Jezebel (31 page)

J
essie Belle was released from the hospital ten days after suffering a mild heart attack.

Holt walked through the double doors of her bedroom carrying a bouquet of mixed flowers. “Father tells me that you're being a little hardheaded.”

Jessie Belle broke into a grin. “Hello, son.”

He put the flowers on the dresser so that she could get a good look at them before he bent over to kiss her cheek. “You have to take care of yourself, Mother. Follow doctor's orders…eat healthier—that kind of thing.”

“I'm trying to be a good girl.”

“I love you, Mother, and I don't want to lose you. You really scared me the other night.”

“I certainly didn't mean to,” she responded with a smile. “Holt, I'm following the doctor's orders. Don't worry baby. I intend to be around for a very long time.”

Jessie Belle reached over, placing her hand on Holt's cheek. “I'm sorry about our argument. I love you—maybe a little too much, but I just want you to be happy. Really, that's all I want.”

Holt interrupted her. “It's forgotten, Mother. I just want you to concentrate on getting stronger.”

Traynor walked into the bedroom.

“Hey, beautiful. Are you hungry?”

Jessie Belle shook her head no. “Not yet.”

He sat down on the edge of the bed. “I'm meeting with John today to discuss and finalize the proposal for the merger.”

She smiled. “That's wonderful. I'll be glad when it's all over and done with. I was worried that he'd change his mind.”

Traynor rose to his feet. “I won't be gone long, sweetheart. Holt's going to stay here with you until I get back.”

Jessie Belle propped up her pillows. “Where's Frankie?”

“She's at home,” he responded. “Frankie thought it would be best if she stayed at the apartment, considering how you feel about her.”

“It's going to take some time, Holt. But I am trying.”

“Try harder,” Holt stated firmly. “Mother, there's something I want you to know.”

“This sounds serious.”

“I love you and I love Frankie. She is my wife and I want her treated as such. Mother, I…Frankie and I are trying to have a baby. We're ready to have a family.”

“But you two just got married.”

“What's wrong with that?” he asked.

Jessie Belle decided to just back down. She didn't want to get into another argument with Holt and especially after all she'd been through healthwise.

“Nothing. I just thought you two might want to take some time and just enjoy each other before bringing a child into the world.”

“Frankie and I want kids and we're ready for them.”

Holt was grinning from ear to ear. “Hopefully in the next couple of months, we'll be announcing that we're pregnant.”

Jessie Belle forced a smile. “Honey, I'm thrilled for you and Frankie. Congratulations.”

“How do you feel about being a grandmother?”

She swallowed hard. “I'm looking forward to it.”

“Frankie's a wonderful woman, Mother. Just give her a chance.”

“I really don't have much choice now, do I? She'll be giving me my first grandchild.”

Deep down, Jessie Belle was heartsick but was powerless to do anything. She consoled herself with the fact that John Winters was still interested in moving forward with the merger.

Apparently, he didn't hold a grudge against them for the way Holt rejected Natalia.

John had hoped for a marriage between his daughter and Holt as well. But, then, he really couldn't blame her or Traynor. Natalia wasn't the woman Jessie Belle had assumed. The twit didn't know how to snag a man.

Traynor didn't look happy when he returned home.

“What happened?” Jessie Belle inquired.

“I think John's changing his mind about the merger.” He sat down on the edge of the bed.

“What?” Jessie Belle and Holt asked in unison.

“Did he say that exactly?” Jessie Belle wanted to know.

Traynor shook his head no. “He kind of alluded to it.”

“What was his reasoning?” Holt questioned.

“You know why? You rejected his daughter,” Jessie Belle stated. She clenched her fist in anger. “John wanted you and Natalia together just as much as I did.”

Traynor shrugged in nonchalance. “There's nothing we can do about that. If Winters wants to pull out, so be it.” His eyes traveled to Jessie Belle. “Sweetheart, you just got out of the hospital. Don't get upset about this—everything will be okay.”

Jessie Belle folded her arms across her chest.

“I know that look on your face. What are you thinking about?” he asked her.

“I think it's wrong. We had an agreement.”

He knew Jessie Belle was disappointed, but Traynor felt a small pinch of relief. Maybe it was all for the best.

Traynor surveyed his wife's face. He could almost see her mind busy working. He suspected she was trying to figure out a way to make the merger happen. Traynor resisted the urge to tell her to let it go. He didn't want to upset her.

Holt stayed another hour before going home to Frankie.

“They're trying to get pregnant,” Jessie Belle announced.

“You're going to make a very beautiful grandmother,” Traynor told her, bringing a smile to Jessie Belle's lips.

“Traynor, I think they're moving way too fast.”

“It's not your decision, sweetheart.”

He was surprised when she agreed with him and left it at that.

“Put on your pajamas and get into bed with me,” Jessie Belle said. “Let's watch a movie together. I don't want to talk about the merger, Holt, babies—nothing. I just want to spend some quality time with you.”

Traynor sent up a quick prayer of thanks. He prayed for Jessie Belle on a daily basis, asking God to change her heart and put an end to her manipulative ways. He was finally seeing it come to pass.

Thank You, God
.

Two weeks later, while Traynor was at the church for a meeting, Jessie Belle called and asked Natalia to come over.

“Why did you want to see me?”

“Your father's thinking of backing out of the merger,” Jessie Belle stated. “Did you know that?”

“I hadn't heard anything.” Natalia's eyes scanned her face. “How are you feeling since your heart attack?”

“I'm blessed to be alive.”

“You're looking wonderful,” Natalia complimented.

“I need you to talk to your father,” Jessie Belle stated. “We need the merger to go as planned.”

“And what do I get in return?”

“Natalia, my son is married now. There's nothing I can do about that.”

“Then I'm afraid I can't help you, Mrs. Deveraux.”

“I held up my end of the bargain, Natalia.”

Glancing down at her left hand, she responded, “I'm not the one with a wedding ring. The way I see it, when Holt rejected me—our deal was rendered null and void.” Natalia turned and walked toward the door. “I'm glad to see you're doing so much better.”

“You're making a mistake, Natalia,” Jessie Belle warned. “You and your father will regret this for the rest of your lives.”

The front door opened and closed.

Natalia was gone.

“This is far from over,” Jessie Belle whispered.

“T
hank you once again for such thorough work,” Jessie Belle told the private detective. “I threw in a bonus.”

She got up and left the table wearing a big smile. She'd initially worried that Gee wouldn't find anything on John Winters, and she'd never expected the explosive tidbit in her hands. Not only was the merger going to go through, but John was also going to step down and hand over the reins to Traynor.

“I've got you right where I want you, John Winters,” she whispered.

Jessie Belle reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “Hello, John. It's Jessie Belle. I'm in the area and wondered if I could stop by…. Wonderful. I'll see you in a few minutes.”

She navigated to her car and got in.

Ten minutes later, Jessie Belle pulled into the parking lot of Mount Vernon Baptist Church.

She walked into his office without knocking.

John looked up in surprise. “Jessie Belle…”

Closing the door behind her, she said, “We need privacy for what I'm about to say.”

“If this is about the merger, you can—”

Jessie Belle cut him off by saying, “This is definitely about the merger and you need to hear me out, John.”

“Natalia told me how your son used her. I'm disappointed by his behavior.”

She frowned. “What exactly did she say happened?”

“Holt slept with my daughter and then dumped her.”

“That's a lie,” Jessie Belle uttered. “My son would never do something like that. They never had sex.”

“How do you know?” he questioned. “You weren't with them twenty-four hours a day. Natalia was a virgin.”

Jessie Belle laughed. “You've got to be kidding me. That girl hasn't been a virgin in a long time. I'd bet my life on that.”

He looked offended. “What are you trying to say about my daughter?”

“That she's a manipulative little liar.” Jessie Belle sank down in one of the visitor chairs. “But that's neither here nor there. John, the merger is beneficial to your church and mine. I want it to proceed and I think it's time you retired.”

“Excuse me?”

“A man of your lifestyle should not be leading a church,” she stated. “I don't know how you can stand in the pulpit on Sunday and preach. You or Rick.” Shaking her head, she uttered, “It's such a shame.”

John's face grew ashen. “Jessie Belle, what are you talking about?”

She pulled out a photograph and slid it across the desk.

“Wh-Where did y-you get th-this?”

Jessie Belle gave a slight shrug. “It doesn't really matter, does it?”

“What do you intend to do with this?”

“It depends on whether or not the merger goes forth,” she responded. “And you step down as senior pastor.”

John picked up a legal-looking document. “You'd destroy my reputation and further humiliate my daughter for this?”

“John, you can't turn this around on me. You're the one sleeping with your assistant pastor. Homosexuality is a sin.”

“So is what you're doing, Jessie Belle.”

She gave him a look of disgust. “You and Rick have no right to be in a pulpit. This church needs a true man of God in leadership.”

“And I suppose the church needs a Jezebel like you?”

“What's it gonna be, John?”

He glared at her before signing the papers. “I want those pictures.”

Jessie Belle shook her head. “I'm afraid that wasn't part of the deal. Now, I also need you to tell Traynor that you've decided to step down as pastor and that you want him to take your place.”

When she left Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Jessie Belle felt like she'd conquered the world.

Traynor surprised her with a trip to Hawaii for her forty-fifth birthday. Jessie Belle fell in love with the island of Maui.

“I'm not sure I ever want to go back home,” Jessie Belle said with a laugh. “It's beautiful here.”

“It
is
nice,” he murmured against her ear.

She enjoyed their long walks at sunset, their frolics in the water and their romantic nights.

Twenty-six years of marriage, and their passion was still going strong.

Holt called to wish her a happy birthday.

“Mother, please ask Father to pick up the other extension. We have something to tell you.”

“Holt wants you to get the other phone,” she told Traynor.

When they were all on the line, Holt said, “Frankie and I are pregnant. We're going to have a baby.”

“Honey, that's wonderful,” Jessie Belle uttered. “Congratulations to you both.”

Jessie Belle resigned herself to the fact that now, with Frankie pregnant, she had to accept the girl into her family.

“When we get home, I'm going to get with Frankie and see what kind of theme she's thinking of going with. I need to get an early start on the baby shower.”

“Jessie Belle, I'm so proud of you. Now, this is the woman that I know and love.”

“I've put you through so much, Traynor. I'm so grateful you didn't leave me.”

“You're my wife, Jessie Belle. We made a vow to one another and I don't take it lightly.”

“We're going to be grandparents. Traynor, we've got to think of cute names for the baby to call us. I'm still too young to be called Grandma.”

He laughed. “Honey, we have time for all this.”

“It's never too early to get started,” Jessie Belle insisted.

Traynor and Jessie Belle returned home to the news that Pastor John Winters had committed suicide.

“Oh my goodness,” she uttered. “I can't believe it.”

“He hasn't seemed like himself for the past couple of weeks or so,” Traynor stated. “I tried to get him to open up, but he wouldn't. This is a shame. Winters was a good man.”

She didn't respond. John had had everyone fooled, including his late wife and his daughter.

“I guess that's why he insisted on stepping down as pastor. He was planning to die soon.”

Jessie Belle nodded in agreement.

The next day, she paid a visit to Natalia to offer her condolences in person. She was surprised to find Mary Ellen there.

“Where's Natalia?”

“She's getting dressed. She'll be down shortly.”

It was clear from the thick cloud of tension in the air that their friendship was over. Jessie Belle couldn't believe Mary Ellen was being so petty.

“When did you get back in town?”

“This morning,” Mary Ellen responded. “I flew in and came straight here. John was a friend of mine and I thought I should be here for Natalia.”

“I wasn't aware that you two were friends. I didn't think you knew each other that well.”

“There's a lot you don't know about me, Jessie Belle.”

Natalia came downstairs.

Jessie Belle met her halfway. “Honey, I just heard about your father. I'm so sorry.”

“Why would he do this?” Natalia whispered, her face streaked with tears. “It just doesn't make sense.”

Jessie Belle embraced her. “Was something bothering him?”

“Yeah, but he wouldn't tell me what it was.” Natalia glanced over at Mary Ellen and asked, “Did he say anything to you?”

“No, but I sensed he was troubled by the merger.”

Jessie Belle met Mary Ellen's gaze. “John wanted this just as much as Traynor and I did.”

Shaking her head in confusion, Natalia said, “I never could get him to tell me why he changed his mind about the merger. He was adamant about pulling out after Holt and I didn't get together.”

“I guess after he really thought it over—John decided it was the best decision for his church. His ministry meant the world to him.”

Natalia agreed. “I guess so. He was always a good businessman.”

“I still think it's a bit odd, though,” Mary Ellen blurted. “Like Natalia said, John was adamant about pulling out of the merger, so what could've made him change his mind?”

“I guess we'll never know,” Jessie Belle murmured.