by Faith
“Yeah, that was a good speech, though.” The brothers busted out laughing at Ruthie.
“Duh, I know that, I wanted to say my peace! Plus, I was getting into my Mommy mode because I know these little fellas are going to act just like y’all.” Ruthie rubbed her belly.
“Fellas as in plural?” Junior smiled.
“I told you that I’m Big Daddy.” Edem laughed.
Junior hit Edem in the arm. “I see you, baby brugh. So, its’ boys?”
“We don’t know yet, that’s just what she thinks.”
“That’s what I know,” Ruthie said, leaving the brothers alone.
“Well, I got to go. I have two more houses to stop by, and, you know, say sorry and all that good stuff.”
“I’ll go with you, plus, Mud might punch you in the face.” They both busted out laughing.
________
Saturday, the church’s pavilion was being set up for Edem’s book signing. People ran around like crazy setting up everything. Junior had gone all out for his baby brother. He also felt like the church needed a fun activity to lift everyone’s spirit. He also arranged for News 2 to cover the event.
As Edem walked in, he was in awe. There were tables with t-shirts with his book cover on it, book marks, goblets, water bottles, all kinds of promotional things. Everyone cheered as Edem and Ruthie entered the pavilion.
Edem greeted everyone, and then took to the mic to do an impromptu reading from his book. As everyone listened, Junior whispered to his brothers, “The test results are back.”
“What’s the results?” Mud asked.
“I haven’t opened it yet. I didn’t want to ruin Edem’s night.”
“Well, let’s ask Edem when he finishes, because I’m sure the rest of us want to know,” Eddie said.
“Yeah, I told him already. We will meet after it’s over, just the siblings and Mama, though. I think that will be best, don’t you?” Junior asked their opinion.
“I’m cool with it, you?” Mud looked at Eddie.
“That’s fine.”
After Edem finished his reading, he was busy at the table signing books and t-shirts for the members. The night went perfect. Edem was great on his interview. Everyone mingled and had a good time. As most the place cleared out, the cleanup and catering companies were the only ones left. Junior gathered all of his siblings and mother into a back room to go over the results.
Elisea was the last one in the room. “Close the door, bab,.” Mama Eloise directed.
“Ok, Junior, let us have it,” Mud said. He opened the envelope and read it. Without uttering a word, he passed it to his mother, who read, and she they went down the line. Lizzie was the last one to get the results. As she read the results, there was loud explosion, and the entire building shook.
Elisea opened the door and there was pandemonium going on. People ran around screaming. Debris fell on top of people, the smell of burning flesh filled the air. The church’s once beautiful pavilion was now filled with smoke, fire, and debris.
“What was that?” Junior screamed, trying to see his way through the smoke.
“We can’t get out! The doors are blocked!” one of the cleaning staff screamed.
“Oh, my God!” Mama Eloise screamed just as a big piece of the ceiling collapsed, sending everybody flying in different directions.
Ruthie had forgotten something in her office at the church, so she turned around. She pulled into the church parking lot at the exact time when the side windows exploded in the pavilion, and the flames escaped from the windows. She reached for her phone and screamed at the 911 operator. She got out of her car in a daze. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She ran toward the building and noticed the doors had been chained from the outside. As soon as was in reach them, the front windows of the pavilion exploded, causing Ruthie to be thrown through the air to land on the gravel. In severe pain, and covered in cuts and blood from the glass, she crawled toward the building. All she knew was that she had to get to her family. She continued to crawl slowly until her vision became blurry and then the next thing she knew, everything went black.
To be continued…
For:
Daddy
Tanya
Lil Faith
Sean
Mama
Acknowledgments: I want to thank God from whom all blessings flow. To my children Courtney, Jada, Anaia, and Avery, my life, my love, my strength.
To the entire KPG family for being there on this journey with me. Tremayne Johnson, Iesha Brown, and Eros.
Eros thank you for having more faith in me then I have in myself sometimes. Thanks for giving me the business when I need it, much love to you. Shalonda Collier my rider who never changes I love that about you. Tameka Jones you always make me laugh and is there to listen no matter how crazy I get to talking. Allyson M. Deese aka Allycat , Lady Starsja aka Lala, Jasmine aka Lil Bit, Latosha Capone and LR Smith aka Sunkist much love.
Thank you to my Kentucky crew: Angelique Bowen , Debbie Redd, MiMi Kidd, Karen Goddard and Jeffrica Brown and sister in-law Tameka Cheek. To my North Carolina crew: Felicia Hayes, Tiyana Cureton, and niece LaToya Hudson.
To my Faith and Friends family and Sista2Sista The Queens Roundtable that keep me laughing and allow me to be MUCH LOVE!!! #Crownon
To My first grade teacher Ms. Bettye Goodwine for teaching me how to love words from having us write every morning a MORNING MORNING. Little did I know that, that daily assignment got me in the habit or writing every day?
To Ava Mann my buddy and critic. After each book I wait for a phone call or text.
To all my friends and family who have supported my writing. And to all the people who doubted me I thank y’all too.
And anybody that knows me knows that I write to music so thanks to Jill Scott’s Tasha Cobb Break Every Chain, Albertina Walker, Rizen, TLC, Switch, Sia, Hezekiah Walker, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Martha Wash, Wynonna Judd ( don’t judge me) and Creed
Please be patient with me God is not through with me yet. And remember; you can take the girl out the church but you can’t take the church out the girl. Blessings, Peace and Prosperity.
Faith Cheek Weathers was born on September 15th 1974 in Albany, NY to Rev. & Mrs. Earl R. Cheek. Her father was a dynamic minister whose soulful sermons stirred up souls. Her mother Cindory Cheek was a poet and playwright in her own right. Faith was raised in Syracuse, NY and Louisville, KY. Always an avid reader Faith loved books from V.C. Andrews to Paulo Coelho. Faith found her love for words at an early age. Faith would write love letters for all of her friends and soon made a name for herself as the “letter writer.” At 14 the world as Faith knew it was turned upside down at the death of her father. At 17 Faith had her first child Sean Cheek. She was married at 18 and her second son Courtney soon followed. The following year she had her first daughter Jada. Years later Faith had a stillborn she named Lil Faith followed by two more children Anaia and Avery. In 2006 Faith’s world was rocked again with the death of her first born Sean who was run over by a school bus. It wasn’t until Sean’s death that Faith began taking her writing seriously. Faith received her bachelors in Psychology as she continued to write. In February of 2015 Faith’s world was rocked again by the unexpected death of her best friend and Mother. Faith, now 40 and Happily Divorced resides in Greensboro, NC with her four remaining children. Stay tuned to see what this Preachers Kid has up under sleeve.
Contact Info:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faith.c.weathers
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Authorfaith?fref=ts
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Instagram: Authorfaithsvirgosworld
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