by Teisha Mott
Matt yawned. It had been a long day, and he was glad it was almost over. He could not wait to leave the church and go see Klao. He knew she would not care about his outfit. Just being with him – telling him about her day and having him hold her, even for a few moments – would be enough. He also wanted to tell her that he would be introducing her to his parents that Sabbath. They were coming in from Mandeville for Music Day. He still had not told them that Klao was not Seventh-day Adventist, but he did not think he needed to. That would change soon enough.
A knock on his office door broke his thoughts. It must be Sister Andrea, the church secretary, telling him that they were ready to lock up.
“Come in!” Matt called, and he was stunned to see Pastor Richards, the former Pastor of St. Andrew and the current Executive Secretary of the East Jamaica Conference enter his office, along with Pastor Young, the Conference President and Elder Maragh.
“Pastor St. James, is this a bad time?” Pastor Young asked, greeting him.
“No, no. Not at all! Come on in, gentlemen. To what do I owe the honour?”
“We have a little matter we wish to discuss with you, Pastor,” Pastor Richards said. “I know this is impromptu, and we are hoping we could keep this one off the record…”
Matt looked at the three senior men in front of him. He had no idea what they could possibly want to talk to him about. It was not every day that the president and the executive secretary of the Conference popped in to have an ‘off the record discussion’. Matt found that he was actually intrigued. He smiled to himself. He knew that Pastor Browning, the current Youth Ministries Director of the Conference was migrating to Bermuda in January. He wondered whether they were there to offer him the job. That would be an honour! Conference positions were not often offered to unordained Ministers, but then again, neither was the leadership of a church like St. Andrew, and he was doing an okay job in that area. He would accept the position if offered. He liked being a Minister and having a church, but a Conference position would be awesome…
“We thought we would have seen you in the sanctuary!” Pastor Young said.
“Well, I really did not want my congregation to see me looking like this!” Matt smiled and motioned to his not-so-smart attire. “My apologies. I got stuck at the Inn. Couldn’t make it home to change and back and I had a meeting…”
“The Inn is doing very well, Pastor St. James!” Pastor Young commented. “We notice the facelift, and the new beds and the clinic…”
“To God be the glory,” Matt nodded. “We have 25 regular residents, and next year, we hope to get some more beds in. And the kids from the Young Adult Department have been more than generous with their time – even during the week!”
“We understand that you have been getting donations from Persaud Enterprises?”
“Yes, PE and the Mercy Hospital Group have been amazing as far as donations are concerned…” Matt noticed the glance that the three gentlemen shared. He wondered whether they had a problem with him getting money from Persaud Enterprises. His funding source should not be their business really, Matt thought. After all, the Inn had been his personal project from the beginning. It was his father’s money that got it started, and his funds that kept it going.
“And where does Klao Persaud fit into all of this?” Pastor Richards asked.
Matt felt as though he had been side swiped. “Excuse me?”
“This is the situation,” Pastor Young sighed. “It has come to our attention at the Conference, Pastor St. James, that you have been having a relationship with young Miss Persaud.”
“So?” He did not think his relationship with Klao was a secret, and he did not know how it became the business of the Conference.
“You are not denying that you are in a relationship with Miss Persaud?”
“No, I am not. And I do not see the issue here. Klao – Miss Persaud is a single woman. I am a single man, and we enjoy each other’s’ company…” Matt glanced at Elder Maragh who was just sitting there and not saying anything. He wondered whether it was the elder who had told the Conference leadership about his relationship with Klao.
“You do not see the issue, Pastor St. James?” Pastor Richards repeated. “Tell me. Is Miss Persaud a member of St. Andrews?”
“No…”
“Is she a member of any Seventh-day Adventist church?”
“No, but…”
“So how can you not see the issue? How do you not see what you are doing? Do you not understand that the entire Church and the entire Conference are watching you canoodle with a sinner?”
“Canoodle with a sinner?” Matt could not help the laugh that escaped his lips. “Are you serious?”
“Pastor St. James, the situation is not a joke!” Pastor Young reprimanded sternly.
“I’m sorry, Pastor Young,” Matt said. “But with all due respect, let he who is without sin cast the first stone!”
“You are on the wrong side of glib right now, Matthew!” Pastor Young shot. “You know very well that as the pastor of the church there is everything wrong with this relationship you are having with this girl! How can you tell your young people to stay away from unequal relationships when you are engaged in one?”
Matt began to get angry. “I don’t tell my young people who to date! I tell them how to stay logged in to God; how to be good influences, and how to show their non-Christian friends the right way. And that is just what I do...”
“How can two walk together lest they agree?” Pastor Richards quoted Amos 3:3.
“How do you know that Klao and I aren’t walking together?” Matt could feel his voice trembling. “When you were getting information about our ‘relationship’, did your sources happen to tell you that ever since Klao and I met, she has been a regular visitor to St. Andrew, and that she has participated in young adult Sabbath School, and that she had been at the Inn actually working, every Sunday, unlike some of our other ‘Christian’ members?” Matt looked at Elder Maragh. It was not news that Elder Maragh never did anything at the Inn, and neither did Georgia. Georgia’s only aim on Sundays was to flirt with Matt. “Klao has become more of a Christian than any of you three right now…”
“So you don’t know that your ‘Christian’ girlfriend led an attack on my daughter in the parking lot after choir practice a few weeks ago?” Elder Maragh said, speaking for the first time.
“What?” That was news to Matt.
“Apparently, she was hiding in the restroom and overheard a conversation Georgia was having with her friends, misinterpreted it, and reported to Mary that Georgia had said unsavoury things about her. That led Mary to physically attack Georgia and threaten to – how did she say it – ‘slap the spit out of her mouth with the heel of her shoe’?”
Matt was stunned. That sounded just like something Mary would say. But he had no knowledge of that incident. Mary had not said anything; neither had Klao. It must have happened the night Mary took Klao to choir practice – the night they had driven down to Montego Bay for the twins’ party.
“That is the sort of girl you are involved with? That kind who engages in news carrying and encourages that sort of behaviour from your sister no less…
“I had no idea…”
“Of course you didn’t, because you are so smitten by this girl that you cannot see that she is not ideal for you!”
“That is my decision to make, Pastor Richards!” Matt seethed. “Not yours, and not the Conference’s! And for the record, Mary has a very strong will and a mind of her own. It is a far stretch to believe that Klao could ‘encourage’ her to do anything. And I am sure Georgia had whatever treatment Mary meted out to her coming!”
Elder Maragh almost fell off his chair. “I beg your pardon?”
“Elder Maragh, your daughter has an evil streak that can only be exorcised out of her! I have had it up to my forehead with reports about her that I have kept under wraps because she is your child and because I believe in forgiveness. Georgia has spread rumours, hurt feeli
ngs, and carried news around this church for far too long. And I am sure that whatever Mary did to her was quite justified! Now, is this little intervention over?”
“Not quite!” Pastor Young stood and looked down on Matt. “I know that you are a young man with feelings and that Miss Persaud is an attractive young woman. I know that you probably find her even more attractive because her financial status helps to make the Wayside Inn successful. But as your superior, I am telling you – not asking you, telling you – that this little tryst you have going with her is inappropriate, and it must end. It does not augur well for you and it does not augur well for the church. Besides, I don’t know how long you think this little affair could possibly last. She is a Persaud. Her family loves money and power and capitalism. They do not now, nor ever will, love God. And the whole matter of faith aside, you are not of her ilk, and soon she is going to get bored with you and go flitting off to her next project. What then, Matthew? How do you think it will look to the church when the senior pastor keeps moving from relationship to relationship?
“Now this is the choice you have to make, Matthew. You have to choose whether you want to continue on borrowed time in this indecent relationship with Klao Persaud, or whether you want to continue being the Pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church of St Andrew, or any church in the Inter American Division. You either end it now, or we end your career. Do I make myself clear?”
Matthew looked up at the president of the East Jamaica Conference. He remembered when he was eight years old and the neighbour’s scrawny looking mongrel dog had bitten him. He recalled sobbing in his bed that night, both from the pain from the bite, and from the tetanus shot he had received. The next morning he had listened to Satan and had lured the dog across the fence and fed it a bowl of oatmeal that was laced with rat poison and broken glass. Matt had been sorry for his actions when the dog had swelled up, vomited blood and died. The only person apart from Jesus who he had confessed his sin to was Mary. He had promised them both that he would never listen to Satan again. Now as he looked at Pastor Young, Satan was tempting him, a preacher of 2 years and a Christian of 17, to reach up and slap the man straight across his square, bearded jaw. He wanted so much to heed the voice of the tempter, but he would not give him the victory that Wednesday night. He stood. His lanky six foot frame towered over all three men.
“I would really appreciate it if you would leave my office right now!” He said softly. “I will tell you again that it is out of your purview to make recommendations on whom I date. I dare say that this little ‘off the record conversation’ complete with threats and ultimatums, is far more inappropriate than my relationship with Ms Persaud. It makes me wonder whether I should place a call to the President of the West Indies Union to report all three of you and your actions tonight. Now, because we agreed from the beginning that this was ‘off the record', and because it is my duty as a servant of God to turn the other cheek, I am going to pretend that this little episode never happened. But if one of you comes in here ever again to dictate any aspect of my personal life to me, or make threats concerning my job and my future with the Conference or the Division, when I get through with you, you will not even be able to pitch a tent over by Lime Key, much less run the Conference. Have a good evening, gentlemen!”
Matt sat at his desk for a long while after Pastors Young and Richards and Elder Maragh had left. He was shaking with anger. He did not get angry. As he told Klao, ‘he who angers you controls you’. How dare they? So much for thinking he was getting the Youth Ministries Director position at the Conference! He closed his eyes, and sent up a silent prayer to God for peace of mind, and the power to forgive. Right now he just needed to see Klao. He needed to just be with her and hold her. He would never give her up, even if it meant losing his job and his career. He loved her too much. Maybe it was time he told her. Maybe it was time they made their relationship official. He would do that tonight. But first he needed to calm down. The clock on his desk told him it was 9 o’clock. Fifteen more minutes, then he would be calm enough to go see Klao. He would be with her and everything would be all right.
***
The sound of the gate buzzer jerked Klao from the episode of Law and Order she was watching. Finally, Matt was here! She ran to the intercom and pressed the gate button, almost tripping over Minx in the process.
“Minx man!” Klao scolded him, grabbing the table so she would not fall. She opened the door and peeped out. Much to her surprise, she did not see Matt’s Tiida. Instead, she saw a familiar silver BMW. Her mouth fell to the floor when she saw none other than Ricard Shalkowski step out. “Ricard! What are you doing here?”
“I have a two day conference in Kingston starting tomorrow. Thought I would surprise you!” He gave her a tiny kiss to her cheek. “Surprise!”
Klao was surprised. In fact, she was flabbergasted. She expected Matt. The last person she expected to see was Ricard. She was wearing her Tinkerbelle pyjamas for crying out loud!
“Do you always just open the gate without asking who it is first?” Ricard asked, entering Klao’s living room. Minx was perched on the couch looking at him.
“No. I thought you were… I was expecting someone else…” Klao shooed Minx off the couch. She recalled that Ricard was not fond of inside dogs.
“I see!” Ricard smiled, showing off his orthodontically adjusted teeth.
“Have a seat!” Klao offered. “Can I get you something to drink – water or…”
“A glass of wine would be nice,” Ricard said.
Klao frowned. “I’m sorry. I don’t keep alcohol in here. Would a Sprite do?”
“Of course!”
Klao went to pour a glass of Sprite for Ricard. She hoped he would leave before Matt got there. She wondered where the dickens Matt was. It was after nine. He would not have much time to stay if he was to honour their 10 o’clock curfew.
“So how have you been doing, Klao?” Ricard asked as he accepted the glass and the coaster. “I have been thinking about you a lot and wondering how come you never returned any of my calls!”
Klao sat next to him on the couch, trying not to feel conspicuous in her pyjamas. “I’m sorry!” She said, blushing. “I have been really busy…”
“And really not interested,” Ricard added. “I could tell from that night at Christopher’s…”
Klao felt bad for him. It was not his fault that he was so vapid. “Well, the truth is, Ricard,” she pulled her legs up under her butt and faced him on the couch, “I am actually seeing someone, so that is the real reason I never called.”
Ricard’s pale amber eyes were wide. “Really? Tevin told me at the engagement party that you weren’t seeing anyone.”
“I wasn’t at the time,” Klao explained. “But I started to shortly after. We started going out the week before you and I went out for drinks…”
“Ouch!” Ricardo winced. “Just a matter of bad timing on my part, huh? I should have snapped you up from the night of the party!”
“Sorry!” Klao smiled sadly.
“Don’t be!” He smiled warmly and patted her hand. “It would be stupid to think that a girl like you could be single anyway. Look at you – you are bright, you’re gorgeous, you’re fun…”
“Yeah, I’m a triple threat!” Klao said before she could stop herself.
“What?”
“That’s what Matt says. The guy I’m dating. He says I am a triple threat.”
“Well, apart from being the luckiest man in Kingston, he’s bright, too!” Ricard laughed. “So tell me about your ‘Matt’!”
Klao’s face lit up. “He is… something special…” She realised she could not even find words to describe how she felt about Matt. “He is so kind and sweet and talented. And get this – he’s a Minister…”
“You’re seeing a Minister?” Ricard was in shock. “Really? How odd? A Persaud girl dating a poor, lowly Minister? I thought you only dated bankers and attorneys and engineers…”
“The ‘Persaud snob
’ thing is such a lie!” Klao rolled her eyes. “We date who we like, regardless of profession or status in life. Anyway, Matt is hardly a ‘poor lowly Minister’. He has an MThand an MBA, and he is so dynamic. He is the youngest, and most-in-demand senior pastor in the entire Conference!”
“Sounds like a dream come true!” Ricard took a sip of his Sprite.
“He is!” Klao gushed. “But you are a close second, Ricard!”
Ricard laughed. “That’s me! Always the best man, never the groom.”
Klao laughed. She wondered why Ricard had not shown this much personality when they had gone out for drinks. If he had, chances are he would be number one right now! The groom and not the best man!
“Speaking of grooms,” he continued, “you are aware that we have to plan bachelor and bachelorette parties for Tevin and Bianca, right?”
“Yeah!” Klao realised that she was not being a good maid of honour.
“Any ideas yet?”
“Well, I know my cousin and it is going to have to be a splash!” Klao said. “And I might even have to find her a male stripper.”
Ricard chortled. “You, Klao Persaud, do not even keep alcohol in your apartment. Will you know where to locate a male stripper?”
“Shut up you!” Klao smacked him with one of the cushions. “So what are you planning, Mr Exciting Accountant? An evening of pin the tail on the donkey?”