Walking into his mother’s house Roy was welcomed by the unpleasant sight of his ex-wife.

Roy: (Angrily) Why are you here Stacy?

Stacy: (Perplexed look) What do you mean Roy?

Roy frustrated at this point begins to pace back and forth.

Roy: What I mean is leave! I don’t want to see you ever again. I made that clear to you last time we talked.

Stacy: (feeling aggravated) Last time we talked was 2 years ago, and…

Roy: and ever again doesn’t mean I see you at my mother’s house in 2 years.

Just then Ms. Grace walks into the commotion.

Ms. Grace: (fed up) Roy! Stop it Stacey is my guest I invited her here after running into her at Acme the other day

Roy: (Looking troubled) Mother you have no right.

Ms. Grace: no right to what? Boy this is my house I have the right to do whatever I want. If you have a problem with that you can remove yourself from my home.

Taking a deep breath Roy sits down.

Roy: I’m sorry Mom. It’s just…

Ms. Grace interrupting Roy

Ms. Grace: It’s just nothing! Whatever issues or problems you too was, or still having is between you two. Doesn’t mean I can’t sustain a relationship with this young lady.

Stacy feeling awkward and out of place.

Stacy: If it’s a problem I can leave Ms. Grace.

Ms. Grace: (Being reassuring) Nonsense dear, you are welcomed in my home.

Just in that moment the cooking timer Buzz

Ms. Grace: Oh good the cookies are done.

Ms. Grace rush out the room to the kitchen.

Roy: (In a very low tone) I don’t know what type of spell you put on my mother, but you need to stop.

Stacy:( Starting to get annoyed again) Oh my god Roy, it was two years ago. Can you forgive and move on?

Roy: (Looking perplexed) forgive who? You?

Stacy: yes.

Roy:(Light Chuckle) You must be on drugs woman.

Stacy: (Yells) Really Roy?

Roy begins to shouting back

Roy: Yeah really! I don’t know if you know or not but I have feelings…

Stacy: What is that supposed to mean?

Roy: If you would stop interrupting me I can explain.

Stacy: Go ahead.

Roy: You cheated on me with someone I considered to be a brother in our house, in our bed…

Stacy: (Interrupting Roy) And I’m sorry it was a moment of weakness.

Roy: (Getting agitated) Don’t give me that Stacy!

Stacy: (Shouting at Roy) You was hardly home Roy! And I got lonely.

Roy: (Getting agitated once again) Are you serious right now? I was out building a life for you, and the kids we was planning to have. Working hard so that you didn’t have to. But all that money I made went to paying for the lawyer for the divorce.

Just then Ms. Grace walks in with a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies

Ms. Grace: Roy.

Roy: (Calming down) Yes Mom?

Ms. Grace sat the plate of cookies on the table.

Ms. Grace: I loved your father into the day he died, and right now as we speak. Hard working man he was, 10 hours a day for me you and your brothers.

Roy: I know Mom that’s the same thing I was doing for Stacy.

Ms. Grace: Yes Roy you worked hard long hours, but you didn’t make time for her.

Roy: (Feeling confused) What do you mean? I…

Ms. Grace: (Interrupting Roy) you focused on how tired and beat you was too much, and less on her. Now I’m not justifying her going outside of your marriage. She could have had a little more self-control. But you could have loved her more.

Roy: I did Mom…

Ms. Grace: With your actions and not just your words. Love is more than saying I love you it’s saying I love you then putting action behind your words. For example, God said He loved us then He showed that love by sending His Son to die for our sins. Now if God can do that for the ungrateful humans we are. Then you can forgive Stacey as I forgave her for hurting my son.

Roy: (Feeling ashamed) Mom that’s so hard to do. I really loved her and she tore my heart into millions of pieces.

Ms. Grace: (In a understanding tone) it’s not easy, but it’s necessary. When the last time y’all prayed?

Roy:(Scratching his head) I don’t remember the last time.

Stacy: (Feeling ashamed) Ms. Grace it’s been too long. I think a year into our marriage I started to stop.

Ms. Grace: (Shaking her head) In that case that is when your marriage failed when y’all took God out and tried to do it on your own. I didn’t mention your father and I prayed every morning before he left for work, every afternoon when he came home, and every night before we went to bed. Sometimes only 5 minutes at a time but we prayed. And even after he retired we continue to do the same thing. A marriage can’t survive without God in the center of it, and that is both your faults. Roy you were so focused on making money that you forgot about the blessing God had already gave to you. Stacy you allowed your flesh, your Lust, your loneliness to make the mistake of giving yourself to another man that was not your husband.

Tears start to form in Stacy’s eyes

Ms. Grace: sweetie no need to cry, we are just human and fall short of the glory of God all the time. Even to this day I fall short and I’ve been serving the Lord for 42 years, and counting God willing. Both of you got to learn to let go of this and give it to God. So you two can stop feeling the pain of something that happened in the past. Today is a new day that the Lord had made, let go of the past so you can grab a hold of what God has for you in your present. Now both of you grab my hands.

Roy: (Looking confused) Mom?

Ms. Grace: (With a stern voice) Roy! Grab your mother’s hand

Both Roy and Stacy grab Ms. Grace hand.

Ms. Grace: now grab each other’s hands

Roy/Stacy: I don’t think…

They stopped looked at each other and grabbed hands.

Ms. Grace: Now bow your heads and close your eyes as we go before the Lord in prayer. Oh Lord we come to you on this day to ask for your Holy Spirit to take control between these two young people today. Oh Father I pray for a spirit of forgiveness to fall upon them both that they can grow past the situation at hand. Open their hearts and Minds to your perfect love that they can show that love to one another even in the midst of this situation. Oh Lord I pray that you will bring them back to You, and teach them how to let go of past pains. Oh Father I pray that the peace and joy of your love will fall upon them like never before. I pray for your favor to fall upon them as well in all that they want and need and Father I come to you to give you all the praise the glory and the honor in Jesus name I pray amen.

Roy/Stacy: Amen

Roy: Thanks mom

Stacy: Yeah thanks Ms. Grace.

Ms. Grace: No need to thank me just doing God’s will.

Roy: (Looking at his phone) mom I have to go I’ll talk to you later (Gives his mother a kiss on the cheek) love you.

Ms. Grace: Love you too

Roy: (In a awkward tone) See you Stacy.

Stacy: Bye

Roy leaves out the house. Stacy stands up

Stacy: Well Ms. Grace I’m going to get going I have some errands to run before I head home. Keep in contact though you have my number. (Gives Ms. Grace a hug.)

Ms. Grace: Of course sweetie be safe out there.

Stacy leaves. Ms. Grace turns to the plate of cookies.

Ms. Grace: Now who’s going to eat all these cookies (laughs a little).

2 days later. Stacy phone rings

Stacy: hello, who is this?

Roy: Hey Stacy it’s Roy.

Stacy: (Sounding annoyed) How did you get my number?

Roy: My mother gave it to me

Stacy: What do you want?

Roy: I wanted to say I’m sorry for the way I acted the other day.

Stacy: Oh

Roy: And that I forgive you. Also I’m sorry for not loving you the way you deserve.

Stacy: Roy I…

Roy stops her

Roy: Let me finish, I’m not saying we going to try again or anything but I don’t want it to be awkward between us no more.

Stacy: Thank you Roy I forgive you as well and I’m sorry for hurting you like I did.

Roy: Thank you. Well I got to go I called to say that. Love you and have a blessed day.

Stacy: love you too bye.