God Has Spoken (22 page)

Mrs. Eleanor Humphrey began adjusting to married life. She had moved into the large, beautiful house in Cherry Gardens with her husband, ready to settle down in marital bliss. In love and happy for the most part, there was still something missing from Eleanor's life, the presence of her aunt and daughter. So Eleanor focused all her attention on her husband and her job as the days became weeks, weeks turned into months, months into years.

In love and happy, Eleanor had worked her way up the corporate ladder. It was now five years since she started working at BDO Jamaica, the last two years she worked as the human resources manager after being promoted. Dwight also was claiming his spot among the executives at BNS, now the Group Finance and Deputy Group managing director.

Everything seemed to be working itself out except for one thing.

“It's negative again,” Eleanor said sadly as she talked into the bedroom, waving the pregnancy test in the air. Her eyes filled with tears.

“Come here,” Dwight said gently, patting the space beside him on the bed where he sat, his head resting against the headboard. “It's okay,” he told his wife as he rocked her in his arms. “Baby, we will conceive when it's time. Stop worrying.”

They had been trying to have a baby for almost five years now but no luck. But in her heart Eleanor knew exactly why she could not conceive. “It's my punishment for abandoning my daughter,” she told Dwight. “The Lord has sealed my womb because I'm a pathetic mother.”

“No, don't say that,” Dwight remarked. “You are a good person. But now that you mention it, are you ready for us to go and see Dupree and Aunt Madge?”

Eleanor sighed and tried to pull away from her husband, but he held her tighter.

“Darling, I know you think you are doing the right thing by staying away, but I feel in my heart it's time for you to connect with your daughter and aunt,” Dwight told her.

“I can't,” Eleanor muttered. “Too many people could get hurt.” Eleanor glanced up at her husband alarmed. It was too late to take back what she had just said.

Dwight sat up straighter on the bed and looked at her in surprise. “Who told you that?” he asked angrily. “Was it that scumbag, so-called police officer?”

Eleanor bit her lip and looked down into her lap. She had said too much.

“Eleanor, look at me,” Dwight demanded. “He can't hurt you anymore,” he said when his wife's terrified eyes met his. “You are not alone anymore.”

Eleanor knew Dwight was referring to Officer Gregg, and she had no intention of telling him about the other demon police officer who had taken it upon himself to make Eleanor his enemy. At least not yet. Officer Bailey scared her more than Officer Gregg. She knew he was a killer and would do anything to keep his dirty, criminal life hidden. A cold chill ran down Eleanor's spine when she remembered how close she came to being killed by the madman. No, she had to protect Dupree, Aunt Madge, and Dwight.

“Sweetheart, are you listening to me?” Dwight's voice brought back her attention to him.

“Yes,” Eleanor replied. “It's not yet time to go back there.”

“What do you mean? Why—”

“Babe, please trust me on this,” Eleanor implored him. “It's for the best.”

“At least call someone and check on what's going on.” Dwight refused to let go as he had done over the last few years. “Get the phone book and see if a neighbor or someone from the church is listed.” Eleanor had told him that Aunt Madge had no electricity, so he knew she wouldn't have a phone.

“Okay,” Eleanor relented. “I'll check—”

But Dwight was already off the bed and going through the door. Seconds later he returned with a phone book in his hand. “Here.” he handed her the phone book. “Search and see who can you find.”

As Eleanor searched through the phone book under the parish of Trelawny, she had a sinking feeling in her gut. Dwight sat on the edge of the bed at the opposite end, looking at her anxiously. The first name that Eleanor saw was the last one she wanted to see, Dr. Beverly Gregg, General Dentistry, Falmouth, Trelawny.

“You found someone?” Dwight asked when he saw the frightened look on her face.

Eleanor nodded. “His wife's office number is listed.”

Dwight didn't have to ask whose wife, he knew. “Do you want me to call her?” he asked Eleanor. “She lives in the same community and attends the same church as Aunt Madge, right?”

“Yes, but do you think she is going to tell you anything about her husband's illegitimate child? Babe, I had an affair with her husband.”

“No, her slimy husband was the one who took advantage of a child,” Dwight said angrily. “If she is mad at someone, it should be the man who betrayed her, not you, and certainly not innocent little Dupree.” He walked over to the telephone sitting on the bedside table beside her and took up the receiver. “What's the number?” he asked. “I'll call.” Eleanor held out her hand for the telephone. Dwight looked at her before placing the phone in her hand. Her fingers shaking, Eleanor dialed the number. As the phone rang, she looked up at the clock noting that it was twelve noon. It was Saturday afternoon, so surely the dental office was opened.

“Dental office, may I help you?” said a familiar voice.

Eleanor opened her mouth, but not a word came out.

“Darling, did someone answer?” Dwight asked, watching her face. “Here, give me the phone.” He held out his hand but Eleanor ignored it.

“Hello?” Dr. Beverly Gregg said on the other end of the phone. Her receptionist had stepped out to get lunch, so she was covering until she returned.

Eleanor took a deep breath. “Hmmm, it's Tiny,” she finally said. For the first time in many years, she used her nickname but knew it was necessary for Beverly to know who she was talking to. She had already told Dwight when and why she had stopped using the name.

“You?” Beverly screeched in disbelief. Talk about a ghost from the past. “What do you want?”

“I know I'm the last person you want to talk to, but I need some information,” Eleanor said and looked over at Dwight. He gave her the thumbs-up, nodding his head in approval. Encouraged, Eleanor continued. “I need to know how my daughter and aunt are doing.” Eleanor held the phone tightly to her ear, inhaling and exhaling, trying to calm her nerves.

“You really have some nerve,” Beverly snapped into the phone. “Calling me to ask about the child you had with my husband. I should hang up the phone right now.”

“But you won't,” Eleanor stated. “I did what you and your husband wanted all these years. I left town and never came back. Now I need to know if my child and aunt are okay. You are the only one I know who is listed.”

Beverly closed her eyes tight; she felt a migraine coming on. After all these years, Tiny had resurrected from the dead. She knew she was now talking to a grown woman and not the scared teenager she had threatened fifteen years ago. If she didn't tell Tiny what she wanted to hear, she might decide to come back to Falmouth and turn their lives upside down. “Sister Madge and Dupree are doing great,” she lied. “I just saw them at the market earlier. Dupree was helping her grandaunt to sell her produce.”

Happy tears leaked down Eleanor's face as she listened to the good news. She pressed the phone so hard to her ear, it was beginning to hurt. But she didn't care.

“Dupree has grown into a beautiful, intelligent young lady,” Beverly continued with her deception. “She doesn't know who we are, but I see her every Sunday at church with Sister Madge. She also sings in the choir. Such a beautiful voice.”

All lies. It had been a little over two years since Aunt Madge had her stroke and hadn't been to church since. Life for Dupree was very hard as she struggled to make ends meet. But Beverly could not afford for Eleanor to find out about this. She would probably be in Falmouth in a few hours, and she had to continue to protect her family.

“If you are planning on coming back to disrupt Dupree's life after all these years, you should seriously think about it,” Beverly said. “She is getting ready to take her CXC exams in a few months. What do you think is going to happen when she sees her mother who had left her all these years, Tiny?”

Eleanor didn't respond. Her heavy breathing was enough for Beverly.

“You are going to turn her life upside down, causing her to fail her exams, denying her the opportunity to get into college. Don't you think you owe her
that
much? At least wait until she graduates high school before contacting her.”

Beverly knew by then her son, Anthony Gregg Jr., would be going off to college, and so Tiny's reappearance would not hurt her only child, if she decided to return to Falmouth at that time.

“Thank you,” Eleanor said and slowly hung up the phone. “She is all right,” she said to Dwight who was now sitting on the bed beside her. “My daughter and Aunt Madge are doing okay.” She relayed the side of the conversation he couldn't hear.

“Hmmm.” Dwight looked at the wall, a frown on his face.

“What?” Eleanor asked him. “This is good news . . . Isn't it?”

“Baby, something doesn't sound right to me,” Dwight remarked. “My spirit tells me she was lying. That woman was too willing to give you information and too quick to persuade you not to come back there.”

“Well, she probably thinks I would cause trouble for her and her husband,” Eleanor said. “But I don't see why she would lie about Aunt Madge and Dupree.”

“Let's go and find out for ourselves,” Dwight said.

“No, I won't go and disrupt Dupree's life now,” Eleanor replied. “I do agree with her on this. I think we should wait until Dupree is ready for college, which is just a few months away. Who knows, maybe she will want to live with us and attend UWI.”

Dwight grunted but decided to drop the subject. He still had a gnawing feeling in his gut. That night he prayed extensively for the stepdaughter he had never met and his aunt-in-law who he loved without even meeting her as yet. He made a note to speak to Eleanor again soon because he wanted to see for himself what was going on with Dupree and Aunt Madge.

But it was three years later that everything actually came to a climax. Eleanor, now the human resources director after Mr. Wallace retired the year before, walked into Mr. Chevon Brown's office, the human resources manager, and overhead his telephone conversation.

“Well, Dupree, I do appreciate your interest in BDO, but I have yet to review your application. I promise to do so very soon and get back to you. Okay, dear? Thank you for calling and have a wonderful day,” Mr. Brown said into the telephone.

Eleanor's knees almost buckled under her. That was a very unique name. The name of her daughter. Quickly composing herself before Mr. Brown could see her reaction, Eleanor stood by quietly, waiting for him to hang up the phone, her curiosity piqued.

Mr. Brown hung up the phone and looked up to see Eleanor staring at him intently. “Is something wrong, Eleanor?” he asked her nervously.

“No. I'm sorry for interrupting your call, Chevon, and it seemed to be an interesting one, too. Why don't you tell me some more about it?” Eleanor said and smiled at him.

Mr. Brown breathed a sigh of relief and went on to tell her about his conversation with Dupree. “She's from Falmouth, Trelawny, and is currently attending UTech. She would like to work here in Kingston for the summer,” he concluded. He watched as Eleanor gazed out the window, her lips sealed in deep concentration. “Eleanor?”

“Oh, sorry. My mind took a little walk. Well, she seems like an ambitious young lady and we could always use more people like her around here. Why don't you have her come in for an interview with me?” Eleanor instructed him. “And let's make it sooner rather than later. We need an assistant for one of our chief financial officers, and this young lady might be perfect for it.”

With that said Eleanor turned around in her high heel pumps and walked back toward her office, rubbing her hands up and down her arms as if she was freezing. “That's my Dupree,” she mumbled under her breath. “I can feel it in my bones. Dear God, after all these years am I about to finally see my daughter?”

Eleanor entered her office and closed the door. Walking slowly over to her desk, she reached for the telephone, her hand trembling as dialed her husband's number.

“Are you sure?” Dwight asked his wife when he answered the phone, his heart pounding in his chest. He was in a meeting with his executive management team when his secretary came and got him, telling him his wife was on the phone and was deeply upset. Dwight, now the president and chief executive officer of BNS since his promotion just four months prior, had quickly excused himself and hurried to his office to take the call.

“Well, what are the chances that it's another Dupree from the same community, same parish, around the same age?” Eleanor asked her husband. “That is too much of a coincidence, isn't it?”

Dwight nodded even though his wife couldn't see him. “Yes, I have to agree with you. It does sound like it's my stepdaughter.”

Eleanor smiled. From the moment Dwight heard she had a daughter, he had endeared Dupree to him without even knowing her. Her husband was truly an amazing man.

“Are you sure you are okay?” Dwight asked his wife. “Do you want us to cut the day short and I come and get you?” Dwight and Eleanor both worked in New Kingston, so they commuted together with Dwight driving them both to and from work.

“No, no, I can wait,” Eleanor said. “We just have a few more hours to go anyway. It's fine.”