JT handed over his driver’s license and then was informed that he would have to wait in the back of the police car while the officer checked out his statement. While sitting in the back of the police car JT remembered that Cassandra’s car was registered in her mother’s name. When they purchased the car two years ago, it was supposed to be a Mother’s Day present for Mattie Daniels, but the old hag didn’t want the car. She said it was too fancy for her. So Cassandra decided to keep it herself, but they never bothered with the registration. Now JT knew why the car had been reported stolen. Mattie would love to see him in jail.
The police officer turned to him with a sympathetic look on his face. “Sir, I’m sorry but the lady who owns this car says that you stole it from her daughter.”
“Her daughter is my wife. And I paid for that car myself. That mean, old woman never even wanted the car,” JT said.
“I’m going through a divorce myself, Mr. Thomas-”
“Who says I’m getting a divorce?” JT demanded.
“That’s what your mother-in-law told the police when she reported the car stolen. Sorry, sir, but I have to take you in.”
As they drove past the entrance of the restaurant, JT could see Jimmy staring at him, gloating, because he’d finally seen his old friend carted away in a police car as he had been the day JT watched but did nothing to help.
CHAPTER 12
While JT sat in his jail cell waiting for his secretary to come bail him out, he wondered how things had gotten so bad. Being honest, JT admitted that things had gone bad before he’d started sleeping around and before he’d stopped reading the Bible as a diligent steward of the word. Things had gone bad for him when Cassandra lost their first baby. She had been a beautiful little girl. But JT never even had a chance to hear her cry, never saw the sparkle in her brown eyes. Their baby had died shortly after Cassandra delivered her. That was the saddest day of his life. And although JT hated to admit it, that was the day he’d stopped completely trusting God.
“Why did you let her die?” JT asked as he looked heavenward. “Didn’t You know that I wasn’t strong enough to deal with something like that?”
JT stood up and walked the length of his cell. He walked back and forth trying to think this thing through. Yes, JT reasoned, God did know all. So He must have known that JT would fall after the death of his daughter. “Is that why You waited years before giving up on me? Were You giving me time to come back to You? Did you know that I was angry with You all this time?”
JT lay down on his cot as his mind’s eye went back to that awful day; the day he stopped believing.
“Push, Sanni!” JT said while standing next to her in the delivery room.
“I’m trying. It hurts,” she cried.
She had been in labor for twelve hours and had been in active push mode for the last thirty minutes. The labor went smoothly. They sat in the room joking and playing games. But when the actual delivery part began, the pain became too much for Cassandra. She pushed and pushed but nothing happened.
The labor and delivery nurse gently touched Cassandra’s arm and said, “I see the head so rest for a minute. But as soon as you feel the next contraction, push with all your strength.”
JT squeezed her hand. “You can do it, honey. Our Sarah is almost here.”
The monitor on the right side of Cassandra’s bed started beeping. Dr. Monroe looked up and JT saw the concern on his face. “What? What’s wrong?” JT asked.
Dr. Monroe turned to his nurse and said, “We may need to do a C-section. I need you to get the room set up for that, just in case.”
The monitor was still beeping. Cassandra clung to JT. Fear was in her voice as she asked, “What’s going on?”
JT turned back to Dr. Monroe. “Tell us, man. What’s wrong?”
“The baby’s heart rate is weakening. If we can’t get the baby out with the next push, we’re going to do a C-section.”
Everything happened so fast after that, JT barely had a chance to catch his breath or pray. Cassandra felt another contraction. She pushed and pushed until Dr. Monroe told them he was holding the baby’s head. Cassandra lay back thinking her job was over.
Dr. Monroe hollered, “Push one more time, Cassandra. We need to get the rest of the body out.”
Cassandra sat back up and pushed again.
“That’s it, Sanni. She’s out now,” JT told her as he saw his baby slide out of Cassandra’s body. The whole process was a true mystery to JT. It was pretty amazing how God was able to put life into another human being.
Dr. Monroe cut the umbilical cord and then handed the baby to the nurse.
“It’s a girl!” the nurse said as she took the baby to the opposite side of the room to clean her up.
Cassandra smiled. “I told you we were having a girl.”
“You were right. I’m sure she is as beautiful as her mother,” JT said while wiping the sweat off of Cassandra’s face and neck.
“I want to see my baby. Go get her, JT,” Cassandra said as she yawned and her eyelids started to close.”
“Let them finish cleaning Sarah. They’ll bring her over to us.”
With another yawn, Cassandra asked, “Why isn’t she crying?”
At that moment JT turned to look at the baby. Dr. Monroe was standing in front of her. He turned and looked at JT. JT saw the distress on the man’s face and knew the answer before he asked, “Why isn’t she crying?”
“Why Lord? Why did you allow my child to be born with such a weak heart that she couldn’t make it through the delivery? Why didn’t you just fix her heart?”
Before JT could get an answer to his query, his cell was opened and the deputy told him, “You’ve been bailed out. Let’s go.”
He followed the policeman as he directed him to where Betty was waiting for him.
“Thanks for coming to get me, Betty. I appreciate it.” JT said.
“It’s not a problem, Pastor. I just don’t understand why you would get arrested for driving your wife’s car,” Betty said as they walked toward the door.
No way was he going to tell his secretary that his wife threw him out. “It’s just a big misunderstanding. The car is in her mother’s name. Mattie called it in stolen, but Cassandra and I will get to the bottom of this.”
Betty looked a little confused, but said, “I sure hope so, Pastor.”
JT had Betty drop him at the car dealership so he could pick up his car. He then called Cassandra and said, “Do you know that your mother had me arrested?”
Cassandra hung up on him.
“No she didn’t,” JT said as he dialed her back again.
This time when Cassandra answered, she said, “Stop calling me, JT, or I’m going to get a restraining order against you.”
“What? A restraining order against me? I’m your husband, Cassandra. Or have you forgotten that?”
“I didn’t forget. You’re the one who conveniently forgot about me every time you wanted to have sex with another woman. Now please leave me alone.” She hung up again.
JT would have called her a third time, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. He needed to get back to church anyway. They had Bible study tonight and he hadn’t even decided what he would preach. When he arrived back at church, he went into his office and opened his file cabinet. He searched through his numerous messages and came across one titled, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”. Every pastor JT knew had a “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” message in his file cabinet. And why was that? JT asked himself. Because they worked.
He sat down at his desk, went over his message and reviewed the scriptures that related to his message. By the time the people started arriving at church that evening, JT felt confident enough to deliver his message. He grabbed his Bible and his notes and got up to go to his pulpit.
The door to his office burst open and Deacon Benson stood there with nostrils flaring. “You been sleeping with my wife,” Deacon Benson declared, loud enough for the entire church to hear.
“Oh, she’s lying, huh?” Deacon Benson moved away from the door advancing on JT. “What about my baby girl Diane says belongs to you?”
JT stood behind his desk, trying to determine if he should make a run for the office door or if he should shut himself inside his closet and just hold the door. Deacon Benson was built like George Foreman, big and tall. He was several inches taller than JT. “That’s your baby, Deacon. Don’t believe that woman. I don’t know why she’s saying this stuff.”
“I’ll tell you why she’s saying it,” Deacon Benson said, now in front of JT’s desk. “Because you slept with her, you jerk.” Deacon Benson reached out, trying to grab JT.
JT jumped back, dropped his Bible and ran out of his office. But Deacon Benson was right behind him. He grabbed JT by the collar, turned him around and punched him in the face.
“You are going to pay for what you did to my family,” Benson said as he hit JT in the face again.
JT fell on the ground and hurriedly tried to get back up.
Elder Unders and Deacon Carl ran up the hall and pulled Deacon Benson away from JT. Elder Unders said, “What’s wrong with you, Deacon? You know better than to touch God’s elect.”
“God didn’t call that man. He’s evil,” Deacon Benson said as he squirmed under the hold of his captures.
“Do you want me to call the police, Pastor?” Deacon Carl asked.
JT took the handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood from his mouth. “No, don’t call the police. Benson and I just had a misunderstanding. Isn’t that right, Benson?”
Benson pulled his arms away from Elder Unders and Carl and said, “Yeah, I guess I just don’t understand how a man could claim to love God and sleep around with other men’s wives.” Benson walked away from the group, vowing never to return to Faith Outreach again.
Some of the members had come out of the sanctuary to see what was going on in the hall. Elder Unders told them, “Go on back into the sanctuary. There’s nothing to see out here.” He then turned back to JT and asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” JT told him, still wiping his lip. “But do you mind delivering the message tonight? I need to get out of here for a little while.”
“I’ll take care of it, Pastor. Don’t worry about the service tonight,” Elder Unders said.
“Are you sure you don’t want to call the police?” Deacon Carl asked.
JT waved him off as he went back to his office, got his keys and walked out of the building.
When he got to his car there was a note on the windshield. He pulled it off and read: I want my money. Don’t make me hurt you.
JT was angry now. He was tired of being bullied. He ripped the note into multiple pieces, balled it up and threw it in the outdoor trash bin.
***
Jimmy Littleton sat outside of the church. He had followed JT from the police station, to the car dealership and then to church. Now he watched JT disrespect him by ripping his note up and throwing it in the trash. That was it as far as Jimmy was concerned. He was fuming as he watched JT jump in his Bentley and leave the church. Jimmy wanted his money back and had tried to make a deal with JT to get it. But did JT take his offer seriously? No. JT had given his money to Mona. Jimmy pounded his fist against the steering wheel in the Toyota Camry he’d stolen earlier in the day. He used to steal SUVs, but with the price of gas, he had to scale down.
Sometimes, Jimmy wondered if he needed therapy. He had only been out of prison a couple of months and there was already a warrant out for his arrest because of the convenience store he robbed before leaving New Orleans. And now he was stealing cars, waiting outside a church, stalking a preacher.
“Get ahold of yourself, man,” Jimmy said. Yes, he was a thief; but he’d never menacingly stalked anybody. He’d also never hated anybody as much as he hated JT Thomas. As he followed JT all the way to the Marriott, his hatred kept growing as he thought about how he’d lived in poverty all this time, while JT had become the king of the jungle. So, Jimmy felt the pressure his foot put on the pedal. He wanted to stop himself, but as JT stepped into the parking lot, Jimmy thought of vengeance and his foot slammed down on the pedal.
JT drove down the street wondering how things had gone so wrong so fast. He wanted to go home and talk to Cassandra, but she had thrown him out. Why was God doing this to him? He wasn’t that bad. JT knew plenty of pastors who were much worse than he was, and yet they continued to flourish.
And what was JT doing? He was headed to the Marriott hotel alone, to eat a TV dinner and stare at the walls. He didn’t even know if he would have a church to go back to once word of what Deacon Benson did and why he did it got around. As he pulled into the Marriott parking lot, JT was tempted to pull back out and go home so he could talk to Cassandra. But then he remembered that Cassandra had threatened to get a restraining order against him.
He got out of the car and stood there for a moment with his hands in his pocket. He was confused. Didn’t know what to do or which way to go. A lot had happened to him in the week since God had tired of his triflin’ behavior and given up on him. He had sunk real low. What am I going to do, Lord, he silently prayed. His lips were not moving but his heart was pouring out to God as he walked through the parking lot, headed for the entry door. “My wife hates me. I’m about to lose my church, and my old friend Jimmy wants to steal money from the church.”
He was so intent with his one way conversation that he didn’t see the car that increased speed until it was upon him. JT turned, faced the car and saw Jimmy behind the wheel right before it slammed into him so hard that he did three somersaults into the air. His body then landed with a thud in the middle of the street. As the wind was knocked out of him and just before darkness overtook him, JT heard himself whisper, “Help me, Lord.”
CHAPTER 13
Cassandra rushed to the hospital the moment she had been informed of JT’s accident. JT was in surgery, so Cassandra was filling out the consent form as her mother arrived at the hospital to pick up her sons.
“How are you doing, sweetie,” Mattie asked as she gave Cassandra a hug.
Cassandra’s hands shook as she tried to fill out the forms. She put the pen down and said, “I don’t know, Mom. They say that he’s banged up pretty bad.”
Mattie sat down next to her daughter. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Cassandra wondered if her mother was truly sorry. She hated everything about JT, so if he died, Cassandra imagined that her mother would dance on his casket. But then she thought that was too mean, even for her mother. So she decided to take her mother at her word. “We’ll know more when he comes out of surgery,” Cassandra said and then picked up the papers to finish filling them out.
“Where are the boys?” Mattie asked Cassandra.
“JT’s secretary, Betty Marks, took them to the cafeteria. She should have them back here in a few minutes.” Cassandra’s voice shook as she became overwhelmed by the thought that her boys might never see their father alive again. She put her head on her mother’s shoulder and cried, “He was run over outside of the Marriott. This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t put him out.”
“Oh no you don’t,” Mattie said as she lifted Cassandra’s head off her shoulder and looked her in the face. “Don’t you dare blame yourself. That man has treated you horribly. You had every right to throw him out. You should have done it sooner.”
Cassandra wiped the tears from her face. “Don’t start, Mom.”
“I’m not starting nothing. I’m just saying, don’t blame yourself.”
Cassandra opened her mouth to say something, but then noticed a nurse walking towards them. The woman wore a Sponge Bob smock and looked to be in a rush. Cassandra stood up. “Did something happen to JT?”
The nurse shook her head. “No, ma’am. He’s still in surgery. I just need the forms back. Are you done filling them out?”
/> “Oh, yes,” Cassandra said as she bent to pick the papers up. She signed the document on top and handed the papers to the woman. “How much longer before we will know something?”
“The doctor should be out within the hour.”
“Thank you,” Cassandra said.
The nurse walked away. But as Cassandra was getting ready to sit back down next to her mother, she saw Diane Benson running down the hall toward her. However, instead of coming over to Cassandra, Diane stopped the nurse. Cassandra heard her ask, “How is JT? Can I see him? I really need to see him.”
Mattie harrumphed as she stood and marched toward Diane and the nurse. Mattie wagged her finger as she said, “Now you listen hear, Diane Benson, you are not going to start no mess in this hospital. I know all about women like you, and I’m prepared to deal with you.”
There were tears in Diane’s eyes as she turned toward Mattie. “What am I starting, Ms. Mattie?” Diane lifted her arm and pointed at Cassandra. “She threw him out. I’m just here to make sure he knows that somebody in this world cares about what happens to him.”
“He’s got a wife that cares. The rest is none of your business,” Mattie told Diane.
The nurse lifted her hands. “Look, I’ve got to get back to work.” She then turned to Diane and said, “You’ll have to ask Mrs. Thomas about her husband.”
Defiantly, Diane said, “I don’t have to ask her anything.”
The nurse shook her head as she walked away.
Mattie walked away from Diane. Her voice was raised as she asked Cassandra, “You just gon’ let this woman walk in here and demand to see your husband?”
Cassandra actually wanted to thank Diane for showing up when she did. She had almost forgot that she and JT were through. She was tired of all the drama surrounding her husband. She sat down and told her mother, “Let her stay, let her go, I just don’t care about JT’s flings anymore.”
“See, I told you she didn’t care,” Diane said as she flopped into a seat on the opposite side of the room.
Former Rain-Forsaken Box Set Page 28