Daylight Coming

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Excerpt

I walked slowly behind Mother to Pastor Dorthea’s office. The moment she opened the door, my heart sank because I knew she had played me. Still I silently prayed, God, bless me not to say or do anything I may regret. Please, Lord. Hold my tongue and protect my heart. Please, God!

Pastor walked over to me. She wrapped her arm around mine, pulling me to the center of the room. I tried to resist her, but she wouldn’t let me go.

She said, trying to force me to sit down, “You know, Nicole, you’re such a beautiful woman and God has blessed you with so many talents. Not too many people can coordinate such an awesome event for the needy. You have truly been a blessin’ to this church.

“Not just tonight, though. Because your help with the Teen Ministry and the Youth Choir has been tremendous as well. And God is lookin’ down on you. He’s got so many plans for you. And I hate to bring this up, but you can’t keep livin’ like you livin’ and expect Him not to bring damnation upon you and that boy you layin’ up with.”

I turned to the picture of The Baptism, painted by some unknown artist that hung on the wall to the right of her desk.

“Now don’t get upset with me because I know the devil comes to us in all kinds of ways, disguisin’ himself in the form of a man you may think you love. But if a man truly loves you, he ain’t gonna make you leave your home, honey. Or steal from your husband.”

My blood pressure shot up a couple of notches, but I kept my eyes on the young girl being emerged in the blue waters even after Mother hummed, “A-a-men.”

Pastor continued, still holding on to my arm, although I was trying to ease away from her as gently as possible. “Nicole, I know you and Jeff have had your share of ups and downs and a lot of them weren’t your fault. But you know as well as I do that he’s overall a good man and a great provider.”

Mother added, “Jeff has taken excellent care of you over the years. You’ve got a beautiful house with beautiful things. And look how he helped me get my car last year.” It was my first time hearing it. “But that boy, who you think you’re in love with, is he worth you walkin’ out on a man of God? Will he ever be worth your salvation and your soul? Because look at where he came from. Look at his mother and her brothers. They’re disgustin’! All they’ve ever been are alcoholics, drug addicts, and trouble and that’s exactly what that boy is. Trouble. He’s no good and just after whatever change you got.”

“How is Alex trouble, Mother? And what makes him no good? Because you say so?” I stared at her, waiting for her to answer. She just kept her nose in the air.

“You know, Mother, you and Pastor…” I snatched my arm away from her. She jumped back like I had pulled a gun on her. “Stand here praisin’ Jeff like he’s God. Well, what about all of those children he has? All born while we were married. Ain’t that adultery, too? Or are y’all readin’ from a different Bible than me? And you’re talkin’ about me stealin’ from him. I don’t have to steal from Jeff or anybody else.

“Because I. Yes, I, Mother, own…” I didn’t want to go into details for fear of her repeating every word I said to him. “A buildin’ or two. He doesn’t have a job, so what money does he have to steal? He’s got you all fooled, but you know what, that’s your problem. Because I don’t have to explain myself or the decisions I make to you or anybody else. I’ve been out of your house for twenty years so I think you tellin’ me what to do is long over.”

Pastor shook her head. “Leola, you just can’t talk to them when they’re like this. They start lustin’ after these young devils and lose their minds.”

“You don’t know what a devil is until you’ve lived with a man like Jeff. You know as well as I do that he’s slept with just about every woman in Holy Hill. But I’m wrong to have left him. I can’t say movin’ in with another man was the right choice, but my life with Jeff was hell! And Mother, you have seen me beat up too many times to even pretend he’s the kind of husband God wants him to be.”

“I also see that you’re a slut!”