Delilah (19 page)

Delilah helped clean up the fellowship hall after everyone left. To Delilah's surprise, Keisha stayed around and helped too. The other women on the Pastor's Aide committee couldn't stop talking about how good Keisha was. Before they walked to their cars, Keisha had invitations to sing for other programs.

“Thank you for helping out,” Delilah told her friend.

“No problem. I wanted to tell you something, but I changed my mind.”

“Don't do me like that,” Delilah pleaded.

By now they were standing near Delilah's car. Keisha scrunched up her nose and looked off in the distance. “It's nothing.”

No matter how much Delilah begged, Keisha wouldn't say anything before she drove off. Delilah wondered what was on Keisha's mind and called her once she got home. “You're going to tell me eventually, so you might as well spit it out now,” Delilah said.

“Delilah, it's probably best I keep my comments to myself. We've had a joyous time in the Lord today; let's not spoil it.”

“You're right. It's been a good day overall and there's no need to spoil it. I'm going to run me some bath water and then relax for the rest of the night.”

Delilah hung up with Keisha and did just that. After a long bubble bath, she went to bed early. The sound of someone beating on her door woke her up the following morning.

“Hold on,” she yelled as she tripped over her shoes in search of her robe. She found the robe, put it on, and tightened the belt around her. “Coming.” Delilah was prepared to go off on whoever was standing on the other end of the door. She looked out her peephole. “It figures.”

She opened the door and in walked William. “Early bird catches the worm,” he said in a cheerful voice.

“Or a bullet,” Delilah said under her breath.

“Dear, you're looking kind of rough.”

Delilah's hand flew to her head. She hadn't bothered to tie it down last night. She glanced at her appearance when she passed the mirror. With the nighttime sweat, her curly hair had frizzed up. She wasn't too concerned because William wasn't anyone she was trying to impress.

William leaned on his cane. “I just came to check on my investment.”

“You could learn to come at a more decent hour,” Delilah snapped.

“If you were coming into the office like the rest of my employees, you would be up already.”

He did have a point. It was after seven, but she had planned on sleeping until at least nine today. “I don't have any updates on Samson, so you made a wasted trip.”

Delilah noticed William retrieving something from his pocket. He handed it to her. “How would you feel if I left this on the cars of everybody at your church?”

Her fingers gripped the picture showing her naked with several men standing around her. She couldn't even remember who they were. It was probably a bachelor party. She had done many private shows, and this was evidence from those days. She wouldn't be able to show her face around church anymore.

She could see Dorothy, Michelle, and Elaine now getting a thrill out of her embarrassment. Nope, that wasn't going to happen. She tore the picture up and let the pieces fall to the floor.

“Don't worry; that wasn't the only copy.” William sat on the sofa and patted the space next to him. “Talk to me.”

The time was at hand to pay the price for making a deal with the devil. The devil was asking for his due. Delilah sat next to William, and as if on cue she gave William the ammunition he needed against Samson. William drooled as she gave him details about her and Samson's last rendezvous.

“I got him now,” William said. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. “Move on to stage two.”

“Who was that?” Delilah asked William after he'd hung up the phone.

“It doesn't concern you. Do you have video footage, pictures, or anything else that I can use against Samson?”

“No, just my word,” Delilah lied. Although the video footage was from before Samson married Julia, she knew William wouldn't care. She promised Samson she wouldn't show the video to anyone else, and she planned on keeping that promise. She would prove her loyalty.

“Mr. Judges will be pushing to sell that land now. Dear, you've earned yourself another bonus.” William reached into his pocket and handed her an envelope. “Good job. And once he signs over the deed to that land, there's more coming to you.”

“You can keep your money.”

“No, you've earned it.” William let the envelope drop on the coffee table. “I've got to go. I'm meeting the mayor for breakfast.”

Delilah remained seated as William let himself out. She felt a burning sensation inside the pit of her stomach.
Lord, what have I done? Samson doesn't deserve this. I have to warn him.

Samson sat behind the desk in his office and leaned back in his chair as he thought about the events of the previous night. Julia showed him a side of herself that made him a very happy man. He reached in his briefcase and retrieved the bottle of Viagra. He threw it in the trash because he was more than positive that he would no longer have any use for it.

Elaine walked in. “Delilah's outside, and she insists on seeing you.”

“Tell her I'm tied up for the rest of the day.”

“I swear that woman won't give it up. I owe you an apology because now I realize you've been innocent, and she's the one who won't give up her quest to get next to you.”

“Apology accepted. Now do whatever you have to do to get rid of her.”

“I got your back, Pastor.” Elaine left his office.

A few seconds later, Samson could hear Delilah shout, but shortly thereafter he heard the other door slam. To his relief, Elaine accomplished her mission. Elaine said, as she walked back in Samson's office, “She asked me to have you call her at your earliest convenience.”

“That would be never,” Samson stated under his breath as Elaine left to finish doing her tasks.

Samson turned his chair around and peeped through the blinds. He saw Delilah get in her car and speed out the parking lot. “Delilah, you have to let this go,” he said out loud.

Samson returned phone calls and e-mails most of the morning. Before he realized it, it was close to noon. “Elaine, you can go to lunch now if you want. I'll man the phones.”

“You sure? Because after your anniversary program yesterday, I've been fielding calls for speaking engagements throughout the city.”

“I got the phones. You go ahead and go. Take as much time as you need.”

Elaine grabbed her purse. “You don't have to tell me twice. I'm out of here.”

Samson turned up the volume on his computer as he listened to some gospel tunes. His singing was interrupted by a sinister laugh. He turned to face the enemy. William strolled into Samson's office with his gold-tipped cane, holding a manila folder. He took a seat without waiting for an invitation. “I would have knocked, but I didn't want to interrupt your mini-concert.”

“You can leave because we have nothing to talk about.”

“But, Reverend Judges, that's where you're wrong. We have a lot to discuss. This is for you.” William handed Samson the folder.

Pictures of Delilah in various naked poses with and without men in them stared Samson in the face. He didn't know what to make of it all. He dropped the folder down. “Now, do you want your congregation to know the kind of woman their great pastor has been lounging around with?” William asked.

“The Delilah I know would not do something like this.”

“There's a lot about that woman you don't know. But since I like you, I thought you would want to know.”

Samson shouldn't have been shocked at the pictures, but they caught him off guard. As Delilah's pastor, he would do his best to make sure the information didn't get out to the general congregation. “William, this is a private matter. I will talk to Delilah about it. Now that you've delivered this, you can go.”

“Not too fast, preacher man.”

“I don't have time to play games with you.” Samson stared straight into the eyes of the enemy. William didn't flinch. His cold, black eyes stared back at Samson.

“Delilah told me about your affair. I know about the two of you sleeping together.” Samson opened his mouth to speak, but William interrupted him. “And before you say it happened before you got married, I know for a fact it was before and afterward, so don't try to deny it.”

William gave Samson details of his last interaction with Delilah—information that had been given to him by Delilah. Samson knew William was no longer bluffing.

Samson slammed his fist on the table. Some of the items on the desk jumped a few inches high. “Satan, get thee behind me.”

William laughed. “I've been called worse. I'll give you twenty-four hours.”

“Get out of my office,” Samson stood up and said.

William got up and walked toward the door. He stood in the entranceway. “Since I'm such a generous person, I'll give you forty-eight hours. Forty-eight hours, Reverend, to let me know you're signing over the land to me or”—William picked up a picture of Julia on the stand next to the door—“your little wife will be finding out about your indiscretions, and you won't be able to talk yourself out if it either.” William left Samson alone with his thoughts.

Samson picked up the pictures of Delilah. “How could you?” Samson cried out to the photos as if Delilah was standing in the room with him. “You said you loved me.”

Everyone tried to warn him about her. Delilah's telling William about their affair was the ultimate betrayal. He could not lose his wife—not because of his few minutes of weakness. He had to do something—and fast.

For the second time that day, Delilah felt like going off on someone for beating on her front door. She opened the door without looking through the peephole. The sight of Samson standing on the other side surprised her. He walked in and threw a folder at her. Pictures fell on the floor. “How could you, Delilah? How could you betray me like you have?”

“Samson—” she stuttered as she reached down to pick up the pictures. Photos of herself in her birthday suit were not what she expected to see. “Where did you get these?” She already knew the answer before he responded.

“Your boss made a personal delivery. I should have known you two were working together when you told me you worked at Trusts Enterprise. I mean, you're the only person I know who has a job but was hardly ever at the office.”

“It's not what you think, Samson.” Delilah closed the front door. She didn't want to give her neighbors any new gossip for the week. “Come have a seat.”

“I think I'll stand.”

“Suit yourself, but I'm going to sit down.” Delilah left and went to the living room.

Samson stood in the doorway.

“You can sit next to me. I won't bite.”

“Delilah, I don't have all day. I want to know why you told William Trusts about our affair.”

Delilah started to lie, but knew it wouldn't do any good. “You left me no choice.”

“You could have kept the information to yourself like you promised me.” Samson shortened the distance between them. He now stood near the couch.

Delilah held up a few of the pictures. “And risk him showing these to people?”

“So you sold me out to the devil himself.”

Delilah tried to lighten the situation with a laugh. “Come on, he's not that bad,” she lied.

“He's threatened to tell Julia unless I sign over the church's land.”

“Then do it. What's the big deal? It's not like the church won't benefit from it financially. From what I know, the offer is triple the market value.”

By now Samson had taken a seat at the other end of the couch. “Even if I wanted to, I would have to get the board's approval.”

“Then do it. This isn't as bad as you think,” Delilah said.

“I've been real adamant about holding on to the land. People will start looking at me suspiciously if all of a sudden I say I want to sell.”

“People are allowed to change their minds. Do it and don't let William hold it over your head.”

“I'm real disappointed in you, Delilah. I trusted you.”

Delilah couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had kept their little secret from his wife. She had dealt with him ignoring her. She didn't like it, but she understood his first allegiance was to his wife. She didn't betray him; he betrayed her. He shouldn't have slept with her and given her a false sense of hope—hope that eventually they would be together.

For the first time, she recognized that the man sitting in front of her was selfish. He was only concerned about Samson and could care less about how his actions hurt other people. If he did, he wouldn't be accusing her of betrayal. The pain in her eyes spilled out into words. “I've done everything you've asked of me. I never thought you could be so selfish.”

Samson stood up, anger seeping from his pores. “Because of you I might lose my wife. I hate the day I ever let you talk me into sleeping with you.”

“You've got to be kidding.” Delilah stood up at this point. “You slept with me because you wanted to, not because I made you. In fact, you initiated the doggone kiss, so go tell your little wife that.”

“Julia's not like you. She wouldn't understand how I could sleep with the likes of you.”

Delilah put her hands on her hips. “So what are you saying, Samson?”

“I'm not saying you're a harlot, but come on now, Delilah. Those pictures say a thousand words.”

Delilah picked up one of the couch pillows and threw it at him, hitting him on the arm. “Get out. Get out of my house now!” Samson used his arms to block the blows Delilah began to throw. “You already have William as an enemy. Now you have me. Get out of my house now.”

Samson rushed out of her house. Delilah's feet felt lifeless. She slid down, and the couch caught her. She grabbed a pillow, buried her face in it, and cried like she had never cried before. Her life was in ruins. Would Samson ever forgive her for telling William everything? Most importantly, she thought,
God, will you ever forgive me for allowing the enemy to take over my life?

Delilah felt all alone—like no one cared about her. But a still, small voice said, “You have Me.” Delilah knew it had to be a word from God and immediately felt a sense of peace. But just how long would that peace last?