THE PREACHER’S SON
B. D. Anderson
Copyright © 2013 B. D. Anderson.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.
ISBN: 978-1-4834-0528-5 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4834-0530-8 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-4834-0529-2 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013921339
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 11/25/2013
CONTENTS
1 Facing Family
2 Family Confrontation
3 Jeremy and Aura
4 Face-Off with the Reverend
5 Jessica’s Confession
6 The Reverend’s Answered Prayer
7 Apologies and Good-Byes
8 The Unbelieving Public
9 Grandma Speaks Her Mind
10 Repentance and Forgiveness
11 Family Rejection
12 Family Secret
13 Meeting of the Minds
14 Facing Prejudice
15 Aura Takes Action
16 Decisions
17 Graduation and Consummation
18 Angry Grandparents
19 Grandma Nellie Spills the Beans
20 Culture Clash
21 Knocking Heads
22 Family Meeting
23 The Ultimatum
24 Insecurity and Deception
25 Max’s Secret Shame
26 Nadine Confides in Eric
27 Emerson and Olivia
28 Max Moves Forward
29 Olivia Hunt Lays Down the Law
30 Emerson’s Gratitude
About the Author
This book is dedicated to my husband Tyrone and my sons, Chris and Derrick.
I would like to thank my son Derrick for encouraging me to invest in myself and for giving me that final push to follow my lifelong dream of becoming a writer. Special thanks to my friends at Valent Chamber for their encouragement and support.
I’d also like to thank Elizabeth Day at LuLu Publishing for doing an excellent job editing my work. Her input made my story that much better and reminded me that in order to be the best you can be, you must know your limitations and strive for excellence with the tools and resources you have available.
Finally…
This story is not a Christian romance, but a romance with an underlying Christian theme. Evangelism is not beating people up with the bible while preaching at them, but meeting people where they are and introducing them to the Savior of the world. As Paul humbled himself (Acts 17:16-34) before people in order to explain to them who the “Unknown God” which they worshipped really was, so is my quest to reveal that same God to others that they may learn of him.
CHAPTER 1
FACING FAMILY
Jeremy Ferguson sat in the pew watching his father, Daniel David Ferguson, deliver yet another Sunday morning sermon. His father had been pastor of First Independent Baptist Church for more than thirty years. The congregation was large, and Jeremy knew his father was well loved. As Jeremy looked around the church, it appeared that not much had changed in the two years since he’d left home in 2007.
Jeremy didn’t come home very often because his modeling career kept him pretty busy. Now, sitting and listening to his father preach, it was nice to be back in the familiar setting. He glanced over at his mother and sisters, who were sitting on the same pew he occupied, their eyes fixed forward. His father had a strict rule about talking during the sermon, so Jeremy knew they weren’t going to give him much more than a smile. He glanced at his watch and mentally noted that the sermon would be over shortly. No, nothing had changed in those two years, not the church and certainly not his father.
Jeremy noted the surprised expression on his mother’s face when she looked up from her hymn book and spotted him as he slid next to her on the pew where she sat. He hadn’t told them that he was coming home for a visit, because he’d wanted to surprise them. Unfortunately, his plane had been late, and he had arrived at church after the service was already underway.
They stood for the benediction, and when the prayer ended, his mother turned to him and gave him a quick hug. She then patted his hand, grinning from ear to ear.
“Jeremy, we are so glad to see you. Why didn’t you call and tell us you were coming?” she said. “I know your father will be pleased that you’ve decided to come home for a visit.”
Jeremy wasn’t so sure about that. He knew his father did not approve of his modeling profession; he had told him so numerous times. The good reverend had expected his son to follow in his footsteps in the ministry. His father had been quite persistent, but Jeremy hadn’t budged from his refusal to do as Reverend Ferguson had requested. Jeremy had often argued with his father, telling him that God was the one who called a person into ministry and not the person’s father. His statement had only irritated the elder Ferguson.
Jeremy now braced himself as he watched his father approaching him after greeting the members who were exiting the sanctuary. Daniel Ferguson was just a little shorter than his son, tall and handsome, his chestnut hair now totally white. He pushed his glasses back on his nose as he approached them.
“Hello, son. Glad you could make it home,” Reverend Ferguson said. “Where are your bags?”
“I stuck them in your office while you were preaching,” Jeremy replied. “I was just about to get them.”
The two of them walked back into the study, and Jeremy quickly retrieved his things, somewhat surprised at his father’s quiet demeanor.
“Glad to be able to come home, Pop,” he said as they walked to his father’s van. He took his bags and placed them in the back. His mother was driving her Honda, as she had come to church early for a meeting. His father had requested that Jeremy ride with him, and Jeremy didn’t feel he could refuse. He was glad, however, that his sisters also chose to ride with him; he knew his father wouldn’t get into a deep conversation with them in the car.
Jeremy didn’t want to fight with his father. He just wanted to enjoy the short time he had with his family before he had to return to New York, but he knew that a storm was brewing. He could feel his father’s stare burning into his back when he had put his things in the van.
“So what’s going on in New York?” Jeremy heard his father ask. He tried to sound casual, but Jeremy knew that his query was anything but that.
“I saw you in Vogue magazine!” Jeremy’s fifteen-year-old sister announced before Jeremy could respond. She was sitting in the seat directly behind him and took the opportunity to poke him in the shoulder with her finger. “You were modeling underwear.”
“What were you doing looking at that?” The anger in his father’s voice caused Jeremy to look up as his father glanced back at his sister through the rearview mirror while pulling into traffic.
&
nbsp; “Daddy, it was only Jeremy!” Jessica replied, rolling her eyes. “Angel had the magazine at school and showed it to me.” She placed her chin on Jeremy’s shoulder. “I told her that you were my brother. All the girls think you’re hot, Jeremy.”
“Oh really?” he asked, amused. “What do you think, Little Bit?” He looked back at his youngest sister, Tara, who was twelve. She was sitting next to her sister, playing a video game.
“Yuck, you’re my brother. You’re not hot!” she said, making a face at him.
Jeremy laughed and reached into the backseat and tickled her.
“It’s not a laughing matter, you stirring up lust in young girls, Jeremy!” his father replied sternly.
Jeremy didn’t comment. He didn’t want to get into this with his father again. He wished now that he’d sat in the backseat with his sisters. The minivan held six people, and there had been plenty of room, but he knew that once the girls got into the back of the van, he’d have to sit up front.
They pulled up in front of the house, and Jeremy quickly got out of the van and retrieved his bag from the back.
“How long will you be staying?” his mother asked as they walked towards the house.
“A few days,” Jeremy replied. “You know I had to come home for Little Bit’s birthday party.” He picked up his sister and spun her around.
“Put me down, Jeremy! I’m not a baby. I’m almost a teenager!” Tara protested, though she was giggling loudly as he spun her around.
“Oooh! Excuse me, Ms. Teenager,” he said, setting her down. Tara smacked his arm and then ran ahead of him into the house.
Jeremy went up to his old room, surprised that his mother hadn’t converted it into a guestroom or sewing room or something. It was as if he’d never left home.
His mother stepped behind him. “The room is yours until you get married,” she said. “You are still a single man. The Bible says that you are still under our authority until you take a wife, you know.”
Jeremy grinned, not wanting to get in a debate with her. He was twenty-eight and now lived in New York—under their authority indeed.
His mother kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll go warm up dinner. You unpack, and I’ll see you downstairs.”
“Okay, Mom,” he said, putting his bags on the bed. He quickly changed from his suit into a pair of khakis and a polo shirt.
After a few minutes, there was a knock on the door, and Jeremy wondered if it was Tara or Jessica. “Come in.”
Jeremy looked up to see his father standing there. He hoped that he wasn’t going to get another sermon. He tried to keep his face stoic as he imagined what his father was about to say to him.
“I’m worried about you, son,” his father began. It was clear to Jeremy that he was choosing his words carefully.
“I’m fine, Pop,” Jeremy replied, trying to reassure him, but he knew where this conversation was headed.
“I know what goes on with models in New York,” his father continued. “A lot of them are gay or live wild lifestyles. Drugs are everywhere. I pray every night that you won’t get caught up in any of that stuff. You know I never approved of this modeling thing to begin with. When you came back home for a while two years ago, I had hoped you would give it up. You are flirting with sin.”
Jeremy started to protest, but his father held up a hand to silence him. Jeremy tried to hold his temper in check.
“I do stand on the word of God for you. ‘Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it.’ I quote that in my prayer for you nightly,” his father said, shaking his head.
“Well thanks, Pop,” Jeremy said, letting out a deep breath and sitting on the bed. “But you don’t have to worry about any of that.”
“Have you been approached by other men, son?” his father asked, sitting beside him, looking worried.
Jeremy tried not to raise his voice when he responded in the negative. His father was way too homophobic.
“The ministry is growing by leaps and bounds, Jeremy! I want to have another service in the afternoon for young folks—you know, a nontraditional service where they can come as they are and sing the Christian songs they like. You would be a great addition to the staff—”
“Pop, I’m not a minister,” Jeremy said firmly.
“Son, you need to leave that den of sin in New York before they pull you in. There are countless numbers of men there taking advantage of other men!”
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is whether or not I am attracted to men. That’s really what you want to know, isn’t it?” Jeremy snapped. He got up, left his room, and went downstairs.
Jeremy knew that he shouldn’t have just walked off, but he was tired of this. His father could be a trip sometimes. He walked into the dining room and looked at the food on the table.
“Something sure smells good,” he said, sitting down.
“Oh, it’s just pork chops and mashed potatoes and broccoli and homemade rolls,” his mother said, smiling. “Just a little something I threw together.”
“Yeah, right,” Tara said, rolling her eyes. “She knows it’s your favorite, and she fixed it because she had hoped you were coming home for my birthday!”
“Well I can see that I made a good decision to come home today,” Jeremy replied, smacking his lips.
“Can you eat this stuff?” his mother asked. “I mean, I heard that models have to watch what they eat.”
“I do,” Jeremy said. “But it’s not like I eat like this every day.”
Reverend Ferguson walked into the room and looked around. “Everyone ready to eat?” He looked at his oldest daughter. “Jessica, say the blessing,” he instructed as he sat down at the table.
Jessica smiled and grabbed Jeremy’s hand. After everyone was holding hands, she began to pray. “Lord, thank you for this food and thank you for bringing my brother back home to visit us. Oh, and thank you for Mom and Dad and Tara. Amen.”
“Amen,” they said in unison.
“Well, I do have a surprise for all of you,” Jeremy said, smiling, looking around the table.
“What? Tell us!” his mother said, leaning forward.
“Well, you know, Pop,” he said, looking at his father directly, “I’m going to put your mind at ease because I’ve invited a young lady over for dinner.”
“What? What are you talking about?” his mother asked, surprised.
“Pop wanted to know if men were hitting on me in New York,” Jeremy said dryly. “I’ve asked a young lady that I want you to meet over for dinner. I will finally be able to put Pop’s mind at ease since he thinks that I have gay men hitting on me.”
“Jeremy!” his father snapped. “We’re at dinner, and we do not discuss such things at the table.”
“Oh, you don’t want to know if I’m gay or not?” Jeremy asked, smiling innocently.
“Jeremy Alexander Ferguson, you will watch your mouth,” his father snapped.
“Son, what is this all about?” his mother asked. “Who is coming?”
“My girlfriend, Aura. We traveled here together, and now I want you to meet her. She dropped me off at the church, and I sent her back to the hotel until I called her.”
Jeremy’s father put down his fork. “Why didn’t she attend the service with you?”
“I wanted to tell you about her first. I didn’t want to just show up with her at church. And before you ask, Pop, yes she is a Christian. I texted her after we left church. She should be here any minute.”
Just then the doorbell rang, and Jeremy quickly wiped his mouth.
“Oh, that must be her now,” Jeremy said, jumping up and walking to the front door. He opened it and found Aura staring back at him, looking nervous. He gave her a reassuring smile and put his arm around her as he shut the door.
“You ready?” He asked smilin
g at her.
“I guess” she responded nervously.
Jeremy felt his heart beating fast as he walked back towards the dining room. He noticed his father looking at his mother and then at him as he approached them.
“Everyone, this is Aura,” Jeremy announced proudly with his arm around her, pulling her closer as he stood before his family.
No one said anything at first, trying to recover from their initial shock. There was a long pause as they stared at the young lady standing beside Jeremy.
Jeremy held his breath as he watched his father’s eyes roam over Aura. He instinctively knew that his family didn’t approve of her and he knew the reason why. Aura was a dark-skinned black girl with short hair that she wore in tiny twists and Jeremy knew that she was far from being the type of girl that his family, especially his father expected him to bring home. After all, this was South Carolina and he knew that interracial relationships were still not accepted by a lot of people in this conservative state. He looked from his father to his mother waiting for a response.
“Hello, Aura,” his mother said as she broke the silence that filled the room.
“Hi,” Aura responded, smiling nervously under their stares.
Jeremy looked at his father, who was still staring and not saying anything. Aura extended her hand to Daniel Ferguson.
“I’m Aura Vanderleigh,” she said, still smiling.
“Hello, Ms. Vanderleigh” Jeremy’s father said finally, taking her hand, shaking it quickly, and then wiping it on the side of his shirt.
Jeremy did not miss this gesture and rolled his eyes. He could just imagine the thoughts that were going through his father’s head.
“Won’t you sit down?” his mother said, pointing to a chair.
“These are my sisters, Tara and Jessica,” Jeremy said as he held the chair for Aura.
Aura smiled and exchanged greetings with his sisters while Jeremy looked at his father, who was still staring at Aura as if she were some sort of alien.
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