“You’re right, Bea,” Sasha conceded with a sigh. “We got grudges against the man. We shouldn’t risk God’s wrath by pretending we don’t by asking God for something on his behalf.”
It took the ambulance almost five minutes to reach Crossing Over Sanctuary During that time, Sister Betty waited and prayed while she coddled Freddie’s head in her arms. His skin felt clammy but not ice cold. There was a grayish pallor to his skin and lips, while a bluish hue circled his closed eyes.
Bea and Sasha, along with many of the other onlookers, quickly parted like the Red Sea as soon as the EMT unit dashed into the fellowship hall. With the exception of the EMTs asking questions and barking orders, everyone was quiet.
As long as Sister Betty had lived in Pelzer, she’d never been inside its Anderson General Hospital’s emergency room. Nor had she ever sat waiting for as long as she’d done so far today.
She was met with disappointment each time someone with a stethoscope and a white jacket appeared and she thought, erroneously, that they had news about Freddie. She began squirming in her seat, as though there were a fire lit under her.
Shifting her Bible about in her lap, she suddenly remembered one of the occasions that’d brought her to that hospital. It was several years ago, when her longtime best friend and neighbor, Ma Cile Acker, passed away. She was godmother to Chandler, one of Ma Cile’s grandchildren, whom they called June Bug when he was a child. The bad news had come within minutes. As sad as the memory was, she suddenly stopped squirming. Maybe this is a good sign, she thought as she squeezed Leotis’s hand. If God had decided to take Freddie, surely the doctor would’ve come out and said something by now.
Now deep in thought, Sister Betty jumped when she suddenly felt Leotis patting her hand with one of his. He used his other hand to cradle her shoulders, pulling her closer to his chest. From the moment they’d left the church, he hadn’t left her side.
“God’s got this,” Leotis whispered. “He didn’t bring you and Trustee Noel this far to leave you two.” He gently squeezed Sister Betty’s shoulders, his way of putting finality to what he’d just said.
“I came as soon as I heard.”
Both Leotis and Sister Betty looked up and discovered Sharvon standing before them. Leotis’s double take didn’t go unnoticed.
The hive of activity took a backseat once Sharvon had entered the room. Everyone, including medical staff, gave her an appreciative look. Her make-up was flawless. She had her long brown hair pulled back into a stylish French pleat. Her size four figure, covered by a chic dark green two-piece suit and a white blouse, looked amazing. The only thing missing from Sharvon was a stethoscope about her neck or a fashion photographer taking pictures. She looked like a cross between a doctor called in for a consultation and a runway model.
Leotis unraveled his arms from around Sister Betty’s shoulders and stood. “Please have a seat,” he told Sharvon. “I didn’t mean that you should drop everything when I called.” He lowered his voice, saying, “I’ve been trying to reach out to you for several days, and I’m glad you took my call this time. I’m sorry for the nine-one-one text, but I just wanted you to know what was happening with Sister Betty.”
Sister Betty hadn’t given Sharvon a second thought from the moment Freddie collapsed. Yet she was glad Leotis had had the presence of mind to call the only family she had in Pelzer. “Thank you for coming, Sharvon,” she said softly as Sharvon stood over her. “Right now I’m a mess and don’t know if I’m coming or going.”
Sharvon accepted Leotis’s offer of his seat. Placing Sister Betty’s hand in hers, she looked her older second cousin directly in the eye. “Listen, Cousin Betty, if I were in Freddie’s condition and aware of my situation, I would not worry one bit. You have such an amazing connection to God. . . .”
Leotis hadn’t meant to add anything but did. “Yes, you do have a prayer life unlike many I’ve ever known, and don’t you ever forget it.”
Leotis and Sharvon spent the next few minutes tag teaming Sister Betty. Leotis quoted scriptures, while Sharvon reminded Sister Betty of the strong love she and Freddie shared. Within a short time she calmed down, but within seconds the tears came flowing down her face, ending in a tiny puddle at the base of her throat.
Before Leotis rode to the hospital in the ambulance with Sister Betty, he’d turned the morning service over to one of the visiting preachers. He was a bright young man, an up-and-coming preacher with a renowned prophetic gift, named Elder Lamar L. Moore. He was a member of Brooklyn, New York’s St. Paul’s Tabernacle City of Lights Ministry, as well as a good friend of Leotis’s. Moments ago Elder Lamar had arrived at the hospital with about twenty members from Crossing Over Sanctuary. He told Leotis that the Lord had laid it upon his heart to give a very short, fifteen-minute sermonette. He had obeyed and then had dismissed the church to allow all who wanted to go to the hospital to see about Trustee Noel to do so.
As though he’d read Sister Betty’s mind, he treaded where the others had feared to go. “Hopefully, whatever the problem with the trustee is this time,” Elder Lamar calmly told Sister Betty as he smiled, “I don’t believe it will affect his ability to walk down that aisle. I, for one, was so pleased to receive an invite and can’t wait to get back here for your wedding.” He turned in time to witness the others from the church, including Sister Betty, nodding in agreement.
Leotis rose, walked toward Elder Lamar, and tapped him on his shoulder before leading him aside. “Thank you for that. I don’t know why I’d forgotten that the trustee’s health issues have led to the postponement of their first wedding date.” He leaned in farther toward the elder, out of earshot of the others, before adding, “I’m not certain how long I’ll be here with Sister Betty at the hospital. I don’t want your trip here to be in vain. Please do me a favor.”
“Certainly. What is it?”
“Preach your scheduled sermon. If you need any help with tonight’s revival, I’m certain the deacons’ board will be right there to assist.”
“Of course I will.” In the same quiet manner as he’d arrived, Elder Lamar turned and led those who’d accompanied him out of the waiting room and back to the church.
Sister Betty sat surrounded by several of the church prayer team members. They remained with her while Leotis and Sharvon, who’d also grown impatient, left to see if there was any further word on Freddie’s condition. They soon returned with a doctor, but it wasn’t one of those who’d seen Freddie when they first arrived.
While the others remained seated, Sister Betty rose to meet them.
“Miss Becton,” the doctor began, “under normal circumstances I would not be able to discuss Mr. Noel’s condition with you, because you’re not a family member.”
Sister Betty clutched her Bible to her chest. Her eyes darted about, almost pleading, as she replied, “But I will be soon.” Pulling her Bible away from her chest, she extended it as though she wanted the doctor to swear upon it. “I’ve got to know. . . .”
“Please calm down, Miss Becton.” The doctor stopped and pointed at Sharvon. “Your attorney has provided me with a duplicate legal power of attorney, such as the one that was among Mr. Noel’s personal property when he arrived. The hospital is well aware that Mr. Noel has no living relatives.”
Sister Betty, stunned, gave Sharvon a questioning look. When had she and Freddie drawn up such a document? She was happy they had, but why was it a secret? She didn’t have time to dwell upon that. It was what it was.
The doctor was short and very thin and spoke with a noticeable facial tick that, after every few words, made him appear to smile. Dr. Lee Y. Chang was the name on his ID plate. “As I was saying,” the doctor continued, “Mr. Noel is resting comfortably. We gave him several tests. Two returned with signs of perhaps old rib injuries. There’s bruising that appears to support it. Other than that, none showed any trauma from his fall earlier today and were inconclusive as to its cause. There are other concerns that need addressing by his primary care pro
vider. We’ve faxed over a report with that information.”
Sister Betty took a few steps forward until she was almost nose to nose with the doctor. “Old rib injuries and bruising. I’m not quite sure what to make of it. What does all that mean?” She remained rooted in place, although he’d moved a few steps back. “Is my Freddie gonna be able to come home, or are you keeping him?”
“He’s getting dressed as we speak. However, I’m not prepared to say this won’t happen again, because we still don’t know everything. He’ll need further testing, and perhaps his medication may need adjusting.”
“Further testing,” Sharvon echoed. She was about to say more, but the look upon Leotis’s face stopped her cold. Had he read the same thing in the doctor’s voice as she had?
“I would suggest, since he lives alone, that you speak to our social services department. It’s good that Mr. Noel is financially able to afford what many of our patients cannot. They can recommend or help you find a home attendant. For the time being, he’ll need one who is able to spend at least six to eight hours a day with him.”
“He won’t need social services,” Sister Betty said sharply. “I can take good care of him.” She turned and pointed to Leotis and Sharvon. “My cousin Sharvon is staying with me. I can depend on her for help if I need it.” Sister Betty then pointed at Leotis. “My pastor lives two doors away. I know without a shadow of a doubt, he’ll be available to me and Freddie. He always has.”
Both Sharvon and Leotis nodded, confirming what Sister Betty had said.
The doctor withdrew a small pad from his breast pocket. “That’s good to know.” He then began writing something on the pad. “This is a prescription that should for the moment help with his high blood pressure. As I said before, some other meds may need adjusting, but I don’t want to do that. Let his private doctor render a more complete diagnosis and make a final decision.”
Sister Betty’s face fell. “High blood pressure.” She looked at Leotis and several others standing about. “A moment ago when you were rattling off a bunch of things, but I didn’t hear you say nothing before about any high blood pressure.”
“Well, it was very high when he arrived,” the doctor said calmly. “I’m just taking precautionary measures until his doctor can get to the root of today’s episode.”
The doctor pivoted toward Leotis and extended his hand. “It was good seeing you again, Leotis. It’s been quite some time since I’ve visited your medical care center at the Promised Land complex on an oncology or geriatric visit. I hope we can get together and return to the community outreach the ideas we’ve shared in the past. I also hope it will be under different circumstances.”
“Of course, Lee,” Leotis replied. “Anytime Crossing Over Sanctuary can be of assistance, you know we will.”
As the doctor walked away, Sister Betty gave Leotis a questioning look.
“I already know what you’re thinking,” Leotis told her. “And, yes, I know Doctor Chang. He’s on the Pelzer community outreach board and comes to the Promised Land twice a month to help treat the residents. It’s picked up quite a bit since President Obama’s Health Care Reform Act went into effect.”
Leotis didn’t have a chance to finish explaining. The sound of a familiar purring voice came through the din of the emergency room.
Ima raced through the others, knocking them aside like they were bowling pins. She walked quickly toward Sister Betty with her hands extended. Instead of continuing toward Sister Betty, she turned and shoved her body in between Leotis and Sharvon, still wearing the “almost nothing” neon orange outfit from earlier that day.
“Aunt Sasha only told me a short time ago about Sister Betty’s fiance. I rushed right over. Oh my goodness, I am so sorry.” Ima immediately reached up and tapped Leotis on one of her favorite parts of his anatomy—his muscular bicep. She directed her eyes toward Sharvon as she continued speaking to Leotis. “I should’ve never let you and Sister Betty continue on to service without me,” she said, pursing her lips. “If I’d come to morning service, like you wanted me to, I probably could’ve done something to help.”
“Like what?” Sharvon snapped. She didn’t bother to cover up her annoyance with Ima. “This is a family matter.” Sharvon stopped and pointed toward the others, who’d remained out of earshot. “You can join the others if you intend on staying.”
Ignoring Sharvon’s sharp rebuke, Ima wiggled closer to Leotis. “Reverend Tom, I didn’t know you were family, too.”
Leotis quickly pulled away from Ima. He scanned Sharvon’s and Sister Betty’s faces for help and found nothing but disapproval. He received the same looks from several of his congregation members, too. He prayed for words to say that were stern yet not too harsh. He’d learned in the short time since they’d met that she might have the reputation of being the Devil’s spawn, but Ima was still a soul that needed saving. Without meaning to do so, he hastily glanced down, catching a glimpse of her long, lean legs. The smooth caramel skin on her legs still had a honey glow about it. Her legs looked as though they’d been polished with some type of body butter.
He jerked his head away and sighed. Satan, I rebuke you! He could imagine the Devil laughing at his fleshly state. He shook his head, as though trying to block the Devil’s laugh, and hoped he wasn’t in danger of losing his soul while trying to save hers.
Chapter 7
Just as she said she would, Sister Betty cared for Freddie in her home. When Sharvon wasn’t working a twelve-hour day at her new law firm, she played nursemaid while Sister Betty napped or needed a ride to the church’s food bank. The food bank was started by Sister Betty and Ma Cile years ago, when they’d first come into some extra money. Next to God and Freddie, making sure that others had as much to eat as she had was a priority.
It happened that Leotis had some out-of-town business previously scheduled. He had dropped in only twice since Freddie began staying at Sister Betty’s. Yet he called quite often and ended the calls praying with Sister Betty while Freddie listened in on her speakerphone.
All during that first week of Freddie’s release from Anderson General, church members flooded Sister Betty’s home. Some called ahead, but a lot didn’t.
“Praise be to God,” most would say as they slowly entered. It didn’t go unnoticed to Sister Betty that those who’d been there before went immediately toward her bedroom. “He’s not in my bedroom,” she’d say while redirecting them to one of the spare guest rooms, where Freddie lay, pretending he was asleep. It usually worked because Sister Betty would whisper, “He’s really not up to much company. Y’all know how it is.”
Even Bea and Sasha stopped by to say hello but wouldn’t stay long. “All’s forgiven,” they told her. The only concern they truly had was whether or not Freddie looked well enough to go through with the wedding. They needed to see for themselves since they had no intention of not throwing the reception that’d launch their ill-conceived event-planning business. Of course, like the others, they also wanted to see if he was in the same bedroom as Sister Betty, or just how close her bedroom was to his room. They didn’t want to plan a reception that wouldn’t happen, especially because two old, inexperienced fools did something carnally to cause heart attacks.
On two occasions Ima, dressed in the least amount of clothing legally allowed, came with them. She didn’t stay too long once she learned Leotis wasn’t there. On one of those occasions Sharvon went out of her way by naming a piece of trash she’d tossed into the garbage Ima.
Oddly enough, the only visitors Freddie seemed happy to receive were the other members of the trustees’ board. Although he was a guest in her home, he’d go so far as to have them shut the door so Sister Betty couldn’t overhear what they discussed. “Just some old boring trustees’ board nonsense,” he’d explain. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. You do too much already.”
“Oh, you’re too much, Freddie,” she replied on one occasion, before saying, “That’s the same excuse you give me when you won’
t let me go to those doctor visits with you. You’ve gone twice, and I only have your say-so about what the doctor says.”
“Oh, stop worrying, Honey Bee. I’ve told you that everything is fine. I just need to stop acting like I’m twenty,” he told her. “Trust me. God’s got my full attention.”
Caring for the longtime bachelor didn’t come with any particular rewards, as Sister Betty soon learned. He sometimes resented her fussing over him.
“Honey Bee, please stop. I’m not helpless,” he’d ranted when, on occasion, she’d try to spoon-feed him. One of those times, she’d made a big pot of chicken noodle soup with bits of vegetables and chicken, thick enough to choke any man three times his size.
Often, during the hottest part of the day, she’d tiptoe into the room and quickly tuck the sheets about him as he slept. He would awaken and look like a mummy, with nothing but his head and a remnant of what was once his sprig showing. “Sorry, Freddie,” she’d whisper if she woke him. “I’ve got to make sure you get well.”
He’d somehow quickly free himself from the sheet jail and command, “Then stop trying to kill me with kindness!”
Their usual prayerful atmosphere and playful moods, with such endearing words as “honey” and “Freddie dear,” took a downward turn. The couple who’d planned in a few short months to say “I do” and spend their remaining days together couldn’t spend one or two weeks under the same roof where either gave an inch.
It all came to a head at the end of the second week of Freddie’s stay. He wasn’t supposed to drive unless he got the okay from the doctor, and today’s visit would, hopefully, give him back his freedom.
Sister Betty Says I Do Page 6