“Sure, Daddy.”
“Oh, and I have a speaking engagement in Birmingham on Friday. A pastor’s anniversary. Are you coming along?”
“I can’t,” I say flatly. “I have a lunch date in Savannah.”
“With whom?”
“If you must know,” I say, balking, “it’s with my brother. Darrin’s going to drive me.”
“That man is not your brother,” states Daddy with unnecessary roughness.
“You don’t know that.”
“He and his mother are just scam artists.”
I roll my eyes. “Well, I would still like to get to know him. And Daddy, please don’t try to stop me.”
Daddy chuckles sadly. “I won’t. Everyone seems to be doing their own thing around here. Come on, Oscar. I’m ready.”
Mother walks in the room as soon as Daddy and Oscar leave. I’m so angry about my conversation with Daddy, as well as weirded out by my words with Oscar. I don’t feel like talking anymore, but Mother seems to have conversation on her mind, too. What is this epidemic of everybody talking everything out? All of this communication is so unnecessary.
“Emoni, what is going on between you and Brother Darrin? Your father is concerned,” says Mother bluntly.
“We’re friends, Mother. It might turn into more. I don’t know yet.”
“Do you even know what that means?” she prods. “You’ve never been in this situation before.”
“Mother, I’m not stupid.”
“When it comes to men, you most certainly are. Has he tried to get you in bed yet?”
Now I’m offended. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“And what about Dorcas? Wasn’t she interested in him?”
“So?”
“Emoni, I feel like I’m talking to a stranger right now. As a matter of fact, you, Sascha, and Tyler have all been acting strange lately. You’re keeping secrets and backsliding! I don’t even know my children.”
“Mother, I know you aren’t talking about someone keeping secrets.”
“What do you mean?”
I stand toe to toe with my mother. “How about the fact that you’ve known about Daddy’s son for years, but you didn’t want him around messing up Daddy’s ministry?”
“All I knew was that a drug addict was claiming to have a son with my husband. You don’t understand, because you’re not a wife.”
“You didn’t care that he might actually be Daddy’s son?”
Mother sighs and slumps onto the couch. “Emoni, I was pregnant with you when we found out about that boy.”
“His name is Kumal.”
“Your father had just been installed as pastor at New Baptist Tabernacle, and we’d just bought this house. We were happy.”
“But what about Kumal? Is it fair that he didn’t get raised by his own father?”
“If that Genevieve would’ve given the boy to your father to raise, we would’ve done that. She just wanted to be in your father’s life. She wanted him with her, holed up in a crack house somewhere.”
“Mother, are you saying that you felt threatened by Genevieve? Did you actually think she could take Daddy from you?”
“No. Of course not. But when I met your father, it was after he’d gotten clean. I like to think of him that way and not as a recovering crack addict.”
“Even if you don’t care about my brother, I do. Darrin is taking me to see him on Friday.”
“I don’t think it’s wise for you to be alone with Darrin.”
“Why? We’re two adults who enjoy each other’s company immensely. I don’t see anything wrong with it. We’re not sleeping together.”
A solemn look comes over Mother’s face. “Just don’t make the same mistake your sister made.”
“You don’t have to worry about me, Mother.”
“I know, Emoni. I never have.”
Darrin
B
ishop stands before the Bible study class in his first appearance after Black Sunday. Everyone has questions, but the ones with answers aren’t saying anything. I’m guessing he’s about to give some explanation for his absence, because the entire church seems to be present. They had to move Bible study from the classroom to the main sanctuary.
He starts, “Praise the Lord, everybody. It is a blessing to be in the house of the Lord one more time. Before we start, I want to squash the rumor mill. No, I didn’t have a heart attack; nor did I get into a car accident on the way home from Savannah. I did have a family emergency that needed my immediate attention. I apologize for any confusion that was encountered on Sunday morning. Now, I’m sure I can count on a few of you to get the word out to the congregation. You know who you are. I’m not going to call you gossips—I’m going to say the town criers.” The congregation laughs.
Everyone looks relieved from what I can see, all except Sister Ophelia. She looks right angry, like she’s ready to lead a blue-haired revolution. She’s got her grandson, Kevin, stationed at her side, although he looks like he’d rather be anywhere but church.
Bishop continues to smile and scan the room. His eyes rest on me and Emoni. She’s not sitting right next to me; she’s left a seat between us. But it’s a clear signal to everyone that we’re “together.” I’m okay with her sending out the signal, but I’m not sure I like Bishop glaring at me.
Bishop continues lightheartedly, “I’m not talking about you unless it’s you.”
Bishop goes on to give his study lesson on the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It’s a good lesson; Bishop hasn’t missed a beat, even with the turmoil going on in his household. I’m listening closely to the lesson when Emoni pokes me in the arm. When she has my attention, she passes me a note that says, “Look at Oscar.”
My eyes go over in Oscar’s direction, and to my chagrin, the brotha is staring me down. Hard. Like he wants to come lay me out with a two-piece.
Hope he’s not feeling froggy tonight.
After Bible study is over, I walk up to greet Bishop. “That was a good lesson, Bishop. You bring out things from the Scriptures that I never would’ve gotten had I read them on my own.”
Bishop pulls me to the side and asks bluntly, “Son, what are your intentions toward my daughter?”
I was not expecting this—at all. “Bishop?”
“She’s never had a boyfriend before, and I’m worried that you might just be too experienced for her.”
“Bishop, I have nothing but honorable intentions toward your daughter. I am very fond of her, and I think she feels the same way about me.”
Bishop nods. “Are you still seeing Sister Dorcas?”
“Wow! Is nothing a secret around here?”
Bishop answers, “I’m just doing my job.”
I choose my words very carefully. “I don’t believe that Dorcas is the one God wants me to be with.”
Bishop pulls me in real close and whispers in my ear, “Boy, ain’t nobody stupid around here. I ain’t been saved my whole life. If you even think of hurting my daughter, you gone regret ever setting foot in this church.” Bishop releases the death grip he has on my arm. For the benefit of any onlookers, he says, “So you say you want to join the men’s ministry?”
“Uh, yes, sir,” I reply, feeling completely owned. It’s almost like Big Mathis is here.
“That’s a good choice, son. You can’t go wrong with Jesus.”
Bishop walks away, leaving me feeling like some kind of womanizer. I say a brief good night to Emoni and head out to my truck with my mind reeling. All of a sudden Bishop doesn’t trust me? I know Oscar has something to do with that. I’m so engrossed in my thoughts that I walk right past Dorcas, who is standing in my path.
“Are we not speaking?” she asks.
Her voice startles me. “Oh. Hi, Dorcas. I wasn’t sure you’d want to deal with someone on assignment from the devil.”
“I’m sorry about that, Darrin. It was just a really intense situation. I didn’t mean what I said.”
“I think you did mean what you said, and honestly, it kind of hurt.”
“Is that why you were sitting with Emoni tonight? Were you trying to hurt me back?”
“Emoni and I are dating now, Dorcas.” Might as well put it out there with everybody.
“Wow. That was quick. Well, I just wanted to apologize again, Darrin.”
“Mission accomplished.”
She rushes away from me—a little embarrassed, I guess. Part of me wants to go after her and smooth things over. If I were in a better mood, I probably would. But seeing as my pastor thinks I’m a gigolo, and his right-hand man wants to thrash me, I’m going to let her go.
I’m about to pull off when I see Emoni running up to my truck. I roll down the window. “What are you doing out here? Oscar is going to have a nervous breakdown looking for you.”
Emoni giggles. “I wanted to talk to you after Bible study, but you left so quickly.”
“Yeah, your father was interrogating me, so I decided to make myself scarce.”
“Interrogating you? About what?”
I decide to keep the content of the conversation to myself. “Never mind that. Get in the car. We’ll go for a spin around the block.”
Emoni jumps in on the passenger side of my truck. “Did you see Sister Ophelia?” she asks.
“Yes, and she was looking right salty. What is she so mad about?”
“She’s mad because Mother won’t announce Kevin and Sascha’s engagement. Daddy doesn’t think it’s proper, since they’ve been blatantly sinning and all. But Sister Ophelia went off screaming and yelling obscenities at Daddy, and he made her resign from her post as head nurse.”
“Are you serious? I bet she was furious about that.”
Emoni laughs. “Yes, she was.”
“Look at us gossiping like two biddies.”
“I know! Daddy was talking about you tonight. You are the town crier!”
“I am not! I only know about five people’s names in the whole church!
You
are the town crier.”
Emoni laughs. “You’re right. But it just felt good to share something about her when she’s out here running Sascha’s name into the ground.”
I pull into a Krispy Kreme drive-through. “Do you want a doughnut?”
“No, thanks.”
I order my doughnut and then ask, “Is that what you ran out to my car to talk about?”
Emoni shakes her head. “No. I just wanted to be near you.”
See, I can’t take it when she says things like that. “Wow.”
“What does that mean?”
I park the truck in an available spot. “It means that I have absolutely no response to that. You have rendered me speechless.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“That is indeed a good thing.”
Emoni smiles. “I can’t wait until Friday.”
“Yeah, about that. Are your parents cool with me taking you to Savannah?”
Emoni crosses her arms defiantly. “I am a grown woman.”
“All right, then. I’m not going to argue that point.”
“Good.”
Emoni is grinning at me with that mischievous look, raising the temperature in the vehicle about ten degrees. I crack the window so I can breathe.
“You warm?” she asks.
“Um … yeah.”
“Me, too.”
I take a deep breath and blurt out, “Emoni, will you be my lady?”
Emoni bursts into spontaneous laughter. “Yes, of course. I thought I already was.”
“Just making it official. What in the world is so funny?”
Still laughing, Emoni explains. “Your
lady
? Who are you, Gerald Levert or somebody?”
“So, will you be my lady or not?”
Emoni holds her stomach like she’s about to laugh herself to pieces. “Stop! Let me enjoy this moment.”
“You are so silly!”
Emoni reaches over to hug me, and it feels so good. She says, “I don’t know how all this relationship stuff works. You’re going to have to help me.”
“Not a problem.” For the first time in my adult life, the R-word doesn’t make me flinch.
I drive back to the church parking lot to drop Emoni off at her car. Oscar is standing next to the automobile, looking perturbed.
“See? I told you he would be looking for you,” I say.
“Whatever,” replies Emoni with a toss of her head.
“You’re saying that now …”
“He’s not my father.”
I raise both hands in defeat. “Okay. You’re the boss.”
“I’ll call you.”
“All right.”
Emoni gets out of my truck, comes to the window, and brushes a kiss across my lips. I smile and wave at Oscar. I’m not at all surprised that he doesn’t wave back.
Emoni
D
arrin—excuse me, my man—just pulled off and left me standing in the church parking lot, face-to-face with my “protector.” Maybe if I ignore him and get in my car, he won’t say anything to wreck my wonderful mood.
“What were you doing with him?”
Oh, well. So much for my mood. “Why wouldn’t I be in my boyfriend’s truck?”
“I thought you were just friends,” says Oscar. The tremble in his voice tells me that he’s affected by my news.
“We were, but now we’re more than friends.”
Oscar sneers. “Did you make it official?”
“If you’re asking whether we had sex, it’s none of your business one way or the other. Don’t insult me like that again, or you’ll be looking for some other pastor to smother.”
I slam my car door and start the engine. Oscar knocks on my window. The only reason I open it is because the fool has tears in his eyes. “What, Oscar?”
“Emoni … I—I love you. Darrin doesn’t even know you.”
He’s affected me, though I thought he never could. “Oscar, you don’t love me.”
“I do, Emoni. And it’s not going to stop just because Darrin is on the scene.”
“See you later, Oscar.”
I roll up the window and speed off. I wanted to be mean and nasty to him, but it’s hard to do that after someone professes his undying love. I check the rearview, and he’s still standing there in the same spot, looking lost.
Am I on a roll or what? Darrin asks me to be his
lady
, and Oscar tells me he loves me? Wow.
I don’t even know if all this attention is a good thing. I might start getting a big head and thinking I’m fly or something.
I must be smelling myself when I walk through Mother’s parlor, because I don’t bother to greet her Women’s Leadership Council guests. They call themselves a council, but what they are really is a clique of the best-dressed biggest-diamond-wearing luxury-car-driving women at Freedom of Life.
Mother clears her throat as I float on by them. “Emoni, we have guests.”