Church Whore 3 (11 page)

“It’s nothing bad. I met with Sheila today at Smokey Bones.”

The look on Lacey’s face changed.

Noticing the change in her expression he went on. “Don’t get mad. It’s not what you think. I needed to apologize to her. I haven’t been fair to either of you. And like I told her, I’m determined to be a better man. So, we had a long talk and it’s all good now. You don’t have to worry about my not being able to control myself around her.”

The expression on her face softened. She leaned over and kissed her husband on the cheek.

“What was that for?”

“I think this is the first time that you’ve been completely honest with me about Sheila, and I appreciate it.”

“I’m trying to do better. I want our marriage to work. I’m all in,” Junior said, looking deeply into his wife’s eyes.

“That’s my king!” She leaned over and kissed him again.

The couple ended up making love on the sofa.

Chapter 10

Edem was knocked out, with his head on Ruthie’s lap. As he slept she stroked his hair. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe how blessed she was. As her twin boys fluttered inside of her belly, she was in heavenly bliss.

Edem’s cell phone going off made her jump. Her nerves had been on edge ever since the fire.

Edem instantly woke up and answered his phone. “Hello? … This is him…”

Ruthie watched the expression on Edem’s face.

“You found something? ... Okay, I’ll instruct security to let you through the gate… Alright, see you in a few.” He ended his call and sat up.

“Is everything okay?” Ruthie asked, getting concerned.

“Yeah. I have a surprise for you.” He made a call to the head of security and instructed him to let his guest in.

“Baby, what’s going on?” she asked just as the doorbell rang.

Getting up to answer the door Edem said, “You’ll see.” He opened the door, and Ruthie could hear him greeting his guest. He returned to the living room with a big bear of a man.

“Ruthie, this is Jay. Jay, this is my wife, Ruthie.”

Jay extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Ruthie,” he said with a strong southern drawl.

“Hello,” Ruthie said, eyeing Edem and not knowing what was going on.

Edem directed Jay to have a seat. “Make yourself comfortable, man.”

“Edem?” Confused, Ruthie wanted to know who this man was in her house.

“Baby, remember when you shared with me how you would like to find your family one day?”

She was hesitant in her response. “Yeah…”

“Well, Jay is a private investigator. I hired him to locate your family.”

“You found them?” Ruthie’s voice cracked.

“Yes, Ma’am. I found a few,” Jay said, and handed her a manila envelope.

Ruthie’s hands shook so badly that she couldn’t open it, so she handed it to Edem, who opened the envelope and pulled out its contents.

“Miss Ruthie, Ma’am, I found your mother’s people. You have a grandmother, and aunts and uncles, and a bunch of cousins. I’m sorry to say that your parents are gone. I’m sorry, Miss.”

Waiting for a response, Edem watched his wife. “Are you okay, baby?” he then asked her.

She took a deep breath before speaking. “I’m fine, baby. I had a feeling that they were no longer alive.”

“What do we know about the rest of the family?” Edem asked.

“Well, this is going to be a shocker.”

Sweet Jesus!
Ruthie braced herself.

“Your grandmother is right here Greensboro.”

“Get out of here! Are you serious?”

“Yes, Ma’am. She was born and raised here.”

“Isn’t that something? You thought you were following Naomi home, and God brought you home!” Edem said, and clapped his hands together. “This is wild!”  He became very excited.

“Are any of them crazy? I can’t do crazy,” she asked Jay.

“They seem like good ol’ down home folk. Just my observation, you know.”

“Wow!” Ruthie couldn’t believe it.

“Everything you need to know is in the envelope,” Jay said getting up.

Edem stood up and shook his hand. “Thank you, Jay.”

“Anything for you, Edem. Miss Ruthie, it’s been a pleasure.” He then tipped his cowboy hat at her.

“Yes, thank you so much.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Edem and Jay talked for a while at the door before he left. When he returned to his wife, she was in tears. “Baby, I didn’t mean to upset you. I thought this would make you happy.” He felt bad that his surprise made her cry.

She touched his face. “No, baby. These are happy tears. I can’t believe you found my family for me.” Then with a tear stained face, she kissed him.

________

The church was filled to capacity for Lewis’ funeral. His mother, Sister Clemmons was a complete wreck. All of her harsh words to her only son came flooding back to her as she watched him lying in the casket.

Edem preached a powerful eulogy that left everyone in tears. He focused on the goodness of Lewis’ heart, and not the issues he was struggling with. He spoke about how the world had lost a powerful leader, about all the potential Lewis had, and all the lives he touched.

At the end of his eulogy Edem opened the doors to the church. Kids from everywhere surrounded Lewis’ casket and gave or rededicated their lives to the Lord. It was amazing.

Edem looked down at his young friend, and with tears in his eyes he said, “Lewis, this will be your legacy. I told you one day that everything would be okay and that God could still use you. And it’s okay, Lewis. Rest easy, my friend.”

There was not a dry eye in the house.

The choir stood and up and began to sing:

“Come unto Jesus,

While you have time.

Come unto Jesus,

Make up your mind.

He will make your life brand new,

Oh, He will take care of you.

So come unto Jesus,

While you have time…”

________

Later, back at the repass a teenager came up to Edem and tapped him on the shoulder. “Pastor Blanks?”

“Yes, son?”

“Could I talk to you privately?” The boy looked shaken.

Edem got up from the table, and he and teenager walked outside. “What’s on your mind, son?”

“I’m Donnie. I was with Lewis the night he died.”

“You were?” Edem was confused, because there weren’t really any details about what happened that night.

“Yes. We were at a teen club, and when we left out there were five guys who were taunting us about being gay. I told Lewis to keep walking, but he didn’t listen and stood up for himself, which made them mad and they jumped him.” Donnie started to tear up. “I left my friend and ran. I called 911, but by the time they got there Lewis had been beaten so badly.”

Edem put his arm around the boy and said,” It’s okay son. You went and got help. You could have kept running, but you didn’t.”

“I let Lewis get killed!” Donnie cried with his head hung down in shame.

“Don’t think like that. You could have been killed too.”

“I can’t fight, Pastor. I told him to keep walking, but he wouldn’t!” Donnie cried.

“Did you tell all of this to the police?”

“Yes, Sir, I told them everything. I even told Miss Clemmons.”

“What did she say?” Edem asked, wondering why she had been so tight lipped about the details of Lewis’ death.

“She told me that I better stop sinning, because I’m going to hell just like Lewis.”

Edem’s mouth dropped open. He could feel his blood boiling. His heart ached for this boy. It took everything in him not to yank Sister Clemmons out of the church and go off on her.

“Lewis said that you were his friend, and you told him that God still loves him no matter what. He talked about you all the time, about how you would listen to him and inspire him. He even invited me to come to church with him, but I never did. Now it’s too late.” Donnie wiped his tears.

“It’s never too late to come to church, son.”

“Is it true that God still loves me?”

Edem smiled at him and put his hand on his shoulder. “Oh course! God’s love is unconditional, son. He has a ‘come as you are’ policy.”

Donnie’s face lit up at the revelation of what he just heard.

At that moment Edem had a prophetic vision. He saw Donnie at a rally speaking, and bringing hope to a lost generation. “Donnie, God is going to use to do great things. All of this,” Edem opened his hands, “Lewis’ life will not be in vain. See, sometimes in life there comes a moment when a life altering event can change the course of your life if you’re paying attention. This is your moment. Use your voice and speak out.”

“So, you don’t think Lewis is mad at me?”

“Come on, man. I’m sure you knew Lewis better than I did. Do you really think he would be mad at you? Lewis is no longer in pain; he’s at rest. I hate that he’s gone, but I’m proud of him for taking a stand. Now it’s your turn to spread his message that God is love, and His love is everlasting.” He could see the wheels turning in Donnie’s head.

“But I don’t know much about God; only what Lewis told me.”

“Like I said, it’s never too late to come into the house of the Lord. You are always welcomed here.”

“Lewis was right. You are cool people.”

Edem laughed, because he could hear Lewis saying that. “Well, I try!” he said, and popped his collar.

Donnie shook his head no. “We don’t pop collars anymore,” he said.

“Oh, my bad!”

They both broke out in laughter.

“Thank you for listening me. I was planning on killing myself tonight. I felt so guilty about Lewis, and Miss Clemmons said I was going to burn in hell. I just wanted to say goodbye to him, but I swear I could hear him telling me talk to you. I’m glad that I did because you gave me hope.”

Edem’s heart was filled with so many emotions. “Donnie, promise me that if you ever feel like giving up again you’ll reach out to me.” He pulled his wallet out and handed him his card.

Donnie looked over the card and was appreciative of him listening to him. “No adult has ever listened to him before.”

“Promise me, Donnie!” Edem said in a serious tone.

“I promise. And I’ll be here Sunday too.”

“That’s good, son.” Edem patted his shoulder again.

“Thanks again for listening, Pastor.”

“I’m just glad you reached out. And I’m going to be looking for you Sunday.”

“I’ll be here.”

“Alright, see you then.”

The new friends shook hands, and Edem watched Donnie walk off. He looked towards the heavens and said, “Father, help your children!” before entering back into the church.

________

Jezebel sat in the parking lot of First Assembly trying to get a glimpse of Mud. She wanted to talk to him but was afraid of the outcome. When she saw him and Tricia walk out hand in hand, she became enraged.
Why had he chosen her? I look better than her, and he chose her!

Bitterness filled her heart, and she was tempted to run them both over with her car. Before she knew it, she had pulled out of the parking spot, hit the gas and ran dead smack into Mud and Tricia. Tricia’s body flew up and hit the hood of her and rolled off. Jezebel and Mud’s eyes met as she sped off.

“Tricia!” Mud screamed. She lay at his feet unconscious. Everyone came running out of the church and surrounded the couple.

Mud was about to lift her into her arms but Edem grabbed his arm and said, “Don’t move her. Wait until the ambulance gets here. She could have internal bleeding.”

“Lord Jesus, not again!” Mama Eloise hollered. The entire Blanks family were on their knees around Tricia, talking to her.

The ambulance arrived and EMS raced Tricia to the hospital. Mud was right by her side, and the Blanks held vigil once again at Wesley Long hospital.

“I’m so sick of being in this place!” Mama Eloise fumed.

Elisea went to Muds’ house to relieve the nanny who was taking care of his son, Junior, so he knew his son was safe.

Mud was oddly silent. He kept replaying the last conversation he was having with his wife when she was hit. She was smiling and laughing about going home to make a baby. That’s why they were leaving early, because she was ovulating.

“Blanks family?” The ER doctor said, entering the waiting room.

Mud stood up. The rest of the family held their breath and listened.

“Your wife is okay. She has a broken ankle and a concussion from hitting her head, so she was very lucky.”

“That’s it? A broken ankle?”  Mud turned and looked at his mother. “A broken ankle!” He busted out in hysterical laugher.

“Are you okay, Sir?” The doctor looked at him like he was crazy.

Junior jumped up and put his arm around his brother. “He’s fine, doctor. He’s just happy it’s something minor, that’s all.”

“Oh, okay,” the doctor said and let out a nervous chuckle.” Well, she’s resting comfortably, but we were limited to the amount of medication we could her due to her pregnancy.”

“Pregnancy!?” Mud was confused. “She’s pregnant?”