With Love: The Motherland

/Chapter 2/

The next day Hadessa came back she was greeted with coldness from Mr. Redmond. She figured he was just a worried parent so she didn't take offense to it until he asked her where she was from. Hadessa was taken by surprise that he was finally talking to her but quickly realizes his reason behind asking.

"I'm from Kenya! Have you ever been there? If not I highly recommend visiting. Caspian seems to have a fascination for animals so if you take him on a safari-"

Mr. Redmond's face twists into pure disgust, "I will never take my child to a shithole country. There are plenty of animals here and it already disgusts me that my boy has to grow up with them".

Hadessa was at a loss of words, "and by animals...you mean black people?"

The man only continues to look down at her in complete disgust.

"I am in shock that you are even able to say something as ignorant as that. Especially because your child is right here listening".

Jackson smiles, "as he should!"

Hadessa glares at the man, "why would you want to teach your child to hate?"

Now it was Jackson's turn to glare at her, "it's none of your business what I do with my child".

Hadessa knows that he was right. Although he was wrong for teaching his son to hate, she can't do anything about it. It was his kid, not her's.

Hadessa picks up the remote and higher the volume so Caspian can't hear them.

"Mr. Redmond...what drove you to hate a whole race?"

Jackson was taken aback by her question, "I don't consider the blacks a race. They are animals. Get out".

***

The first thing Hadessa did after crying in the bathroom was calling her boss. She practically ran to the older man's office and didn't care about the tears that were still falling down.

Hadessa has never in her life been treated in such an aggressive way. So when an Asian and mixed coworker told her that she should calm down because racist parents were a norm here, she lost it. Her anger that had only been at an eight was now at a ten. She didn't understand why they have to put up and in a way accept that racism. So Hadessa told them that they can continue to be passive about it but she was going to report it.

Now as she stands in front of her boss she understands what her coworkers meant. Her boss basically told her that she can either deal with Mr. Redmond or drop Caspian's case. Even if she was able to drop Caspains case she knows her heart wouldn't be able to do so. What she wants is for the chief to talk to Mr. Redmond and tell him to stop saying racist remarks.

She can deal with him if he keeps his mouth shut but if he opens his, she was going to open hers. She wasn't one of those people that easily ignore b.s, Hadessa believes that God gave her a mouth to speak up. But she knows she has to control her anger because she wasn't trying to lose her job because she yelled at a patient's parent.

She knows what Mr. Redmond was trying to do and wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear him. She was going to keep her head up and ignore him unless it was absolutely necessary that she has to speak to him.

"What's troubling you child?"

Hadessa was starting to feel guilty for waking up the old man at such a late hour. He did tell her to come over whenever something was bothering her but seeing the bags in his eyes makes her think that she should have waited till Sunday.

She can only wipe more tears as the words slowly form in her throat, "how do you love like Christ even when it's hard?"

The Pastor gives her a gentle smile, "I'm assuming it's not a lover but a difficult patient?"

She nods, "my patient's father...he's racist".

Pastor Emmanuel hands her another tissue, "Matthew chapter 5 verse 46 says that 'It is easy to love those who love you but what reward you get out of that?' Jesus didn't die on the cross for only the people who believed that he was the son of God. He died for his enemies, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, buddhists-for every person on this Earth, knowing that a lot of them won't ever come to believe in him. Ephesians 4:32 says, 'be kind and compassionate to one another, forgive each other just as in Christ God forgave you'. My child, do not hate that man just because he hates you. Storing hate in your heart is deadly and makes you do crazy things. Pray about it to God and ask for the will to forgive that man".

Hadessa takes a deep breath as she stands up, "ok thank you, Pastor".

He smiles, "of course my dear, and please come by to the house. Elizabeth misses you greatly".

The young doctor smiles back as she picks up her purse, "I miss her too. Tell her I'll come over for dinner on Sunday".

Just as she pushes open the door the Pastor calls out to her.

"And Hadessa? Remember that everyone that comes into your life God has a reason for being there".

The woman frowns, "Your telling me that God brought a racist into my life? For what reason?"

The old man can only smile at her gently, "you have to figure that out, Daughter".

What would you do if you were her?

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