His First Lady (34 page)

“You’re not simple by any stretch of the imagination, Leon. I’ve seen that church of yours,” the governor said.

All three men laughed. The mayor watched Leon with a grin then looked over at the governor as if proud that he was the one to bring the young enthusiastic
would be apprentice
into their fold. The mayor took a sip of his soup while another waiter placed a bowl in front of Leon.

“We need to increase the middle class. Frankly, let’s get these dead beats off of welfare; make them get a job. No more giving out food stamps because you choose to have five babies with five different baby daddies,” Leon said when his cellphone vibrated on his side. He tried to ignore it and continue his thought. “I don’t care if they work the midnight shift at McDonalds.”

The men laughed.

“Somebody has to work it. I love a Big Mac,” The mayor said.

“Me too.” The governor laughed.

His phone vibrated again. “I see more infrastructures in this city leading to greater job growth numbers. This provides families with the opportunity to be independent and to own their own homes leading to an increase in the housing market.” Leon’s face was flushed from embarrassment as his phone continued to vibrate.

“Go ahead and take that,” Mayor Wilson said. “We have time.”

Leon nodded maintaining a smile on his face as he took the phone off of his side promising to curse whoever it was out. He stood up, “Excuse me, gentlemen,” he said as he walked out of the room with the phone in his hand.

He didn’t really understand what Deacon Harris was rambling on about because of the poor reception that he was getting inside the house. Leon tried to stop him explaining that he was in an important meeting but he could hear that Deacon Harris was frantic. He did clearly hear one thing the deacon said and Leon said he’d do it immediately. Leon hung up then walked back into the dining area.

He grinned. “I know this is rather odd but apparently this is an emergency.”

“I hope you don’t have to leave so soon,” The governor said looking slightly annoyed.

Leon shook his head. “Oh no sir, actually,” Leon paused feeling a bit uncomfortable at the moment, “is there a television nearby where I can tune into a breaking story on channel 27?”

“Oh, of course,” the governor said then called to one of the wait staff.

A young man in a black tux and shiny shoes scurried in.

“Paul, please turn the television on channel 27 in the library for the pastor.”

“Yes sir,” the young man answered quickly exiting the room.

The governor stood up. “I’m quite interested in this breaking story myself. The president probably sent troops somewhere and it’s going to cost us about a billion dollars a day.”

Mayor Wilson chuckled. Leon noticed that he was quite humble in the governor’s presence. Apparently there was a chain of command and the mayor followed it.

Leon was humiliated that he seemed to be disrupting such an important meeting. One thing he knew for certain, powerful men didn’t like unnecessary distractions. He followed the governor to the library as Paul picked up the remote control from a shelf which surprisingly opened up a cabinet that held a large mirror which turned out to be the television.

“Impressive,” the mayor said looking over at Leon, “isn’t it?”

A breaking news banner flashed across the screen. The news broadcast showed a beautiful brown skinned news reporter talking about how police were still looking for clues while emergency medical personnel were still in the area where the body was found. Cops had taped off part of the area with crime tape while a few others controlled a group of people who seemed to stop to see what was going on. Leon looked confused until a large banner appeared at the bottom of the screen.
‘Body found believed to be that of woman reported missing last night’
. Then the woman’s picture appeared on the screen.

Daniela watched the kids through the kitchen window kick the ball around in the backyard as she stood flipping turkey burgers on the stovetop grill for their lunch. She was trying to hold it together but ran to the window every time she heard a car outside. She was certain that she would be arrested any moment now and she was sure that waiting was worse than actually being arrested.

The small kitchen television was on but it was just noise in the background as she thought about Ariel and what had happened the night before. She was barely holding it together. She couldn’t think straight, her hands were still shaking while holding the spatula and there was no way she could keep this secret for much longer. She almost hoped that she’d be arrested so it’d be easier to tell Rob what happened.

She stared out at her kids; their smiles, their happiness, their joy. Why had she risked their lives for Candy’s? She hadn’t slept any last night trying desperately not to toss and turn too much that it’d wake Rob. She had waited for Candy’s call; but there was none.

She pretended to be asleep when Rob got up this morning at six to be ready for his weekly prayer bible study at the prison by eight. As soon as she heard his car leave the driveway, she called Candy. Since then, she had left 3 messages for Candy to return her call. She was frantic.
Had Candy called the police and was now in jail? What was going on?

Now it was 12:30 and she still hadn’t heard anything from Candy. She jumped nervously, hearing the front door open but hearing the jingling of keys, she knew it was just Rob coming in. She took a deep breath trying to appear relaxed until she realized that she was still flipping raw burgers. She hadn’t even turned the stove on.

“Hey, baby,” Rob said placing his attaché case on the kitchen table. He walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. She closed her eyes. He smelled so good and his touch felt even better.

“How are you?” He asked.

“I’m fine,” She lied, “how was the bible study?”

Rob had a large smile as he went to the glass door and looked out at the kids in the back. “We had six new men to show up and three of them gave their lives to Christ.”

“That’s wonderful,” Daniela said.

Rob turned around and looked at her. “Yeah, it is. I’m just so excited about how receptive they’ve been with our church’s outreach. God is really doing some amazing things.”

Daniela smiled. “I’m happy to hear that.”

Rob walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. “Are you ready to talk about last night?”

Daniela didn’t say anything. She put the spatula down and turned to face him. “I don’t know,” Daniela answered feeling her emotions well up within her.

Rob looked confused. “You don’t know?” He repeated.

“I don’t know what to say to you.”

“I’m not going to play these games with you Daniela. You know what happened last night and I want you to tell me right now what’s going on,” Rob demanded.

Daniela didn’t know what Rob would think of her or if she was sealing the deal for a divorce but at this point, it didn’t matter. She began sobbing. Rob looked irritated as he looked away from her and dropped his head. “What did you do, Daniela?”

Daniela sobbed harder holding her hand up to her mouth unable to speak about last night’s tragedy. She made her way from the stove and walked toward the table where Rob sat. Then in the backdrop, the sound of a breaking news story caught her attention. Daniela stopped and looked back at the television.

She wiped her eyes and rushed toward the television set and turned the volume up. Big bold words flashed across the screen,
‘Body found believed to be that of woman reported missing last night’
. Then the missing woman’s picture appeared on the screen.

Daniela dropped to the floor.

The door opened and Evan’s mom stood for a second staring at Evan. She opened her arms immediately and as if instinctively, Evan fell into them. Her mom’s embrace was what she had missed most of all.

“My baby’s home,” Evelyn said as if expecting her.

“Evelyn, who’s that?” Evan’s dad yelled out to his wife from inside the house.

Evan and her mom’s eyes met having heard her dad’s voice. And as if reading Evan’s mind, Evelyn knew to say nothing. She simply stood aside as Evan picked up her luggage and walked inside the house. Walking slowly toward the living room where her dad was, she had a myriad of emotions: anxiety, embarrassment, yet security and peace. Placing her luggage down against the wall, she watched her dad as he sat with his bible in his lap and reading glasses on the edge of his nose unaware of her presence.

“Hi daddy.”

Evan’s dad lifted his head. As if not sure if she was really there or not, he removed his glasses and stared at her a moment then he smiled. She ran to him and hugged him.

“My baby,” he said hugging her tightly. He began to weep.

“Don’t cry daddy,” Evan said wiping his eyes as tears also ran out of hers.

“I’m just so glad to see my little girl.”

Evan held on to her dad. Although he wasn’t as young or as strong as he used to be, she knew that she was safe now.

Evan stood inside the screened porch watching as her daddy tended to his garden in the backyard. She remembered when her daddy had built the screened porch for her mom while she was away on a First ladies’ retreat. Evan was just seven years old back then and her daddy swore her to secrecy. The screened porch was a big birthday surprise for her mom so she could sit outside, enjoy the large pond in the back and sip her coffee without the annoyance of mosquitos and gnats which she loathed. Her daddy had always said that nothing was too good for his Evelyn.

She stared out at her daddy who still didn’t mind getting dirty kneeling in his worn overalls digging around and tending to his vegetables in his garden. He always loved the garden; he’d tend it all day if he could. When she arrived, he had asked her no questions, just took her bags to her old room and fixed her favorite; a grilled cheese sandwich. Looking at him now, she didn’t know what she’d do without him. He’d always made her feel safe and loved.

Evelyn stood behind her daughter. “Go talk to him baby.”

Evan turned around at the sound of her mother’s voice behind her.

“He’s waiting for you,” Evelyn said.

Evan took a deep breath. “Maybe I’ll give him a minute, he looks happy.”

Evelyn placed her hand on Evan’s shoulder. “He’s content now that you’re here but he’s concerned about you. Sometimes, he doesn’t sleep thinking about you. He feels guilty.”

Evan’s eyes widened. “Guilty about what?”

“He thinks that maybe he tended to other people too much and didn’t tend to you enough and that’s why you married Leon.”

“That’s not true. He’s the best dad in the world,” Evan said feeling emotional.

“Go reassure him that he is.”

Evan thought a second and knew that she was delaying the inevitable. She’d have to talk to him; she’d have to explain why she was home. She bit her lip then pushed open the screened door and walked out toward her dad. The squeaking of the screened door caused her dad to look up at her.

“Hey baby,” He grinned as he continued to dig his gloved hands in the soil, “I got some WD40 to put on that door but I keep forgetting. Your momma won’t never remind me until she starts complaining about it.”

Evan smiled kneeling down. “The garden still looks good.”

“I’ll get you to help me pick some of these in a few days. It’s time for picking.”

“Yes sir. It looks about that time,” Evan responded. Her mom was right; dad was always content in the garden. She remembered how much she hated working in the garden when she was a girl but she always loved picking and reaping the benefits of it. “Those greens look so good this year. I don’t know anybody with a garden like you daddy.”

Her dad laughed. “I used to say the same thing to my daddy when I was a little boy. Your grandparents had the best garden in town, you know.” He sat up and pointed toward the porch steps. “Baby girl, hand me that bag of fertilizer by the step over there.”

Evan quickly stood and retrieved the fertilizer then sat the large bag beside her dad and watched him dig in it. She knew all the garden talk was just a distraction from what they both waited to address. But her dad wouldn’t push; he’d just wait for her and that was the nerve wrecking part.

“Are you settled in yet baby girl?” Her daddy asked stirring some fertilizer in the soil.

“Yes sir.”

“Your room is just like you left it.”

Evan looked up at the clear blue sky and closed her eyes. “Daddy…”

“Baby girl, you don’t have to tell me nothing,” her daddy said pulling weeds from around the peppers. “The Father told me that you’d be home once you saw that man for what he was. Every day I waited then I stopped waiting.”

As much as Evan tried to remain strong, it was something about her daddy that always made her cry. Tears began to flow down her cheeks.

“Sometimes in life, God stops telling us no and lets us have what we want simply because we want it so badly. Like little children, we kick and scream until we either get our way or give up.” Her daddy smiled. “Funny thing about the Father though, he’s so powerful that even when we veer off course, the course works in our favor.”