“Front Porches & Corner Stores” Seeing Down the Road
“Everything was suspended in the midst of a miracle, none of em noticed Addiemae walking not even Addiemae.”
The pastor gave wise counsel. He had the gift of seeing down the road. JE and Honey would not divorce, Addiemae was free to move on with her life and all three were at peace. Hung over from the prayer they sat and listened to the choir rehearse and left drunk in the spirit as they walked down the road to the house. Evening fell and the fireflies came out for the night. For some reason, even though their spirits were quiet Addiemae sang out loud. They saw Daddy, Mother Howard, Rufus and Emma sitting on the soft amber lit porch resting from the day. There was a peace they dared not disturb. They let it linger. Addiemae finished her song and sighed. “It sho is a sweet spirit in the air.”
JE agreed, “Yeah, but more than that. The Lord touched us tonight.”
Mother Howard saw em walking toward the house and heard the sound of Addiemae’s anointed alto voice singing “Sweet Holy Spirit” from afar off; she hadn’t sang like that since she was a teenager. “Lord have mercy, will you listen to that girl singing like an angel! If I’d known fussing woulda made em act like this, I’d done it a long time ago. I guess they heard something good huh Emma?”
“Nawl Dd. It looks like they got what they needed. I can see the healing. Look closer, Addiemae is walking. She not limping. Aint no cane in her hand. The Lord done healed her body!”
Mother Howard stood up again and cried out. “Oh my God Earnest, she is. My baby is walking! Look at her! She walking Ernest!” She could barely stand up straight for praising the Lord. Daddy Howard let her go on for a while then he said, “Leave em be y’all. It’s a sacred time, the Lord still healing. Come inside fore they get here, get to talking and quench the spirit. Come on Dd we need our rest.” He reached for Mother Howard’s arm to help her along. As they started walking, he looked back, “Rufus, you and Emma too.”
By the time they made it to the house the porch was empty. Addiemae hugged them, said goodnight, went inside singing, climbed the stairs without a struggle and the cane the pastor took away. Everything was suspended in the midst of a miracle, none of em noticed Addiemae walking…not even Addiemae.
