His First Lady (13 page)

Rick slammed his fist on the table taking everyone by surprise. “Sam wanted what was best for this church and it killed him!”

“You’re out of line, brother,” Minister Bishop raised his voice abruptly at Rick’s outburst.

“Why?” An angry Rick queried rebelliously.

Leon smiled just a bit as if refusing to get upset. “What seems to be your problem, Deacon?” Leon asked Rick.

“This,” Rick replied looking around. “This ghetto gansta style of church politics.”

Leon seemed amused as he watched Rick react. “Is all of this necessary, Rick?”

Rick stood up suddenly drawing all eyes on him. “Good day gentlemen.” Rick grabbed his leather portfolio and stormed out of the conference room slamming the door.

Everyone watched Rick storm out of the room. While Leon remained stoic everyone else seemed stunned though silent as they looked around. Greg knew Rick and although Rick certainly was opinionated and sometimes anal, he was an honest man and he loved JMC.

“If you’re not here to support the man of God and the church then why would you be here?” Leon asked.

Leon clapped his hands causing the overhead lights to shut off. He grabbed his electronic clicker and began his power point presentation revealing his plans for the new church land. “Gentlemen, let’s get down to business.”

Greg opened the conference room door after what was a grueling drama filled day that left him regretful and drained. He regretted that he didn’t show the passion that he should have, the passion that he believed Sam would have if the shoe was on the other foot. Greg knew in his heart that signing off on the land and the additional buildings was a mistake. He knew it in his spirit yet he did so without much fight.

Leon’s presentation after the papers were signed further solidified this belief. Leon not only introduced his plans for a much larger sanctuary, a school for grades 5~k but the official JMC plane that the church would also be purchasing was a part of the deal. The debt that they had signed onto was far more than any of them had bargained for as the look on their bewildered faces demonstrated.

Greg was among the last to leave, leaving Leon to answer his cell phone when it had rung. But before the door had fully closed behind him, Leon ended the call and called out to him. Greg wanted to pretend that he didn’t hear him but he had. He stopped and turned around walking back into the conference room.

Leon looked up at Greg with a smile of satisfaction as he wound the power cord up from the laptop. “I just wanted to touch base with you and thank you for all of your support.”

Greg paused before clearing his throat. “I think you can tell from the meeting that I’m not sure about all of your new propositions for the church.”

“But you have no hesitations about your own?” Leon asked as he continued to pack his laptop.

Greg made a face. “What does that mean?”

Leon shrugged. “Nothing really. You proposed that we name the new buildings after Sam earning you some applause. That must have felt good.”

Greg hadn’t seen this coming and didn’t like where he thought it was going. “I’ve never been a man who needed applause but I believe that honor should be given where it is due.”

Leon shook his head cutting Greg off. “I agree. You and Sam were close and I can appreciate that. You think Sam was a saint but he was just a man.”

Greg sighed. “Are you trying to justify what you’ve done?”

Leon looked shocked at Greg’s words. “Associate Pastor Greg, Sam and I spoke about the future of this church at my home before he passed. After hearing what I saw for the church, he received an epiphany. So what I do now, I do with a clear conscience knowing that I’m doing God’s work.”

“Really?” Greg asked unconvinced watching Leon gather his items.

Leon chuckled. “You’re different from the rest of this board. I noticed that when I first met you years ago. You’re just going to have to trust and believe me and stay on the right side.”

Leon’s words caused Greg pause. “Excuse me?”

Leon shook his head. “God’s side. These men are so set in their ways that they end up fighting against me instead of with me for what’s good for the church.”

“Leon, I’ve known these men a long time and they love this church and only want what’s best for it.”

Leon pointed at Greg as he lifted his laptop case from the table. “You have a good heart, Greg. I understand how you feel,” Leon said with a salesmen type grin. “I need you by my side. I’m having lunch with the mayor in a few days and as God promotes me, I want you alongside me reaping those same blessings.”

Before Greg could respond, Emily walked hastily into the conference room with her index finger pointed at Leon.

“You did it. You finally did it pastor!” Emily said as her lip trembled.

Greg had never seen the always sweet and meek Emily like this; maybe that Emily no longer existed. Leon held his laptop case at his waist standing at attention as she spoke.

Leon leaned down and hugged Emily but she didn’t return the hug instead wiggling him off of her.

“Sam has not been with the Lord a good month and you’ve already taken over this church against God’s will. You are trying to grow your kingdom; not God’s!”

“Mother Emily, please sit down so we can talk,” Leon said pulling out a chair for her.

Emily continued pointing her index finger at Leon. “I will not sit down and let you try to deceive me like you’ve managed to deceive Pastor Greg and everybody else.” Emily’s voice shook as she kept her eyes on Leon. “I just wanted you to know that you haven’t fooled everybody.”

With those words, Emily turned and walked out of the conference room leaving Leon watching her and Greg watching him.

Leon looked embarrassed. “She’s still suffering over Sam,” Leon sighed, “it may be awhile,” He said beginning to walk out of the conference room signaling to Greg that their conversation was over.

“Leon,” Greg called after him.

Leon turned around.

“Apparently, Mother Emily doesn’t seem to recall that Sam was okay with this move.”

Leon shrugged. “Mother Emily is still grieving and doesn’t know which way the wind is blowing at this point; which is understandable.”

“It surely is,” Greg said.

Leon crossed his arms with a sadistic grin. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think that you think I’m lying.”

“You know me. It’s hard to let go of that detective thing. I’m just making sure that all the dots connect,” Greg said.

Leon’s cell phone rang interrupting Greg. Leon put his finger up then looked at the number.

“I’m sorry brother, I need to take this. We’ll finish this later.”

Greg nodded. “Yeah,” He said walking out of the conference room feeling more unsettled than he did previously and having more questions than ever.

Leon saw that it was Ariel and made sure that Greg was gone before answering. He sat down and placed the phone to his ear. “What’s going on?”

“I need to talk to you,” Ariel said.

“Um,” Leon said looking at his watch then thought about his schedule. “I can’t do it right now because I got some things going on.”

“Cancel them. I’ll meet you at Alba’s in an hour. Don’t be late.”

Leon knew two things definitely from the tone of Ariel’s voice and past experience with her; he had to show up and there was no other alternative.

Ariel was seated in the back of Alba’s when Leon arrived dressed in a black tank and jeans with a sweeping patterned scarf around her neck. She was wearing dark shades which he thought looked ridiculous since the restaurant’s blinds prevented the sun from over-powering its elegance. He looked around to ensure that he knew no one in the restaurant before walking to the back where she sat. He walked up to the table sitting down across from her. She sipped on lemon water without a greeting. He grabbed the menu and looked at it without a word.

“I’m pregnant.”

Leon looked up over the menu then laid it flat on the table. “Ok.”

“That’s all you have to say? My life is ruined.” She removed her shades to reveal blood shot red eyes as if she’d been crying for days.

Leon looked around. “Did you tell Rick?”

“Of course not,” She said leaning forward and lowering her voice. “What am I going to tell him that after three years his vasectomy suddenly reversed? It would kill him if he thought I was with another man.”

“I’d like you to prove that.”

Ariel grimaced. “What? Do you think this is a joke?”

Leon shook his head. “No, but I’m happy,” Leon said as a petite blond approached the table.

“May I start you off with something to drink, sir?” The waitress asked.

“Yes, water, no lemon.”

Ariel waited until the waitress walked off before addressing Leon. “There’s nothing funny about any of this. You’ve jeopardized both of our lives. Rick would take my kids from me if he knew,” She said angrily.

“I want our baby and I’ll make sure that this goes off without a hitch. I’m in the middle of doing some big things so I don’t need any hiccups. But I need you to take it down a notch and get a hold of yourself.”

Ariel sat up straight and placed her hand up, stopping him from saying anymore. She leaned in and her watery brown eyes reflected the gravity of the situation as she saw it. “I don’t know if you are clear about what is going on here. This is called an affair. It was fun and it is wrong. But I’m not putting my wrong off on a child.” Ariel took a deep breath. “I made an appointment for tomorrow to end the pregnancy.”

Leon pounded on the table causing the silverware to rattle and Ariel’s glass of ice water to shake. “You will not.” Leon grabbed the cloth napkin in front of him and gripped it tightly. “You will not. I promise you that if you…” Leon stopped and gathered himself.

“You promised to do what?” Ariel asked furiously. “I never wanted another child.” Ariel yelled in a whisper causing a few heads to look her way.

“Calm down,” Leon hissed.

Ariel lowered her voice. “That’s not my life right now. I’ve had my children and I have the family I want. I’m not destroying my life for whatever this is that we’re doing.”

The waitress came back with the water. “Are you ready to order yet sir?”

“In a second,” Leon snapped at her causing the waitresses eyes to widen. Realizing his tone, he paused. “I apologize, please come back in a few minutes.” Leon looked back at Ariel. “Okay,” Leon said attempting to calm down. He realized that he would have to choose his words carefully and be extra delicate with Ariel so he smiled. “I’m not trying to destroy your life sweetheart. I need you more than anything or anyone right now and I need you to trust me.” He stared into her eyes as if she was the most important thing in the world and he saw her softening quickly.

She took a sip of water out of her straw.

“Can you trust me?” He asked.

She stared at him saying nothing.

“I need you to trust me, Ariel. Can you at least give me a chance? I’m not going to leave you out here alone.” Leon pleaded.

“There’s no way to hide a pregnancy, Leon.”

“We have a few months before you show. When you begin to show, you’ll tell that pious prick that your dead Uncle Ed needs you. You have the baby and come back.”

“Months with Uncle Ed are not like a few weekends, Leon.”

Leon got frustrated. “I’ll make sure he’s busy.

“You’ll make sure he’s busy and I go away like some teenager to a fat camp then I come back like brand new? Then what? What about my children?”

“Listen to me,” Leon said looking around. “I’ll take care of you. I’ll put you in a place; anywhere you want to be. I’ll take care of everything.”

“And who’s going to raise this baby?”

“Me and the First lady.”

Ariel looked taken by surprise. “What?”

Leon took a deep breath. “She loves children; she’d loved to play saint and adopt.”

Ariel stared at him then shook her head as in disbelief. “The First lady does whatever you tell her doesn’t she?”

“The First lady is not a topic that you and I discuss. Anyway, I’ve got plans to run for city council and I don’t need any problems so if you just stick to the plan.”

Ariel raised her eyebrows inquisitively. “City council? Where is this coming from?”

“I haven’t told anyone yet and it’s just the beginning.”

Ariel looked at him, baffled. Leon leaned in closer to her and placed his hands on top of hers. “I’ll make sure you always have all the bags, jewelry, and furs that you want for the rest of your life.”

“That’s what you think of me?” Ariel asked.

“Isn’t that what you want?”

Ariel looked at Leon but disputed nothing then looked at her menu. Leon looked over at his waitress who stood a few feet away with another table summoning her with his index finger. The waitress returned to the table just as Ariel put her shades back on her face and picked up the menu.

“I’ll be having the T-bone steak and lobster.”

Evan’s morning run hadn’t helped clear her mind much. There were still so many questions and so little answers coming forth in regard to Sam. Running just gave her that time with God that she missed when she was always surrounded by people.