My Father's Gift by Mary M Hall-Rayford Read Free Book Online Page A

saying.
    “Oh.  So it’s honesty you want.  Can you be equally honest?”  D’Cerner was exasperated beyond measure by now.
    “Depends on what you ask me.”
    “Are we going to discuss what we heard the other night?”
    “No, I’m not ready yet?”
    “So when will you be ready?”  D’Cerner’s felt her blood pressure rising and knew that at any moment, she was about to blow.
    “I’ll let you know.  Sister Everett, how do you keep your skin so soft?”
    “What?” She was so startled that she almost dropped the phone.  How do you know my skin is soft?”
    “I don’t, but I thought I would ask.  Whatever your method is, you should write about it so these young girls will know how to take care of themselves,” he continued as though there was nothing unusual about the conversation.
    D’Cerner barely heard him because she was staring at the phone remembering this conversation as if it were yesterday. 
    “Sister Everett, are you there?”
    “Yes.  I was thinking about something else.”
    “Someone else?”
    She gasped.  “How did you know?”
    “Just guessing.  So do you believe in tithing?”
    “What?” Was he deliberately trying to confuse her to keep her off balance, she thought?
    “Tithing, you know, giving your tenth to the church.”
    “Cal, don’t you think it’s a little late for this kind of discussion?”  She stared with disbelief at the phone, wondering if she were truly losing her mind.
    “No.”
    From that point onward, D’Cerner could not dissuade Cal from his particular course of action.  She believed he was apparently determined to drive her batty. They ended up reading scriptures to each other in support of their beliefs about tithing and speaking in tongues.  After a couple of hours of volleying beliefs, D’Cerner was ready to go back to sleep.  However, that was not Cal’s plan.  He had another agenda. 
    He asked her how tall she was and D’Cerner was just about to respond when she heard a voice saying, “you’re giving each other too much information.”   She then tried to turn the conversation around to discuss what they both heard days earlier, but Cal wasn’t giving an inch.  They finally decided they would not meet until they were sure of what they heard and would give themselves time for their spirits to mesh.  They agreed that when they met, they would discuss what they heard. 
    Throughout the duration of their conversation, one of them would start to say something and the other would know immediately how to finish the statement.  The situation was so intensely bizarre they decided they really didn’t need to verbalize anything except as confirmation of what the other was thinking.  Finally, they agreed to get off the phone and get some sleep.
    “I really have to get to off the phone.  I haven’t been in the office for a few days and I really can’t stay away any longer.” Weariness caused D’Cerner to sound as if her tongue was anchored in place.
    “Okay, have a good evening.” Cal responded curtly and hung up the phone.
    “What was that all about?” D’Cerner lay thinking.  “How on earth could I have known what he was going to say?  I felt as though he could read my mind and I was reading his.”
    “You were listening to me.”
    “Okay, Daddy.  How long are we going to do this?
    “Until the two of you are willing to obey.”
    “You mean he’s not?”
    “Not yet.  He’s not sure what he’s getting, sight unseen.”
    “And I am?  What if he’s some ugly throwback to the Stone Age?”
    “You won’t be disappointed.”
    “Are you’re sure this is what you want me to do?”
    “Yes.  It is what I told you.”
    “Okay, but this guy seems a little stretched to me.”
    “He needs balance in his life.”
    “I heard you before, but are you sure I’m the one to help him?”
    “Yes and I’m not addressing this again.”
    “Good night Daddy.  Thank you for your protection while we sleep.”
    *****
    When Cal hung up