Chapter 9 Questions

Gabriel drop Alex off at his house and went home. He went to his room with the intention of taking a shower but found himself pacing the floor instead. What happened to him last night? Why did he get baptized? What does this mean for his life now? What was he supposed to do now? And what the hell did he know about the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross and his glorious return, return from where and for what or who? All these damn questions and no answers. But he couldn't deny that something was different. He felt different, but what does this all mean. One thing was for sure he needed answers. He lay down on his bed and before he knew it he was asleep. Gabriel dream he was walking in a beautiful garden. There was a man walking beside him but he couldn't see his face. He felt at peace and he was very happy. Then he heard a voice say welcome home, my son. Gabriel's eyes flew open and he bolted upright in bed.

What the hell was that all about he wondered? He got up and calls his aunt. "Hi, aunty." "Hi, Gabriel are you okay?" "Honestly I don't know." "Don't fight it, Gabriel. Just let the powers of God flow through you. Don't try too hard. Let the Holy Spirit guide you okay. It will all come together, you will see. Did you call Diane?" "Not yet." "Okay but remember tonight is Bible class." "Alright, I'll call her soon. Bye aunty." "Bye my dear nephew and God bless you." Gabriel spends the rest of the day on his phone and his computer, checking on his housing project and his bank accounts which the drivers are supposed to put the days earning in, everything was in order. The housing project was on track. He then brought his accounts books up to date. He was in charge of his accounts and he also did his taxes himself. He took no chance when it came to his money.

At seven Gabriel's phone rang. "Hey, Prince. Want to go out tonight?" "Not tonight I have somewhere I need to be." "Meeting a chick?" "Something like that." "Okay have fun." "By the way, double-A, remember to deal with the papers for the coaster alright" "Sure, I'll deal with them tomorrow." "Okay see you tomorrow then." Gabriel hung up and dial Diane's number. She answers on the second ring. "Hello." 'Hi this is Gabriel; I got baptized at your church last night." "Oh hi, how are you?" "I'm confused. I wanted to attend Bible class this evening but I don't know where your church is." "Let me text you the address?" "Actually I was hoping you could show me." "Show you?" "As in we could go together." "I don't think so, I'll send you the address and you can meet me there okay." "Okay." He replied feeling disappointed. "Alright, I'll see you soon." She said and ends the call. Wait, what! Did this girl just say no to me? He asks himself, staring at the phone as if he and she were in a staring competition. Well, that's a first. He chuckles to himself as he grabs his keys and left the house.

The service had already begun when he got there and she was standing outside waiting for him. "That wasn't so hard now, was it? She asks with a bright smile as he approaches her, she then ushers him inside and into a seat. Diane then turns to him. "Can you please hold her for me?" The question threw him for a second. "What?" "My daughter, can you hold her for a minute while I talk to the pastor?" "Oh sure." Gabriel took the little girl from her and she walks away. The little girl turned and stared directly into his eye but didn't say a word. She was a beauty just like her mother. She had her mother's eyes, and to his surprise, he instantly had a great liking for this little beauty. She was warm and smell of baby powder.

Diane came back and sits beside him. The little girl immediately began reaching for her. Diane took her and as she did his hand brush against hers. There it was again that current rushing through his veins, what was that? He didn't understand it, but it sure felt good. She looks at him and their eyes lock and there was no doubt this time she felt that for sure." "Everyone please join me in welcoming brother Maxwell, he was baptized last night in Montego Bay." It was the mention of his name that causes Gabriel to look away from her. Everyone clapped and cheered. The pastor then turns to him. "Welcome Brother Maxwell. You are a new addition to our family. May you always feel welcome here?" 'As welcome as a white guy can feel in a church full of Jamaicans.' He thought with a deep sigh.

The lesson was about sexual immorality and the fact that everything we do God sees us, "We can't hide from him." The pastor was saying. Gabriel listens to the message and all the girls he had passed through, all the things he did to them, came rushing back to him. Guilt washes him, guilt, and shame. He couldn't believe God actually love someone like him. Gabriel felt uncomfortable, he really wanted to leave, apart from being the only white guy in the church he didn't think he was worthy to sit in the house of God. So after the lesson was over he heads for the door. However, he had a hard time getting there because everyone came over to personally welcomed him to their church.

One even told him he had the body of a wrestler. It was a comfort to him that Diane never left his side. "How are you getting home?" He asks as he walks towards his car. "I will take the bus." "Where do you live?" He asks leaning against the vehicle. "I live-in Meadowbrook." She answered without looking at him. "Well I'm going that way, do you mind if I give you a ride?" "Thanks for the offer but I'm okay with taking the bus." 'And there it was again that word, no.' "I'm not going to hurt you if that's what you're afraid of." He said softly. "Look don't take this the wrong way but getting in a car with a guy your size at this time of the night spells trouble."

Gabriel smiled mischievously "Oh really but you did promise my aunt that you would take care of me, yes?" he asks. "Yes, I did." "Okay, so will you please get in the car so I can take you home?" "That's not going to happen but on the other hand it was great having you in service tonight, welcome to our church, drive home safely and all beings well I'll see you Friday night." She held out her hand and he shakes it and as it never fails there was the feeling again constant as ever. With that, she walks away from him, crosses the road, waves down a bus, and board it. 'Okay now, this girl had said no to him not only once but twice, or was that three times, definitely different and not only did she say no but she actually walked away from him, wait did he sense a challenge. He wondered as he got in his vehicle and began following the bus.

Why was he following her anyway, did he have nothing better to do than drive behind this bus waiting for her to come off. Every instinct in him screaming at him to go home but for some unknown reason found himself stopping behind this bus and looking to see who was getting off, stalker much. He chides himself but not even his inner voice could get him to divert from this particular mission. He was intrigued by her and he needed to know more about her, but why? Was it because she said no to him? Maybe but there was no denying it, she was different.

A few minutes later he saw her get off, walk up the road and enter a yard. Who did she live with? Was there someone waiting for her? A husband or boyfriend maybe? He wondered as he inches the vehicle closer to the gate. You know what they say about curiosity right? His inner voice chides again. "Oh, will you just shut up?" He mumbles to himself as he saw her switch on her lights. Okay, so there's no one else at home. Her apartment was small, very small, looks like a one-bedroom. He thought taking in every inch of the little house, from the small white gate there was a short walkway leading up to her front door. A part of him wanted to go knock on her door but he decides against it and drove away.

But for whatever God damn reason he found himself a few blocks from her gate very early the next morning, his inner voice laughing at him and calling him ten kinds of fool but no one knew what he was up to so he couldn't care less, he thought sipping his shake. At about 7:35 he saw her came out of the yard and close the gate behind her, she then walks a few blocks up the road and enters another yard, a few minutes later she came back out still carrying her daughter but minus a pink bag she was previously carrying.

She still had a small knapsack a lunch bag, her handbag, and a black plastic bag, and holding her daughter's hand, she crosses the road wave down a Taxi, and got in. And needless to say, he followed. After a while, she exits the Taxi near a basic school streaming with little kids and their parents, and drivers, enter it and after about ten minutes she came back out again fan down another Taxi, got in. Seems almost too much for one person. He thought as he continues to tail her.

After what seems like half an hour; thanks to traffic; she once again exit the car and began walking, 'damn after all that she must be tired right now,' He said to himself and after another ten minutes he saw her enter a yard with a massive white gate and after sitting there for what seems like an eternity with no sign of her coming back out he was guessing that was her place of work. So with a satisfactory smile, about what he didn't have a clue, he drove home