by Faith
“Oh, he missed me,” Sheila said as she slobbered up and down on his manhood. She took her time and made love to his penis with her mouth.
“Oh, I missed your velvet throat,” Junior moaned as Sheila sucked him into a level of ecstasy that she could only take him to. After hours of lovemaking, they fell asleep in each other’s arms, defying all logic and responsibility to each other’s spouse. Sheila had a moment of reflection before reconciling with it, and thinking, That’s the way love goes.
________
Junior arrived home in the middle of the night. Lacey had not been feeling that great, so she went to bed early. He took a shower at Sheila’s, so when he got home he put on his pajama pants and eased into the bed to not awaken his wife.
In the middle of the night Lacey was awakened by her bladder calling and rushed to relieve herself. After she finished and washed her hands, she climbed back in the bed. As she snuggled up to her husband, she caught a whiff of something and sniffed again. Junior smelled fresh, but it wasn’t the soap that they used.
Oh, no he didn’t sleep with that whore again! Completely enraged, Lacey beat on Junior, and he was jolted from his sleep.
“Lacey! What is wrong with you?”
“Didn’t I tell you? Didn’t I tell you! How dare you sleep with your whore and climb in our bed!” Lacey screamed at the top of her lungs. “Get out, get out, and get out of my bed!” Lacey literally kicked Junior out of the bed. She wailed on him until she became exhausted.
“Calm down, Lacey! I can explain!” Junior tried his best to explain. He fell to the floor from being kicked with the full force of an enraged pregnant woman who was fed up. Junior tried to assess the situation. Lacey was in tears and he felt like crap.
“Get out of my room.”
“Where am I supposed to sleep, Lacey?”
“There are a million bedrooms in this house, pick one!” Lacey was so angry that she was in fight mode.
“Baby, please!” Junior begged.
“Get out!” Lacey screamed again.
Junior gave in, got his phone, and went to sleep in one of the guest rooms, leaving Lacey to herself to cry and ponder on what she needed to do. Nothing she did seemed to work.
________
Junior didn’t sleep well, but he was meeting his brothers at the gym. When he arrived, they were already working out.
“It’s about time you showed up! Have fun getting kicked out of the bedroom?” Mud teased.
“Ah, man, you know about that?”
“Now, you know our wives tell each other everything. I heard she put the smack down on you.” Mud laughed.
Junior got on the treadmill. “Man, she Mayweathered my ass.” His brother busted out laughing at him.
“Junior, I told you Lacey is only going to take so much,” Edem warned.
“I know, I know.” Junior increased his speed on the treadmill. He really wasn’t in the mood to be discussing things with his brothers.
“Well, Sister Clemmons son, right?” Eddie asked.
“Yeah, well, he has been dressing as a woman turning tricks on the ave, and he was shot.”
“What? Is he ok?” Junior almost fell off the treadmill.
“Yeah, man, his mama is giving him the blues about being gay.”
“What can we do to help? I mean, I knew the little fella was gay,” Junior replied.
“Yeah, I knew that, too, but turning tricks, we need to implement a program where these kids will feel safe coming to us,” Edem suggested.
“I agree, but this is a touchy subject, so we need to tread lightly. I don’t want us to alienate them, you know?” Junior said.
“Right, it’s bigger than the gay issue. I’m talking about anything they are with, bullying, suicide, teen pregnancy, whatever the issue.” Edem’s heart went out to the kids. “The church may be their only support system. If y’all could have heard the way Sister Clemmons talked about Lewis, it sickened me.”
“Wow, that’s sad,” Mud said, grabbing his water bottle to take a sip.
“Let’s meet later this week so we can brain storm and come up with something for these kids,” Junior said.
The brothers continued their work out and as they walked out of the gym, a black Impala rode pass, slowed down in front of them as they stood in front of the gym chopping it up, and as the window went down. Mud looked up just in time to see a gun extending from the window.
“Duck!” Mud screamed, tackling his brothers in one swoop. Shots rang out, missing the brothers and shattering the glass window of the gym. The black Impala sped off.
The patrons of the gym ran out to check on the Blanks brothers.
“Is everyone ok?” Mud screamed. The brothers checked themselves.
“Mud, you’re bleeding!” Eddie screamed. Mud looked down and the side of his shirt that seeped with blood.
“Call 911!” Edem screamed to the patrons.
Junior applied pressure to Mud’s wound, “Stay calm, Mud, stay calm.” Junior tried not to panic.
“Stay calm, that nigga shot me!” Mud kept trying to get up.
“They’re gone, Mud, stay still,” Eddie said, hold him down. Edem called 911 himself. As he talked on the phone, he paced back and forth.
The sound of sirens was in the distance. Some of patrons brought out towels for Mud. It was complete chaos.
Mud felt numb and his eyes rolled back into his head. “Mud! Mud! Stay with me!” Junior cried.
Chapter 17
Mud had been rushed into surgery, and the brothers sat in silence in the waiting room. Officer Hudson walked in shaking his head.
“O!” Eddie jumped up to greet him.
“Man, y’all stay in some mess, don’t you? When I heard the call come over the radio, I knew I had to stop by.”
“Man, it was crazy. We were just standing outside the gym chopping it up, and next thing we knew, Mud hollered duck. Man, my brother shielded us and got shot in the process.” Eddie’s eyes watered. Office Hudson patted his friend on his back.
“Well, the officers running the case are good. They will find something, I’m sure.”
“Where is my baby?” Mama Eloise stomped into the waiting room looking like Sophia from The Color Purple.
“Ma, calm down,” Edem told her.
“Calm down? My baby has been shot! Where is he? Where is Mud?” Mama Eloise was frantic.
“Mama, he’s in surgery and you need to calm down. Come sit down,” Junior told her.
Officer Hudson loved The Blanks family, but that was his que to exit stage left. “Aight, man, I’ll let you know something when I do.” He gave Eddie dap and got out there before Mama Eloise started up again. As he left, he ran into the rest of the family. He chatted with them and informed them on what he knew before leaving Wesley Long Hospital.
Tricia ran into the waiting room followed by Elisea, Lizzie, and Ruthie. Felicia was at home with the baby. She was in tears and everyone did the best they could to comfort her.
“Tricia, you need to stay calm, it’s not good for the baby.” Ruthie attempted soothe her.
The ER doctor walked in the room. “Blanks?” Everyone jumped up. “Well, everything looks good. We had to remove his appendix, but, other than that, there was no internal bleeding. Edmund is resting comfortably. He was a lucky man.”
“We don’t believe in luck, he’s blessed,” Edem corrected him.
“Yeah, ok,”tThe ER doctor dismissed. “I will send someone to come get you when he is moved into a room.
“Thank you, doctor,” Eddie said. “Thank God! I don’t know what I would have done if something happened to Mud, especially since he threw himself over us to shield us.”
“He did that?” Tricia asked, drying her eyes.
“Yeah, he did.”
“Wow, you know he loves y’all. Y’all can drive each other crazy sometimes, but he loves his family,” Tricia said, smiling, thinking about her husband.
“Yeah, that’s true. I’m going to go call Felicia.�
� Eddie stepped out of the waiting room.
“I’m just glad that God saw fit to spare my boys yet again. I plead the blood over y’all every morning, and a fiery hedge of protection. Yes, God, yes, God!” Mama Eloise clapped her hands and jumped up from her seat. “Thank You, Father. Thank You, God! I give You glory, Father, I praise Your Holy name. Hallelujah!” Mama Eloise shouted right in the middle of the waiting room. She spoke in tongues and clapped her hands. Her family did not interrupt her praise.
________
Lacey sat in the den reading a book when Junior walked in. He went into the kitchen to fix himself something to eat. As he pulled the items out of the refrigerator to make a sandwich, Lacey walked in and sat down at the counter. An awkward silence filled the room as she watched him.
“I don’t know what I would have done if you had been hurt today, Junior. Especially not with the way we left things.” Junior looked at her without saying a word. “Life is too short to say mad at someone you love. I was angry, I am hurt, and I don’t know what to do anymore with a husband who is in love with another woman. What do you do? Leave? Walk away from all you have built together? Split your kids’ time up with each parent? I took my vows seriously, for better or for worse. This right here is worse, and I am doing the best that I can to keep us together, but you have to meet me halfway. She is a drug to you. I can’t compete with that. Nor should I need to, so you can have her. I don’t think I have any fight left in me. She will not be in this house, though. But, we can divorce quietly and go our separate ways.”
Junior studied his wife’s face before speaking. “You know what I was thinking about when I was out there laying on the ground listening to glass break behind me? I was thinking about you, I was thinking about Edwin and Layla. I have strong feelings for Sheila, but, Lacey, she did not pop into my head when I thought my life was in danger.”
“Humph,” Lacey muttered.
“I don’t want you to leave me, but I understand if you do. Today, I watched my brother put my life before his. He took a bullet for me, for all of us, that’s love. How I can say I love you and I continue to hurt you time and time again? I don’t deserve your love, I don’t deserve my position in the church. I think it may be time for me to step back a little and let my brothers step up, especially Edem.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
“I don’t know, I’m thinking about it. Today has been pretty emotional.”
“I understand, just do what you think is best.”
“Give me a few weeks, and I’ll move out and you can have the house.”
“Ok.” Lacey didn’t expect Junior to call her bluff. “So, what about the kids?”
“After I find a place, we can sit them down and let them know that we need some space to figure out if we want to be stay together or not.”
“Is that the truth, though? Or, are you moving on?” Lacey’s heart raced. She did not want to lose her husband.
“It’s my truth. I don’t want to leave my home, I didn’t want to leave my bed, but maybe I do need to be alone.” Junior let out a long sigh. “Right now, I don’t know if I’m coming or going, that’s my truth.
“Junior?”
“Yeah?”
“Never mind, nothing.” Junior walked over to her.
“Speak your truth.”
Lacey began to cry. Junior wrapped his arms around his wife and she embraced him back, and they cried together.
________
Jezebel couldn’t take it any more, dealing with everything at work and watching her back. She had mysteriously misplaced her badge to sign her in and out and as soon as she got a new one, she was going to make her move. Since she had hidden her badge, she was limited to being at the desk. She couldn’t maneuver the way she wanted to and she wasn’t expecting that.
Jezebel was at the desk doing boring paperwork when she saw Lilith walking up. She panicked and ran to the bathroom, hoping that her mother didn’t see her. No wig would disguise her from her own mother.
Jezebel paced back and forth in the bathroom. She was nervous that Delilah would spill the beans. Before she knew it, she was throwing up everywhere. The stench alone made her vomit even more. “I got to get out of here!” Jezebel repeated out loud over and over again.
As disgusting as it was, she peeked her head outside and saw Lilith going into the visiting room. She made her move and waved one of the orderlies over. With vomit all over her face, she quickly got his attention.
“What happened to you?” he asked her.
“I don’t know, I just got sick, I need to go home.” She opened the bathroom door enough to show the vomit all over the bathroom.
“Eeh!” He covered his nose.
“Yeah, I need my things. Can you get my purse for me? It’s in the bottom of the file cabinet.” Jezebel’s eyes pleaded and she knew he was a sucker for her.
The orderly looked around. “Yeah, I’ll get it because you need to go home.”
Jezebel waited until he returned. “I called maintenance so they could clean up in here.”
“Thank you. Oh, can you walk me out? I misplaced my badge and they haven’t given me a new one yet.”
“Dag, woman!” He didn’t want to look at her with the vomit all over her face. “Aight, come on before you make me throw up.” He used his badge to check Jezebel out and she made a quick exit to her car.
Once she reached the safety of her car, she searched her purse for some makeup wipes and wiped her face. As she raced back to her apartment, she couldn’t wait to take a shower, but even the hot water soothing her body did nothing to soothe her mind. She couldn’t stop thinking about what Delilah was doing or saying. After her long, hot shower, Jezebel made a hasty decision to get out of there, but changed her mind. Her mind raced and she laid on the couch thinking things over before falling asleep.
Chapter 18
Mud had been released from the hospital after a week. He had been a trooper and healed quickly. Being the hard-headed man that he was, it drove him crazy to lay in the bed and do nothing. Every day, he pushed himself to the limit. He was ready to get back in the gym, to get back to his life.
Mud walked slowly down the stairs to the living room.
“Mud, what are you doing up?”
“Baby, I’m fine.” Mud was fully dressed.
“And, where do you think you’re going?” Tricia stood with her hand on her hip.
“To the P.U.S.H. service.”
“Mud, you just got out of the hospital.”
“I know, and I feel fine, Tricia. I’m not going to work out, I’m going to church.”
“Mud!”
“Tricia!” Tricia rolled her eyes and got up to get her purse. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going with you!” Mud smiled as they headed out the door.
On the way to church, Tricia looked over at Mud and made a confession. “I just don’t want you out of my sight, Mud. I’m so scared whoever tried to kill y’all will try again.”
“Baby, I know, but I’m no punk, I fear no man.”
“I know that, Mud, but I’m still on edge.” He reached over and rubbed Tricia’s belly.
“God did not give you a spirit of fear and everything will be fine,” he assured her.
“Yeah, I know.” Tricia drove the rest of the way to the church in silence. She was in deep thought. Mud was right. God did not give her the spirit of fear.”
“Wow, the church is packed today for the P.U.S.H. service. I know your mama is happy.” Tricia scanned the parking lot.
“People are hurting and they need this,” Mud said, getting out of the car.
The service had already started. The couple made their way to the front and when Mama Eloise saw Mud, she started shouting, “Yes, God! Yes, God! Awesome God!” Mud hugged her as they sat down to pray.
Edem approached the microphone. “This church needs and anointing. Please, come up to be anointed.” He had anointing oil in his hand and the congregation lined
up. His brothers joined him as the entire church ascended onto the alter.
After the service, the Blanks family sat in the boardroom to talk. “Service was good today, don’t you agree?” Mama Eloise said. Everyone nodded. “I’m glad to see you up and around, Mud.”
“I was thinking; we need to have a P.U.S. H. service for the youth of the church. No parents allowed. They need to be able to have the freedom and responsibility to call out to God on their own,” Edem said.
“That’s a good idea, Edem,” Mama Eloise said, nodding her head.
“I think we need something for the teenage girls, too. I know a few of them are pregnant,” Ruthie added. “Maybe a walking into your destiny group or something, you know, just to provide guidance, a safe place to talk about what’s going on.”
“I agree, our youth are hurting and we as a church have a responsibility to do something about it,” Edem said.
“We have to have someone spear heading these things. The ideas are good, but who will implement them?” Mud asked.
“We have a lot of people in this church. I’m sure we can find the right people to be the director of these programs,” Junior said.
“I don’t mind working with the young ladies. Actually, it is something that I would be honored to do.” Ruthie smiled as Edem winked at her.
“I really can’t commit right now with the baby coming. I will help out, of course,” Tricia explained.
“We understand, baby,” Mama Eloise told her.
“After church Sunday, let’s call a meeting and diligently find the right people to take over these new changes. Edem, I know the single’s ministry is your baby, but I think you need to past the reigns on to someone else. You’re no longer single, brother.”