“Goodness gracious. So, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. Because Lana, as much as I love my wife, I’m not going to neglect my daughter. It’s bad enough that she’s already lost her mother, so sending her elsewhere is simply out of the question.”
“I don’t blame you. Curtina isn’t responsible for the selfish decisions her mother made, and let’s be honest—because you know I’m always very honest—she also didn’t ask for the selfish decisions you made either. No child asks to come here, but in the end, it is the parents’ responsibility to take care of them.”
“I agree, and you’re right. I’ve done a lot of wrong throughout the years, but I’ll never turn my back on any of my children. I never have, and I’m not going to start now.”
“What about counseling? Have you considered that?”
“I have, and actually, I’m going to suggest that to Charlotte. Because with the exception of God’s help, I’m not sure what other chance we have of fixing this.”
“I’m really sorry that you’re going through this, and of course I’ll keep all of you in my prayers.”
“I appreciate that, Lana, and thanks so much for listening.”
“Anytime. And Pastor, you keep your head up. You do what you know is right, and I’m just going to believe that everything else will take care of itself.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Next, Curtis prepared for a short meeting with his two lead officers, Elder Jamison and Elder Dixon. They now sat in his office discussing the new building.
“It’s been a lengthy process, but when I say the new church is going to be out of this world, I really mean that,” Elder Jamison said.
“I agree,” Curtis added.
“Yeah, it is somethin’,” Elder Dixon commented. “One of the nicest churches I’ve ever seen and certainly the best-lookin’ one here in Mitchell.”
“And it’s so high-tech.” Elder Jamison said. “The computer system, media system, and sound system are all top of the line, and we’ll be able to do wonders during Sunday morning service. Not to mention when we begin broadcasting.”
Curtis smiled. “I think I’m excited about that part the most, and it was all I could do not to mention the radio studio we’ve included. And I was dying to tell them that we’re planning to begin televising one year from now.”
“The whole project is such a huge blessin’ from God, I tell you,” Elder Dixon said. “Just huge.”
“That it is,” Curtis said. “We have a lot to be thankful for.”
Elder Jamison and Elder Dixon continued speaking to each other, and without realizing it Curtis slipped into deep thought. He still couldn’t get over Charlotte and the way she was acting. The way she was treating him, the man she claimed to love so much. He also thought about how after all these years he was still reaping every bit of what he had sown. He had been doing the right thing for a few years now and working hard to obey God’s Word, but he was still suffering the consequences of his prior actions.
“Pastor?” he finally heard Elder Jamison say. “Pastor, is everything okay?”
“Oh, I’m fine.”
“You don’t seem fine,” Elder Dixon said matter-of-factly. “And boy, after all we’ve been through with you over the years, I know when somethin’ ain’t quite right. So, what is it?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Curtis wasn’t shocked at how forthcoming Elder Dixon was. He was a good man, and he treated Curtis like a son the same as Lana did, but he didn’t have much tact.
“All right now. Don’t try to deal with somethin’ all by yourself when you’ve got people around here who care about you.”
“I appreciate that, Brother Dixon, but I’m good.”
Elder Dixon widened his eyes, clearly not believing a word Curtis was saying, but he left the conversation alone just the same.
“Just know we’re here for you, Pastor,” Elder Jamison offered.
“I know that, and I depend on it.”
There was another knock at the door, and Curtis looked at his watch. “That’s probably Raven. She has some information for me,” he told the elders and then said, “Come in.”
Raven Jones opened the door and entered.
“Hey, Raven,” Elder Jamison said.
“Whatchu know good, Miss Finance Lady?” Elder Dixon said, teasing her.
“How are you, Elder Dixon? Elder Jamison?”
“I think that’s all we have, anyway,” Elder Jamison said to Curtis. “And we’ll just see you tonight at the meeting.”
“Yep,” Elder Dixon said. “See you then.”
Both men left the office, and Raven sat where Elder Jamison had been sitting.
“So, were you able to find someone highly recommended but not here in the area?” Curtis asked.
“Yes, an attorney by the name of Richard Cacciatore. He’s a founding partner at one of the top downtown law firms, and he’s one of the best in the business when it comes to wills, probate, and estate planning.” She passed him a sheet with Richard’s contact information on it.
“Good.”
Curtis hadn’t wanted anyone to know he was looking for a new lawyer, and it was the reason he hadn’t told Raven, his CFO, why he wanted the information nor why he needed her to keep his request confidential. It was also the reason he hadn’t elaborated to the two elders about Raven’s visit to his office. She was the church’s chief financial officer, so it wasn’t like they would suspect her to be advising him on anything law related. He was keeping his intentions to himself because he didn’t want anyone wondering why he was getting ready to move a good portion of his money around, making sure Alicia, Matthew, and Curtina received as much money as Charlotte did. When he’d first asked Raven to locate him a reputable attorney, his only desire was to get Curtina added more prominently into his will. He had already included her, but after her mother had passed he’d decided to make sure she received just as much as his other two children if something happened to him. Actually, he’d wanted to give Curtina equal shares from the very beginning, but Charlotte had thrown such a fit about the possibility of Tabitha being the true recipient that he’d left the idea alone.
That was then, though. But now that his relationship with Charlotte had taken an unsettling turn and she’d proven how much she hated Curtina, he felt he needed to look out for his children even more. He knew Matthew would always be fine because Charlotte would always take care of her own son. She would probably even make sure Alicia received a few extra benefits as well, since they’d had a wonderful stepmother-stepdaughter relationship for years now. But he knew she wouldn’t do a single thing for Curtina. So what he would do now was sit back for a few more days or weeks, waiting to see how things panned out between him and Charlotte. Then, he would determine how to proceed.
“Pastor?” Raven said. “Hellllooo?”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said. “I guess I just have a lot on my mind. Please accept my apologies.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Nothing for you to worry about.”
“Still, even though I’ve only been working here for just under a year, I can still tell when something isn’t quite right with you. I can tell when you’re not happy.”
Curtis wondered why everyone seemed so able to read him, but he was sure both worry and concern were written all over his face. He was trying to act normal, but now he knew it wasn’t working.
“It’s nothing that can’t be worked out,” he said.
“I really hope so, but either way, I’m always available if you ever need someone to talk to.”
“Thank you for that, Raven. It really means a lot.”
“Anytime,” she said, smiling, and then stood up. “See you tonight.”
She turned and looked at Curtis one last time before exiting his office. Interestingly enough, this was the first time Curtis realized how attractive Raven was. It was true that she always seemed to be about business, always dressed in professional attire, and
was extremely talented and knowledgeable when it came to handling the church’s finances. But until now, he guessed he’d never bothered paying much attention to just how good-looking she was—he hadn’t bothered focusing on the fact that she was the kind of woman any man in his right mind would have taken a second look at.
Curtis knew, though, why he hadn’t noticed her flowing hair, flawless cocoa skin, or well-formed silhouette in the past. It was because he’d been completely happy with Charlotte. He loved her more than ever, and he had decided point-blank that other women no longer mattered to him. Of course, Charlotte hadn’t been as happy as he’d been with their marriage, not since Curtina had been born, but he’d still been totally committed to her and their vows. It was the reason he was working doubly hard, trying to tolerate the very selfish and blatantly cruel way she was treating Curtina, not to mention how callously she was treating him.
What worried him now, however, was a popular saying he’d heard so many older people say throughout the years: even iron eventually wears thin. Meaning even the strongest and most dedicated person could take only so much and ultimately had their breaking point.
He hoped he wasn’t slipping into that particular category.
He prayed his sinful ways and struggle with temptation were a thing of the past.
For his sake as well as for Charlotte’s.
Chapter 9
Charlotte drove into the far right lane on I-90 West as she prepared to take the Genoa exit. She was only fifteen minutes from their house, and she couldn’t wait to crawl into bed. Her head still pounded from her hangover, her stomach still didn’t feel the greatest, and she was utterly wiped out. Thankfully, however, her parents hadn’t pressured her about where she’d been until well after two in the morning or about the way she’d thrown up all over one of their bathrooms. They hadn’t even questioned her about why she’d needed to spend the night with them. She could tell her father hadn’t been too happy about her condition, though, so she was glad he’d gone on about his day and hadn’t said anything.
Then, this morning, she’d called Matthew, letting him know she’d been visiting a few friends in Chicago and when it had gotten too late, she’d realized she was too tired to drive back. She hated lying to her son, but it wasn’t like she could tell him the truth either. From the sound of his voice, though, he hadn’t seemed bothered or worried, so she was very happy about that.
But the worst part of her morning thus far had been that annoying call from Curtis. He’d kept pushing and interrogating her like he had a right, and it was the reason she’d hung up on him. It was the reason she didn’t care what he thought or what he had to say—the reason she was going to be her own woman, making her own decisions from now on. She would do whatever it took to keep her mind totally occupied and completely off Curtina, and there wasn’t a thing Curtis could do about it.
It was the reason she didn’t feel the slightest bit of guilt about last night, her sleeping with another man behind Curtis’s back—the man she’d danced with at the club, the man who’d finally told her his name was Tom, the man who had followed her out to her car and convinced her to go to a motel with him. In fact, when she thought about how special and awesome he’d made her feel, she felt liberated. Felt like she was getting some much-needed payback for all the pain Curtis was causing her. Plus, it wasn’t like she’d ever have to see or hear from Tom again, so as far as she was concerned, her one-night fling had been fun and well worth her time but was now simply a thing of the past.
When Charlotte arrived home, Agnes greeted her but didn’t say much else. She seemed almost embarrassed and like she was afraid to look at her. But Charlotte knew it was because Agnes wasn’t used to her staying out all night without telling her. She also wasn’t used to seeing Charlotte wearing the same clothes from the day before or walking around with her hair looking a mess. Plus, she had to know things were bad between her and Curtis, because they now argued like animals.
“Can I fix you something to eat, Miss Charlotte?” she finally asked.
“No. But thanks for asking, Agnes.”
“You’re welcome, and just let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”
“I will. But right now, all I want to do is head upstairs to lie down.”
After closing the bedroom door, shedding her clothing, slipping on a pair of flannel pajamas, and turning on the fireplace, Charlotte climbed into bed.
“Finally,” she said, pulling the comforter up just past her waist, turning on her side, and curling into a ball. But to her unfortunate dismay, only minutes later Curtis waltzed into the room and slammed the door, ranting and raving.
Charlotte frowned. “What in the world are you doing here?”
“I figured you’d be home this afternoon, and I wanna talk to you.”
“Well, I don’t wanna talk to you. I’m tired, I’m sleepy, and I wanna be left alone.”
“No, we’re going to deal with this before things stretch too far out of hand.”
Charlotte looked at him and then closed her eyes. “Curtis, why don’t you get out of here?”
“Where were you? And why were you out drinking?”
Her eyes were still shut but she said, “I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t, and because it’s not important.”
“It is important.”
“No. It’s not.”
“Look, Charlotte, I’m really trying here, but I’m also starting to lose my patience.”
Now she opened her eyes and sat straight up. “Oh yeah? Well, I’ve got news for you, Curtis. I started losing my patience the moment you started bringing that daughter of yours here to our house. Then I lost it completely the day Tabitha died and left Curtina behind for someone else to take care of.”
“No, not someone. Us. She left Curtina with her father and stepmother.”
“No, she left her for you because I’ve already made it clear that I’m not playing mommy on Tabitha’s behalf.”
“You hate Curtina that much?”
Charlotte glared at him.
“So you’re not going to answer me?”
“Like I said, Curtis, I’m really tired, so will you please just leave me alone?”
“No, not until you answer my question.”
“Okay, fine. Yes, I hate her. I hate every inch of her, and I wish like hell that something bad would happen to her. Is that answer enough for you?”
Curtis stared back at her with no emotion. He seemed almost shell-shocked and like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. She waited for him to lash back at her, but to her surprise, all he did was leave.
Good, Charlotte thought. Then she repositioned herself in the bed, laid her head back onto the pillow, and closed her eyes. She was so glad Curtis was no longer bothering her and glad she could finally get some rest. She lay there in total comfort, like she had not a care in the world.
Chapter 10
I love you so, so much, Curtina,” Curtis said, holding his daughter in his arms and squeezing her tightly.
“I love Daddy.”
Curtis didn’t want to put her down, but he knew he had to if he didn’t want to be late for the church business meeting.
“You’d better get going,” Aunt Emma said.
“I know. And thanks a million for having me over for dinner and for taking care of my little princess. I have no idea what I would do without you.”
“It’s no problem at all, and I’ve already told you I’m glad to do it. You just worry about Charlotte and that marriage of yours. My niece is as wrong as the day is long, but I know she loves you.”
“Well, she sure has a strange way of showing it.”
“She’s spoiled, stubborn, and full of herself, but you knew that when you married her,” Aunt Emma said, laughing.
Curtis chuckled, but even Aunt Emma’s humor wasn’t enough to brighten his spirits or offer him any hope about his personal future. Things were bad. Worse than
he’d thought, and now he wished he hadn’t gone home this afternoon. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have had to hear her say how much she hated Curtina, and worse, how she wanted something bad to happen to her. Curtis knew Charlotte was upset, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to look at her the same. Not after hearing her wish tragedy on an innocent child. Specifically a child whose father was the man she was married to. He couldn’t imagine anyone being so evil, regardless of what the situation might be, and he couldn’t push Charlotte’s words out of his mind. He’d played them over and over on his way back to the church. Then again, while he was trying to work on next Sunday’s sermon, and again while he was having dinner with Aunt Emma and Curtina. He couldn’t stop thinking about any of what was happening, and his faith in both Charlotte and their marriage had weakened. He was tired, hurt, and, God help him, thinking of various ways to make himself feel better. The kind of ways that wouldn’t be very Christian-like.
A couple of hours passed, and while Curtis felt worse than he had earlier, the business meeting was now being called to order. Everyone was there. A large portion of the general congregation, the elders, the associate pastors, all other church officers, the administrative staff, the finance committee, Raven, and of course, all the building committee members.
“Thank you all for coming out this evening,” Curtis said. “This is an exciting time for Deliverance Outreach, and I can’t tell you how excited I am about the progress we’ve made as a church and also with the planning of our future. I’m sad to say, though, I’m not feeling the best this evening, so I’m going to turn everything over to Elder Jamison and Anise Miller.” Anise was Charlotte’s first cousin and one of the original coordinators when the new church project was first being planned. “Elder Jamison?” Curtis continued, offering him the floor.
Elder Jamison went through the agenda point by point, Anise made a few important announcements, and the entire building committee took questions from the congregation. Curtis sat listening, but also spent most of the hour zoning in and out and thinking about his home life. He thought about how far he and Charlotte had come, how well they’d finally been doing, and then he thought about where they were now.
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