misFORTUNE

Once a successful young woman on the right track in life, Lisa would come to endure some detrimental agony in her years of adolescence that would carry over into her adulthood. With little to no guidance she fell into a spiraling lack of fate. In some way, shape or form we all have experienced our own form of life changing circumstances. Unfortunately, tragedy is apart of life. In most cases people find ways to overcome their troubles and push through but not in this one. Tragedy costed Lisa her life and secrets never revealed would come full circle. Soon, her misfortune would become her fortune and change everything she once knew forever.

“God not another eviction notice.” Lisa thought to herself as she walked into her one bedroom apartment. This was the third eviction she had received in the last 5 months. She was so tired of struggling. She couldn’t believe at 39 years old she was living this way with nothing to show for herself. Life had been hitting her hard lately and she just wanted the suffering to be over. She prayed daily that God change her situation somehow some way. She felt that she had been through so much already that there had to be a light at the end of this dark tunnel.

Ring. Ring.

“Hello.” She answered the phone.

“Sandy I just wanted to call and let you know that you’ve reached your peak for this week. We need you to take the day off and just come in on Monday instead.” Lisa’s manager informed her.

“Yea okay.” She said hanging up the phone directly in her face. Her faith was slowly fading away. “I need a miracle Lord!” She said to herself as she sat on the edge of her couch trying to hold it together.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Someone approached the door.

“Hey Mrs. Calloway!” A male greeted her as she opened the front door. It was T, one of the guys who stayed in the apartment right down the hall from her.

“Heyyy T! How are you?” She reached out and gave him a hug. “You look so handsome!” She complimented him on the suit he was wearing. She’d never seen him dressed up like this before. The look fit him very well. He was such a sweet guy. Always smiling and helping her whenever she needed a hand. He was such the gentleman she took a liking to him almost instantly after being introduced.

“I’m great Mrs. Calloway!” He said smiling at her cheesing from ear to ear. He seemed to be in a great mood.

“I’m good T you know I’m hanging in there!” She told him.

“That’s good to hear!” He said. “Would you go out to lunch with me?” He asked.

“T? Now you know I’m old enough to be yo mama!” She laughed off the question.

“No. No ma’am it’s nothing like that.” He chuckled. “I just got some really good news and I wanted someone to share it with. You know my dad passed and I don’t have my mom around so I was thinking maybe you’d like to join me instead considering you’ve been like a mom to me.

“Honestly T I can’t afford to spend anything right now I’m tight on cash at the moment. I’m sorry I really wish I could join you.” She explained to him.

“I asked you to join me Ms. Calloway and to be honest it would really make my day for you to share this moment with me. Plus you’ve always told me don’t block your blessing T, now look at you trying to say no to a free meal.” He laughed jokingly trying to convince her the best way he knew how. It was working too. How could she say no to her own advice.

“Okay I guess I can’t argue with that!” She agreed. She was flattered that he felt comfortable enough to share his moment with her. He was such a sweet guy so she didn’t mind being his support for the moment.

“Great! I’ll grab my things and we can head over to Dave’s.”

“Okay.” She said.

Within 15 minutes they were heading over to the diner not far from their apartment building.

“Table for two?” The waitress asked as they walked through the two double doors.

“Yes!” T replied.

“Right this way.” She lead them to the booth near a big window. Dave’s was one of the best diners in the city. Everything they served was amazing. The catfish, shrimp grits and sunny side eggs with a side of hash browns were Lisa’s favorite. It was her go to she could never resist.

Even with everything going on this small gesture made a huge difference in her day. She suddenly went from hopeless to hopeful.

After ordering and chatting a bit T and Lisa seemed to be getting along very well. He reminded her of someone she just couldn’t quite put her finger on. This was the longest they’d ever been around each other. He seemed to be very bright with his head on straight. She thought his father would be very proud because he raised a great young man.

“Ms. Calloway can I ask you something?” T asked. He seemed to have something heavy on his mind so she focused all of her attention on him.

“Of course!” She responded trying to make him feel as comfortable as possible.

“Why doesn’t your family come around? I have never seen anyone come visit you the past 2 years I’ve stayed in the building. I always wanted to ask but the opportunity never presented itself until now.” T said with so much concern.

“Well to be honest with you I don’t have any relatives near by. My parents moved to Michigan from North Carolina back in 1983, I was only 2 years old and an only child. On my 10th birthday my father was killed in a car accident and 12 years later my mother passed away from lung cancer. Losing both of them took a huge toll on me. I ended up dropping out of school because my grades had began to decline drastically. My student loans were even revoked from not maintaining a decent gpa. For a while my life was in shambles. I finally got myself together after a few years passed. I bought a house, I got myself a brand new Chrysler 200. Things were looking up. Then March 18th, 2013 my house caught fire while I was working an overnight shift. There was nothing left. After that I moved in the building we’re in now trying to save up as much as I can for a new house but just recently my car went out and the money I had saved I used to get a new car with.” T sat there listening in awe. He had no idea that Lisa had experienced such difficult times in her life. Looking at her you would never know. She kept a smile on her face and never showed any signs of struggle.

“Wow. Ms Calloway I’m so sorry I didn’t realize you’d been through so much. I admire your strength to keep pushing after being hit with life’s circumstances time and time again. I know it must of been hard trying to endure all of that alone.” T said feeling sorry for her.

“No need to feel sorry for me I have everything I need God is always with me.” She said confidently.

“Did you ever want children Ms. Calloway?” T wondered.

“I actually do have a child.” Lisa said staring out of the window with a gentle smile upon her face.

“You do?” T seemed intrigued.

“Yes my baby just turned 24 on January 29th.” Tears began to form. T stayed silent realizing he had touched a sensitive subject. He allowed her to let out her pain that had obviously been bottle up for some time now. “When I was 15 years old I fell in love with a boy who lived near by. Darrin Lucas was his name. We were inseparable. My mother hated us together. She didn’t approve of me dating at the time but I wanted to be with him and nothing or no one could stop me. That was until one day I got sick I was running a fever of 103. I felt like I was going to die that day. She rushed me to the hospital and I found out that I was 6 weeks pregnant. My mother went crazy. She was so upset. My entire pregnancy she kept Darrin away from me. The day I had my baby I never even got a chance to hold it. She gave my baby up for adoption without my permission but there was nothing I could do because I wasn’t 18 at the time. To this day I don’t even know rather I had a boy or a girl.”

“Have you ever tried to look for them?”

“The thought was too painful. I have no idea how they would react and that’s what scared me the most.” She explain.

“Would you take a ride with me?” T asked trying to lighten her mood.

“I guess I can I’m not going in to work today so why not.” T took his card out to pay for the food they’d just eaten and left a nice tip for the waiter as well. They took off across the town almost 20 minutes away from where they already were. T pulled up to a beautiful 4 bedroom house with a huge glass window showing the chandelier hanging from the cathedral ceiling just over the spiral staircase that lead to the upper floor of the house. T lead her inside and Lisa was shook. She had never seen anything so beautiful in her life.

“Oh my goodness T this is a gorgeous home. Is this yours?” She asked excited for him.

“No it’s not mine it’s yours.” Lisa turned around looking at him confused wondering if she heard him correctly. Darrin is my father. He told me all about you before he died 2 years ago. He said you were the most amazing person he’d ever met. I made a promise to myself to watch over you after he passed bc it seemed like other than myself you were the only thing he cared about. Fortunately my father was a smart man. He left me with many assets that allowed me to venture my own business. Just a week ago I closed a huge deal on an investment I made several months ago. I bought this house and the car we just rode in for you. I wanted to reveal myself sooner but I thought this way would be much more special so I just kept an eye on you until I was able to give you everything you deserve.”

“I’m speechless I don’t know what to say. Why would you do this for me you barely even know me I could never repay you.”

“This isn’t a loan it’s yours and I don’t have to know you I am you.” T said to her. “Your mother and my grandmother made an agreement. She begged your mother to let her take me instead. She said it was tough but she eventually gave in she promised to never reveal to you where I was. They took me from the hospital 2 days after I was born he named me Terrence Neil.

“Oh my God, he named you after my father!” In that moment Lisa had, had enough. She broke down and cried hysterically. She couldn’t believe any of this. She had prayed for moments like this but for it to actually be happening was an out of body experience.

“Here.” He handed her a little black notebook. “My father held on to this until the day he died. I believe it’s yours. Lisa’s mouth dropped. It was a journal she made when they were teenagers. He had kept it all this time. It was filled with letters he wrote her but never sent. She went through each envelope one by one. She then came across a check made out to her for $20,000.

“My father left this for me but I want you to have it. You deserve it ma. I know that you loved me since the day I was born. My father made sure I always knew that. I’ve made a good life for myself now I want to give you back yours.” The tears began to flow uncontrollably Lisa was numb. In just a few hours her life had taken a drastic turn of events. She always kept her faith but she was just so outdone.

Over the next few months her and Terrence became closer than ever. She gained a son and he gained a mother. She never expected any of this she was overwhelmed with joy and so was he. Even after all her struggles and hardship finally Lisa could say life was good.