on a woman always makes me smile.” He took my hand into
his. “I guess, I should say congratulations to both of you.”
He held onto my hand as he held my gaze and up close,
this man was even finer. It was more than his resemblance to
Martin Luther King, Jr. He oozed charisma. This man was
going to be good for Pilgrim’s Rest, but he was going to be
trouble, too.
“Thank you,” Jeremy and I said together, then, I gently
tugged my hand from his grasp. It was almost like he didn’t
have any plans to let me go.
Reverend Harwood cleared his throat. “Well, then after
you graduate, maybe we can all get together next Sunday.
Everyone has told me how valuable you’ve been here at
Pilgrim’s Rest and I’m hoping you’ll be staying in New
Orleans. Our church can use someone youthful and on fire
for the Lord as I’m told you are.”
“We’ll see.” Jeremy glanced over his shoulder. “I don’t
want to hold up the line anymore,” he told the pastor.
“Let’s connect this week,” he said to Jeremy, but he kept
his eyes on me.
Jeremy waved without making a commitment and then,
he led me away. Holding hands as we entered the parking lot,
I kissed Jeremy’s cheek.
“I’m so proud of you.”
“Why? Because I didn’t give him an elbow to the eye for
taking my position?”
My Word | 65
I laughed. “That’s one reason. But I know how you felt
about this.”
“Key word: felt. What you said last night made a lot of
sense. I’ve moved on. I’ve got to start thinking about doing
my own thing.”
I smiled, though my thoughts were that if I’d talked
Jeremy into accepting this decision, I just might be able to
convince him to choose a different career path altogether.
When we slid into the car, I asked, “So, where are we going
now?”
“Do you have anything you have to do to prepare for your
mom and sisters coming in tomorrow?” he asked as we pulled
out of the church’s parking lot.
I shook my head. “No, I’ll pick them up from the
airport tomorrow evening, then take them over to the hotel.
Besides, that, I don’t have anything else planned for today or tomorrow.”
“Well, I need to clean up my apartment a little before my
family gets in.”
“That’s cool. Want me to help?”
“Nah. You’re my girlfriend, not my maid.”
“I don’t mind. Plus, you and Aaron are so neat anyway;
how long will it take?”
“Exactly, that’s my point. Just let me do this, and then, I’l
come back to pick you up. Say...in about an hour? Then, we
can hang out and get something to eat.”
66 | Gizel e Bryant
I shrugged. This was unusual. Since Jeremy and I started
going to church together, we’d always did something together
right after.
“It’ll just be about an hour,” Jeremy repeated.
“Okay, cool. It’ll give me a chance to change into jeans
or something.”
“Nah, don’t do that.”
“Why not?” I frowned. “We’re just gonna hang out, right?”
“Yeah, but I love looking at your legs and Sundays are the
only time I get to do it.”
“Okay,” I said as he pulled up in front of my dorm. “So
an hour.”
He nodded before he leaned over and gave me one of
what I’d come to call a soul kiss. When I pulled away, there
was so much more that I wanted to do with him. But we
hadn’t gotten there yet, and I loved the way Jeremy wasn’t
rushing us. It was like he was allowing our relationship to
just simmer.
When I pushed open the door to my room, I half-
expected to see Dru. But the room was empty and I wasn’t
that surprised. She hadn’t come to the room last night and I
didn’t see her in church. I guess she was taking Senior week
seriously. My girl was tearing up the streets.
I kicked off my shoes, laid back on the bed and sighed.
There were so many reasons for my joy and one that was near
the top of the list was how Jeremy had bounced back from
his desire to be the Senior Pastor at Pilgrim’s Rest. Even
My Word | 67
now, it just seemed so ridiculous, but I couldn’t be mad at his ambition. I was just going to have to help him channel it in
the right direction.
I was looking forward to every moment of that. Rolling
over, I glanced at the photo that Jeremy and I had taken the
day after our first kiss. We’d taken it in one of those mall
photo booths, but it was the best picture because we were
just being us. I took it from my desk and stared at it, loving the way I was leaning back into him, loving the way his arms
were around me.
I didn’t know where this was going with me and Jeremy.
I was so looking forward to going home and beginning the
next chapter of my life. But would that life really include
Jeremy? He had to decide this week whether he’d been going
to Howard or Duke. Of course, I held hope in my heart that
he’d go to the HBCU since it would be close to my home,
but what I knew for sure was that he had to go where God
led him, not where I wanted him to be.
As I stared at the picture, my phone rang. I was smiling
before I said, “Hey, Jeremy. You’re on your way?”
“Nah, um, Aaron’s gonna join us, is that okay?”
“Sure,” I said, a little surprised. His roommate had never
done anything more than hang out with us at their apartment.
But then after thinking about it for a second, Aaron was going to be returning to Arkansas after graduation. Maybe Jeremy
just wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.
“So, while I finish up here, he’s gonna pick you up and
take you to Restaurant R’evolution.”
68 | Gizel e Bryant
I shot up straight on the bed. “Really, Jeremy. We can’t
afford that.”
“What do you mean we? Did I ask you for anything?”
“Okay, you can’t afford that. And what about Aaron? I
know he doesn’t have any money.”
He laughed. “Ginger Al en, you don’t know anything.
Can’t I take my girl out once for a nice celebration?” He didn’t give me room to answer before he added, “And I already told
you, just buckle up and enjoy the ride. Aaron will pick you up in about ten minutes.” And then, he hung up without even
saying goodbye.
Really? Was I even dressed fancy enough for Restaurant
R’evolution?
This was so odd. One thing about Jeremy was he wasn’t
impressed with fancy restaurants or designer clothes. He
kept his eleven-year-old car not because he had to—he made
enough as a youth pastor to have a newer car. But none of
that fazed him.
Then, I smiled. This was spontaneous and it would be
fun, so I was going to do what Jeremy said. I was going to
buckle up.
d
“What’s up, Aaron, you got stuck with limousine duty,
huh?”
back and forth?”
My Word | 69
“And I always appreciate it. So,” I said when he began to
edge his Ford truck from the curb. “We’re going to Restaurant
R’evolution?”
“Yup.”
“Is Tasha gonna join us?” I asked about his girlfriend.
“Nope. She’s hanging out with her family. They got here
this morning.”
“Bummer. She’s gonna be sorry she missed this.”
“I guess. I’m not into restaurants all that much. As long
as there’s a McDonald’s or Chick Fil A nearby, I’m good.”
I laughed; this was the reason why he and Jeremy were
friends. Aaron tuned his radio to WDUB, Dillard’s radio
station and when I heard the notes of that intro, I bobbed my
head. Leaning back in the seat, I closed my eyes and jammed.
“I’m lost without you,” Robin Thicke sang, but my voice drowned his out. “Can’t help myself.”
“Sing, girl.” Aaron laughed, but I didn’t care. I kept on
singing.
And the words made me lean back, close my eyes, and drift
back on a memory to the first time I’d heard this song. About
two years ago...the night I laid eyes on Jeremy Williams....
“Will you come on?” Dru said, as she yanked me into the hotel lobby.
I sighed. This didn’t make any sense. We’d come to Charlotte for the MEAC, and we’d seen a few basketball games, but at night, Dru dragged me from one hotel lobby to another. It was crazy.
70 | Gizel e Bryant
These weren’t official parties, but the people were hanging out like they were.
“Why are you moping around?” Dru asked.
“I’m not,” I practically screamed back just so she would be able to hear me. “I just don’t get this. One hotel lobby looks like another.
Why are we hotel hopping?”
“Because this is part of the fun of being in Charlotte.”
“And this is why I probably never came here before.”
“I’m not going to let you wear your Debbie Downer facade
today. This was a great idea to get out of New Orleans. We need to celebrate almost being halfway through college.”
“And I have no problem with that kind of celebration. But
hanging out in hotels is not my idea of celebrating anything.”
I paused taking in the sight around me. There were dozens and dozens of men and women in the lobby, sectioned off in groups, holding cups in their hands, bobbing their heads, some even dancing to Alicia Keyes singing “No One,” her voice flowing through the hotel’s speakers. It was like we were truly in the middle of a club.
“This looks like Freaknik with just a little more class.” Then, I did a slow 360 spin taking in every corner. “Did I say class? Let me take that back.”
Dru laughed. “I think Freaknik is a great comparison. But if you don’t want to freak anyone, that doesn’t mean I can’t. And as a matter of fact....” She smoothed down her tube top, then said,
“You see that honey over there?”
I followed Dru’s glance to a guy so tall, I wondered if he was one of the players.
My Word | 71
“Yeah, he’s purple and gold,” she continued, commenting on the wife beater he wore. “I’m gonna go holla at him. Why don’t you find a seat over there?” She waved her hand in the general vicinity of the lobby’s couches and when she went switching off, I sighed again.
What I really needed to do was get back to our hotel, but I didn’t want to leave Dru out there like that. We’d come together and we were gonna leave together. Those were the rules.
There wasn’t a free seat in the lobby and I began to think that maybe rules were meant to be broken —- for tonight. But just as I had that thought, two girls stood up. I raced to the sofa, sat down, just as a new song came on over the speaker.
“ I’m lost without you ....”
“Would you mind if I sat here?”
“ Can’t help myself.... ”
At first, I was mad. This song had caught me and I wanted to listen, uninterrupted. But then, I looked up and into the face of a man who made me take a deep breath. There were so many things that made this guy so fine, starting with the chocolate tone of his skin that was clear, smooth. I loved a black man; his coloring was a beautiful contrast to the cinnamon tint of mine. And then, he had these dimples on full display.
“Do you mind?” He pointed to the seat next to me. He smiled and I sighed.
“I’m sorry, of course,” I said. “I don’t own the sofa.”
He chuckled. “I kinda knew that. But I’m a gentleman and so what a gentleman does is ask first.”
72 | Gizel e Bryant
Even if he hadn’t told me that, I probably would have been able to testify that he was a gentleman in a court of law. It was everything about him, especially the way he was dressed. While most of these dudes were in jeans and wife beaters, he wore black slacks and a white tailored shirt open at the collar. A very business, but casual look.
He sat and then began mimicking me. Not on purpose, of
course. He just bobbed his head in rhythm to mine. And then, he opened his mouth:
“Lost without you, can’t help myself.”
I leaned away from him. “Wow! Impressive.”
He blinked and when he glanced my way, it seemed that he’d forgotten where he was.
“Thank you. But I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I think if you’re not being paid to sing aloud in public, that means that you shouldn’t do it.”
That made me chuckle. “I disagree. If you can sing like that, then clear your throat and blow.”
He laughed. “Well, I had to find something to do ‘cause this.”
He paused, glanced around at the party going on and shook his head. “I’m not built for this. Just ask my boys. The ones wilding out in the corner over there.”
I followed his glance and asked, “Why aren’t you wilding out with them?”
“Didn’t you hear what I said?” And he gave me that double-
dimple smile again. “I’m too much of a gentleman to be doing all
My Word | 73
of that. This ain’t my thing. Don’t even ask me how I ended up here ‘cause I couldn’t tell you.”
“Tell me about it,” I said. “I have no idea why I’m here either.
I mean, I’m a basketball fan and it sounded like a great idea at the time, but....”
“But!” he said and we laughed together again.
He held out his hand. “I’m Jeremy. Jeremy Williams.”
“Ginger Allen.”
“Like Ginger,” he paused and frowned, “from Gilligan’s
Island?”
I rolled my eyes. If I’d had a dollar for every time someone said that, I wouldn’t need this Business degree that I was working toward.
It must have been my silence, that made him say, “Sorry.
Didn’t mean to offend you.”
“No.” I held up my hand. “You’re fine. I’m just irritated because of all of this.” I waved at the people surrounding us.
“So this must be your first time.”
I nodded.
“Then, I’m gonna assume that you’re not from around here.”
“Nah, I’m from DC. But I go to school in New Orleans.
Xavier.”
His eyes widened. “Get. Out. I’m at Dillard. What are you?
A freshman?”
“I’m a sophomore actually.”
“So am I. Wow.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe we’ve
never met.”
74 | Gizel e Bryant
“Well, I’m not a big partier; I don’t get out much.”
“If I’d seen you at McDonald’s
I would have remembered.” He paused. “I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but you’re beautiful.”
I lowered my eyes, never feeling quite comfortable with being complimented for the way I looked. I had nothing to do with that—I carried the DNA of my parents.
Again he said, “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?”
“Oh, no. It’s fine. So what are you studying at Dillard?”
“Mass Communications.”
“Oh, you want to be a journalist?”
He paused for a moment before he said, “I want to be a pastor.”
It was shocking to hear from a man who’d traveled with turnt up friends to hang out in a hotel lobby in Charlotte, but I knew how to play poker. I kept my smile and nodded.
But then as we kept talking about Dillard and Xavier, about my hometown of DC and his of Houston, about how I hoped to pledge the pink and green while he wanted to make the Alpha line, I realized that we had so much in common.
“Hey, what’s up?”
Jeremy and I glanced up at the same time, taking a look at Dru, who held a plastic cup half-fil ed with some red liquid—like she was in a club.
“And who is this?” she said with nothing but flirtation in her tone.Jeremy stood and introduced himself.
“Well, hello Jeremy,” Dru sang. “Are you over here doing
naughty things to my friend?”
My Word | 75
“Dru.” I sighed. “Please. We’re just talking. Jeremy is going to be a pastor.”
“Oh,” she said, her tone and stature changing. “Well...uh...
God bless you.” She spun away from us, then sashayed toward another corner.
Jeremy and I watched Dru, then, he said, “I just wanna know, you got something against pastors?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Absolutely not. My father was a
pastor.”
“Oh,” he said with a bit of joy in his voice. “Okay. I just didn’t know what you meant when you said that to your friend.”
“I didn’t mean anything by it. She was being rude and I didn’t want you to think you even had to answer her question.”
“So, you said your father was a pastor.”
“Yes.”
Then as other college students mingled, drank, and partied around us, I told him how my father had been the Senior Pastor of Greater Faith, a large church in DC for almost fifteen years before he passed away a few days after my sixteenth birthday.
And he told me how his father had been a deacon at his
hometown church. But his dad had passed away as well.
The first thing that, unfortunately, we had in common.
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