Drama in the Church Saga (40 page)

Reverend Simms repeated a conversation he overheard between a pair of ladies right before the start of service.

“I betcha he's guilty,” the one woman said while the other nodded her head in agreement. “All white people are prejudiced.”

That woman's words bothered him. Still lost in a daze, Reverend Simms watched the ushers signal to one another that it was time to take collection.

Suddenly, he jumped up from his seat and spoke into the microphone, “Excuse me, before we take collection I would like to take a moment to address the situation with Judge West.”

The ushers stopped what they were doing and stood against the far wall.

“The judge and I had a pleasant visit not too long ago, and a handful of you will be glad to know that despite his circumstances he is doing well.”

“Amen!” one of the deacons shouted from the first pew.

“I'm sure everyone here has heard about the disturbing accusations against the judge, and I know a lot of people think we should turn our backs on him.”

A few people in the audience mumbled, “Yes.”

“I'm not standing before you to plead the judge's case, because that's not my job. I'm standing before you because I feel it necessary to remind the members of this church and of this community how much Judge West has done for us.”

A lot of condemned souls looked down at the floor, and no one spoke a word.

“Jesus died not just for me and you, but also for the President of the United States. He died for the Taliban and he also died for the skinheads, Klan members and the Nazi party. You may think God only cares about the good people, but He cares about all people, and it doesn't matter what we've done in the past. Once we accept Christ, those sins are wiped clear from the slate.”

Reverend Simms tried to look a few people in the eye, but they refused to look his way.

“The only person who can respond to the allegations being brought against Judge West is Judge West, but I thought now would be the perfect time to remind this community of the countless number of times the judge has come through to help us. He has been a pillar of this community. He's stood up for us so many times. Can't we stand behind him right now?”

The audience clapped their hands.

Then Reverend Simms motioned for Reverend Baxter, to join him in the front of the church.

“First Nazareth, it's a pleasure to be here with you again, and I wish it were under better circumstances. Listen, I don't know Judge West that well, but from the few times that we did speak I could tell he was a giving person. Reverend Simms asked me to come here today to tell you about the defense fund I've set up on behalf of Judge West. He is going to need the best representation, and I contributed the first five thousand dollars for the lawyer's retainer fee, but it's going to cost a whole lot more.”

“Yes,” Reverend Simms spoke loudly into the mic he held in his hand. “That is why I plan to donate this Sunday's offering and a percentage of each Sunday's offering until Judge West is released. First Nazareth, I'm asking you to dig down in your pockets and help us help one of own during his time of need.”

Reverend Baxter and Simms watched as people pulled out bills and wrote out checks to put in that morning's offering.

“Reverends Baxter, it looks like every member of my congregation's heart has been open. Why don't we hold a benefit concert in the park on Germantown Avenue? That way, we can get the entire community involved.”

Reverend Baxter smiled broadly. “That sounds wonderful, and if you need any assistance with it, please give me a call.”

A week had gone by since Val had heard or seen from Jonah and Hope. She worried about them, but there wasn't much she could do. At the mission Val often volunteered to take out the trash. Up to four times a day she would check out the old, abandoned car for any sign of them, but the car remained empty, and it didn't look like they had been back there since she last saw them.

Val gave up all hope of ever seeing either of them again, until Jonah stormed into the mission yelling her name. She was in the middle of mopping the dining hall floor when Jonah charged in her direction. By the look on his face she knew something was seriously wrong. Hope was missing from her father's side.

“They took her,” Jonah shouted. “My daughter's gone.”

Val dropped the mop and pulled him over to the corner of the room.

Ms. Ward stared at them from the kitchen.

“What happened? Where's Hope?” Val talked very low in an attempt to try to calm Jonah down.

He talked so fast that Val couldn't understand a word he was saying. The more he talked, the louder he got, so she took him by the arm and led him outside so they could talk in private.

Jonah slammed his fist into the palm of his hand and screamed out in anger. “She's gone!” His reaction startled Val.

She watched him pace in front of her like a madman before trying again. “Why don't you relax and tell me what happened?”

Jonah stopped and allowed the cool spring air to caress his face and dry his tears before explaining. “Hope and I found an empty lot to sleep in. It had about six or seven abandoned cars surrounding it. The area looked almost like a junkyard. Hope and I were out late last night. She was tired and was getting cranky, so I figured it would be all right if we slept in one of those cars until morning. I planned to leave early enough so that no one would ever know we were there. I woke at dawn and Hope was still sleeping. I knew she was exhausted, so instead of waking her up, I figured I could run to the corner store with the last of that twenty dollars you put in my pocket and get us something to eat.”

Val shifted her eyes to hide her guilt.

“I was gone less than twenty minutes. By the time I returned to the lot, she was gone.”

“Did you search the area? Maybe she got up and went looking for you.”

“No. The entire car was gone. When I returned, I saw a tow truck pulling the car down the street. I yelled to the driver, but he couldn't hear me. There was another tow truck loading up one of the other cars, and I told him that my daughter was in the back seat of that car. He called the other driver on his cell phone, and the guy did stop, checked the car and found Hope.”

“Well, where is she at?”

“After he found her, he called the cops. The guy I was talking to said they were required to report any children found in the cars they towed. When I heard that, I got scared and ran.” He pulled his hat off his head and threw it on the ground. “They're going to take my daughter, aren't they?”

“I don't know, but I'll do what I can to help you get her back. Stay right here.”

Val went to Kyle's office and told him she had to leave because of a family emergency. Then she rushed out of the mission and to her car. She and Jonah left together and went back to her house to make a few phone calls.

“I don't understand why the driver didn't notice a little girl in the car.” Val held her cell phone pressed against her ear and was searching in her purse for a pen.

“I can't blame him. He probably never knew she was in there. I told her that if anyone was to ever come up to the car and I wasn't around that she was to hide on the floor and not move until I got back.”

“How often do you leave your daughter alone?”

“Not often, but there were times when I would have to steal the things we needed to survive, and I preferred not to do those kinds of things in front of her.”

Val contacted the Philadelphia Police Department, and they transferred her to the Department of Family and Children Services. Now she was on hold.

Finally somebody picked up the line who could help her.

“Yes, I'm trying to locate a little girl who may have been placed in your custody earlier today. She was found in the back of an abandoned car,” Val explained. “Sure I'll hold.” Val rested against the kitchen island. “Yes, you do have her.”

Jonah moved closer.

“Well, I'm representing the girl's father as legal counsel, and we would like to petition the court for an immediate custody hearing.” Val wrote a few things down on the notepad in front of her. “Thank you. I'll be there tomorrow morning to file the appropriate papers.” She disconnected the call.

“You're a lawyer?” he asked.

“Not exactly. I'm taking a break from law school.”

“Well, what did they say?”

“We need to file a petition for custody with the Department of Family and Children Services. It's imperative that you find a job and a permanent place to live—today! The first thing the judge is going to want to know is why you were living in an abandoned car with a three-year-old child.”

“You sound just like a lawyer,” Jonah said.

Val sat on a kitchen stool next to Jonah and took hold of his hand. “Jonah, if there's anything you're not telling me about you and Hope, you have to tell me now.”

He looked away, as if the truth could be seen through his eyes.

“If I don't know everything, then you're limiting the amount of help I can offer you and Hope.”

Jonah saw sincerity in Val's eyes and knew he had no choice but to trust her. He placed his hands over his head. “I came here from New Orleans. After Katrina hit, we were one of the families who were rescued out of the Ninth Ward. We came to Philly because I was told I could get a job at one of the refineries. When we first arrived, the help the city provided was great. They helped me find a job, a place to live, and they even gave me money to help with daycare, since Hope was still an infant. Then the economy started to slump, and the refineries started cutting back. First, they cut my hours to part time, and then I was laid off indefinitely. I couldn't find another job. Unemployment ran out. The bills started to pile up. I couldn't pay my rent, and we were evicted. That's how we ended up on the streets.”

“What about Hope's mother?”

“By the time we realized the storm was a category five, there wasn't anywhere for us to go. We were trapped. The floodwaters started rising, and we had to climb to the roof of my house for safety. It was horrible. Hope's mother held onto me, but the winds were so strong that I couldn't hold on to both her and the baby at the same time.” Jonah put emphasis on his words to express how bad it was. “We were on the roof, and the water was around my waist. I held Hope above water and I held on to her mother for as long as I could, but I was losing all my strength. She shouted for me to not let her go, but the baby was crying and I had to either use both hands to save the baby or use both hands to save her. I chose the baby, and when I did the current swept her underwater. I searched for her for weeks. I prayed that she may have possibly survived, but it's been over two years and I still haven't heard anything. That is how I was left with Hope.”

Tears formed in Val's eyes. She had seen the devastation of Katrina on television, but to hear an actual survivor tell his story was heartbreaking. She wiped away tears and realized Jonah wasn't a kidnapper. He was a hero. Val commended him for saving his daughter's life. She felt horrible for thinking the worst of him and wanted to help him out.

“Jonah, if you expect to get Hope back, then you'll need a permanent address. You can stay here until you get on your feet, and I'll call around to see if I can hook you up with a job someplace.”

“Thanks, Val. I appreciate everything you've done for us so far.”

“Don't thank me yet. The battle has just begun.”

“Are you ready?” Val glanced at her watch. It was getting late, and she wanted to make sure they arrived in court on time.

Jonah stood in the bathroom fumbling with his tie.

Val pushed his hands away and neatly fastened the tie. “Are you nervous?” Val could see balls of sweat forming on his forehead.

“No, I'm not nervous. Just anxious to see what the judge is going to say.” Jonah brushed past her and descended the stairs.

She heard the back door open then close. He couldn't fool her. She knew he was worried about the hearing.

For days Jonah had scoured the city in search of a job, but like most major cities, Philly was experiencing a decline in the job market. Discouraged, Jonah felt like a failure. He knew how important it was for him to walk into this hearing employed. Being unemployed would prolong the process in getting Hope back.

In the car, Jonah was plagued with worry over Hope. This was the longest they had ever been separated. He prayed for God to keep her safe, but every time he opened the newspaper, there was another story of a child being abused, starved and treated inhumanely.

“God, if You keep her safe, I'll never do anything this stupid again.”

When they stepped inside the courtroom doors, Jonah let the door close on her.

“Jonah!”

He looked at her unknowingly.

“You didn't hold the door for me.”

“I'm sorry,” he replied.

They grabbed two seats on the last row in the courtroom and waited for the hearing to begin.

“Are you hot?” she asked him.

Jonah wiped sweat off his forehead again.

“You've been sweating since we left the house,” she replied. “It's probably nerves. Did I tell you how nice you look?”

Jonah smiled for the first time that morning.

Julian's suits were a bit long in the length for Jonah, but Val asked her tailor to hem the pants. Now the suit looked like it was made for him. It felt weird seeing him dressed in Julian's things, but it was for a good cause. Val shrugged off those bad feelings because this was for a good cause. Julian always said to be generous to others.

The closer it got to the eight o'clock hour, the more people piled into the courtroom. By the time a court official entered the room, it was standing room only. Every seat was full, forcing groups of people to line up against the walls.

The court official walked to the front of the room. She spoke loudly enough that she didn't need a microphone to address the crowd. “When I call your name, please gather your things and follow me through that door.” She pointed to the door she entered through.

Because of her strong Russian accent it was difficult for Val to understand what the woman was saying. Everyone in the room must have felt the same way, because the room was silent.

Dressed in a dark blue pinstriped suit with matching wedges, the woman scanned her list until she came to her first name. “Rodriguez.”

Two women seated in the center aisle excused themselves through the crowd and proceeded through the door.

Three hours later they were still sitting in the blazing courtroom. Val used her hand to fan herself. “I feel like I'm going to melt.” She sat up when she saw the Russian woman come out of the room. “Please let her call our name.”

“Gaines,” she yelled then disappeared back behind closed doors.

“What's taking so long?”

“You know how the courts are. These things take time,” Val reasoned.

After sitting there for most of the day Jonah's name was finally called. Inside the conference room sat a long cherry wood table. A library of books aligned the left wall, and a huge glass window magnified the Philly skyline. In the corner of the room sat a huge industrial fan that blew hot air across Val's face.

The court official escorted them in and offered them seats before exiting out the rear door.

Seated across the table from them was a man they assumed was the judge, from the official black judicial robe he wore. A woman sitting next to him, scribbled notes on a note pad. The beautiful crown of silver hair that covered her head made her look older than she was.

“I apologize for such a long wait. When I came into work this morning, I found out the air conditioning system malfunctioned overnight. It's just my luck that when the temperatures soar close to ninety degrees there's no air to keep me cool. The whole building has been suffering, but I figured it would be cooler to hold the hearings in here instead of the courtroom.”

When the judge smiled, Val could feel the warmth from the sincerity in his voice fill the room. The more she looked at him, the more he reminded her of Santa Claus, because of his huge pot belly and long white beard.

The judge opened a manila folder and reviewed its contents. “I assume you're the father?” He posed his question toward Jonah. “Let me introduce you to Mrs. Chambers. She is the case manager in charge of Hope's case.”

“Are you his lawyer?” the judge asked Val.

“No, my name is Valencia Benson. I'm just a friend here for support.” She smiled broadly at the misinterpretation. It was flattering to be mistaken for a lawyer. To her that meant she looked the part; all that was missing was her degree.

“Mr. Reynolds, let's begin.” The judge cleared his throat. “First, I'm curious about the circumstances that led you to take up residence inside an abandoned car with a small child.” The judge's face turned serious.

Val could tell that Judge Cohen was a sweet man, but he was also serious when it came down to business.

Jonah repeated the same story he had told Val. He wrung his hands from nervousness and prayed that the judge would have mercy on him. He missed Hope so much.

“Mr. Reynolds, I understand that when citizens have to rely on assistance from the city that every once in a while some people may slip through the cracks and go unnoticed. Unfortunately, this had to happen to you. I'm sorry for everything you had to endure; however, I can't return Hope to your custody until I'm sure she will be properly taken care of. Now”—He folded his hands in front of him—“what are you going to do to turn this situation around?”

Jonah cleared his throat. “Your Honor. I'm temporarily staying at Ms. Benson's house until I can find a place of my own.”

“What about a job?”

“I'm still looking, but it shouldn't be long before someone hires me.”

“Young lady, are you prepared to help him take care of his daughter?” the judge asked Val.

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“What is it that you do?”

“Last semester I was in law school, but I'm sitting this semester out because of personal reasons.”

The judge was puzzled. “So you don't have a job?”

Val shook her head no.

“Your Honor, if it would help Jonah get his daughter back then I can get a job,” Val offered.

“No, young lady. The sole responsibility lies on Jonah's shoulders.”

He grabbed a pen and talked while he wrote some things down. “Mr. Reynolds, I don't know if the heat is affecting my judgment, but I'm going to give you a chance to right this wrong. First, you have to get a job. Then I'm going to have Mrs. Chambers set up an in-home study to check out your place to make sure it's suitable for a child. Once you submit three consecutive paystubs and you pass a home inspection, then Hope can go home with you.”

Jonah smiled broadly.

“Mrs. Chambers will contact you to let you know when she'll be stopping by.”

“Thanks, Your Honor.”

“Don't thank me yet. Make me proud and get your daughter back.”

As Jonah stood up to leave, Val posed a question toward the judge. “Your Honor, what about visits? Is it possible for Jonah to visit with Hope in the meantime?”

The judge looked to Mrs. Chambers for help with that question.

“I think I can best answer that question.” She folded her hands in front of her. “Hope has already been placed in a foster home with a loving couple. Unfortunately, the couple frowns upon visits with members from the children's family, especially parents. They feel as though it disrupts the stable home they're trying to provide for the child, but I'm sure if I make a phone call they will allow you supervised visits.”

“Supervised visits? With my own daughter?”

“Mr. Reynolds, don't forget we're doing you a favor. Either abide by our rules or suffer the consequences. It's up to you.”

Val patted Jonah on his arm. “It'll be all right. Just go along with it.”

“I apologize for getting out of line like that.” He turned to Mrs. Chambers. “Anything you can do will be greatly appreciated.”

“I'll give them a call in the morning,” she responded before jotting a note down in her daily planner.