Dream come true, p.14
Dream Come True, page 14
“Pig or not, you’re going to give me what I came here for. Then I’ll decide whether or not I’ll let you keep living your miserable life.”
He might have a knife, but Leah had nails. She dug her nails into his arm like she was digging for gold. He yelped, loosening his grasp enough for her to break free. She opened the drawer and grabbed the pepper spray. The next time he reached for her, she doused him. Ned screamed like he was on fire and then Leah ran into the living room, heading for the door.
“Get back here.” Ned ran after her, while wiping his eyes, trying to focus. He lunged for Leah.
She reached for the doorknob but had to move the left to avoid Ned’s grabby hand.
“You’re not getting away from me, not this time.” He lifted the knife, getting ready to attack.
The connecting door between Leah and Cory’s suite burst open, and Leah swung around just in time to see Cory leap on Ned and wrestle the knife out of his hands.
“Call the police,” Cory commanded.
Leah headed for the bedroom to make the call.
Ned was screaming, “I can’t see. She got me with pepper spray. My eyes are burning.”
“Good,” Cory said.
Leah called the police and came back into the living room. He was holding the knife Ned brought to harm her, against Ned’s neck. He tousled with him on the floor. “Get me something to tie his hands,” Cory told Leah.
She rushed back into her bedroom and started rummaging through her suitcase. She ran back into the room and handed Cory a rope like belt that went with one of her dresses.
Cory handed Leah the knife while he tied Ned’s arms.
They waited a few minutes for the police to arrive, but it seemed like hours. The police put handcuffs on Ned and took him off to jail.
Cory barked at the officers. “Can y’all not let him out this time? He stalked her with a gun in his car yesterday. Why was he let out?”
“He won’t be making bond anytime soon,” the officer guaranteed. They left the room.
Leah sat on the sofa, trying to settle her mind. Cory made her a cup of tea to calm her nerves. “Thank you, thank you,” she gasped. “How did you know to come help me?” She couldn’t stop shivering.
“I know this is going to sound crazy.” He handed her the cup of tea. “But I think it was God. Or an angel. Definitely some divine nudge.”
The tears that hadn’t come during the attack because of the rush of adrenaline, flowed freely now. Cory sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry about what happened to you, Leah. Do you want to talk?” he asked while handing her a Kleenex.
She took the tissue and wiped the tears from her face. “I’m so tired. When Ned started harassing me, I wondered if I was getting what I desired because of how horrible I had been to my own family.
Cory shook his head. “I’m not going to let you degrade yourself like that. Ned is sick. What he did has nothing to do with you or your family.”
Leah agreed. “I realize God doesn’t work like that. God forgives. He has grace for our failings. He doesn’t hold it over us. He allows us to repent and then He lets us live as if it never happened.”
“I learned that lesson tonight.” Cory closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he focused on Leah. “I’m sorry for the way I responded to you last night. None of us are perfect.”
“It’s alright. What I did to my family was wrong.” She put her feet up on the sofa and turned to him. Her eyes were still wet from crying. “But I need you to understand something. I’m not that girl anymore. These last few months have helped me to grow up.”
“I believe you, Leah. I shouldn’t have judged you.”
Leah told him, “I’d rather be judged, than attacked or stalked by a man any day.”
Cory’s eyes lifted heavenward. “I just don’t get that guy. Why is he so attached to you?”
Leah shrugged. “I guess I’m the kind of girl men think they can treat any kind of way. Larissa managed to find herself a man who treats her like gold, but the ones I seem to attract are snakes. The guy I dated in high school broke my heart and the guy I dated in college messed me over too. He was a cheater, and thought I should be okay with sharing him with other women.”
“That’s not true,” Cory said with force behind his tone. “You’re a woman that a man should cherish and look after.”
Leah sighed. “Things would have been so different if you had been my boyfriend in high school. Maybe we would have stayed together, huh? Then I never would have taken up with Ned.” She exhaled another sigh. “My list of shoulda-coulda-wouldas is so long. I’m tired of spoiling everything for everybody.”
“Hey.” Cory put a finger under her chin and lifted her face until she looked at him. “You’re worth much more than you know. You allowed an idiot to convince you that you’re worthless. But that’s not true.”
She tried to smile. “Thanks for saying that. Your support means a lot to me. It’s encouraging that somebody believes I have changed.”
“Why don’t you believe in yourself? That’s what I want to know.”
Tears welled in her eyes. What he had said was true. She didn’t think much of herself. And she hadn’t for a long time. Her family was always telling her how special she was, but she couldn’t stop seeing them as better than her. Why couldn’t she believe in herself?
“I’m sorry,” Cory said. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
She waved off his apology. “It’s okay. You’re right. I don’t think much of myself. I keep making all the wrong choices and I’m a complete mess.” She stood up and wiped the tears from her face. “I’m worn out. Do you mind if I take a shower and go back to bed?”
“Not at all. It’s time for me to turn in, anyway. Call if you need anything—anything at all.” He pointed toward the door that separated their room. “Leave that unlocked and I’ll come running if you need me.”
She said, “Thanks, Cory.” She appreciated that he was right next door. But she needed him on the other side of the door, because inside, she was falling apart. His words had hit a nerve. Something had to be wrong with her. Her whole sense of self-worth was off.
When he left, Leah went into the luxurious bathroom to take a shower. She scrubbed with the aromatherapy bodywash and the loofah and she let the streaming-hot water beat and batter her body, but she still felt unclean. Cory had told her that she was worth more than she knew, but it was so hard for her to climb out of the pit she’d dug for herself. So hard for her to imagine that there could be any worth in her. So hard for her to believe that life could get better. Everywhere she turned, there was a reminder of her worthlessness.
Leah was tired of trying to change the things she couldn’t change. Tired of wishing and waiting for a life she obviously couldn’t have. As she got out of the shower, the phone on the nightstand rang.
“You doing okay?” Cory asked when she picked up.
“Just getting ready to lie down.”
“Remember, let me know if you need anything. Oh, and one last thing.”
“What is it?”
“Just making sure you know how much God loves you.”
Leah didn’t respond, but when she hung up, she pulled the Bible out of the drawer of her nightstand.
Thinking of how her father had asked her to meditate on those fear scriptures, she looked heavenward and said, “I need something to meditate on, Lord. Lead me to what You want me to read tonight.” She began flipping pages until she stopped at Romans, chapter eight.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Leah reread the words and asked herself, what it meant to her. She thought and thought about the ‘there is therefore no condemnation’ part. Then it hit her. “I don’t have to condemn myself for the mistakes I’ve made.”
Leah got down on her knees and prayed like she had never prayed before. Tears flowed like a river. Leah could hear music coming from Cory’s side of the suite. It was CeCe Winans’ “Alabaster Box.”. He must be spending time in praise.
Praise Me, Leah.
She stood, but stumbled as her tears blinded her. For the first time in years, she knew without a doubt she had heard the voice of God. He wanted her to praise Him, so she lifted her hands, and sang the words to Alabaster Box.
Leah hardly recognized the feeling of worthiness, of being cherished. Yet that was how she felt, as she praised God. She felt like the Lord himself was in the room with her. She was that important to Him. “Oh, thank You, Jesus.” Leah fell to the floor and continued to praise the love of her life.
~~~
In the back of the room, invisible to all human eyes, a host of angels stood watching Leah transform from the caterpillar she once was to the butterfly she would forever be—from now until eternity. They raised their swords and shouted, “Bless the Lord, for He is good!”
Then Leon smiled. His charge was finally getting it. Even though her name meant weary and tired, Leah had broken through. The weariness had left her body.
~Chapter Twenty-One
Cory rose early the next morning after spending the midnight hours in prayer for Leah. She was hurting, and he had no clue how to help her. But as he continued to pray, the Lord had brought to mind the song, Alabaster Box, he’d turned it on and then he had heard Leah singing it.
He ordered room service for breakfast, then jumped in the shower. Once the food had been delivered, Cory carried the tray and knocked on the door to Leah’s suite. “Breakfast.”
Leah flung open the doors. “Did someone say breakfast?”
“Have a seat.” He pointed at the dining table.
Leah didn’t argue. She sat and took the lid off one of the plates. “Mmm, waffles. With strawberries and blueberries?”
Cory shrugged. “I didn’t know which topping you would prefer, so I went with both.”
“Look at you, trying to make me feel all special.” She smiled. Cory noticed that her lips curved all the way up, and her eyes were light with laughter.
He had recently become a firm believer in prayer. It worked—God had convinced him of that last night.
“You were blasting that praise music last night. I’m surprised no one complained about the noise.”
“I heard you singing over here. So, I know you didn’t call to complain.” He sat and pulled a plate toward him.
“I enjoyed it. Got my breakthrough, so I’m good.”
Pouring syrup on his waffles, he asked, “So, what did you have planned for the day?”
“I just want to explore the city, picking up a few souvenirs before our flight.” Leah cut into her waffle.
“Sounds like fun. I was planning to go to church.”
“Church? On a Saturday?”
“I found this church behind the event hall last night. They’re having a revival.”
Leah put down her fork and smirked. “I should have known. Of all the teens in our youth group, you seemed like the biggest church boy of them all.”
“Hey, my mama raised me right. But, if I recall correctly, you and your sisters were in the youth group, too—not to mention that you were the bishop’s kids.”
“Okay.” She grinned. “I’ll admit to having had fun in youth group.”
“Then come with me this morning. I know you’ve got your own thing planned for the day. But can you hang out with me for two hours first?” His eyes pleaded with her to say yes.
She hesitated a moment. “Oh, fine. How can I say no to a face like yours? Let’s finish breakfast, and then I’ll get dressed.”
“Great!”
“Do you mind if I see if Donna wants to attend with us?”
“I think that would be perfect,” he said as he plowed into his food.
~~~
“I can’t thank you enough for bringing me to church this morning,” Leah said to Cory as they headed to his rental car after the service. “I feel like God has given me a second chance. I’ve been born again, for real this time. It’s as if all those terrible things that happened in my past didn’t happen to me but to the ‘me’ I used to be.” She twirled and danced as they made their way across the parking lot. “My parents aren’t going to believe that I rededicated my life to Christ today.”
“It was a beautiful service. I’m just thankful I was allowed to tag along. I needed that message today,” Donna told them.
“We all needed that this morning.” Cory put an arm around both ladies as they continued walking to the car. “You two put on the best engagement party I’ve ever attended and now I’m sharing a God moment with y’all. I’m going to make sure your firm gets more business from us.”
“Now, I could shout about that.” Donna did the two-step all the way to the car.
Leah and Cory laughed at her.
They got back in the car. Cory drove them to the hotel so they could pack their bags and get to the airport. Donna hopped out of the backseat and headed into the hotel. But Cory stopped Leah before she left. “I need to tell you something,” he said.
She looked at him, beaming. “What is it?”
“I don’t know if you have a clue about this, but I have been in love with you since we were teenagers.”
Her brow furrowed in confusion. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“But you never said anything back then.”
“You could have waited for me to get up the nerve. But you were dating other people.”
She grinned. “You were nervous? I can’t believe Cory Parker was scared of a girl. You seemed very confident while you were dating half the girls in the youth choir.”
“Only because I couldn’t have you. None of those relationships lasted. And now I know why.” He reached up and gently rubbed the side of her face. “You’re the only woman for me, Leah. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. I hope you will give me the chance.”
~~~
Cory’s hand felt warm and good on her face. His words had penetrated her heart with happiness. But fear crept in and stole the moment.
“Please don’t do this now,” Leah told him. “I have to be honest with you: Love has never been something I excelled at. Right now, the only love I can trust is the one I found with the Lord.”
“You can trust me,” he told her.
She closed her eyes as a tear slid down her face. “I want to trust you, Cory. I want to drop my defenses and love you with all that is in me. But I’ve been so wrong before...so many times.”
Inching closer to her, he said, “You’re not wrong about me.”
Could she take a chance at love with Cory? He seemed like everything she’d ever wanted. But could she trust herself to make the right decision about a man on the heels of everything that had happened with Ned?
She needed time. Needed to pray. And she opened her mouth to tell Cory as much, but before she could utter a word, he captured her mouth with his.
The kiss was divine. It was magical. Leah didn’t want it to end. But if she was ever going to have any hope of getting it right with a man, she needed to have her wits about her when she prayed. So, she moved away from the heat of his embrace. Panting, she said, “We can’t.”
“Please don’t push me away like this,” he pleaded.
“You don’t have time for me, Cory. Your job is your first love. I would always come in second place. I can’t live like that. I want someone who is willing to put me first, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”
“What do you think I’ve been doing, Leah? You’re the one I want. I’m ready to be what you need.”
He thought he was ready. She truly wished that was the case, because she could feel her heart breaking as she tried to be strong. “Give me some time, Cory. I need to pray about this.” She needed him to understand. “I know that you’re a good guy. But I can’t commit my heart to you unless I know you are the one God has for me.”
“I understand,” he said. But the look in his eyes didn’t mesh with his words.
Leah touched his arm. “I meant what I said last night—that if I had dated you in high school, my life would have been a lot different. I’m tired of connecting with the wrong people and making misguided decisions about relationships. That means I need to be a lot more careful—and a lot more prayerful—with future relationships.”
“I’m not going to pressure you,” Cory said, holding up his hands and slowly backing away.
“Thank you, Cory. All I’m asking for is time. I want to know for sure our love is real and were not just responding to all this craziness that Ned put us through.” She got out of the car and headed into the hotel to pack.
Then she remembered that she hadn’t told her parents that she would be home today. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and called her parents.
“Leah!” her mother exclaimed when she picked up. “We’ve been so worried about you.”
“I forgot to charge my cell phone last night, Mama,” she explained. “I’m sorry I didn’t think to call you sooner.”
“We’ve all been praying for you. The Lord woke me up last night. I couldn’t shake the feeling that you were in grave danger,” her mother told her.
Leah was thankful her parents were believers who paid attention to the things of God. Where would she be right now if they hadn’t been attuned to the Spirit’s guidance and hadn’t prayed for her?
“I really needed those prayers, Mama,” she admitted. “I’ll tell you all about it when I get home this evening.”
~Chapter Twenty-Two
