Chapter 22
Grant Lee had forgotten about the letter stashed away in his bottom drawer. When he reached into his drawer to pull his pajamas out, the letter fell out. “I had forgotten all about this,” he said to himself as he read the letter again. Laying in bed that night, he wondered what he should do. Why would Grandfather keep this letter for fourteen years if, as Grandmother says, my father was not a responsible person? Whose initials are G.B.? I think I will ask Mister Briley which is the best way to go about this. He has a lot of wisdom.
“Dear God,” he prayed, “please show me what to do about this mystery before me. Please have Mister Briley to come by soon so I can ask him.”
Grant Lee stayed in his room most of the next morning playing fantasy football on his computer. Hearing a car door slam, he jumped up to look out his bedroom window. He saw Mister Briley slowly and carefully making his way across Mrs. Casabelle’s driveway and up to her front door.
“Mom!” he called darting out his room with his jacket in his hand after shoving the letter in his pocket. “May I please go say ‘hello’ to Mister Briley? He just stopped by Mrs. Casabelles. I may not see him again before Christmas.”
“Go ahead. Tell him I say ‘hello’,” Cassandra said.
Grant Lee hurried over to Mrs. Casabelle’s house and knocked on the door. Mister Briley answered the door.
“Why Grant Lee, surprised to see ya here,” Mister Briley said trying to stifle a cough. “Come on in.”
“Hi, Mister Briley. I saw you through my bedroom window and I came over. I wanted to talk with you about something.”
“Ya could have called me. Ya still got my number, don’t ya?”
“Yes, Mister Briley, but I wanted to show you something as well.”
“I came to check on da flowers we brought in out of da cold an’ to make sure Mrs. Casabelle is doing okay. Her family is suppose to be a coming down for Christmas. Ya can help me.”
As they watered the flowers and adjusted the fluorescent lamps Grant Lee shared with Mister Briley how he got saved about a week ago.
“Well, mercy me. Much praises to God in Heaven. I guess I’ll be a seeing ya up in Heaven on dat glorious gettin’ up morning.”
After they finished watering the plants and making sure Mrs. Casabelle was comfortable, Grant Lee showed Mister Briley the letter.
“What do you think, Mister Briley? My name’s Grant Lee, just like in the letter, and I was born about two weeks before the letter was signed. I can’t make out the signature though. Are you okay, Mister Briley? That’s a nasty cough you got. Hold on and I’ll get you some water.”
Grant Lee returned with a glass of water.
“Thank ye. God will bless ya for dat glass of water,” Mister Briley said. He straightened his glasses up on his nose as he thought about what he should say. He remembered Grant Lee had never said anything to him about knowing who his father was. “I can’t quite make out da signature. It’s written to ya grandfather for sure. Did ya asks him about it?”
Grant Lee shook his head. “Not yet.”
“Did ya asks ya mother? Dat’s probably da best thing to do. Better yet, ask God about it. Ya is saved now; ya can asks Him anything. He’ll be a telling ya what to do.”
“Mister Briley, if that is me in the letter and they hid it for these fourteen years, what’s to say they won’t lie now?” Grant Lee asked.
“Son, I is sure there is an explanation for it. Don’t eva cut people off til they explain themselves.”
