Heaven Right Here (6 page)
Authors: Lutishia Lovely
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Literary, #United States, #African American, #Christian, #Women's Fiction, #Contemporary Fiction, #Literary Fiction
12
Delicious Chocolate
They said the road to hell was paved with good intentions. Hope didn’t know about that, but she sure knew the road to the Montgomerys’ brunch resembled that heated path. Things started out beautifully. The spread was exceptional, as always: spicy red snapper alongside rib-eye steak, fresh green beans, new potatoes, rice pilaf, stuffed artichoke hearts, and Vivian’s famous salad bar and dessert table adorned with nothing other than Mother Moseley’s famous German chocolate cake.
The company and conversation were equally delicious. Tony Johnson indeed brought his fine self to the Montgomery Mansion, as the church members jokingly called their first family’s large and elegant Beverly Hills home. Stacy was there as well, and Hope didn’t miss that she’d gone home and changed outfits. No one would have guessed her boyish frame had ever born a child. The soft knit dress made the few curves she did have stand out, not to mention the larger breasts and booty the pregnancy of little Jr. had thankfully left behind postdelivery. Tony wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. So had Councilman Jeffries’s assistant. Granted, he wasn’t pulling down the same amount of paper as his athletic competition, but he cut a mean portrait in his navy suit and ice-blue tie. He was charismatic, well-mannered, and obviously interested in Ms. Stacy Gray.
The feeling was mutual, and Tony’s recognition of the competition stirred the interest pot. Hope couldn’t have been happier as she watched the men’s subtle posturing for Stacy’s attention while Stacy genuinely enjoyed it. Either one of these men could make her all but forget about one Mr. Darius Crenshaw, Hope concluded. Maybe there could finally be a happily-ever-after to the soap-opera-style drama involving Stacy, Darius, and Bo.
Hope turned her attention to the devastatingly handsome Cy Taylor, who in his black Valentino suit with stark white silk shirt provided a touch of
GQ
class to the dining room. He was laughing with Mother Moseley, who was being her usual humorous self.
GQ
class to the dining room. He was laughing with Mother Moseley, who was being her usual humorous self.
“So this little child loved Vacation Bible School and was running as fast as her legs could carry her to get there. She was
fervently
praying to the Lord, ‘Please don’t let me be late, please don’t let me be late.’ Girl got almost to the church when she tripped and fell. She got up, brushed herself off, and frowned at the sky. ‘Lord, please don’t let me be late,’ she repeated again as she ran toward the church doors. ‘But please don’t push me either!’” Mother Moseley’s eyes twinkled as she delivered the punch line, and as the others joined in, her laugh was the loudest.
fervently
praying to the Lord, ‘Please don’t let me be late, please don’t let me be late.’ Girl got almost to the church when she tripped and fell. She got up, brushed herself off, and frowned at the sky. ‘Lord, please don’t let me be late,’ she repeated again as she ran toward the church doors. ‘But please don’t push me either!’” Mother Moseley’s eyes twinkled as she delivered the punch line, and as the others joined in, her laugh was the loudest.
“You’re too much, Mother Moseley,” Vivian said.
Before long Derrick joined in with a joke of his own, and soon multiple conversations sprang up around the table. But Stacy didn’t hear any of them. Her focus was on Tony, who’d gently touched her arm to get her attention.
“Are you a member of Kingdom Citizens?” he asked.
“Yes. Where do you normally go to church?”
“I normally go to City of Refuge, Noel Jones’s church. You familiar with it?”
“Of course,” Stacy responded. “Everybody knows Noel Jones.”
“Did you know his sister is Grace Jones?”
Stacy nodded as she finished her bite of perfectly baked fish. “And he loves his sister too!”
“That’s right,” Tony agreed. “Nobody better come up to him with a bad word to say about Grace, man—he’ll set ’em straight.”
“I think that’s one of the reasons his ministry is so successful. There’s room for everybody in his church.”
“Your church seems like that too,” Tony countered. “Just like that Darius dude—Darius Crenshaw. The fact that he came out and your pastor still lets him lead the choir?” Tony shook his head. “I don’t know of too many churches that would do that.”
Now why did he have to go mention the D-word?
Stacy hadn’t thought about Darius since Tony had sat down beside her. The moist morsel of fish now felt like sawdust in her mouth.
Stacy hadn’t thought about Darius since Tony had sat down beside her. The moist morsel of fish now felt like sawdust in her mouth.
“Whoa, did I say something wrong?”
Stacy sipped her soda and collected herself. “No, not really. It’s just that Darius is a sore spot with me. He’s my son’s father.”
“Oh,” Tony said, his eyes widening. “It’s like that, huh?”
His reaction was so innocent, Stacy couldn’t help but smile. “It was.” She felt her good mood returning. “But that’s in the past.”
As she continued the conversation, intermittently between Tony and the councilman’s assistant, Stacy started to believe those words were true.
And then the past rang the doorbell.
“Greetings, greetings,” Darius said cheerfully as he rounded the corner. Seeing Stacy, he cast a hard look at Mother Moseley. Undaunted, she cast one right back. As though she needed more leverage, which she didn’t, she rose to her full five-feet-nine inches, without heels, and placed her hand on a still strong, three-score-and-ten-year-old hip.
“Don’t you go looking all haughty at me, boy. I didn’t know she’d be here. And it shouldn’t matter. We are
all
God’s children, and we should
all
be able to get along!” She stared boldly at Darius for a full five seconds before turning the “I dare you to defy me” look on Stacy. She rolled up her fist. Guesses around the table on whether she was joking or serious was around fifty-fifty. “Now, is there gonna be a problem here?” she asked loudly. “Because if so . . . I’m getting ready to be the problem solver!”
all
God’s children, and we should
all
be able to get along!” She stared boldly at Darius for a full five seconds before turning the “I dare you to defy me” look on Stacy. She rolled up her fist. Guesses around the table on whether she was joking or serious was around fifty-fifty. “Now, is there gonna be a problem here?” she asked loudly. “Because if so . . . I’m getting ready to be the problem solver!”
Vivian saw Mother Moseley’s cheeks coloring red.
Lord, let me calm this woman down before she has a stroke.
She placed a comforting hand on Mother Moseley’s arm.
Lord, let me calm this woman down before she has a stroke.
She placed a comforting hand on Mother Moseley’s arm.
“No, Mother, there will be no problems. You’re right. This is the Lord’s day, and we’re all family. In my home, everyone is welcome.” She shot a subtly compassionate look to Stacy, who didn’t meet her eyes.
Mother Moseley sat down and wiped her face with a napkin. She took a few deep breaths before she spoke. “Y’all done gone and raised my blood pressure. Pass me that Tabasco so my mouth can get as hot as my anger right now.”
“You want some more iced tea, Mother?” Vivian poured, not waiting for an answer.
Mother Moseley took a drink but wasn’t quite cooled down. “Acting like fools,” she mumbled. “’Bout to make me curse up in here on this Sunday afternoon, and I ain’t done that since Brother Jackson’s brother’s nephew’s son wrecked his motorcycle in my rosebushes!”
“Didn’t he break his leg in that accident?” Derrick asked.
“Yeah, and after I saw my crushed perennials, I almost broke the other one!”
That comment effectively calmed the brewing storm, and everyone tried to act civil. The Montgomerys’ dining room table seated twelve, which kept the warring factions a good ten feet away from each other. Though not as free-flowing as before, conversation resumed. Her heart was no longer in it, but Stacy now flirted more openly with Tony, a change in behavior he neither missed nor appreciated. Tony turned and began talking business with Cy, even as the councilman’s righthand man charmed a sincere smile or two from the lips he’d love to kiss . . . Stacy’s. But then Councilman Jeffries—whose cousin had been a famous singer in the seventies and knew firsthand how crazy the music industry could be—had to bring up just that fact with Darius.
“How do you resist the temptation?” Jeffries asked sincerely. “And remain a Godly man in a devilish world?”
That’s when Stacy snorted. “He takes his bodyguard,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone. “No one can get close to Darius with his ‘protection’ there.”
Vivian nudged Stacy under the table. Hope kicked Stacy’s foot. The councilman missed the look that passed between Derrick and Cy. His assistant didn’t, partly because he already knew about Darius’s marriage. Not surprisingly, he didn’t point out this fact, and he didn’t think anybody else at the table would either. He was wrong.
“Most of the people with access to me know I’m married,” Darius said, his eyes fixed on the councilman but his mind on the thrashing he wanted to give Stacy.
“And that stops them from chasing you?” Councilman Jeffries exclaimed.
“No,” Darius countered. “It stops me from being caught. Could you pass the rolls?”
“Oh, Lord, these rolls sure are good,” Mother Moseley exclaimed. “I wonder who made them.”
“You know you did,” Vivian said, glad for the subject change. She prayed Stacy would take the hint. She didn’t.
“Oh, he gets caught sometimes,” Stacy said to the councilman, her voice dripping sweetness. “He doesn’t always get away.”
“And how would you know?” Councilman Jeffries asked, curious to learn more about the drama sizzling around him.
Stacy ignored jabs, nudges, and narrowed eyes and continued. “Darius is my son’s father and my
ex
-husband.”
ex
-husband.”
“Well, since he’s your
ex
,” Bo said calmly. “I guess he gets away eventually.”
ex
,” Bo said calmly. “I guess he gets away eventually.”
“Yeah, well, you would do well to keep that in mind, you blabbering idiot.”
“Huh! I got what you wish you coulda kept, you crazy butt of a baboon.”
“Hey, hey, hey! We’re not going to have that in here,” Derrick said firmly.
“I’m sorry, Reverend,” Bo said sincerely. “I’m sorry, Stacy. That was out of line.”
All eyes turned to Stacy. She stood. “I’m sorry for bringing my drama to your dinner table, Pastor Derrick, Sistah Viv.” She turned to Darius. “Where’s my son?”
“With Tanya, getting his picture taken.”
Before she could stop herself, the anger flared again. “Isn’t that something you should do? Serving me with—”
“Stacy,” Vivian said calmly. Her eyes said much more.
Stacy threw her napkin on the chair and reached for her purse. “This isn’t over,” she said to Darius. “I’m taking my son home after church tonight.”
Darius’s voice was as low and as calm as Vivian’s. “You’ll get him back on Tuesday, as we agreed.”
Stacy stared at Darius a long moment. “We’ll see.” She curtly nodded to the Montgomerys and left.
Hope rose to follow her. “Wait a minute, Stacy.”
Hope and Stacy’s lowered voices were heard before the front door closed. Once again the room was quiet, much like the stillness in the air after a tornado has swept through.
“Are you okay?” Vivian asked Darius.
Darius sighed. “I’m fine.”
“He
sho’
is,” Bo piped in without missing a beat. “That’s why we’ve got baby-mama drama.”
sho’
is,” Bo piped in without missing a beat. “That’s why we’ve got baby-mama drama.”
“Now, you just behave,” Mother Moseley said. “You’re just as much to blame as Stacy; and you’re not too big to get a whuppin’.” Her voice was gruff, but her eyes twinkled.
And Vivian’s narrowed. She wasn’t altogether sure about Mother’s innocence in inviting Darius. She had been in the office when Hope had mentioned that Stacy was coming, but half a dozen other people had been in there too, so maybe the church matron hadn’t heard. But Vivian knew that one Sistah Faye Moseley could be a little messy at times. That twinkle suggested Mother may have secretly enjoyed the excitement, though she’d never admit it.
“Ah, Mother Moseley, I don’t mean no harm.” Bo rose, kissed her on the cheek, and strutted to the buffet. “Are we ready to cut this cake? I know you put your foot in it, Mother, and Lord knows I could use some oh-so-delicious chocolate right about now.”
More than one person guessed it, and an absolutely certain Darius hid a smile.
That’s why I love this nut,
he thought. Bo’s chocolate reference wasn’t about Mother Moseley’s cake.
That’s why I love this nut,
he thought. Bo’s chocolate reference wasn’t about Mother Moseley’s cake.
13
Cheering for God
Vivian stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of Cy and Hope’s high-rise penthouse and marveled at God’s handiwork. It was a brilliant mid-November afternoon; the various shades of blue, from the sky to the ocean, were breathtaking. The white foam of the waves contrasted sharply with the light brown sand, forming a border for a body of water that went on forever.
“Here’s your tea, Viv,” Hope said as she wheeled in a tray. “I know you said you weren’t hungry, but I brought out these freshly baked, homemade, white chocolate and pecan cookies, just in case.”
“Well, Lord knows I can use me some chocolate right about now,” Vivian said, mimicking Bo’s bodacious line. The women laughed. “I couldn’t believe he said that,” Vivian continued. “That Bo Jenkins has some kind of nerve.”
Hope poured tea from the pot into their cups. “I can. Nothing Bo does would surprise me.”
“You can’t help but like him though.”
The women were silent as they prepared their tea—lemon and sweetener for Vivian, vanilla-flavored creamer for Hope.
Hope took a swallow of hers and set the cup on the coffee table. “Stacy’s calmed down.”
“I was going to ask if you’d spoken to her since brunch yesterday.”
“I called her last night, just to check on things.”
“Did she have Darius?”
“No, he’s still with his father.”
“Thank goodness,” Vivian said. “It’s especially important for a male child to bond with his dad.” She bit into the cookie. “It can’t be an easy situation,” she added thoughtfully.
“That’s an understatement. I can’t imagine anything harder than having your husband choose his male lover over you.”
Vivian nodded.
“Do you think it’s a sin, Vivian? Homosexuality?”
Vivian sipped her tea and pondered the answer. “Honestly, Hope, I don’t know what to believe. The bible is clear—at least from all the interpretations I’ve heard and from what I’ve studied—that yes, it is a sin. And while we all sin and come short of God’s glory, people who live homosexual lifestyles don’t turn away from that sin. Someone very close to our family was a homosexual,” she continued. “And before meeting him, there was no doubt in my mind that people who lived this way were going to hell. But then I got to know . . .” Vivian hesitated, looked at Hope thoughtfully, and decided to be truthful. “But then I got to know Derrick’s uncle, Charles Montgomery. That’s when everything I thought I knew changed.”
Hope didn’t try to hide her surprise. “The man who died two years ago, the one Derrick still speaks of with so much adoration?”
“Oh, everybody adored Uncle Charlie,” Vivian said, a warm smile spreading across her face. “He was the kindest, funniest, most compassionate and generous person I’ve ever met. He loved God fiercely and loved Derrick like a son. He exemplified the meaning of being a Christian . . . Christ-like. Derrick owes a big part of why he’s in the ministry to the encouragement—emotionally and financially—his uncle gave him. I remember a brief conversation we had—a time when I asked him why he chose to be gay. I’ll never forget the look he gave me. He said, ‘Vivian, if you knew the hell my brothers go through, the pain, isolation, and guilt we suffer, that
I
suffered before I was sure God loved me just as I am, you’d know this is something no one would ever choose.’ So my position is that of my husband’s and Mother Moseley’s. If it is a sin, I’ll love the sinner and leave the decision of where he spends eternity to God Almighty.” Vivian finished her tea and sat back on the sofa. “Now, the reason I’m here.”
I
suffered before I was sure God loved me just as I am, you’d know this is something no one would ever choose.’ So my position is that of my husband’s and Mother Moseley’s. If it is a sin, I’ll love the sinner and leave the decision of where he spends eternity to God Almighty.” Vivian finished her tea and sat back on the sofa. “Now, the reason I’m here.”
Hope groaned. “Those fast hussies panting after Darius?”
Vivian laughed. “Well, don’t sound so enthusiastic or skeptical. I personally think you’d be perfect to work with Melody and this group. As I watched them yesterday, executing their choreographed clapping and moving to Darius’s songs, I thought maybe somehow they could be incorporated into our youth ministry.”
“I’m not so sure how much interest we’d get there,” Hope said. “It seemed pretty clear those girls were there to cheer for Darius.”
“Maybe,” Vivian admitted. “But with a little training from the right teacher,” she looked pointedly at Hope, “they just might end up cheering for God.”
Vivian and Hope spent the next half hour tossing around ideas about how they could encourage these teenagers by expanding the outlet for their talent and energy and redefining the object of their affection. No one was more surprised than Hope at the enthusiasm that began to build as they continued talking.
“I’ve told you this before, but I never forgot the performance by your dance troupe when we attended Mount Zion Progressive’s conference a couple years ago,” Vivian said. “When we returned home, I toyed with trying to reproduce a similar group at Kingdom. With all the other responsibilities on our youth minister and director, I couldn’t bear to give them yet another task. But you’d be perfect, Hope. Will you think about it?”
“I will, and I’ll discuss it with Cy. Maybe this is just what I need, something else to focus on besides myself . . . and my problem.”
“Oh, you’ve got a problem?” Vivian bellowed, this time mimicking Mother Moseley’s gnarly tone. “ ’Cause I’m a problem solver!”
Hope laughed until her sides hurt. When Vivian left a short time later, after Vivian’s fervent petition to God for Hope’s peace and patience to wait on Him, not only her mouth but her heart also was smiling.
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