My Truth My Time My Turn

by Shelia E. Bell

  “Right…right.” Khalil nodded in agreement. “Let’s work on it then. First thing tomorrow, we’ll get some guys in place. But I’m telling you, I’m not done with him. I’ve got to find a way to exact my own justice on him, and I got to do it soon.”

  “Whoa, look at that fool.” Omar jumped out of the movie style recliner. “LeBron fouled dude and the ref didn’t call it?”

  “That’s my boy.” Khalil leaned back in his recliner and laughed. “LeBron is the GOAT. For real.”

  “Nah, I don’t think so,” Omar countered.

  For the remainder of the evening Khalil tried to take his mind off his father and the two friends enjoyed the game.

  17

  “Anger and hate against ones we love steals our hearts but contempt or pity leaves us silent and ashamed.” Izquotes

  “Good morning, Eliana. Good morning, ladies.” Khalil smiled as he walked into Holy Rock the following morning.

  “Good morning, Pastor Khalil,” Eliana and the other ladies answered.

  “Eliana, I need to see you in my office.”

  Sista Mavis crooked her neck so she could hear the conversation between the two. She suspected there was something more than admin and pastor relationship between those two. Eliana hadn’t denied her feelings for Pastor Khalil when Sista Mavis tried to steer her toward Stiles. It was easy to see from her expression, the tone of her voice, and the way she talked about Khalil that Eliana was head over heels for him.

  Sista Mavis thought about it. Maybe Pastor Stiles was not the man for Eliana. Maybe he needed someone more his age. Who had the patience to deal with him and his sensitive emotions. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if the girl set her sights on Pastor K. Looking at Pastor K and Eliana, they kinda would make a cute couple. They were young, loved the Lord, and they possessed great personalities, but Pastor K had dropped a couple of notches on

  Sista Mavis’ poll after what happened when Pastor Hezekiah came to Holy Rock.

  Sista Mavis watched Eliana move from behind her desk, pick up her tablet, and follow Pastor K up the hall to his office. The disturbance Pastor K caused the other day was still present in Sista Mavis’ mind. She was disturbed by what she expected to be a pleasant meeting between son and father but had turned into an all-out fiasco. It was the one time she’d witnessed Pastor K’s temper, and it turned her off a little because no child, young or old, for any reason, should disrespect their parents the way Pastor Khalil had done. She heard their voices, especially Khalil’s screaming at his father, and it wasn’t a good thing. Their voices could be heard all the way up to the front of the church office.

  When Hezekiah appeared back in the front of the office, Sista Mavis could easily tell that he was angry. He didn’t even tell her goodbye. And Khalil, that boy said some terrible things to his father. He looked so much like his mother. Sista Mavis wondered if Fancy McCoy had poisoned her sons’ minds against their father.

  Khalil pulled Eliana into his arms as soon as he closed the door to his office. He kissed her, not holding back his desire and need for her.

  Eliana returned his kiss. Being in his arms was where she wanted to be. His kisses set her on fire and stirred up feelings she hadn’t felt for anyone else before him. God, she wanted to be his wife so badly. She tried not to think that far ahead, but every night when she prayed, she asked God to give her a husband. She went one step farther and prayed that if it was God’s will, that man would be Khalil McCoy.

  Khalil scooped her into his arms and walked her backward over to his desk. He sat her on the edge of his desk, removed her tablet from her hands, and set it on the side of her. Their kisses grew with intensity as she allowed his hands to freely roam.

  Wrapping her arms around his neck she gave him as much access to her body as possible.

  “We can’t,” she said, as her breathing grew heavy and tiny moans escaped from between her lips. “Not here.”

  Khalil pulled back. Both of their faces flushed. “I know,” he said, his breath just as heavy as hers. He helped her down and she stood before him.

  “I can’t get enough of you, Eliana.”

  Eliana turned red as she blushed.

  Khalil planted his hands around her tiny waist and closed the space between them as he kissed her again.

  “Okay, okay,” he said, stepping back. “I have to restrain myself.”

  “Yes, you do.” She smiled. “Now, let’s go over your schedule for the day.”

  Khalil strained to walk behind his desk. He pulled out the office chair and took a seat while Eliana moved her chair closer to his desk and sat down too.

  Grabbing her tablet off his desk, she powered it on. As much as he wanted to throw caution to the wind, get up, grab her, and make love to her, this was neither the time nor place. He had too much he had to do. He was making so much money, or rather Holy Rock Ministries was making so much money, Khalil was fast becoming a wealthy man. The social media ministry was a huge success and the viewership continued to grow by leaps and bounds. The television ministry was growing as well with it not only being live on Sunday and during midweek services, but it was repeated during the wee hours of the morning on two channels to reach those people who normally surfed during those hours. People from all over the U.S. were becoming partners in his ministry. It was working too. The money was flowing in nonstop and Khalil’s pockets grew fatter and fatter. Had he desired to, he could easily have given his father back the 100 grand, and then some, without missing it.

  Weekly and Sunday worship had tripled and sometimes upwards of fifty people or more walked down the aisles of Holy Rock at one service alone to give their lives to Christ, to seek prayer, or join the church by Christian experience. It was mind-boggling. He was not about to allow his father to destroy that.

  “I need you to create a job description and a job post for men or women who are interested in joining the security team.”

  “You want to increase security? Any reason?” she asked. “I’m just saying, you have a good group of men and women already. More than enough, really.”

  “Yeah, that’s here at Holy Rock. But after that little move my father made the other day, I think it would be wise to have security for me and my mother when we are outside of Holy Rock. Oh, and my brother, too. And it’s not only because of my father. More people are beginning to recognize me. That means more crazies out there. I don’t need some fool pulling up on me with stupid thoughts. Make sure it states this is for a private security team, not for Holy Rock. I want you to do some research about what the starting salary should be. I want them paid well. Only the best with impeccable backgrounds and references. And I don’t want to see them or interview them until you’ve covered all bases.”

  “Gotcha,” Eliana, said, nodding as she entered the information on her tablet. She fully agreed and understood where Khalil was coming from. Memphis had become a violent city and it was getting worse every day. Rarely did a day pass when there wasn’t a murder, shooting, or some other form of violence taking place. Now that his face was plastered on television all times of day and night, he was right, the more recognizable he was. She couldn’t have her future husband harmed in any way.

  In the middle of his and Eliana’s meeting, Khalil’s cell phone rang. He answered and listened.

  Eliana watched Khalil’s face turn to a dark purplish color. His free hand went to his head as he stood from the chair and with speed moved from behind his desk.

  “Thank you again. I’m on my way.”

  “Khalil, what’s wrong? You’ve turned two shades darker.”

  “It’s my brother. He was in a bad accident. He’s at Regional One in the trauma center. Will you call my mother? Wait, on second thought. I’ll call her after I get to the hospital and see how he is.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Eliana said, without asking.

  Surprising to her, Khalil didn’t rebuff her. “Come on then,” he said. “Let’s go.”

  As they passed the front office, Eliana qui
ckly told Sista Mavis she and Pastor Khalil would be gone for the day, that there’d been an emergency. “I’ll call you from the car and explain.

  Sista Mavis saw the fright on both of their faces as they hurried out of the church. She ran to the door and watched as Pastor Khalil followed Eliana to her assigned parking space. The two got into her car and sped off the church parking lot.

  Something had happened and whatever it was, Sista Mavis had a feeling it wasn’t good. Wasn’t good at all.

  18

  “It's hard to watch your life unfold, and sad. Life changes.” Cilla Black

  Eliana stopped and let Khalil out of the car at the entrance to the hospital’s trauma center. “I’ll be in as soon as I park.”

  Khalil threw up a hand as he closed the car door and then sprinted toward the entrance.

  Inside the trauma center, he rushed up to the patient information desk and inquired about his brother.

  “He’s being worked on now. No visitors are allowed at this time,” the receptionist informed him.

  “Can you at least tell me how he is?”

  “All I can tell you is they’re still working on him. Please go to the Trauma Waiting Room. The doctor will call you from a phone inside the room as soon as he has something to report.”

  “Where’s the waiting room?”

  The woman pointed to her right. “It’s up that hallway and to the right. You’ll see the sign.”

  “Thanks.” Khalil walked down the hallway but stopped when he heard his name called.

  “Khalil,” Eliana said, briskly walking toward him.

  She caught up to him and together they walked up the hallway while he told her what the receptionist shared about Xavier.

  “He’s going to be okay. God is a healer and a restorer. You know that,” Eliana assured him as she rubbed his back in a circular motion.

  “There it is,” he pointed to the sign that read Trauma Unit Waiting Room. He opened the door but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Hezekiah.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, disregarding three other people sitting in the room who looked at him strangely.

  “Why do you think I’m here? My baby boy is back there,” Hezekiah answered with frustration laced in his voice.

  Eliana tugged on Khalil’s arm. “Don’t make a scene,” she whispered.

  “You’ve got some nerve.”

  “Now is not the time nor place for any foolishness from you, son. I’m here because my son has been in a terrible accident. The same as I would be if it were you.”

  “I doubt you would be here for me. You and I both know that.”

  Khalil shook his head as Eliana walked a step ahead of him as a way of guiding him to a nearby row of empty seats. She sat down and then looked at Khalil. “Pastor, please, sit down.”

  Khalil followed her prompt and took the seat next to her while maintaining a transfixed stare at his father.

  There was a young lady sitting next to Hezekiah who looked somewhat frightened as she tightened her hold on a small child sitting on her lap. Eliana didn’t know if the woman was with Hezekiah or just happened to be sitting next to him because of where Hezekiah had parked his wheelchair. She did, however, recognize the man seated on the other side of the woman. It was the same man who picked up Hezekiah from Holy Rock the other day.

  “Hello, Miss,” Hezekiah said, acknowledging Eliana.

  “Hello, Pastor McCoy,” Eliana replied and then focused her eyes on the television screen mounted on the wall in front of her.

  “Where’s your mother?”

  “She’s not here.”

  “I can see she’s not here? Why?”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, she doesn’t know.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. She doesn’t know. I haven’t told her.”

  “What do you mean you haven’t told her? For God’s sake, her baby boy is laid up in the trauma center in critical condition and you haven’t told your mother?”

  “Wait a minute. How do you know he’s in critical condition? Have you seen the doctor? A nurse?”

  “I am his father, so of course I’ve talked to the doctor. You may not like that, but it is what it is and I am who I am.”

  Eliana wondered how Hezekiah found out about the accident before Khalil.

  Just then the phone in the waiting room started ringing. “Answer that, Isabella,” Hezekiah said to the woman.

  The man who Eliana recognized picked up the phone and passed it to the woman.

  “Hello.” Her voice was timid, almost childlike. “Yes, just a minute.”

  “They’re asking for you,” she said.

  Hezekiah pushed the button on his power chair and rolled over to the woman. She pushed the phone toward him and Hezekiah received it.

  “Hello. Yes, this is Hezekiah McCoy. How is he?”

  Khalil watched, finding it difficult to remain poised. Here this man was who appeared out of the woodwork and the doctor was talking to him about his little’s brother condition. Khalil didn’t like. He didn’t like it one bit.

  Again, Eliana sensing his tension, reached over and gave his hand a tight squeeze.

  Isabella stole a glance at the couple. Khalil had features just like Hezekiah. She already surmised that he had his daddy’s ways by the way he barged in exerting his authority. She could see the girl with him had some strong feelings for him. It was written all over her face. Maybe one day she would have someone who made her want to willingly be by his side, love him, and care for him. Her child squirmed until he broke loose from his mother and ran toward a stranger sitting on the opposite side of the room.

  “Come back here. Don’t go over there,” Isabella admonished. Before she could fully stand and step past Hezekiah, the kid darted toward Eliana and plopped his head in her lap.

  Eliana laughed, patted the cute little boy on his head, and then began talking to him.

  Isabella rushed over. “I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, no need to apologize. I love kids, and he is adorable.”

  “Thank you.” Isabella picked up the boy who immediately struggled against his mother. “Stop it before you get a spanking.”

  The boy stopped squirming and allowed his mother to put him down on the floor. She reached for his hand and led him back to their seat while he looked back at Eliana.

  Children was another reason Eliana was ready to get married. She wanted at least three, maybe even four. She had the idyllic dream planted in her head of how perfect life would be with her being a wife and mother, living in a big house with a man who loved, worshipped, and adored her. Maybe she was crazy to believe that dream could come true with Khalil, but nonetheless, she felt it was her truth and this was her turn and her time to do everything she could to make that dream into a reality.

  “What did he say?” she heard Khalil ask his father, bringing her out of her daydream.

  “They’re going to let me get a quick glimpse of him as soon as they get him cleaned up. He’s on a ventilator. Lungs collapsed, fractured bones in his face and he fractured his pelvis. They think he might have internal bleeding. They’re going to take him to surgery and run more tests.”

  Khalil looked over at Eliana. “I’ve got to call my mother.”

  Hezekiah heard what he told the attractive young woman. He figured she was more than just his son’s administrative assistant, she was probably his boo. She looked like his type. The way she kept holding on to his hand and looking into his eyes, yeah, Hezekiah knew Khalil was tapping that.

  “I think that’s a good idea. Fancy’s going to be furious when she finds out you didn’t tell her Xavier is laid up in a hospital,” Hezekiah said to his son.

  “This is family business. What I do or do not do doesn’t concern you anymore.”

  The phone rang again and they stopped talking. Benny picked the phone up once again. This time he motioned for one of the other people in the room waiting on news of the condition of their family member or lov
ed one. “Are you the family of Carson?”

  The brunette, blue eyed woman nodded.

  “It’s for you,” he said to her.

  She got up, walked to the phone and Benny pushed it gently into her hand.

  The woman listened to whatever was being said. “Thank you,” she said and hung up the phone. She went back over to where she was seated, picked up her purse, and exited the waiting room.

  “Suit yourself, but you should know your mother and how she’s going to react.”

  “Do you want me to call?” Eliana asked.

  “No, I’ll do it. I’m going to step out into the hall. I’ll be right back.”

  “Okay,” replied Eliana.

  Xavier stood up and exited the waiting room. Once outside the room he called Omar, explained what had gone down, and asked him to go pick up his mother and bring her to the hospital.

  Without hesitation, Omar’s reply was, “I gotcha. Tell her I’m on my way. I’ll call her when I get to the gate.”

  “Thanks, O.”

  Next, Khalil called his mother.

  Fancy was enjoying a quiet, non-eventful evening at home, reading and watching a little reality TV, when her cell phone rang, jarring her from her relaxed state of mind.

  She looked at the phone screen. “Khalil, hi, honey. What’s going on with you?”

  “Ma, I’m at Regional One.”

  “Regional One? As in hospital?”

  “Yes.”

  “What are you doing there? You usually leave sick visits to the ministerial staff. Someone must have specifically requested to see you.”

  “No, it’s nothing like that.”

  “Then what is it?” Pause. “Honey, are you okay? You’re making me nervous.” She began patting her hand on her knee.

  “Yes, I’m fine, Ma.”

  “Then what’s going on? What are you doing at Regional One?”

  “Ma, it’s—”

  “It’s who? What’s going on, Khalil?” She placed her hand on her belly as it suddenly knotted up. She stood up from the sofa.