“Umph,” Eva responded. “I thought we said we would talk about any woman we tried to fix Terrance up with. We were supposed to come up with a list and meet this evening and decide on the top three.”
“Well, while y’all busy making up lists, I’m making stuff happen,” Mamie said, slamming the cabinet door. “Besides, y’all know Rosolyn.”
“But we hadn’t agreed on her yet,” Dorothy Mae responded.
Mamie rolled her eyes as she walked through the swinging doors and back into the dining room. Two seconds later, she walked right back in the kitchen. “Lord, give me strength.”
“What?” Dorothy Mae asked.
“She’s running her hand up his leg. At the dinner table! Just shameful,” Mamie snapped. “And it’s so obvious what she’s doing. Terrance is trying to push her hands off of him, but she’s like a daggone octopus. And poor Rosolyn is just sitting there horrified.”
“No, she’s not sitting up there disrespecting my house,” Eva said as she pushed her way into the dining room.
“Terrance, may I have a word with you in the kitchen, please?” Eva said, a stern look across her face.
Terrance shook his head, like he knew he was about to venture into territory he didn’t feel like treading. He slowly followed Eva into the kitchen. Mamie and Dorothy Mae were standing around the island oven, their arms folded across their chests.
“What is it now, Aunt Eva?” Terrance sighed heavily.
“I think you know what it is,” Dorothy Mae snapped. “You are a minister, for Christ’s sake. What is wrong with you, letting that floozy paw all over you like that, and at the dinner table at that?”
“I’m not letting her paw all over me. I asked her to stop.”
“The fact that she’s even doing it at all is sign enough that you don’t need to be fooling with her,” Mamie piped in. “Why did you even bring her in the first place? You know this is our time.”
“Is that so? Then why is Rosolyn here?” Terrance looked around the room. Both Dorothy Mae and Eva looked at Mamie, who shrugged. “I want you all to get to know her better.”
“I’m not interested in these women.”
“You’re not gay, are you, son? I mean, we will love you the same. God might not, but we will,” Mamie said, a horrified look across her face. Dorothy Mae slapped her arm. “I’m just being honest,” Mamie hissed.
Terrance chuckled as he shook his head. “No, I’m not gay.”
“Then what’s the problem, baby?” Eva asked, her voice laced with concern. “Why can’t you find a good, decent woman?” she added, emphasizing good and decent. “That’s who you need to be looking for while you’re wasting your time with Savannah. Can you imagine what people will say if you develop a relationship with that girl?”
“Aunt Eva, you know me well enough to know I just want to spread the word of God to the people. That’s it. I’m not interested in the politics, the gossip, or anything else anyone has to say about me.”
“But why her?” Mamie looked like she was really trying to make sense of his relationship with Savannah.
Terrance shrugged. “She makes me laugh.”
“Watch a comedy video,” Dorothy Mae snapped.
Terrance ignored her. “I enjoy spending time with Savannah. Yes, she’s a little over-the-top, and a little less refined than most women, but she’s really a sweet woman.”
“You just caught up. That girl ain’t nothin’ but trouble,” Mamie mumbled, recalling the rumors that had always surrounded Savannah, the latest of which had her being chased out of a motel by Deacon Tisdale’s wife.
“Terrance, have you given any thought to the hundred-year Christmas celebration? I mean, I know it’s only September, but can you really see yourself having Savannah on your arm at the celebration?” Eva asked matter-of-factly.
“Why do I need to have anyone on my arm?” Terrance exhaled. He was so tired of this debate and even more tired of people trying to run his life. Sometimes, if he had to do it all over again, he might rethink coming back to preach in his hometown church. Between the heavy burden he carried and the people who seemed to make it their business to get all up in his business, Terrance wondered if he’d ever find true happiness.
They’d returned to dinner, but after about twenty minutes, Terrance could tell things weren’t going to get any better.
“Well, we’d better get going,” he said, picking up his plate.
“Thank you all so much for the wonderful dinner,” Savannah offered as she followed Terrance into the kitchen.
“Ummm-hmmm,” Eva mumbled. Dorothy Mae and Mamie didn’t say anything.
Savannah blew off their nasty attitudes as she walked back in the den and said good-bye to Rosolyn.
Terrance was about to chastise his aunts for their rude behavior, but he changed his mind. However, he knew at some point, if Savannah was going to be in his life, he would have to have a long talk with his aunts.
chapter 11
Savannah walked in and flung her purse across the glass coffee table in her large two-bedroom apartment, which definitely didn’t reflect that neither Savannah nor her roommate, Tyra, worked a full-time job. A forty-two-inch television was in the corner. A leather sofa and love seat sat in the middle of the living room. A state-of-the-art stereo system sat in another corner. And all kinds of African art adorned the walls. All of their belongings were compliments of their latest conquests, as well as part of the reason Savannah was ready to settle down. Shoot, trying to survive and keep this man happy long enough to pay her bills, or that man happy long enough to buy her furniture, was a full-time job in itself. The only thing she’d bought with her own money was her used SAAB. And she’d only gotten that after finding out one of the rich guys she was dating was actually married. He’d given her the money for the car just to make her go away. He hadn’t even shown any remorse about hurting her. Yep, it was a lifestyle she’d definitely grown weary of.
“What’s your problem?” Tyra said as she sat up on the sofa.
Savannah jumped. “Oh, I didn’t know you were home. I thought you had a date.”
“Please, that sorry fool didn’t show. That’s the last time he stands me up, that’s for sure.”
Savannah began removing her earrings as she headed to her bedroom. “That’s what you said the last time.”
Tyra got up and followed her. “I mean it this time. This is getting really old. I mean, you cool and all, but I’m trying to find me a husband to take care of me so I can get up out of this apartment.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Savannah nonchalantly said as she began removing her clothes.
“Okay, I take it dinner didn’t go too well.” Tyra walked into the bedroom and plopped across the bed.
“No. Not only did Terrance’s nosy aunts treat me like a pariah, but they invited some old homely chick to dinner, trying to hook Terrance up.” Savannah pouted as she swept her bushy hair up into a ponytail.
“No, they didn’t.”
“Yes, they did.” Savannah stood before the mirror in her bra and panties, taking in her beautiful chocolate-colored skin and voluptuous figure. Her body could get almost any man she wanted, except the Reverend Terrance Ellis. She’d been going to Lily Grove ever since he took over as pastor, but she didn’t take a true interest in getting to know him a little better until a year ago, when she’d jokingly told her grandmother that Terrance was the type of man she needed in her life. Her grandmother had laughed hysterically and told her she had a better chance of “marrying Denzel Washington.”
For a while, though, Savannah had thought maybe her grandmother was right, because despite her blatant flirting, Terrance wouldn’t give her the time of day until a month ago. She’d almost fallen over backward when he’d asked her out to dinner.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Tyra asked. “I mean, you seem like you’re really feeling him. What if he’s just, I hate to say this, but what if he’s using you as something to do.”
Savann
ah blew a frustrated breath. “I know what I’m doing, okay? I know you and everybody else may find this hard to believe, but Terrance enjoys being with me. I’m just ready to take things to the next level.”
Savannah continued to stare at her reflection as she thought about Terrance. He made her feel like somebody. He didn’t judge her, and he liked her for who she was. She felt validated around him and had begun having dreams of building a life with him.
“So, you just gonna let his aunts play you like that then?” Tyra asked, snapping Savannah back from her thoughts.
“Please.” Savannah pulled open a drawer to search for some lounging clothes. “You know me better than that. Those women got me twisted if they think their nasty attitudes gon’ run me off. And the homely chick? No competition.”
“They just don’t know. What you want, you always get.” Tyra laughed.
“You doggone straight. And I want Terrance Ellis.” Savannah slipped on a pair of shorts and a tank top.
“I still don’t understand that.” Tyra shook her head as she turned over on her back. “Why in the world you’d want to be a preacher’s wife is beyond me.”
“It’s not that I just want to be a preacher’s wife. I want everything that comes with being Terrance’s wife, money, power, respect. Especially respect. Besides, Terrance is a good catch. He’s a wonderful man, sweet, fun, and you know how good-looking he is.”
“That he is.” Tyra did good to make it to church on Christmas and Easter, but when she did go, she spent her entire time there gazing at Terrance. “He looks like Will Smith, only sexier. But still, the fact remains, he’s a preacher.”
“So? Preachers are men, too. I like Terrance because he’s still down. He lets me be me. I mean, couldn’t you see me as the first lady?”
“Girl, talk about turning that church upside down.” Tyra hesitated. “But this seems like you’re trying to be with Terrance because you have something to prove.”
Savannah rolled her eyes at her friend. Tyra was only partially right. The most important thing now was that she was really starting to care for Terrance. But she could tell if the hens had their way, she and Terrance would never have a real relationship.
“I just think you’re playing with fire,” Tyra said, her voice laced with concern. “You’re going to end up hurt. Besides, I heard rumors that he was gay.”
“Whatever,” Savannah tossed out. “Terrance is not gay.”
“Yeah, dang near thirty, never married, no documented girlfriends, no baby mamas. Sounds straight to me,” Tyra quipped.
“Whatever, Tyra. Just don’t hate me when you get the wedding announcement that says introducing Reverend and Mrs. Ellis.”
Tyra laughed as she pulled herself up off the bed. “You’re delusional. I know his aunts. And they’d just as soon set the church on fire before they let you walk down the aisle with that boy.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Tyra.” Savannah smiled sarcastically.
“I’m your girl and just keeping it real.”
Savannah threw a pillow at the back of Tyra’s head as Tyra made her way out of the room. Savannah plopped down on the bed herself. Tyra was right. Getting past Mamie, Eva, and especially Dorothy Mae wasn’t going to be easy. But then, nothing in her life had ever been.
chapter 12
“You sure you don’t want a beer?”
Terrance cut his eyes at his best friend, Monty Pierce, who was standing over him with two Bud Lights in his hand. “You know better than that.”
Monty shrugged before setting one beer on the coffee table, plopping down in his oversize recliner, and popping the top on the other beer. “I keep telling you those people are going to drive you to drink over at that church and it’s only a matter of time.”
Terrance chuckled. “You may be right about that. But still, alcohol ain’t the answer. You don’t need to be drinking yourself.”
Monty took a long swig of his beer. “God called you to preach, not me.” He belched. “Well, actually, He did call me, but then He called back and told me He had the wrong number.”
“Boy, you’re crazy.” Terrance laughed. But his demeanor quickly changed as he let out a long sigh and leaned back on Monty’s sofa.
“Dang, man. What’s up?” Monty said, eyeing him. “Why are you over here looking all gloomy today? How’d your date with the freak go?”
“Don’t call her that.” Over the years, Terrance had felt himself growing in a different direction from Monty, and it was things like this—Monty’s blatant disrespect for women—that was causing the rift.
“Sorry, Rev, but you know I call ’em like I see ’em.”
“Well, I’m getting enough of that from my aunts.”
Monty let out another obnoxious belch. “Talk to me, bruh. You always the strong one for everybody else, but even the strong men need someone to vent to from time to time.”
“I don’t know what to do about Savannah.” Terrance sighed, finally deciding Monty was the closest thing to a confidant he was going to get. “I like her, but my aunts are right. There’s no way she could ever be a first lady.”
“You’re right about that. You think those folks are driving you crazy now. Try telling them Savannah is your new woman. I’d have to come to church more often just to get a front-row seat on all the drama.” Monty laughed. “Tell me again how you hooked up with her in the first place?” Monty had met Savannah at church a couple of times on the rare occasions that he went. Then they’d all gone out to eat one day last week, but that was the extent of their interaction.
“I guess you can just say she got to me,” Terrance replied. “She used to always hang out around the church. I spoke, but never said much else to her, despite her blatant flirting. I don’t know, I just never paid her much attention, even when she indirectly asked me out. At first, I kept making excuses. Then I saw her with this young girl she’s mentoring, and it was just great watching her in action. And then, I saw everybody just giving her a hard time.”
“So, you went out with her because you felt sorry for her?” Monty said, an incredulous look across his face.
Terrance shook his head. “No, I finally decided to go out with her thinking we’d go out once and that would be it. Well, one date turned to two, and before I knew it, we were spending more and more time together.”
“I think you were just tired of your dry spell and Savannah is fine, with a capital F.”
“Naw, that’s not it. I mean, I am getting tired of being single. I want to settle down, have some kids, but it’s not that easy. I have to find someone I want to be with, and someone that’ll make everybody else happy. After hanging out with Savannah, I thought maybe she could be that person, but she can be a little wild, so I just don’t know.”
“Here’s a thought. How ’bout you only worry about making yourself happy?”
Terrance flashed a smile as Monty shook his head. Of course he wouldn’t understand. Monty was definitely an it’s-all-about-me man. His good looks afforded him his pick of women. And he usually picked top-notch women. After a couple of weeks he would grow bored with them and toss them aside.
“Didn’t you say something about your aunts trying to fix you up with someone?” Monty asked.
“Yeah, they called yesterday trying to get me to go out with someone my aunt Eva knows.”
“Ooooh, I bet she’s a booger bear.”
“Actually, I met her before. She was pretty but we didn’t talk long.”
“You’ve seen her and she looks all right? Then, shoot, what can a date hurt?”
“I just don’t know.” Terrance sighed heavily. “I want something real. I’m just not understanding. If there are so many women out there searching for a good man and I’m looking for a good woman, why haven’t we found each other?”
“Because your preacher-man status causes the nutcases to come out and it’s hard sifting through them all. But I tell you what.” Monty patted Terrance on his back. “As your best friend, I will take i
t upon myself to help you out. So feel free to send the pretty ones my way, and I’ll help you sift through them all in search of Mrs. Right.”
Terrance laughed. “Yeah, man. If only it was that easy.”
chapter 13
Terrance couldn’t believe he was actually out on a date with someone his aunts had fixed him up with.
He had been totally against the idea when his aunt Eva first brought it to him, especially after that disastrous blind date with the girl Monty had fixed him up with. But Eva had looked at him with those sad puppy-dog eyes, which he could never say no to. Then, when she’d told him all about Claire Rollins, and how she was a dedicated nurse, how beautiful and intelligent she was, well, he figured, what was the harm in one date? Maybe if he gave another woman a chance, it could solve the whole dilemma he was having about Savannah.
Claire had turned out to be everything Eva said she was and more. Her almond-shaped eyes dazzled him the minute he walked in the door of Vilini’s Italian Restaurant. She had beautiful wavy, shoulder-length hair, the smoothest dark brown skin Terrance had ever seen, and a body that would put Angela Bassett to shame.
Over dinner, they had intelligent, thought-provoking conversations on everything from music to the state of world affairs. Terrance was beginning to think his aunt had actually done well with this blind date. Then Claire said something that ruined it all.
“I’m sorry. I just don’t believe in God.”
Terrance wanted to back away from the table for fear that the lightning bolt meant for her would strike him, too.
“Excuse me?” he said, hoping he’d heard her wrong.
“I just think all this God stuff is overrated. I mean, we’re putting all our trust in a book written by men.”
“But God directed those men to write down His Word,” Terrance numbly replied.
“Says who?” Claire nonchalantly retorted. “I mean, none of us were actually there. We just take some quack’s word that he was directed by God to come up with this book by which we should all govern our lives. We pass that warped logic down from generation to generation without ever questioning the validity of it.” She chuckled. “It’s funny, we look at the man who stands on the corner of my neighborhood talking about he’s Jesus like he’s insane. But if you really think about it, that’s exactly what those people who wrote the Bible did. Only we took their word for it.”
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