Finally, after another unfulfilling night of sex, he knew that it had to stop. He knew in his heart that he could not continue down that path. He had not been raised to behave in such a manner, and he had to admit that it bothered him tremendously. He sat in his apartment staring at the Bible, and with the urging he felt in his heart, he fell to his knees. Even though he was unhappy that his father rejected his choices, the moral lessons that he had been taught had been ingrained in him. He needed peace in his life.
“Lord, I am so unhappy and lonely,” he prayed. “I know that I have not been worshiping as I ought to. I haven’t been going to church. Even though I haven’t done a lot of things that other models are doing, I know that I have sinned in your eyes. Everyone sees my beauty on the outside, but I know you see the ugliness on the inside. Please forgive me. I ask you to lead me to the church you want me to attend and to send me a wife. You know the desires of my heart, so you choose her and send her to me. Help me to witness to others in my profession that they may know you. In Jesus’s name, amen.”
Jeremy got up and felt as if a weight had been lifted. He slept better that night than he had in a long time.
Every day after his prayer, he got up expecting something to happen, something to lead him to the right church. He looked in the newspapers and listened on the radio.
He began mentioning his quest to others. Most of them looked at him as if he was crazy. He attended several churches in the area but never felt like he wanted to join any of them. Finally after six months, he had a breakthrough.
One day, he went to get a forbidden slice of pizza that he’d planned to work off later. He noticed a flyer tacked to the wall advertising Vacation Bible School. He did not recognize the church and pointed to the flyer.
“Where is this church?” he asked the guy behind the counter.
“Oh, that’s my church. I had to pass out flyers, so I stuck one on the bulletin board,” the young man replied as he was filling his order.
“Really?” Jeremy replied, smiling. “I’d like to check it out.”
The young man looked surprised. “Well the flyer was made to attract teens, but we do have adult classes also. You’re welcome to come. It starts tonight at six. We are serving dinner too.”
“I’ll be there,” Jeremy said, taking down the directions.
“I’m Frank,” the young man said, handing him his slice of pizza.
“Jeremy,” he replied, grinning. “I’ll see you there.”
Jeremy caught the R train to Queens and had no trouble finding the church. He tried to contain his excitement as he entered the building, wondering how the evening would turn out. He just had a feeling that he was going to meet the woman God had just for him.
First African Missionary Baptist Church was not a large church; in fact, it only had about two hundred members, and all of them were black. The people welcomed him with open arms and were impressed when he told them that his father was a minister and that he was looking for a church home. He enjoyed the dinner they provided and the fellowship. It just felt right to him. Frank was there and introduced him to the pastor, who was impressed that Jeremy was a model looking for a church home.
At the end of Vacation Bible School that week, he decided to attend Sunday services. Most of the members that he’d met in Vacation Bible School were older adults, but he still felt that he was going to meet the woman that God had just for him. It was youth Sunday, and he spotted Aura on the piano right away.
He thought she had a beautiful smile, but he didn’t want to jump to conclusions. Maybe she was already dating someone or even married. He looked around the church after service but found his eyes being drawn back to the girl that had been playing the piano. Reverend Davis beckoned to him to come to the front of the church after service was over.
“Well how did you enjoy the sermon, Jeremy?” he asked. “Do you think you’ll like it here?”
“I enjoyed it quite a bit, Reverend. I am seriously thinking about making this my church home,” Jeremy replied. “Everyone has been really nice to me.”
“Really? So I can expect to see you next week then?” the pastor asked.
“I can’t. I have a photo shoot in New Hampshire,” Jeremy admitted. “But I’ll be back.”
“All right then, I’ll see you when you return.” He then turned and motioned for the young lady that had played for the youth that day.
Jeremy smiled at her as she walked over to them.
“This is Aura. She is the relief musician for the youth. She plays every fifth Sunday. She also is the secretary of our Sunday School,” Reverend Davis said. “Aura, this is Jeremy Ferguson. He’s thinking about becoming a member here. Since you’re a young adult here, I thought that you could make him feel welcome.”
“Of course, Reverend,” she said, giving Jeremy a shy smile.
The pastor then walked off and greeted other members, leaving them standing there looking at each other.
“Hi,” Aura said shyly. “You live in Queens?”
“No, actually I live in Manhattan. I’m a model,” Jeremy replied, trying not to stare. His heart felt as if it would beat out of his chest. Could she be the one? He wasn’t sure, though he liked what he saw.
Aura gasped. “I knew you looked familiar! Aren’t you the model for Chaz? I’ve seen you in magazines!”
“Yes, that’s me,” Jeremy admitted. “I’m surprised that you recognized me.”
“Your pictures are all over Macy’s, and I shop there regularly,” she replied.
She frowned and quickly grabbed his arm, pulling him aside. “So what’s the angle? Why are you here really?” she said, looking suspicious.
“There’s no angle. I asked the Lord to lead me to a church. I grew up in church. My father is a pastor. I didn’t think I’d miss it, but when you’ve been in church all your life, it becomes a part of you.”
Aura smiled. “I know what you mean. I felt the same way when I was away in college. I couldn’t wait to get away from home and church, but I ended up missing it.”
Jeremy nodded. “I did miss it, but everyone here has made me feel welcome.”
“So did you grow up in a black church?” Aura asked. “What made you come here?”
“No. I just asked the Lord to lead me to a church. Is that a problem?” he asked, walking her out of the sanctuary.
“Of course not. You know, black Baptist churches can be a little loud at times. There’s lots of shouting and clapping and talking back to the preacher during sermons. Just warning you,” she teased.
“At least I’ll be sure to stay awake,” Jeremy responded, laughing.
“That’s for sure,” Aura agreed.
Jeremy did not return to the church for several weeks. He decided to join when he returned, and the pastor had him attend New Members classes each Monday for a month.
Aura was one of the facilitators, and he found himself thinking about her constantly, wondering if she was the one since he was attracted to her. He thought that she was cute and sweet, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she had a boyfriend. She was a curvy girl, and he thought all of the curves were in the right places. He tried not to stare at her, but oftentimes he couldn’t help himself and wasn’t surprised when Frank caught him staring.
“You like that big-boned girl?” Frank teased. “I thought white boys liked skinny girls with big boobs.”
“I don’t like skinny girls,” Jeremy replied, still checking Aura out on the sly.
“You want to get with that?” Frank smirked at him.
“Yeah, I do,” Jeremy admitted. “Is she taken? Do you know her?”
“Yeah, I know Aura,” Frank replied. “But we don’t like each other that way, if that’s what you’re asking me.”
“Oh… then you don’t mind if I try to talk to her?”
Frank slapped him on the back. “Not at all.
Go for it then.”
Jeremy prayed and asked the Lord to show him if Aura was the one. That night, he dreamed that he was planting a rose bush in his mother’s yard, and it bloomed immediately with beautiful yellow roses.
When he returned to class, Aura was wearing a yellow dress that was the same shade as the roses in his dream. He felt that it was more than a coincidence, but he wasn’t sure. He tried not to stare at her in class and concentrate on the lesson. When the classed ended, he found her watching him.
“Is something wrong, Aura?” he asked, glad to have a reason to talk to her.
“I have something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” she ventured shyly. “I know this sounds weird, but uh… do you have a girlfriend?”
His heart skipped a beat. “No, why?”
She laughed nervously, not meeting his stare. “Oh… nothing. Forget it.”
She started to turn away, but he gently grabbed her shoulders, turning her back around. “No, don’t do that. Ask me whatever you wanted to ask me,” Jeremy insisted.
She looked at the floor. “It’s silly really. I just had this dream… I mean, actually I’ve had it three nights in a row.”
“What was it about?”
She laughed nervously again. “Look, it probably was something I ate. I just dreamed… I mean, that you know… it’s silly really. That you and I… uh, we went out.”
She grabbed her bag. “Don’t laugh. I mean, it was just a dream. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Jeremy took her hand, and she looked up at him. “It means something to me, Aura. I’ve been praying and asking God if you are the one for me. You’ve just answered that question. I’ve wanted to talk to you… to ask you out since the day we met.”
She looked at him, her eyes big. She swallowed hard. “I’ve been praying too. I’ve been asking God what the dream means. It’s just hard to believe that you would be attracted to me.”
“Why is that?” he asked.
“I guess I never thought someone like you would be interested in someone like me.”
“Why? Because you’re black, and I’m white?”
“Well that, and I’m not exactly the type of girl who attracts good-looking guys, especially not a big-time model like you. I’m a big girl, and I don’t kid myself. I know I’m no beauty. I mean… you could go out with anybody. You look so perfect in the photos, you don’t look real. Even when I look at you now, I’m amazed. I know it may sound corny, but you’re beautiful.” She looked away, embarrassed at her own words.
He squeezed her hand that he was holding, causing her to look up at him. “I’m still just a flesh and blood man. I am not perfect, Aura. I have flaws. I know what I like in a woman, and I like what I see. You’re beautiful also.”
“Really? I thought… I mean… that you’d like a girl who was tall and thin.”
“Why? Just because I’m a model and I have to live with a regimen doesn’t mean that I want a woman the same as I am. I like the way you look,” he insisted, his eyes roaming over her, making her blush. “I like the way you’re built.”
“Really?” she asked, still doubtful. She looked up into his eyes.
“Yes, I think you’re a perfect size for me,” he admitted, grinning.
He watched as the look of apprehension on her face turned to pleasure.
“I think we should get to know each other better, don’t you think?” he asked. “We should go out.”
“Okay,” she answered shyly.
The morning after asking Aura to marry him, Jeremy got up and dressed, still thinking about Aura. He decided that he would try to do as she asked and seek to reconcile with his father.
He did not know why he still sought to win his father’s approval. After all, he was a grown man. He made an honest living. He felt that he was a decent person. He was trying to live the Christian life. He was doing a lot better since Aura had come into his life. Why couldn’t his father just accept him?
He flipped through his lectionary to see what the scripture was for the day. He knew that prayer would be the only thing to keep him from losing his temper once he returned to his parents’ home.
CHAPTER 4
FACE-OFF WITH THE REVEREND
Aura got up hoping that Jeremy would be in a better mood than when she had left him the day before. She knew that his parents were upset about Jeremy dating outside his race, and she had been prepared for the worst. She hadn’t been prepared for the hurt she saw in his eyes and knew instinctively that he and his father must have had problems for quite a while.
It still amazed her that Jeremy had eyes only for her. At first, she couldn’t believe that a handsome guy like him could really be attracted to a girl like her. However she had to admit that when they were out together, he only had eyes for her. Women flocked his way when they were together, and they openly flirted with him even in her presence, but he paid them no heed. Aura had been amazed at his unwavering focus.
Jeremy had called her earlier and told her that he was going to the hotel’s gym. He was trying to work off some nervous energy before returning to his parents’ home. She had dealt with some degree of prejudice all her life, either because of her race or because of her size. She knew that this was new for Jeremy, but she hoped that he would get used to the stares and comments from ignorant people since he had decided to be in a relationship with her.
Aura found Jeremy in the hotel’s gym, running on the treadmill. She noticed immediately that a couple of girls, one blonde and one redhead were nearby watching him.
She decided to ride one of the exercise bikes that were several feet behind Jeremy. He had his iPod in his ears, and she was sure that he did not notice her when she came into the gym since the entrance was behind him.
She walked over to one of the exercise bikes and got on. She glanced at the two girls who were still watching Jeremy and whispering to each other. They walked closer to where she was, and Aura could hear what they were saying.
“God he’s sexy,” the blonde girl said to the redhead as she climbed on one of the bikes.
“I wouldn’t mind having me some of that!” the redhead agreed, laughing and getting on the bike next to her friend.
After just a few minutes, the two of them got off the exercise bikes and moved to the treadmills near where Jeremy was running.
Jeremy looked over at the girls when they stopped beside him, gave them a quick wave, and continued his run.
Aura smiled to herself. This was going to be interesting.
Jeremy continued running for another thirty minutes, and the two women kept walking by his machine as he exercised, obviously waiting for him to finish and an opportunity to talk to him.
Finally Jeremy finished on the treadmill and took a moment to wipe the sweat from his face.
“Good workout,” the blonde said, walking over to him. “You look familiar. Are you from around here?” she asked, grinning.
“I grew up here,” Jeremy replied.
“Here in Myrtle Beach?” the redhead asked, twirling her hair.
“Actually I lived in Conway,” Jeremy replied.
“You got a girlfriend?” the redhead asked, not wasting any time.
“Yeah,” Jeremy said. He then walked over to the weights, glancing at Aura, and the girls followed him.
“Well, we won’t tell if you don’t,” the blonde said, giggling. “We can go out for drinks.”
Jeremy smiled. “No thanks. She’s got me pretty whipped,” he said, eying Aura on the exercise bike as he used some hand weights.
“Oh really? Maybe you need a change of pace,” the blonde girl replied saucily.
“Thanks but no thanks,” Jeremy said, turning and walking back to where Aura was. “Hey, babe.”
He leaned over and gave her a kiss. Aura watched as the girls’ mouths dropped open.
Aura smiled at the
m, and then they looked at each other and walked out of the gym.
“You so bad!” Aura said, giggling.
“No, I’m so whipped, remember?” he said.
Aura got off of the bike. “Are you finished? I was going to work out a little longer, but it’s getting late.”
He pulled her into his arms. “I know of a good workout for you.”
“Jeremy, behave,” she said, feeling the hardness of his body against hers. It excited her to feel his arousal pressed against her, and a part of her wanted to give in to what he wanted.
“It’s hard being good,” he whispered in her ear. “How much longer will you make me wait? Let’s get married right now.”
“Jeremy! What about my parents?” she asked, feigning shock. “They would kill me.”
“Then let’s at least set a date. I’m dying here,” he said.
She looked at him. “Is that the only reason you want to marry me?”
“Don’t be silly. I love you. You know that. But I am a man. I can’t help it.”
“I’m worth the wait,” she said, grabbing his hand. “Come on. It’s getting late. You said that you wanted to get to your mom’s early.”
Jeremy didn’t protest. He was quiet on the way up the elevator. He got off when it stopped on his floor. Aura’s room was on the floor above his. He chastised himself for pushing her, but he couldn’t help it. Even now he was having indecent thoughts as he glanced at her heavy breasts that clung to her T-shirt and her shorts that hugged her ample bottom. The T-shirt she wore clung to her frame, revealing taut nipples. It appeared to him that she was unaware of the effect that she was having on him, which made him feel even worse.
“I’ll see you in about an hour,” he said, embarrassed as he felt his arousal. He needed to put some distance between the two of them in order to get himself together.
Aura stopped the door from closing and walked off the elevator. He looked at her surprised as she followed him to his room. He concentrated on the door of his room, trying not to look at her.
The Preacher’s Son Page 4