“Just let me know when and we’ll be there.”
“Just let you know what?” Charisse said, sitting down at the table.
“Whit has a new man,” Taylor answered.
“What? That’s great, Whitney. I’m really happy for you.”
I didn’t know whether she was being genuine or not, but I wasn’t in the mood for arguing with her, so I assumed she meant what she’d said.
“Thanks.”
“When did you meet him?”
“The other night at the health club.”
“Oh? When did you start back going there?”
“On Monday.”
“Well, good for you. Maybe I’ll go with you sometimes.”
I knew now that Taylor must have had a talk with Charisse because there was no way she was being this approving and not criticizing my every move.
“That would be nice,” I said, and Taylor smiled. She was happy that Charisse and I were making amends with each other.
“And I want to apologize for speaking to you the way I did last week,” Charisse continued. “I really was trying to look out for your well-being, but I guess I didn’t say it in the right way.”
Taylor never ceased to amaze me. She was good. Had to be if she could tame a woman like Charisse. The killing part was, I’d known Charisse longer than Taylor. Six years to be exact. But Taylor knew how to handle her much better than I did. Taylor was a lot more patient.
“Truce?” I said, and reached over to hug Charisse. It was the least I could do since she was being so kind to me.
“Okay, girls, now that we have that all taken care of, let’s order some food,” Taylor said. “I’m starving.”
When the waitress arrived we settled on our usual choices. Grilled chicken Caesar salad and diet colas. Before today, I never would have ordered a diet anything, especially not a soda, but it was this new-way-of-life thing I had going on. It killed me, though, when I heard Taylor and Charisse ordering crème brûlée. It had always been our favorite dessert and we never denied ourselves of having it. But as soon as Taylor saw the disappointment on my face and realized I wasn’t ordering, she told the waitress to cancel hers. To my surprise, Charisse did the same, and the three of us never discussed it. They had my back and I loved them for it. Charisse was Charisse, but she was my friend. Maybe in a strange sort of way, but she was as much of a friend as she knew how to be. And Taylor? My friendship with her never required any explanation. It was always the same every day of the week.
“So, how’s the family?” Taylor asked Charisse.
“They’re fine.”
“I was planning to bring Brianna’s package, but I forgot about it. I’ll bring it over this evening, though.”
“I’ll be at Bible study but Marvin and the kids’ll be there.”
“Marvin isn’t going to Bible study?” Taylor asked.
I was just as shocked as Taylor was. For as long as I could remember, Marvin had never been given a choice in terms of where he did and didn’t want to go. He’d never had a say-so with anything, so I wondered what was up.
“He doesn’t go as often as he used to,” Charisse said.
“And you’re okay with that?” I chimed in, and hoped Charisse hadn’t taken my question the wrong way. The more I thought about it, I’d had no right saying anything. It was the kind of comment she would’ve made, but I wasn’t like her.
“I’m fine with it,” she said. “I don’t agree with him missing church, but he’s the one who will have to answer to God for not going.”
I knew Charisse was throwing hints at Taylor and me, too. She’d never liked the fact that first of all, we didn’t go to her particular church (which was another reason we were going to hell), and secondly, we didn’t go every single Sunday like clockwork. There was a time when she’d ministered to both of us on a regular basis and practically begged us to change our denomination. We were Baptist, she was Church of God in Christ, and that was a problem for her. But when she’d realized that we weren’t going to change, she’d been satisfied to know that at least we went to somebody’s church, even if it wasn’t the right one.
“Well, I think you’re doing the right thing by letting him make his own decision,” Taylor said.
I looked at Charisse and waited for the fireworks to ignite.
But once again, she surprised me.
“You might be right,” she said. “After all, he is a grown man.”
Taylor and I raised our eyebrows at the same time and I decided that the woman at our table had to be an impostor. There was no way this was the real Charisse Richardson sitting here in front of us.
“That’s a good way to look at it,” Taylor offered.
“Yeah, it is,” I added.
Then we changed the subject. We talked about Cameron and how Taylor was planning to cook dinner for him tomorrow evening and how I’d already lost five pounds in two days. It was water weight for sure, but I was still extremely proud of it. We talked about our jobs and some of the issues we had with them, and then Charisse paid the check and left a tip on the table. It was her turn to take care of it but next week it would be mine.
Taylor rushed out so she could make it to court on time for a small case she was handling, and Charisse said she was going to a few stores before heading back to the suburbs. Charisse didn’t work downtown like Taylor and me, and that was the reason we had lunch on her day off. Every now and then, Taylor and I would have lunch with just the two of us, but we never mentioned it to Charisse. We’d told her one time before, but it was obvious that she hadn’t been too happy about it. It was almost as if she’d felt completely left out of the equation.
I walked back to my building, which was only three blocks away, and took the elevator up to the twentieth floor. When I walked inside my office I saw two dozen roses sitting on my desk and I quickly grabbed my chest. Then, when I’d settled down from being so excited, I read the card.
Which said: “Hey, beautiful, thank you for a wonderful two days. I promise this is only the beginning. Rico.”
I sat down in my chair and wondered what this man was trying to do to me.
Because whatever it was, it was working.
Chapter 16
CHARISSE
IT WAS ONLY 6:30 P.M., but the parking lot at Mount Calvary Church of God in Christ was already half full. Charisse was getting excited already. There was nothing she loved more than being in church with hundreds of people, worshiping God and studying His written Word. There was nothing like being filled with the Holy Spirit and having the freedom to express yourself. It was a privilege to have such an awesome opportunity and Charisse took advantage of it. She did it every chance she got.
After parking her Mercedes 430, she got out and strutted across the parking lot in three-inch heels. Some of the members didn’t feel it was necessary to get all dressed up on a Wednesday night, but Charisse felt obligated. It was her belief that she should do it out of respect for the Lord. Especially since folks got dressed up all the time to go to work, go out dancing, and everywhere else she could think of, but didn’t seem to care about looking their best for God. Sure, they were good about doing it every Sunday, but any other time, they wore whatever they wanted.
Charisse walked through the side door and immediately saw a woman she had never been able to stand. Sister Holloway. Charisse had tried to get along with this woman on more than one occasion but it had never worked. Sister Holloway was a lukewarm Christian, the type of person who looked holy on the outside but had a lot of evilness on the inside. She was one of those women who never missed church under any circumstance but would lie, cheat, and backstab her own mother given the chance. Charisse thanked God that she herself wasn’t like that.
“How are you, Sister Holloway?” Charisse said, smiling and walking up the stairway.
“I’m fine, Sister Richardson, how are you?”
“Very well.”
“I noticed that you weren’t at church on Sunday.”
Y
eah, and it’s none of your nosey-ass business either.
“No, I wasn’t,” Charisse said. “We had to rush my husband to the emergency room.”
“Oh my. Is he okay?”
“He’s fine. He had a really high fever, but the doctor said it was just a virus.”
“Well, maybe we should put him on the sick list.”
“I thought about that, but he’s feeling much better already. As a matter of fact, he’s planning to go back to work tomorrow.”
“Well, that’s good to hear. And please give him my best,” she said, walking down the hallway.
Charisse wanted to tell her how ridiculous she looked and how she should spend less time monitoring Charisse’s church attendance and more time going to the hair salon. Lord knows that weave she was wearing looked a mess. Almost like a hornet’s nest. And Charisse didn’t even want to get started on the difference in texture. Sister Holloway’s hair was off-black and boogeyman nappy, and the weaved hair was jet black and silky straight. Did she think she was fooling somebody?
Father, please forgive me for my wayward thinking.
Charisse continued toward the door to the sanctuary and saw Pastor Damon.
“Hi, Pastor,” Charisse said, hugging him.
“It’s good to see you, Sister Richardson. We missed you on Sunday.”
“I know. I was just telling Sister Holloway about Marvin going to the hospital.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes. It was just a flu.”
“Well, good.”
“Pastor, do you think it would be possible for me to speak with you after Bible study?”
“Of course.”
“There’s something I need to discuss with you.”
“Okay. Why don’t I meet you in my office when we dismiss.”
“I appreciate it.”
Pastor Damon walked away and Charisse felt better about her problems already. Marvin hadn’t thought Pastor was the person they needed to talk to, but Charisse knew that Pastor could fix anything. He’d done so, time and time again, for so many other people. She hadn’t planned on telling him about the problems she and Marvin were having, but now she needed him to help her. She needed someone to understand what she was going through.
Charisse greeted and mingled with a few more members and finally entered the sanctuary. It was seven o’clock on the dot, the organist played quietly, and Pastor Damon stepped to the podium.
“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land, but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”
Amens came from every direction.
“It’s so good to see all of you here this evening and shame on those who didn’t come.”
“Amen, preacher,” one of the deacons yelled.
“Lord have mercy on their souls,” said one of the missionaries.
“You know,” Pastor continued, “God doesn’t like it when we rebel against His Word. He doesn’t like it when Christians rebel against what their pastor has instructed them to do.”
“All right, all right,” one of the associate ministers offered.
“Now, I’ve explained to every member in this church how important it is to attend Bible study, and even more so now that we have actual service. But it seems to me that there’s a lot of bad talk about that, too.”
“My Lord,” an older woman said, sighing.
“But what I want all of you to know is that I didn’t make the decision to have full service on Wednesday night. This whole thing isn’t even about me. It’s about God and what He wants. I can still remember the night he woke me up out of my sleep and said, ‘Terry, sixty minutes of Bible study just isn’t enough anymore. There’s not nearly enough worshiping going on as there needs to be. So, what I want you to do is teach a full Bible lesson the same as always, but I also want you to add in all the other aspects of morning worship. The choir needs to sing the way they normally do, you need to hold general altar prayer, and you must collect regular tithes and offerings.”
Charisse was so glad Pastor was addressing all the negative comments and attitudes she’d been witnessing herself over the last few months. It was almost as if people didn’t understand that they needed to be in church as much as possible. For her, three to four times a week would have been acceptable, let alone two.
Charisse was behind Pastor one hundred percent.
“So, what I want all of you to do, you, the loyal members, is to encourage those who are being disobedient. If you have their phone numbers, call them on the phone. If you work with them, talk to them face-to-face. If you only see them on Sunday morning, then pull them aside and tell them what God wants them to do.”
Amens resonated throughout the building. Everyone who was present was in agreement with Pastor and that made Charisse happy. She had never understood how anyone could go against any man who had been called to preach. Pastor Damon had always said that he was an instrument of God and that to really reach out to the Lord, members needed to connect to God through him. He’d told his members about the special connection that only pastors could have with the Lord and how it was their job to do whatever Pastor Damon asked of them.
Charisse couldn’t wait for service to be over with. Pastor Damon would make her feel better about everything.
“So, Sister Richardson, what can I do for you?” Pastor said, leaning back in the chair behind his desk.
“My marriage is in a lot of trouble.”
“I’m truly sorry to hear that.”
“Marvin has changed so much and he’s so cold toward me.”
“And how long has this been going on?”
“I first noticed it a few months back but now it’s out of control. He won’t listen to anything I say. And as you can see, he won’t even come to church anymore.”
“Hmmm. Have you talked to him about it?”
“Yes, but mostly all we do is argue.”
“Have you suggested that the two of you come in for marriage counseling?”
“Yes, but he refuses to do it.”
“Then I’m not sure what to tell you. I mean, if Brother Richardson won’t come in to talk with me by his own free will, there’s not that much we can do for him.”
“But what about me?”
“You need to take care of you. Brother Richardson is a grown man, and if he can’t appreciate a beautiful Christian woman like yourself, then it’s his loss.”
“Pastor, I’m so unhappy. And remember last year when I told you how miserable I was starting to feel with Marvin?”
“I do.”
“Well, this time it’s so much worse. I feel like I’m stuck in a terrible situation and that I’ll never be able to get out of it.”
Pastor Damon got up, walked around his desk, and stopped directly in front of where Charisse was sitting.
“Stand up,” he said.
Charisse obeyed him and waited to see what else he had to say.
He caressed the side of her face. “You do know that this is all the work of Satan, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I mean, only Satan would have you thinking this way and making you believe that there just isn’t any hope.”
Charisse gazed into Pastor Damon’s eyes. “But sometimes I feel like I don’t have anyone to turn to, not even my friends or some of the people at the church. And now all Marvin wants is for us to go see some therapist.”
“Sister Richardson, look. From what I’ve learned over the years, most of these so-called therapists are only in the business to rip people off. What they do is charge you a ton of money but they don’t really ever help you.”
“Then tell me, Pastor, what should I do?”
“Remember last year when you came to me?”
“Yes.”
“And I fixed things for you, didn’t I?” he said, pulling her body flush against his and holding her around her waist.
“But I can’t ask you to do that again, b
ecause there are so many other people who need your help.”
“Why don’t you let me worry about that? Because the thing is, you’re the one who really needs me right now. You’re one of the most faithful members of our church, and if anyone deserves the special connection that I have with God, it’s you.”
“I just don’t feel worthy.”
“Well, you are. And while you don’t know this, God had already spoken to me during the service and told me to help you. That’s why when you came up to my office at the church like we had originally agreed, I asked you to come over here to my condo. It’s because of cases like yours that I have this office, too. God had already authorized me to take care of you and you didn’t even know it. He is using me, his instrument, to give you His love.”
Charisse stared at him and Pastor Damon kissed her passionately.
Charisse’s body was on fire and she was glad she’d made the decision to come see him. She was glad that Pastor was so willing to satisfy her needs, especially since Marvin didn’t want to.
Still, she couldn’t help wondering if Pastor really thought she was that naïve—that she actually believed he was preparing to do God’s work. That he’d actually been doing God’s work the last time they’d had buck-wild sex. That time Marvin had spent two full days away from her so he could sit at some hospital with his father.
She could still remember the entire evening, moment by moment, and how Pastor had shown a side of himself that Charisse hadn’t been aware of. She remembered how kinky he’d been, how good he’d made her feel, and how he had begged her to see him regularly. But Charisse had decided that once or twice a year was enough. She’d decided to control the situation the same as she had with Marvin. She’d decided to save their meetings for times like this, when she desperately needed him. More so, she hadn’t wanted to commit an outlandish number of sins in a twelve-month period. It was a self-made rule she’d come up with during her college years. No one was without sin, but unlike so many others she knew, Charisse only sinned every now and then. She only did it when it was very necessary. When she’d had all she could take from Marvin or when her childhood memories were too vivid.
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