Heaven Forbid

by Lutishia Lovely

  Sheila watched as Stan said his good-byes and then left. She’d noted that Bryce had left earlier, after the two had a whispered conversation in the corner. When it came to Bryce, even as an ex-husband, Sheila didn’t miss much. She’d always been curious about Stan Lee, the ex-roommate turned mega-minister who Bryce spoke of so highly. What Bryce didn’t know was that one day, when cleaning out some papers in a spare bedroom, she’d run across an old, yellowing letter that Bryce had written but never mailed. It was to Stan Lee and professed a little more love from one man to another than Sheila thought it should. Another time, in the heat of an argument, Bryce admitted to her that there was no way she or anybody else would ever have his heart, that somebody else already had it. Sheila believed she’d just shaken hands with that “somebody else” and wondered if Stan’s wife knew that as much as Stan had her heart, he had somebody else’s as well.

  31

  A Special Someone

  Princess rushed into her dorm room, reaching into her backpack as she did so. She’d been expecting to hear from Carla Chapman and hoped this was the call. They’d played telephone tag for a month now, but Carla had spoken to Tai, and through her, Princess knew that Carla had plans for her book beyond just being a guest on her show. Her mother had said Carla didn’t go into details but did convey how much she’d enjoyed the manuscript Praise Publishing had sent to her.

  “Hello!” Princess plopped down on the bed, not even bothering to check caller ID.

  “Princess Brook, are you sitting down?”

  “Adele?”

  Adele Simms was the head publicist for Praise Publishing. Princess had only talked to her once but had heard great things about how hard she worked to get publicity for her authors. Besides, she had this deep, raspy voice that was easy to recognize.

  “The one and only. I know that Serena will be contacting you shortly, but I wanted to call right away. Do you have an agent?”

  “Uh-uh.”

  “Well, you’re going to need to get one. Earlier today, I spoke with Lavon Chapman, executive producer for Carla’s show.”

  “She’s been trying to get a hold of me! The producers left three messages!”

  “I didn’t know you knew her. Girl, you can’t be holding out with this type of valuable information. Do you know how many books you’ll sell by being on her show?”

  “Hopefully I’m getting ready to find out.”

  “I just hope you know how lucky you are, how most authors would kill to get the kind of publicity you’re about to receive for your debut. Princess, what’s getting ready to happen can set you up in the literary world for years to come. That’s why you need an agent. Because if you work this right, it can turn into a variety of different opportunities: speaking engagements, guest appearances, maybe even your own talk show!”

  Princess’s head was spinning. She really hadn’t thought much beyond writing the book and sharing her testimony. As for speaking engagements, she’d been ministering on and off campus for two years. That would be easy. But television? Her own show? Princess felt a combination of excitement and fear.

  For the next twenty minutes, Princess sat stunned as Adele shared the plans that the producers of Carla’s show had for her. The more Adele talked, the more Princess’s exhilaration and trepidation grew. Shortly after ending the call with Adele, Princess got another call. It was her editor, the woman who’d held her hand and walked her through the writing process, step by painful step.

  “Serena! I just got off the phone with Adele. I can’t believe this!”

  “Well, you’d better start believing it,” Serena said in her soft, calm voice.

  Princess smiled as she calmed down. She’d often joked that Serena had definitely been named correctly. The sky could be falling, and Serena’s demeanor would remain serene, telling everyone as she so often did, “No matter how it looks or feels, God is in control.”

  “We’ve just finished a meeting to discuss these new developments concerning your book.”

  “New developments? Like what?”

  “Like moving the pub date up from September to June. Put your roller skates on, young lady, because you’re getting ready to have a very busy summer.”

  As soon as Princess hung up with Serena, she dialed her mother. “Mama, thank you!”

  “Thank me for what?”

  “For whatever you said to Miss Carla. Mama, I’m not only going to be a guest on her show, but they also want to try me out as a recurring cohost!”

  “What?” My daughter, on television? Tai had talked to Carla but had simply said that she knew about the book and about her daughter’s testimony, and that she was very supportive. After that, the topic had changed to their husbands, and plans to try and get the Brooks to join the Chapmans in Turks and Caicos the following Thanksgiving.

  “You know how Doctor Phil and those other people used to be on Oprah, as a cohost? Well, Carla wants to have one day a week focused solely on young-adult issues, and for that show, they’re wanting a cohost in that age range. And they’re thinking about me!”

  As Tai’s surprise and delight wound down, motherhood kicked in. “What does this mean for your schooling, Princess? You still have a few months left, and this is your hardest year. Are you going to be able to handle school and this book stuff too?”

  “Believe me, Mama. I’m not trying to come back here after this semester. I fully intend to graduate in June.”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I think your working with Carla will be wonderful. I just want you to keep your eye on the prize.”

  “I will, Mama. Most of this stuff will be happening in the summer, after graduation.”

  Tai hesitated before changing the subject. She was very aware of how much Princess had matured in the years she’d been away at school. She also knew how close her daughter was to her grandmother.

  “Mama, you still there?”

  “Yes, honey. But I’ll let you go, okay?” Tai hung up the phone without sharing the burden that was on her heart: Mama Max had moved back to Kansas and was filing for divorce.

  Princess hung up the phone. She called Joni and got her voice mail, and she knew that Sarah was studying with Joel, who was part of the male ministry team. Princess thought about calling Rafael, but his girlfriend was giving him grief about his women friends. Princess knew what it was like to have your man receiving female callers, so even though theirs was a strictly platonic relationship, she’d decided to let Rafael call her if he wanted to talk. She scrolled through her phone book, checked her e-mails, and still was restless. She could always go out and witness; there was always a student or two who would help her do that. Fact of the matter was, however, Princess didn’t feel like doing any of those things. She felt like celebrating, sharing her joy with somebody special, somebody in person. Most of the time, Princess could keep her focus on either study or God. But in this moment, although Jesus was her boo, Princess was desirous of a special someone in her life.

  Princess lay back on the bed, closed her eyes, and whispered softly, “If it is Your will, God, please let me meet someone, a friend, a man who loves You as much as I do. A men.” A face flitted into Princess’s consciousness as she lay there, meditating on God. But she quickly shook away the image. It didn’t matter how much she had once loved Kelvin; he was the last man she needed to be with—now or ever.

  32

  Just Live Your Life

  Life was good for Kelvin Petersen. He’d met a luscious Caribbean sistah at the mall the previous weekend. She was still at his house. Pursuing married Guy Harris had not only left Fawn little time to bother him but had also given him quality time alone with his son. But his real reason for celebration had to do with the phone call he’d just received. It was time to celebrate! Nothing major—there was a full day of practice tomorrow—but a little something to mark the occasion. He got into his car, plugged in his phone, and hit speed dial.

  “My man,” he said as soon as Jakeim answered.

  “Playa, playa. How
you livin’?”

  “You ain’t heard? I’m back in the starting lineup, dog!”

  “Word?”

  “Guy Harris is getting ready to warm the bench, son.”

  “Congratulations, bro.”

  “I’m heading to the club for a little low-key celebration. You down?”

  “I’m there, dog. Hold my spot.”

  Kelvin smiled as he disconnected the call. Finally, all the pieces of life’s puzzle were coming together for him, especially in the female department. He felt he deserved it, after what went down with Princess and the drama he’d endured with Fawn for the past three years. Stephanie was the type of sistah he thought he could hang with for a minute. She was smart, beautiful, confident, and had her own life and her own money. Her father was a diplomat with the Bahamian government, and her mother was a doctor. Baby girl had been raised in the lap of luxury, so she wasn’t chasing the dollar signs. For the first time since dating Princess, he felt he was with a woman who was about the love, not his paycheck. Life couldn’t get much better.

  Kelvin reached into his console and then, on second thought, nixed the idea of lighting a blunt. He was content jamming with the sounds of T.I. and Rhianna and was content with how he planned to live his life from now on—drama free. He joined in, singing at the top of his lungs, banging out the beat on the steering wheel of his cherry-red Ferrari, smoothly swerving in out of traffic on the I-10, cutting through Phoenix on the way to the suburbs and the Myst club, less than fifteen minutes from his house. Kelvin cranked up the music even more and settled into the vibe of his good mood. He was less than five minutes from the club, and when he saw the green light at the intersection, he changed into the straight-ahead lane and increased his speed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something coming at him and only had time to utter one word before the crash: “God!”

  The car came out of nowhere, doing sixty in a forty-five-mile-per-hour zone. The young driver of the other car had been texting on his cell phone and hadn’t seen the red light until it was too late. He tried to swerve but still broadsided Kelvin on the driver’s side. Another car was clipped, spun around, and hit Kelvin from behind, pushing his car another twenty feet. T.I.’s and Rhianna’s voices continued in the otherwise deadly silence, encouraging all who listened to live their lives. The music played on, but Kelvin could no longer hear it….

  33

  We Need to Pray

  Joni’s hands were shaking so much she could barely dial Princess’s number. Had she not been so frantic, she would have remembered that Princess was number three on her speed dial. But the news she’d heard had nearly rid her of the ability to think.

  Princess had barely answered before Joni began talking. “Princess, have you heard what happened? Kelvin’s been in a bad car wreck. It doesn’t look good, Princess. We need to pray.”

  Princess grabbed her throat, trying to dislodge her heart from there. Instant panic set in at Joni’s words. She jumped off the bed, where she’d been studying, and began to pace the floor. When she could finally breathe again and found her voice, Princess’s question was simple: “What happened?”

  Joni filled her in with what she’d heard on the news: After the accident, Kelvin had been airlifted to Maryvale Hospital and was in a coma. “Brandon’s flying out tonight,” Joni finished. “And I’m going to fly down tomorrow. I know there’s been a lot of bad blood between you and Kel, but at one time we were all best buds, and he’s still one of my husband’s best friends. I know it’s a lot to ask, Princess, but—”

  “Book me on the same flight you’re taking,” Princess interrupted. “I’ll call my prayer circle and—wait, Mama’s on the other line. Let me call you back.” Princess clicked her call-waiting button. “Mama, I just heard…”

  “Oh, Lord, I was hoping to reach you before you heard it on television.”

  “I just got off the phone with Joni. That’s how I found out. How’s Uncle Derrick doing?”

  Tai paused as she thought about the conversation she’d just had with her best friend, Vivian Montgomery. Vivian was concerned about her husband, Kelvin’s biological father. Even though Kelvin was sixteen when Derrick found out he existed, they’d created a strong father/son bond since then. He’d taken the news hard and had canceled a trip to South Africa to fly to his son’s side. Tai relayed this information to Princess and could hear her daughter sniffling in the background. “What about you, baby? I know you still have feelings for Kelvin. One always does, for their first love.”

  “I’m flying to Phoenix tomorrow, Mama. Me and Joni.”

  “Are you sure that’s wise, Princess? We’re all concerned for Kelvin’s well-being. In fact, your father and I will be there in a few days to pray for Kelvin and to be there for Viv and Derrick. Maybe you should wait until then to come visit.” Tai didn’t know what would be worse for Princess—if Kelvin lived and they rekindled their tragic romance, or if he died, leaving Princess with a lifetime of what-ifs.

  “I already told Joni to book my ticket. I know Brandon needs her and she needs me. I’m going to be there for her…and for Kelvin.”

  Tai couldn’t argue with her daughter. That rationale was exactly why she was dropping everything to be by her best friend’s side. “Well, keep me posted, baby. I’ll also e-mail you our travel plans as soon as they’re confirmed.”

  They talked a little bit more, and then Princess’s phone started blowing up with one call after another—all fellow students or friends who knew of her and Kelvin’s shared past. She talked to a couple and then put her phone on vibrate so she could process the roiling emotions that were running through her. A part of her despised Kelvin and the things that had happened while being with him. But her mother was right: Another part of her still loved him. She was about to get on her knees to pray in earnest when her phone vibrated. It was Rafael.

  “Yeah, I know about it,” Princess sighed into the phone. The tears that had threatened to erupt since Joni’s call now ran down her face. The familiarity and comfort she found in hearing from this old friend finally gave her the space to cry out loud. “I’m scared, Rafael.”

  “Don’t cry, baby girl. It’s gonna be all right. It’s messed up, though. I can’t lie about that. I don’t know why these fools keep trying to text and drive at the same time. If they’re making it a law not to talk on your phone while driving, how does one then think they can type while behind the wheel?”

  “I don’t know,” Princess whispered.

  “Princess, do I need to worry about you? Now, don’t get me wrong—I feel bad for dude and all—but it took you a long time to get over what happened between y’all. I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

  “Kelvin’s in a coma, Rafael,” Princess said harshly. “I don’t think he’s in a position to hurt anybody.”

  “I know what I’m saying might sound cold, but you’re my best friend. So I have to be one hundred with you and say what’s on my mind. Don’t let your sympathy turn into something else. That’s all I’m saying.”

  “I’m doing my duty as a child of God,” Princess countered. “This isn’t about any personal feelings I have for Kelvin. It’s about being there for my friends and praying for someone in need.”

  “Okay, you remember that,” Rafael replied, not backing down one bit from his position. “And remember, too, that I’m the brother whose shoulder you cried on when that fool pushed you to the curb for baby mama. Be careful, Princess.”

  “Look, Rafael, I gotta go.” Princess hung up the phone, cried, prayed, and remembered the good times—when Kelvin was her prince.

  “I’m worried about Princess,” Tai said, having called Mama Max as soon as she’d hung up with her daughter.

  “I thought something about that youngster was familiar,” Mama Max replied. “It stopped me in my tracks, hearing his name on the news. I was making dinner, and it stopped me right where I was. I’ll sure pray for that young man, sure will.”

  “Pray for Princess too,” Tai said. “We
all need to be strong during this very difficult time.” Tai felt her words ironic, considering the hard time her mother-in-law was facing. “What about you, Mama Max? How are you doing?”

  “As well as can be expected,” Mama Max said conversationally, as if she were discussing the weather. “For a woman whose husband is a plastic-pussy-poking preacher.”

  34

  His Eye Is on the Sparrow

  Tai paced her floor again, much like she had when talking to Princess. “Mama, I’m really concerned about you. You didn’t come to church last Sunday, and you haven’t been to work out with me all week. You might as well admit it—you miss the reverend. It isn’t a sin to miss the man, you know,” she continued quietly. “Y’all have been together for more than fifty years.”

  “Don’t matter, we ain’t together now. And it looks like things might stay this way. I need to think about putting this house up for sale, think about getting something smaller, a condo perhaps.”

  “He hasn’t called at all?”

  “He’s called a few times, but I’ve ignored them.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he still hasn’t gotten rid of that disgusting doll. Talking ’bout he can’t find a way to get rid of it. I told him to take it out of the house the same way he brought it in there. Besides, according to him, it ain’t sinning since she ain’t real. I told him, ‘Trust me, if you have to hide it behind a fake wall, you can pretty much bet it’s sin.’ The nasty scoundrel. Look, child, I need to check on my rump roast. Let me call you back.”