by Joy, E. n.
Lorain’s lips parted into an I-told-you-so smile. This hit a nerve with Unique.
“Well, perhaps Mother Doreen didn’t hear as clearly from the Lord as she thought she had,” Unique reasoned. “After all, she had a lot on her mind with her sick sister and relocating to Kentucky and all.”
“I could see where you might think that as well, Sister Unique,” Pastor said, “so I prayed on it as well, and when I picked up the telephone to call Sister Lorain to tell her about what God had showed both Mother Doreen and me pertaining to her work here at New Day, she just happened to be on my telephone line. She’d been in the process of calling me to tell me that God had told her it was time; it was time for her to become one of His servants in His kingdom. That it was time for her to be more than a pew viewer and become a pew doer. This was just further confirmation.”
Once again, Lorain’s lips parted into an I-told-you-so smile. Once again, this hit a nerve with Unique.
“Pastor, you know I’d never question your authority or the fact that you hear clearly from God—” Unique shifted in her seat. For the first time ever, she appeared to be struggling with her words. “But are you sure God specifically said that it was the Single’s Ministry and not the Usher’s Ministry?” Unique looked Lorain up and down before saying to the pastor, “Or even the Janitorial Ministry? I’m sure Sister Nita could use the help in taking out the trash.”
Lorain looked appalled at what Unique might have been insinuating with her last comment.
“I’m quite sure, Unique,” Pastor told her. “Trust me, I don’t appoint kings and queens without hearing from God about it. You know me, someone coming up to me telling me what they used to do at their old church or what they feel they are called to do has never prompted me to just appoint them to positions. I take everything to God because it is He who validates a person, not man. Do you understand what I’m saying, Sister Unique?”
Defeated, Unique sunk down into her chair and replied, “Yes, Pastor. I understand.”
Just when she was about to give up, a sudden thought came to Unique’s mind. “Pastor, and again, I’m not trying to question your authority, but perhaps God did call Sister Lorain to be the Single’s Ministry leader, just not right now, but later.” As far as Unique was concerned, later meant after she was married off and didn’t belong to the ministry anymore. That way she wouldn’t have to deal with the likes of Lorain. “I mean, even though Mother Doreen was the official leader, Sister Deborah pretty much ran the ministry. She was like the co-leader. So it only seems fit that Sister Deborah would be the next in line.”
Not losing an ounce of patience with Unique’s relentlessness, Pastor replied, “Once again, Sister Unique, I can see where you would think that, but as you know, Sister Deborah is on a sabbatical for I don’t know how long, until whenever the Lord releases her. But even if she weren’t, before going onto the sabbatical, she made it clear that God had called her to focus on other things.”
Unique sighed. For the first time since she could remember, she was out of words.
“Sister Lorain.” Pastor turned toward Lorain. “I don’t want to monopolize all the time up with just Sister Unique’s concerns regarding the ministry. You had some concerns as well?”
“Actually, I just wanted to inform you of my behavior on Sunday, apologize, and assure you that it will never happen again. As a leader in this church, I’m truly going to step up. I’ve already prayed and asked God to help to become the best leader that He called me to be.”
“Sounds good, Sister Lorain.” Pastor smiled then looked at the clock on the wall. “Well, it looks like it’s time for Bible Study to begin, ladies, so we’re going to have to end our discussion here.” Pastor wasn’t feeling one-hundred percent certain that the issue had been completely resolved. “Shall we close out in prayer?”
Pastor closed out the discussion with a prayer that God would speak to the situation speedily and that everything would turn out for His good and glory in the end. Pastor then opened the door and dismissed the women to Bible Study. “Ladies, wait,” Pastor called out before Unique and Lorain were out of the door. “I have an idea,” Pastor said as if suddenly experiencing a revelation regarding the situation at hand. “The Holy Spirit just deposited something into my spirit. Come in and sit back down.”
Both Unique and Lorain returned to their chairs, with Pastor once again closing the door behind them. Pastor began to share with the two women what God had just deposited, knowing that more than likely, neither woman would be pleased with God’s solution to that matter. Nope, they wouldn’t be pleased at all.
Chapter Eight
“Well, Pastor, looks like you have to open in prayer tonight,” Maeyl said when he saw Pastor tailing into the Bible Study classroom behind Unique and Lorain.
“My apologies for running a little late,” Pastor said, heading toward the podium, then looking at the clock and noting that it was four minutes after seven o’clock.
After allowing Unique and Lorain time to find a seat, Pastor asked the class to stand for prayer. Everyone in the class obliged.
“Hold up, Pastor,” someone called out, “looks like you’re not the last one to enter the room after all.”
Everyone looked toward the doorway. There stood one last visitor, well, two if the toddler was to be included.
“Sorry, I’m late.” The woman looked mortified as every eye in the room appeared to be glued on her.
The pastor, noticing the expression on the woman’s face, let out a chuckle. “Oh, it’s okay, my sister. We just have a little thing we do here at New Day where the last person who enters Bible Study has to open up with prayer.”
“Oh.” The woman seemed much more relaxed now.
“But we’ll give you a pass since it’s your first time attending one of our Bible Study sessions. We don’t want to put you on the spot,” Pastor stated. As a matter of fact, this past Sunday had been her first Sunday attending New Day. Pastor had noticed the woman when visitors were greeted and asked to stand during Sunday morning service. The woman had chosen not to stand, in spite of the urging eyes of those around her who knew that she was a first time attendee. Pastor understood her choice not to do so. Lots of first time visitors opted not to stand for fear they would be asked to speak.
“Well, I don’t want to break any rules,” the woman said, “so if you don’t mind, Pastor, I’d be honored to pray.”
“Well, all right, woman of God,” a couple of people said.
“Y’all heard the sister,” Pastor said happily. “Let’s bow our heads and grab hands while Sister . . .”
“Sasha,” the woman stated.
“While Sister Sasha leads us in prayer.”
Maeyl had found himself staring at the woman the entire time, the same way he’d stared at her this past Sunday. She just looked uncannily like someone he’d met once upon a time. He thought it was her. He hoped it wasn’t her, but it sure looked like her. Those were the thoughts that had been in his head all week and had returned to the tenth power once he saw her standing in the doorway. After hearing the woman state her name, he was now most certain it was her. Sasha McCoy.
He’d thought that was just her stage name, the name she gave out to the guys who tried to pick her up. She’d assured him over a cup of coffee that Saturday night he’d met her, about four years ago, that Sasha McCoy was her given name. She’d assured him again at her doorstep in the wee hours in the morning after he’d insisted on following her home from the coffee shop to make sure she’d made it safely. She’d assured him again after inviting him inside her apartment . . . just to talk.
“You’re such a gentleman,” she’d told him as they sat on her couch. “I know where I work is called a gentlemen’s club, but trust me when I say it ain’t often I find too many gentlemen up in there.”
Within minutes, it seemed, after Sasha had given Maeyl such a compliment, he had thrown caution to the wind, along with that title. And hours after that, he found himself tiptoeing out
her front door with his shirt untucked, carrying his shoes, and arriving home with barely enough time to make it to Sunday morning service. He’d repented and cried uncontrollably at the altar that Sunday, wishing he’d never let the guys from his job talk him into going to that stupid strip club in the first place, the place where he’d met her.
Sasha McCoy. That was her name all right. She’d trusted him with her full given name because she thought he was a gentleman. She’d trusted him with her body because she thought he was a gentleman. All he had trusted her with was his first name and an empty spot next to her bed.
“Maeyl,” Tamarra whispered in his ear after attempting several times to hold his hand for prayer.
“Oh, huh, what?” Maeyl stammered from his daze.
“Your hand. Give me your hand,” Tamarra stated.
Maeyl slowly lifted his hand and took hold of Tamarra’s.
“Yuck!” Tamarra said louder than she meant to as the woman started to pray. “Oh, sorry,” she apologized when several people lifted their bowed heads and opened their eyes just long enough to shoot her a snappy look. She stood, all five feet and nine inches of her, in embarrassment.
Tamarra quickly slid her hand from Maeyl’s and wiped it down her slacks, leaving a moist smear. She was disgusted by the transferring of the sticky sweat from his palm to hers. Tamarra looked at Maeyl only to find that it wasn’t just his palms that were sweaty. Sweat drizzled down his forehead that wrinkled due to the scrunching of his face. To Tamarra, he looked as though he’d just filled his mouth with a handful of sour grapes.
For Maeyl, the prayer couldn’t have ended soon enough. “I’ll be back. I have to go to the men’s room.” He placed his hand on his mid section. “My stomach is acting up again,” he whispered to Tamarra as he headed toward the door.
Tamarra watched as Maeyl stumbled over feet, purses, and Bibles trying to get out of the door. He acted as if he couldn’t get out of that door fast enough, and he couldn’t. But as far as he was concerned, he’d gotten out of there just in the nick of time, as he could hear Pastor asking the woman to introduce herself and her child.
“Sasha,” Tamarra repeated the woman’s name after she reintroduced herself. The word fell off of Tamarra’s lips in a hushed whisper. The name sounded so exotic; so mysterious, just like the woman herself who stood there with honey-caramel colored skin and shoulder-length, black, wavy hair. And those gray-blue eyes were just piercing. But if Tamarra had anything to do with it, the woman, nor that child of hers would remain a mystery for long. At least now Tamarra had a name. She’d have to get the story behind the name from Maeyl; she’d try to anyway.
“And this is my three-year-old daughter, Sakaya,” the woman stated in conclusion of her formalities.
“Well, welcome to New Day Temple of Faith,” Pastor said before instructing the woman to find a seat for her and her child.
Now Tamarra was the one staring at the woman, then at the child. The more she looked at the child, the tighter the knot in her stomach got. She didn’t have any concrete evidence, but something was telling Tamarra that about three years ago, Miss Sasha had a knot in her stomach too, a big one. And from the looks of things, that little girl was the cause of it. And if Tamarra’s instincts were correct, the child was now the cause of her daddy’s stomach issues too.
Chapter Nine
“It’s so good to have you back in fellowship with us, Sister Bethany.” Pastor Davidson gave Bethany a hug as he stood at the altar shortly after giving the benediction.
He always hung around the sanctuary for a few minutes after service to meet and greet the congregation. His sole purpose for doing so was so that he could get a chance to speak with any visitors or potential members. Pastor Davidson was big on numbers as far as membership. He knew the more members that belonged to his church, the more tithes and offerings he could collect, which meant the more kingdom work he and the church could do. But it always seemed as though the same old members rushed up to speak with him, taking up so much of his time that he could rarely catch up with all the visitors before they left. Some of the folks that always made sure they were the first to get to Pastor Davidson were even ministers and leaders, people who talked to or saw him on a regular basis. Then there were those who acted like church wasn’t church unless the pastor laid hands on them. The devil is a liar.
“And it’s so good to be back, Pastor Davidson,” Bethany replied. “I can’t thank Living Word enough for all the prayers and acts of kindness toward me. My family and I so much appreciate it.” Bethany looked next to her at Mother Doreen. “And I don’t know what I would have done without my dear sister here as well.” Bethany rubbed Mother Doreen’s back, who bowed her head in modesty.
“Yes, Mother Doreen,” Pastor Davidson greeted her with a handshake. “You know it’s always a pleasure to have you here at Living Word, Living Waters too.” He gave her hand a pat before releasing it. “You know, we’d like it even more if you became a member and blessed us with those wonderful gifts and talents God has blessed you with.” Pastor Davidson winked.
“Oh no, Pastor.” Mother Doreen smiled while shaking her head. Pastor Davidson was an excellent minister of the Word in Mother Doreen’s opinion. With all of the wonderful ministries and evangelistic works he oversaw at Living Word, Mother Doreen didn’t doubt that he was about God’s business. His only flaw, as far as she could see, was his aggressiveness in seeking membership. “That’s flattering, but I’m praying that once I finish my business here with my sister, God will send me back to Ohio and allow me to resume my works at New Day.”
“Been there prayed that one.” Pastor Davidson chuckled. “God initially sent me here as just an interim pastor.” He raised his hands in the air and let them fall to his side. “But look at me now.”
“And we are so blessed that God let us keep you,” Bethany told him.
“Thank you, Sister Bethany.” Pastor Davidson smiled before turning his attention back to Mother Doreen. “Perhaps God will let us keep you too, Sister Doreen. I mean, after all, Bethany’s out of the hospital now and looking like she has the strength of Christ. I mean, look at her. She appears to be stronger than ever before. So with her seeming to be doing so well, seems like you could mosey on back to Ohio. So something must be keeping you here. Perhaps the Lord?” He winked again.
Mother Doreen didn’t doubt that the Lord was indeed the one keeping her there. After all, He was the one who sent her there in the first place. Even so, she wasn’t about to turn around and move back to Ohio any time soon after packing up everything she owned to move into her sister’s guest room. She had a home to go back to if she wanted because she hadn’t sold her house, choosing instead to rent it out to a Section 8 tenant. The home had long been paid for by her late husband, Willie, so besides any maintenance involved in preserving the property, Mother Doreen simply banked the rest of the rent.
“Oh, the Lord is definitely keeping me here indeed,” Mother Doreen told Pastor Davidson with conviction. Just then Pastor Frey walked up. Mother Doreen shot him one of her looks. “But the Lord ain’t the only somebody that’s keeping me here.” She stared at Pastor Frey.
Pastor Davidson, Bethany, and Pastor Frey proceeded to chat a bit while Mother Doreen subconsciously continued to stare at Pastor Frey. In the midst of the conversation, Pastor Davidson noticed how attentive Mother Doreen was to Pastor Frey. He couldn’t help but smile internally while Mother Doreen’s last comment played in his head. “But the Lord ain’t the only somebody that’s keeping me here.” And she had made the comment just as his assistant pastor had walked up.
Putting two and two together, an external smile appeared on Pastor Davidson’s lips. He’d had a sudden thought as to how he might at least be able to keep Mother Doreen busy during her stay in Kentucky.
Chapter Ten
“I know I prayed to God for help, but that was not the type of help I had in mind,” Lorain complained to her mother over the telephone. “I mean, I don’t know if Pastor w
as trying to be funny or what.”
“Maybe that was Pastor’s way of shutting the both of you up,” Lorain’s mother laughed.
“Eleanor Simpson, you always could make a joke out of serious things,” Lorain stated, calling her mother by her name.
“Oh, chile please. It ain’t that serious.”
“And will you stop talking like you’re from down South knowing you were raised in Youngstown, Ohio?” Lorain’s voice was full of attitude, as if she didn’t appreciate the way her mother was trying to lighten up a situation that she had already deemed as dark and gloomy.
“Don’t go getting snippy with me, girl. I ain’t but a hop, skip, and electric slide away from your tail. Grown or not, I’ll come over there and remind you who the momma is in this relationship.” Now Eleanor was serious.
“I’m sorry, Mama. I don’t want you coming over here whooping on me. It’s just that—”
“It’s just that it ain’t that serious is what it is, Lorain. I mean, come on, you should be used to this type of thing by now. Girls have never liked you, so what’s the big deal? And apology accepted. Besides, I ain’t got time to come over there and take a switch to your behind anyway. I’s gots me a date. Ha-haaaa,” Eleanor said in a sing-song voice.
Lorain was still stuck on the comment her mother had made about her being disliked by girls. “Girls have never liked me? Is that your way of making me feel better about all of this?”
“Get over yourself. It’s not about you, Lorain. Ain’t that what you always telling me your pastor says? That it ain’t about you, but it’s always about God? Well then, let it be about God. Obviously there’s a reason why God chose for you to be connected with this Unique person.”
“But wasn’t going to church with her and being a part of the Single’s Ministry with her enough? But for Pastor to assign her as my co-leader of the Single’s Ministry is just outright evil!”