“Oh, it makes perfect sense. Especially to me.” Gabrielle smiled back.
“Well, you, Miss Mercedes, were absolutely anointed today. I can’t find words to tell you how much I enjoyed the way you personally ministered to me. Not taking anything away from the others, who were also fabulous, but you . . . you made me and the rest of the congregation feel as though we really could mount up with wings not like but as eagles, and soar above any and every thing that might normally try to hold us down. Magnificent, that’s all I can say. Bravo.”
“Praise God. I give Him all the glory.” Gabrielle didn’t know what else to say either. He continued to gaze at her with such a sincere smile. Silence stood between them—smiles and silence, now quickly becoming an awkward sixty seconds.
He stopped grinning. “I didn’t ask you this the last time we met—”
“Oh, you mean the first time we met?” Gabrielle said, unable to keep her own grin under control.
“Yeah, okay, the first and the last time we met. That’s a good one,” he said. “I see you’re not wearing a wedding band, and I know that doesn’t always mean anything, especially in today’s world. So, I’ll just ask. Are you married?”
“No.”
“Engaged? Seeing anyone special?”
“Nope.” She blushed.
“Okay, then I wonder if I might be able to persuade you to go to dinner with me today.” There was a distinct question there.
“It depends,” Gabrielle said.
“On what?”
“Are you married, or engaged, or seeing anyone right now?”
“No, no”—he hesitated for a second—“and no.”
She pulled back. “Do you really expect me to believe someone like you has no one else? Not even someone you’re merely talking to. A good friend. Maybe someone you just recently broke up with.”
“To be honest with you, I haven’t seriously dated in five years,” Zachary said.
“Oh, come on now. I know you don’t think I’m going to fall for that line, do you?” Gabrielle said.
“Well, it’s true. And we are standing in a church. I’m too afraid of God to lie in a church. The truth is I’ve been too busy to seriously date anyone. Now things are a bit better. Not tremendously, but it wouldn’t be as much of a strain on a relationship now as it would have before. That is, should I find myself blessed to be in a relationship now.”
“Okay, I’ll bite,” she said, referring to his comment about him being too busy to date as she compared this scenario to a fish eyeing bait on a sharp, new hook before deciding to take a swipe. “How is it you were too busy?”
“Come to dinner with me and I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Anything and everything. A fire sale—everything . . . nothing held back.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” He began to smile again. “Okay.” He nodded. “Great! Do you want to go now, or would you prefer waiting until later in the day?”
“Let me go home, put away my things, and change. I can meet you there,” Gabrielle said.
“Actually, I’m sort of old school. My mother taught me to, and I believe in, picking up my date from her home and safely returning her back there. If you’ll give me your address, tell me what time you’d like for me to be there, we can go from there.”
Gabrielle hesitated.
After she didn’t say anything more, he asked, “Is something wrong?”
“Nothing really. I was just thinking whether it might not be better, since we are just getting to know each other, for me to meet you there.” Actually, Gabrielle was thinking of several things. She’d been lured once into a trap by a man who was cunning and clever and ended up beating her up, although Zachary appeared harmless enough. Still, she wanted to get to know him a little better before giving him her home address, which led to her second concern. He would see the sale sign and might begin asking questions that could end up derailing things before they got to know each other better.
He held up his hands in surrender. “Listen, if meeting me at this stage makes you feel more comfortable, I understand. We can meet this time. But next time, we’ll do it the right way,” Zachary said.
“Next time?”
“Yeah, next time.”
“Who said there was going to be a next time?”
“The Bible,” he said.
Gabrielle cocked her head to the side and smirked just a tad. “Where in the Bible does it say you and I are going to have a next time?”
“Where it says to speak of those things that be not as though they were. So, I’m speaking those things as though they already are. Totally Bible. Next time. And if you don’t like that scripture reference, how about, ‘You have not because you ask not’? That can be found in the book of James. Next time. Shall I continue?”
She shook her head and laughed. “No. All that’s left now is for us to decide where and what time.”
He winked.
At this juncture, Gabrielle wasn’t sure whether his wink was flirting, to disarm her, or some involuntary reaction he didn’t even know he’d done. Either way, it was cute.
Chapter 21
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
—1 John 1:9
Smiling at the thought of having seen Zachary again, Gabrielle made her way out to her car. She was hanging her dance outfit on the clip over the back door’s seat when she heard a voice whisper behind her, “Goodness and Mercy.”
She turned around. “Darius?” she said both quizzically and startled. She wondered why he was standing so close to her, and how had he sneaked up on her without her having heard him. She looked to see if Tiffany was nearby. The parking lot was almost empty now. “Are you looking for Tiffany?” Gabrielle asked when she didn’t see any sign of Tiffany.
“Goodness and Mercy,” he said again, this time with a smirk as he lifted his eyebrows the way the bushy-browed comedian and actor Groucho Marx used to do in his acts. Darius moved in even closer.
Gabrielle quickly closed the rear car door, then took a few more steps away from him. She was now next to the driver’s door.
“I knew you looked familiar. And today, while you were up there all made up, dressed in your fancy doodads, ministering in that gorgeous flowing dance outfit, it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks.”
“What are you talking about?”
He flashed her a teasing grin. “Oh, now . . . you know what I’m talking about. So, let’s not play games anymore, all right? I know, and you know that I know.”
“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about,” Gabrielle said, her voice escalating slightly as she tried to maintain a calm composure.
“Goodness and Mercy. How’s that for a clue? Are things starting to become a little bit clearer for you now, Miss Mercedes?”
“Listen, Darius. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I do know that what you’re doing here is highly inappropriate. We’re brothers and sisters in Christ. I think you should remember that and govern yourself accordingly.”
He placed his index fingers together, formed to look like a steeple, and placed it against his nose, his thumbs under his chin. He leaned in slightly before taking his hands down from his face. “G. M., Gabrielle Mercedes. G. M., Goodness and Mercy. Did you come up with that on purpose or is that merely a coincidence?” He chuckled. “Okay, what I’m thinking is that maybe you should stop acting like you don’t know what I’m talking about. How’s that for starters?”
“Fine. But the Goodness and Mercy you knew no longer exists. She’s dead. In fact, she was buried back in January. There were even witnesses to her death as symbolized with her water baptism. And the person who arose with Christ in her place, she’s a new creature in Christ. Whatever was there before is no longer there. It’s all under the blood of Jesus. I’m Gabrielle Mercedes, a child of the Most High God. And I refuse to allow you to bring up anything from my past and try to throw it in my face. I have c
onfessed my sins. I am forgiven, and I’ve been cleansed from all unrighteousness.” Gabrielle’s words were matched with a look of sternness and seriousness.
“Goodness and mercy, lighten up will you.” He laughed. “Did you catch that pun I just did? Goodness and mercy, you know, as in when you’re just expressing yourself before you say something, and Goodness and Mercy as in a person whose stage name is Goodness and Mercy.” He nodded as he grinned.
“Look, we just had a wonderful time in the Lord. You really need to stop playing, put away childish things, and grow up.”
“First Corinthians chapter thirteen. Ooh, I’m impressed. So you’re giving me spiritual advice, now? Godly advice coming from you. You, Miss-All-Respected-for-Your-Walk-with-the-Lord. So, you think you’re better than me now? Is that it? Are you judging me?”
“No,” Gabrielle said. “I’m not judging anyone. I’m saying that the person you obviously think you knew no longer exists.” Gabrielle chose her words carefully. “I’m sure you’re ecstatic that you figured out why you thought I looked familiar when we met last week. Now we can put all of this behind us and move on.”
“Yeah, but you did leave me hanging. I bet you and Miss Fatima had a big old laugh, at my expense of course, after I left.”
Gabrielle stood stone-faced, not letting on that he was absolutely correct.
“But I do understand,” Darius said. “I can’t say I blame you at all. It wasn’t in your best interest nor was it the right place to admit another place we could have met. Honestly, you did me a favor not mentioning that place, especially not in front of Miss Righteous Fatima.” He shook his head fast, then nodded. “Nope, you’re one smooth operator. I like that. You’ve shown you can keep a secret. You, Sister Gabrielle Mercedes, know how to play the game with class and dignity. I mean, look at you today—class and dignity. A man can appreciate that. A real man can respect a woman like you.”
Darius figured Fatima hadn’t told Gabrielle about the two of them having had an affair that ended, reluctantly, about four years ago. He deduced Fatima cared too much about maintaining her image and pristine reputation to spill that kind of information about herself. He wasn’t worried too much about her saying anything that might incriminate herself.
“Well, I need to go now,” Gabrielle said as calmly as she could muster. She didn’t want him knowing he was getting to her.
“Goodness and Mercy,” he said with a smirk. “Hold up a minute. You know we’ve missed you. Okay, let me speak for myself. I’ve missed you. Things haven’t been the same since you left. Of course, I didn’t realize at the time you’d changed partners.”
“Excuse me?” Gabrielle frowned. “Changed partners? What are you talking about?”
“You know, some would consider what you were doing before as dancing with the devil, or more accurately, dancing in service of the devil. Now you’re dancing for or in the service of the Lord. Still dancing, mind you—you just changed partners. I think it’s great myself. Although between the two of us, I have to admit, there was something extra special about watching you dance today. I guess what people say is true: it is better when you leave more to the imagination.” Darius playfully widened his eyes.
“Seriously, though, the guys have really missed you. Things began going downhill after you left. People were demanding to know where you’d gone so they could come and patronize you there. But Clarence wouldn’t tell anybody what happened to you. He did say you’d likely be back. But I had no idea here is where you’d end up. So close. Right here with me.” He nodded. “Well, I suppose I need to start coming to church more often.”
“Look, whatever was in my past is past. If you want to talk about God’s goodness and mercy, we can have a word here and there. However, if all you want to talk about is my past, then you need to find somebody else to chitchat with. I have more important things to do with my life.” She held up her arm and blatantly looked at her watch.
“Wow, I’ve heard having Jesus in your life changes a person. But I admit: this is my first time witnessing it up close and personal—seeing just how much Jesus can change a person. You appear totally sold out for Christ,” Darius said. “But then, most Christians do.”
“The correct terminology is that I am redeemed. I was bought with a price. I understand that. I welcome that. I embrace it. If you have a problem with that concept, maybe you need to talk with someone else about it. Possibly your wife, or better yet, schedule an appointment with Pastor Landris and talk it over with him.”
Darius frowned as he tilted his head to one side and began to bounce his head a little. “Hmm. You know, that is a thought. I wonder if Pastor Landris or his lovely wife knows about your past. His wife is over the dance ministry, for now anyway, isn’t she?”
“She is.”
“And she allowed you to become a part of the dance ministry? Although, in truth, I have to admit, you really were the most talented of all of them. And, I’m not just saying that because I’ve been a longtime fan of your work.”
“Listen, I really have to go.” She opened her car door.
“Tell you what: I’ll let you go if you agree to have lunch, dinner, or something with me, at a later date of course. I’ve got the family thing today—you know how it is.”
“What?” Gabrielle couldn’t believe what he’d just said.
He shrugged. “I’d like to see you again. In a more relaxed setting. You know, a fellow brethren and a fellow sisteren in Christ”—he chuckled at his made-up word of sisteren—“sitting down together, breaking bread . . . drinking a little wine, maybe. You know the Bible says a little wine is good for the stomach. Nothing too heavy—just me and you . . . making things up as we go. I’d like to hear more of your wonderful conversion to Christ.”
“You’re kidding, right? This is your way of being funny?”
He shook his head. “If I’m kidding, then I’m failing miserably since neither one of us is laughing. This is not a joke.” He scanned her body from head to toe. “Definitely not a joke. And I know you’re not married. Got that from the little wifey.”
“Excuse me, but you don’t see a problem with what you just said?”
“What?” He held out his opened hands, palms up, to her as though he were waiting for her to lay a large object in them. “You mean about you not being married?”
“No. That you got that information from your wife.” She frowned at him. “Someone, I might add, I’ve grown close to and fond of over these past two months.”
“And someone you probably early on learned was a little slow when it comes to catching on to things. That’s the reason she needed extra dance rehearsals. It wasn’t because of the children or her not having the time. She loves to use our children as an excuse for everything.” Darius stood up straighter.
“Now, don’t get me wrong; Tiffany’s a beautiful woman,” he said. “She definitely has her own gifts, believe you me. And the woman is loyal to a fault. She rarely gives me any lip about anything, which I have to admit is a rare find in today’s women. Women want to brag about how independent they are. Destiny’s Child, Kelly Clarkson, Ne-Yo, and any of the rest of them all singing about the independent woman or Miss Independent. I don’t know one woman who doesn’t want to be loved and appreciated. I don’t care how much money she has. If you don’t have anyone to share things with, how much fun is that? That’s how women are. Once you figure that part out, you can keep your woman happy and pretty much out of your hair. Tiffany knows I love and appreciate her. And during those times when she might feel like I’m a little out there, I do my thing. I remind her of how blessed she is to have a man like me, and we’re straight.”
“Is that so?” Gabrielle said with sarcasm. “Well, Mister-Knows-What-Every-Woman-Wants-and-Needs, I wish you well. Not Godspeed, but well. But right now, I have Jesus in my life. And frankly—and I hope you’re not offended by this, but if you are, it’s all right with me—Jesus is all the man that this woman right here really needs.”
“M
ercy, if that’s not what people expect you to say, I don’t know what is. But on those cold nights when you’re all alone . . . all by yourself, and you need someone to put his arms around you, to cuddle up with, to whisper a little sweet somethin’-somethin’ in your ear, when you want someone you can talk to and hear talk back audibly to you, not just thoughts in your mind, then what? God created us for each other. He was the one who said it wasn’t good for man to be alone. All I’m saying is that I can love and appreciate you the way God made you. I know about your past, yet I can talk to you and not hold that against you. In fact, I celebrate you. Now, how many men out there do you really think can feel this way? I’m talking about a good Christian man such as myself.”
“Bye,” Gabrielle said as she opened her door more and slid inside, then grabbed the handle to close the door.
Darius grabbed the door and held it open—forcibly restraining her from being able to close it. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Gabrielle glared at him. “Go home and tell your wife what a wonderful job she did today. Okay? Then, tell her how much she blessed you in dance and praise to the Lord. And you know what you and I will do? We’ll both forget we ever had this little conversation.” She smiled, yanked the door from his clutches, and shut it. She hurriedly locked her doors, took out her key, cranked up her car, then drove away.
Darius stood with a smile on his face as she hurried away. Biting down on his bottom lip, he made a long sucking sound as his teeth continued to press down. He then nodded. “Every dog has his day,” he said. “Yep. Every dog has his day. Ruffruff.”
When Gabrielle reached the stoplight, she laid her head on her steering wheel. “God, please, help me. Please. I’m trying so hard down here. I don’t know how much more of this I can take. And I truly don’t need Darius on top of everything else that’s going on in my life right now. I don’t. You know that I don’t. And I especially don’t need something like this after having had such a praisefilled day. Please, I need Your help down here.”
Goodness and Mercy Page 15