The Pastor's Wife (11 page)

B
eat it. Please. I’m bringing him home.

Savannah had quickly texted that message to Tyra while Terrance stepped out to gas up his truck.

They had ridden much of the way in silence, with Terrance simply offering up a meek apology for his aunt’s actions.

“I understand. You’re their baby,” Savannah had replied, rubbing his arm. Inside, she was turning backflips. This couldn’t have turned out better if she’d planned it herself. As soon as she got home, she planned to show him the police report, the marriage annulment, and the affidavit her cousin had signed so that Savannah wouldn’t be held accountable for anything that fool Rico, the man her cousin had married, might do. Yep, after Terrance saw all that, it was on. Their fate would be sealed. He would be so angry with his aunts, and so pleased with the dignified way that she’d handled herself, that he would have to give their relationship a serious chance.

Twenty minutes later as he pulled in front of her apartment, Savannah turned to Terrance. “I know you’re always in a hurry. But please come inside so I can show you the papers. I don’t want there to be any doubt, and I don’t want anyone to be able to say I had time to doctor up or create some papers.”

Terrance ran his hand over the back of his head. He didn’t need this drama in his life.

“Please, for me. It would crush my heart if you thought that I had been lying to you.”

Terrance forced a smile, then cut off the engine. He quietly followed her up the walkway to her apartment.

Savannah inhaled thankfully when she didn’t see Tyra’s car. “I hope my roommate didn’t leave the apartment a mess. If she did, you’ll have to excuse it. Even though it’s kinda small, it can be hard to keep clean.”

Terrance just grunted. He wanted to tell her the cleanliness of her place was the last thing he was interested in.

Inside, Savannah set her purse down and went straight to her bedroom. Terrance followed her and watched as she pulled a box off the top shelf in her closet. All kinds of emotions were running through his head.

“Here.” Savannah handed him the box. “It should be at the top of the stack of papers.”

“You don’t have to do this.”

“I want to. I want you to trust me.”

Terrance slowly took the box and sat down on the bed.

“I’m going to go get a glass of wine. Would you like anything?”

He shook his head and slowly lifted the top of the box.

Savannah couldn’t help but smile as she headed toward the kitchen.

Terrance took a deep breath as he began perusing the papers. He felt both relief and disgust as he read the police report and subsequent affidavit. Everything Savannah had said was true, which meant his aunts had crossed the line. This was the last straw. They’d gone too far, and he couldn’t blame Savannah if she never forgave them.

Terrance eased the papers back in the box, placed the box back on her closet shelf, and made his way into the living room. Savannah was seated on the leather sofa, her legs crossed, slowly bobbing her head to the light jazz that was filling the room. She had a glass of wine in her hand and seemed lost in thought.

Terrance spent a moment watching her. She really was beautiful. Maybe she was a little rough around the edges because it was all she’d ever known. Maybe, with a little refining, she could really be a first lady the church would accept.

He inhaled and walked over to the sofa. She lightly smiled as he sat down next to her.

“I don’t even know how to begin telling you how sorry I am,” he said, his voice soft and low.

“Don’t worry about it. Your aunts are just concerned about you, that’s all. They want to make sure you’re getting with the right woman.”

“But they were so out of order.”

“Sssshh.” She reached over and handed him a glass of wine.

Normally, Terrance wasn’t much of a drinker, but after the day he’d had, he needed something to ease his nerves.

He took the wine, sipped it, and leaned back. “I’m sorry, Savannah. I just don’t know what to do about my aunts. I love them, but they are getting totally out of hand.”

Savannah couldn’t believe her luck. Terrance was exactly where she wanted him. She gently caressed the back of his neck as he continued to vent. He spent the next ten minutes going on about how his aunts had run his life for as long as he could remember.

“It’s been this way my whole life and I’m tired of it. They run off anyone I’m remotely interested in, and I think I just got to the point where I stopped even trying. I just immersed myself in my work, and soon dating didn’t become as important to me.” He sighed.

“I know your work is important, but while you’re taking care of everything and everyone else, it might be nice to have someone take care of you,” she softly said.

Terrance turned to her and smiled. Savannah could tell the wine was getting to him. His glass was empty again. She’d already filled it twice. She wanted to refill it again, but she didn’t want to break the moment.

She took her chances and gently laid her head on his shoulder.

“Thank you for listening.”

“That’s what I’m here for, baby.” She slowly looked up and kissed his cheek. She waited a moment to gauge his reaction. When he closed his eyes, she kissed him again, this time on the lips. It was a simple kiss at first, but when she felt his shoulders relaxing, she added intensity and allowed her tongue to flicker along his lips.

Terrance moaned, a part of his brain telling him he needed to stop before he crossed a line he wasn’t sure he was ready to cross. But it had been so long since he’d felt a woman’s touch. He had really been trying to live a godly lifestyle, but it had been difficult. And sitting here with Savannah now kissing his neck wasn’t making things any better.

“Terrance, don’t you want me?” Savannah whispered.

Terrance finally opened his eyes. He stared at her. Both she and Monty were right, he had to start making himself happy. And right about now, nothing would make him happier than making love to her.

“Yes, Savannah, I want you so bad,” he moaned.

Without another word, she stood and guided him back to her bedroom. Terrance followed, his mind in a daze. As she slowly undressed, he couldn’t help but mutter, “God forgive me,” before taking his clothes off as well.

T
errance had never been more confused. As good as making love to Savannah had been, he’d felt extremely guilty afterward and vowed that it would not happen again. But since he’d been hanging with Savannah regularly for the past three weeks, that was proving difficult. He had prayed and fasted in an effort to stay strong. He’d also asked that she respect his decision to abstain from sex. Still, it was hard.

“But I don’t understand what’s so wrong with two people who are obviously feeling each other to share themselves in such an intimate way,” she’d said one night as they sat in his townhome watching movies.

That night, she was clad in a miniskirt that left little to the imagination and a low-cut, tight blouse.

Terrance shifted, trying to ease his uncomfortableness. “Savannah, it’s just that I can’t, as a man of God, get up every Sunday morning and preach one thing and live my life a totally different way. It would be hypocritical.”

Savannah rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, T-baby. It’s not like pastors don’t have sex. Shoot, half of them are no good anyway.”

“I think that’s a slight exaggeration. But the bottom line is, all I care about is this pastor.” He pointed to his chest. “And I want to live a godly life.”

He could tell she didn’t agree, but she’d stopped pouting and ceased trying to get him into bed at every turn. Now, they’d settled into a comfortable routine. And while he did enjoy spending time with her, she still didn’t feel like “the one.”

“Knock, knock,” Raquel said, peeking her head in his office. As usual, she looked lovely in a long, flowing, black skirt. Her hair was pulled up in a cascade of curls, which sat on top of her head. “Just letting you know I’m leaving for the day.”

Terrance broke out in a big smile. Raquel had been quiet pretty much all day. He’d wanted to ask her if everything was all right, but he’d had to rush into a meeting, and after that Savannah had shown up to bring him lunch, which she’d started doing regularly, even though he’d told her not to.

“Hey, before you go, I just wanted to ask how things were going. How are you doing?”

Raquel looked down at the floor, then back up at him. “I’m fine.”

Terrance looked at her knowingly. “How long have we been friends?”

Raquel tried to smile. “I don’t know about friends, but I’ve been working for you for three years.”

“And you’ve been my friend for all three of those years, would you say that’s correct?”

She nodded.

“And you know I can tell when you’re not being straightforward with me. So I’ll ask again, and you know it’s against God’s law to lie in church,” he playfully warned.

She chuckled. “Yeah, right. If that were the case, then half the people in this church are in trouble.”

He smiled.

“No, I’m okay, really. Just more problems with Dolan, but nothing I can’t work through.” She tried to shoot him a reassuring look. He definitely wasn’t convinced.

“What happened to you leaving?”

“I’m working on it.” She looked away. “But honestly, we had a long talk. He’s agreed to take anger-management classes and, well, we’ll just see…”

Terrance couldn’t believe she was even contemplating staying with that fool.

“I have to ask this, has he hurt you again?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s just that I’m torn. I was very much in love with Dolan. But I just don’t know anymore. And even though he’s really trying, with each day that passes, I’m wondering more and more what I ever saw in him.”

Terrance was silent a few minutes before saying, “Well, you know if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

“What about you?” she asked, obviously trying to change the subject. “You and Savannah seem to be spending more time together.”

“It’s okay. She’s not as bad as people think, but I don’t know if it’s anything serious.”

“Umph, you know your aunts try to pump me for information almost daily.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” Terrance was grateful that, if nothing else, Raquel was loyal, and he didn’t have to worry about her telling any of his business.

“So you think you’ll propose to her in time for the Christmas celebration?”

Terrance’s eyes grew wide. “Whoa, don’t even go there.”

Raquel leaned against his doorway. “You know that’s what people around here are talking about.”

“Well, seeing as how the celebration is only two months away, I doubt very seriously that I’ll be giving them what they want.”

“They’ll have to settle for you just having a girlfriend, huh?” She seemed to be waiting on him to confirm that Savannah was indeed his girlfriend.

Instead, Terrance just laughed and said, “We’ll have to see what happens.”

W
as that really his phone ringing at this ungodly hour? Terrance fumbled for the phone on the nightstand next to his bed. He managed to open his eyes, and all he saw was the red digital alarm clock blaring 3:15 a.m.

“Hello,” he mumbled, hoping nobody had died, since those were the only kinds of calls he ever got this time of morning.

“Hello?” he repeated when the caller didn’t respond. He heard whimpering.

“Terrance? I mean, Pastor Ellis?”

“Raquel?” he asked, sitting up in his bed.

“Yeah, it’s me,” she said, sniffing.

“What’s wrong?” He felt his heart speed up.

“I’m so sorry to call you this late, but…”

“Don’t apologize. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I…I left. I left Dolan.”

Terrance was fully awake now. For Raquel to be calling him this time of morning meant something was seriously wrong. “What did he do?”

“He hit me again and I’m not living like that. When I told him that, he…he got even more violent, so I left,” she softly cried.

“Where are you? Are you in your car?”

“He hid my keys, and the spare. So, I left on foot. I just wanted to get out of there. I’ve never seen him like that.”

“Oh, Raquel, where are you?” Terrance asked, throwing back the covers on his bed. “I’m on my way.”

“I’m at the IHOP restaurant near Meyerland.” He could feel the relief in her voice. “I just walked to the first open restaurant I could find.”

“Well, go inside and wait. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“Terrance?”

“Yeah?” He was already slipping into his jogging pants.

“Thank you.”

“I told you, anything for a friend. I’m on my way.” He hung up the phone, grabbed his keys, and darted out.

Twenty minutes later Terrance was sitting in a booth across from Raquel.

“So, are you sure it’s over?” he asked. When he’d shown up, Raquel had hugged him so tightly, it made his heart hurt. Her eyes were red and puffy, her hair was disheveled, and she looked like she’d been to hell and back.

“I’m positive. I’ve been trying to hang in there, but I just can’t do it anymore.” She sounded like a wounded animal, and he wanted more than anything to take her in his arms and ease her pain. The way he was feeling actually shocked him. He’d always cared for Raquel, but this felt different. Seeing her so unhappy touched him deeper than he thought it would.

“I hate to have to call you like this, but I tried to call the police on Dolan and he just went ballistic,” Raquel said, her voice full of sadness.

“That’s insane. What did he expect you to do? Just sit there and let him beat you?” Terrance huffed.

“I know, but Dolan isn’t exactly a rational thinker.”

Terrance fought back the urge to hunt Dolan down and show him what it felt like to get beat. “Did the cops ever come?”

Raquel fought back tears as she seemed to replay the last few hours in her mind. “He yanked the phone out of the wall before I could even connect the call.”

Terrance reached out and covered her hands with his. “Raquel, I’m so sorry. You are a wonderful woman. You don’t deserve that.”

She dabbed at her eyes. “I know I don’t. I just hate that it took me so long to realize that.”

He didn’t know what to say, so he said, “Remember Second Corinthians, twelve and ten, ‘When I am weak, then He is strong.’”

She smiled. “Always the pastor, huh?”

He shrugged and returned her smile. “Can’t help it.”

They continued talking, and before Terrance knew it, the sun was coming up. “Wow, look at the time. I know you’ve got to be tired.”

She yawned. “Actually, I am worn-out.” She reached for her purse. “If you can just drop me off at the nearest hotel, I’ll be fine.”

“Hotel?” He looked at her like she was crazy. “You are not going to a hotel.”

“And where else would I go?”

“You’re going to my place until you get back on your feet,” he replied, like it was the only viable option.

“Oh, Terrance, I can’t do that. I’ll figure something out.”

“It’s already figured out.” He stood and extended his hand. “I have a three-bedroom townhome. I’m hardly ever there. I will be highly insulted if you don’t let me utilize those paisley sheets Aunt Eva bought for my guest room.” He plastered a fake offended look across his face. “And do you know how much a hotel bill will run you?” Terrance added, trying to convince her.

“But what about Savannah?” Raquel finally said.

Honestly, Terrance hadn’t even thought about Savannah. She definitely wouldn’t like Raquel staying at his place, but it was his place. “You let me worry about Savannah, okay?”

She gently smiled as she stood and took his hand. “Okay.”

“Now let’s go home.” He led her out of the restaurant.