Stiles got up and walked over to the booth where Detria sat.
Detria quickly looked up. “The devil himself,” she said with a look of astonishment.
“I could say the same,” Stiles responded drily.
She wondered what brought him to town. Maybe he had moved back; she didn’t know. Her heart beat faster and she wanted to get up and pound him on his chest over and over again. She hated him for hating her.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Khalil asked as he returned to the booth. Stiles stepped back, allowing the young man to slide back in the booth and sit down across from Detria.
“Aren’t you Pastor McCoy’s son?” Stiles asked.
“Yes, I am. I’m Khalil. His oldest. And you are?”
Stiles smiled while Detria flinched nervously. “Stiles Graham. Pastor Chauncey Graham is my father.”
“Oh, yeah. We didn’t have a chance to meet earlier at the banquet.” Khalil extended his hand and the two men shook hands. “You were the pastor before my dad. I wasn’t in Memphis then.”
“Yeah, that’s right. And no, we didn’t get a chance to meet. I meant to stop and chat with your father, but I thought I’d give him a break and wait until tomorrow. You guys were surrounded by a crowd of well-wishers.”
“You got that right. I never shook so many hands, and hugged so many little old ladies. I felt like a politician for a minute.” Khalil chuckled then looked at Dee and then back at Stiles. He gestured between the two of them. “So you’re her ex?”
“Right,” Dee responded before Stiles. “Khalil, honey, do you mind if we get our food to go. I’ve lost my appetite.”
Khalil paused before responding. “Uh, yeah, sure.”
“Don’t leave on my account. I didn’t mean to interrupt your meal. I called in a to-go order and I saw you sitting over here. Just thought I’d come over and say hello. I didn’t think it would be right to see you and not speak. So, hello, Detria.”
“Goodbye, Stiles,” Detria said vehemently.
“Excuse me,” the server said and refilled their drinks.
“Could we get a couple of carry out containers?” Khalil took the opportunity to ask the server.
“Of course. I’ll be right back.”
“Well, it was good to meet you, Khalil. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I know Holy Rock is going to be on fire,” Stiles said as he began to walk off. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Will you be there tomorrow, Detria?”
Detria didn’t respond. Her eyes blazed with contempt as she watched him walk away.
The server returned with carryout containers, and the couple left the restaurant
. On the drive, Dee was unusually quiet. Khalil didn’t know what to make of the personality change. It had to be because she saw her ex back at the restaurant. He wondered how their relationship ended. Was he one of those dudes like his dad, who was known to have an occasional wandering eye?
Khalil didn’t address it with his dad, but was well aware that his father flirted with some of the women at Holy Rock because he’d observed him firsthand.
“Hey, what’s up with the silent treatment? Dude must have really broken your heart ‘cause now you’re breaking mine by not talking,” Khalil said as he turned into Dee’s driveway and parked.
Detria looked at Khalil and gave him a smile. “It’s not like that. It’s just that I haven’t seen my ex since our divorce. I didn’t know how I would react seeing him again, but now I know.”
“So what is it that you know?”
“That I still despise him,” Dee said. “But it is what it is. Would you like to come inside, have a glass of wine?”
“I really need to go. I told you I have a long day tomorrow. It’s our Jubilee. Hey, why don’t you come?”
Dee looked at him awkwardly, tilted her head slightly, and grinned. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“No, I’m serious. I’d love to have you there.” Khalil said, then hopped out of his car and walked to the passenger side to open the door for her.
“Thank you,” Dee said, and proceeded to get out of the car. “Come in, let’s have that glass of wine and we’ll talk about it.”
“Okay, sure.”
Once inside, Dee stepped out of her shoes, took hold of Khalil’s hand, and led him into the chef style kitchen. She went to the built in wine cooler. “You choose,” she said, opening the door to a display an array of expensive white and red wines.
“I’m not good at this. During my teen years, I was more of an herb connoisseur,” he said and laughed. “If you know what I mean.”
“Yes, I definitely know what you mean.” Dee laughed too. “If that’s your indulgence, then it’s nothing but a word.”
Khalil waved her off. “No, no, no. That was then. I don’t mess around with anything other than a little social drinking every now and then.”
“I’m just saying, if you change your mind, then let me know. I definitely can accommodate you. Will you get that one?’ she pointed to a particular bottle of red wine.
“Sure.” Khalil removed a bottle of red wine out of its slot, and Dee
retrieved two wine glasses out of the cabinet, expertly using her one good hand. “The opener is in that drawer right about the cooler,” she told him.
“Gotcha.
To new friendships,” Khalil said after he opened the wine and poured each of them a glass.
They clicked their glasses together and then each took a sip before setting the glasses on the island.
“Whaddaya say we go relax a little.”
“Cool,” he replied.
“Follow me,” Dee said.
Khalil picked up their wine glasses and Dee led him down a long hallway and into her master suite that resembled a mini apartment.
She sat down on the sofa, patted her hand on the space next to it, and Khalil sat down next to her. He passed her her glass of wine and they each took a few sips before sitting their glasses down on the table next to the sofa.
Khalil reached in, took Dee around her waist, and pulled her into him. His lips devoured hers with long, passionate kisses while his hands familiarized themselves with her body. Khalil kept kissing her and then pulled back only long enough to stand, pick her up, and carry her to the king sized bed.
Dee didn’t protest; she welcomed his warm kisses. The touch of his hands set her body on fire. She didn’t care how much younger he was or how much older she was, all she wanted was to be loved and needed, and for now Khalil was giving her exactly what she wanted.
14
Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good. Unknown
Pastor was able to get a couple hours of sleep at the most. After seeing Margaret, and learning all that he had, he didn’t think he would be able to go to church or if he even wanted to go. He didn’t know if Margaret had told Hezekiah and Fancy what she’d told him, so he didn’t know what he should expect when he walked through the doors of Holy Rock. He didn’t know what to tell Stiles, if anything, and he still hadn’t mentioned anything to Josie.
He didn’t have much time to worry about it because the doorbell rang. Was it Hezekiah? Had Margaret told him that he was his father? He walked out of the bedroom, where he was getting dressed, and up the hall.
“I’ll get it,” Pastor called out to Josie who was in the kitchen making coffee and breakfast. Pastor was elated when he answered the door and saw Francesca and Tim. He had no idea they had decided to come to Memphis for today’s celebration. With all the mess Margaret promised to bring up to the family later that evening, Pastor reveled in this temporary moment of peace. He looked at his daughter and overwhelming joy filled his heart. God had been good and gracious because Francesca couldn’t look any more healthier. The face mask she wore was the only thing that reminded him of her illness.
Stiles came over to the house shortly after Francesca and Tim arrived. Again, Pastor was reminded of all the things Margaret had revealed. Stiles is Margaret’s son. God, how will he accept it w
hen she tells him?
He managed to push the thoughts out of his mind, albeit temporary. It felt like old times for him with Stiles and Francesca together at the house they grew up in. If only Audrey was here to witness this, but Josie replaced his loving wife, and Margaret was about to cause an explosion that Pastor felt could tear his family apart forever.
How would Stiles and Francesca come to terms with it all? How would they accept Hezekiah as their brother? Pastor didn’t know if he was prepared for the days’ events to unfold. He tried to hide his fear and prayed to God for everything to work out. Margaret could act irrationally at times, which is why he wasn’t all too surprised when she told him she had been institutionalized more than once back in the day. The way things were about to go down, and with Margaret making a surprise trip to Memphis, he didn’t know what else the crazy woman might have on her mind. Maybe all of this was a game, a ploy to get him worked up for nothing. Surely, Margaret wouldn’t want to hurt her relationship with Hezekiah because that was exactly what she would be doing if she told him that she was his birth mother. Hezekiah was forty-one years old and now she wanted to open Pandora’s box. And Stiles, well things would be just as hard on him, too.
Pastor prayed for a miracle, that God would hold that woman’s tongue. He tried to push away thoughts about what might happen and enjoy the time with his kids before it was time to leave for church.
Josie served breakfast and the five of them laughed and talked. Pastor took in the faces of his kids and his wife. Inwardly, he thanked God for this reunion. Something in his spirit told him to enjoy this time and not worry. He thought about the Bible verse, Do not worry about tomorrow… Today has enough trouble of its own.
‡
Hezekiah called the ministers into a brief meeting to go over the day’s schedule. He didn’t behave any differently so Pastor believed that Margaret had kept her mouth shut.
“Pastor,” Hezekiah said as they walked side by side into the sanctuary.
“Yes, Pastor McCoy,” Pastor replied, trying his hardest to act as normal as possible. This was not the time or place to talk to Hezekiah about the things Margaret had said.
“I’d like to invite you, Sister Josie, and Reverend Graham for an early supper at my house. My Aunt Margaret stayed up half the night cooking, and we would love for you to join us in celebrating Jubilee.”
Pastor didn’t know what to say. He was skeptical because he didn’t know if this had been Margaret’s idea or not. Maybe she planned to tell her ridiculous story over dinner. He didn’t know.
“Uh, Sister Josie already prepared our Sunday meal, and well I have to see if Stiles has plans.” Pastor said, trying to make an excuse. “Oh, and my daughter and her husband surprised me this morning. They drove from Newbern, Tennessee to be here today.”
“Bring them too and tell Sister Josie to put that food up until tomorrow. How would it look if I’m celebrating this day without the man who is responsible for the existence of Holy Rock? That wouldn’t be right now, would it?”
“I guess when you put it like that,” Pastor replied sullenly. “Okay, Josie and I will be there. I’ll check with Stiles and my daughter to see if they’ll be able to come along, too.”
Hezekiah patted Pastor on his back. “Good. Now let’s go praise the Lord.”
The ministerial staff, which included Pastor, walked into the sanctuary followed by Hezekiah.
After several songs by the choir and guest choirs, Pastor was introduced and he walked up nervously to the podium.
“To God be the Glory,” Pastor said as he stood at the podium. “For the great things He has done. I feel mighty blessed today. I thank God that I’m alive, breathing, and in reasonable health and strength. I thank him that I’m able to celebrate this day. It means a lot to me. I want to thank Pastor McCoy,” Pastor said, and looked over his shoulder at Hezekiah who was sitting in his usual spot in the pulpit, “for allowing me this time to share with you, Holy Rock, how grateful to God I am for the vision he gave me to preach His Word.” He hoped his uneasiness didn’t show. He said a prayer in his spirit and kept on talking.
He looked out on the congregation and saw Josie, Stiles, Francesca, and Tim sitting together on the third row behind Fancy and her entourage. He still didn’t see Margaret, so he pushed everything else out of his mind and concentrated on the task ahead. He smiled when he also saw Rena and her parents. He wondered if Stiles had seen Rena at the banquet last night. If so, he hadn’t mentioned it.
“I was a much younger man than I am now when God called me to preach his word at a little church right here in Memphis. It was old, run down and had a total of twenty-five people on the church roll, and fifteen of the twenty-five members were related to each other.” Pastor chuckled and so did many in the sanctuary. “The name of the church at the time was Rock of Ages. The pastor was Reverend Glen James. He was eighty years old when he took me under his wing. He taught me a lot. Reverend James never attended theology school, didn’t have a divinity degree. He didn’t even have a high school diploma and could barely read. But one thing he knew that no one could take away from him was the Word of God. He carried the Word around with him in his heart. Under his tutelage, I came to know and see Christ in a whole new light.”
Pastor continued talking and the people listened intently. Stiles was impressed and proud with Pastor and what he shared. He had heard the story only once before, but today it was if he was hearing it for the very first time.
“I stayed at Rock of Ages until God called Reverend Glen home to glory. The small membership decided that they would disband and go join other churches. God spoke to me through one of the members. He told me to pray and seek God about starting my own church. I followed his godly counsel and Holy Rock was born.”
The congregation including First Lady Fancy, Stiles, Tim, Josie and Francesca stood up and applauded. “Amen” and “Praise the Lord” rang throughout the sanctuary.
As they took their seats, Francesca continued listening to Pastor talk about how much God had blessed him and his family. Being back at Holy Rock, and seeing her father in the pulpit, brought on memories of her growing up at the church. She thought about all the fun times she had running through the church, attending children’s church, pulling childish pranks and as she got older attending youth night. Her thoughts turned to memories she didn’t want to resurrect, but nevertheless they pushed their way through. The memory of Pastor Travis, the youth minister that molested her in his office. Her cousin, Fonda, who did the same thing. What made them think they could destroy her whole life the way they had. Everything changed for her when that happened. She didn’t feel that she could tell anyone, especially knowing that her mother knew what Fonda did to her and she didn’t do or say anything, except blame Francesca. It wasn’t enough that Pastor Travis left Holy Rock or that later on he was charged with molesting other girls at another church. None of that helped because the damage had already been done to her and she would never be able to erase it.
Tim squeezed her hand, which pulled her from the painful thoughts racing through her mind. Francesca looped her arm through her husband’s arm and focused on the service. After Pastor finished speaking, a guest soloist sang, followed by a praise dancer, and then Pastor McCoy came to the podium to deliver the Word.
Hezekiah looked out at the thousands of people packed into the sanctuary like sardines in a can. Extra chairs had been placed at the end of each pew, every one of them filled. The overflow rooms were filled to capacity. Chairs had to be placed in the vestibule, too. It was a blessed day.
Hezekiah envisioned the amount of money that was collected in all three offerings today. Yes, it was going to be a day of divine favor. He smiled from ear to ear then looked at his iPhone to read the text for today’s message.
“What a mighty God we serve,” Hezekiah started “This day symbolizes forty years that this house of God has been in place. It is certainly a time of Jubilee. You heard the man of God tell you that it hasn’t always be
en easy. You heard him give you the history of this great temple of God. You heard him tell you how God has seen him through. Well, I’m here to tell you that God is a good God. He’s seen me through and he’s seeing you through. Praises be to God. I want you to go with me to second Corinthians eighth chapter. I’ll be reading from the Jubilee Bible translation. Listen to what the word of God says. Brothers and sisters, we want to let you know about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia. While they were being tested by many problems, their extra amount of happiness, and their extreme poverty resulted in a surplus of rich generosity. I assure you that they gave what they could afford and even more than they could afford, and they did it voluntarily.
"Holy Rock, just like the Corinthians, I need you to recommit to giving to God. I need you to give until you can’t give any more. I’m telling you, God will bless you for it. He will take care of you. He’s the God of more than enough. If you want to experience his goodness, then you must follow his ways. Give generously today and every Sunday. I challenge each of you to increase your giving beyond mere convenience and into the realm of sacrifice.”
He walked to the level surface of the sanctuary, walking from one end to the other, preaching with boldness. Hezekiah preached for the next thirty minutes. When he opened the doors of the church, it looked like hundreds of people came forward. Yes, God was blessing him at Holy Rock and Hezekiah couldn’t be happier.
When he saw his Aunt Margaret walking toward the altar from somewhere in the back of the sanctuary, forced tears streamed down his face. She approached one of the deacons and whispered something in his ear. In turn, the deacon walked over to the front of the altar where Hezekiah stood and whispered something in his ear.
Pastor almost choked when he saw her come forward. God, what is she doing?
“Holy Rock, I want to stop right here for a minute.” Hezekiah raised up one hand. The congregation settled and the musicians halted. “I didn’t tell you that my aunt traveled from Chicago just to be here to celebrate Jubilee with me and my family. I haven’t seen her in quite some time, so I’m especially grateful for her sacrifice. God has touched her spirit and she wants to say a few words. Aunt Margaret, let us hear what you have to say.”
The McCoys of Holy Rock Page 8
