Moment with God (Book 2 of With God Trilogy)

XIX

I looked at the window while they chat. With the blink of an eye, I was in a different car. I looked around me and I knew it was dad's. Where is he?

Suddenly, I saw my dad walk to open the car door and in his hand, a purple box with a ribbon on top. He drove me somewhere familiar until I recognized the house in front of me as he parked the car. We were to visit my grandma.

Dad pulled at the purple box and knocked at the door. He opened the door after knocking, and he was greeted by Emily.

"Hello, Emily. Where's mom?" asked dad while he kept the car keys in his front pocket.

"Uhm, she is fine. Let me take this cake in the fridge." Emily said, nervous.

"No, on the table please. Let's surprise her." dad insisted. "I'll take her to the table."

Emily said with her palm facing us, "Uhm, wait. I-

Dad and I went upstairs to check on grandma. Surprisingly, she has a visitor. "I didn't know you had a visitor."

The man turned around and it was Mr. Kelly!!! It is Mr. Kelly!

He went here? Why did he?

Oh, I remembered he learned about my grandma, Glenda Melbourne.

Dad seems to recognize him from the coffee shop. Mr. Kelly looked away.

"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Melbourne. May you have a great day!" Mr. Kelly smiled and stood to leave. "Wait, please. I'm really sorry." Grandma pleaded. "Please stay and meet Joseph."

Mr. Kelly looked to his right and recognized my dad. "Wait, are you..

Dad ignored him and placed the box on a steel chair and took a seat beside mom. "Who is he mom? Why did you apologize?" He noticed my mother's tears."Did you cry, mom?" He called Emily. Emily came running with a glass of water. Mr. Kelly paused and looked surprised. He looked at dad.

"Emily, what happened?" Dad asked Emily while he lays his hand on her forehead.

"Uhm, Joseph.." Emily said sheepishly.

Grandma tilted her chin up. "It's okay, Emily. I'll tell him." She directed Emily to give her the glass of water. Grandma sipped half the water as Emily closed the door and left.

"Mom, don't tell me you're sick." Dad looked serious. "I'll have to get a leave from my job to take care of you."

Grandma chuckled. "Joseph, I'm fine. Please sit down."

Mr. Kelly faced grandma and dad as he bowed his head to them. "Thank you. May you excuse me." Mr. Kelly left.

Grandma paused and looked at the window. "Joseph.."

"Yeah?"

"I thank God for answering my prayer on my birthday." She said dramatically, still gazing on the window.

"Oh yeah! Here is my gift, mom!" He untied the the purple box. "Open it."

Mom opened the purple box and her eyes lit excitedly as she saw a red velvet cake with white icing on top. She read "Happy Birthday to my beautiful mom, Glenda! I love you!".

Glenda smiled and hugged dad. "Thank you, son."

"I'm always here for you mom!" He handed her a rose keychain with grandma's name on it. "I found this!"

"Where?!" Grandma was shocked. "That's your dad's first gift to me when we were married."

"I'm sorry mom but I needed inspiration when I was in training."

A knock was heard and it was Aunt Becca.

"Aunt, I didn't know you'd come." Dad stood and directed her to sit beside mom.

"Why would I miss my sister's birthday?" Aunt Becca smirked and she noticed the cake. "Wait, I have a candle here."

They called Emily downstairs and sang grandma a happy birthday song. "What's your wish, Glen?" Aunt Becca asked.

"It already happened, Becc." Grandma said.

Everyone was surprised. "He called me mother." Grandma mumbled. Dad looked at Emily and Aunt Becca. "Yes, Joseph. I found your brother."Grandma smiled.

Dad exhaled in disbelief. "Mom, what are you saying?!"

"Joseph, please listen to her first." Aunt Becca pleaded.

"Joseph, my son, you and your brother will aways be my answered prayer." Grandma holding both dad's hands. "For years, I have waited for our family to be whole. When your dad died, I almost did not eat for days. I was always praying to God that that man who they said died isn't your dad. I asked God so many times. But He has a different plan. He made me remember your brother. Your brother I didn't see for so long. But when I saw his face and called me mother, I knew at that moment that it was Jacob. On this day, God answered my prayer." Glenda looked at her son.

Dad was confused. "Wha-what is his name?"

"Oliver." Grandma smiled. "Oliver Kelly."

"That man who just came here? Did you believe his words?" Dad asked as he stood and scratched his head. "Emily, do you know this?"

"I opened the door and he was looking for a woman named Glenda Melbourne. At first, I didn't want to let him in but he was crying. He was crying all the way here and was pleading me to see your mom. So, I let him in." Emily nervously explained.

Grandma handed dad a picture of her and a baby. "This is what he gave me."

"Glen, it was you and baby Jacob?" Aunt Becca asked. Dad realizing that it was really his mother, clenched his fist and gave her the picture.

"Mom?" Dad asked. "For years, I have been with you. I am here when you need me. When Emily calls me, no matter what I'm doing, I will go here for you. How about him?"

"He didn't know, son." Grandma said. 

"For so many years, he didn't show up! He didn't even tell us that he is alive? Now, he claims to be my brother?" Dad exclaimed.

"I don't claim to be your brother." Mr. Kelly was still here. We were all shocked. "I came here to find my mother."

He didn't leave. He was outside the room all along.

Dad smiled as if he was running out of patience. Grandma noticed. "Are you not happy having him here, Joseph?" 

"Why would I?" Dad stared at Mr. Kelly. "All those years, where is he? He was not here but I am here. Is he checking you almost everyday? Is he with you when you need company? No!"

Aunt Becca pats dad's back. "Joseph!"

"You always wanted to find your lost son. How about your son who is with you all along? Since dad died, you shifted your care for me to finding that son of yours who lived his life in money and never cared to find us and now he is making us believe that he is your son!"

"Joseph please!" Emily pleaded.

"No, Emily, Aunt Becca but that's how I feel!" Joseph exclaimed.

"I'm sorry." Mr. Kelly uttered sincerely. Dad smirked at him and looked at mom.

Grandma looked at dad with teary eyes. 

"No, I'm sorry mom but I'm out of here!" Dad cried out and he left.

I felt dad's anger. 

I felt dad's pain. 

But I could not speak for his wrong actions.

I just stood there with nothing to do.