The Preacher’s Son

by B. D. Anderson

  She was quickly interrupted by a security guard.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am. The promotion is almost over. No more people are allowed to get in the line.”

  “I’m not getting in the line,” Aura said. “I’m just trying to get his attention to let him know I’m here.”

  “Look,” the security guard said. “A lot of women are here. You can’t go over there.”

  Aura tried to be patient. “Look, I’m his fiancée. I just want to get his attention-”

  “Come on, lady, can’t you come up with a better lie than that? You cannot go over there, and that’s final! If you persist, I will have you removed from the store.”

  Aura stared at the big, burly guard a moment. “Will you just let him know that Aura Vanderleigh is here? Everything will be cleared up—”

  “Look, you need to go on. I’m not telling him anything. Everyone knows that he’s going with Joan Fleming, the model that he’s in the picture with. You need to stop telling your fantasy story and move on.”

  Aura looked at him, trying to contain her anger.

  She turned and walked away, pulling out her cell. She quickly texted Jeremy and told him that she would be in the section with women’s dresses and to meet her there as soon as he could. She snapped the phone shut, turned, and looked back at the table. He was still sitting there, signing photos. She watched from a distance, the guard still eying her.

  Jeremy reached for his phone and opened it. He then looked over in the direction of the women’s department, his eyes scanning the crowd. When his eyes stopped on her, she raised her hand and waved it. He smiled and waved back. She almost laughed at the shocked look on the guard’s face as he watched their interaction.

  Jeremy finished signing pictures and thanked the crowd again. He walked across the store, and a small group of women followed him at a distance.

  “Hey, babe,” he said, grinning. “Why didn’t you come over?”

  “Your bodyguard wouldn’t let me,” she said, nodding toward the security guard.

  Jeremy followed her gaze and laughed, putting his arm around her.

  “Excuse me, Jeremy!” one of the women said, walking over to him.

  “I see you are still greeting customers, and I believe we were here before this woman.”

  Aura looked at Jeremy, wondering what he was going to say.

  “I stopped greeting customers at two. I am now off the clock,” he said, smiling “However, I appreciate all of your support.”

  “Then what do you call this?” the woman snapped, looking back at her friends who were standing by.

  “I call this spending time with my fiancée,” Jeremy replied.

  The woman looked at Jeremy and then at Aura, and the blood drained from her face.

  “You’ve got to be kidding!” she said. “I mean… uh, this is your fiancée?”

  “That’s what I said,” Jeremy replied. “Now if you will excuse me.”

  He pulled Aura by the arm and walked off. Aura looked back at the women who had gathered in a tight group whispering.

  “Jeremy, maybe you should have just signed their picture,” she said. “I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble.”

  “No trouble, babe,” he said. “I just have to change. Wait for me here.”

  He took her back to the offices and sat her down while he disappeared through some double doors.

  Jeremy quickly changed into his own clothes.

  He was surprised to see Michael Foster from the modeling agency as he was about to leave.

  “Glad I was able to catch you, Jeremy,” he said. “Your contract is up for renewal, you know. Chaz is interested in retaining you.”

  “Yeah, I know,” Jeremy said.

  “Look, Chaz is interested in another two-year deal. We need to do some photos of you and Joan. The store is eating up the idea of you two being an item. It’ll be great for promotional purposes.”

  Jeremy looked at him a moment. “What are you asking me? Of course I’ll work with Joan, just like I have in the past. But our relationship is strictly professional, Michael. There’s nothing going on between us.”

  “Yeah, but it could be,” Michael ventured. “Think of the publicity. She’s coming off a great movie deal. We could work this.”

  “I don’t think so, Mike,” Jeremy said. “For one, Joan and I are just friends. Secondly, I’m engaged.”

  “Look,” Michael said, sounding irritated. “You need a contract. Chaz needs an angle. This could work out for both parties.”

  “And of course you’ll get your percentage,” Jeremy said dryly.

  “Just think about it,” Michael said as Jeremy walked away. “And, Jeremy . . .”

  Jeremy turned around and looked at him.

  “Leave your girl at home. It’s bad for business.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Jeremy snapped.

  “I think you know what I mean,” Michael said. “Look, people have their own notions of who looks good together… it’s not fair, but it’s fact. You and your girl… well it’s not what the people want to see. Just think about it, all right? This is your future.”

  Jeremy stared at him a moment, not believing what he was hearing. He turned back around and walked out the door.

  Aura was surprised at the expression Jeremy had on his face when he came back.

  “Let’s go,” he said.

  “What’s wrong?” Aura asked.

  “We’ll talk about it later,” he replied, his voice hard.

  Aura held her peace and was quiet until they reached his apartment.

  She sat down on the sofa. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

  Jeremy told her about the conversation he had with Michael.

  “I met Joan in the store. She let me know that she was willing to have a little fun with you,” Aura said.

  She looked away. She didn’t want to start acting like a jealous girlfriend. She trusted Jeremy, but still. It was hard looking at those posters of him half-naked with another woman and then said woman announcing that she wanted to be with him.

  “You have nothing to worry about, babe,” he said, sitting beside her. “I’m not interested in Joan.”

  “I saw the posters in the store. I mean, you were looking at her like—”

  “Like I wanted to ravish her?” he asked mockingly.

  “Yeah!” she snapped. “Like the two of you are involved or something!”

  Jeremy fell back on the sofa laughing. Aura didn’t think it was funny.

  “Oh, my baby is jealous,” he said, tickling her.

  “Stop it, Jeremy! I’m serious!” Aura said, trying not to laugh.

  He pulled her from her sitting position down on top of him.

  “You’re so hot when you’re jealous,” he teased, caressing her backside.

  “Let me go!” she snapped. She was sorry that she had worn a dress because now it was up around her waist, and he was squeezing and massaging her buttocks.

  “Not until you listen to what I have to say,” he said, kissing her.

  She tried to turn her head, but he held her tightly.

  “This is what I think about when I have to do seductive photos,” he said, squeezing her again. “All this luscious goodness back here.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. I think about your butt,” he said, looking sheepish.

  “You’ve got to be kidding?” she said, laughing.

  Jeremy let her go. “Next time you see me looking all sexy, just know that I have your ample bottom on my mind.”

  Aura could not believe his confession. “What about Joan?”

  “Joan? I told you, we’re just working associates,” he said patiently.

  Aura straightened her clothes and crossed her arms.

  “Are we
going to set the date, or do you want to wait until Chaz is finished with the Joan and Jeremy romance promotion?”

  “Are you kidding?” Jeremy asked. “I could care less about their promotion. I have saved every penny they’ve ever paid me outside of my expenses. I didn’t expect them to employ me forever. The way I see it, they can take me or drop me; it doesn’t make me any difference. Since things are so much better with my parents, I’ll be glad to take my money and go back to South Carolina. Of course I’d want you by my side.”

  “I don’t recall us discussing returning to South Carolina, Jeremy,” she said, standing and walking across the room.

  “It’s just a thought. Anyway, I have other offers besides Chaz. I might not make as much money, but it’ll do. I have my little nest egg saved up.”

  He walked over to her. “Let’s set the date.”

  He pulled out his notebook.

  Aura rolled her eyes when she saw it. “It’ll take at least a year to plan—”

  “No way!” Jeremy protested. “Six months is as long as I’ll wait. In fact, I think three months would be better!”

  “Three months?” Aura shrieked. “I can’t plan a wedding in three months, Jeremy.”

  “Aura, I’m serious!” he said. “You’re smart! You can do it. Work with me here, please. I’m a man dying of blue balls. Six months is much too long!”

  She looked at him, his blue eyes pleading.

  “Jeremy… you are going to be the death of me yet!” she said, kissing him. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  CHAPTER 9

  GRANDMA SPEAKS HER MIND

  Belynda Vanderleigh could not believe that her baby was getting married. She stared at her as she tried on wedding dresses and shook her head in disbelief.

  Aubrey, Aura’s father, acted as if he was taking the whole thing in stride, but Belynda knew that her husband was just as anxious as she was. She could not believe Aura wanted to get married so quickly! Aura and Jeremy had set the date for September 16, and there was so much to do!

  “Aura, have you talked to Jeremy?” her mother asked.

  “Yes, Ma. He won’t be back for another week. When he leaves Florida, he’s stopping off at his parents’ for a couple of days,” she said.

  “Looks like you’re the one doing all the work for this wedding,” her mother replied.

  “I know, Ma,” she said, trying on another dress. “But I don’t mind, really. Jeremy has given me some money to help with the cost.”

  Aura knew that her mother was concerned, but she had everything under control. The church was set, as well as the reception. She wasn’t planning too big of a wedding anyway.

  Aura decided to leave her dress at her mother’s house. They walked in, and she was surprised to see suitcases in the doorway.

  “Who’s visiting?” Aura asked, pushing them to the side.

  “I have no idea,” her mother said. “No one called.”

  “Aubrey!” Aura called out to her brother.

  Her brother stuck his head around the doorway. “What’s up, Aura?”

  “Whose bags are these?” her mother asked.

  “Grandma’s here,” he replied.

  Belynda rolled her eyes, and Aura knew that there would be a problem. Gracie Vanderleigh never called when she came visiting her son. Aura loved her grandmother, but she was very opinionated and somewhat prejudiced. She had not told her about Jeremy.

  Just then Gracie Vanderleigh came through the doorway from the back of the house.

  “About time you two get back,” she said, looking at Aura’s mother.

  “Hi, Grandma,” Aura said, hugging her.

  “Hi, baby,” she said, smiling at her.

  Gracie Vanderleigh was a short woman, not quite five feet. She probably weighed ninety pounds soaking wet. She was a dark woman with narrow eyes, and Aura could hardly remember her ever smiling. She always seemed to have some sort of complaint.

  She looked at Aura’s mother. “Belynda,” she said politely.

  Gracie Vanderleigh had never approved of her son’s choice for a wife. She felt that she was too uppity, too yellow. Yellow women were always uppity, thinking that they were better than others. The fact that she attended Howard University didn’t help. After all, Howard was full of uppity, yellow, educated women. When Aubrey had received a full scholarship there, she had hoped that he would be attracted to a darker woman.

  “My baby’s getting married. I can hardly believe it. Come here and tell Grandma about the lucky man. Where did you meet him? Is he coming over?”

  “Hold up, Grandma!” Aura said, laughing. She watched as her mother walked past them with her dress and left her to entertain her difficult grandmother.

  “He’s a model, and he’s in Florida right now.”

  “A model, you say!” she exclaimed “He must be handsome. I hope he’s a dark-chocolate man. I love dark-chocolate men,” she said, winking.

  Aura laughed. “Not exactly.”

  “What does he model? Is he on television commercials?”

  “He’s done a few. He works for Chaz, Grandma. You know, the clothes and colognes and stuff we’ve seen in Macy’s. Remember we went shopping there last Christmas and you liked their sweaters when we were shopping for Daddy?”

  “Yes, I remember. They had a whole section in the men’s department. All their clothes have that little leaf emblem on them.”

  “Yes, that’s right,” Aura said.

  Her grandmother looked thoughtful. “Chaz is in Macy’s and Penney’s. I’ve seen some of the models displayed on posters in the stores, but I don’t remember any black models.”

  Aura didn’t respond immediately.

  “Oh well… they always shortchange the black man,” Gracie said, not noticing Aura’s sudden silence. “So, show me some picture of your handsome young man.”

  Aura looked at her grandmother and for a moment dreaded telling her the truth. She then drew herself up. What did she have to be ashamed of? She loved Jeremy. Her grandmother would just have to get over it!

  “He’s in Vogue this month, Grandma,” she said, walking over to the magazines her mother had on the table. She picked it up and began flipping through it.

  “Really?” her grandmother said. “I thought I looked at this month’s issue.”

  Aura didn’t reply as she flipped through it. She came to the ad where Jeremy was lounging on the bed in underwear. Maybe she wouldn’t show her that one. She flipped some more until she came to the one of him lounging with Joan between his legs. Okay, she’d go for the underwear photo. She opened the magazine and handed it to her grandmother.

  She looked at the picture. “What is this, honey?”

  “My fiancé,” Aura replied.

  Her grandmother started laughing. “You’re pulling my leg. Come on now. Show me for real.”

  “I’m telling you the truth, Grandma. Jeremy is my fiancé.”

  She looked at the picture and back at Aura. “This gay-looking white man? You’ve got to be kidding, child!”

  Aura snatched the book from her. “He is not gay; I can guarantee you that, Grandma!”

  “Well then he’s bisexual. Come on, Aura! A white man? Haven’t they done enough to our people? Haven’t they diluted us, watered us down from black to yellow! Now you want to marry one? What’s wrong with you? Aren’t black men good enough for you?”

  “I love him, Grandma, and he loves me,” she said.

  “As soon as you two have a fight, he’ll be calling you nigger. I’ll guarantee that!” she snapped. “Where’s he from? Here in New York?”

  “South Carolina,” she whispered, knowing that fact alone would send her grandmother into a fit.

  “Oh good Lord! Have you lost your mind? South Carolina? Where blacks pick cotton, and whites ride around in pickup trucks with gun racks on the ba
ck, drinking moonshine? Are you sure his name is Jeremy and not Jim Bob?”

  “Grandma, that’s enough!” Aura snapped. “You will watch your mouth! I’m marrying him, and I don’t need your approval to do so.”

  “I’m still your elder, missy. I bet that mother of yours set this one up—”

  “You leave my mother out of this! She had nothing to do with it,” Aura said.

  “I bet. I know she’s from South Carolina herself,” Gracie spat angrily. “I bet it’s no coincidence! This Jeremy’s people were probably her folks’ owners or something. They are probably trying to get all their slaves back on the family plantation.”

  Aura drew herself up. She was tired of her grandmother’s bigotry.

  “Look, Grandma. I think you need to return to Rochester. If you continue to act like this, then you are not invited to the wedding,” she said firmly.

  Her grandmother looked surprised. “You mean to tell me that you would disrespect your poor old grandmother for this white man who probably has a dozen other women anyway? Aura, I thought you had more sense!”

  “I mean it, Grandma. If you don’t change your attitude, you can stay home in Rochester,” Aura said, crossing her arms across her chest.

  “Just wait until your father gets home—”

  “I am an adult, and I will tell him the same thing. Jeremy is a good man. I don’t care that he’s white,” Aura replied, interrupting her grandmother.

  “Lord, those poor babies. All mixed-up, neither black nor white. Tell me you are not pregnant!” Gracie gasped.

  “I am not pregnant, Grandma. But Jeremy and I will have a family one day. Get used to it.”

  Gracie Vanderleigh rolled her eyes. “Well, I want to meet this boy.”

  “Only if you are on good behavior. I mean it, Grandma.”

  Gracie did not reply, and Aura turned and walked out of the room to find her mother. She was glad that Jeremy was not in town right now.

  Jeremy stopped in Myrtle Beach after his photo shoot in Miami, just as he’d promised his mother.

  He was glad that he arrived early enough to get to church on time for the service.