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Authors: Shana Burton

Flawfully Wedded Wives (10 page)

BOOK: Flawfully Wedded Wives
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“Then let me buy the ticket for you,” proposed Kina. “It's the least I could do for the woman who gave me my first real job.”
Angel shook her head. “Kina, you're already paying for the villa. Now you're going to buy my plane ticket too? I can't let you spend that kind of money on me.”
“You can and you will,” asserted Kina. “So both of you go ahead and mark your calendars for the last weekend in October.”
“Are you inviting Sullivan?” asked Lawson.
Kina stood up. “She's free to come, but she'll have to abide by my terms. My dime, my rules, which means no bringing up the past.”
Angel grabbed her purse. “Are you joining us for a bite to eat?”
Kina checked her Tank Française watch, which sported a pink mother-of-pearl dial and a stainless-steel bracelet.
“Fancy watch you've got on there,” observed Angel.
“It's Cartier,” bragged Kina. “I've always wanted to be able to say that.”
“It's nice,” said Lawson. “So are you and your Cartier watch having lunch with us or what?”
“Actually, I need to run. I've got to pick up Kenny, and I need to post a new blog to the site. I'm working on a piece called
Let Her Return Home
. It's all about my spiritual and emotional journey to get back here. You all should check it out.”
“Definitely,” said Angel.
Lawson walked Kina to the door. “Where are you staying?”
“I have an executive suite at the Westin. It's not quite up to the standards I'm used to in L.A., but it's the best Savannah has to offer. It'll do for now.” Kina summoned the camera crew to follow her. “It was really awesome to see you guys today. You have no idea how many times I thought about you while I was away and how much I missed you.”
Lawson hugged her again. “We missed you too. Welcome home.”
Kina hugged Angel and left.
“So what do you think?” Angel asked once they heard the door close shut.
“
Think?
I'm still trying to figure out what just happened.”
“What do you think about this trip to the Bahamas? Do you think we should go? It doesn't feel right to help Kina blow all her money.”
“She said she can swing it, so I believe her. Truth be told, I could use the time away,” Lawson replied.
“What about Sully? Do you think we'll be able to convince her to go?”
“Angel, Sullivan is many things, but stupid isn't one of them. There's no way she's going to turn down a free weekend in the Caribbean, even if Kina's name is attached to it.”
Angel nodded slowly. “Kina is really starting to come into her own. Are you concerned?”
Lawson thought for a second. “Not really.”
Angel narrowed her eyes. “Did she come off as a little . . . I don't know . . .
smug
to you?”
“She's been in Hollywood, Angel. That's not exactly a haven for reality.”
“I don't want to see her get caught up in that life and forget who brought her out and blessed her with this opportunity.”
“Angel, if Kina is nothing else, she's grounded in her relationship with Christ. Yeah, I admit, she's feeling herself a little right now, but she'll float back to earth soon enough.”
“Okay, but you better hope she comes
floating
back, not crashing hard and hitting rock bottom!”
Chapter 15
“To be honest, it's pretty safe to say that I've been a
mess for most of my life.”
—
Sullivan Webb
 
“I just wanted you to know that I made it up here safely,” Sullivan reported to Charles from Friendship Temple's church parking lot after a nearly four-hour drive to Atlanta the following Wednesday afternoon. “How's my princess?”
“She's fine. You're the one I'm concerned about. You know I wanted to come up there with you.”
“And
you
know I didn't want to leave Charity with a sitter, especially with her coming down with a cold. Don't worry. I'm a big girl. I can handle this alone.”
“I would've felt better if you weren't facing all of this by yourself.”
“Babe, we've talked about this. We've prayed about it. I honestly feel like I'm doing the right thing. Thanks again for getting me on his secretary's calendar.”
“Well, you know I'm not too proud of that,” Charles moaned.
“You didn't lie, Charles. I fully intend to tour their children's building and talk to the youth minister for ideas to revamp our children's ministry at Mount Zion . . . right after I talk to my father.”
“Just don't go in there with unrealistic expectations.”
“I'm not going in with any expectations at all. I want to see him and let him know who I am and where he can find me if he wants to stay in touch. The rest is up to him.”
“Be careful, Sullivan. Samuel is a man of God, but you never know how a person might react to something like this, especially if he feels threatened. I'm praying that God keeps you covered.”
“He will. Relax, Charles. I'll be fine. Anyway, I've got to go. I'll call you the minute I leave here.”
Sullivan hung up the phone and made her way to the pastor's office suite. She approached the pastor's administrative assistant.
“Hi. I'm Mrs. Webb from Mount Zion Ministries in Savannah. My husband scheduled a one o'clock appointment to see Pastor Sullivan,” Sullivan reported, careful not to reveal her first name. “He couldn't make it, so I came in his place.”
The assistant verified the appointment on her computer. “Ah, yes, he is expecting you. He's in with the first lady right now, but I'll let him know you're here.”
The assistant slipped into the pastor's adjacent office and returned a few seconds later.
“He's ready to see you,” she announced, holding the door open for Sullivan to pass through.
“Thank you.”
“Sister Webb, we're honored to have you here,” greeted Samuel Sullivan, with his arms outstretched. “It's great to finally meet you. How was the drive up?”
Sullivan's feet felt cemented to the floor, but she mustered the strength to lift them to embrace her father. “I thought I'd never get here.”
“That's Atlanta traffic for you, honey!” exclaimed the woman Sullivan presumed to be his wife.
“Sister Webb, this is my wife, Martina.” Samuel turned to the woman. “Dear, this is Pastor Webb's wife, from Mount Zion Ministries in Savannah. We met her husband, Pastor Charles Webb, remember?”
“Oh, yes. He's such a gentle spirit. Mount Zion is blessed to have such a godly man at the helm and a lovely young lady as their first lady.”
Sullivan managed a smile. “Thank you, Mrs. Sullivan.”
“Please call me Marti, sweetheart.”
Sullivan nodded. “Will do.”
Sullivan marveled at the stunning woman, who, while appearing to be around Vera's age, was the complete antithesis of her. Sullivan wondered how a man could be attracted to two women so seemingly different.
“She's here to look around at the children's building today,” explained Samuel and faced Sullivan again. “Forgive me. I don't think I caught your first name.”
“It's Sullivan.”
Samuel froze. The smile that Sullivan remembered so fondly suddenly vanished. She could almost hear his heart stop.
“Another Sullivan? I like her already,” replied Marti, oblivious to what was transpiring. “Well, I'll let the two of you talk.” She gave her husband a peck on the lips. “I'll see you at home. It was nice meeting you, Sullivan. Tell that husband of yours I said hello.”
“Yes, ma'am.” Sullivan waited until Martina was out of earshot to speak. “I take it she has no idea who I am or that I even exist.”
“No, she doesn't,” answered Samuel, still shell-shocked.
“Are you still going to act like you don't know who I am?”
“I couldn't even if I tried, not when you're looking back at me with my own eyes.” Samuel finally seemed to be jolted from his trance. “So that was you who called the other day.”
She nodded. “I didn't know what else to do after you refused to talk to me on the phone. Please don't be upset with Charles for deceiving you about my visit. He only did that because he knew how much it meant to me to finally see you again.”
“It's all right.”
“I'm sure you don't know what to think with me showing up out of the blue like this.”
Samuel's eyes began to water. “I must have imagined this moment in my head a thousand times. Each time I knew exactly what to say.”
“And now?”
Samuel shrugged and sighed. “Now I don't have the first clue.”
Sullivan inched toward him. “Maybe you should start with hello.”
He smiled a little. “Hello, Sullivan.”
“Hello . . . Samuel. I'm sorry, but I don't feel comfortable with calling you Dad, not yet, anyway.”
“It's okay. I know I haven't earned that title from you.”
“I want you to know that I'm not here because I want anything from you, except maybe a few answers. The Lord has blessed my husband and me with everything we could possibly ask for. I just wanted to see my daddy.”
“Let me look at you. . . .” He stood back, taking it all in. “The last time I saw you, you were a little bitty ole thing, running around the yard in that yellow sundress with the tiny white polka dots going down the front.”
Sullivan became overwhelmed with emotion. She pursed her lips together, fighting back tears. “I remember that dress. I can't say I remember that much about you, though. Only your smile. I remember that you smiled a lot.”
“You made me smile, baby girl.” He touched her face. “Now look at you! That little girl has grown into this beautiful young woman. It certainly warms my heart to see that you've turned out so well. You're the first lady of a thriving church. You have a good husband, although he's a little closer to my age than he is to yours.”
Sullivan blushed. “He says I keep him young.”
“I'm sure you do. I'm glad God has been so good to you, Sullivan.”
“Yes, I've been blessed, but it hasn't always been like this. I spent a lot of years lost and ruining not only my life but also the lives of people around me. To be honest, it's pretty safe to say that I've been a mess for most of my life.”
“I'm sorry.” Samuel lowered his head. “I can't help but feel responsible for that. If I'd been around more, things might have been different for you.”
“Maybe . . . maybe not. I'm not here to blame you for anything that's happened to me. If I've learned anything, it's that you can't spend your whole life dwelling on your mistakes or what might've been. Truthfully, I wouldn't change anything I went through if that's what had to happen for me to get to this moment. As long as I have God, my daughter, and my husband, I'm good.”
“I see you have a kind heart too. I'm thankful for that.” His eyes lit up. “So I have a granddaughter?”
“Yes, and she's a handful! I was born to be her mother. She means the world to me.” Sullivan fumbled with her phone. “Look, here's a picture.”
Samuel gazed down at the image captured on Sullivan's phone. “She's gorgeous. She looks a lot like you at that age.” He pulled out a chair for Sullivan. “Please have a seat.”
She sat down. “Thank you.”
“How's . . .” Samuel gulped. “How's your mother?”
Sullivan sighed. “I assume she's a joy to be around when she's sober. Unfortunately, I don't get to see that side of her.”
Samuel shook his head. “I'm sorry to hear that. She used to be so full of life and joy. She had the most melodious laugh. It was infectious.”
Sullivan was baffled. “I don't think we're talking about the same person.”
“Did she tell you anything about me?”
“No, nothing that didn't involve the words
liar
or
bastard.
”
“I'm not surprised. Things didn't exactly end amicably between us.” He was quiet for a few seconds. “So is there anything you want to know or want to ask me?”
“I have so many questions, I don't even know where to start,” Sullivan blurted out.
“I've found it best to always start at the beginning.”
“Okay.” Sullivan loosened up some. “Why didn't you want me?”
Samuel sighed and reached for Sullivan's hand. “It was never like that, baby girl. I loved you very much.”
“Is whatever it is that went down between you and Vera the reason you walked out of my life?”
Samuel struggled with how to respond to the question. “Things got so complicated with your mother. I imagine either she told you or you figured out that I was married at the time you were born.”
“Yes, she made it very clear to me that you had another family.”
“I did, and I won't sit here and blame Vera for my affair or anything that happened as a result of it. It was my decision to step outside my marriage and God's will. It was also my decision to stay out of His will.”
“Well, if I know Vera, she wasn't entirely faultless.”
“No, but I was the one who'd made that commitment to Marti and the kids, not Vera. Here I was, getting up in front of the church every week, telling them what God could do in their lives, but I never took the opportunity to allow Him to work a miracle in my own.”
“Christians make mistakes too. Believe me, I know!” Sullivan shifted in her seat. “I've always been curious about something. Maybe now I can finally get the answer.”
“What's that?”
“How did you and Vera meet? What was she like back then?”
He laughed a little. “She was a spitfire, I tell you! She was sweet, though.”
Sullivan recoiled. “Vera was sweet?”
“Yeah. I remember the first time I saw her working in the bookstore—”
“She worked?”
Samuel laughed again. “That's how we met. I was in college and had a paper to write on Richard Wright. I went to the bookstore that day looking for
Native Son
and found the prettiest li'l cashier I'd ever laid eyes on. I think I found an excuse to go to that bookstore every day after that. She took my breath away.”
“Are you sure you didn't mean to say she took your
wallet
away?”
“I promise you, she wasn't that way when we met.” He paused. “Sullivan, I want you to know that I loved your mother. I really did. It just got to be too much on both of us.”
“How so?”
“You see, my father was a respected judge and my mother was a teacher. Back then, guys of a certain stature in the community were expected to marry a certain kind of girl. Martina was that kind of girl. Vera wasn't.”
“But you loved her. Shouldn't that have counted for something?”
“I loved Marti too. Marti and I had been together a year before I'd even met Vera. I was already committed to her.”
“Did she know about my mother?”
“I'm sure a few members of the peanut gallery gave her an earful every now and then, but she never said anything to me. I guess it's fair to say I loved Marti too much to leave, and she loved me enough to stay.”
“So what happened with Vera? What was the thing that finally broke the two of you up for good?”
“Sullivan, all I can tell you is that life happened. People grow apart. They change, and they fall out of love. There came a time when Vera wanted me to leave my wife and family, Sullivan.” He shook his head. “I just couldn't do that. When I told her, she said to never contact either one of you ever again. The next thing I knew, she packed you up and moved away.”
“Why would she do something like that? Why would she want to keep me from you?”
“Honey, we were young and didn't make the kind of choices we'd make today given the same situation. Don't fault your mother for being young and confused. I want you to know that in all these years, I never stopped thinking about you. I never stopped praying for you.” Sullivan smiled. “Does that answer all your questions?”
“Do I have any brothers and sisters?”
He handed her a framed picture from his desk. “You have a younger brother, Thomas. He's in grad school. He just got engaged to the girl he's been dating since his sophomore year in college.”
“I can tell he's a heartbreaker,” teased Sullivan. “He's very handsome.”
Samuel passed her another picture. “You also have an older brother in California. His name is Daryl.”
Sullivan stared down at the picture. “He looks like you.”
“He's a television producer for one of the local news stations out there.”
“Wow. That's impressive.” Sullivan handed the pictures back to him.
“Yeah, Daryl's a good guy. He's married with two kids.”
BOOK: Flawfully Wedded Wives
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