Sister Girls 2 (5 page)

CHAPTER FIVE

T
he week the Essence of Self Center opened exceeded Elsie's dreams. She was concerned that it would take a while for the word to spread that there was a location for young women to come and talk things out, to get advice, hang out, read, do homework, or whatever would keep them out of trouble and out of the streets.

To her surprise, by day three they had received a number of phone calls and a few drop-bys. She still hadn't hired anyone yet and was hoping that Jewell's cousin would be the person. The day they were initially supposed to meet was postponed because one of Harmony's kids was sick. So they ended up rescheduling.

 

 

Tonight, Susan was having a little get-together at her house. When Elsie pulled into the driveway, she saw Crystal's car, Jewell's car, and a few cars she didn't recognize. She was looking forward to this little get-together because recently Elsie felt like she had shut herself out from everyone and she thought it would be nice to actually be around some people.

Elsie parked about three houses down the street. By the time she reached Susan's house, Susan was standing at the door waiting on her. “I saw you when you drove by. Come on in,” Susan greeted.

Elsie could see that the get-together was in full swing. There appeared to be a houseful of people.

“What did you do, invite everyone you know?” Elsie joked.

“Girl, these are Timothy's people. Had I known he was going to go out like this, I would have been better prepared. I thought we were having a small dinner party.”

Elsie followed Susan into the living room and looked around. “Where is Timothy?”

“He had to run out and get more food.”

“Elsie!” Crystal approached them. “It's about time you got here.” Crystal started pulling Elsie into the “conversation room” where people were gathered and seemed to be deep into a heated conversation.

Elsie turned to Crystal. “What did I step into?”

“A battlefield, girl.”

Elsie felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned around and was surprised to see Bella standing there. “I didn't know pastors went to parties,” she joked.

“I just thought it was a dinner party. I didn't realize it was going to be so testosterone driven,” Bella offered in way of explanation.

Even if she had known, the truth was Bella probably still would have showed up. She didn't feel like being alone tonight. Yes, she could go visit the unhealthy and those in need of prayer but for once, she felt like being around people that didn't want her to heal them or expect much from her. She just felt like some good company.

“Just because you're a pastor, it doesn't mean you can't enjoy an outing as much as the next person.”

“You are right about that,” Susan chimed in as she walked up behind them.

Elsie was about to step out the room and go into the kitchen to get something to eat when she heard a man's voice say, “Heck, you might as well call me a lesbian, I love women too.”

On that note, Elsie, Bella, Crystal, and Susan moved closer to the conversation.

“I know that's right,” Timothy's friend, Malik, remarked. “You just don't know what you're getting into nowadays as far as relationships are concerned; everyone appears to be bisexual, men and women.”

Bella looked at Susan. “I think that may be my cue to leave.”

“You don't have to leave, it's only a conversation.”

Malik went on to say, “I think it's a damn shame, it's like being gay is okay. All this openness and acceptance is crazy. Every time I turn on the television, there's a gay character prancing around, whether it's a talk show, a television show, or a reality show. What kind of shit is that? What kind of example are we setting for our kids?”

Elsie did not want to get involved in this conversation but she couldn't hold back. “You sound like you're homophobic. Do you have something against gay people?”

Susan looked at Elsie as if to say,
why did you even go there, why are you egging this asshole on
.

Malik told her, “I have nothing against anyone, I'm concerned for the next generation, that's all I'm saying.”

Bella knew that Elsie was one of the gay members of her congregation. They'd talked about her sexual preference in private and they were developing a friendship outside of the church. “What do you mean, you're concerned for the next generation? Do you think that not accepting people for who they are is setting a good example?” Elsie asked.

“What I'm talking about,” Malik tried to point out, “is the world is crazy enough without mixing up our babies. If we allow same-sex relationships, how do men learn how to be men and who teaches a woman how to be a lady and stay in her place?”

This touched a nerve in Faith. “What the hell do you mean, stay in her place?” Faith heard that shit growing up, she didn't want to hear it at a place where she was supposed to be having a good time.

Bella also put her two cents in. “Yeah, what do you mean by ‘her place'?”

None of the other men in the room were saying a word, they were letting Malik stick his foot in his mouth.

“In my experience as a pastor, having counseled same-sex couples, I've come to see and understand that in their relationships their roles are clearly defined,” Bella told him.

“Not to mention last I checked,” Faith added, “many of you so-called men are not doing such a great job anyway.”

Malik ignored that remark and looked at Bella. “So you don't think homosexuals are hell-bound?”

“I think anyone, regardless of their sexuality, could be hell-bound, as you say, if they are not doing the right thing. I don't believe you can go to hell based on who you love.”

“What I don't understand,” one of the other male guest decided to contribute, “is why when a woman wants to be with a woman, they end up with a woman that acts and looks like a man.”

“Yeah,” Malik said, “That shit just don't make sense to me.”

Everyone looked at one another. It seemed no one had an answer, not even Elsie, who preferred feminine women.

“You know what,” Susan said, “I think part of the problem between male and female relationships is sometimes you men get so caught up in being the alpha male that you forget that women are your partners and not your property or servants.”

Timothy looked at Susan, surprised that she would say such a thing. “Is that what you think I think?”

Susan smiled to reassure him. “Sweetie, you are one of the exceptions to the rule.”

“But must you blame the man for the failure of today's relationships?” Timothy asked. “I'm a good man, who's to say that most men are not.”

Malik didn't give Susan a chance to answer. “I don't think it has anything to do with the man at all. I think the problem started when someone thought of that equal-opportunity shit.”

Crystal finally cut in. “What the hell are you talking about now?” She looked around at all the women and asked, “Why are we even entertaining this person?”

Malik went on. “The problem started once you women started working and earning a paycheck. When this happened, you started to believe we were equals.” He looked at Bella. “On this, the pastor would even have to agree. It says it in the Bible, the man is the head of the household.”

When these words come out of Malik's mouth, comments were heard all over the room.

“He done lost all his mind.”

“Being head of the household is something you have to earn.”

“We had to start working out of necessity, because of the sorry-ass men out there.”

On and on the comments went, until Faith threw up her hands and said, “I'm a counselor and just the other day one of my clients came into the office in tears, distraught. She went on to tell me her man constantly cheats on her, he does drugs, he's not attentive to her needs, a terrible lover, and most of all, not bringing home enough money to take care of his family.”

“Well, if it's that bad, why don't she leave!” someone yelled out.

“Because she believes she owes him for all the good he's done in the past. When they first got together, when she was down and out and he stood by her.”

“That sounds like my sister!” someone called out. Everyone laughed, easing the tension.

Faith waited to see if anyone had anything else to say. She was hoping to get some insight to her situation, but it went unrecognized.

Bella looked at Malik and said, “Before I leave, I want to say this to you. You are correct in stating that the Bible suggests that the man should be the head of the household. However, he cannot be the head of the household if he is an incompetent, inept, and unqualified leader.”

“I know that's right, you tell him, sister,” someone yelled from across the room.

Malik stood up and realized that he was losing the argument, and announced, “I have to piss, y'all can continue this conversation without me.”

Once he had left the room, Timothy tried to redirect the energy and asked if anyone wanted to play spades. A few people said yes.

In the meantime, Bella tapped Elsie on the shoulder and signaled her to come into the kitchen. Faith followed.

“Can you believe that character?” Faith asked them.

“At this point in life,” Elsie answered, “I don't put anything past anyone. The world is messed up and people are screwed up in the mind, look at the news and read the paper. Shit, if he wants to know why women are turning gay in record numbers he should look in the mirror, that's his answer right there.”

A couple of hours passed by before Susan grew tired and ready to end the night. She motioned for Timothy to come into the kitchen.

“What's up?”

She looked at her watch. “How much longer?”

“Another hour or so.”

Susan rubbed her neck and told him, “Let's make it thirty minutes.”

“We can do that,” Timothy agreed.

Susan leaned into Timothy and whispered, “You need to get someone to take your boy, Malik, home, he's had more than his share of drinks.”

Timothy informed her that she wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know and that he had it all under control.

 

 

As people were leaving, Elsie asked Susan, “Do you want me to help you start cleaning up?”

“Yeah, girl, maybe people will get the hint and hurry it along.”

A short while later, the house was empty and Elsie was helping Susan wash the last few dishes. “Thanks, girl, I appreciate it.”

“You'd do the same for me,” Elsie responded.

“And more,” Susan told her.

 

 

Later that night, while Elsie lay in bed, she thought about what Malik said, about the examples that were being set for kids regarding sexuality.

Maybe that should be a discussion amongst the teenagers in the program, s
he thought, but she knew she would first have to get permission from the parents.

After listening in on the kids' conversations, she discovered that alot of the kids who were in middle school and high school were confused about their sexuality, that they didn't know the difference between experimentation and making a choice.