Free The Truth Is the Light by Vanessa Davie Griggs

Perdue.”
    â€œThe Wings of Grace box? What does it have to do with anything?”
    â€œMy mother, bless her sweet heart, was telling me that her friend, Ranny as she calls him, had a Wings of Grace box. Well, of course I thought she was having one of her moments again. But I went to see Ranny, who prefers being called Gramps. And there in his possession, just as my mother had said, was the box.”
    â€œThe same box?” Angela asked.
    â€œNot the exact same box. After Gramps got over the shock that my mother had been right when she’d told him she’d seen that box before, and my going to see him and acknowledging the same thing, we talked. I learned he’d made five of those boxes.”
    â€œFive?” Angela said. “Five is the Hebrew number for grace.”
    â€œYeah,” Johnnie Mae said. “The first box was practice. He told me it was severely flawed so he trashed it. The second box was much better, but he believed he could still improve upon the etched wings. He did, and ended up making three boxes for Sarah and her mother. He decided to keep that first good box and put his odds and ends in it, not realizing the sentimental value the box would take on later in his aging years.”
    â€œSo what happened to him? Where has he been, did he tell you? My great-grandmother thought a lot of him. I could see that much in the bits and pieces she penned about him in that journal she wrote. They were really close friends at one time for sure.”
    â€œYes, he did tell me. Tears streamed down his face after I mentioned Pearl’s name. Then I told him Pearl’s great-granddaughter was also living here in Birmingham. I really believe it would mean a lot to him if he could see and talk to you.”
    â€œMean the world to him? It would mean the world to me. To meet someone who knew Great-granny when she was young, absolutely it would. How old is he now?”
    â€œHe’s ninety-nine. But let me tell you, he doesn’t look it at all . He looks a lot younger than someone turning one hundred in a few weeks. I don’t know what he does, but whatever he’s doing, he needs to package it and sell it. He would be rich! Ransom Perdue gets around very well. His mind is sharp.” Johnnie Mae’s call-waiting feature beeped. She looked at the phone display. “Angel, this is Lena. Let me call you back.”
    â€œOkay,” Angela said, then clicked off.
    â€œHello,” Johnnie Mae said. She didn’t want to assume it was Lena, just in case it was someone other than she who was calling from that number.
    â€œJohnnie Mae?”
    â€œYes, this is Johnnie Mae.”
    â€œThis is Lena Jordan. I just got your message. It’s so good to hear from you. Richard and I were just talking about you all the other day, wondering how y’all were doing. It’s been ages since last we talked. Although we have been getting those beautiful Christmas cards y’all send every year. You have such a beautiful family.”
    â€œThank you. Yes, it has been about three or four years since the last time we saw each other. I wasn’t sure if this number was still the right number to reach you.”
    â€œOh, yes. It might take a while for me to get back to you, but we’re still kicking, although not as high here in Atlanta. Look at me,” Lena said with a detectable smile in her voice, “just taking over the conversation. I know you must have called for a reason.”
    â€œLena, something happened today that I need to tell you about. I was at the nursing home visiting with my mother. And while I was there, I met another one of the residents there. A man. He says his name is Ransom Perdue.”
    â€œRansom Perdue? Are you sure about that?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œOur Ransom Perdue? Maybe it’s just someone with the exact same name.”
    â€œI can’t be one hundred percent certain, but I will say that everything fits.