His First Lady (38 page)

Leon looked at Aaron and frowned. “How do I know that it belongs to Sundi? It could be your dogs as far as I know.”

“I don’t have a dog,” Aaron said.

Leon sighed; he just wanted Aaron out of his face. “Look, I hope it was spotless because I can’t afford to clean up after you.”

“My work is guaranteed.” Aaron opened the envelope. “Don’t ask me to take care of any more business for you unless it can be documented on my W2. I’m done,” Aaron said.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Leon said walking over to his office door to open it.

Aaron began walking toward the door. “That’s sad about the deacon’s wife. A lot of people die around here.”

Leon turned the door knob and opened up the door. “Have a good day.”

Leon closed the door behind Aaron then walked back over to his desk. He stared down at Katie’s driver’s license then at Sundi’s ribbon. It was over. He could breathe now and go on with his life because they were no longer his problem. He threw the items into his desk drawer. He quickly thought about Ev. She hadn’t been home and he hadn’t spoken to her in a while. He ran out of excuses to explain her absence. She had better be there today. If she wasn’t, how would that look?

Leon walked out of his office door and as he closed it behind him, he caught a quick and surprising glimpse of Evan standing in the hall talking to another one of the ladies in the church looking radiant and refreshed; he had to admit even captivating in a navy dress. Where had she been? He stared at her a minute before she realized it and looked over at him. She had made a fool of him; he popped his collar, turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Greg had spent a considerable amount of time policing the church grounds prior to Ariel’s funeral. Along with onlookers who didn’t care about respecting the family’s privacy, channels 5 and 27 had news vans out front that wanted to get as close to the church as possible.

Greg encountered Leon prior to the funeral passing each other in the hallway of the church office wing. They looked at each other but Greg had no more words for Leon. There was nothing left to their diminishing relationship.

Greg had heard from members particularly the church mothers regarding the talk about possible dissension among the church ranks. The church mothers never minded calling him voicing their opinions if there was a problem. This time however, he reassured them that he and the Pastor were fine. No one needed to know what was going on because it was bigger than any of them could fathom.

An emotionally exhausted looking Rick was surrounded by people when Greg walked in. Rick seemed almost ecstatic when he spotted Greg entering the sanctuary and asked that he sit beside him for support. It was a welcome relief for Greg since he was tired of making excuses for not sitting on the pulpit. Sitting beside Rick was his father, Ariel’s mother, and a few of her siblings in the first row all of whom Greg either hugged or gave his condolences before he sat with them.

“Thank you man, it’s good to see you,” Rick leaned over to Greg as the organist began playing.

Greg nodded. “No problem, brother. Do you need anything?”

Rick shook his head. “Not unless you can give me some strength.”

Greg sighed. That was something that he couldn’t give but he vowed to remain by his friend’s side. The church filled up quickly with family, friends, and church members. Rick said very little sitting with his eyes closed dabbing them every few seconds. Greg looked down at Ariel’s obituary with her picture on the front. It looked like a professional pageant picture and it was fitting from what he knew of Ariel which was very little. Greg knew that if Rick even loved Ariel half as much as he loved Cara then he was in extreme pain and there was nothing anyone could say or do for him.

Greg’s stomach felt queasy as he sat next to Rick and his family. He knew why. Part of it was that the preparation, the smell, the sound, and the funeral sights all reminded him of Cara. It was the most difficult moment of his life when he buried her and sitting beside Rick in the pew while he buried his wife took him back years, although it felt like days. He prayed that Rick wouldn’t have to struggle and hurt as long as it seemed he had after Cara was taken from him.

Greg looked up at the pulpit and saw Leon taking a sip from a glass of water that was placed on the table beside him then as he closed his eyes swaying to the choir and the music playing. Greg fought his thoughts as he watched Leon sitting on the pulpit of God’s house; he prayed for strength.

Then as if a light had come on in the room that caused all things to stop, Evan walked onto the pulpit. Greg’s eyes widened. She looked more beautiful then he recalled with a glow that seemed to illuminate the space around her. She spoke to and hugged the minister sitting alongside her on the pulpit. Greg knew it was rude to stare but he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He didn’t know if she saw him watch her but it didn’t matter.

The decision to sit in the pulpit beside her husband as she had always done was not hers to make. She fought the battle intensely before the service but God had taken her out of the decision making today. She was nervous walking back into the church having hid out from everybody but so many cards and flowers filled her office letting her know that she had been missed. It gave her strength that she had nothing to be ashamed of.

She sat down beside Leon who seemed surprised that she had. He acknowledged her civilly with a weak smile and a nod. She remained expressionless refusing to make any further eye contact with him. Justice was not hers to serve. She was there for Rick and his family.

Evan looked out at Rick who seemed to smile listening as one after another, people shared stories about Ariel; he even managed a laugh from a few humorous ones. As hard as she tried to not notice Greg sitting beside him, she had. The sight of him caused her to get slightly nervous but safe and warm at the same time. She was suddenly reminded to sit straight and hold her head up. She looked away fearing that he’d see her looking at him and focused on the service.

Evan looked down at Ariel’s casket feeling overwhelming sadness. It was sadness for everyone that she’d lost and everything that had died in her life recently. She thought about Ariel and how she had missed so many opportunities to befriend her. She wished that she’d tried harder. Not for Ariel but for herself. After a few of Ariel’s friends and two of her sisters spoke; Rick stood up to deliver the eulogy.

The church was silent as he stood up from his seat and walked slowly to the podium. Rick stood at the podium holding a sheet of paper in his hand seemingly to brace himself as he prepared to speak into the microphone. There were some,
‘take your time baby’s’
and some
‘amens’
from the crowd before he held his head up and cleared his throat.

Rick’s hands began to shake as he held onto the paper and when he first opened his mouth to speak, nothing came out. He stared out into the congregation then tears ran down his face. He pulled his handkerchief from inside his jacket pocket and placed it to his eyes.

“I filled the church with azaleas because they were Ariel’s favorite flower. When we got married, the church was filled with them and when she gave birth to our three beautiful boys, the hospital room had so many that the nurses made me remove some each time.” Rick smiled. “This is very difficult for me because I loved my wife dearly and I never prepared for life without her. I couldn’t have fathomed the thought weeks ago that I’d be up here in front of our church, our friends, and our family saying goodbye to the love of my life.”

Evan thought about Leon. She, like Rick, would have never thought that she would be where she was especially remembering how in love she was with Leon. That was then and now; she couldn’t even look over at him.

“For everyone who knew Ariel, they knew that she was beautiful, flamboyant, funny, and extravagant.” Rick grinned as tears ran down his face. “Everyone always told me what a lucky guy I was. I guess they looked at her then at me and called me lucky.” The crowd smiled and laughed with him as he smiled and looked down at his paper.

“This beautiful woman gave me three of the most precious and amazing gifts that anyone could ask for. Ariel and my boys gave me a reason to wake up every day,” Rick continued and tears flowed down his face again. He wiped his eyes and cheeks. “To be honest, I don’t know what I will do tomorrow. I’m just here today.”

Rick paused then cleared his throat. He looked down at the paper again. “In all of her glitz and beauty she was also a good mom. No, she was a great mom,” Rick said before taking a deep breath. He paused and looked back up and out at the audience. “She just wasn’t a good wife.”

Evan raised her head wondering if she’d heard what she thought she heard. She noticed that everyone in the congregation seemed to have done the same thing. Murmurings went about the audience as Rick paused then as if saying nothing unusual, he continued.

“It was hard work being Ariel’s husband because I competed with everything that sparkled, diamond or dude. Nothing I gave her was ever enough but that didn’t stop me from trying.”

Evan’s mouth dropped as gasps from others could be heard all around the church. Evan watched in dismay as Ariel’s two sisters stood up and walked out of the church. Leon’s jaw dropped as he stood up quickly from his chair.

Rick didn’t notice Leon behind him and he continued in spite of the startled faces that were in front of him. “Family and friends, I was given my wife’s autopsy results a couple of days ago.” More tears ran down Rick’s face. “She was carrying a baby that I knew nothing about. My wife deserved the world and she made sure that she got it anyway she could even if that meant hurting everybody else.”

Screams rang out as Ariel’s mother broke down at Rick’s words. A gentleman from the row behind her made his way to her and placed his arm around her. She began wheezing. Some in the audience cried while others simply sat in shock and even a few laughs could be heard.

“Deacon Rick,” Leon interrupted.

Rick turned around and looked at Leon. “The good Pastor. Would you like to speak on Ariel’s behalf seeing that you two knew each other quite well?”

Evan’s eyes widened watching the two men glare at each other in front of a church filled with people and a casket covered with azaleas. There were cries and shocked faces that watched for either of the men’s next move. Leon appeared as if he struggled in his decision whether to challenge Rick or not.

“Deacon, this is neither the time nor the place,” Leon said respectively.

Rick turned back and looked out at the audience in the church. He stretched out his arms. “I think it’s the perfect time for everybody to tell how well they knew Ariel,” Rick said before turning back and looking at Leon. “Pastor, you first.”

Greg stood up from his seat and slowly walked up to where Rick stood behind the podium. He placed his hand kindly on Rick’s shoulder and patted it as he whispered something in Rick’s ear. Rick wiped his eyes and nodded.

Rick looked out at the audience and then over at Ariel’s mother. “I’m sorry everybody. I did love my wife very much,” He said walking back to his seat beside Greg whose hand was still on his shoulder.

Evan watched as Rick and Greg both sat back down. Rick held his head down in his lap. Evan looked over at Leon wanting to know what Rick’s words meant. Although Leon didn’t acknowledge her stare, she was sure he felt it. Evan began to feel weak and humiliated.
Had Leon also done the unthinkable with a deacon’s wife? One of their friends?
Evan looked around fighting the impulse to stand up and walk out.

Leon stood up and walked up to the podium to speak. Looking out at the audience, he placed his palm up in the air calming the audience. Obedient to their pastor, they went silent.

“Losing someone isn’t easy, church,” Leon said looking out at the audience. “Amen?”

Faint
‘amens’
rang out throughout the church. “Our prayers are with Deacon Rick and his family. Let’s have a word of prayer.”

Evan couldn’t bow her head. She thought she was stronger but she wasn’t. It was as if he wouldn’t be satisfied until he had completely destroyed her and taken away any shred of dignity that she had as a human being…as a woman. Evan looked over at Greg whose head wasn’t bowed either. They caught each other’s gaze and held it as Leon ended his prayer.

“People of God, we have a good reason to rejoice today although we’ve lost someone we loved dearly. We don’t pray for evil to the one who has done this; we pray that God would execute his justice.”

Just as heads in the congregation nodded in agreement, the back doors of the church opened and two uniformed officers and one plain clothes officer stood in the doorway. Leon stopped talking as he watched the men stand at the back of the church unassumingly. Evan’s mouth opened as she watched the officers stand in the back and stare toward the pulpit. She looked over at Leon who had paused briefly then over at Greg who seemed not to notice that the doors had opened in the back until seeing the startled faces on the pulpit caused him to turn around.

“God is good,” Leon said. “Amen?”

Leon normally wouldn’t notice who walked in the back of the sanctuary because from his viewpoint, he couldn’t make out faces clearly. But Leon noticed the three men as soon as they walked in. And even before he had even seen the uniformed officers, he had noticed the plain clothed one. He was from Chicago; he could spot an undercover right away. His heart began beating fast as the three men stood in the back of the church. He could tell even from that distance that they were looking directly at him.

“The word says, ‘
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints
’.”

Leon closed his eyes searching for words attempting to gather his thoughts. He opened his eyes and looked back toward the door. They had unassumingly positioned themselves on the very back row. As far as he knew, Ariel and Rick had not known anybody on the force. So why were they here?