The Preachers Son (25 page)

“Bishop Wilson, you’ve heard the opinions of Reverend Reynolds and some of the other members of the board. They seem to think that the recent media attention to your alleged indiscretions is harmful to the church’s reputation, and therefore they are calling for your removal as pastor of First Jamaica Ministries. Before we take this to a vote, we’d like to give you an opportunity to say a few words and answer a few questions if you don’t mind,” Deacon James Black, the chairman of the deacons board, told my husband.

The deacons board meeting was packed with friends and foes. I, for one, was glad that this day had finally come. We had been through a living hell the last month. The media were still dragging T.K. through the mud about fathering Tanisha and his relationship with Marlene, and the church had not made a public statement either supporting or rejecting their bishop. My good friend, Deaconess Wright, assured me T.K. still had a few supporters in the church, but I knew that Reverend Reynolds had started his own little campaign to erode that base of support. It had become very clear that he was looking to get rid of the bishop and settle right into position as the new head of the church. Unfortunately Deacon Emerson and Anita were now two of his biggest supporters. With T.K.’s future so uncertain, he and I were on pins and needles all month as we waited for this day, so I was relieved it had arrived. It would at least answer the question of where my husband stood with his once-loyal deacons board, so that we might be able to move ahead with our lives, with or without T.K.’s position in the church. I must admit I had no idea what we would do if T.K. was dismissed.

Our relationship with Dante, however, would still need much more time to heal. Dante had moved out right after the wedding. When T.K. and I went to him, asking him to listen to our explanation, he refused. He was vowing never to speak to his father again or forgive me for supporting him, and though it was breaking our hearts, we both knew enough to give Dante time. We prayed that someday soon our son would come back to us, ready to begin repairing our damaged family.

Donna had been angry with her father, of course, but her love for him was strong enough to withstand the truths that were revealed. Although she was back on bed rest and due to deliver within the next few weeks, Donna had insisted on coming to the deacons meeting to support her father, and for that I was grateful. I just wanted to see my family whole again.

I watched my husband as he stood and looked around the room, preparing to answer the board’s charges. As he made his way to the podium, his expression was very serious yet stately. This was the man I had loved for so many years; even under the greatest pressure, he displayed such confidence, such courage. He made eye contact with each and every one of the deacons and deaconesses on the board. At some time or another he had helped each one of them, and his eyes were reminders of that fact. He stopped to pause even longer when he reached his protégé, Reverend Reynolds, his eyes reflecting the reverend’s betrayal. Ever since he’d come to our church, we’d had that man in our house like he was one of our children. T.K. had taken Reverend Reynolds under his wing, and now it was his voice that was loudest in the call to remove my husband from the church.

“I’ll make a brief statement, Deacon Black, but I won’t be answering any questions,” T.K. announced at the podium.

“Why not?” Reverend Reynolds was quick to protest. “I think you owe us all an explanation for your infidelity and the embarrassment you’ve brought down on the church.”

T.K. chuckled. “I may owe my wife an explanation. I may even owe my children an explanation, but other than God, I don’t owe an explanation to anyone else.” There was some clapping in the background from a few members who had remained loyal to T.K. throughout this ordeal. “Now, may I go on with my statement, Reverend Reynolds?”

Reynolds sat down and Black nodded his approval.

“As you all know, I’ve been the pastor of First Jamaica Ministries for the last seventeen years. In that time, we’ve increased our congregation to become the largest church in the borough. We’ve built schools and day-care centers, and started countless programs to help this community. I’ve given my life to this church. I will be the first to say that I am sorry my indiscretions have caused the media to look negatively on our church, but I will not deny my daughter or—”

“So you admit she’s your daughter?” Reverend Reynolds asked smugly.

“Yes, she’s my daughter.” The first time I had heard T.K. say those words, I felt my heart sink, but now I was proud of him. This was a true man of God, admitting his mistakes even in the face of all it might cause him to lose.

“So you did cheat on your wife? Which means you committed adultery.” Clearly, Reverend Reynolds had decided to take over the meeting. If I wasn’t so dignified, I would have smacked the self-satisfied smirk right off his face.

T.K. ignored Reverend Reynolds and continued to speak to the board. “Now, I am going to make this statement once and only once.” He held his Bible tightly. “I love my wife. I’ve loved her since the day we met, and I swear on this Bible in my hand that I have never, ever committed adultery.” There was murmuring among some of the observers in the room, but T.K. continued without pause. “Now, some of you may believe that and some of you may not, but I will leave here with a clear conscience, knowing that I am right with my Lord. So, if you want to fire me, by all means do so.”

On that note, T.K. turned and walked straight out the door. The room erupted in whispers from every corner. Some observers and board members had their doubt written clearly on their faces. To them, it hadn’t mattered how many Bibles my husband had sworn on at that podium. Deaconess Wright looked my way, her eyes expressing her sympathy. I took strength from her steadfast support and stood to speak.

“Before you vote, Deacons, I’d like to say something.” My voice was calm and even. Reverend Reynolds would not intimidate me, for contrary to what he wanted everyone to think, I knew right from wrong, and my husband was right.

I approached the podium, straightening my hat before I spoke. “As you know, I am First Lady Charlene Wilson, and I’ve been married for over twenty years to that elegant man who just left. Now, it is my understanding that he has been placed on suspension and may possibly be replaced as pastor of this church because he has allegedly commited infidelities. Am I correct?”

“The exact charges are actions unbecoming a pastor,” Deacon Black explained, clearly confused by my question. “But yes, that is our concern.”

Reverend Reynolds had the nerve to speak to me, and in such a condescending tone that I had the urge to smack him once again. “First Lady Wilson, we all know that you have to defend your husband, but he has embarrassed the church and cheated on you. Please try to understand. We are just trying to right his wrong.”

“Don’t you dare try to act like you’re defending my honor, Reverend Reynolds. You, who ate at the bishop’s table every Sunday, and now try to kick him while he’s down. You think I don’t know what you’re up to? You…you Judas!”

“Ahem.” Deacon Black cleared his throat. “First Lady Wilson, can we get to your comments?”

“Of course, Deacon,” I responded. I had to remind myself not to let Reverend Reynolds rattle me. “If you will indulge me, I’d like to tell you all a story.”

Reverend Reynolds tried once again to shake me up. “I’m sorry, First Lady, but what does this have to do wi—”

Deaconess Wright came to my defense. “Let the first lady speak, Reverend.” Several voices in the room echoed their agreement with my friend.

“Please continue, First Lady Wilson,” Deacon Black said. “Reverend Reynolds, I must ask you to hold your comments until the first lady has completed her statements.”

Reverend Reynolds leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest, undoubtedly thinking of a speech of his own to deliver after I finished.

“Thank you, Deacon Black,” I said. I took a deep breath and held my head high as I prepared to reveal secrets that had stayed buried for over twenty years. It was time to tell the truth. I owed this much to T.K.

“As I was saying, I have a story to tell you about a young man living a tragic life in Virginia. This man was not a member of any church. The only thing he worshipped was crack cocaine. He and his woman were totally addicted.

“One day, the woman had a reaction to some bad crack. She slipped into unconsciousness and the young man didn’t know what to do. He ran for help and found himself at a church, where he met a visiting minister who offered his assistance. The minister took the man back to his home and together they got the woman to a hospital, barely in time to save her life.

“The woman remained in a coma for two weeks. During that time, the minister visited the young man at the hospital daily. Together, they prayed for the woman, begging God to spare her life. The minister also prayed over the man as he fought his own battle against the demons that controlled him. By the end of two weeks, the young man had successfully survived his painful withdrawal from crack, and had found a new reason to live. He found the Lord. He vowed to devote his life to God, because he had much to be thankful for. God had delivered him from his addiction, and his woman came out of her coma and would soon be coming home.

“The minister who had helped the young man was only visiting, to relieve a fellow minister during a month-long sabbatical. The time had come for him to return to his own church. Having found a new life in God and being saved, the young man asked the minister if he could go to New York with him. When the minister agreed, the young man went home to his woman and told her the good news. He was eager for her to experience the freedom he felt now that he had rejected drugs and found the Lord.

“The woman, however, was not ready. She’d had people sneaking drugs into the hospital ever since she had woke up from her coma. She told this young man she would not go to New York and that she liked her life just the way it was. He begged and pleaded with her for days, but it was no use. The drugs still controlled her. She was still using, and trying to convince him to join her again.

“Knowing he’d be in danger of losing his battle with drugs if he stayed with her, the young man left Richmond, Virginia, without her.”

At this point, I noticed Reverend Reynolds squirming in his seat, probably trying to distract me. Everyone else in the room, though, was silent and still. With a determined glare at Reverend Reynolds, I continued.

“In New York, the young man joined the minister’s fledgling church and stayed true to his vows to the Lord. He stayed off drugs, and even started going to seminary. For two years the minister watched him grow into a fine, devoted Christian, and he knew that someday this young man could achieve great things. The young man became part of his family, almost like a son to him.”

Now came the part that I hated to reveal. This was a story I had hoped to be able to keep in the past. This was the reason T.K. had refused to answer any questions. He had been protecting me.

“The minister did have a child, but she was not living up to his high hopes. She was wild and promiscuous. It was only a matter of time before her immoral and fast lifestyle caught up to her and of course it did. The minister was devastated when he learned that his daughter was pregnant, and even worse, that she had no idea who had fathered the baby.”

I paused and held tightly to the podium to stop my hands from shaking. The time had come to open the door to my own closet full of skeletons.

“As I’m sure many of you have already figured out, that young man was the man you now know as Bishop T.K. Wilson. The visiting minister was my own father, the Reverend Dr. Charles Jackson, and the pregnant daughter was me.”

I heard gasps from several people in the room, including my good friend Deaconess Wright. I was afraid to look at Donna, but I held fast to the belief that God would somehow bring my family through this trial. I struggled to continue.

“My father was lost when he learned of my pregnancy, and it was T.K. who came to him with a solution. You see, T.K. had professed his love to me long before this time, but I was too wild and too troubled to even give him the time of day. Knowing that my pregnancy would destroy my father’s career and quite possibly the young church he had started, T.K. offered to claim the child as his and marry me. My father accepted this plan, though of course I protested loudly. In the end, T.K. and I were married, and twenty-two years later, I can tell you that it was the best thing that could ever have happened to me.

“This man, who some of you would like to see removed from his position, pulled himself out of the grasp of addiction and then saved me from continuing down the path of moral self-destruction I had been on. For the past two decades, he has thanked the Lord daily for his salvation. He has been devoted to this church, and I know many of you must admit he came to your aid during your own times of trouble.”

My eyes traveled around the room as I looked at each person who had come to T.K. at some time with their own stories of personal failings. In every case, he had helped these people with generosity, and always without judgment. This included Reverend Reynolds, but he obviously felt no gratitude to my husband.

“That’s a very nice story, First Lady,” he began with ice in his tone, “but it still does not forgive the fact that he had a child out of wedlock. A child he abandoned.”

“Reverend Reynolds, that is where you are wrong. The bishop only learned of his daughter’s existence on the same day that all of you did. The young woman that he left in Virginia was indeed Marlene Jones, but after he came to New York, they never again had contact. He had no idea that she was pregnant when he left. I can tell you that had he known, he would never have abandoned that child. And you can see for yourself that he will not deny her now. With God’s help, he is prepared to forge a relationship with his daughter and do what he can to help Marlene stay free from drugs. And I plan to be by his side.

“So, to you and anyone else who would still insist on removing the bishop from his position, I would remind you that none of us is without sin. Bishop Wilson has sinned, as we all have, but he has proven time and time again that he is devoted to the Lord, willing to right his mistakes, and he is more than worthy of the respect of all of us in this room. He does not deserve to be fired.”