by Pat Simmons
Between Buttercup experimenting with Karyn’s hair on the weekends and Mother Caldwell’s fashion suggestions, she was gaining more confidence. “Thanks.”
Once Deacon Deacon made it to the van, he released Buttercup who appeared to be supporting him. Climbing the stairs, the crown of Buttercup’s head touched the ceiling, or rather her headband of dark feathers that made her resemble a wild turkey. Deacon brought up the rear, rubbing his back as he slid behind the wheel.
“Praise the Lord,” Buttercup addressed everyone, then flopped in an empty seat.
As the van drove off, Mother Caldwell didn’t waste any time snooping. The elderly woman’s eyes sparkled with mischief; her dentures aligned perfectly as she smiled. “So, how’s that young man of yours?”
“She’s scared,” Buttercup answered from across the aisle before Karyn could respond. She winked as if she had checkmated Karyn.
“Well as Luther Vandross says, there is the power of love,” Mother Caldwell said.
“But we aren’t in—” Karyn had started.
“It’s just a matter of time!” Buttercup changed seats.
“We’re pulling for you, Sister Karyn. Nothing stands in the way of a man in love. Ask my wife.” Deacon Deacon laughed as he stopped for his next pickup.
Halo stepped on. He spoke to every person, then lingered at Buttercup’s side before taking his reserved spot next to her. It was a routine he had developed to disguise his affection since they both were on parole. But everyone on the van knew that Halo and Buttercup loved each other.
At least Buttercup had somebody. The pair had no secrets. Soon they would be starting over together once they were released from parole.
***
When Levi pulled into Crowns for Christ’s parking lot, Rossi was already there and could be seen inside the church’s lobby, talking. His cousin seemed to know everybody.
“Figures he’s early,” Levi mumbled under his breath. The man didn’t have a daughter to primp.
Surprisingly, he was able to park not far from Rossi’s vehicle. Before they got out, Levi made sure Dori was bundled up. The snow had ceased and left behind a thin dusting. The building was an intimidating long one-story edifice with multiple steeples.
With a firm grip on Dori’s tiny hand, Levi guided her to the glass double doors. Immediately, the Tolliver men embraced while Dori vied for attention.
“See my hair, Cousin Rossi. Miss Karyn did it.” She smiled and added a curtsy. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she practically ripped off the buttons on her coat to show him her dress.
“You’ll be the prettiest girl in church,” Rossi said, lifting her in his arms. He kissed her cheek and tickled her neck.
“And Miss Karyn too.” Dori nodded.
Levi shrugged as he shook out of his wool trench coat. Rossi would soon see why Levi’s recovery seemed so instant. “Come on. Let’s find us a seat,” Levi said.
Crowns for Christ’s ushers, men dressed in black suits and white gloves, waited nearby to direct them. Peering through a large glass half wall, Levi noted the congregation wasn’t as large as his church, maybe half compared to Living for Jesus’ thousand-plus membership. As they opened the door to the sanctuary, their shoes sank into the plush carpet. Without the usher, Levi didn’t see how they would find a seat because practically everyone was standing in praise and worship.
He smiled at the eagerness on his daughter’s face. When she learned they were visiting Karyn’s church, she couldn’t get ready fast enough. She put her red patent leather shoes on the wrong feet and had forgotten to brush her teeth. Levi corrected those oversights, but she wouldn’t let Levi touch her hair.
At least he had learned the trick of tying a satin scarf around her head at night. Once Dori was ready in her red velvet dress and white tights, she wanted a big red suede bow at the end of her braid. That, he could manage.
After the usher found them a vacancy, Levi thought he should have asked where Karyn was sitting, but decided against it. The church wasn’t that big. If he didn’t see her during service, he would ask once it was over.
Inside the pew, the men knelt and briefly prayed as a sign of respect when entering God’s house. Dori mimicked them before sitting and yanking a picture Bible from her purse. Levi and Rossi stood to join others in worship.
As the music faded, a short man, dressed in a black minister’s robe with bold red trim, approached the pulpit. “Thank you, praise team and good morning, church. If you’re visiting, I’m Pastor Ephraim Scaife, my wife, Dr. Winnie Jordan Scaife, and the Crowns for Christ fellowship, welcome you today. We want you to feel comfortable so that you’ll come again. If we have any visiting ministers, please come and sit with us on the pulpit.”
Levi exchanged looks with his cousin. Standing, Rossi smoothed down his printed tie and buttoned his suit coat. Rossi walked confidently toward the front, carrying his Bible. Two other ministers in the sanctuary followed.
“Is Cousin Rossi going to work, Daddy?”
“Yeah, he is, sweetheart. Be good, okay?”
Seemingly satisfied, Dori went back to flipping through the pages of her Bible.
Pastor Scaife continued. “I want to speak from a few passages today: the Old Testament and the New. In the second book of Samuel, chapter twelve, verses one and seven, the Lord sent Nathan to King David to let him know there were no secrets with God. I’m sure you’ve heard of the saying, ‘Your sins will find you out.’ If God ain’t happy, nobody’s going to be happy. ” Then he referred his audience to Numbers 23. “See the repercussions of David’s sin of taking another man’s wife and then ordering the man’s death to cover his tracks. Despite David becoming a murderer, adulterer, and a hypocrite, God yet loved him and had mercy. Stew over that for a few minutes.”
A hush came over the congregation. The pastor silently read the text, then looked up. “That’s messed up. David was a king, he was after God’s own heart, but David messed up. When you think you’ve done the unthinkable, God is ready to forgive you. Now let’s go to 2 Corinthians, chapter five. Again, this is a Bible-reading church. If you can think to put your shoes on before you leave home, grab your Bible too.”
“Daddy,” Dori whispered loudly. “I got my shoes on and my Bible.”
“I know,” he mouthed then put his finger to his lips to ssh her. A few adults around them chuckled.
“Read the entire chapter when you have time,” Pastor Scaife advised. “There’s victory in verse seventeen: Therefore if any person is in Christ, the Messiah, he is a new creation; the previous moral and spiritual condition has passed away. Behold, everything has become fresh and new.” He closed his Bible. “God wants to save us.”
Levi did a quick sweep of the crowd. There was no sign of Karyn.
Soon, Pastor Scaife descended down the pulpit’s stairs for the altar call. “Don’t worry about having a good track record. You may not be able to beat drugs, but He can. If you’ve sold your body for sex, yep, God can clean you too. If you’ve stolen, killed, and sworn against God, Jesus has the authority to fix it. Come today. Everybody, please pray for our brothers and sisters. Give God the power today to change your life. Repent, and ask God to forgive you, then walk to me for prayer. Ministers on the pulpit, please join me. We’re here to serve you. The second step is to be baptized in the name of Jesus. No detergent can get you cleaner. We have clothes for you to change into. And finally, God knows your struggles. That’s why He’s ready to fill you with His Spirit. Will you come?”
Levi was moved by the sermon. People began flocking to the front. Some were dressed well, others were unkempt, but they came. Some seemed too thin, maybe sickly.
A crowd began to swell at the altar, and Rossi was there doing his thing, working as a vessel for Jesus as if he were at Living for Jesus church laying hands on people and praying. Levi smiled. His cousin was never on vacation.
Levi scanned the auditorium and thought he saw Karyn. She was about the same shape and height as Karyn, but the cur
ls threw him off. He glanced at Dori who had fallen asleep. Levi propped his daughter’s body against the back of the pew, so she wouldn’t get a crook in her neck, then eyed the spot where he thought he saw Karyn again. He still wasn’t sure, so he turned his attention toward the front where the baptisms were about to take place.
The water stirred as ministers dressed in white descended into the water, followed by candidates also dressed in white T-shirts, pants and gowns.
The ministers raised their voices in unity. “Our beloved brothers and sisters, upon the confession of your faith and the confidence we have in the blessed Word of God, concerning His death, burial, and grand resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we baptize you all in the name of Jesus Christ as instructed in Acts the second chapter. God shall fill you with His Holy Spirit and give you evidence by speaking in other tongues. Amen.”
One by one, each candidate was submerged, then pulled up again. The congregation cheered loudly as if they were in a stadium. The power swept through the air and moved the new converts to join in the spirited praise. Levi heard several explosions of those speaking in tongues from the microphone above the pool. The evidence had come.
Not long after that, Pastor Scaife gave the benediction. Some members acknowledged the conclusion and began to leave, others continued their rejoicing. Levi chanced another look in the section he had monitored earlier. When a woman in red turned around, his heart pounded wildly. As she looked up, their eyes locked. Levi’s mind flashed a picture at her startled face. Karyn Wallace was a knockout in red.
CHAPTER 21
“Another great message,” Buttercup said with a sigh, crossing her arms.
“I loved it, too, because despite what we’ve done…” Karyn chatted absentmindedly as she turned to grab her things. She paused. She felt it. The same sensation whenever Levi was in the bookstore. His cologne would assail her then his voice would arrest her. Could she miss him so much that…“Levi?”
Blinking, his image hadn’t vanished. Levi was handsome in another tailored suit and a red tie. In a GQ pose, he seemed larger than life with one hand resting in his pants pocket. She couldn’t see his eyes behind his glasses, but she knew he was reading every emotion across her face. Once his smile appeared, it didn’t leave.
“Girl, you must have that man on your mind, because…” Buttercup’s voice faded as Karyn walked toward Levi in a trance as if her steps were choreographed. Drawing closer, she recognized the mischief that flashed in his eyes through his designer glasses. The dimples were there, too, waiting for her.
Levi began his waltz toward her too. They were almost within touching distance when someone blocked their view and wouldn’t budge.
“Karyn.” Halo broke the trance when he rested an arm on her shoulder. “Ready to eat?” Either Halo was unaware he was in the way or purposely intercepted. When Levi’s nostrils flared, she thought it was best to make an introduction, but he beat her to it.
“I’m Levi Tolliver, and you are?” Sizing up Halo, Levi extended his hand.
He didn’t appear to be intimidated by Halo’s height or muscles. The man oozed confidence. It was only on their first date he had exposed Karyn to the crack in his shield. Since then, the man proved to draw on his weakness for his strength.
Halo accepted the shake, pumping Levi’s hand. But Levi seemed to hold his own as his biceps seemed to flex under his suit sleeve.
“I hope you enjoyed service today. Visitors are invited to come back at any time,” Halo recited as if he were part of the welcoming committee, but had yet to identify himself.
Men. Separating the two with an elbow to Halo’s side, Karyn was sure he barely felt. Levi reached for her hand and she accepted it. His squeeze was gentle. “Levi, this bodyguard here is my friend, Hanson Ramos, but we call him Halo.”
After a nod, Levi drew her closer, shutting Halo out of the picture. Her friend left, but Karyn knew Halo would return—and not alone.
“What are you doing here?” She smiled as her eyes feasted on God’s creation.
“Besides praising God, I brought you something.” He brushed a kiss against her cheek. To any church observer, it was a friendly Christian gesture. But between them, the vibes were undeniable. Karyn blushed.
“My backpack.” She couldn’t believe she had forgotten about it just that quickly. “You didn’t have to do that, but I really appreciate it.”
He winked, then walked back to his pew and Karyn followed. Dori stirred, but didn’t wake. Kneeling, Karyn smoothed back the loose strands from her braid. Dori had called Karyn a princess, but his sleeping beauty was the true princess. She was a doll.
“You better be glad she didn’t bite your hand off because she wouldn’t let me touch her hair.”
At that moment, Dori’s eyes popped open as if she had heard a code word. She blinked her recognition and almost slipped on the seat. “Miss Karyn!” Dori wrapped her arms her neck, and Karyn returned the affection.
“Hi, sweetie. Don’t you look pretty?”
“Umm-hmm.” She fingered Karyn’s curls. “Will you comb my hair like that?”
“She can’t even comb her own hair like that,” Buttercup said. “I did her hair and nails too.”
Startled, Karyn glanced over her shoulder. Halo had returned with Buttercup, padding in her stocking feet. Her stilettos were dangling from her hand. Mother Caldwell hurried to catch up with the aid of her cane. A few other van riders trailed them.
“This must be that young man we’ve been hearing about. He’s nice looking, but I’ll take that little cutie pie home with me,” Mother Caldwell teased, pointing at Dori.
Shaking her head, Dori squeezed Karyn closer.
One by one, the group made introductions and invited Levi and Dori to stay for the church dinner. Then her friends vanished as fast as they had appeared, except Halo.
“I’m watching you, brother,” Halo warned with a smile, then rolled his shoulders and strolled away. Still shoeless, Buttercup fell in step.
“That bodyguard—you don’t need him. There’s a new sheriff in town and you’re under my protection. I’ve got you, babe.” Levi smirked.
Karyn’s heart leaped at the sound of possessiveness in Levi’s voice. Lifting Dori in her arms, Karyn sat with Dori on her lap. Although the crowd was thinning, there was still plenty of activity inside the sanctuary for Karyn and Levi to be ignored.
“You do look pretty,” Levi complimented with awe. Shoving the backpack aside, he sat next to her. He reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a small item. “Here.”
“What’s this?”
He examined the box. “Hmm. It says a cell phone.” Levi handed it back to her.
Frowning, she wrinkled her nose. “I know that, but I have one.”
“This is purely for selfish reasons. Your ‘running out of minutes’ excuse is bad for a relationship. Personally, I like unlimited calling, so I added you to my plan.”
“Levi, you sure you want a relationship with me?” If he said yes, she would have to tell him—maybe. If he said no, she would be crushed, but her secret would be safe.
“Of course.” He linked his fingers through hers. “I know at first I came across as a man who doesn’t have it together, but each moment I spend with you, I grow stronger. Is that what’s holding you back?”
God help her. She was in church. Confession was not on her plate today. Dori became fidgety, which gave Karyn time to stall.
“You must be Karyn Wallace. Hi. I’m Minister Rossi Tolliver, Levi’s cousin. It’s nice to meet you. If I didn’t hear enough about you from Levi, Dori filled in the blanks.”
Dori slid off Karyn’s lap and Rossi scooped her up. His features were similar to Levi’s, but everything else was a contrast. He was taller and much darker.
“Cousin Rossi, I’m hungry,” Dori whined, rubbing her face.
Karyn exhaled. “You all are welcome to stay for dinner. Sister Annabelle’s peas and cornbread are hard to copy.”
“Ah, my l
ittle sweet pea woman who loves soul food,” Levi teased.
“I do, and there’s plenty of it.” She led the way, grabbing her backpack. She had dodged the bullet—this time, but Karyn had a feeling that one day soon Levi was going to use his unlimited calling minutes to press her for an answer.
CHAPTER 22
The next day, Karyn’s heart fluttered in awe when Levi backed up his declaration of affection with a boxed lunch he had delivered to Bookshelves Unlimited with a note. That morning she had begun to end her prayers with, “Lord, if Levi is your will, make it work.”
She did a speed walk to the break room, hoping she would have forty-five minutes alone. It was not to be. As soon as she opened the door, Otis, an elderly employee who was counting his days to retirement after ten years, dozed. He depended on others to wake him at the end of his break.
In the center of the table was a box of doughnuts, compliments of Patrice. Co-workers couldn’t stop singing the woman’s praises.
Pastor Scaife reiterated to his members to look at oneself when accusing someone else of having a problem. Although Patrice hadn’t been overly friendly toward her, the woman didn’t start lashing out at Karyn until Levi showed interest.
Karyn claimed a chair at the end of the table from Otis. Bowing her head, she prayed over her meal. Before tasting her lunch, she peeled back the flap of the envelope and slipped out the card.
I’m willing to take a chance. Take it with me, Karyn. I know the first of the month is busy, so just in case you can’t get away for lunch, enjoy this, thinking of me. Yes to the question in your pretty little head. You’d better believe this is a bribe gift.
Levi and Dori
How sweet. Touched, Karyn smiled. He had remembered the busy time at the bookstore. She dug in her purse for her new cell phone and punched the only number already saved in the address book. “Thank you,” she whispered in case Otis wasn’t sleep.