Religious Love
Authors: T.P. Horton
Table of Contents
Chapter 3: Temptations Victory
Chapter 15: God Kept His Promise
Chapter 23: Two Smacks to the Face
Chapter 29: Rekindled Furry Home
Chapter 30: Journey back to Health
Chapter 31: Standing in the Face of Fate
Chapter 33:
Laughing to Keep From Beating That Ass
Excerpt: “Religious Love” Spin Off titled “It Ain’t Home Wrecking If I Had Him First”
Written by Author T.P. Horton
Copyright © 2015
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This novel is a work of Realism. Any resemblances to actual events, real people, living or dead, organizations, establishments or locales are products of the author’s imagination. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are used fictitiously.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission from the publisher and writer.
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication, and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Dedications
This book is dedicated to love, and its unique power that we’ll all one day learn to respect. For the people who understand the power of prayer, patience and God’s perfect timing in connecting us all with our soul mate. God is the best match maker in the world; I thank him for giving me my perfect match.
Introduction
“
Today is my day! It’s finally here; no one can steal my joy. I never would have thought; after all the hell I went through in life. Someone would actually love or marry me even for that matter.” I said out loud while waiting excitedly for my bridesmaids to convene at the church today.
I got up and walked over to my beautiful white gown, “who said a woman like me could prance down the aisle in white?” The meaningful tears begin to fill my eyes.
“Oh no,” my make-up is running.
“Lord let me fix this.” I hurried to the beautiful vanity in the dressing room, grabbed some Kleenex and gently patted the black streaks of mascara from my face. My attempt to fix myself is not working favorably. I panicked assuming, that this day would not happen. My bridesmaids are late, no one has gotten here yet, and my face is ruined.
Wait let me pray this anxiety away,
Father God, in the precious name of Jesus; I ask that you help me with my feelings, be the sustainer of my mind and keep me in this weak moment that I’m struggling with, in my thoughts. You gave me Lee and I’m eternally grateful for he has been everything that I’ve ever needed in my life
.”
I begin to shake; felt Gods quickening power and some new strength. All I can do right now is bow, my head in total silence. His Shekinah glory is filling the temple.
I nod my head; my mouth is silenced. My prayer is being answered; God is reminding me of his promise, “Thank you Jesus.”
I walk over to the shoe box on the chair and pulled out a unique pair of handcrafted glass slippers. My smile is lighting up the room with positive thoughts of Lee and I exchanging vows. I grabbed my stockings, took them out of the package, and pulled them gently up my legs.
I sent up another prayer, Lord please don’t let my beautiful French manicured toe nails run my off- black stockings.”
I’m hearing many footsteps that are getting closer to the door. There’s been a heavy knock and sudden twist on the knob, who is it?”
“Girl hurry up and unlock this damn door,” my maid of honor kicked the bottom of the door, “this stuff is heavy.” Olivia said.
“Thank God,” I ran to the door. As I unlocked the door; my stockings got snagged by the chipped wood sticking out from the side of the antique piano.
“Now that’s just great,” are the frustrated words I mumble.
I opened the door and let Olivia into the dressing room.
“Give me some of this stuff girl,” I was almost run over by my stampede of children and grandchildren.
“Y’all could have helped Liv carry all of this stuff up here.”
“Girl it is okay dang; now come on, we got to get you married today!” Olivia said with excitement.
“Denien pick your face up, I got plenty more stockings in that trunk over yonder. Maybe if you would have shaved your legs…” She paused.
“Forget you Liv,” I busted out laughing and so did everyone else in the room.
I love Olivia. She always knew how to make me laugh when I would face both major and minor obstacles. I’m so glad to have a friend like her. I couldn’t do anything but reach out and say, I love you girl.
“Enough of the mush, we got 5 hours to get you ready to jump the broom. By the way, I love you too,” Liv smiled and said at the same time.
She gave me a hug. She and all of my beautiful bridesmaids, as well as the stunning flower girls, got beautified for my big day. I got dressed and took a deep look in the mirror. I’m taken back; admiring how extremely beautiful, and it had nothing to do with this dress I’m killing. It had everything to do with this rose on the inside of it, which grew beautifully from the concrete.
“Where is my mother?” I asked.
She must have felt my anxiety.
She entered the room.” Calm your britches! Here I am kitty. Stand up. I got something for you.” She said as I got up to walk over to her.
She turned me around and said, “Close your eyes.”
I felt her wrap something around my neck. I pulled up my hair so whatever it was, wouldn’t get tangled in my princess tiara.
“Turn around,” She said.
I could hear the love from my mother’s voice. I could tell she was crying by the trembling waves that shot sensors through my ever so sensitive ears.
I open my eyes and looked in the mirror at my deceased great-grandmothers pearl necklace, “absolutely beautiful.” Pearl said.
I gave my mother a hug and dried her tears.
“My baby is finally getting married! Sit down and let me finish gifting you.” She said as she wiped her eyes and grabbed my hand.
“This necklace is something old.” She went into a recycled shopping bag.
“Give me your leg my sweet child.”
I pulled up my dress, and she pulled out a guarder belt. ”This is something borrowed full of love and luck.
“You got to give it back now! Sunny and I be role playing with this.” She said as the room belted out loud with laughter from my mother’s shenanigans.
“You all stop that fuss now,” Pearl said as she went to give me the last gift.
“Denien, You and I have not always been on the best of terms. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day as well as your life.” She reached in the bag.
I could hear emotional sniffles from the small crowd as they share this heartfelt moment with me and my mom.
“I give you this piece of wisdom Kitty,” she called me by my nickname and went on to say,” Marriage is not easy.”
I grab the Kleenex from her hand. And I listen carefully to my mother’s words.
“I love you. I embrace Lee as if he was my very own son. I have watched the two of you grow into something very strong and powerful; people who really love one another. I have seen the highs and the lows. But what I never saw; was nothing artificial between the two of you. You have blessed me with a beautiful set of twin boys that are my life.
I want you to take all the fight that it took to get right here and keep it going; trails will come your way. You fight like never before because now you’re working on building a marriage. It’s more than having a wedding; that’s just a sweet dance of one small victory.
People will come and try to take what you have just because you two will be married. When the slugs come out of the woodworks and try to slither up the past. You better have a bottle of salt on deck and ready to go hard for your husband! Stand your ground and continue to build. Look around you sweetheart. You and Lee made it out baby! You are two mega-billionaires by the work of two sets of hands. And you all did it by yourselves and now God is rewarding the diligent with a durable life together. I’m proud to call him son,” she expressed.
“Thanks mom. This means a lot coming from you. I’m glad that you are here. I always asked God to let us be okay when this day arrived.” I responded.
She reached in the bag,” Here is a dildo and some batteries; for when you and Lee get on the shaky ground. Trust me it will come child. What I’m trying to say is that divorce is not an option. When you go through, there is a couch and not an open door. Denien I’m proud of you,” My mother said.
We laughed hard and continued to get ready for my big walk.
“I don’t like all this silence; Pearl got the room feeling all serene. Somebody please say something,” Olivia said with aggravation in her voice.
“I know what,” Peal stretched her arms, “Come children, everybody gathers around Denien.”
“Share with all the single ladies; the importance of patience and really waiting on God. Tell them how you and Lee first met. We got three hours so you can give us the long version.”
Everyone agreed with momma Pearl as they gathered around, got quiet and waited for Denien. All ears are open and keen waiting for me to pass on; the power of listening to God when he has revealed the identity of your husband. And how to be steadfast in those times when it seems like, what God had spoken was a figment of a wild imagination.
I sat there thinking about Lee, all of these memories are flooding my mind like raging waters breaking a levy. I don’t even know where to begin.
I grabbed a piece of chewing gum; emptied out to my family and dearest of friends. I opened my mouth to speak; reliving pieces of our journey. They gathered around as if I was Ruth telling them about my dearest Boaz.
*************
It was 2001; I was every bit of 24 years old. I had just moved to Pontiac Michigan. I call myself starting over and leaving my past behind me. My two oldest daughters, Sapphire and Ruby were very young. I wanted them to have a life far greater than what I experienced.
We moved into the projects. A place where I didn’t want to be, but the children had a roof over their head. I was content beyond measure but not satisfied with this particular complex.
Where I had just traveled from was not an easy road, all that I’m going to testify to is, God kept me from dangers seen and unseen. I was so humble at that point of my life. I knew that my shit actually stunk. Now that I could smell my life it was time to freshen it up.
I was always perceived as going for bad; I wasn’t bad. I found my voice and no one could make me be quiet ever again. I found courage to live and to one day love.
So we’re living in Riverside Bradley, a place where family had nothing to do with blood. I met all kind of new relatives in the three years I stayed in the apartment complex.
Approximately one month after living in Michigan, I ended up giving my life to Christ. That’s when my life started to change.
As newbie Christians, we do everything by the good book. It’s something about being new in Jesus. You got all this zeal and you try to live right the best possible way that you can.
You should have seen me making my Jesus proud! I was involved in the church real heavy and engulfed with so much power. You wouldn’t believe that I stayed more at the church then in my own home. I was a sold out “Holy Roller”; full of so many uncovered issues.
My issues didn’t stop me; hell I was a work in progress. I would still walk through the projects and hold Morning Prayer. I would lay hands on the sick; they would be healed back to perfect health. I remember even giving sight back to a blind man. I also healed a woman from Lupus. My days in Jesus were full of fire.
You want the truth; my nights were a living hell. My coo-coo started talking to me in those lonely nights. I had been celibate for six long months prior to my move. That would make it a year since I had sex, including masturbation.
The room busted out in laughter. I guess being celibate was a joke as the chuckles became contagious all the way down to the teenagers in the room. I didn’t care what they thought because in the end, the truth shall set you free and I’m a flying eagle.
Olivia spit her water on the floor as my words caught her off guard.
” Girl it couldn’t be me. Somebody would have been mad at me; straight evil and contrary. Denien! Girl you’re a better woman than me. Finish telling us honey-boo.” She said while cleaning the water off of her flawless face.
“Well as I was telling you ladies. I was on the verge of a sexual breakdown seriously; about to lose my religion. I was starting to ask myself. Jesus, who in the hell has left the gate opened?” I paint the picture for them.
There I was doing my morning ritual, praying, uplifting the homeless and setting the captives free. As I put the stink on it by saying, “In Jesus name, amen,” I heard a whistle up above my head.
I brushed it off and carried on with my day. I walked to the store noticing, that I was being followed by a strange looking fella. I didn’t panic nor feared his presence. I knew that God was on my side.
I proceeded to open the door. He ran in front of me and made a gesture of chivalry by opening the door for me.
“Let me get that pretty lady,” He insisted while checking out my hour glass physique. I entered the store to shop for some bread, cheese and bologna.
I caught an attitude, cut my eye at him and said, “Thank you.”
I refused to give him any time of day. I was not on anything that had to do with a man. Hell I had simply been through enough bullshit to entertain his good smelling self.
I got my items, went to the register and made my purchase. On my way out of the door, he was standing there waiting for my departure.
He opened the door. “Have a nice day pretty lady.”
“You do the same,” I said continuing not to give any eye contact or false hope for his ego.
My heels hit the pavement like a woman being stalked; all you heard was my heels click-clacking all the way back to the projects. I got to the stop sign and grew devastated because of the do- not- walk sign that flashed before my face. I contemplated if I wanted to catch that J-Walking ticket or not; as the police sat right across the street waiting for me to bust a move. I think not was my final answer.
I sat my groceries on the floor to give my strong arms a break. I looked back and saw him running towards me.
“Dang,” I said out loud because I smelled his bullshit back at the store and it stunk.
“I’m glad I caught you; let me help you with your bags.”
“No thank you! I got it,” I said politely taking them from his hands and walked across the street.
He looked at me as if his eyes were saying, “I like a challenge.”
I looked back as my eyes were actually saying, “Cold day in hell nigga.”
He stood at the bus stop talking to the others that was waiting for the COTA Transit. He shook hands with a couple of them and then boldly pointed at me.
I heard one man saying, “might as well hang it up for that one; she is not like the other girls around here, man. She’s saved and faithfully goes to Bible Way. That church right over there across the street,” He explained and pointed his finger between his two pals in the direction of the church house.
I paid them no attention and went to the house, cooked for Sapphire and Ruby. Then I ended that day watching TV.
During a commercial break there was an AD that I laughed at called Lava-Life. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not innocent by a long shot. I had never seen a dating service before or one that was so bold; that it actually allowed you to talk to people on the phone. I turned off the TV, prayed and went to bed.