Chininyeze Ross was lying on his bed thinking of everything that his daughter said.
His heart was displeased as he thought back to the year his wife died.
"I have good news for you," she called on the phone.
He sat in his studio and uninterestedly listened to her.
"Well spill it."
"When you come home. And please, please don't drink. It's not doing anyone a favour."
He put the phone down and continued looking at the blank paper in front of him.
He needed to find a song so he could earn money, but things weren't going too well.
The door opened and people came in and started packing things, "hey, hey, what's going on here?"
"You got a loan from the bank and since you haven't been able to pay it back we're mortgaging everything in the studio."
"What? But I said I'd pay back."
"The more we listen to that, the more people tend to decline. Sorry but this place no longer belongs to you."
After everything was done he walked to the near by bar, forgetting what his wife said and drowned himself in alcohol.
He went back home and went to the backyard where the swimming pool was.
After what seemed like hours, his wife came up to him and started scolding him. He couldn't remember what she said but he did remember she was really angry.
But there was one part he did remember, "you are a Christian and you can't do this to yourself. You aren't helping anyone and this is displeasing to God."
He stood up angrily, "don't you dare tell me about God, I'm tired of all this! Did God care when my best friend stole my songs? Now He's taken everything away from me."
He started to walk away and she put her hand on his shoulder but he furiously pushed her back, ignoring the scream and walked away.
He flinched at the memory as the scream rang in his head.
He then sat up and looked at his door.
"I'll be Moses and you be Pharaoh," he looked outside his window and noticed Mrs Fischer's nephews portraying a Bible story.
He got up and walked out of the room and out the door.
"Hey kids, is your aunt home?" He asked through the fence.
"Yeah."
"Can I come in?" Peter ran and opened the gate for him.
He knocked on their front door and she opened the door, "Mr Ross, what a surprise, please come in."
"Thank you, I'm sorry for coming on such short notice."
"No problem. My home is always open to visitors. Would you like something to drink."
"Some water will do, thanks allot."
She went and came back with a glass of water, taking a seat opposite to him.
"So, to what do I owe this visit? I reckon you don't really like me."
"That's not it, miss Fischer-"
"Sky, call me Sky."
"Well, Sky, I know I've been very hostile to you and I'm sorry for that. I just have things going badly for me."
"Would you like to share your story? A problem shared is a problem half solved."
"Well, the truth can't be hidden and no matter how much I try to change it, it's still the truth.
About nineteen years ago, I met a woman. Her name was Danielle. She was a Christian, just like me and we became friends. A year later, we got married and had my daughter, Sarah. At that time I had pursued my music career. Things were going well, my daughter was the light of my eyes and so was Danielle. But things started going haywire when my high school best friend stole three copies of my music. I'd spent two years working on them. Back in highschool, that same friend introduced me to alcohol and drugs and I only stopped when a member of my church intervened."
"If he was such a bad friend, why did you continue going on with the friendship?"
"It's that thing whereby you've been so close and you're just like brothers."
"Oh, okay."
"So, I started drinking and coming home late at night. My wife took the most of my foolishness, but didn't cease to pray for me. This one day, I was in my studio and I couldn't get anything on paper. Then the bank came in and took everything because of a huge loan I made. My wife called me before that and said she had good news. Told me not to drink cause it wasn't doing anyone a favour. But what could I do, I went to a near by bar and drank away my sorrows. My love for God already died down at that moment. I went home and stayed by the swimming pool just looking at the water. My wife came and started shouting and shouting. I got angry and yelled back. I turned to walk away and she tried to touch me and and-"
his voice began to shake.
"Go on."
"And I-I pushed her and she screamed b-but I didn't even bother to look back."
"Oh my," Sky said imagining what happened.
"I was detained for two years because it was unintentional and I was released earlier this year and I got my daughter back. I've just been drinking and been a terrible father and yesterday, I found out that I didn't just kill my wife but her good news, my child too."
"Oh, Jesus."
"Tell me what I should do now? I have nothing to live for," tears fell down and she held his hand.
"What you went through was devastating, but there's something to live for. Live for your daughter, be that father figure that she hasn't seen in years."
"How can I when I barely know her and she hates me with passion? That's impossible."
"With God, nothing is impossible."
He scoffed, "the God who has probably forsaken me?"
"God will never, ever leave nor forsake you. If He was able to die for you, should you not live for him? I'll leave you to make that decision, if you need me, just give me a call."
He watched as she left the room.
He stood up and walked to the wall and saw a verse framed on the wall.
Isaiah 49: 5
And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.
He closed his eyes and looked up, "when I can't find the words, when I can barely breathe, I'm falling on my knees. Heaven help me, heaven help me. When I can't feel you near, when I can barely breathe, I'm falling on my knees.
Heaven help me, heaven help me.
Help me, help me. Cause I can't walk this road alone and I can't do it on my own. Tell me, tell me. I just need to hear you say that everything will be okay.
When I don't understand, when I don't think I can, I know you have a plan, so heaven help me, heaven help me.
Help me believe it, when I can't see it, help me know it, when I can't hold it.
I just need to hear you say that everything will be okay."
He opened his eyes and stood up, "miss Fischer."
She came from the kitchen, "have you decided what you want?"
"I want God."
Luke 18: 29-30
29. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left his house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the Kingdom of God's sake,
30. Who shall not receive manifold in this present time and in the world to come life everlasting.
YOU ARE READING
UNTIL GRACE
Short Story"What are you reading?" Harry asked taking a seat by her. "My Bible." "What story is that?" "It's not just a story, silly. It's the Word of God and all his works." "Why do you read it if He doesn't even exist?" "Is Superman's planet real?" "Yes." "...
