Sister Betty Says I Do (5 page)

Ima fell against her seat; she began clapping before letting out a loud laugh. “Oh, Sister Betty, I didn't know you were so judgmental, despite your ole sanctified self.” Ima gently touched Leotis's muscle, this time through his cotton shirt. She stroked it again for a second before asking, “Did you know your spiritual mother was so judgmental? Do you approve of that, Reverend?”

Without saying a word, Leotis took one hand off the wheel and gently removed Ima's hand before returning his own to the steering wheel.

Although he'd not come along, somehow Sister Betty could feel Freddie tugging at her conscience. Despite his recent outburst and threats to Bea and Sasha, she knew he'd want her to back off, saying that it wasn't nothing but the Devil trying to score a hit.

Freddie wasn't there, and she wasn't about to back off. Instead, Sister Betty craned her neck, sucked her teeth, and said sharply to the back of Ima's neck, “Reverend Tom ain't got nothing to do with this!”

“I never said he did,” Ima replied without turning to speak. “I believe you were butting into my business about Reverend Lipps.”

“I'm not butting into your business. I'm just trying to have a conversation with you while we're driving to church. You're the one who brought up adultery. I'm sure you got enough sinning on your record without needlessly adding to it. I'm just trying to explain that you couldn't commit adultery, because you ain't ever been married, and even if you had once been married, as long as you weren't married when you remarried, it wouldn't be adultery.”

Leotis said nothing, but his jaw began twitching as he listened.

“Well, thank you, most holy Sister Betty.” Ima's lips slowly pursed before a smirk spread across her face. “I never said it was about me being married. I said I didn't want to commit adultery. It was your precious Reverend Lyon Lipps who was the one who was married.”

Sister Betty sat there, stunned. It took her a moment to recover. She still didn't believe Ima. Reverend Lipps and his twin brother, Lionel, were renowned preachers. Everyone knew Lionel was married. He'd married one of their members, Sister Need Sum. If Lyon was married, too, he'd have certainly mentioned it. . . . Someone in his family would've.

Sister Betty clutched her Bible and held it in front of her, as though she expected Ima to swear by it. “What made you believe that he was married? Perhaps he just wanted to get out of the engagement.”

“I didn't believe him at first,” Ima began, smiling like a fox hired to watch a henhouse. “But when his wife showed up with the marriage certificate a week before we were gonna do the deed, and he couldn't produce divorce papers, I sorta figured she had the upper hand. You know me. I don't like a lot of drama.”

“You don't?”

“I sure don't. And, of course, Lyon didn't want any public drama, either. He settled real quick for breach of promise and a few other charges I threatened to file against him. Then, once he found out my aunt Sasha's brother, Uncle Brutus, was one of the divorce judges, he threw in a little extra to keep it out of the papers.”

Before Sister Betty could reach down and pick her face up off the car mat, Ima had turned back around to face Leotis, whose jaw had dropped but no longer twitched.

Ima suddenly pointed to a large building. “You can let me out on this corner,” she told Leotis. “Thank you again for your kindness in allowing me to ride along with you.”

“It's not a problem for me,” Leotis replied while staring through his rearview mirror at Sister Betty's grim face. “The offer for you to attend tonight's revival service still stands. If you can't get a ride, someone will certainly give you a lift. It's a two-week revival. You can't find but so many excuses not to attend.”

Ima threw a smile toward Leotis. “You certainly know how to put a woman in a tight squeeze when it comes down to the church. Let me think on it, and I'll get back to you.” Ima then winked at Sister Betty before wiggling her way out of her seat belt and onto the pavement. She said her good-byes and then took a double look at Sister Betty, who still remained plastered against the backseat, looking like she'd been Tasered.

“Sister Betty, are you okay?” Ima asked. “You look surprised. I got a job here the other day. It's something of a civic nature. It's what I do from time to time, in place of going to a morning church service. I'm what you might call a female heart defibrillator passing out books, Jell-O, and a lot of charm to the older men.” Laughing again and not waiting for an answer from either Sister Betty or Leotis, Ima strutted away toward a building with the name
SERENITY MALE NURSING HOME
on its sign.

During the remaining ride to the church, Sister Betty and Leotis prayed, each silently and unknowingly, disappointed and questioning why they had given the Devil an inch. After all, they were on their way to a revival service, and not a moment too soon.

Once they arrived at the church, Leotis went to his study to prepare for the morning service. Sister Betty took the elevator down one floor to Crossing Over Sanctuary's fellowship hall.

To get to the fellowship hall, Sister Betty walked down a long white-paneled hallway. Hanging on the wall were fourteen-karat gold picture frames. President Barack Obama and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., were just a sample of those who had visited the church or had had a huge impact on it.

When she finally arrived, Sister Betty found the fellowship hall buzzing with excitement. She then remembered the combined choir was supposed to meet before the morning service. They were going to rehearse a special song selection meant as a surprise for Leotis. He'd said during a service that he'd worn out his Donnie McClurkin
Live in London & More
CD, with its rendition of “Great Is Your Mercy,” and wished the choir would learn the track. She didn't have much of a singing voice, but Sister Betty had decided she wanted to be a part of such a blessed surprise.

The choir was singing the last refrain by the time she walked over. However, what she'd heard left no doubt that everyone had fasted and was prayed up, ready for the Lord to rain down the Holy Ghost fire. But, on the other hand, because of how she'd acted on the way to the service, she now felt convicted and unworthy to participate when it was time to sing. Lord, why did I allow Ima to mess with my testimony? she thought. Instead of delivering her normal and often over-the-top greetings of “My God is a good God” and “Ain't no Devil stealing my joy,” she walked over to the other side of the fellowship hall with her head down, saying nothing to anyone who looked her way, and found someplace to sit by herself.

 

Freddie had arrived at the church about an hour ago. He and the other eleven trustees and elders sat at a table in a far back corner of the fellowship hall. The six men and six women, ranging in age from forty to seventy-five, were dressed in their ceremonial black-and-white attire and, from a distance, looked like a colony of penguins. He'd seen Sister Betty walk in, and when he noticed she hadn't spoken to anyone, not even giving a wave in his direction, he knew something was wrong.

Freddie stood up. He quickly closed the binder lying on the table in front of him and said, “Y'all, excuse me for a moment.” Pointing to one of the other men, he added, “Elder Batty, keep on discussing the plans for the wedding surprise for Sister Betty. Just don't finalize nothing until I get back. I won't be but for a minute.”

Sister Betty saw Freddie headed her way. He was doing his usual gallop, making the limp he'd gotten from a car accident appear more pronounced, and she knew he had something urgent on his mind. It was too late to get up and leave. She inwardly scolded herself for not doing so when she first saw him in the back of the room.

She began fingering the large cross hanging around her neck. She made a motion that looked to be more a comforting gesture than one done out of nervousness. The closer Freddie came, the more Sister Betty didn't like the way he looked. Several times in the past few weeks she'd noticed a dark and sometimes ashen appearance to his normally lemony complexion. And at that moment, it also occurred to her that it looked as though he'd begun losing his hair and the precious sprig he liked to twirl. Now he looked like he'd been in the sun too much.
Hmmm,
she thought. Now that he'd come closer, she looked at his eyes. She leaned her head as though she needed to see him sideways. His eyes. . . there was something about them that didn't set well with her. But just as she'd done for the past few weeks, she'd say nothing. “Criticizing is not a good way to keep a man,” she'd always heard.

Sister Betty saw that Freddie was smiling; it seemed like a concerned smile, but it was a smile, nevertheless. Sister Betty took a deep breath, telling herself,
This is probably all in my head. It's good he's in such a good mood.
She needed to believe it, because she knew he'd disapprove once she confessed to what'd happened earlier on the ride to church.

Freddie reached out for Sister Betty, attempting to give her a quick embrace. It was a move the congregation had come to appreciate from such an elderly couple. They'd obliged their fellow church members by exchanging hugs every time they complimented her about her gorgeous and most expensive engagement ring. But this time Sister Betty didn't respond to his outreach as she normally would. She couldn't.

Freddie could almost feel the chill coming off her. “Honey Bee, what's wrong? Have I done something wrong?”

“No,” she replied. “I have.”

Sister Betty pointed to the empty chair beside her, and Freddie sat. She told him how unbecoming she'd acted once she spied Ima seated in Leotis's car. She went on to tell him about the Jezebel type of clothing Ima had worn and the concern she had for Leotis's reputation if he continued to escort her about. By the time she finished telling Freddie about that morning's ride, she'd confirmed what she'd known from the start.

“Freddie, I am so ashamed. What if I was called upon to pray for Ima, or anyone, with those types of thoughts on my mind?”

Freddie looked at her, and a smile crept across his face. The furrows in his brow narrowed as he reached for her hand. “Honey Bee, don't be so hard on you.”

“But you don't understand. . . .”

“Oh, but I do.” Freddie then took her free hand in his. Smiling again, he continued. “Didn't I recently want to kill Bea and Sasha?”

“Yes.”

“Did I do it?”

“No.”

“Well, now look at it this way,” Freddie said softly. “If Jesus got angry, why do you believe you can't? I've heard that one or more of those Hellraisers have angered just about everyone in this community for as long as Pelzer's been around. If you believe that getting angry with them is gonna keep you out of heaven or prevent your prayers from reaching there once you've asked God for forgiveness, then they've won and you've cheated yourself out of the victory. And you ain't giving God much credit for His grace and mercy, either.”

Sister Betty began to smile so hard, she risked her partials falling out. His wisdom was one of the things she'd come to truly depend upon and love about him. “Freddie, God sure did right by me when he placed you in my life.”

“Ditto, Honey Bee.”

Sister Betty placed her Bible beside her on another open seat. She rose, quickly smoothing an invisible wrinkle on her long skirt. She bent over a little and took one of Freddie's hands in hers before whispering sweetly, “Lord, I just want to thank you.” And before she could add, “For this great man you've given to me,” Freddie's hand slipped from hers. He slumped over the side of his chair and onto the floor in a heap.

“Oh, Jesus!” she wept. “Please don't take him!” She alternated between calling on her God for His mercy and promising Freddie she'd never leave his side.

T
he moment they got the news that Freddie had passed out, the intercessory prayer team sprang into action. Its members included several of the church's mothers' board, deacons and deaconesses. They, along with Leotis, raced to Freddie's side. Bea and Sasha, who'd never been on the intercessory prayer team during the entire time they ran the mothers' board, waited on the sidelines.

Sasha was truly speechless for the first few seconds. She then somehow discovered that she wasn't completely devoid of compassion when she asked Bea, “Don't you think we should go over and join them?”

Bea's eyes stayed laser focused upon those who were anointing Freddie with blessed oil, some even speaking in tongues, pointing God in Freddie's direction. Taking into account that everything done on Freddie's behalf was too serious to half step, Bea turned to Sasha. “No, I don't think we need to add to the misery. Wasn't we just talking this morning about getting back at Trustee Noel?”

“You're right, Bea,” Sasha conceded with a sigh. “We got grudges against the man. We shouldn't risk God's wrath by pretending we don't by asking God for something on his behalf.”

It took the ambulance almost five minutes to reach Crossing Over Sanctuary During that time, Sister Betty waited and prayed while she coddled Freddie's head in her arms. His skin felt clammy but not ice cold. There was a grayish pallor to his skin and lips, while a bluish hue circled his closed eyes.

Bea and Sasha, along with many of the other onlookers, quickly parted like the Red Sea as soon as the EMT unit dashed into the fellowship hall. With the exception of the EMTs asking questions and barking orders, everyone was quiet.

 

As long as Sister Betty had lived in Pelzer, she'd never been inside its Anderson General Hospital's emergency room. Nor had she ever sat waiting for as long as she'd done so far today.

She was met with disappointment each time someone with a stethoscope and a white jacket appeared and she thought, erroneously, that they had news about Freddie. She began squirming in her seat, as though there were a fire lit under her.

Shifting her Bible about in her lap, she suddenly remembered one of the occasions that'd brought her to that hospital. It was several years ago, when her longtime best friend and neighbor, Ma Cile Acker, passed away. She was godmother to Chandler, one of Ma Cile's grandchildren, whom they called June Bug when he was a child. The bad news had come within minutes. As sad as the memory was, she suddenly stopped squirming.
Maybe this is a good sign
, she thought as she squeezed Leotis's hand. If God had decided to take Freddie, surely the doctor would've come out and said something by now.

Now deep in thought, Sister Betty jumped when she suddenly felt Leotis patting her hand with one of his. He used his other hand to cradle her shoulders, pulling her closer to his chest. From the moment they'd left the church, he hadn't left her side.

“God's got this,” Leotis whispered. “He didn't bring you and Trustee Noel this far to leave you two.” He gently squeezed Sister Betty's shoulders, his way of putting finality to what he'd just said.

“I came as soon as I heard.”

Both Leotis and Sister Betty looked up and discovered Sharvon standing before them. Leotis's double take didn't go unnoticed.

The hive of activity took a backseat once Sharvon had entered the room. Everyone, including medical staff, gave her an appreciative look. Her make-up was flawless. She had her long brown hair pulled back into a stylish French pleat. Her size four figure, covered by a chic dark green two-piece suit and a white blouse, looked amazing. The only thing missing from Sharvon was a stethoscope about her neck or a fashion photographer taking pictures. She looked like a cross between a doctor called in for a consultation and a runway model.

Leotis unraveled his arms from around Sister Betty's shoulders and stood. “Please have a seat,” he told Sharvon. “I didn't mean that you should drop everything when I called.” He lowered his voice, saying, “I've been trying to reach out to you for several days, and I'm glad you took my call this time. I'm sorry for the nine-one-one text, but I just wanted you to know what was happening with Sister Betty.”

Sister Betty hadn't given Sharvon a second thought from the moment Freddie collapsed. Yet she was glad Leotis had had the presence of mind to call the only family she had in Pelzer. “Thank you for coming, Sharvon,” she said softly as Sharvon stood over her. “Right now I'm a mess and don't know if I'm coming or going.”

Sharvon accepted Leotis's offer of his seat. Placing Sister Betty's hand in hers, she looked her older second cousin directly in the eye. “Listen, Cousin Betty, if I were in Freddie's condition and aware of my situation, I would not worry one bit. You have such an amazing connection to God. . . .”

Leotis hadn't meant to add anything but did. “Yes, you do have a prayer life unlike many I've ever known, and don't you ever forget it.”

Leotis and Sharvon spent the next few minutes tag teaming Sister Betty. Leotis quoted scriptures, while Sharvon reminded Sister Betty of the strong love she and Freddie shared. Within a short time she calmed down, but within seconds the tears came flowing down her face, ending in a tiny puddle at the base of her throat.

Before Leotis rode to the hospital in the ambulance with Sister Betty, he'd turned the morning service over to one of the visiting preachers. He was a bright young man, an up-and-coming preacher with a renowned prophetic gift, named Elder Lamar L. Moore. He was a member of Brooklyn, New York's St. Paul's Tabernacle City of Lights Ministry, as well as a good friend of Leotis's. Moments ago Elder Lamar had arrived at the hospital with about twenty members from Crossing Over Sanctuary. He told Leotis that the Lord had laid it upon his heart to give a very short, fifteen-minute sermonette. He had obeyed and then had dismissed the church to allow all who wanted to go to the hospital to see about Trustee Noel to do so.

As though he'd read Sister Betty's mind, he treaded where the others had feared to go. “Hopefully, whatever the problem with the trustee is this time,” Elder Lamar calmly told Sister Betty as he smiled, “I don't believe it will affect his ability to walk down that aisle. I, for one, was so pleased to receive an invite and can't wait to get back here for your wedding.” He turned in time to witness the others from the church, including Sister Betty, nodding in agreement.

Leotis rose, walked toward Elder Lamar, and tapped him on his shoulder before leading him aside. “Thank you for that. I don't know why I'd forgotten that the trustee's health issues have led to the postponement of their first wedding date.” He leaned in farther toward the elder, out of earshot of the others, before adding, “I'm not certain how long I'll be here with Sister Betty at the hospital. I don't want your trip here to be in vain. Please do me a favor.”

“Certainly. What is it?”

“Preach your scheduled sermon. If you need any help with tonight's revival, I'm certain the deacons' board will be right there to assist.”

“Of course I will.” In the same quiet manner as he'd arrived, Elder Lamar turned and led those who'd accompanied him out of the waiting room and back to the church.

Sister Betty sat surrounded by several of the church prayer team members. They remained with her while Leotis and Sharvon, who'd also grown impatient, left to see if there was any further word on Freddie's condition. They soon returned with a doctor, but it wasn't one of those who'd seen Freddie when they first arrived.

While the others remained seated, Sister Betty rose to meet them.

“Miss Becton,” the doctor began, “under normal circumstances I would not be able to discuss Mr. Noel's condition with you, because you're not a family member.”

Sister Betty clutched her Bible to her chest. Her eyes darted about, almost pleading, as she replied, “But I will be soon.” Pulling her Bible away from her chest, she extended it as though she wanted the doctor to swear upon it. “I've got to know. . . .”

“Please calm down, Miss Becton.” The doctor stopped and pointed at Sharvon. “Your attorney has provided me with a duplicate legal power of attorney, such as the one that was among Mr. Noel's personal property when he arrived. The hospital is well aware that Mr. Noel has no living relatives.”

Sister Betty, stunned, gave Sharvon a questioning look. When had she and Freddie drawn up such a document? She was happy they had, but why was it a secret? She didn't have time to dwell upon that. It was what it was.

The doctor was short and very thin and spoke with a noticeable facial tick that, after every few words, made him appear to smile. Dr. Lee Y. Chang was the name on his ID plate. “As I was saying,” the doctor continued, “Mr. Noel is resting comfortably. We gave him several tests. Two returned with signs of perhaps old rib injuries. There's bruising that appears to support it. Other than that, none showed any trauma from his fall earlier today and were inconclusive as to its cause. There are other concerns that need addressing by his primary care provider. We've faxed over a report with that information.”

Sister Betty took a few steps forward until she was almost nose to nose with the doctor. “Old rib injuries and bruising. I'm not quite sure what to make of it. What does all that mean?” She remained rooted in place, although he'd moved a few steps back. “Is my Freddie gonna be able to come home, or are you keeping him?”

“He's getting dressed as we speak. However, I'm not prepared to say this won't happen again, because we still don't know everything. He'll need further testing, and perhaps his medication may need adjusting.”

“Further testing,” Sharvon echoed. She was about to say more, but the look upon Leotis's face stopped her cold. Had he read the same thing in the doctor's voice as she had?

“I would suggest, since he lives alone, that you speak to our social services department. It's good that Mr. Noel is financially able to afford what many of our patients cannot. They can recommend or help you find a home attendant. For the time being, he'll need one who is able to spend at least six to eight hours a day with him.”

“He won't need social services,” Sister Betty said sharply. “I can take good care of him.” She turned and pointed to Leotis and Sharvon. “My cousin Sharvon is staying with me. I can depend on her for help if I need it.” Sister Betty then pointed at Leotis. “My pastor lives two doors away. I know without a shadow of a doubt, he'll be available to me and Freddie. He always has.”

Both Sharvon and Leotis nodded, confirming what Sister Betty had said.

The doctor withdrew a small pad from his breast pocket. “That's good to know.” He then began writing something on the pad. “This is a prescription that should for the moment help with his high blood pressure. As I said before, some other meds may need adjusting, but I don't want to do that. Let his private doctor render a more complete diagnosis and make a final decision.”

Sister Betty's face fell. “High blood pressure.” She looked at Leotis and several others standing about. “A moment ago when you were rattling off a bunch of things, but I didn't hear you say nothing before about any high blood pressure.”

“Well, it was very high when he arrived,” the doctor said calmly. “I'm just taking precautionary measures until his doctor can get to the root of today's episode.”

The doctor pivoted toward Leotis and extended his hand. “It was good seeing you again, Leotis. It's been quite some time since I've visited your medical care center at the Promised Land complex on an oncology or geriatric visit. I hope we can get together and return to the community outreach the ideas we've shared in the past. I also hope it will be under different circumstances.”

“Of course, Lee,” Leotis replied. “Anytime Crossing Over Sanctuary can be of assistance, you know we will.”

As the doctor walked away, Sister Betty gave Leotis a questioning look.

“I already know what you're thinking,” Leotis told her. “And, yes, I know Doctor Chang. He's on the Pelzer community outreach board and comes to the Promised Land twice a month to help treat the residents. It's picked up quite a bit since President Obama's Health Care Reform Act went into effect.”

Leotis didn't have a chance to finish explaining. The sound of a familiar purring voice came through the din of the emergency room.

Ima raced through the others, knocking them aside like they were bowling pins. She walked quickly toward Sister Betty with her hands extended. Instead of continuing toward Sister Betty, she turned and shoved her body in between Leotis and Sharvon, still wearing the “almost nothing” neon orange outfit from earlier that day.

“Aunt Sasha only told me a short time ago about Sister Betty's fiance. I rushed right over. Oh my goodness, I am so sorry.” Ima immediately reached up and tapped Leotis on one of her favorite parts of his anatomy—his muscular bicep. She directed her eyes toward Sharvon as she continued speaking to Leotis. “I should've never let you and Sister Betty continue on to service without me,” she said, pursing her lips. “If I'd come to morning service, like you wanted me to, I probably could've done something to help.”

“Like what?” Sharvon snapped. She didn't bother to cover up her annoyance with Ima. “This is a family matter.” Sharvon stopped and pointed toward the others, who'd remained out of earshot. “You can join the others if you intend on staying.”

Ignoring Sharvon's sharp rebuke, Ima wiggled closer to Leotis. “Reverend Tom, I didn't know you were family, too.”