Life’s a blessing and a gift; she wanted to embrace and enjoy her final year. She wanted to make it the best year ever.

When Deana played at church earlier that morning, she threw herself into the performance. Sunday dinner was even more elaborate than usual. She baked an amazing cherry cobbler she’d never made before. She was even more upbeat and friendlier to the customers at Vito’s. Leon got even more attention from Deana, especially when the boys weren’t around.

Monday, April 29th was Leon’s 39th birthday. Deana got up extra early. She started cooking and baking for their day at the lake. She made butter basted fried chicken and all the fixings. Everyone had loved her cherry cobbler so much she thought she’d fix an apple cobbler for Leon’s big day. All she had to do was fry up some okra and her picnic basket would be complete.

She had bought a new, white bikini just for today. It was even smaller than the blue one Leon liked so much. She was pretty sure he would like this one even better. She was right. She kissed Leon good morning even more passionately than usual. When he saw the new bikini, the picnic basket and the sparkle in Deana’s green eyes, he knew he was going to have a very happy birthday.

Matthew, Mark, Sandy and Ashley had a great time at the Junior Prom. Even though Mark was only a sophomore, his girlfriend Ashley was a junior. Deana liked the double date concept. One brother would always be looking out for the other.

As May was ending another school year was coming to an end. All three boys made the Honor Roll. Deana and Leon were very proud.

The first week of June, training began. Running, lifting weights and skipping rope constituted most of the work out. The running gave the boys fitness and endurance. Lifting weights was for building power and strength. Skipping rope was also for endurance and to build and strengthen twitch muscles. Obviously, the training Deana did with the boys was paying off. The rumor was that a scout for Georgia Tech University was coming this fall to watch Mark play. Mark could get a scholarship to a Division 1 college.

If you are a football fan, watching Mark Samuels play linebacker is a thing of beauty. He is nasty, relentless and has a motor that does not stop. When he tackles an opposing player it’s almost always a punishing blow. Offensive tackles and tight ends hate trying to block him. He never stops coming and never loses his intensity.

One poor offensive tackle on one of the weaker high school teams actually benched himself. Mark had beaten the kid all night long. In the second half, in the middle of an offensive series the kid takes off his helmet and hip pads and walks off the field. He tells the coach he’s done and walks over to the bench to sit down. His coach had to use a time out to figure out who was going to play right tackle.

A dad of one of the Morrison football players came up to Deana and Leon during a home game and said jokingly, “Your son Mark goes after the other teams quarterback and then he goes after the rest of his family. He is one ferocious football player.”

Deana was proud that Mark played with intensity but he never got one single unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Also, he very rarely jumped off–sides. He played disciplined football.

Morrison went 7–3 in 2019 just like they did in 2018. A seven win season for Morrison was considered an extremely successful campaign. They were a small high school in comparison to the other schools they played. Morrison did not have many winning seasons in the history of the school.

On Thursday August 22nd, 2019 Deana turned 32 years old. If this was going to be her last birthday, she wanted to do something she loved. Leon and Deana took off from work and got Luke out of school for the day. They went back to the Georgia Aquarium. Deana and Luke absolutely loved the “Dolphin Tales” show. Friday would be Luke’s birthday and she’d promised to bring him back, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

This year’s show was even better than the show they’d seen a year and a half ago. The man sitting behind her said, “It’s basically a dolphin Cirque du Soleil.” Deana had heard Cirque du Soleil shows were very good. She was thrilled with all the cool new things she was learning. They had an early dinner at a nice restaurant then picked up something for Matthew and Mark. They rushed home to get Luke to soccer practice and be there for Matthew and Mark when they got home from football practice.

Saturday August 31st, was Leon and Deana’s sixth Wedding Anniversary. There were two places Deana wanted to see one more time; Hilton Head Island and the beautiful resort just northwest of Athens.

Mr. Vito needed her to work Saturday night, but gave her Sunday off. It worked out well because Monday was Labor Day. Leon, Deana and all three boys were all off from work, school and practices. Luke had a soccer game Saturday at noon and she had to perform at church Sunday morning.

The most feasible option was to go to the resort. Deana and Leon could leave the boys off with Leon’s parents and if an emergency arose they’d only be half an hour away. They could get to the resort early Sunday afternoon like they had done the first time they went there. The boys were happy to spend the holiday with their grandparents.

Deana and Leon got to the resort just after 1pm. Like six years before, they rented a beautiful cottage on the lake. The rose petals Deana loved so much covered the floor and bed. This time, she took a handful of the rose petals and threw them in the air and enjoyed their texture and fragrance.

Next, they went fishing on a lake that was three times the size of their little lake just outside of Dothan. Deana took extra time to enjoy its magnitude and beauty. As autumn approached, Deana was able to appreciate the splendor of the changing of the seasons.

Leon caught five fish and Deana caught three. With all the practice they had gotten over the past few years, both were improving as anglers.

Leon and Deana got back to their cabin just after 7:30pm and took showers to get ready for dinner. During the week Deana had gone into town and bought a little red dress. It was slightly more revealing than the black dress she’d worn six and a half years ago.

If you looked at Deana from the neck up, you definitely knew she was in her thirties. She had deep age and frown lines. She spent way too much time in the sun during her lifetime for a person with such a fair complexion. If you looked at Deana from the neck down, you would think she was in her early to mid twenties. She was just as tone as she was when she moved to Georgia in 2012.

The most amazing part of the resort was the five star restaurant it had on its premises. Not only was the food to die for, the seating was open air and the view of the lake and surrounding mountains was spectacular.

After dinner, the happily married couple walked through the beautiful gardens of the resort. This time Deana lingered over the natural beauty of the manicured paths. She noticed the star filled sky and enjoyed the wonderful smell of the late evening air coming off the lake. When Deana and Leon were alone on a hidden path, she kissed Leon with all the love and passion she had. She never wanted the moment to end.

The following morning, Deana and Leon didn’t have to rush to leave the resort like last time. Today was a holiday and Deana wanted to enjoy the cabin, the view and the sixth and final year of her marriage to her loving husband.

When Deana got to the restaurant on Wednesday, Delores was waiting for her.

“Do you remember Jerod Quinn from church? He asked you out when you first moved to Georgia.”

“Of course, I haven’t seen him in over a year. Whatever happened to him?”

“Jerod is now 30 years old. He got Lisa Hayes pregnant; she’s only 17. He led Lisa to believe he would marry her; he then took off for Ohio to live with his cousin. Mr. Hayes is ready to shoot him.”

“It seems God led me down the right path,” Deana said. “It was very tempting to choose Jerod over Leon way back then. I just had a gut feeling God wanted me to choose Leon.”

“It’s because you didn’t judge the book by the cover. You knew Leon was more mature and grounded. You knew he could give you a family. Deep down God let you know how to make the right decision.”

Deana smiled. “I give God thanks and praise every day for allowing me to make the right decision. I have been truly blessed.”

True to her word, Deana said another prayer of thanks as she got ready for Karaoke Wednesday. The restaurant was already starting to fill up.

Luke’s soccer team went 8–1–1 and took first place again. They went to Atlanta for the Veteran’s Day tournament again. This year they won the tournament. Luke added three new trophies to his wall. One for the division championship, a second for the tournament championship and a third for Most Valuable Player. Only God knew how much Deana was going to miss Luke.

On Friday December 20th, Deana got the email she’d been expecting for some time now. Mr. Wilson was on his death bed and would be passing away very soon. Mrs. Wilson asked Deana to come back to Tampa to say goodbye to him. Deana explained the situation to Leon and the boys and Mr. Vito. She packed a large suitcase and drove six and a half hours to Tampa.

When she got to the Wilsons’ big house it was no longer an orphanage. It was for the most part a large vacant structure. What was once a vibrant home for many children was now a big, empty building with a for sale sign in the front yard.

It had been over seven years since Deana walked out of Tampa Hospital. Now she was walking back in to say goodbye to the man that turned her life around. Mr. Wilson was her mentor and dear friend.

“Deana Murphy, please come here and let me look at you. You are as beautiful now as you were as a young girl, maybe even more so,” Mr. Wilson exclaimed.

“Thanks for the compliment.” Deana did her best to hold back the tears; it was difficult seeing Mr. Wilson in the condition he was in. “I’m sorry for not coming back to Tampa to visit. My seven years in Georgia have been wonderful and amazing, but I really have missed you. I just wish you would have had a chance to meet my husband and our three boys.”

“I understand,” Mr. Wilson said. “Your calling from God was not in Tampa. Obviously He needed you to go to Georgia; I’m just glad you listened to Him.”

Deana squeezed his hand as she replied. “Believe me, I heard God loud and clear.”

Mr. Wilson fell asleep. Deana took a chair and put it next to his bed. She held his hand and started to cry. It was heart–breaking to see him like this.

Mrs. Wilson walked in and tried to console her. “Always remember Deana, death is not the end it’s really only a new beginning.”

Two days later Mr. Wilson passed away. Deana tried to comprehend what Mrs. Wilson told her. All she knew was that a new beginning scared her. She hated that Mr. Wilson had to die and the ramifications dying had on the ones you leave behind.

Mrs. Wilson waited until after Christmas to have the funeral. This would be the first Christmas in seven years that Deana would be away from Leon and the boys. Deana had a lot of time to think, cry and pray.

Deana was riding an emotional roller coaster. Mr. Wilson’s death was hard to accept. The wake and funeral were emotionally draining; and she was really struggling trying to understand God’s ways.

She went with Mrs. Wilson to the worship service at her Tampa church one last time. It helped to see so many old friends and acquaintances. But when Deana left Tampa on December 29th, 2019 she had a heavy heart. As she crossed the state line, she started to shake and cry. She pulled into a rest stop and found an area where she could take a walk and think.

Deana prayed and reminisced about the good times. She had four more months; she was going to make each one count.

CHAPTER 21
GETTING READY FOR 4–20–2020

Deana got home just before 6:30pm. The sun had already set. Luke was waiting by the door, eager to welcome her home. Leon rushed out to help her with her large suitcase. Matthew and Mark were on their way home after spending the day with their girlfriends.

Deana was tired; her eyes were red and puffy. She’d lost weight. Nonetheless, she marched herself into the kitchen and made one of the best Lasagna dinners she’d ever made. Later that night she enjoyed sitting by the burn pit with Leon and the boys. Leon rebuilt the burn pit for the New Year’s Eve countdown Tuesday night. The five of them roasted marshmallows together. Her smiles and laughter were a bit forced, but she smiled and laughed anyway.

The following Monday night, as she started her walk with Mark, Deana was wondering how she was going to figure out who was going to hurt Mark at school and why.

Mark could sense Deana’s anxiety. “Deana, you look stressed. Is there something wrong?”

“I heard something kind of strange at work Friday night. I don’t quite know what to make of it.”