Because of Chivalry

Chapter Thirteen

"Daton will you answer my phone please? I'm doing my hair."

"Sure."

Daton grabbed the phone and looked at the number. Why was the doctor calling Sessirah? "Hello?"

"Sessirah?"

"No. This is Daton."

"Oh. Hello Daton. Is Sessirah there?"

"Yeah. She's fixing her hair."

"Okay. Let her know that I am on my way. I will be there in about thirty minutes."

Daton was furious. How could this be happening? He thought he took care of this by moving back to the house. 

"Daton? Are you still there?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I will tell her."

The doctor could tell that Daton wasn't happy with him calling his mother-in-law. He would be even more upset if he knew that they were going to a bible study with some friends of his.

"Okay. Thank you." He was about to hang up when Daton fired off a question. 

"Where are you two going?"

He decided to be honest. There was no reason to lie. "To a bible study with some friends."

Daton didn't know what to say. Didn't the doctor know that Sessirah hated God just as much as he did? Maybe this was a good thing. Sessirah would have a terrible time and never want to see him again.

"Daton?"

"Yes?"

"Your mother-in-law is safe with me. I'm a good christian man and we are going to have a good time of fellowship with friends that you can trust."

A sudden storm of anger tore through Daton. He stepped out of the room so Sessirah wouldn't hear him. "Why us Doc? We don't need God. Look what He has already done to us. My parents are dead and now my wife is missing."

"Daton can I come in and talk to you before we leave?"

"No. I don't want to hear any more about your God. And by the way Sessirah will have a terrible time tonight"

"Why do you say that? I ran the idea by her earlier and she thought it was a wonderful idea."

Daton didn't know what to think about this news. Sessirah wanted to go to a bible study? That didn't make any sense. Maybe she was so desperate to be with the doctor that she would agree to do whatever he wanted.

"Like I said, I will tell her to be ready."

Daton hung up the phone and went to find Sessirah for some answers. "Sessirah we need to talk."

"Sure." She turned around to face him. "Are you alright? You look pale."

He didn't answer but turned and went to the living room, working himself into a mad frenzy as he went.

"Daton what is it?"

"I need to know the truth Sessirah. That was the doctor on the phone. He told me y'all are going to a bible study together. Is that true?"

Sessirah sighed. She knew she was going to have to tell him about her change of heart one day. She fought it the whole way up to see him and Chivalry like a fool because she was afraid of how they would react.

"Daton I have something to tell you."

Daton didn't like the sound of that. He frowned and sighed. "Okay."

"Chivalry's father and I have never loved each other. I was his high school girlfriend. When my parents came home one day they decided they didn't want a daughter any more so I went to live with him. We were going to go our separate ways after college but I got pregnant. 

Sessirah's voice became shaky. "We didn't want our child to live in a broken home so we got married. After Chivalry was born Cleeve decided that he didn't want a family. He went to bars all the time and when I came home from work he would have women in bed with him. I would have left but on his good days Cleeve was quite a romantic and I wanted what was best for my baby girl."

She looked at Daton to find his face red. He had always known Cleeve to be a nice gentleman and a great family man. This new Cleeve would be hard for him to swallow. 

"Anyway, Chivalry grew up and married you. I knew there was something different between you two and Cleeve and I. You really loved Chivalry and I longed for that same kind of love. When Chivalry first went into a coma I was devastated. Our neighbors found out three days later. They came over and gave me a casserole and had a long conversation with me about God."

By this point Daton was up and pacing the room. She knew he was hardening his heart. She knew talking would get her nowhere so she decided to pray out loud. 

"Dear God..."

"Stop! Shut up! I can't take any more. You are actually telling me that you believe that load of bull the church and the doctor and your neighbors are feeding you?"

Daton looked hurt and betrayed. The pain she saw in his eyes wrung her heart. She had to be strong though. God would help her and Daton get through this. She wouldn't give up hope. 

Sessirah's phone rang. It was the doctor telling her he was waiting outside. 

"Daton I know you are confused and hurting. My decision to follow Christ might have even make you feel betrayed. I just wanted you to know that I love you and I am here for you no matter what."

She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't harden your heart. You don't know how much peace you will have if you just give it all to God."

With those final words she left without a backwards glance. She knew Daton needed time alone to think. Plus she had a bible date with a handsome doctor.