The Favorite Son

by Tiffany L. Warren

  “Enough about Blaine’s mating habits. I have a new song for y’all. It’s upbeat. We’ll do it at the top of service and then move right into worship. Amber, you’re leading it.”

  “Blaine usually leads on upbeat songs, right?” Dawn asked.

  “Is he here?” Camden snapped. “Executive decision. Amber’s leading.”

  Camden taught his new song “I Am Free,” but felt the opposite of what the lyrics proclaimed. “What can separate me from His love? He made me more than a conqueror. I am persuaded now, I believe. In Jesus Christ, I am free.”

  But even if Camden wasn’t feeling great about his father and Blaine’s schemes, he couldn’t help but cheer up at hearing Amber attack the lyrics of the song and wrap her velvety, rich vocals around the melody. Amber’s voice was truly a gift from God.

  As they worked on the vamp, Amber ignored Camden’s ad libs and created her own. They were all caught up in the sheer joy of the song. Camden knew the congregation was going to be moved. Worship was going to be off the chain.

  When they finished, there was a round of applause from the room’s entrance. Camden turned to face their missing-in-action member, Blaine, as he leaned against the door clapping.

  “That was good, y’all. We singing that on Sunday?” Blaine asked.

  “We are,” Camden replied.

  “Cool. Dad is gonna love this one. I think we ought to put it on our record.”

  “Our record? We’re doing a record?” Amber asked.

  Blaine nodded. “Yep. Dad is working with a recording studio right now to get us a discounted rate. That’s why I’m late, y’all. Sorry.”

  “Why didn’t I know anything about this?” Camden asked, feeling his spiritual high evaporate as rage emerged.

  “The recording studio contact is one of my homeboys. What are you mad about? We’ve always talked about doing this, now Dad is gonna fund the project. Isn’t that what we’ve always wanted him to do?”

  Camden knew his financial support came with a steep price. “In exchange for what, Blaine? What does Dad want in exchange?”

  “He wants to be listed as executive producer. He’s gonna put twenty thousand dollars into the project, Camden. He’s going to launch So G.I.F.T.E.D! You ought to be shouting.”

  Amber, Akil, and Dawn were excited enough for everyone. They squealed, laughed, jumped up and down, and had a praise celebration.

  “Look, Cam, I apologize for not telling you about this,” Blaine said as he placed a hand on Camden’s shoulder. “It all happened so fast that there was no time. But I meant no disrespect. I know what So G.I.F.T.E.D means to you. I would never make any decisions about the group without you. If you want to cancel everything, we can both go and tell Dad together.”

  Amber, Dawn, and Akil’s praise break stopped instantly like a record scratching on a turntable. Everyone stared at Camden, waiting for his response to Blaine’s heartfelt apology and offer. Of course, Camden could never disappoint everyone now. Blaine knew exactly how to back him into a corner.

  “Nah, I’m happy about it. I want the world to hear these songs. What better way to make it happen than with Dad’s money.”

  Blaine smiled and pulled Camden into an embrace. “Good! I knew you’d be excited about this too. We ’bout to blow up, brother!”

  Camden gave Blaine a genuine hug back. No matter what ill will and disrespect their father might have had for going behind his back, Blaine always wanted the group to be successful.

  “Now you need to learn the song we’re singing on Sunday, man!” Amber said. “I’m leading, so get your doo-wop pop background vocals together.”

  Blaine laughed out loud. “I will be background singer for you and your yams anytime.”

  “Uh-uh! You can’t keep talking about my yams. You ain’t about to have Regina trying to come for me. No, sir.”

  “How in the world do you know about that?” Blaine asked.

  “So it’s true?” Dawn asked. “I was so hoping that story wasn’t true.”

  “Yes, it’s true,” Blaine said. “And I’m not explaining it to y’all. Let’s just say we reconnected, and she’s not that bad after all.”

  “As long as I don’t have to be a part of the aftermath,” Akil said. “You always putting me in the middle of stuff. I’m afraid of Regina.”

  The entire room went silent for a moment. Camden shook his head and looked at the floor with his lips pressed tightly together to hold in the laughter. He always told Akil to stop letting Blaine drag him into his chicanery and foolishness.

  “All right, man. I promise,” Blaine said. “I’ll ask Cam to clean up the fallout this time.”

  The silence dissipated, and everyone roared with laughter. It made Camden think of all the fun times they’d had together as a group. Before anyone was given any titles or promises from Pastor Wilson. Camden wondered what else would change about them, and if it would be good for the music and the ministry, or if the changes would alter their destiny.

  CHAPTER 10

  “Do you know what tonight is?” Dawn asked Camden as they ate dinner at Gloria’s, Dawn’s favorite Mexican restaurant.

  “It’s Saturday, and we have church tomorrow,” Camden replied. “I hope I made the right decision letting Amber lead that song. You know she can be temperamental sometimes. What if she gets to church tomorrow and decides she doesn’t want to sing it?”

  Camden struggled to hold his laughter in. He knew exactly what day it was. It was May fifth, the anniversary of their first real date. They were teenagers then, and they’d had Mexican food that day too. Back then, Gloria’s wasn’t in Camden’s budget. They’d had tacos from Taco Casa and sweet tea that tasted like a whole bag of sugar was in each cup.

  “Really, Camden?” Dawn asked.

  “What?”

  “How could you forget our anniversary?” Dawn asked sadly.

  Camden grabbed his forehead and gasped. “I am the worst boyfriend ever. I would not be surprised if you traded me in for someone else. There was a new guy at church last week. I saw him look at your behind. Wait. It is him, isn’t it? You’ve already moved on, haven’t you?”

  Dawn threw her napkin across the table at Camden. “You’re teasing me.”

  “Of course I remembered, Dawn! Don’t we celebrate it every year? Why would I forget now?”

  Dawn shrugged. “Because you’ve been so wrapped up in music lately that I feel invisible.”

  “No music tonight. It’s all about you.”

  Dawn beamed. “Good!”

  “So, tell me what you did all day. I tried to reach you this morning and afternoon, but your phone kept going to voice mail.”

  Dawn took a deep breath and then exhaled it slowly. She seemed nervous, which had Camden nervous.

  “Are you okay?” Camden asked.

  “Y-yes, I’m fine. I just hate that I missed your calls today.”

  Camden cocked his head to one side and frowned. “What are you not telling me, Dawn?”

  “Oh, all right. Your mother and I went to a bridal show.”

  “What?”

  Dawn blinked rapidly, as if Camden’s reply was a blow to the chest. He heard how harsh his tone sounded, but he didn’t care. If Dawn was trying to force him into marriage by teaming up with his mother, then that was a complete violation.

  “Let me explain. Your mother invited me to the show, so I thought that you’d told her we were thinking of marriage soon. Of course I was happy about that. How could I not be happy about that?”

  Camden’s eyebrows nearly touched from the severity of his frown. “My mother invited you.”

  “She did. And when I got there, I asked her if it was your suggestion and she said no. She told me you didn’t know, and I don’t want you to be mad at me. Don’t be mad at me.”

  Camden was silent for a long moment. “I’m not mad at you. Did you have a good time hanging out with my mom?”

  “Yes. She said that she can’t wait until I’m her daughter-in-law. And she i
ntroduced me to everyone as her son’s fiancée.”

  “I don’t know how I feel about that.”

  “No harm, right? I will be your fiancée one day, so maybe she is just as hopeful as I am.”

  Camden took a sip of his sweet tea and swished it in his mouth before he swallowed it. His mother was almost as bad as Dawn with her requests for grandchildren.

  “It’s cool.”

  Camden reached into his pocket and took out the gift that he’d gotten for Dawn to celebrate their anniversary. He sat the small box down and slid it over to her.

  “Is this what I think it is?”

  Camden smiled. “No. Not exactly, but it’s a token of my love for you.”

  Dawn opened the box and took out the sapphire birthstone earrings. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Slowly, Dawn closed the box and looked up at Camden. “You seemed really mad about your dad and Blaine setting up that studio time.”

  “I was really upset. I don’t like them doing stuff regarding the group behind my back, and I’m absolutely uncomfortable with my dad being interested in So G.I.F.T.E.D. There’s always a hidden reason with him.”

  “Maybe he’s just behind it because it’s his sons and he wants y’all to blow up.”

  “That could be it. You know his favorite line …”

  “‘If it don’t make money, it don’t make sense.’ Maybe he wants y’all to start bringing money into the ministry.”

  “And us having a record deal would definitely do that. I just don’t trust it. I wish we’d sold chicken dinners and gotten up the money to go in the studio ourselves.”

  Dawn laughed. “And who, pray tell, would be the ones cooking those chicken dinners?”

  “Duh. You and Amber.”

  “We don’t know how to fry chicken. At least I don’t.”

  “Well, instead of going to bridal shows with my mom, you need to ask her how to cook. I expect my wife to cook.”

  “So cooking is mandatory?”

  Camden threw his head back and laughed. “I’m a big guy, Dawn. I like to eat.”

  “Well, I don’t see why a grown man can’t cook his own dinner. Who’s cooking for you now?”

  “When I want fried chicken? My mama.”

  Dawn shook her head, her hair bouncing as she moved. “You know what, Camden? You are a mama’s boy, I think.”

  “What does that even mean? It seems like an insult.”

  She shrugged. “Maybe it is. But from what I can see, you are your mother’s favorite person in the world. And you seem to feel the same way about her.”

  “I do love my mother.”

  “So you’d like to make her happy, then.”

  “This feels like a trap.”

  “It’s not. Making me and your mama happy ought to be an incentive.”

  “Well, when you get some cooking lessons we can chat.”

  Now it was Dawn’s turn to laugh. “Okay. I got you. Not a problem, big guy.”

  Camden believed Dawn. She would do whatever it took to become his bride. By the time he proposed, she’d be cooking dinners like she’d gone to Le Cordon Bleu chef school. Dawn wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of her becoming Mrs. Camden Wilson.

  She took the earrings out of the box and put them in her ears. She fluffed her hair and asked, “How do they look?”

  “Stunning.”

  “Well then, come on and salsa dance with me. I want to work off the calories from this heavy meal. Can’t let myself go before I get married.”

  “Or after!” Camden said as he stood and extended his hand to Dawn. “Don’t worry. We’ll stay fit together.”

  “But what if I have your babies and get all fat and squishy? Will you still love me then?”

  “I will love you always, babe.”

  Dawn rose from the table and threw her arms around Camden’s neck. She placed little kisses all over his face, and he kissed her forehead.

  “Let’s dance,” Camden said. “If we keep this up, we may have some repenting to do tomorrow.”

  “I’m okay with repenting.”

  Camden shook his head and pulled Dawn out to the dance floor. He wanted Dawn just as much as she wanted him, but he took his ministry too seriously. He wasn’t going to put it all on the line for something that was going to be rightfully his soon enough.

  He would be patient, and Dawn would have to be also. No matter how much he loved her, she would always be number two. God was number one.

  CHAPTER 11

  Akil looked at his watch and frowned. It was one o’clock in the morning on Sunday and instead of having his own weekend fun, Akil was, yet again, playing wingman for Blaine.

  He waited in the designated hotel parking spot for Blaine to come downstairs from his “date” with Trina. Akil wondered how Blaine was able to hold on to so many women at once. He never made them promises, but they all hoped to be his wife one day. Well, he didn’t used to make promises. But now, with Regina, of all people, Blaine was making plans. Unfortunately, the plans didn’t stop him from his escapades.

  Every time Akil set foot inside the church, another woman gave Akil a note, a phone number, or a gift for Blaine. And he accepted them all. That’s what wingmen were for.

  Akil was okay, for the most part, with Blaine’s exploits. If the women were stupid enough to keep giving it up to him, then maybe they liked being played. The only time Akil had an issue with Blaine was when he looked too long and hard at his twin sister.

  Blaine and Akil had been friends, it seemed like forever. Akil and Amber’s parents were founding members of Graceway, so they had all played together when they were little. Even Amber. She’d climb trees, play army men, and swim in Joe Pool Lake right with the boys, until she started getting curves and Blaine’s gaze began to rest too long on those curves. That was when their foursome became a trio.

  Finally, Blaine came dashing out of the hotel, with his shirt barely buttoned and his belt in his hand. He was on his cell phone as he jumped into Akil’s car.

  “Hey, Regina,” Blaine said as he closed the car door. “Yeah, I know it’s late. I’m out with Akil…. Why didn’t you let me know you were coming by?”

  Akil covered his mouth and laughed as Blaine’s frustration showed all over his face.

  “Are you serious?” Blaine asked. “Man … okay.”

  Blaine handed the phone to Akil. “She wants to speak to you,” he said.

  Akil shook his head and put the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Akil. This is Regina. I just wanted to verify Blaine’s alibi.”

  “What? You are tripping.”

  “Maybe so, but I know Blaine. Where are y’all?”

  “Huh? Speak up, I can’t hear you.”

  Akil looked at Blaine with wide eyes. Blaine made motions like he was shooting pool, and then he pantomimed eating.

  “You hear me, Akil. Where have y’all been all evening?”

  “Oh, we went to shoot some pool and we got something to eat.”

  “Mmm-hmmm. What did y’all eat?”

  Akil glanced at Blaine. “W-what did we eat?”

  Blaine held both hands up and clamped each index finger down on his thumbs, like he was holding a chicken wing.

  “Girl, stop playing,” Akil said. “Wings, of course. You need to stop interrogating my brother like that.”

  “Your brother needs to stop creeping. I’ll see you tomorrow in church, if you can roll out of bed in the morning.”

  “I’ll be at church. Probably beat you there.”

  Akil disconnected the call after Regina had already hung up on him.

  “How long y’all been back dating? A couple weeks? She’s already checking up on you like that?” Akil asked as he started the car.

  “I know, right? I’m starting to think my father was wrong about this. I’m sure there’s another woman out here that can be the first lady of the church.”

  Akil laughed. “But not
Trina.”

  “Heck naw. That girl can barely read.”

  “Wow. Well, I guess you don’t see her for her intellect.”

  Blaine shook his head emphatically and ran one hand over his wavy hair. “Not at all. She’s incredible, man. I can’t break it off with her.”

  “You better. It sounds like Regina isn’t going to just let you have her like that. She’s about to put the smack down.”

  “That’s what she thinks. But as long as I have my wingman, I’ma be straight.”

  “Yeah … about that …”

  Blaine’s eyes widened. “What’s wrong?”

  “Don’t you think we’re getting a little bit too old for this wingman stuff? I think it’s time for you to cover your own tracks.”

  Blaine nodded slowly. “Well, I was going to ask you to come with me to the new church and be my assistant pastor. You’d be more than a wingman then.”

  “I don’t want to preach, brother! That’s your dream.”

  Akil shook his head and laughed. When they were little, all of the Graceway kids would play “church.” Blaine was always the preacher, Amber led the choir, and Camden played the organ. Blaine would always be a miniature version of Pastor Wilson, with the whooping and everything. He had the routine down. But Akil had always been comfortable playing the background.

  “Okay, so you don’t want to preach. I get that. But you can be like Stephen is to my dad. You can be my right hand.”

  “That sounds like a synonym for wingman. I think I’ll just stay in Dallas, be a part of So G.I.F.T.E.D and see where it goes.”

  Blaine looked at Akil as if he’d hit him. “Man, I can’t do that Oklahoma City church thing without you.”

  “You’ll have a wife. You’ll be okay.” Akil felt bad that Blaine looked so offended. “But it’s a ways off, right? Maybe I’ll change my mind by then. Maybe I’m just mad that it’s the middle of the night and I’m not on my own date.”

  “You need me to hook you up with someone?” Blaine asked. “Trina’s got a cousin. She’s fly.”