by Paul Preston
“Oh, it’s you. We meet again, so it seems,” the Reverend said, feigning surprise, not giving out his traditional handshake or Christian embrace.
“Yes,” Stephen replied.
“I need to ask you something, young man. I trust it won’t come as an imposition. I have a few more minutes here. If you would be so kind, perhaps you could assist me in getting to the bottom of something that concerns my wife. Would you have any idea what that might be?”
Stephen’s pulse quickened.
“Uh, no, sir.”
“Well, if you wouldn’t mind, could you wait for me in the nearby vestibule down the hallway straight ahead? There’s a mural in the nave depicting the Passion of The Christ, you can’t miss it. I need to privately discuss a matter of grave importance to me, my wife, our church and most importantly, our marriage. Would you be able to wait over there for me please?”
“Sure, Reverend.”
He knows.
“What was your name again, sir?”
“Stephen.”
“That’s right. Now I remember. Have you met my lovely wife, Laura?”
He took off his glasses and the Reverend rubbed his eyes. Stephen glanced at Laura. She continued to stare straight ahead with a blank expression, the knuckles of her fists turning white.
“Yes, we’ve met.”
“I’m sure you did. A few months ago. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“Well, if I am further delayed past the agreed upon time, my lovely wife will keep you company in the vestibule until I am finished here. Would you like that?”
“Would I like what?” Stephen asked.
“Would you like my wife to wait with you?” the Reverend calmly answered.
“I’m not sure what you...”
“Are you aware of the fact that my wife is pregnant?”
“Yes, I believe you mentioned that in your sermon. Congratulations.”
“Uh-huh. Well. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
The Reverend noticed the odd looks of parishioners overhearing his strained conversation. He suddenly grasped Stephen rather firmly by the arm and nudged him in the direction he wished him to go.
“Ahh, Mrs. Simmons, and how are you today? You’re looking lovely. And the twins?” the Reverend said, as if nothing was wrong.
Stephen wandered over to the water fountain underneath the murals to collect himself. He took a drink and tried to calm his racing heart.
Finally, the crowd thinned out and only a few worshippers remained. The Reverend grabbed his wife firmly by the arm and began pacing purposefully over to where Stephen was waiting. A few paces away an elderly, frail man tapped on the Reverend’s shoulder and whispered something into his ear. The Reverend lost his composure, his bellowing shouts echoing through the foyer.
“Deacon! Is there a part of the word cancelled that you do not understand? Can-celled! The meeting of the Elders has been cancelled today!”
A few heads turned in the direction of the shouts. The poor old man looked as if the Reverend’s very exclamation would be able to stop his heart. After a pause, the old man spoke softly in the Reverend’s ear again, this time touching his own chest.
“I do not care about the Steering Committee. It all can be rescheduled. Have the Chairman of each group contact my secretary Monday morning. She has my schedule!”
Now the Reverend noticed the attention he had brought to himself from his outburst, in church no less. Five or six of the remaining people in church stood still, staring at him. The Reverend caught his breath, took off his glasses and rubbed his burning eyes again. He put his arm on the Deacon’s shoulder.
“Deacon, please accept my apology for my rudeness. I’m not feeling at all well. I hardly slept a wink last night, I’m a trifle cranky. Frankly, I feel ill, all I want to do is go home and put my feet up and rest. Now I have a pressing personal matter to attend to of utmost importance and I need privacy. Please convey my sincerest apologies to the committee members waiting for me and please instruct them to use the side exit on the lower level. And once again, my apologies for losing my temper at you, my friend. I owe you a round of golf, and, I assure you, you and I will have a good laugh over my poor behavior today.”
The Deacon smiled, patted the Reverend on the shoulder and made his way slowly toward the exit. When he disappeared within the hallways of the sanctuary, the Reverend turned, squared his shoulders, grabbed his wife’s arm and paced over to where Stephen stood, his heels echoing sharply off the marble flooring. He approached Stephen, glancing over his shoulder to be sure the church was empty before speaking.
“Let me get right to the point, young man. Are you having an affair with my wife?”
“Why no, Reverend. Whatever gave you that idea?”
“Have you ever been alone with her?”
“Yes, I was. Once. Don’t you remember making an appointment to meet with me?”
“I do, sir.”
“Your wife was kind enough to fill in for you. I think she said you were visiting a sick person in the hospital that night and were unable to meet me.”
“That is true,” the Reverend said.
“She spoke very highly of you, was very proud of your publications. She spoke of your desire and plans to have a family. We had a very nice talk, prayed about a few matters, and that was that.”
“You prayed together, you say?
“Yes, Reverend.”
“May I ask, sir, the contents of those prayers you refer to?”
“Sure, why not? Since I last saw you my job transferred me to another town back east, which I am about to leave for later today. I confessed to your wife of my anxious feelings about the move, we prayed over it, and I left in a better frame of mind about the move. I certainly have no idea why you would think we were engaged in some sort of dalliance. Of course, she is an extraordinarily pretty woman, it’s true. I suppose if I was lucky enough to be married to Laura, I’d be jealous too. But you needn’t worry Reverend. I could tell by our meeting she holds you in the highest regard, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about…”
During the silence between them, the Reverend stared at Stephen with intensity.
“So you know nothing about the horrific and offensive acts she described in her diary then? And please remember we are gathered in a sacred place before God and I must ask you to be absolutely truthful.”
“Her diary?" Stephen asked.
“Which he apparently read, then burned...” Laura said, in a terse, simmering tone.”
The Reverend turned stiffly to face his wife.
“Why yes, of course, I read it, Laura. You are my wife and there must be no secrets between us. And yes, I burned the pornographic contents of your diary entries over the last few months. It gave me great pleasure to watch the pages burn,” the Reverend said.
“Well, I’m still not sure what this is all about, but, if you don’t mind me having the presumption to give advice to a Man of God, you shouldn’t read or for that matter, burn someone’s private diary. It’s rather personal, isn’t it?”
“Not to him apparently,” Laura spit out.
“Well, I don’t know anything about any diary. I just remember Laura telling me you were leaving on a trip and how much she would miss you and was bored without you while you were gone. Maybe she was just entertaining herself with sexy stories while you were away to pass the time, and you misread what she wrote in your completely understandable jealousy with having a young and very pretty wife. I would be jealous of her too, she’s very beautiful…”
The Reverend finally broke eye contact with Stephen. He glanced at Laura, then looked at the floor.
“I hope you truly realize what you have in Laura, Reverend. Though I only met her once, she made a lasting impression upon me. She is a wonderful kind-hearted woman, destined for great things. You’re a lucky man.”
The Reverend looked sheepishly over to Laura, then back at his feet. He turned away walked down the hallway toward the
front entrance, followed by Stephen and Laura. He stopped at the door.
“Well, if there’s nothing else, I should be hitting the road. Guess I’ll make my goodbyes. Reverend?”
Stephen held out his hand and the Reverend reluctantly shook it.
“Yes. Perhaps this was all some sort of misunderstanding. My apologies for...”
“No need to apologize to me. I’m sure you’ll feel much better after a good night’s sleep.”
Stephen finally turned to Laura, whose eyes were staring off in the distance.
“Well…”
A long pause transpired as Stephen struggled to gain control of himself. His eyes filled with tears as he gazed at her one last time.
“So long, Laura,” Stephen said in a shaking voice.
As Stephen turned to go, the Reverend noticed a lone tear hit the marble floor where he was staring. He looked up at Stephen’s face.
“Are you…?”
The Reverend caught Stephen halfway out the door by the shoulder and turned him around.
“Are you crying? You are, aren’t you? Why on earth are you crying?” the Reverend asked.
Stephen quickly wiped his eyes with his palm, broke away from the Reverend’s grip and stepped out of the doorway into the sunlight.
“Wait, Stephen. Don’t go yet,” Laura said.
Stephen stopped and slowly turned around.
“I have something to give you, Roger. Open your hand.”
Stephen saw Laura’s balled up left fist open to reveal her wedding ring.
“Laura,” the Reverend uttered.
“Please take this. I no longer wish to be married to you. Take it.”
Laura reached out and opened her husband’s hand, put her ring in it, then closed his fingers around it. She put the keys to the Lexus in his other hand. Roger opened his palm and stared at the ring in his hand.
“But, Laura, why are you...? I’ve forgiven you, my darling. This was all some sort of mistake,” the Reverend said, nervously.
“There is no mistake. The words I never intended you to read are true, every last one of them.”
Laura looked at Stephen.
“I need to leave with you, Stephen. Today. Right now.”
Stephen looked at Laura, nodded once. Laura walked out of the doorway and joined him.
“Wait. No, this can’t be happening. It can’t be.”
The Reverend grabbed both of their arms and roughly pulled them back into the sanctuary and slammed the door shut. He looked at them desperately.
“Let go of me, Roger,” Laura said, very calmly.
The Reverend confronted Stephen, holding out his chest.
“Is it true what she said? Is it all true?”
“I’m afraid so, sir. I never intended...”
“You mean to tell me that you forced my wife to...”
“No one forced me to do anything,” Laura said.
“Tying her up and sticking your tongue and fingers and… and making her… kiss you in all sorts of disgusting places,” the Reverend said, quietly, almost to himself, in disbelief.
“Listen to me, Roger. You’re a good man. You are. But I’ve come to realize I’m not the woman for you. I never was really. I’m very sorry for hurting you like this.”
“You’re sorry? That’s all you have to say?”
“You’re a good man, Roger. I’m sure you’ll find someone else who will be more compatible.”
“Going to that hotel and becoming his… submissive. Having sex with him! Taking her to that sex club, tying her up, slapping her, tying her to a cross for God’s Sake, forcing her to… to swallow… to swallow you in front of a crowd of degenerates.”
“That’s enough, Roger.”
Laura opened the door a crack and the Reverend slammed it shut again, the violent sound echoing throughout the chapel. His voice shook with righteous indignation and pain.
“Forcing my wife to have sex with you and the other disgusting man… At the same time!”
The Reverend bent over slightly, clutching his chest and starting to have difficulty breathing.
“It can’t be true! Please tell me it’s not true!”
Laura let loose the rage of years of repression and topped the Reverend’s vocal power, stunning him.
“Yes, Roger! It’s all true! Every word you read is true. We did all of that and more! And let me tell you another secret and listen very carefully, Roger, because I will only say this once. I... Had... Fun! I liked it. Every minute of it. Yes! That’s who I am. And for the first time in my life I feel free. Absolutely Free!” Laura screamed out.
Taken aback, the Reverend tried another tactic.
“I suppose you’ll want half of everything I’ve worked for, the house, the rental properties. What about the scandal this will cause, it’ll ruin the ministry!”
“I want nothing from you, not a single penny. Have your lawyer meet me in front of the house tomorrow morning at 8AM and I will sign over everything to you. The house, the rental property, everything. I will pick up my clothes and leave. As for the church, there need be no scandal. Just tell the parish there is sickness in my family and I had to leave for an extended period. Goodbye, Roger.”
“If you walk out that door, even if you come begging me on your hands and knees...”
“Come on, Stephen.”
“But… you said I was a good lover. Please wait, Laura.”
“You are, Roger. I’m sure you’ll make someone very happy.”
Laura opened the church door and walked out followed by Stephen.
“Wait, Laura. What about our baby? Our family?”
Laura took out a folded paper from her purse and handed it to Roger.
“I’m sorry, Roger. The child is not yours. This is a copy of the DNA test results. Stephen is the father of the child.”
The Reverend dropped to his knees, as if the air had been finally sucked out of him. The paper slipped between his fingers.
“Please don’t leave me. I don’t care if the child’s not mine. I’ll raise him as my own. We’re married, Laura. I forgive you. Don’t to this to me. I love you. I love you still. Where are you going? Please! Don’t leave me!”
Laura and Stephen kept walking without looking back. Stephen took her hand. The Reverend stood up, violently yelling after her.
“You’re nothing but a whore! A Harlot! A Whore! You ruined my life, Laura! You ruined my life!”
Laura felt relieved when the slamming of the church door ended the curses and her marriage.
When they got to Stephen’s car, he spoke.
“I’m going to be a Father?”
“You are.”
“Laura, I’m so happy.”
“I was hoping it would be you all along.”
“Me too.”
“And do you know what they say about pregnant women?”
“No, what?”
“Their hormones go crazy and they just want to have sex all the time.”
“Lucky me,” Stephen said, smiling.
Laura gave Stephen a light kiss on his lips.
“I’ve missed you, Stephen.”
“God, I’ve missed you too, Laura.”
“I’d like to drive if you don’t mind. I like your car,” Laura said.
“Sure,” Stephen said, handing her the car keys.
They put on their seat belts and Laura pulled out from the curb and merged into traffic.
“So where are we going?” Stephen asked.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Oh good, I love surprises.”
“I do too, Stephen.”
“I know you do, Laura.”
With the windows down, they drove down the Pacific Coast Highway. Laura turned off on a side road and drove down a narrow winding path between a grove of pine trees.
“I smell the ocean,” Stephen said.
“You do?”
Laura parked in a dirt parking lot and grabbed her bag. They got out and Laura led Stephen down a steep pat
h toward the shore. Stephen heard the breaking waves and saw seagulls circling above them. Laura and Stephen arrived at the bottom of the cliff and walked out onto the shoreline of one of California’s most famous nudist’s beaches.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to take a stroll with me on the beach?”
“I did. You took me to Blue Beach. How’d you know about this place?”
“Oh, I’ve never been on the actual beach. This is my first time, but I’ve always secretly wanted to come down here. A few times my girlfriends in high school would come here with me and hide at the top of the cliff, trying to spot naked bodies sunbathing or walking on the beach. They told me they had all eventually come down here with their boyfriends and such, but since I was a good Christian girl, ogling at the nudists from above was about the worst thing I ever did.”
“Until you met me.”
“Until I met you, Stephen.”
Laura looked deeply into his eyes with a calm, serene smile creasing her lips. Stephen looked at the purse slung over her shoulder.
“What’s in the bag?”
“Oh, two towels, sunglasses, suntan lotion, massage oil, two sandwiches I picked up on the way to church, vegetarian.”
“Thanks.”
“Water, personal lubricant...”
“My, you think of everything.”
As she looked into Stephen’s ocean blue eyes, she undid the first two buttons of her cardigan.
“Laura, do you mind if I...”
“I would like that, Stephen.”
Stephen undid the third button of Laura’s sweater at the same moment Laura undid the top button on Stephen’s trousers. Then Laura stopped undressing Stephen and looked into his eyes.
“Oh wait. I forgot something. What shall we do with this?”
Laura got the black collar out of her purse and handed it to Stephen. Stephen smiled at Laura, feeling the leather between his thumb and index finger. They finished undressing each other, stretched their towels out side by side on the soft sand and folded their clothes neatly on top. As they stood up, they felt the warm rays of the sun on their skin. Suddenly, Stephen started walking away from Laura.