Authors: Nikita Lynnette Nichols
Lady Elect (18 page)
“This is ridiculous,” Chelsea said.
“I'm still stuck on the Christian Louboutins,” Darlita added. “Wait!” She held up both of her palms and looked at Arykah. “The stilettos are ours to keep, right?”
Arykah laughed out loud.
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The following Friday morning, Arykah and her client Jeremy Montahue closed on the Belfor estate. After Jeremy had received his keys and was on his way to his new home, Arykah called the church to share the good news with Lance.
“Thank you for calling Freedom Temple. How may I help you?”
Arykah frowned. It wasn't Mother's Gussie's voice that had answered. She didn't recognize the female's voice at all. But Arykah did take notice that it was a much younger voice than Mother Gussie's.
“Hi. This is Lady Arykah.”
“Who?”
What do you mean âWho?'
Arykah couldn't imagine anyone answering the church's telephone not knowing her name.
“Lady Arykah,”
she emphasized.
Arykah couldn't imagine anyone answering the church's telephone not knowing her name.
“Lady Arykah,”
she emphasized.
“Oh, Lady Arykah,” the female voice repeated.
“Who am I speaking with?”
“I'm Sharonda.”
That's it? No last name?
During the five months that Arykah had been at Freedom Temple, she'd met the majority of the women. But she didn't remember the name Sharonda. “Is Mother Gussie there?”
During the five months that Arykah had been at Freedom Temple, she'd met the majority of the women. But she didn't remember the name Sharonda. “Is Mother Gussie there?”
“No, she won't be back for a while. I'm filling in for her until she feels better.”
Since the day Arykah nearly dried Mother Gussie's throat with the tweed jacket, Mother Gussie hadn't been to work. She told Lance that she needed to take a few days off, but apparently she decided to take an extended vacation.
“Oh, I see,” Arykah said. “Is the bishop available?”
“Yes and no,” Sharonda responded.
Arykah frowned again.
Who is this broad?
“Excuse me?”
Who is this broad?
“Excuse me?”
“The bishop is in his office with his door shut. He told me to put your call through if you called.”
“Okay, well, guess what, Sharonda?
I'm calling,
” Arykah said sarcastically. She could've kicked herself for not calling Lance's cellular telephone and bypassing the craziness.
I'm calling,
” Arykah said sarcastically. She could've kicked herself for not calling Lance's cellular telephone and bypassing the craziness.
Moments later Lance was on the line. “Hi, Cheeks.”
“Hi, yourself, handsome. I'm calling with good news.”
“You closed the deal?”
A huge grin was displayed on Arykah's face. “Yep. It's done. Jeremy is on his way to his new home, and I can expect a very nice commission check next month. I'm meeting with Jeremy at the estate this afternoon. I've scheduled an interior designer to come out and take measurements of the windows in the home office.”
Lance always heard the passion in Arykah's voice whenever she spoke of her work.
He remembered the mothers trying to convince him to make Arykah quit her job. They told Lance that a pastor's wife shouldn't work outside the home because the Bible said that it's a man's job to be the breadwinner.
In fact, Lance did bring the bread
and
the bacon home. The church paid him a hefty salary and owning a construction company afforded Lance the 5,600 square foot home that he and Arykah dwelled in. He didn't hold Arykah responsible for any household bills and the late-model Mercedes Benz she drove was Lance's wedding gift to her. He took care of his wife in every way imaginable.
and
the bacon home. The church paid him a hefty salary and owning a construction company afforded Lance the 5,600 square foot home that he and Arykah dwelled in. He didn't hold Arykah responsible for any household bills and the late-model Mercedes Benz she drove was Lance's wedding gift to her. He took care of his wife in every way imaginable.
Lance knew more than anyone how much Arykah enjoyed selling high-priced homes, and she lived to spend the commission checks she earned from them. She enjoyed the finer things in life. It was a great help to Lance when Arykah purchased her expensive designer bags, shoes, and clothes herself. Not only was her own walk-in closet maxed out, but Arykah had also stolen one-fourth of Lance's walk-in closet. And the four guest bedroom closets were also filled with dresses, shoes, and bags that Arykah had snuck into the home after telling Lance that she would curb her appetite for shopping.
Arykah had no idea that Lance knew about the guest closets. She was her happiest whenever she shopped. Lance figured that as long as Arykah could afford her own expensive addiction, he didn't have a problem with her earning her own money.
And Lance too benefited from Arykah's hard work. Diamond Rolex watches, alligator shoes, and Taylor-Made golf clubs were just a few of the lavish gifts that Arykah spoiled her husband with. He and Arykah both paid their tithes and offerings faithfully.
So, as far as Lance was concerned, the mothers of the church needed to sweep around their front door before they swept around his. Lance was happy, and his wife was ecstatic.
That's all that mattered to him. Arykah's priorities were in order. Therefore, Lance would allow her to shop until she dropped.
“I'm so proud of you, baâ”
Arykah noticed Lance had cut his words short. “No, thanks, Sharonda,” Arykah heard him say; then Lance brought his attention back to his wife. “Sorry about that, Cheeks.”
“Honey, who is Sharonda, and why is she answering the phone at the church?”
“Sharonda is Mother Gussie's granddaughter. She just showed up at the church this morning. Apparently Mother Gussie doesn't plan to return to work anytime soon.
“Sharonda said Mother Gussie asked her to fill in for her. It's not even noon, and she's already asked me seven times if I needed anything. I shut my door to give her a hint that I didn't want to be bothered, but evidently a closed door means nothing.”
“I don't think I met her. Is she a member of Freedom Temple?”
“Yes, she is a member. She was recently released from prison. I told you about Sharonda, remember?”
Arykah tried to jog her memory. She couldn't recall the name. “No.”
“Think back to the day when you called the church to thank me for sending you flowers to the realty office. Mother Gussie answered and refused to put your call through to me. She interrogated you about why you were calling.”
“
That
I remember,” Arykah said.
That
I remember,” Arykah said.
“When you told me about it, I mentioned that Mother Gussie harassed every woman who looked my way because, in her mind, she was saving me for her granddaughter, Sharonda. Sharonda was in prison when you and I met. Mother Gussie had this crazy plan to hook me up with Sharonda when she got paroled.”
The more Lance talked, Arykah began to recall that conversation. “Oh yes. Now I remember. Sharonda has three children, right?”
“Yep. Her third child was delivered while she was in prison.”
“So, Sharonda has a crush on you, huh?”
“She's had a crush on me for as long as I can remember, but Sharonda knows that I'm happily married and there is absolutely no chance of her and I getting together.”
“Humph, she
better
know it,” Arykah stated. The last thing she needed was someone else creating problems and trying to come between her and Lance. But just like she got Mother Gussie under control, Arykah would have no problem putting the granddaughter in her place as well.
better
know it,” Arykah stated. The last thing she needed was someone else creating problems and trying to come between her and Lance. But just like she got Mother Gussie under control, Arykah would have no problem putting the granddaughter in her place as well.
Lance chuckled. “Calm down, Cheeks.”
“This
is
calm,” Arykah responded. “But I think Mother Gussie sent Sharonda there to cause trouble.”
is
calm,” Arykah responded. “But I think Mother Gussie sent Sharonda there to cause trouble.”
“Be that as it may, it still takes two to tango. And you're my only dancing partner.”
“Sho' you right, Bishop. And if Sharonda tries to cut in on my dance, I'm gonna dance on her *#@.”
Lance couldn't do anything but laugh at his wife. Her promise to God to stop cursing was often forgotten. But Lance had to admit that some of the things Arykah said and the way she said them were hilarious. “Listen to you,” Lance said. “Now you gotta repent.”
“I have no problem with repenting,” Arykah confessed while rolling her eyes at no one in particular. “And I'll make sure to repent if I have to put my foot in Sharonda'sâ”
“Okay, okay,” Lance cut Arykah's words short. “What am I gonna do with you?”
“You can lay hands on me.”
Lance chuckled. He knew Arykah was being mischievous. “Holy hands?”
“Nope. Freaky hands.”
When Arykah pulled her car into the driveway later that evening, she saw a large brown box on the front porch. She exited her car and walked up the steps. As she got closer to the box, Arykah saw that it had been shipped via the United Parcel Service.
“Yea, our stilettos are here,” she squealed. Arykah opened the front door and tried to drag the box inside the foyer but found it to be too heavy to move. “Lance!” she called out.
Moments later, Lance appeared from the master bedroom. “You bellowed?”
Arykah stood in the archway of the front door and pointed to the box on the porch.
“Babe, I can't get this box inside.”
“How many purses were you trying to sneak in this time?”
“These aren't purses,” Arykah said. “These are shoes, and they're not for me.”
“Sure they aren't,” Lance said, picking up the box and bringing it inside.
“Well, only one pair is for me,” she admitted. “The others are for Monique, Chelsea, Darlita, and Gladys.” Before Arykah parted ways with the ladies last Saturday evening, she'd gotten their shoe sizes. When she had returned home, she went straight to her notebook, got online, and ordered their stilettos. She paid extra for the stilettos to arrive in time for the stiletto party.
Lance set the box on the living-room floor. Arykah opened the large brown box and saw five Christian Louboutin shoe boxes inside. She squealed in delight, then clapped her hands together and sang, “Cakes and pies, cakes and pies.” That was Arykah's favorite chant whenever things fell into place.
“That's a shame,” Lance said. “Getting so excited over shoes. I don't get it.”
Arykah looked for a size eight on the shoe boxes. “That's because you're not a woman, Lance. I don't expect you to understand.” When she had found her size, she opened the box, looked inside, and squealed again.
For herself, Arykah purchased the style called the Pigalili, a boutique exclusive. The material on the stilettos was made of specchio leather and strauss. The entire length of the stilettos were beaded with silver authentic Swarovski crystals. Arykah thought the shoes were worth every bit of the $3,545 she had paid for them. She pulled one stiletto from the box and held it up to show Lance the signature red leather bottom sole. “See that, honey?”
Lance looked at the sole of the shoe but didn't see anything spectacular about it. He shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, so?”
“What, are you blind? These are Christian Louboutins, Lance.”
He just didn't get Arykah's excitement over the shoes. “Cheeks, if you like them, then I love them.” Lance shrugged his shoulders again, then went back to the bedroom.
“Lord, forgive him. He doesn't know any better,” Arykah murmured. She opened the other shoe boxes and was just as blown away at Monique's, Gladys's, Darlita's, and Chelsea's shoes, all different styles. Arykah couldn't wait until the ladies arrived the next evening. She thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a paramedic on the premises because a heart attack or two may arise when they opened their gifts.
Arykah pulled the shipping receipt from the bottom of the large brown box. Five pairs of Christian Louboutins had cost her nearly $17,000. But Arykah didn't care about the cost. She was looking forward to having a fun evening with her new friends.
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Arykah woke up Saturday morning to hammering and banging. When she saw that she was in the bedroom alone, she got out of bed in search of Lance. She put her robe on and left the master bedroom. The closer she got to the kitchen, the louder the hammering became. In the kitchen, Arykah saw men hard at work gluing tiles above the stove and installing a new hood.
Lance snuck behind Arykah and wrapped his arms around her. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
Arykah smiled when Lance pressed his face against the crook of her neck. “Good morning. What's all this?”
“This,”
Lance started, “is getting my beautiful kitchen back in working order. I'm feeding you and your guests this evening. I haven't prepared a meal in almost three weeks. I feel like a fish out of water.”
Lance started, “is getting my beautiful kitchen back in working order. I'm feeding you and your guests this evening. I haven't prepared a meal in almost three weeks. I feel like a fish out of water.”
“I know. And I probably lost a few pounds.”
Lance wrapped his arms tighter around her waist. “Well, I can't let that happen. I love you just the way you are. Nice and fluffy.”
After the men had left and Lance had his kitchen back, he prepared homemade waffles and deep fried chicken wings for himself and Arykah.
“Why is it that I'm the only one gaining weight from all of the cooking you do?” Arykah asked licking maple syrup from her lips. “I swear I'm a dress size larger than I was when we got married. You eat just as much as I do, Lance, if not more than me.”
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