Religious Love

by Horton, T. P.

  Lee looked at her confirming her feelings; it wasn’t going to be pretty. He used sign language as his hands declined with a ‘no thank you.’ His head tilted to the side.

  “Baby what’s wrong,” Nicole went ahead and broke the ice.

  “Everything is wrong, Nicole.” He responded.

  She got up and slid over to Lee with the hurt- face. Her heart sunk to the bottom of her stomach. She was prepared for Lee to break her heart a second time. She tried to hold in the anger and assumptions.

  “Look at me Lee, what is it? Please just tell me.” She begged of him.

  “There is no easy way to break this down to you. I know that you still love a brother and all, but there is no room in my life for you. I apologize if I’ve led you to believe, that something more than friendship, is going to come out of this.” He explained to Nicole in a way that she could get the big picture.

  Her head sunk. “What do you mean when you say, “There is no room for me in your life? She asked as she opened her robe.

  “I love my wife!” He yelled as he tied her robe again.

  “If you love your wife so much, tell me why you are here?”

  “Because that’s what men do Nicole.” He talked to her with his hands.

  “No. I think you just got what you wanted from me, like you did the last -go- around.”

  “Let me interject Nicole. Back then we were a couple. Now, I don’t know what this is. I do know the shit is not cool one bit.” He turned around to leave her home and life.

  “Lee wait; please don’t do this to me.” She coached her begging skills hoping to get a pass from Lee.

  “Do what to you? What you need to do is come clean with your man, forget about me and move forward. I don’t feel for you, like I feel for my Denien. And when I get home to my wife; she will know the truth.” He explained to her.

  “But Lee! You and I are good together. We make a perfect team. Together, we can soar like eagles baby. The difference between her and me; I know you, like the palm of my hand. I know when you need space and when you need to be touched. You said it yourself Lee. You said, you hate the fact that she is sensitive and clingy, all church like and shit. The fact that she wants to be up under you makes your intestines queasy, remember.”

  He raised his voice, “I remember well. Do you remember that I was venting to you. A woman, which is supposed to be my friend. Huh? Do you remember that! You’re just like the rest of these thirsty ass hoes. Lose my number; dismiss me from your petty ass mind!”

  He walked out of her home, Nicole followed him. “Okay I’m sorry! Well can you at least tell me what did I do wrong?”

  “You and I have wronged our partners in a way that I can’t accept any longer, Nicole. I give my wife this same talk about being honest and here I am, a full-fledged hypocrite.” Lee reached into his pocket for his keys that were not there.

  He went back into her house to grab his car keys off the stand. He moved swiftly but not swift enough, Nicole barricaded her shapely body in front of the door, taking the house keys and locking the screen so he couldn’t get out of the house.

  She ran towards the refrigerator, “Let’s just talk it out, I made your favorite.” She pulled out a New York Style Cheesecake and a fruit basket made from her loving hands.

  “There is nothing left for you and I to discuss. I love my wife; that’s who I want to spend the rest of my life with. Damn! Now unlock the fucking door!” Lee pointed at her, then at the black door.

  His pissed off demeanor, made take the keys from her bra, and do as she was told.

  “But Lee.”

  “There is no but Nicole.” He said while making a getaway in strong hope to get back to his wife and face the music.

  “What about all the sex-ting, the pussy pictures and late night conversations we shared?”

  “What about it, Nicole? You are a grown ass woman who had full knowledge of my relationship status. Don’t blame me for how you’re feeling.”

  Lee stepped off of the porch, his right foot dipped into a deep pot hole. He fell backwards hitting his head on the cement steps.

  “That’s what the fuck you get, you insensitive asshole! I hope that fall knocked some sense into your bullheaded ass.” Nicole erupted with laughter until she saw that Lee was unresponsive, there was massive amounts of blood non-sparingly leaking from his head in two places. The left temple and the back of his head was swollen immediately with goose-egged clots the size of golf balls.

  She screamed, knelt down before his body, put two fingers to his neck and discovered, Lee was not breathing. Immediately, her nurse-skills kicked in and she proceeded to administer CPR.

  “Wake up Lee!” She yelled, repeating breathing techniques into his mouth while pumping his chest.

  She failed. Nicole flew into the house, put on some clothes and called 911. They kept her on hold so long, panic sat in cause’ the more time that was wasted, Lee was losing oxygen. She used all of her strength, pulled him into his car and bucked 100 miles per hour, until they reached Clarke County Hospital.

  They pulled up into the emergency department. She blew her horn until the medics came out of the sliding doors, put Lee on the gurney and worked with him.

  She paced the floor, not knowing the outcome of his life, made her think long and hard. She pulled out her cell in the waiting room, took a deep breath and called Samuel to apologize for breaking it off with him, justifying her behavior as PMS. Samuel loved Nicole and agreed to catch a flight into town in hopes of bridging the distance between them. She agreed and waited for the Dr. to deliver the status of his condition.

  *********

  Two hours later. Dr. Palmer went into the waiting room. He tried not to startle Nicole. She was sleeping so peacefully. He shrugged her shoulders gently until Nicole’s eye’s opened followed by a mean stretch.

  “Excuse me!” He yelled after nudging for the ump- teen time.

  “Dr. How is he?”

  “The good news is that he is stable, but, the bad news, he lost a lot of blood during surgery. We had to administer a blood transfusion. The trauma to his head is very severe. As of right now ma’am; we don’t know how it will affect his long-term memory. Are you his wife?”

  Nicole paused, “No, A friend of the family Dr.”

  She purposely didn’t give the Dr. any more information than she needed to give.

  “May I see him?” She asked.

  “I’m afraid not, we had to put him in a medically induced coma until the swelling on his brain recedes. What you can do at this point is get in touch with his family, get everyone caught up to speed.” The Dr. instructed as his pager went off.

  “Duty calls, good luck with your friend. You take care.”

  “Will do Doctor.” Nicole said as she shook his hand. She went outside, traveled back to Lee’s car and grabbed his cell phone.

  The first thing she did was called a cab, and then she scrolled down his call list until the Mrs. telephone-number popped up. Nicole looked at her picture. ” She sure is pretty.” As if she didn’t know who Denien was by her publicly- known- personality. She called the number but there was no answer. For the next couple of months she made it her duty to contact his spouse. She did, slowly but surely get a hold of Denien.

  She wanted Denien to suffer without her husband for a spell. She was lightweight glad that there was no answer from his wife, heavily contemplating rather or not to use his condition towards her favor. But she decided to play it safe with Samuel, a man that she could control.

  Chapter 25: Pearl on Fire

  “Ugh, guess I’ll be polite enough and answer the door.” I said as my mother will not stop banging on it like the police.

  “Open this damn door, we see you.” My mother said.

  I walked over to the door. “Who is we?” I tried to speak as pleasant as the situation would allow.

  “Denien don’t make me kick this door off the hinges.”

  I took a deep breath and opened up my home. I wasn’t up
for company, but Lenora and my mother was a sight for sore eyes. These two women immediately enter my home going to war against the adversary and all of his devices. The intercession gave me some strength, zeal to continue on in my healing process. When they were done praying we sat in silence. I was waiting to be scolded by my mother or interrogated by Lenora. Surprisingly, all they did was finished tidying up my house. I guess they had a dose of my reality a time or two in their lives; they understood my pain all too well, and no words needed to be spoken in that regard.

  They sat with me until dawn. As they got ready to leave my mother reminded me to fight, the good fight of faith. Pearl put a picture of my family in the palm of my hand, “They need you my child”

  Lenora gave me a big hug, I weep in her big ole breast until a pond of tears are settled in her cleavage. I drew strength from that woman. I turn her loose and watched them leave my home; thanking God for those praying women.

  Chapter 26: Breath Again

  I’m so glad that the intervention is over with. I love the presence of God, which is refueling my vessel this very moment. I kneel down by the sofa; in a repent mindset, pledging to the master, allowing him to take the lead in my situation.

  In my session with God; his angels are surrounding me as the breeze from his spirit consumes my soul with holy-ghost fire. I can feel my throat swelling, my deliverance has come. I refuse in my continuation of quenching his spirit, but, my anger is fighting with my love for Lee. I begin to cough and swallow at the same time. The unclean spirit does not want to turn me a loose. I literally can feel my soul being torn on the inside of my belly.

  “Jesus!” I yelled for a supernatural rescue and was purged with hyssop.

  The demon of anger belted from my belly, shook the house and left the building. The electricity from on high had me pinned down to the floor. I was at such a peace of mind if I never gaze upon my beloved Lee’s sweet face again; that will be just fine.

  In my laying prostrate, I begin to feel my husband. I try to concentrate on him. I can see him walking up towards a house with a white picket fence. I’m not strong enough, my third eye is blurry. I remain focus but the damn phone won’t stop ringing, and I’m pulled from my husband.

  My head begins to ring with non-stop pain. I lay my hands on myself with the authority of Christ.

  “I command this headache to be gone! I command this headache to be gone! In Jesus name I command this headache to be gone.”

  The more I commanded, the sharper the pain was induced in my brain. The more the phone had rung, the more intense it became, I feel a heartbeat in my playing distressful music in my head. The distinct sound was one I use to hear after having made love and listening to my lover’s heartbeat as my head would always rest on his chest.

  I grab my head where the pain is and there is blood on the palm of my hand. I wipe my hands with fear. I take a second look, there is no blood. My senses become keen and I smell Lee’s cologne. I went from being downcast to jubilant. I knew something was wrong the phone became a distress to my spirit.

  I ambled over to the telephone. I answered, but no one responded to my overwhelmed, “Hello.”

  I tried to *69 the number, but no luck came my way. It was then; I knew Lee was in trouble by the way that terrible migraine has been lingering off and on for two months, has dispersed into thin air. I did what I should have done in the first place.

  I went to the Sheriff’s County and put out a missing person report. When I got home I called every hospital, no one had seen or had anyone come in with a trauma to the head.

  I checked my answering machine, filled with numerous messages. I keenly listened to all 197 voice-mails, it was the same atmosphere, but no one said a mumbling word. I sauntered back and forth in intercession for direction from God. I needed to locate Lee for the sake of our sons. I didn’t want to go through life raising twins by myself. I had enough of that with Ruby and Sapphire.

  The phone rung and I swiftly dashed, that it would not go to voicemail. Right before the fourth ring I answered, “Hello! Please don’t hand up,” I demanded.

  ************

  Nicole was done playing with Lee’s life. She decided to call Mrs. Thing and let her know where her husband was located. She played her cards ingenious to keep from getting busted in her miniscule web of lies.

  She knew that Lee was big on his love for her. She snickered at the fact that there was a slim possibility, he would even remember that love anyhow, taking it as a small victory. What she wasn’t going to do was endanger what her and Samuel had going on by her own games.

  Her thoughts were, she knew by telling Denien the extremities of how far they went it would fuck her world up. She concludes to keep it on the down low; refusing to be messy and tell her all the ugly things that Lee had openly invited her ears to hear. She also knew that Denien was about that life; when Nicole was engaged in her interview on the Dr. Phil Show some time ago, realizing, all consequences, and repercussions gaining full understanding, which she didn’t want to experience that type of problem.

  ***********

  “Umm is this Denien.”

  “Yes! This is she, how may I help you?” I asked this sultry voice.

  “You don’t know me, but I have some information that may be helpful to you.” The voice abruptly stated.

  “This is really not a good time for me, unless this is an emergency, you’ll have to get back with me some other time.” I expressed as the condescending chuckle started to vex my spirit.

  “This is the last time that you’ll be hearing from me. I’m a friend of Lee’s.”

  “Lee’s isn’t home right now if this is about business, my husband is not available.” I told her as I could hear her blowing smoke from her mouth.

  “Listen you got a really good man.”

  “You don’t have to tell me anything I don’t already know. Now who are you and what do you want.” She was beginning to piss me the fuck off.

  She laughed in my ear until it begun to tingle.

  “Look bitch if you want to see your husband. He is at the Clarke County Hospital.”

  That was the last words I heard, followed by an angry click in my ear. I immediately called the hospital, but they informed me that my husband was not registered in their facility. Next on my call list was Lenora.

  “Bitch wake up! Lee, I found Lee! I need you to meet me at my house and ride with me to Clarke County Hospital.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice. How did you find him?” Lenora asked with relief until she heard my response.

  “Some strange woman called. She didn’t say much, but a lead is a lead.” I responded.

  “Any other questions, I’ll tell you when you arrive. I will be outside waiting.” I ended the conversation with Lenora.

  “I wonder what in the hell Lee’s has gotten himself into this time.” Lenora spoke aloud.

  Lenora knew him better than anyone in this whole wide world. The sound of a strange woman meant trouble. She was more concerned if they were going to identify his body. She got dressed, jumped in her car; drove halfway across town, picked up Denien, gassed up and hit the highway.

  Chapter 27: Awaken

  The nurse was giving Lee a dose of morphine. He groaned in pain as they had brought him up out of his coma. He kept holding his head. His nurse instructed him to remain calm and let the medicine do its job. She went to go fetch the Doctor in hopes that they could get him to remember without outside influence.

  He opened his eyes and saw his secret ease into the room. Nicole sat in the rocking chair.

  “Nicole, what happened?”

  “You had a pretty bad fall, but I called your wife to come and see about you.” She said to test the Doctors' theory. And sure enough he was right on the money with the diagnosis.

  “Girl stop, I don’t have no wife! Quit playing with me.” Lee responded in a confused tone.

  “Ha you know me, I play too much.” Nicole tolerated the conversation, knowing that she’d
no time to spare. Because if the shoe was on the other foot. She would’ve been driving like a bat out of hell to her husband’s rescue.

  She walked over to Lee, kneeled down and kissed his lips one final time as the chapter is about to close on the fiasco.

  “Get some rest. I’ll see you around.” Nicole said and slithered out of his room, bumping into someone she didn’t expect to see.

  ************

  The medicine ministered by the nurse crept through his veins and started to make him woozy. His eyelids begun to have a mind of their own and batted until they knock Lee into a home run of sleep. His rest is so sweet he looks like he is dead.

  The projector played in HD inside the mind of his dreams. He was sitting in the dark on a black bench. The streetlight was shining on him like a bright spotlight. It started to rain, followed by heavy thunder and severe lightning. But Lee never got wet.

  He saw a woman form in the midst that reaches for him. Suddenly, the energy was eerie and conflicting. Because she transformed into all the women from his past, this made him pull back the embrace, that he was about to receive from a loving woman’s touch.

  The terror grew stronger with each woman and with each woman the strutted closer toward Lee. The thunder got louder as it rolled throughout the earth. There was a great quake with each step, shaking him a mental state of insanity.

  “You get away from me.” Lee yelled as Andrea formed and his knees knocked like an anxious swat-team ready to make a bust.

  Her spit screeched heavily like a thousand banshees singing off key in the choir of hell.

  “HA! Remember me?” She charged, dispersing into thin air and appeared Ashley.

  The blue eyed ghost from relationship past swirled around the light-post. He saw Ashley and immediately covered his face.

  Inside of her belly showed vivid pictures in slow motion of all the times, she beat Lee. He is dreadfully reliving the down fall to their dysfunctional relationship which was domestic violence. She zoomed in closer, balled her fist to strike. Lee braced himself, she was in arms reach, and he pushed her back only to find rain on his hands.