The McCoys of Holy Rock

by Shelia E. Bell

  "Yeah, I got it."

  Khalil rang the doorbell then proceeded to try to open the front door, but it was locked.

  "I've got it," Fancy yelled from the other side and within seconds, the door was opened. "Baby, I knew it was you." She laughed but immediately froze when she saw the woman holding on to her son's arm.

  Khalil leaned in and kissed his mom on the cheek and proceeded to walk into the house. He stopped, turned and closed the door.

  “Mama, you remember Dee, right?” He squeezed Dee’s hand tighter and Fancy noticed the affectionate gesture right away.

  Fancy was at a loss for words to see Detria Graham after all this time, but she was even more perturbed that she was obviously messing around with her son.

  “What in God’s name are you doing here? And with my son?” Fancy demanded. It was apparent that seeing Detria with Khalil did not make her a happy camper.

  “Mom, don’t start. Dee is my guest.”

  Ignoring her son, she continued in on Detria. “My God, how could you? Have you no morals? You’re the same age as me if not older! You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”

  “Fancy, please. I’m not going to go there with you. It’s Khalil’s birthday. Surely, you aren’t going to ruin it by being petty,” Detria said, waving her off.

  “Being petty? Are you serious? Can’t you find someone your own age? Oh, I forgot. I’m sure they know your history of being a tramp.”

  “Mom, I said stop it!”

  “Khalil doesn’t have a problem with me, so I don’t see why you should.”

  “Because he’s a kid, for God’s sake,” Fancy exclaimed.

  "Fancy, have you looked at your son lately. He's all man." She looked at Khalil and then stood on her toes to kiss him on his cheek. "I'm hardly taking advantage of him. It may be the other way around," she purred.

  Fancy balled her fists, pursed her lips, and prepared to lunge at Detria, but Khalil intervened.

  "Mom, don’t!” He jumped in between the two of them. “Dee’s right. I’m not a kid. I’m a grown man, and she’s my date and my lady. If you can't respect that, then I'm sorry, we'll just have to leave."

  Dee smiled wickedly at Fancy and held on to Khalil even tighter.

  “Have it your way, but this isn’t over, Detria,” she said angrily. She didn’t want to ruin Khalil’s evening with a bunch of uncivilized antics. Enough craziness had already gone on in the family with Margaret’s insanity and she wanted her family to have an evening of fun.

  “Khalil, most of the guests are already here and gathered in the living room and outside. Everyone is excited to join in your birthday tribute.” She looped her arm into Khalil’s and gently tugged just enough to break the hold Khalil had on Dee’s hand. “Oh, guess what? I almost forgot to tell you.”

  “Tell me what, Ma?”

  Fancy stopped and smiled. “Tori is here. She arrived yesterday from New York. Isn’t that nice?” Fancy and Dee’s eyes met and both women gave each other a fake smile.

  “Is that right?” Khalil appeared agitated then looked at Dee, smiled, took hold of her hand again, and walked toward the living room.

  The living room held a custom made oak table that seated twelve. The room had slide away pocket glass doors that opened out and into an outdoor space with plenty of extra seating. There was a lanai, full kitchen, grill and a huge mounted television.

  “Who is Tori? An ex-girlfriend, I suppose?” Dee whispered as they entered the living room.

  “Yeah, something like that. But you don’t have anything to be concerned about.”

  “Khalil, I’m not some jealous little college girl. Jealousy is not who I am, especially not over some youngster.”

  Khalil looked at Dee and smiled proudly.

  As the couple walked further into the living room, people were standing around talking, sipping on cocktails, and dining on hors d'oeuvres. Several guests stopped what they were doing to greet Khalil and began extending happy birthday wishes.

  A beautiful, slender, shapely young woman with long, coal black, curly hair approached and immediately greeted Khalil with a deep kiss. “Happy birthday,” she said, not bothering to look at Dee or acknowledge her presence.

  Dee wanted to belt the girl, but being the woman she was, she maintained her composure.

  “Thanks, Tori,” he said while simultaneously pushing her back and away.

  Khalil and Tori met at Holy Rock when he first came to Memphis, and the two of them hit it off. They started hanging out with friends then the two of them started hanging around each other. He liked her but he wasn’t ready to be exclusive. The only thing on his mind and in his sight after getting out of juvenile detention and moving to Memphis was hooking up with as many girls as he could.

  Everything blew up when only a few short months into their relationship, she told him she was pregnant. He chastised himself for not taking his father’s advice to always, always, always strap up.

  There was one thing about his father that made their relationship special and that was he was easy to talk to. Khalil regretted that he failed to take advantage of that and instead started hanging around with the wrong crowd and indulging in heavy drug usage. That’s when everything in his family went downhill fast. Before he knew it, he was getting into all sorts of trouble back in Chicago. He didn’t realize it until later just how blessed he was to still be alive when hundreds of murders were reported every day in the Windy City.

  Khalil went to his dad when Tori told him she was pregnant and Hezekiah immediately told his son to go talk to Tori and tell her that the best thing for them to do was for her to get an abortion. Yes, he was a man of the cloth, but his son was not ready to be a father so Hezekiah gave him worldly advice rather than Godly advice. If any of his pastor constituents knew that he was telling his own kid to kill another human being, Hezekiah imagined the flack he would receive. But no one knew what went on behind the huge oak doors of the McCoys and it was nobody's business as far as Hezekiah was concerned.

  “You have to tell her that she has her whole life ahead of her, son. And so do you. She’s about to graduate from high school and leave for college, and she told you that she was supposed to go study abroad her first year, right?”

  “Yes, sir,” Khalil told his father, worried.

  “Having a baby would end all of that. And you, well, son, you are working in the church and I told you if you keep doing the excellent job that you’re doing even greater things can happen for you. Having a kid will put a hold on all of that. It’s a lot of responsibility. And you don’t plan to spend the rest of your life with Tori, do you?”

  “Heck no. I’m not ready to be with one girl. I like her but not enough to settle down and make her or anyone else wifey. No way.”

  Hezekiah patted his son on his shoulder. “Believe me, son, I feel where you’re coming from. That’s why you have to talk to her. Don’t make her mad and don’t make her feel like you want things to end between the two of you. Once you convince her to have an abortion, then you break things off with her. But not until you’re sure she went through with it. You hear me?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Here,” Hezekiah said, going into his pocket and retrieving his wallet. “This ought to cover the expenses. He gave Khalil several hundred dollar bills. “Let me know if you need more. Do you want me to find a doctor who can perform the abortion?”

  “Uh, sure.”

  “Okay, you talk to Tori. I’ll get with George and he’ll find out who the best doctor will be. I want to make sure this is done quickly and discreetly. I don’t even want your mother to know about it. You understand? You know she’s close to Tori’s mother. Plus, they are faithful members of Holy Rock. I don’t want to ruin that.”

  Khalil understood the term ‘faithful members.’ That meant that they shelled out their fair share of money to the church. “Yes, sir, and thanks, Dad,” Khalil said with a somber look on his face.

  “Hey, everything is going to be all right, son. N
o need for the gloomy look.”

  True to his word, after Khalil convinced Tori that it would be the best thing for them at the time, Hezekiah arranged everything behind the scenes for the girl to have an abortion.

  A week after she had the abortion, following Hezekiah’s advice, Khalil broke things off with Tori. She was hurt but she left to study abroad and Hezekiah couldn’t have been more relieved. As a going away gift, Hezekiah blessed the girl with twenty-five hundred dollars.

  Hezekiah wasn’t especially overjoyed to see Tori and her parents at Khalil’s birthday dinner, but he knew Fancy would invite them because Fancy and Tori’s mother were friends outside of church. Tori’s parents were both successful engineers and they paid well above and beyond their tithes and offerings. Hezekiah was not about to do anything that might ruin that.

  Dee watched as Tori disappeared down the hall. Khalil was busy talking to the guests so it was ample time for her to excuse herself and follow Tori. She watched as the young girl entered the bathroom and before she could close it behind her, Dee pushed herself in and locked the door.

  “What are you doing?” Tori asked, looking alarmed.

  “Look, let’s get something straight, little girl. I am not the one to play with. You do that crap with some of your little college friends, or whoever.”

  Tori looked a little frightened but still managed to smirk. “Sounds like someone is a little J. Honey, no need to worry your old little self,” she mocked. “I’ve been there done that. I have no interest in Khalil anymore.”

  Dee almost lost control when Tori called her old. She wanted to lay hands on her and not in the way they did in church.

  “You may be able to tell yourself that lie, but I know better. So, like I said. Don’t mess with me. You stay away from Khalil, or you will be sorry. Very, very sorry.” Dee turned around and walked out the bathroom as quickly as she had barged in, leaving Tori’s heart beating like it was about to pop out of her chest.

  Going back to the living room, Dee met Fancy as she walked toward her. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but everything is quite nice,” she said to Fancy.

  “Cut the crap. What do you want with Khalil? If you think for one minute that he is serious about you then you're more than just a fool, you're an old fool. You should be looking for a trick your own age.”

  “Excuse me?” said Dee.

  “You heard me.”

  Dee was not one to be intimidated especially by the likes of Fancy McCoy. She stood her ground. “Baby, if you think I’m going anywhere, you are sadly mistaken. Now try me if you want to, First Lady Fancy McCoy,” she said, getting up close in Fancy’s personal space. “Or better yet, ask Stiles…or your husband about me. They’ll tell you that I’m not one to be messed with,” she seethed.

  Dee strutted off, leaving Fancy standing in the hall, her face flushed with anger and confusion.

  Hezekiah listened and watched out of sight from around the corner. Like his wife, he was surprised to see Khalil with Detria Graham, of all people. He wondered where they could have met and what had attracted her to him. Detria was an attractive and shapely woman, so he understood why Khalil would be infatuated with her, but why on God's green earth would she want to hook up with a young boy like Khalil? He would wait until the perfect time and ask her that question himself.

  Hezekiah stepped back and went into the kitchen. He would have a talk with Khalil later.

  "Nice affair," George said, walking up on Hezekiah in the kitchen, a smugness plastered on his rugged face. "You have quite the array of guests here this evening. Quite intriguing."

  "Yes, I guess you could say that."

  "It's a good thing the First Lady invited me and Bernice, don't you think?"

  Hezekiah gave George his full attention. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

  "It means that from the looks of some of your guests this is the perfect setting for a lot of drama to take place.” He scanned the room with his eyes. “Seems that I might need to keep my eyes wide open. Anything can happen tonight." George lifted his glass of bourbon to his lips, gave a shrug and was gone, leaving Hezekiah with a cold, hard-eyed expression.

  George Reeves and his wife, Bernice, were among the carefully selected guests invited to attend Khalil’s birthday dinner. George enjoyed his life of retirement more than his wife could ever imagine. Hezekiah paid him well to keep his mouth shut about his past and about his present day activities too. He made sure Hezekiah’s secret was safe and that no one, especially Fancy, would discover that Pastor McCoy had a mistress and leased a luxury condo in downtown Memphis. In addition, he promised to keep secret his knowledge of the ton of money Hezekiah skimmed from the church that helped fund his extracurricular lifestyle.

  Fancy had no real knowledge that not long after becoming Senior Pastor of Holy Rock Hezekiah had returned to his old ways. He was sticking his hands in Holy Rock’s cookie jar in every possible way one could imagine. He didn’t pass up any chance to line his pockets with the tons of money pouring into Holy Rock. His love offering was more than enough for them to live off, but the extra he padded his pockets with took him well into being able to live the life he always dreamed of. As long as George remained on his side, he believed that his secret life was safe. If things became iffy or uncertain, he could count on George to make his problems disappear.

  George would remain loyal to him as long as Hezekiah remained loyal to him by making sure he received payment as a Holy Rock employee and as long as Hezekiah kept the under-the-table money flowing. His former dislike for the church had changed and now he was always eager to be at Holy Rock, if only for his own self-serving purpose.

  As George exited the kitchen and headed outside to join his wife and some of the other guests, he saw Xavier and his friend go up the stairs. George's detective instinct sensed that there was something weird about Hezekiah’s baby boy, so this was the perfect time to follow the teens and see what they were up to. He couldn’t put behind his days of being a detective and the McCoys always gave him plenty to keep the fire blazing over his cop days.

  Quietly, he followed them upstairs. He watched as they disappeared behind the door into what he supposed was Xavier’s room.

  Looking around to make sure no one else was behind him, George eased in closer and positioned himself on the side of the door that they left slightly ajar. Xavier must have thought he closed it all the way, but thanks to George’s good luck, he hadn’t. What he witnessed almost made him blow his cover. He saw the two boys display affection toward each other that was altogether against everything he believed. He felt sickened by the sight. He pulled out his phone and took several pictures before he shook his head and walked quietly back down the stairs.

  Ahhh, more ammunition to add to my arsenal, he thought. He returned to the party, had himself another stiff drink, sat down outside and chilled. His days of being an ex-cop and a faithful, church going member were paying off better than he could have ever hoped or expected.

  21

  Double double, toil and trouble, fire burn

  and cauldron trouble. Wm. Shakespeare

  “You ready, son?” Pastor said to Stiles.

  “Yes, sir. Let’s go see how we can resolve this issue between the McCoys and the Grahams. I know it’s been troubling you ever since Margaret said what she said and did what she did.”

  “It’s been three weeks since Margaret went on that rampage, and my mind is nowhere close to being at peace. This Sunday will be the first time back at Holy Rock, and that’s only if I can resolve things with Hezekiah." Pastor lowered his head. "I have so much to make up for, son.”

  “Pastor, you’ve always told me that what’s done in the dark always comes to light. This is one of those things. Now that your past has been exposed, it’s time you take hold of the reins and do what it takes to fix things. God is in control. We may not understand everything that He’s allowed to happen, but being men of faith, we have to be strong and trust in Him.”

  “You
are so right, son. But I hate that it took losing my daughter and son-in-law in the process. They didn’t deserve to die. It’s more than my heart can stand. And the Jacksons, well that’s another open wound that I don’t know if time can ever heal. Knowing that Rena blames us for the death of her parents is something I will never be able to live down. I don’t blame her for feeling the way that she does, but it’s just hard, son. They were my friends. This whole thing is more than this old man can take.”

  “Pastor, you’re a strong man. God has seen you through some trying times. It’s hard losing Francesca, but I know that the both of us have to try our best to keep moving. I mean, it's certainly beyond our comprehension but the word of God says he will give us beauty for our ashes. He will strengthen and uphold us."

  "I know God's word better than many. But it just hurts so bad. First, your mother, then my precious little grandbaby, and now my daughter. I feel like Job must have felt."

  "You can't give up now, Pastor. Come on, let's get going."

  Pastor walked back to the entrance of the kitchen where Josie was making a pitcher of fresh lemonade. He walked over to where she stood and kissed her on the side of her face affectionately. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he told her.

  "Chauncey, everything is going to turn out fine. I've prayed and asked the Lord to order your steps and Pastor McCoy's too."

  "Thank you, baby,

  Arriving at Hezekiah’s house, Pastor had no idea what he would say to the man who was his son. How could he begin to justify his absence in his life? He had played everything over in his mind. The past weeks of laying his loved ones and friends to rest had taken precedence over everything that Margaret exposed. This evening, however, was inevitable. He had to face the music.

  “Come in,” Fancy invited when she opened the door to Pastor and Stiles. It was hard to read her demeanor. She didn’t seem overly excited or pleased to see either of them. “Hezekiah is in his office. He’ll be out in a minute. Please," she escorted them into the family room, "have a seat in the family room.”