Pink & Patent Leather (14 page)

“
Pink, honey we’re here.”

I was so into my thoughts I hadn
’t realized that we had made it to the theatre. Daddy had already stepped out and was handing his keys to the valet, along with giving the young man a long list of instructions about how to park his precious Bentley. I waited along with my mother until another valet attendant opened our doors.

Once we stepped into the beautifully refurbished Howard Theatre, we w
ere greeted by the Maitre’d and whisked away to my father’s private booth. My father had been a huge contributor in the reconstruction of the theatre and the Mayor had shown his appreciation by telling my parents they would always have a private booth whenever they came to the theatre.

As we followed behind the host, my mother stopped. “
Excuse me,” she said to Daddy and me. “I see a few of my Sorors.”

While my mother took a turn to the left, my dad and I slipped into our booth and I immediately picked up t
he menu. We were silent for a couple of moments until my dad said, “Pink, what are you going to have today? I think I’m in the mood for a few pancakes and bacon.”

I chuckled. I could never ever eat like that, at least not without feeling bad about it. “
I’m not sure yet,” I said, keeping my voice light, as if I were really happy. I was, but there was no way I’d let my parents know the reasons why. I needed them to believe that their little talk and that big slap had affected me. Once they were disarmed, then, I could get back to Plan C.

“
I think I’m going to have the salmon salad,” I said to my father. “You should have something lean like that, too. All of those pancakes and bacon isn’t good for you.”

My father chuckled and I did, too. But I kept wishing th
at my mother would get to the table so that she could monopolize the conversation like she always did and I could get back to thinking about Malik’s sermon that just wouldn’t leave my head.

And as soon as my mother came back, she took over the small talk
and I was able to turn my attention to all the thoughts in my head.

As my mother chatted about an upcoming fashion show, I half-closed my eyes and went over the entire church service. First, Xavier had given me all that I needed for Plan C. And then, Mali
k had stood in the pulpit with his eyes directly on mine and he had given me the go ahead. He’d told me exactly what he wanted me to do.

“
Church, open up your Bibles to Genesis the nineteenth chapter, verse twelve,” Malik had said. “My sermon for today, is: When it’s time to go, go!”

I pushed lettuce from side to side on my plate, as I thought back to how Malik had given me the signal that he was ready to move forward with me. I was beginning to fall in love with the spiritual connect
ion that was happening between us.
Malik had said, “Church, when the three men came to Lot and told him to take his wife and two daughters and flee the city of Sodom, it was God’s way of letting him know that he could either be obedient or he could die along with the rest of the people who were evil doers. How many of you guys are ready to die?”

He paused as the parishioners looked around at each other.

He continued, “How many of you are ready to live the way God intended for you to live?”

Hands were rais
ed all over the sanctuary, but it wasn’t until Malik got to the nitty-gritty of the sermon, when I knew for sure that I was doing the right thing. He had stepped down out of the pulpit, then, as he talked strolled over and stood in front of his wife.

“
Church, when God says go, you better go. When God says, don’t look back, you better go and not look back. Lot’s wife loved the city so much, she wanted to look at it one more time before they fled and when she did, she was turned into a pillar of salt.

“
Well, I’m not looking back. I’m going on, moving forward and I’m not going to turn around. I’m not going to let anyone tell me what God has for me, because God has already shown me my expected end.”

With every word my love spoke, chills went up and down my arms. I even shivered a time or two and a few tears of joy tumbled down my face. He had just told the congregation that he was going to leave his wife.

I shouted, “Hallelujah,” and I didn’t even care when my mother gave me the side eye.

I was so sure and so happy that Malik was now on board. I wasn
’t naive, though. I knew that he might still need a little bit of a push from me. Not convincing; he just needed to know that I was willing to do anything to get him. So, I was really glad that I’d been shown how to move forward with Plan C. Plan C would surely seal the deal.

***

For the next week, I stayed as far away from Grace Tabernacle as I possibly could, which wasn’t easy because of my parents. I had to stay in touch so they wouldn’t suspect a thing.

So, on Monday, I phoned my mother:

“I won’t be able to make Bible Study nor Wednesday night prayer,” I told her.

“
Oh, sweetheart. I hate it when you miss church. Why not?”

“
I have to go out of town,” I’d lied. “To New York. They put me in charge of interviewing a few students for our internship program.”

“
That’s wonderful! You’re already moving up at the magazine.”

I could hear the pride in my mother
’s voice, and it made me feel a little bad that I was lying like this. But it was all for the best. It was the only way that I could fulfill God’s plan.

And some of my guilt was assuaged when my mother told me to shop as much as I wanted in New York and she would pay my American Express bill.

“My treat,” my mother had said.

There was no way I wasn
’t going to take her up on that offer. Of course, I wasn’t going to be in New York, but I did need something new for Plan C. So, during my lunch hour at work on Tuesday, I visited the LaPerla website and ordered the pure white Symphony Rock underwire demi bra and matching bikini. That was the extent of my shopping.

I don
’t think a week had ever moved so slowly for me. As it got closer to Saturday, my nerves were on fire, but I remained as cool as I always had. On Thursday, I had told Amber to take the day off so that she wouldn’t ask any questions when I left early on Friday. Then on Friday, I headed over to the Four Seasons spa to have my hair touched up. Morgan nearly jumped from her skin when I suggested that she give a sexy up-do style.

On Saturday morning, I was almost trembling with excitement. So, I decided to take a nice cool soak to calm myself. While I rested beneath the sudsy water, I prayed once again. “
God even if they don’t believe, I believe. I trust You and I’m willing to do whatever I need to do, to do you will.”

When I stepped out of my Jacuzzi tub, my thoughts turned to Xavier. I had half-expected him to call me about the Single
’s meeting today. We had never talked about it and it wasn’t like Xavier to do anything unprepared. But I guess he really was done with me. And he was only going to be around me when he had to. That made me sad, in a way, but it was the right move. Plus, I wouldn’t be heading up the Single’s ministry much longer.

For the rest of the morning, I lounged around, played Adele, and snacked on a fruit salad. At two-thirty, I imagined that Malik and Xavier were already at the church, expecting me to show up at any moment. At three, I was sure that the church was filling
up with expectant singles, all waiting to hear a Word that would help them find their mate.

At three-ten, my cell phone rang. I took a deep breath before I glanced down at the picture. It was Xavier
’s picture that filled my screen.

I pressed
‘Ignore,’ then went into the kitchen and popped open another bottle of Moscato.

After a few sips, my nerves calmed. After a few minutes, my cell phone rang again. This time, it was Malik
’s picture on the screen, and I pumped my fist in the air. My first thought was to let the call go to voicemail. But, I couldn’t take the chance of him not calling back. So after the fourth ring, I turned on the water works and answered.

“
Hello.” I sniffed two, three and four times.

“
Sister Pink? Where are you? Are you okay?”

“
No, Pastor, I’m not. I’m so confused right now.” And then, I bawled.

“
Sister Pink, what‘s wrong? I was calling about the Single‘s meeting, but clearly, God led me to call you for another purpose.“

You got that right.

I just kept crying.

“
Sister Pink. What is it? Please, tell me.”

The distress in his voice showed me how much he cared.

“Pastor, I’m so ashamed of what I’ve done, so ashamed of what I did to you. I just can’t face anyone, I don’t belong on Holy ground.”

At that moment, to use one of Amber
’s terms, I turnt’ up. I mean, I boo-hooed, I sniffled, I coughed as though I was choking.

“
Sister Pink, please stop crying. What happened was a mistake, but God gives us second chances to get it right. Let me pray with you, please?”

I was so hoping he would ask me that
. I had even prayed to God that Malik would say this and this was just more signs that God had ordained my mission.

I sniffled as though I was trying to stop crying. “
I don’t think I can pray Pastor.”

I practically heard his heart beating through the pho
ne. He waited a moment, but I wasn’t going to say another word. I kept on pretending that I was trying to gather myself—to no avail, of course.

“
Would it help if I came over? Together we can get a prayer through. Would it be all right if I came to your home to pray with you?”

Booyah!

“Yes, Pastor,” I cried. “I really need to go to God and you’re the only one who can help me.”

The time had come, but
I had to admit, I was nervous. But still, I looked up and clasped my hands together.
Thank you, Lord.

After tonight, there would be no more worries, or plotting, or planning. The days and nights when I would yearn for him would be no more. On this evening I would tie my soul to his, finally.

I couldn’t help but think back to the night that had started me out on this journey. When I’d stood before Malik and heard the voice of God.
The man of God for you has been chosen.

Not a day has gone by when I didn
’t repeat those same words. Everyone had called me foolish, but I’d hung on to what I’d heard from God. And, I’d hung on to Malik’s words, too.

“
True love waits,” he’d told me as he slipped that ring onto my finger. Well, I’d waited long enough.

The sound of the intercom snapped me back and when the concierge announced that, “
Pastor Stroman is here to see you,” I said, “Send him up.”

The man of God for you has been chosen.

As I took a final glance in the mirror, I wrapped my short-pink baby-doll robe over my new La Perla goodies and stepped out of my slippers. I leaned forward to check out m
y make-up. It was messy; my mascara was smeared as if I’d been crying all day. Perfect!

For an added effect, I smudged my lipstick and added a little extra blush because I needed that flushed
look. I held my eyes open wide until tears sprang fourth and started to roll down my cheeks.

All that was left to do was open my Bible. I turned to the scripture that confirmed my mission: Genesis nineteen and I sat it on the settee. But I only had a few moments before the doorbell rang.

I took a deep breath and added one more prayer. “Please God. Please let him be alone.”

I was sure that he would be since he was coming straight from the church and not from home. I was holding my breath when I opened the door and didn
’t exhale until I saw that my prayer had been answered.

“
Sister Pink,” he said gently and then took my hand.

I pushed a sob up from my throat and he stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and then, he held me. I laid my head on his chest and sobbed like a baby. Malik rubbed my back and whispered soot
hing words about God caring, God loving me, God understanding.

“
All you have to do is ask for forgiveness,” Malik said, “and God will forgive it all. From one end of the ocean to the other, He has tossed your sins aside.”

“
But I don’t think He hears me. How can He after what I’ve done.”

“
Yes He does. He hears, He knows, He cares and you have to believe that. Now, are you ready to pray?” Malik asked that question with so much sincerity in his voice it almost made me cry for real this time.

Once again, he to
ok my hand and lowered his head. But, I didn’t want to do this standing. So still holding onto him, I began to kneel and tugged him to follow along. He hesitated, but only for a moment and he knelt, too. His eyes moved from mine, to the settee where my open Bible rested.