Everybody Say Amen (12 page)

“E
arth to Rachel.”

Rachel snapped out of her thoughts as Lester waved his hand in her face. She had tuned him out to replay her conversation with Angela in her head. She’d been wracking her brain trying to come up with a way to beat her ex-sister-in-law at her own game.

“Oh, I’m sorry. What were you saying?” she said.

Lester exhaled in frustration. “Where is your mind? I’ve been trying to talk to you about us for the last week and you never seem to be all there.”

“What is it you want to talk about, Lester?” After her little talk with her father, Rachel knew she needed to check the attitude and show her husband a little more attention, but she had a lot on her mind right now.

“Us. I have some major issues that I would like to discuss.” Lester walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. Rachel was sitting up against the headboard, her laptop in her lap.

“Everything is major with you, Lester.” Rachel flipped open her computer. Maybe if she Googled Angela she would find something she’d done in the last seven years that they could use against her.

Lester reached up and slammed her laptop shut. She looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “What is your problem?”

“Rachel, I’m trying to talk to you. I’m trying to tell you the problems I’m having with our marriage.” Lester exhaled. “The problems I’m having with you.”

“Oh, so you’re having problems with me?” Rachel cut her eyes at him. “What did I do wrong this time?” She was definitely about to get an attitude now. Since the First Ladies Council meeting, she really had been trying to do better at church. She’d gotten rid of the Baby Phat outfits and dressed a lot more conservatively. She’d been nicer to people at church; some of them had even noticed. But with all that she’d done, Lester obviously still wasn’t satisfied.

He stared at her, then finally said, “Why do I bother?” He walked out of the room.

Rachel jumped up and followed him. “I don’t know. Why
do
you bother? I mean, I’m not a proper first lady. I can’t keep my son in line. Your beloved congregation can’t stand me. Whatever do you see in me?”

He turned to face her. “I saw a woman I wanted to love for the rest of her life. A woman who won’t let me love her,” he said in a serious tone.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Rachel folded her arms. “How am I stopping you from loving me?”

“Just forget it, Rachel.”

“Yeah, Lester. Let’s just forget it because you’re talking nonsense.” She returned to the bed and popped her laptop open. “I’m trying to help my brother keep his child!” she yelled. “I don’t have time to deal with minor stuff like this.”

He reappeared in the doorway. “Oh, so our marriage is minor now?”

She looked up at him, exasperated. “Good night, Lester.”

He stared at her, then turned and walked out without responding. Rachel ignored the sound of the front door slamming as she logged on to Google.

J
onathan set the bottle down and bounced D.J. on his shoulder as he paced around the den. He had tried everything—the bottle, changing his diaper, singing to him. Nothing was working.

Jonathan thought it would be great having a baby around since he’d missed out on his own son’s infant years, but D.J. wouldn’t stop crying. Jonathan wanted to scream. The baby had been home two weeks and David appeared to be going just as crazy.

Jonathan looked at his father, who was rocking gently in his recliner reading the newspaper.

“How can you sit there so calmly with D.J. screaming the way he is?” Jonathan asked.

Simon smiled. “I just tune him out.”

“Here, why don’t you take him? Maybe you can get him to settle down.” Jonathan held out the baby.

Simon folded his paper, stood up, and rubbed the baby’s chin. “Nope,” he said. “I’ve served my time. I’m done raising babies.” He smiled as he headed toward the stairs.

“But, I mean, you’ve done this before. You know what to do.”

“No, I don’t. You know your mama took care of you all as babies. So I couldn’t help you if I wanted to. Gots to go now. Brenda will be here in a bit. We’re going to Pastor Vaughn’s anniversary celebration at Mt. Sinai in Port Arthur. Have fun.” Simon headed up the steps before Jonathan could protest.

Jonathan looked down at D.J., who was now sniffling wearily. Jonathan felt so sorry for the poor guy. He peered out the window. David and Tawny were still outside arguing. David looked furious and Tawny was once again standing there with a stupid grin on her face.

She had shown up more than an hour ago, demanding to see D. J. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair was disheveled, and she smelled like she hadn’t bathed in days. David had asked her to come back when she wasn’t high and she’d gone ballistic. They’d taken the argument outside and had been there ever since.

Jonathan glanced down at the baby again. He’d finally worn himself out and was now sound asleep. Jonathan breathed a sigh of relief, then eased over to the bassinet to lay him down.

He had just covered D.J. up when Tawny came busting through the patio door. David was close on her heels.

“Tawny, we are not finished talking,” he said.

“Yes, we are,” she replied. She looked around the room. “Where’s my baby’s bags?”

“I told you, the only way you will get my child is over my dead body,” David said defiantly.

“Then you ’bout to be one dead mother—”

“Would you two shut up?” Jonathan interrupted. “D.J. just fell asleep. Can’t you have some consideration for a change?”

Tawny looked at Jonathan like he was crazy. “Consider this. Gimme my kid or I’m calling the cops. In case you forgot, I’m his mama.”

David rubbed his forehead, no doubt trying to calm down. “Look, Tawny, please don’t do this. You don’t even want him. And besides, you don’t have any place to take him.”

“He goes where I go.”

“On the street?”

“So? You ain’t too much better living up here with your daddy.” She looked at Jonathan. “Big ol’ forty-year-old man, living with his daddy.” She reached into the bassinet.

David grabbed her arm before she touched the baby. “Okay, you win. I’ll get it.”

Tawny smiled. “I thought you’d see things my way.”

Jonathan looked back and forth between the two of them, a confused look across his face. “Get what, David?”

Tawny’s mood seemed to suddenly change. She was chipper and grinning from ear to ear. “That’s between me and your brother,” she said, never taking her eyes off David. “So go get it.”

“Come on, Tawny. I’m going to need some time.”

“I ain’t got time,” she said sharply.

“Tawny, you’re being unreasonable.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she huffed. “Gimme what you got. And don’t even front ’cause today is Friday and I know you got paid. I want it all.” She held out her hand.

“Tawny, my check wasn’t but six hundred dollars. I need to buy diapers and milk.”

“Waaah, waaah, waaah. Get your old man or your brother here to give you some money. Gimme it all or me and D. J. are outta here.” She folded her arms and turned up her lips.

“I don’t believe you,” David mumbled as he pulled out his wallet. He pulled out five crisp one-hundred-dollar bills. “Here,” he said, slamming the money into her hand. “I’m keeping a hundred because I have to take care of our child since you seem to have no desire to.”

Tawny smiled as she took the money and stuffed it in her bra. “You trying to make me feel guilty? Sorry, boo. Ain’t gonna work. You the one who wanted to play proud papa and everything.”

Jonathan looked on, dumbfounded. Tawny couldn’t be serious. No mother could be that cruel.

“So, you gon’ have the rest of the money next week?” she asked eagerly.

“I will do everything in my power to get it,” David said dejectedly.

“That’s my boo.” She looked at the baby while nervously shaking, no doubt feenin’ for her next fix. “You see what lengths your daddy will go to,” Tawny cooed. She looked at David, who was scowling at her. “What? I told you just this one time and I’m done. I’ll sign over rights to you and everything.”

“Don’t mess with me, Tawny,” David warned.

“Or what? You know you done gone soft on me.” Tawny playfully poked David in the stomach. “Stop being so sensitive. Well, I’m out,” she said, heading toward the door. “I’ll see you in a week.”

Jonathan and David watched Tawny prance out of the front door. Silence hung in the air before Jonathan turned to his brother. “Please tell me you are not about to really try and buy her off.”

David walked over and took the bottle off the coffee table. “Please tell me what other choice I have,” he said as he walked into the kitchen and dropped the bottle in the sink.

Jonathan followed, taking note how his father kept the kitchen as immaculate as his mother had when she was alive. “Why don’t you try going to social services, or filing for custody?”

David shot his brother a crazy look. “Yeah, right. I’ve been to rehab, what four, five times. I have a criminal record and I’m a black man. Sure, a judge would just love to rule in my favor.”

“You can at least try,” Jonathan tried to reason.

“No, the judge will just end up putting the baby in foster care, then neither of us will have him. I can’t take that chance.”

“If you give Tawny money, you know she’s just gon’ keep coming back for more.”

“I’m just gon’ have to take my chances. I told her it was a one-time thing and she said I could find an attorney and she’d sign over her rights if I gave her the money.” There were stress lines all across David’s face.

Jonathan sighed, sensing that his brother’s mind was made up. “How much does she want?”

“Ten grand.” David said as he opened the refrigerator, pulled out a can of Coke and popped the top.

“What?” Jonathan asked. “You’re kidding me, right?”

David took a long gulp of the soda. “I wish I was. She wants ten grand or else she’s going to take D. J. The bad part is she doesn’t even want him—but she knows I do, so she’s just using him to hustle me for money.”

“Dang, that’s deep. So what you gon’ do?” Jonathan sat down at the table.

“I’m gonna give her the money,” David replied as he sat down across from his brother.

“And just where are you going to get that kind of money?”

“I still have about five left over from Mama’s insurance policy. I’ll just have to get the rest from this cat I know.”

Jonathan narrowed his eyes. “Is this
cat
some of the old people you used to run with?”

David ignored Jonathan as he took another sip of his Coke.

“David, are you sure you don’t want to go through the courts? They’ll give you custody.”

“Man, I don’t have time for that! She’s right. She’s his legal guardian. And I don’t want my baby out on that street one day with her so I’m gonna do what I have to do.”

“But you can’t go hooking back up with those people.”

David slammed the soda down. “Look, Jon, don’t start preaching to me, a’ight? I’m gon’ do whatever I have to do to keep my son away from Tawny.”

Jonathan could tell by the determined look on his brother’s face there was nothing he could say or do to keep David from getting that money. He just hoped it wasn’t a decision David would live to regret.

T
he First Ladies Council meetings were working. Linda Morgan had become a praying partner and Rachel found herself garnering a lot of strength from the ease with which Sister Morgan handled things. Whenever she felt herself getting weak, she’d call Linda, the two of them would pray, and Rachel would find her attitude immediately improving. And she’d been doing well. In fact, two members had brought her a fresh-baked pound cake, saying they noticed “a change and just wanted to compliment” her.

Still, today she was happy to see the services wrapping up. Jordan had a big science project due tomorrow and she didn’t want to be up all night helping him with it. He’d actually been doing so much better in school since he began meeting with his counselor three times a week. For some reason, Jordan was harboring a lot of anger and the counselor was helping him work through it.

Lester waited for the music to die down before he started calling people to the front to join the church. This always had been Rachel’s least favorite part of the Sunday service. It could drag on for another thirty minutes. Thankfully, only three people came to join the Christian experience. A fourth person, a leggy, golden-haired white woman said she wanted to make a testimony.

Rachel thought she pretty much knew everyone in Zion Hill, but this woman didn’t look the least bit familiar. Rachel considered shooting her husband a look to remind him that they had cut out the testimony part of service, but something about the woman intrigued her.

“Giving honor to God, Pastor Adams, deacons, family, and friends,” the church secretary, Tricia Yancy, began. “We have before us today Miss Mary Richardson. She comes today to give a testimony and request prayer.”

Sister Yancy handed the microphone to Miss Richardson, who smiled at her before stepping in front of the congregation.

Rachel took in the woman’s appearance. She was actually quite stunning, with her shoulder-length blonde hair, gray eyes, and slender frame. Still, even though they did have visitors of other races from time to time, today Mary was the only one.

“Ummmm, hello,” the woman began, her voice soft and fragile. “I just wanted to come before you all today to ask you to pray for me.” The woman took a deep breath. “The devil is at work on me. I don’t know any way to say this other than to come right out and say it. I am having an affair with a married man.” Several women in the sanctuary groaned, including Rachel. Mary lowered her head in shame, took a deep breath, then looked back out at the congregation. “I know I was wrong, but I am weak. I love him with all of my heart. He claims that he still loves his wife. But he constantly turns to me because she doesn’t appreciate him and after seven years of marriage, I think his love is wavering. He wants to build a life with me and I want one with him, but I know he doesn’t want to hurt his wife.”

Rachel shook her head.
Just scandalous
, she thought.
Why in the world would that woman stand up in front of the church and put her business out there like that?

The woman dabbed at her eyes. “Part of me wants to ask that you pray he finds the strength to leave his wife and be with me, but I know that is not the right thing to do. So I stand before you today to ask that you pray for me, pray that God gives me the strength to rebuke the devil and do what I know is right and walk away. I’m coming to you in the open like this because I believe there is a power in prayer and this is a battle I cannot win alone. Thank you.” She took another deep breath and handed the microphone back to Sister Yancy.

Rachel could not believe her eyes. The congregation was on its feet applauding this woman. They should be throwing stones at her, not standing up there clapping for her and saying, “We’re praying for you, Sister.” They needed to be praying for the wife of whoever’s home she was breaking up. Rachel was all for forgiveness—she’d learned that much over the years—but not when it came to some woman openly messing with a married man.

Lester took his place back at the podium. He had the congregation bow their heads and say a quick prayer. “Blessings, Sister,” he told the woman after they were done. “You will be in our prayers.”

The woman slowly nodded as she returned to her seat, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Lester wrapped up the church service and made his rounds greeting members on their way out. Afterward, he met back up with Rachel in his office.

“So, what’s for dinner?” he asked as he loosened his tie.

“I thought maybe we could go out to eat.” Rachel stood and walked over to kiss her husband. Unfortunately, she still hadn’t mastered the art of Sunday cooking like her mother had. Loretta would’ve died rather than go out to eat on Sunday.

“Come on, sweetheart. I really could use a good, home-cooked meal.”

“Me, too. That’s why I suggest Mikki’s Café. You know their oxtails are delicious.” Rachel smiled.

Lester shook his head. “Let’s just go to my grandmother’s. She’s cooking—”

“Don’t even think about it.”

He sighed in defeat. “I’ll grab the kids. Mikki’s it is.”

Rachel ignored the look of frustration on his face. “So what did you think of that floozy today?” Rachel asked while she stood waiting for him to gather some papers off his desk.

“What floozy?”

“The floozy who got up in church and told everybody how she was sleeping with a married man.”

“Maybe she was trying to redeem herself. The Lord reaches out to sinners from all walks.” Lester never looked up as he sifted through the papers on his desk.

Rachel crossed her arms as she sat down. “Hmmph. She gets no sympathy from me. I hope her no-good lover’s wife catches him and castrates him.”

Lester smiled. “Ouch! Must you be so graphic?”

“I just can’t stand cheating men or the women they cheat with.” Lester shot her a funny look. Rachel knew exactly what he was thinking. “And you can’t even compare me to that woman. Number one, I was eighteen years old when I cheated on Bobby; and number two, I was not married. The rules change once you say ‘I do,’ ” she said defensively. She might have done a lot of things wrong in the past, but she believed in being faithful to your husband.

Lester smirked. “I didn’t say a word.”

“Whatever.” Rachel threw her hands up, stood, and headed to the door.

“May I ask why you’re mad at me?” Lester said.

“Can we just go, please?” Rachel tucked her purse underneath her arm and stood by the door tapping her foot.

Lester stepped toward her and put his arm around her waist. “Come on, baby, don’t be like that.” He leaned in to kiss her. Rachel turned her cheek.

“I’m not being like anything. You’re the one who wanted to turn this conversation back around on me.”

“I don’t understand how this turned into us arguing,” Lester said with a sigh.

Rachel put her hands on her hips. “So tell the truth. Do you condone what she did?”

Lester exhaled. “Rachel, it is not my place to judge. It is only my place to welcome her into the Word of God. I didn’t judge you and I’m not going to judge her.”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Oh, so I’m in the same category as her because of something I did ten years ago?”

“Good grief! Why must you make everything out to be so dramatic?”

She caught herself before going off. She wasn’t in the mood to argue. “You know what, Lester? Forget I said anything. Let’s just go get something to eat and go home. I need to help Jordan with his project. Plus, Jonathan has his court hearing in the morning and I want to have my mind right for that.”

“I’ll go get the kids,” Lester softly replied.

“I’ll be in the car.” A small smile crossed Rachel’s face as she headed to her car. She was so proud of how she’d taken the high road in that argument. If that didn’t show she was making progress, nothing would.