“Look, I’m not about to go there with you this morning. It’s far too early and I’m not going to let the devil steal my joy.”
“Oh, so now you want to bring God into this.”
“God is always in the forefront of my thoughts and my actions. It’s because of God’s lead that I thought it was best that your mother did what she did. And I don’t regret it. Not one bit.”
“I’m going to let you go. I can’t listen to any more of your self-righteous banter, Pastor”
“You know the Word, son. And you also know two wrongs don’t make a right. If your mother had aborted your sister, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. And I know you aren’t on the phone telling me that you’d rather she had. If you are saying that, then maybe it’s time you reevaluate your walk with the Lord.”
Stiles was heated now. He couldn’t believe Pastor would question his relationship with God. He was raised up in the church, a preacher’s kid and all of the gut and glory that went along with it. He learned about God for himself after being spiritually steered and fed the gospel. He didn’t regret it either. He was glad that he’d been raised by a godly mother like Audrey was to him and a stepfather like Pastor who truly was an anointed man of God. Until now. Now Stiles felt like he had been deceived, betrayed all of these years. His family was based on a lie. And yes, he was glad he had his sister. He didn’t want anyone to ever think otherwise, but it was still the principle of the thing. Pastor, in his eyes was a hypocrite. He didn’t care how much Bible he quoted or memorized, he let his wife down, his family down and in Stiles’s eyes he had let God down.
“You go on up there and see where it gets you. All you’re going to do is cause more dissension in this family. Francesca is finally healing not only physically but mentally. She’s been given a second chance at life, a chance to make things better than they have been. And now because you’re upset with me, and a decision I made that had nothing to do with you, you want to run up there and cause misery all over again in her life. Seems to me like you’re the one who needs to have a little talk with Jesus,” Pastor scoffed.
The doorbell rang, much to Pastor’s relief. “Son, do what you feel you have to do. I’ve got to go.” He hung up the phone.
Stiles bit his bottom lip. He went into the family room. Detria was watching the morning news while Baby Audrey was strapped in her car seat that was seated on the floor a few feet away from her.
She squirmed like she was trying desperately to break loose from the straps that held her in place.
Stiles became even more furious as he watched Detria ignore their daughter. It looked like they were ready, but Detria still acted like the baby wasn’t even in the room. He walked over to Baby Audrey, and scooped up the car seat.
“It’s going to be fine, sweetpea. I know you don’t want to be in this ole’ thing, but daddy’s about to take you on a road trip. We’re going to have fun,” he said to his little girl.
Audrey reached for Stiles, still struggling to get out. Stiles sat the seat on the end of the sofa and balanced it there with his knee while he used his hands to release his daughter.
Detria finally looked at the two of them, but Stiles noticed a commercial had come on.
“Why are you taking her out of her car seat? Aren’t you ready to go? You said we had to be up there before noon. It’s,” she looked at her phone, “seven fifteen.”
“I guess you didn’t notice that she wanted out of this thing,” he answered.
“She’s a child, Stiles. She can’t have everything she wants, and anyway, she was just fine. It’s not like sitting in a car seat was killing her. Jeez, you can be so over the top sometimes,” Detria remarked.
“Just take her car seat and diaper bag while I carry her to the car.” He tried to remain calm, hold back his anger. He didn’t want the day to start out worse than it already had. His words with Pastor were enough, and now Detria was about to make him shoot off. But if he was going to make an effort to make things better in his marriage he was going to have to bite his tongue about a lot of things.
Detria seemed to have a way of pushing his buttons, the wrong buttons for that matter, but today he opted for a simpler solution rather than going off on her. That was to do just what he’d done – carry his daughter in his arms without making a huge fuss about his wife’s lack of motherly affection toward their child.
Detria used the remote to power down the flat screen before she retrieved the diaper bag parked next to her on the sofa. She stood and then walked over and grabbed hold of the car seat.
“Let’s go,” she ordered.
◊
“Good morning, early bird,” Pastor said as he opened the door for Josie, his neighbor and companion. The couple officially became an item shortly after Francesca and Tim’s wedding. Pastor enjoyed Josie’s company. She was spry, energetic, loved the Lord and her church, loved her family and she reminded him of Audrey in many ways. Like Audrey, she catered to his every need. She came this morning baring two containers filled with food. Pastor already knew whatever was inside was delicious. He hated to admit it, but Josie was probably a better cook than his Audrey had been.
“Step aside and let me in,” she said. “It’s already getting hot out there.” She walked into the apartment like she was at home, and headed toward his kitchen.
“What you got there?” he asked, a smile formed on his face. He was glad Josie had arrived when she did. He had grown weary of Stiles’ attacks and if he had remained on the phone a little longer, he may have said some things that he might regret later.
“I made some rice, sausage and biscuit this morning. You haven’t eaten yet, have you?” She stated more than questioned.
“No, I haven’t. And you know me too well, Josie,” Pastor said in a flirtatious tone. “I was about to fix me a bowl of instant oatmeal.”
“Well, now you don’t have to. I’ll put it on a plate for you. Everything’s still good and hot so you don’t have to put it in the microwave.”
She opened the dishwasher and removed a plate, fork and a large spoon. “Do you want me to scramble you a couple of eggs right quick?” she asked.
“Umm, you don’t have to. Rice and sausage is enough.”
“That means yes,” she replied. “It won’t take me but a minute. You can go on and do what you were doing. Put your clothes on or something. I thought you would be out of your pajamas by now. You usually are this time of morning,” she told him.
“Yeah, I know, but my son called and that threw off my routine a little. “
“Oh, is everything all right with Stiles and his family?”
“Yes, everything’s fine,” he said. He cared deeply about Josie. Trusted her too, but he was not about to share his family secrets with her. “He was just telling me that the three of them are going to go see Francesca this morning.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” Josie opened the refrigerator, removed two eggs, a stick of butter, and the pint sized container of skimmed milk, a tomato and some sharp cheddar. Next, she looked in the cabinet over the sink and removed a small glass bowl. She cracked the two eggs, then added measured portions of milk, salt and pepper, diced up part of the tomato, sliced some of the cheese and scrambled it all together in the bowl. “I love it when couples spend quality time together. It’s good for a marriage. Any relationship really,” she said while she prepared the food.
“Um hum. I’ll be right back. While you’re doing that, I’m going back here and put on my clothes. They’re already lying out on my bed, so it won’t take me but a minute.”
“That’s fine. Everything will be ready when you get back.” Josie proceeded to sing while she turned on the stove, put the skillet on top of the burner and waited on it to heat up before adding the scrambled mixture.
“I sing because I’m happy. I sing because I’m freeee,” she sang in perfect pitch. Josie loved to sing. She was one of the lead singers in her church choir.
Pastor had invited her to perform a solo at Holy R
ock several months ago during women’s month. It was another one of the things that endeared him to Josie. When she sang, as she often did when she was around him, it had a way of soothing his spirit. Somehow it made him forget about the troubles and worries of the day.
He returned to the kitchen a few minutes later fully dressed and patting his flat belly. “Where’s my food, woman?” he said jokingly.
“Man, don’t you start me up this morning,” she said placing both hands on her thick hips. “You won’t get not one bit of this food if you mess with me.”
He walked up to her, his gait still uneven, residual and lasting effects of his last stroke. His arms wrapped around her waist then moved around her back side. His lips met hers and without pause, he kissed her.
Josie reciprocated. Both arms held on to him as she reached up and encircled his neck. He stood several inches taller than her, yet he would be described as vertically challenged by most people. But petite Josie considered him tall in her book. Her late husband, who died a year before Audrey, had been a big and tall man. He would have towered at least a foot over Pastor.
“I love to hear you sing,” he told her when he pulled away. “Your voice is like an angel singing from heaven.”
Josie blushed. “Thank you, Pastor. It’s just a gift the good Lord gave me, and I intend to use it until He calls me home.”
Pastor pulled out a chair and sat down at the breakfast table. “Are you going to join me?” he asked.
Josie plated the food and sat it on the table in front of Pastor. “I already ate, but I am going to have a cup of orange juice.” She returned to the refrigerator and pulled the carton of orange juice out of the fridge and poured her and Pastor a glass before she sat down across from him.
“Do you have anything special planned for today?”
“I’m going to sort through those boxes Stiles brought over here the other day. And later on, I said I might drive up to the Dollar General. I need to get a few items for around the house. Would you care to join me?”
“I don’t know. What time are you going?”
“You know it won’t be until after Judge Mathis goes off. So, I’ll say about noon. What, you have something planned?”
“Nothing other than watching Judge Mathis with you, and when I leave here this morning I’m going to go home and put a load of clothes in the washer. That’s all. So I’ll go with you.”
Pastor ate his food. “This is delicious,” he complimented. “These eggs are the best.” He reached across the table and patted her hand.
“Thank you.” Josie took a swallow of her juice while she watched him eat.
Their relationship was a good one. Both of them had survived the death of their spouses, both of them had battled with illnesses. Pastor and his strokes. Josie and her rheumatoid arthritis. But together they strengthened each other in more ways than from a physical aspect.
Pastor was a good listener. Josie surmised it was because of his profession. As a Pastor over the years he’d had to listen to an endless list of people who sought his counsel and prayers. She was impressed with his patience and understanding. He wasn’t judgmental at all. She could honestly say, if she had to, that she’d grown to love Pastor, and she believed he loved her as well. She was grateful to God for blessing her with a companion in her golden years as was Pastor.
Pastor finished eating his breakfast, leaned back in the chair and took the final swallow of juice. “Ahhh, I’m stuffed,” he said.
“Good.” She got up from the table. “I’m going to leave you for a while. I’ll be back by eleven. Do you want me to bring you anything back when I come?” she asked.
“No, just you. That’s all I need.”
“Pastor, stop it. You’re being mighty fresh this morning,” she said.
“Just telling you what God loves, the truth.” He stood up too and as he did, he reached out and took hold of her hand, brought it up to his lips and planted tiny feather like kisses on her hand and wrist. “You want to hang around until Judge Mathis comes on? You can put clothes in the washer anytime,” he said.
“And you can go through boxes anytime,” she replied.
“Say no more then.” He stretched out his arm, and Josie smiled, as she walked toward the bedroom door instead of the front door.
Pastor stood back. Silence filled the room as he watched her hips sway like palm trees. He smiled with satisfaction.
18
“What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” Oscar Wilde
“Good morning, Tim,” Stiles said and walked inside Tim and Francesca’s house with a fussing Baby Audrey in his arms and a quiet, tight-lipped wife next to him. “How’s it going, my man? It’s been a while since I last saw you.”
“Yeah, it has. But everything’s good. Me and Francesca are fine, aren’t we baby?” Tim said and turned to Francesca who stood next to him, looking as sullen as Detria.
“Uh huh,” she replied as she shifted her eyes toward Detria. “Hi, Detria.”
“Hello, Francesca. You’re looking well,” Detria remarked.
“Thanks,” she said and then focused her attention on Baby Audrey. “Look at you, little woman. You are growing so fast,” she said and lightly pinched the bouncing baby’s fat cheeks. “She is cute as a button.”
“Thanks, Sis. I think she has your big brown eyes. What do you think?” he asked proudly.
“I think you’re talking out the side of your neck,” Francesca answered.
“Talking out the side of your neck?” Detria scowled. “What does that mean?”
Francesca threw up her hands, giving Detria a questioning look. “Nothing. It means nothing. Just a little slang. Y’all come on in,” she offered.
“Yeah, come inside,” Tim added. “Go on back in the family room. That’s where we usually hang out.”
“This place is nice,” complimented Stiles as his eyes surveyed the well decorated space. He gave the credit to Francesca. She had always been a neat freak and good at making anything look good.
“Yeah, it sure is nice,” Detria added as they both looked around while being escorted through the 2300 hundred square foot home.
Tim and Francesca had their dream home built from the ground up. They’d been in the house over six months, but this was the first time Stiles had seen it. Francesca never invited him or Pastor to come up and Stiles had learned that if he wasn’t invited, then there was no need to invite himself because Francesca would find some excuse to brush him off. This time was different because Stiles was determined to not only tell her about Pastor and Audrey, but he wanted to see if he could somehow find some private time to ask her why she sent those box of condoms to Rena and then pretended like he had sent them. On the one hand he hated the way Audrey had treated his sister, but then on the other hand he was sick of Francesca’s vindictive, revenge seeking ways.
“Would you like something to eat? Drink?” Tim asked the couple.
“Not me,” Stiles answered then looked over at his wife.
“Yes, water please.”
“Anything for the little princess?” Tim looked at Baby Audrey and chuckled as she planted slobbery kisses on her daddy’s face.
“No, I have her juice cup and food in the bag. I’ll give her that after her daddy changes her pamper.”
Detria sat down on one end of the red sectional that was positioned to face a big window and two small windows, and opened the diaper bag. She took a pamper out the bag and passed it to Stiles without so much as blinking an eye. “Here.”
Stiles looked at her, accepted the pamper and then turned to Francesca who’s eyes were glued on the two of them. “Where can I change her?” he asked.
Francesca pointed behind her. “Go up that hall and take a right. Second door on the left is the bathroom. “
“Thanks, Sis,” he said and disappeared with Baby Audrey still bouncing and chattering in his arms.
Detria seemed to be growing more and more detached from Baby
Audrey, but Stiles tried to ignore his mounting concern. Some women were more career oriented than others. Maybe Detria fell into that category. He wanted to blame it on anything other than her being a bad mother. That was something he couldn’t fathom.
Stiles walked back into the family room with Baby Audrey holding on to his shirt, and looking like she was in seventh heaven. She was just nine months old but she already displayed signs of being a ‘daddy’s girl’ and Stiles ate it up. He adored his daughter and his dreams were to have more children with Detria, but with each day that passed, and the mounting tension growing in their marriage, Stiles was becoming more uncertain about that possibility.
“Okay, Stiles what is it that was so important that you had to drive up here to tell me?” Francesca asked, cutting through any chance of making small talk with him. She was glad to see her little niece, but Francesca didn’t want to prolong their visit. She welcomed her privacy and her new life with Tim and his family. Stiles and Pastor would only bring confusion and turmoil in her life, and she didn’t want or need that. Prime example, he practically insisted on coming to their new home in Jackson, Tennessee to upset her. Francesca knew that would be the case because if it was anything good or positive that he had to say, her brother would have told her over the phone, or not at all. Seemed like her family was only good for making her life miserable and she was sick and tired of it. She’d already told Tim when they first got up that morning, that she was done dealing with Stiles and Pastor unless it was a real family crisis.
Pastor may have been her father, and she loved him dearly, but she had made up in her mind to love him from afar. As for Stiles, of course she loved him. He was her blood, her brother. But some of his ways reminded her of Audrey. He could be self-seeking and at times he blamed her for the problems she’d encountered in her life. It was like he was the perfect one, always had been in the eyes of Audrey, but Francesca knew that Stiles had a violent streak that hardly anyone knew about. But she did. She’d been the recipient of his back slaps, trip ups, and nasty verbal assaults when they were growing up. But like always, Audrey never stood up for her. She always took Stiles’ side no matter what. She could be bleeding from a hit or fall that was caused by her brother, but Audrey somehow managed to turn it around and blame her for it.
My Sister My Momma My Wife Page 12