Trying to Stay Saved:

Book 0: New Day Divas

by E.N. Joy

Genres: African American Christian; African American Urban; African American Women's Fiction

Synopsis

Lorain is back from her sabbatical, and although God didn't reveal to her all that she wanted him to regarding her past, she refuses to just let things be. When all the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together, just how many lives will be damaged, and how many will be restored? The survivor of one of the most horrific experiences a person could ever endure, it appeared as though Sister Nita, as leader of New Day's Janitorial Ministry, was hiding behind a mop and a broom. When her spirit discerns a cover up among a couple at New Day Temple of Faith, will she turn a blind eye and mind her own business, or will she finally begin to operate in her true calling? Mother Doreen knows who she is and whose she is; a child of the King on assignment doing kingdom work. When the plot thickens to a story she thought God had closed the book on, will she forget who she is and what she was called to do? The New Day Divas series, known as the soap opera in print, is full of chance, coincidence, and fate. But more importantly, it's full of faith.

Release date: January 1, 2015

Publisher: End of the Rainbow Projects

Print pages: 304

Sample

“Are you sure you’re ready to jump right back into taking over the business of the New Day Single’s Ministry?” Unique asked Lorain through the phone receiver. “I mean, you just got back today, and you’ve been gone for almost three months.”

“Yes, uh, I’m sure,” Lorain stated, not sounding too convincing. As a matter of fact, she wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure about a lot of things; like why, with this being her first day back from her three-month sabbatical, she’d jumped on the phone and dialed Unique’s number. Why hadn’t she been led to phone her own mother first? Or even her doctor, who wasn’t in favor of her leaving in the first place. Lorain’s doctor, who had treated her for her selective memory loss after a bump to the head, wasn’t comfortable with Lorain going three entire months without checkups. She made a mental note to make a doctor’s appointment for next week.

Lorain couldn’t fully explain why she felt so drawn to Unique, the young girl who’d served as her nemesis for the first couple of months they’d interacted. After a while, though, specifically after their pastor forced them to work together on the New Day Temple of Faith Single’s Ministry, they sort of grew on each other. Eventually, Lorain learned to respect the God in Unique. But there was a force that was now drawing Lorain so closely to Unique. It was a force she couldn’t understand. It was due to something stronger than just having spent time together working on the ministry’s affairs.

Had Lorain not have suffered from selective memory loss, she might have recalled her findings after hours of Internet searches. The search was sparked by something Unique had said during an argument between the two at a McDonald’s. During this argument, Unique revealed some personal information about her past. It was that information that sent up a red flag in Lorain’s head.

Unique had informed Lorain that as a newborn, she’d been thrown away in a dumpster and left for dead by her birth mother. Lorain carefully did the math and compared Unique’s age to how long ago her mother had done the awful deed. Lorain realized Unique would have been the same age of the baby girl she’d thrown away as a scared, pregnant teen. But the baby Lorain had thrown away had died in that garbage can and had been carried off to God knows where by a garbage truck. That’s what Lorain had thought for years anyway. But after doing some digging, Lorain discovered that the baby had not died. After doing even more digging, she discovered that the baby was Unique.

Lorain had planned on sharing her findings with Unique, but before she could, she had a fateful fall that would cause her to forget certain things. Her discovery of Unique being her biological child was one of those things she’d forgotten.

If only Lorain could regain her full memory, she’d know why the force drawing her to Unique was so strong. The visions Lorain had experienced prior to leaving for her sabbatical was sure to have had something to do with it. Even on her sabbatical, she’d continued to see visions of Unique, documents, and newspaper articles. She kept seeing the words: “Baby girl found in trash can,” and “Baby Doe up for adoption.” She’d tried her hardest to connect the dots on her own, but couldn’t.

The doctor told Lorain that eventually she might recover her full memory, and with God, she knew this was indeed possible. But it was taking too long. Perhaps deep down inside, Lorain truly didn’t want to remember everything about her past. After all, the doctor had said that with selective memory, patients usually tend to forget traumatic events. What on God’s green Earth could she have experienced that was so traumatic . . . and that involved Unique?

“Well, you don’t sound too convincing about wanting to get back into the groove of things,” Unique replied. “If that’s the case, just let me know, because we’ll probably have to talk to Pastor about finding a replacement for you. And before you get to thinking I’m after your title or something, get that straight out of your mind. With my new job and all, I don’t know how much longer I’ll even be able to—” Before Unique could express how she didn’t know if she’d be able to continue to serve as assistant leader, Lorain cut her off.

“You’ve got a job?” Lorain asked with enthusiasm.

“Oh, yeah, that’s right; you don’t know.” Unique spoke with such pride, like the way she spoke whenever she talked about her three children. “Yes, I’ve been working with Sister Tamarra for a couple of months or so now. She was willing to give me a chance to work at her catering company. And just before she left the church, she let me handle an event all on my own. It was—”

Once again, Lorain cut Unique off. “Did you say Sister Tamarra left New Day, as in she’s no longer a member?” Lorain couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She and Tamarra weren’t close, but she’d admired her from afar. She’d always felt as though there’d been some sort of invisible connection between the two of them; like they’d both been in the same place and had experienced some of the same things in life.

Tamarra was one of the people Lorain, during her sabbatical, had made a mental note to reach out to and connect with. Outside of just attending church together, praising and worshiping together, Tamarra had seemed like someone Lorain would have liked to befriend. Lorain shrugged. She guessed now she’d never know exactly what the connection between her and Tamarra could have been, nor would she likely become friends with her. But right now, what worried her most, though, was that she’d possibly never know why she felt the way she did about Unique.

That’s why she decided to go on the sabbatical in the first place; she wanted clarity from God. This memory loss thing was making her feel as though she was going insane. It was like certain things were fighting to take their rightful place back in her memory bank. There were just all of these flashes in her head, like paparazzi cameras going off at the red carpet. She wanted her mind refreshed and her spirit cleansed so that she could be wide open to receive the answers she’d been seeking. Answers not only about Unique, but about Broady, her mother’s new fiancé.

Lorain had experienced visions about him as well. It was as if she knew him from her past or something. Lorain felt in her spirit that somehow everything connected. How was Broady connected to Unique, or Unique to Broady, or Lorain to Unique . . .?

Surely Unique would think Lorain was crazy if she brought these things up to her and tried to pick her brain. She and the young girl hadn’t formed that close of a bond. But maybe she could pick Broady’s brain somehow. He hadn’t suffered from any type of memory loss as far as Lorain knew, but yet, he acted like he’d never met Lorain in his life. He had to remember something about her, other than the fact that he was engaged to her mother. And Lorain was going to make it her business to see that the marriage between this man and her mother didn’t take place until everything was revealed.

“Yep, Sister Tamarra is gone, as in she is no longer a member of New Day Temple of Faith,” Unique told Lorain.

“Do you know why she left? Did something happen?” Lorain shook her head. “Was it someone at New Day? You know how some church folks can be. They got tongues that will run a person right up out of there; and I’m not talking about spiritual tongues either. I’m talking about the kind of tongues that talk about a person behind their back—shoot, sometimes right in their face.”

Unique felt a little uneasy. She recalled using her tongue to talk bad about Lorain, both behind her back and in her face. But that was in the past. She’d repented to both God and Lorain. Besides, they weren’t talking about her and Lorain; they were talking about Tamarra. “I’m not really sure why she left. I really haven’t gotten into that with her. We usually just talk business. But if I had to guess, it might have something to do with Brother Maeyl hooking back up with his baby’s momma.”

“Brother Maeyl has a baby?”

“Yeah, well, she ain’t really a baby. Cute little thing though. I took my boys to her birthday party. At first, she and Tamarra appeared to be getting along just fine, but then the little girl started tripping about how Tamarra didn’t really want to be her mother. Blah, blah, blah. But anyway, I can’t call it. But I bet if you offer to take the church secretary out to dinner, you’ll have the entire story from her before you can even finish your appetizer.”

Both women chuckled, knowing it was probably true. The New Day Temple of Faith church secretary couldn’t hold an ounce of water in a two-gallon pail; she’d find a way to spill it completely.

“Well, I guess all I can do is just keep Sister Tamarra in prayer and hope that she finds another church home.”

“Oh, she’s attending Power and Glory Ministries International over in Reynoldsburg. I do know that much. She hasn’t joined yet, but it’s only been a couple of weeks. Who knows, she might even come back to New Day eventually. You never know where you’re going to end up when God’s behind the wheel. He’s the last person you want to be a backseat driver too.”

“Well, be sure to tell Sister Tamarra I said hello and give her my love the next time you talk to her.”

“Actually, she and I have a catering affair Friday, which is why I wanted to be sure you were ready to jump right back into taking over the Singles Ministry. I’m not going to be able to be there with the catering gig and all.”

“Oh, I see.” Lorain’s voice was laced with disappointment. The only reason why she’d even considered jumping right back into the business of the Singles Ministry was so that she could spend some time with Unique. Quick on her feet, she came up with another plan. “Well, then, perhaps we could meet—you, me, and the kids, one day this week so you can catch me up on what’s been going on in the ministry.”

Unique sucked her teeth. “Girl, you ain’t missed nothing. It’s the same ol’, same ol’. Ain’t nothing changed about the New Day Divas who show up at those meetings just to show out. Some of them refuse to walk in deliverance from the hurts and pain of their past relationships; so they use the ministry as an opportunity to release their frustrations and male bash. And the poor men folk don’t know how to act around them,” Unique added with a slight chuckle. “We done already lost two of the male members.”

“Oh, no,” Lorain sighed. She’d been proud to wear the crown of having finally gotten men to join the ministry. That was something her predecessor as the New Day Singles Ministry leader couldn’t do. “We’ll just have to do something about that, now, won’t we?”

“It’s no biggie. I’m sure now that you’re back, they’ll probably come back.”

“And what’s that suppose to mean?” Lorain almost sounded offended.

“Oh, nothing, I’m just saying, you know.” Unique had come close to letting the cat out the bag. There had been an inside joke among the women of the Single’s Ministry about Lorain joining the ministry. “Yeah, I bet if that mini-skirted-low-cut shirt-wearing Lorain was a member of this ministry, the men would flock here in droves,” one woman had stated. “The way they dang near be salivating over the woman is just shameful.”

“Maybe our skirts ain’t short enough and V-necks ain’t V enough, like the Jezebel spirit that possessed Lorain,” another had complained. “Guess we all can’t be spiritual divas like good ol’ Sister Lorain.”

Unique continued, being careful to cover her tracks. “I was only the co-leader filling in for you, and you know how some folks are. It’s like when they know Pastor ain’t preaching on Sunday, they don’t come to church. They want the real thing—to hear the house leader give the message.”

Now Lorain was slightly flattered. “I’m sure you did a fine job, Sister Unique, but I have to admit that the two of us together make a pretty good team.”

“That we do, and who would have thought it?”

“Tell me about it. Anyway, what do you say about us getting together one day this week to go over things? We can meet at my house. I’ll come pick you up. I’d love to see the kids.”

Unique was taken aback. The last she recalled, Lorain acted like she didn’t want her kids nowhere near that cute little condo of hers. Seemed like Lorain always had something slick to say about Unique’s three sons. “You sure about that?” Unique double-checked. “I mean, maybe the fact that you were always so funny acting about me and my kids is a part of your memory that you’re suppressing.” Leave it to Unique to not bite her tongue.

“Come on now, give me some credit. I just spent three months on a sabbatical communing with the Lord. Your mother is a changed woman, Unique.”

There was dead silence on the phone upon Lorain referencing herself as Unique’s mother. Then finally, Lorain hollered out, “Gotcha!” and brushed it off with a laugh. Unique joined in, recalling how after Lorain’s head injury she’d referred to Unique as her daughter. It was funny then. Well, it was funny to everyone else, but it hadn’t been funny to Lorain. And although she’d just feigned laughter, it wasn’t funny now. Indeed this was a serious matter that she was going to get to the bottom of if it was the last thing she did.

Although Jamaica had been a beautiful place, Paige was glad to be back home. Surprised couldn’t describe how Paige felt the day Blake showed up on her job, swept her out of her office, and rode off with her in the awaiting limousine. They went straight to the airport with nothing but carry-on bags that Flo, their maid, had packed for them.

Blake had taken the liberty of clearing seven days vacation with Paige’s company. He’d begun making the plans the day she got out of the hospital after her car accident. Paige’s low blood sugar caused her to pass out behind the wheel of her car had almost taken her life. This near-loss had triggered the once emotionally, and oftentimes physically neglectful Blake to vow to never take his wife for granted again. So he’d made it his business to treat her like the queen she was. And Paige was loving every minute of it.

“Home sweet home,” Paige stated as she entered their home, Blake trailing behind her, carrying luggage. Although they’d departed the airport with nothing but carry-on bags, after all the shopping they’d done, they now each had a new mini-wardrobe—shoes included.

The two had spent their first few hours in Jamaica shopping for all they’d need on their honeymoon. Paige had to pinch herself several times to make sure she wasn’t dreaming back in La-La Land. But it was real. It was all real; God had blessed her with a true king who didn’t mind sharing his riches and wealth freely with his queen. Blake, surprising Paige by telling her he was going to be featured in a top financial magazine, made her realize just how much riches and wealth he truly had.

As a commercial real-estate agent, when the recession hit, most folks in real estate began to suffer financially. Blake obviously walked in true favor of God and had the faith of a mustard seed that the God he served wasn’t in a recession. The talk, chatter, murmurs, and complaints by some of his coworkers didn’t get to him. He didn’t walk in fear when it came to his being able to provide for himself and his family. If he learned nothing else from his father before he’d passed away, it was that where there was a will, there was a way. If he’d just hold on, then everything would turn out for his good in the end. After all, everything had turned out good for his father and him.

It didn’t look like it would when his father was critically injured on his job and unable to work for the rest of his life. It didn’t look like it would when his father’s job refused to compensate him fully for the incident. It didn’t look like it would when Blake’s mother ran off with his little sister, leaving him and his disabled father to fend for themselves. But all had turned out for their good in the end. Yes, it had!

Blake’s father finally won a settlement against his job, allowing him and Blake to live a comfortable life. Blake was also able to go to college. It wasn’t just the financial blessing of the matter that had turned out good. Having to spend most of his time taking care of his father, Blake was able to form a bond with him that some young men would kill for. He was able to spend the most precious years of his life with his father. He was able to learn how to become a strong willed man through his father’s teachings and actions. His father was his hero. His father was the reason why he persevered in life.

Aside from God’s favor, it was this strong will that pushed Blake to do his best no matter what the situation looked like. His perseverance in the real-estate market had paid off . . . very well. Because Blake didn’t live a flashy lifestyle, no one would have ever known just how financially prosperous he was, including Paige. Blake paid and handled all of their living expenses and finances. This allowed Paige, after taking care of her personal debts, to bank her money. There was none of that going Dutch stuff—all the bills being split down the middle. Paige had landed her a true provider. And now Blake was being recognized by a nationally distributed magazine as one of the top ten commercial real-estate agents in the country: a man able to surf the waves of the recession and come out on top.

“You can say that again,” Blake said to Paige as he dropped their belongings on the floor. He was certainly glad to be home as well.

“Home sweet home,” Paige abided. She walked over to the couch and collapsed. Then she looked down at all the luggage Blake had brought in and pointed to it. “And you can leave that stuff right there for when Flo comes tomorrow.”

“Honey, I know you are not going to have that woman put away your drawlz,” Blake laughed as he walked over and joined his wife on the couch.

“Shows what you don’t know.” She rested her hand on his knee before spotting something on the living-room table. “What’s that?”

Blake followed her eyes to the FedEx package on the table. “Something from FedEx. Flo must have brought it in when she checked on the house for us while we were gone.”

“Where’s the rest of the mail?” Paige asked.

“Oh, I had the post office hold it. We have to go pick it up,” Blake told her as he opened the package. His eyes lit up as he pulled out the contents. “It’s here. It hit the stands while we were away.”

“Oh my God! Let me see!” Paige exclaimed, knowing exactly what Blake was referring to.

Blake held the magazine where both he and Paige could look at it.

“Cover? They have you guys on the cover?” Paige playfully whacked Blake on the shoulder. “And you didn’t tell me.”

Blake smiled, proud that he’d been able to keep the best part of the secret for last. Keeping the interview and the photo shoot from her had been difficult enough. And it was no coincidence that he’d been out of the country when the magazine hit the stands. Being a very low-key person by nature, Blake knew that once the magazine was published, the local media would be at his doorstep, organizations would be contacting him for speaking engagements, etc.... He’d even been advised to hire a publicist, told he could gain even more notoriety and money as a result. Blake wasn’t interested in all of that. He didn’t want to be a star. He just wanted to be a hardworking man like his father had raised him to be. So it was his prayer that by the time he returned home, the buzz would have died down some and the media would get the hint when he didn’t return any of their calls.

“Oh, honey.” Paige’s eyes filled with tears. She was so elated. “You have no idea how proud I am to be Mrs. Blake Dickenson right now.”

“I’m the one who’s proud to have such a loving and caring wife to share this with.” Blake stared down at the cover and shook his head. “I just can’t believe it. This all seems so surreal.”

“Well, believe it. It’s all real. This is really happening for us.”

Blake stared into Paige’s eyes as tears fell. Wiping one away with his thumb he stated, “Yes, honey. This is really happening. And this is only the beginning.” His eyes returned to the magazine. “Now I ha. . .