The Veil (26 page)

The excitement of the Sunday morning message left Misha inspired and encouraged. Her heart was happy as she eased her way out of the pew toward the aisle. She wanted to beat the rush to the media desk to purchase a recording of the morning service. However, it did not look like she was going to make it. People kept stopping her, telling her how big she was getting. She was also getting used to the debate on whether she was having a girl or boy that she heard at least three times each Sunday before leaving church.

She finally arrived at the media desk. They were sold out and she would have to wait until they made some more tapes. While she waited, Sherrell, the singles minister, approached her.

“Misha, girl, look how big you're getting. Walk over here with me for a minute.” Misha followed her to the other side of the room. Sherrell moved in close to her and began to whisper. “I'm having a cookout at my house tomorrow. You're invited if you don't have anything to do. I'm whispering because I don't want everybody to know. I can only invite a few people. Do you have any plans?”

“School's out for Labor Day. As far as I know, my family hasn't planned anything.”

“Good. We should get started about four.”

“You want me to bring anything?”

“No, I got everything. Just come and relax. It should be fun.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

Sherrell gave her directions to her home and walked away. Misha returned to the desk in time to purchase the last CD and left the church. She thought about Sherrell's invitation. They were not close friends. Why would she get an invitation when no one else did?

When she arrived home, she went to her closet to see if she had anything to wear to a cookout. She wanted to look like a cute pregnant woman. She was tired of wearing the overalls Pam and Judy had given her. She tried on several outfits until she was satisfied with a sundress she had purchased.

The next day, she debated on whether she should go to the cookout. She wasn't really close to anyone at the church. She barely knew Sherrell. She felt going to the picnic was the least she could do for all the support Sherrell had given her since the assault. She was the only one from the church who called her weekly to see if she needed anything.

She got dressed and went to the picnic. As she neared the house, she saw a grocery store and decided to run in and get a cake, strawberries, ice cream, and whipped cream to make strawberry shortcake. She didn't want to go to the house empty-handed.

She walked into the store and took a cart and began her shopping. She turned the corner on to an aisle and almost rammed her cart into Roger. “Roger? What are you doing on this side of town?” Roger was standing beside a woman who took his arm when Misha spoke to him, obviously letting her know she was with him.

“Misha? You're pregnant?” He stared at her large belly.

“What? I'm pregnant? How did that happen?” Misha started laughing. “Funny seeing you here.”

“Oh we're having a private cookout at my place. Hi, I'm Alexis. Roger's girlfriend.”

Roger continued staring at Misha's pregnant belly. “I'm sorry. Misha, this is Alexis. Misha and I went into the ministry under Bishop Moore.”

“You're a minister?” Alexis asked. She turned up her nose as if she smelled spoiled milk.

“Yes, I am. Roger, how's everything at Westdale? I sure miss my kids.”

“Huh? Westdale?” He lifted his head to focus on her face. The conversation was too much for him, or was it the pregnancy?

“He's a guidance counselor there now. He left the City Development League. It's a better job with better benefits.”

“A guidance counselor? Congratulations.”

“I bet your husband is excited about the baby.” Misha could tell Alexis sensed something more was going on between her and Roger.

“I'm not married.”

“You're not married?” Misha could see her face turn up like she was looking at low-life trash. “But you're pregnant and in the ministry?”

Misha grew tired of the conversation and excused herself from them. She decided against the strawberry shortcake idea she walked into the store with. Instead, she purchased an ice cream cake and left the store.

“Misha, wait.” She heard Roger's voice behind her.

Not today.
She unlocked her car and placed the ice cream cake on the floor on the passenger's side. “What do you want, Roger?”

“So I guess you are not as perfect as everyone thought you were. You are still the same old woman I met at Howard.”

Misha slammed the passenger door and walked around her car to the driver's side. “I'm not going to entertain you today, Roger.”

“You wouldn't have sex with me. Obviously, you found someone else to your liking. Maybe you had someone else all along.”

Misha wanted to remind him what happened to her. She hesitated, and then opened her car door. “Roger, you have a nice life.”

“Everybody thought you were so perfect. You took my life away from me. I rescued you and what did you do? You took my life.” Roger grabbed the car door, pinning Misha against her car.

“Roger, stop it. What are you talking about?”

“You were nothing but a whore when I met you. I cleaned you up and took you to church. Suddenly, everything was all about you.” He stepped back. “Everybody was saying, ‘Misha can do this. Get Misha to do that. Misha is so great she is a blessing to the body of Christ.' It was like I wasn't raised in that church. Before you, it was me. Then, you took over and I had to sit back and watch you get all the awards and praise for the work I spent years doing.”

“I can't believe what I am hearing. You were jealous of me? Is that what this is all about?” Misha shoved him away from her. “Is that why you tried to destroy my life and make everybody think I was crazy? Jealous?”

Misha pointed her finger in Roger's face. “Let me tell you something. I was
never
anybody's whore. You didn't do
jack
for me. You didn't take me to church. I was
raised
in the church.” She lowered her hand and held on to her car door. “As for the other stuff, I worked my behind off because I loved the Lord. Not you, but God. I cannot help it if He rewarded me openly. If you hadn't been such a lying slime ball, God would have blessed you too.”

Roger balled his fist and drew back as if he were going to punch Misha.

“Try it. I dare you. You know where I came from. Don't let this baby fool you. I can still protect myself.”

Roger laughed. “Like you did with Heckler.” He laughed again.

“I'm here. He didn't kill me or Amber. I saved her life.” She looked toward the store and saw Alexis fast approaching them. “Here comes your girlfriend. You need to get your life together and stop blaming other people for your problems. I've got to go.”

She dipped into her car and started the ignition. The wheels on her car squealed as she exited the parking lot. She was not far from Sherrell's home and quickly arrived in the small subdivision.

It was almost four-thirty and a lot of people were already there. She took a deep breath. She was not going to let Roger ruin her day. Reaching up and flipping the sun visor down, she popped up the small mirror. She peered into the mirror making sure her hair was in place and there were no signs of the confrontation with Roger on her face. She leaned on the passenger's side and picked up the now-soft cake and exited her car.

She walked to the door and rang the doorbell. No one answered. She knew people were there because she could hear a lot of people talking. She walked around the house and saw a large crowd of people in the backyard. There was loud music playing and children were running around everywhere. She noticed Sherrell coming out of the back door of the house, carrying a large platter of food to place on the grill.

Although she was more on the heavy side than skinny, she was casually dressed in a tank top and shorts. Sherrell yelled at some children running around on the wooden deck. She looked up and spotted Misha holding her cake.

“Hey, Misha. Glad you came. Come on over.”

Misha walked up on the deck as Sherrell handed a man the large platter she was holding. After they hugged Misha informed her she had an ice cream cake that needed to be placed in the freezer. Sherrell took it and invited Misha into her home.

Misha looked around the kitchen. It was beautifully decorated. It looked like something out of
Better Homes and Gardens.
Misha did not expect Sherrell to live in such a large home. She was a single parent taking care of two children on her own. Misha thought she was struggling like all the stereotypes of single parents. She surely did not expect a large home in a beautiful subdivision.

“Thanks for the cake. The kids are going to love this,” Sherrell said as she placed the cake in the freezer.

“I didn't expect so many people to be here.”

“It's just family. I'm careful about who I invite to my home from the church. Some people talk too much.”

“Why did you invite me? I mean, we haven't known each other long.”

“The Lord told me I can trust you and to invite you. You're a prophetess and I know a lot of people don't understand you. But you're a woman of God. Pastor must be crazy not letting you preach.”

“How did you know about that?”

“When you're over a ministry, you hear everything. I think Pastor's scared people would like you more than him. He knows you're a prophetess.”

“I'm not a prophetess,” Misha said.

Sherrell invited Misha to sit down with her at a small table in front of a bay window that looked out over the deck and backyard. People were scattered throughout the yard talking and laughing. Two small children played in a small plastic pool near the deck.

“I've watched you and listened to you since you walked into our church. The Lord told me you were a prophet and you were ordained to be at the church. I don't know why you're there. It's none of my business. I know God has a mighty work for you,” Sherrell said.

“I enjoy attending the church. Pastor preached to me yesterday.”

“Pastor can preach. Today, no shop talk. We're going to have some fun. Come on. I'll introduce you to everybody.” Sherrell stood.

Misha followed Sherrell outside and she introduced Misha to her parents, aunts, and cousins. Misha was talking with Sherrell's uncle at the grill when she noticed Bernard Taylor walking into the yard.
Bernard Taylor's here? How does Sherrell know Bernard Taylor?

Everybody stopped what they were doing and ran toward him. He picked up Sherrell's daughter and hugged her, smiling. He spotted Misha standing behind his uncle, next to the grill. Their eyes met. A wide smile spread across his face. He knew exactly who she was. He never forgot her face. Suddenly she spun around and faced his cousin, Sherrell.

At the grill, Misha was stunned. “What is Bernard Taylor doing here?” she asked Sherrell.

“He's my first cousin. My mother and his mother are sisters. I invited him. He's in town a few days finishing up his new CD.”

“I thought he was going to pastor a church or something.”

“He is but he still has his music. You want to meet him?”

“Maybe later.” Misha throat went dry. She reached for a cup of lemonade when she heard his voice.

“Hey, cuz. Look at you. I went by Jenny's house and she wanted me to tell you to stop by and see her sometime.” Bernard voice was so close behind her.

“I know you're setting me up. Jenny who?” Sherrell twisted her mouth.

“Jenny Craig.” He laughed as he hugged Sherrell.

“You tell Jenny ain't nothing like a big black booty to satisfy a brother.” They began talking trash back and forth.

Misha was afraid to turn around. She slowly started walking away.

“Hey, Misha, wait. I want you to meet my cousin.”

Misha turned around.

“Misha, this is my cousin, Bernard Taylor. Misha goes to my church.”

He stared at her. He looked down at her obviously pregnant belly and looked at her face again. “You're pregnant?”

Misha's hand flew to her mouth. “What? Is that what's wrong with me? No wonder Jenny didn't want me to drop by her house.” Misha tried to talk the same trash they were talking. It did not work. He continued to stare at her. His mouth curved to a frown. He looked disappointed.

“Spanky, Mama wants you,” Sherrell said to Bernard.

“What?” He focused on Sherrell.

“Mama's calling you.”

“Oh. Well, it was nice meeting you, Misha.”

They watched him walk away. “What did you do to my cousin? It's rare he's quiet like that. He acted like he's never seen a pregnant woman before.”

“I don't know. I was trying to be funny. I guess that was an inside joke.” She took a sip of her lemonade.

“I don't pay him any attention. He's always talking about somebody being fat. Not everyone can be like those anorexic celebrities he hangs around.” She embraced her uncle's shoulder as he perched over the grill, flipping hamburgers. “Uncle Jake, is that food ready?”

“Five mo' minutes.”

“Good because I'm hungry. Come on, Misha, let's go sit down.”

Misha was enjoying herself, although the hot Labor Day sun was beaming down on her and she was sweating horribly. She enjoyed the two plates of food Uncle Jake gave her that were filled with a sample of all the food he had prepared. People were laughing at Misha, telling her she was “down-home folk” because she wasn't afraid to eat in front of them. She did not care. She played along with them, telling them that Miracle was hungry.