The Perfect Christian (5 page)
Read The Perfect Christian Online
Authors: E. N. Joy
Chapter Nine
“Baby, can you just come back home? I . . . I need you, girl. I love you. Please come back home.” Those weren't the words Willie had rehearsed on his way over to Doreen's parents' house, but those were the only words that managed to roll off his tongue now that he stood on their doorstep. He'd planned on showing up at her parents' doorstep and laying down the law, demanding Doreen to come home. But what he was doing now sounded a lot more like begging and pleading.
It had been two nights since the couple's falling out at the juke joint, and Willie swore he couldn't stand another day being apart from Doreen. He'd held out the past two nights from even calling her, holding on to the idea that she'd realize she couldn't stand to be without him and make her way home. That hadn't been the case, however. Ever since coming home that night after their argument and finding her and her bags gone, Willie hadn't even been able to think straight. The funny thing was, all the times when Doreen had been waiting for him to come home, he'd been in no rush getting there, stopping off to do whatever it was that he wanted to do. Sometimes he wouldn't even stop in from work first just to say hello. Now that Doreen wasn't there waiting for him, lo and behold, there he'd been sitting in his favorite chair staring at the television box. It was a scene on television that had prompted him to get out of that chair, grab his britches and his pride, and go get his wife.
In the movie, the leading male had pretty much taken his wife for granted, with her ultimately leaving him for another man. Willie gritted his teeth at just the thought of it. Thinking maybe that movie was some kind of signâthat God was trying to tell him somethingâhe wasted no time going to the only place where he knew Doreen would be.
“You need me? You love me?” Doreen repeated Willie's words through the screen door as she stood inside the house. “Humph; word around town is that you be saying those same exact words to Agnes.” Doreen stood in the doorway of her parents' home with folded arms.
“Who been telling you those lies?” Willie asked. “Because that's exactly what they areâlies. I ain't been telling no other woman I love them, because you are the only woman I love.” He touched Doreen's cheek that was steaming red with anger. “You're the only woman I've ever loved. That's why I just had to have you, girl. You are the only woman I've ever thought twice about making my wife. I never imagined in a million years I'd be the settling-down type.”
“And from the looks of things, you're still not.” Doreen's mother had heard enough. She'd been standing behind the half-open door, off to the side listening to Willie and Doreen's conversation. Now it was time she participated in the conversation and add her two cents.
“Good evening, Mrs. Hamilton,” Willie greeted his mother-in-law.
“It was.” Mrs. Hamilton cut her eyes at Willie, and then looked at her daughter who gave her a knowing look. She then turned back to Willie and gave a forced smile. “I'm sorry. I suppose that wasn't the Christian thing to say. Besides, it ain't none of my business nohow. Doreen here picked you, so she's the one who has got to deal with you. Since she married you in the house of the Lord and in God's name, that makes you my son-in-law. So, I'm thinking that means I have to deal with you too.” She gave Willie the once-over. “So you gonna stand outside on my porch forever or are you gonna come in for supper, and then take your wife home?”
Willie tried not to smile, but one crept out anyway. Still, it wasn't as hard as he wanted to smile. “Uh, yes, ma'am. I will. I am.” He put his hand on the screen door and took a step toward the entrance of the house. He halted his steps when he saw the not-so-welcoming look on Doreen's face. “I mean, yes, I will, that is, if Doreen will have me still.”
All eyes turned to Doreen now in anticipation of her response. She looked at her mother as if she held the answer.
“I don't know what you are looking at me for,” Mrs. Hamilton said. “Like I said, you picked him. God hates divorce, and I don't think He's too fond of separation either. Separation is like a crack for Satan to seep into and do his dirty work.”
Knowing darn well that she loved Willie's dirty drawers and wanted nothing more than to skip dinner and get home with her man, Doreen still played it cool. She didn't want Willie to think he could get away with this type of behavior without any repercussion; with her just falling right back into his arms as if nothing had happened. So, after a brief pause, she sighed and relaxed her shoulders. This made Willie think she was game for the reconciliation, so he took another step into the house.
“I'll think about it,” Doreen finally answered. On that note, she pushed Willie back outside and slammed the door in his face. Then she walked over to the window and watched him make a slow, dreadful trek back to his car, and then drive off homeâwithout her. All Doreen could do was turn around and fall into her mother's arms. “Oh, Mama, I love him so much, but I don't know if I can do this. Marriage is forever. Can I really do this forever?”
“Look here, baby girl.” Mrs. Hamilton separated herself from Doreen and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Willie is the same man today that he was when you married him some months ago. As much as you tried to act like you didn't, you knew exactly what kind of man you were marrying, so you have no right to complain about it now. Now all you can do is deal with him. Don't try to change him, because it ain't gonna work. Only God can change a person, and He can't even do it if that person won't receive itâif that person doesn't want to be changed.”
Doreen felt hopeless. “Well, can I at least ask God to change him?”
“Sure, you can, but I have a better idea.”
Doreen's eyes lit up. “What is it?”
“Ask God to change you and how you deal with ol' Willie, because trust me, dear, things are not about to get better any time soon. And I'm not trying to say all this just to scare you, but Doreen, baby, when you take up with the devil, you are bound to go through hell.”
Chapter Ten
Doreen entered the church with thanksgiving. This was the day that the Lord had made, and she was so glad about that. She felt so blessed to see another day through God's grace and mercy that her spirit could do nothing less than rejoice. As the praise and worship team led the church in a few hymns, she sang like her life depended on it. She belted those praise songs out of her belly like she was giving birth. Her praise led to a worship so deep that even when the song was over Doreen didn't want to come out. She couldn't come out. She didn't come outânot until about ten minutes afterward when all the other praise and worship members had already left the stage and gone to their seats among the congregation. Even as she walked to her seat, tears streamed down her face as she mumbled in her prayer language to God.
The announcements had been read and her father had already started preaching by the time Doreen made it to her seat. She was none the wiser of what had been going on in the sanctuary, though. She had been in the Lord's presence. She had His attention. It was as if she'd reached out and touched His garment, and now that she had a good grip on Him, she didn't want to let Him go.
“That's right, Sis, give Him some praise,” Doreen's little sister, Pauline, whispered in her ear as Doreen took a seat next to her. Pauline, or Paula as everyone called her, was the third daughter. She patted the top of Doreen's hand. “It's gon' be all right. You just keep praying, praising, and worshiping. God will get you through.”
Doreen looked at her little sister and smiled. Pauline had always been wise beyond her years. That child loved the Lord and was after His heart so badly, she would have given David a run for his money. Preacher Girl was the pet name their father had for her. He said out of all his children, she was going to be the one to take over the church after him. And that was something big coming from Mr. Hamilton, because it wasn't too long ago that he felt women had no business behind the pulpit unless it was to do announcements or sing. Guess God showed him. God done went and born to him the very thing he felt shouldn't existâa woman preacher.
God certainly does have a way of changing folks. Doreen was glad about that, because hopefully, God could keep working on changing her. Her mother had been right last year when she told Doreen that she was going to go through hell with Willie. The past year had indeed felt like hell.
That next day after Doreen had gone back to Willie from her parents' house, and for the next month or so after that, things had been great. Willie had even taken up joining Doreen for church three Sundays in a row. It wasn't too long after that, though, Willie turned back to his wicked ways. He was back hanging out at his parents' place all night, gambling, drinking, lying, and God knows what else. Doreen didn't know what else, but certainly God did. Doreen didn't want to know either. This was a time when she didn't mind being ignorant of Satan's devices, knowing some things just hurt too badly. The ironic thing about it was that sometimes not knowing hurt even worse. Doreen knew one thing though; she had a family that prayed, and with their prayers and those of her own, she could get the victory over any situation the devil threw her way.
After church, Doreen felt rejuvenated and brand new. God had restored so much in her, it was as if she had the strength of Samson now. She didn't even let the fact get to her that Willie had brought only half his paycheck home this week when he stumbled in drunk in the wee hours of the morning. He'd gamble off most of their bill money, but she would make it work. As a matter of fact, she would be prepared for things like this by finding a way to contribute her own money to the household.
“Pound cakes and dinners!” Doreen said out loud as she walked up to her house. “I'll sell pound cakes or chicken dinners. Heck, I might even sell 'em in that old juke joint,” Doreen laughed. She then thanked the Holy Spirit for giving her such a good idea. Doreen was leaning more toward pound cakes. She made the best pound cakes that side of Kentucky. Everyone in the church had told her so. Every time the church was having a bake sale or some kind of event that required the members to bring food, the first thing everyone would ask was, “What did Sister Doreen bring?” Then they'd charge right over to her dish and get to devouring it.
Doreen could burn in the kitchen like nobody's business. She had to. With her mother helping her father so much with the church, she had to help out a lot at home. Cooking was her favorite thing. A gift from God is what most called it. Well, she would take her gift and use it to bless the finances of her home.
“Willie? Willie, guess what? The Holy Spirit just gave me a wonderful idea,” Doreen exclaimed as she barged into the house. She couldn't wait to tell her husband about the entrepreneurial spirit that had just been dropped into her being. She was so excited to share her news with Willie that she didn't even stay for fellowship in the dining hall like she usually did. She had raced straight home instead.
Usually Willie was always sitting in the living room in his favorite chair watching television when Doreen got home from church, but to Doreen's surprise, not today. Only his shoes sat in front of the chair. Doreen walked over and picked them up and sighed. “That Willie. I've told him a million times about leaving his shoes laying around. What's he want me to do? Trip over them and break my . . .” Doreen's words trailed off as she spotted another pair of shoes, but unless Willie wore black open toe patent leather high-heel shoes, this pair was not his. They certainly weren't hers.
All of a sudden Doreen gasped, and Willie's shoes fell out of her hand and to the floor. Both her hands dropped to her belly, and she held it as if she was trying to keep her insides from spilling out. Her eyes became moist as she shook her head and mumbled, “No, Willie, not in my houseânot in our house . . . in my bed.”
She began to tremble as she picked up the pair of women's shoes. She began taking steps toward her closed bedroom door. The closer she got, she could hear some whispering and shuffling around inside. Doreen reached for the doorknob. Did she really want to know what was going on, on the other side of that door? Would whatever she saw lead her back to her parents' home, and for good this time?
Just standing there at the door with her hand on the knob she had yet to turn, Doreen waited for the answers to all of the questions that had been running through her head. None cameânot soon enough anyway, because before she knew it, she had flung the door wide open.
“Doreen, baby! What you doing here?” Willie said as he stood over by the open window with no shirt on and his britches barely pulled up.
Doreen looked around the small room. Willie was alone. She walked over to the closet, opened the door, and did a search. No one was in there. She walked over to the bed, kneeled down, and looked under it. No one was there. She stood back up and shot Willie a glare.
Nervous as all get out, Willie asked, “Wha . . . what are you looking for, sweetness?” As he spoke, he inched in front of the open window. Just then, Doreen heard some tires peeling off. She ran over to the window, but Willie was there to block her.
“What you doing, honey? I'm so glad you're home. I'm so glad to see you.” Willie swooped Doreen up and embraced her, spinning her around in the air as if he hadn't seen his wife in a month of Sundays.
“Put me down this instant, Willie Tucker,” Doreen spat as she wiggled and squirmed out of his arms. She immediately stuck her head out of the window only in time to witness the dust the speeding car had left behind. Doreen wasn't no betting woman, but she was sure enough willing to bet the farm that whoever owned that getaway car also owned those high-heel shoes she held in her hand. “Who was she, Willie? Who did you have in my house?” Doreen was so angry, but she was hurt more than anything as she said the words, “In my bed? That's our bed, Willie.”
“Woman, you crazy. Ain't no other woman been in this house,” Willie said with a straight face.
“Oh yeah? Then who do these belong to?” Doreen held up the shoes to a dumbfounded Willie.
“Uh, well, uh, why, those belong to you,” he stammered. “Yeah, I, uh, won them in a card game last night at the bar. I laid 'em out for you so I wouldn't forget to give them to you.”
“Is that so?” Doreen asked, not believing a word that came out of his mouth.
“Yeah, that's the truth. I swear to God.”
Doreen cringed and took a step backward, almost falling out of the window. She'd much rather fall out of the one-story window and land in the bush that sat outside their bedroom window than get struck by the lightning bolt that was about to come down and take out old Willie.
Sensing the disbelief in his wife, Willie added, “For real. Some guy made his wife take 'em off and put them right in the pot. I just happen to win them. I mean, I know they might be a little high for you, but I figured it just might be time for you to give a few new things a try.”
Was Willie trying to tell his wife something with that last comment of his?
“Try new things, huh?” Doreen said. “Well, let me tell you this much, Willie; I don't want what another woman has already had.”
He shrugged. “Fine; then. I'll just give 'em back to the fella whenever I see him again.” Willie reached for the shoes, but Doreen pulled them away.
“That won't be necessary. You just go on about your business. Get yourself cleaned up while I fix you some lunch to hold you over until dinner,” Doreen told him.
Willie swallowed hard. “But, uh, what about the shoes?”
“Oh, these shoes right here?” Doreen played dumb. She looked the shoes up and down. “They're not my style. But don't worry; I'll make it a point to find the owner of them myself and give them back to her personally.”
“Uh, well, are you sure?” Willie looked as if he'd swallowed a rotten egg whole and was about to throw it back up.
“Positive.” Doreen twitched up her nose.
“Well, fine then. I guess I'll go and take that shower.” Willie turned around and practically ran into the door. He looked back over his shoulder at Doreen and smiled, then tripped out the bedroom door and made his way down the hall to the bathroom.
The strong, in control expression Doreen had on her face turned into a weak, sad one. Her head that she'd been holding up felt like it weighed 200 pounds as she let it drop.
“Why do I put up with his mess?” she asked herself out loud. She didn't have to ponder on the answer. She loved Willie. He was her husband. And like her mother and God's Word said, God didn't like divorce. Divorce would have most certainly been the easy way out, but Doreen feared a divorce might be more hurtful and painful for her to deal with than staying married.
The moistness in her eyes turned to tears and fell. She was hurting. She was hurting bad. “God help me,” was all she could say as she turned and looked back outside the window. It was then she received a new revelation for the term “Ram in the bush.”
Doreen looked down at the shoes again. “If the prince could find Cinderella with a single shoe, surely I can find the woman who has been sleeping with my husband with two.”
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