Stiles stared at her, gazing deep into her eyes. "What do you say we finish this feast of food," he chuckled lightly, hoping she didn't detect the rapid beats of his heart.
‡
"Lucille's never disappoints," Kareena said as they arrived back at Stiles' house.
"Yeah, I'm stuffed. I'll have this for lunch tomorrow," he said, picking up the bag of food he had left from his meal. "And thanks for buying. The next meal is on me, for sure."
"I wanted to buy it. Think of it as a welcome home meal." She giggled.
"Hey, why don't you come inside and have a cup of coffee with me, unless you have other plans for the rest of the evening."
"I don't have other plans. I'll come in for a few minutes but you know I’ve never been a coffee drinker."
"Oh, yea, but I have soda, tea, wine, water."
"Okay. You don't have to twist my arm."
They went inside and Kareena took a seat on the sofa.
"What would you like?"
"Umm, a glass of wine would be nice. On second thought, I'll have a soda. I don't want to drink and drive."
"I don't think one glass of wine would impair you to the point that you can't drive, but if it does, I have two extra bedrooms. It's your choice. Come on in the kitchen and pick out the soda you want. I have several kinds, I'm not a huge soda drinker so I don't know which one to recommend. The housekeeper keeps the cabinet stocked, not me."
"You're so spoiled," Kareena said, laughing. "You know what?"
"What?" replied Stiles.
"I changed my mind again. I think I will have that glass of wine. Do you have red?"
"Sure, I prefer red, too."
Stiles went to the refrigerator and retrieved an unopened bottle of red wine.
"Hey, will you get the wine glasses from out of that cabinet over there," he asked, pointing to the cabinet.
"Ahh, so we're doing this big, huh. Wine glasses and all. I liiike." Kareena giggled again while walking to the cabinet and retrieving two glasses.
Stiles retrieved the wine corkscrew from the cabinet drawer next to the fridge. He opened the bottle of wine and turned around only to bump directly into Kareena who had simultaneously walked up without him noticing. Wine spilled out and onto her dress and on his shirt.
"Dang, I'm sorry. I didn't see you, Kareena." He grabbed a paper towel quickly from the island and began wiping the front of her dress.
"It's okay. I shouldn't have walked up behind you. I should have said something." She blamed herself.
He continued to wipe the wet wine stain nervously until Kareena stopped him, grabbed hold of his hand, and held it next to her bosom.
They looked at each other. Stiles studied her loose wisps of curly thick black hair and her button brown eyes. Sudden silence filled the kitchen. The only sound that could possibly be heard was the pounding of their own heartbeats.
He tried to kiss her but got a cheek and a slow move backward. He didn't know why he wasn't deterred by her move, but he wasn't. Instead he bent down and lightly kissed her lips. This time she didn’t turn away. Instead, in return, standing on tiptoes, she embraced him and placed her arms solid around his neck. She felt her knees weaken as the pressure of his lips increased.
The blood began to pound in her temples, and she momentarily stiffened, but still no words were spoken between them. When Stiles pulled back and looked at her, she was powerless to resist, caught up in her own emotions.
"I missed you so much," he said hungrily as he devoured her lips again. He swooped her trembling frame up in his arms and carried her toward his room.
At first Kareena tried to protest, but her feelings were too far gone, so she relaxed in his arms as they continued to kiss. Though she had never admitted to Stiles that she was in love with him, somehow she believed he knew. She prayed that what she was about to let happen again would not ruin her relationship with Stiles but most of all with God. She didn't want to give in to the desires of her flesh, but her heart said otherwise ─ she listened to her heart.
23
Before you can see the light, you have to deal
with the darkness. Unknown
When Hezekiah returned to the pulpit, his messages were full of fire and brimstone. His anger toward Pastor had only intensified since he told him weeks ago that he wanted him out of Holy Rock. He hadn't seen or heard from the old man since then, and he was more than glad. Perhaps, in another day, at another time, when he was a younger man, he could have accepted and forgiven his father. But too much time had passed and Hezekiah had seen his share of some tumultuous times in his life. Had he known years ago that Pastor was his father, maybe he would have taken a different path other than winding up in prison and taking his wife along with him. His son had paid for his sinful acts and ended up following in Hezekiah's footsteps. The only difference between him and Khalil was he didn't get hooked on drugs like his son.
Thoughts of Pastor and the relationship they might have had if the old man had chosen to be in his life, mentally and emotionally tormented Hezekiah. Intensifying his pain was the knowledge that Pastor adopted his brother, Stiles, and chose him to be his son. What hurt so badly was the fact that Margaret insisted that Pastor knew about him all along, but not once did he try to find out where he was. Pastor tried to convince him that Margaret wasn’t telling the truth, but Hezekiah didn't believe a word that came out of the old preacher's mouth.
As if she could read his mind, Fancy curled up next to her husband in the bed. "Honey, you have to let go of all this worry and anger. So much has happened to make you stressed, and it's not good for you. You know you already have high blood pressure and stress is not good."
"I hear ya, and I keep telling you that I'm straight. I got rid of my main stress - Chauncey Graham…and his son. The only other thing on my mind is that oldest son of ours."
"Well, I certainly agree with you on that. That witch, Detria, is my age. What could she possibly want with our Khalil? And knowing that she cheated on Stiles and had a baby with his best friend is despicable. There's something about those Grahams that brings out the worst in people, I'm telling you," Fancy added.
"The best thing is not to pressure Khalil to stop seeing her because that's only going to drive him that much farther into her arms. We could mess up the good relationship we have with him, you know."
"I hear ya, baby, but I don't know if I can keep quiet. I know she's no good, and messing with a kid as young as Khalil proves it."
"At the end of the day, he's a grown man, he’s moved into his own space, and we have to let him make his own choices and his own mistakes. We can give him advice, which we do, and we can be there for him if and when he needs us. But that's it."
Fancy snuggled in closer to her husband, but her arms were folded. She was still quite upset and she had to find some way to make Khalil see that Detria was no good for him.
"So what’s up with Xavier?"
"What do you mean? There's nothing up with Xavier that I know of," Fancy replied. "He's doing well in school, and when he's home, like always, he keeps mostly to himself. He's usually in his room reading, playing video games or on his computer or phone, like most teens these days."
"I told you I want you to monitor that. It's not good for these young people to keep their eyes glued to a computer screen all the time. Too much to see on there and too much trouble. He and I haven't talked much, but I've been so busy and so much has gone on that I haven't had the time. I guess I need to make some time to spend with him to see where his head is at. Does he even have a girlfriend? The only person I see him around is Raymone, and I've told to watch that because that boy is questionable."
"Oh, Hezekiah, please. Questionable how? Raymone is a nice, mannerable young man. He's smart and quiet just like Xavier. They're into those games. Xavier is not girl crazy like Khalil. Anyway, you should be glad that you don't have to worry about him running from one girl to the next. Those young girls at Holy Rock Upper School, and at the church, are always thr
owing themselves at both of our sons."
"That's what I'm talking about. And you’re telling me that Xavier isn’t interested in any of them? I haven't ever seen him at church even talking to a girl. Right now, he's upstairs with that boy. If he isn't over here then Xavier is at his house."
''That’s because they’re best friends, Hezekiah. You've had your share of best friends and so have I. Anyway, Xavier is fine, so please don't start making something out of nothing. God knows we've gone through enough lately. I don't think I can take too much more. Khalil and that cradle robber are enough to worry about.”
Hezekiah looked at his phone then got up and started putting his clothes on.
"Where are you going?" Fancy asked." "Please don't tell me you have to go make a visit tonight."
"That was a text from Minister Eddie. I have to go to the hospital. Sister Riley has taken a turn for the worse."
"Why can’t he go?”
Hezekiah looked at Fancy and partially rolled his eyes in his head. “Are you for real?”
“I’m just saying, I don’t understand why they can’t make more of the visits.”
“Didn’t you hear me say that Sister Riley is not doing well. Good, Lord, Fancy. You know that Sister Riley is one of our long time, faithful, tithe paying members. If she wants me there, then I’m going to be there.”
Fancy sighed an exasperating sigh. “Then let me get dressed and I’ll go with you."
"No, you lay your pretty little head right here. I'll be back as soon as I can. I just need to meet with the family, say a prayer, and I'll come back to you." He finished getting dressed then kissed Fancy and left.
Hezekiah dialed a number as he stepped outside. "Hey, I have to make a hospital run and then I'll be on my way. But I can't stay long tonight."
"Okay, just get here as soon as you can. I miss you, baby," Detria told him.
Detria and Hezekiah had been secretly seeing each other for almost a year. The condo he leased was specifically for their sizzling romantic rendezvous. Before Margaret came and went on her rampage, they met at least once a week, more if Hezekiah managed to get away. This would be the first time they'd seen each other since before the massacre and Detria couldn't wait.
Hezekiah phoned Minister Eddie and told him to meet him at Baptist Hospital. That way Hezekiah could say a prayer for Sister Riley and leave Minister Eddie at the hospital to minister to the family. Sister Riley was ninety-one years old and had Alzheimer's. She wasn't expected to be around much longer, but only God knew that for certain.
Hezekiah followed his well thought out plan and then headed to his condo after spending an hour at the hospital. He laughed when he thought about Stiles. Life was funny. Here he was smashing his brother's ex. Who would have thought. He could see Pastor and Stiles now. They would have a field day about this if they found out that Detria was his mistress. But at this point, Hezekiah's only concern was Fancy. He loved her and he didn't want to hurt her, but he had needs that one woman just couldn't fulfill. He'd always had a woman on the side and never in all the years he and Fancy had been together had she ever acted like she suspected him to be anything other than faithful. He always said that as long as the playa, whether it be the woman or the man, could keep everything right at home, then there was nothing to worry about. So he went out of his way to keep Fancy satisfied in all areas and made sure that whatever she wanted, he got it or did it.
Detria and every woman before her, had to understand that he was not about to leave his wife or break up his happy home life. He treated his women well but he wanted them to understand that he wasn't about falling in love or having kids with them. If they could roll with him according to his rules, then there would be no problem. The moment he noticed, or thought he noticed, that the woman was falling too hard for him or pressuring him to leave his wife, then Hezekiah immediately walked.
As for Detria, she was a different caliber. He was pissed, highly pissed, when Khalil showed up with her at his birthday dinner, but under the circumstances, he couldn't say anything or do anything about it. Later the following day, Detria explained that she didn't know Khalil was his son. She'd never seen his kids because Hezekiah demanded his privacy.
Fancy didn’t care much for Detria because when she was Holy Rock’s first lady, Fancy had seen Detria and Skip exchange some questionable touching with each other. Fancy never said a word about what she’d seen to Stiles or Hezekiah. She didn't want to be the one that destroyed a happy home or spread gossip about the First Lady. It turned out that Fancy didn't have to do or say a thing because Detria wrecked her own home life and marriage. It came out in the open that Detria and Skip were enthralled in an affair. Detria got pregnant by him and things went downhill from there in Detria and Stiles’ marriage.
Hezekiah, much like Skip, found it impossible to ward off Detria's sexual flirtations. He had taken it upon himself to go visit Detria after the accident. He was strictly there to pray with her and help her deal with the loss of her and Stiles baby girl.
When her lover and baby daddy married his other girlfriend, Detria almost lost it. She called Hezekiah and asked if he would come pray with her. That day led to many other days and within a matter of a few months their praying sessions had turned into rumbling between the sheet sessions and they had been seeing each other since.
Lying in the bed next to Detria, Hezekiah brought up his son again. "I can't tell you not to see anyone else besides me, but I can tell you that I don't like that you're seeing my son. For Christ sakes, Detria, he's a boy. And how can you be with me and with him?"
"I told you that I am not having sex with him, Hezekiah. It’s not like that between me and Khalil; we're just friends. I talk to him about girls and stuff that an older woman can tell him. He listens to me. You should be glad. At least I'm a distraction from all those hot little girls at the church itching to put a baby on him and ruin his life."
"I still don't like it. It's too close to home."
"Oh, are you jealous?" Detria said, kissing him on his smooth chest and using her leg to run up and down his leg
Hezekiah sat up in the bed. "I don't do jealous, you know that. That's why we've lasted this long. You do your thing and I don't interfere with that as long as you give me my time. I don't have time for jealousy or getting bent out of shape about who you're seeing. I have a wife and I've told you, I'm not leaving her."
"Who said anything about you leaving Fancy? I'm just saying that you're right about me seeing who I want to see. I'm not married so I can do as I please with who I please, and that means if I want to have an intimate relationship with your son, then I can do that too. Either you deal with it or you don't. Your choice."
"Oh, so now you're saying that you and Khalil do have an intimate relationship. I thought you just said that you're like a mentor to him, which I know is a bunch of rubbish." Hezekiah laughed. "Go for it, darling." His eyes roamed over her figure, taking in her nakedness. "He'll never be able to make you feel the way I do. Remember that."
"And you remember this." Drawing her face to his, she pressed her open lips to his.
"Detria," Hezekiah called her name softly between kisses.
Detria basked in the knowledge of the power she had over him and his son.
His eyes were as dark and powerful as he was and Detria was captivated by them. She stared back with longing in her own eyes for him. Her heart fluttered wildly as his hands masterfully explored the soft lines of her back, her waist, her hips.
She tingled as he said her name. Her pulse quickened and the thought of being next to him, of him desiring her, made her feel good. She gave in to the searing need for him that had been put on hold for weeks.
After their lovemaking session, Hezekiah showered and got ready to leave.
"You staying here tonight or are you going home?" he asked.
"I think I'll spend the night here. I can't move," she said in a teasing tone.
Hezekiah smiled. "I'll call you later. I may be able to get out tomor
row. I'll let you know for sure."
He walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. Suddenly, without forewarning, he stumbled and everything around him began to go black. His head felt like it was about to explode. He tried to steady himself, but the more he reached out for something, anything to grab hold to, the more he could sense that he was spiraling down…down...down until somewhere in his mind he heard a loud, almost sickening thud before total blackness settled upon him.
Detria heard a loud thud. "Hezekiah. Honey, what are you doing in there?" she called. No answer. She called out again, no answer. She jumped out of the bed and ran out of the room, only to find Hezekiah sprawled in the hallway semi-conscious.
"Hezekiah, baby, what's wrong?" Detria asked as she tried to use her one good arm to cradle him.
Hezekiah's eyes rolled up in his head and foam came from his mouth as he tried to speak. His words were like a baby's, unintelligible and garbled.
Detria saw his phone on his side and jerked it from its holder. She dialed 9-1-1. "Operator, I need an ambulance at 322 Main Drive and I need it now!"
24
All I want in life is for this pain to seem purposeful. Elizabeth Wortzel
Josie opened the microwave to put in a cup of water to make herself some dandelion tea.
"Pastor, your dinner is still in the microwave," Josie said. "You have to eat something. You need to keep up your energy. If you don't, you're going to make yourself sick," she scolded.
"Can't eat if I'm not hungry."
"You're letting what Hezekiah did send you into this deep depression. But I keep telling you that you need to pray about it and let it go. God will work everything out. He always has and he always does. I'm not telling you anything you don't know."
The McCoys of Holy Rock Page 14
