“Why do you think?”
Angela rolled her eyes. “Look, Bishop, if you’re gonna try to get me to drop the charges against your wife and her friend, it ain’t happenin’. Okay? Court is tomorrow, and I plan to tell the judge that I fear for my life. Oh, and just so you know, Sharonda heard your wife tell you that she was gonna kill me. I got my witness in place.”
Sharonda witnessing what Arykah had said to him behind closed doors was news to Lance. But at that point, it didn’t matter. When Lance got out of bed that morning he knew what needed to be done with Angela and Sharonda. They both had some not-so-pleasant surprises coming their way. He had already informed Vivian what role she needed to play.
Lance leaned back in his chair and crossed his ankles beneath his desk. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
“I kinda like sitting on the front pew. I could get used to that.”
“Angela, you could never take Arykah’s place. Not as my wife or as the first lady of Freedom Temple.”
“Humph,” Angela commented sarcastically. “Never say ‘never.’”
Lance smiled at her. He opened the top right drawer of his desk, retrieved an eight-by-ten letter-size envelope, and placed it on his desk in front of her. “I thought you may wanna read this letter before Vivian puts it in the outgoing mail.”
Angela glanced at the envelope, then looked up at Lance. “What’s that?”
Lance didn’t answer her. He just kept his smile in place.
Angela opened the envelope and pulled out a sheet of paper. She saw Howell Construction’s letterhead across the top. She read it silently.
To the Brainerd Park Rehabilitation Center,
This letter is to inform the center that, effective immediately, Howell Construction will no longer cover the cost of the care for Reginald Moore. . . .
Angela’s dark skin turned as white as snow. She looked up at Lance. Her eyes were the size of Ping-Pong balls. “You can’t do this.”
“It’s done,” Lance confirmed.
Her world was suddenly turned upside down. “But you promised.”
Lance shrugged his shoulders. “Oops,” he said nonchalantly.
She panicked. “But . . . but . . . What am I supposed to do?”
“Drop the charges against Arykah and Monique and the letter doesn’t get mailed.”
Tears welled up in Angela’s eyes. “This is blackmail,” she whined.
“Call it what you want, Angela. The ball is in your court. The choice is yours.”
She wiped the tears that had fallen on her cheeks. “But you said you’d always take care of him. You promised, Lance.”
Her tears didn’t move him at all. Arykah’s freedom was at stake. “And you promised to never hurt me. Well, when you hurt my wife, you hurt me.”
Angela sobbed loudly. “What do you mean, ‘hurt your wife’? She and her friend jumped me.”
“You provoked Arykah, and you know it. That was your reason for coming to the ‘Ask Arykah Anything’ session. And I warned you to stay away from her and not do anything crazy. Now, as far as her best friend goes, you can’t insult one without the other taking offense as well. Arykah and Monique are connected together like Siamese twins.”
Angela’s sobbing got louder.
Lance exhaled. The crocodile tears and moaning were annoying him. “Save the waterfall, Angela.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “I need to get to a construction site. What’s it gonna be?”
Six years ago, Angela’s then twenty-four-year-old brother, Reginald, had been sideswiped on his motorcycle. His left leg was amputated, and the accident had left him paralyzed. Angela’s parents were divorced. She and Reginald hadn’t seen or heard from their father since they were children. Angela and her mother, together, couldn’t cover the cost of Reginald’s medical bills and his lifetime therapy. Lance was so in love with Angela at the time, that he volunteered to pay all of Reginald’s medical expenses. Back then, he had assumed that he and Angela would be together forever.
Shortly after Reginald’s accident God had called Lance to preach the Gospel. When he told Angela that he had chosen to live a celibate lifestyle, she ended their relationship. But because Lance was a man of his word, he never stopped paying for Reginald’s care. Lance hated that he had to resort to extreme measures, but he would do whatever he needed to do to save Arykah. She was his first priority.
Angela sat at Lance’s desk crying. A box of Kleenex tissue sat on top of the desk, but he didn’t offer any to Angela. He wanted her out of his office. “The clock is ticking.”
She sat in silence for a few moments. Sniff, sniff. “Okay,” she mumbled. Sniff, sniff.
“Okay, what?” he asked.
“I’ll drop the assault charges against them.”
“And the restraining orders.”
Angela was angry, but Lance had her in handcuffs. She was powerless. “And the restraining orders.” She stood to leave. Sniff, sniff.
“There’s one more thing,” Lance said.
Angela looked at him. “What?” she asked angrily.
“Lady Arykah doesn’t wanna see you at Freedom Temple ever again. Your face irritates her. And I will not have her feeling uncomfortable.”
Angela lost her balance and had to lean on Lance’s desk for support.
He saw her breaking down emotionally. He didn’t care. “Is that understood?”
She looked at him with contempt in her eyes. “Yes.”
There was no strut in Angela’s walk when she left Lance’s office. Her head hung low. Gone was the wide grin her face held when she had entered. Her cockiness had vanished. Lance had burst her bubble with a very large pin. Angela Moore was defeated.
When she had closed the door behind her, Lance pressed the intercom on his desk.
“Yes, Mr. Howell,” Vivian said.
“Make the call, Vivian.”
“Yes, sir.”
As Vivian made one call, Lance made another using his cellular telephone. He called Brian Lewis, the church’s custodian. Brian was mowing the church’s lawn when he felt his cellular telephone vibrate in his back pocket. He shut the lawn mower off, then answered the call.
“Hello, Bishop.”
“Brian, my man. What’s happening?” Lance asked.
“Doing some yard work.”
Lance glanced at his wristwatch again. He knew Sharonda’s schedule. “Sharonda is at lunch, right?”
“She just left, Bishop. She should be back in about an hour or so.”
“Brian, listen to me. My secretary is sending over a locksmith to the church. He’ll be there in about ten minutes and will change the locks on the front and back doors. When he’s done, lock up the church and leave. I will pick up the new set of keys from you later today. And don’t worry, you’ll be paid for the entire day.”
“Okay, but what about Sharonda? How is she gonna get in the church?”
“As of right now, Brian, she no longer works there.”
When Lance woke up that morning he had decided that he was going to clean house. Too many folks were running amok at Freedom Temple. He felt it was time to make things decent and put stuff in order. Sharonda’s employment was already on the chopping block, and the information that Angela had just shared with him confirmed to him that firing Sharonda was inevitable and a necessity.
Exactly one hour later, Lance was touring a construction site. He and four other men, wearing white hard hats with shirts and ties, were walking and talking when he saw Sharonda’s name appeared on the caller ID on his cellular telephone.
“Excuse me for just one second,” Lance said to the men as he stepped about five feet away from them. “Yes, Sharonda?” he answered. He had been expecting her call.
“Bishop, I got back from lunch and couldn’t get inside the church. I called Brian, and he said that you had given him the rest of the day off. He also said that I should give you a call.”
“Sharonda, you have been relieved of all your duties. I will see to it t
hat a check for two weeks severance pay is sent to your home.”
On the other end of the telephone line, Sharonda was stunned and speechless. “But . . . but . . .”
“That’ll be all, Sharonda.” Lance disconnected the call and rejoined the tour.
Sharonda and her grandmother, Gussie Hughes, were thorns in Arykah’s side. And since Sharonda was willing to be a witness for Angela, Lance hadn’t felt the need to give her a reason for why she was fired.
Eight
“All rise,” the bailiff shouted when the judge entered the courtroom. “The Honorable Judge Clarence McIntire is presiding.”
On one side of the courtroom, Lance, Arykah, Adonis, Monique, and Team Arykah stood. Myrtle, Gladys, Chelsea, and Darlita had rearranged their schedules to be at court to support their first lady and Monique.
Angela Moore stood alone on the opposite side of the courtroom. She had no supporters.
The Caucasian male judge sat in his seat.
“Be seated,” the bailiff shouted.
Everyone watched the judge turn to his right and whisper words to the court clerk who sat next to him. She nodded her head and stood. “The court calls the case of Moore versus Cortland. Please come forth.”
Monique and Angela stood and came to the front of the courtroom. Both appeared before the judge.
Judge McIntire looked at Angela. “State your name for the court.”
“Angela Moore,” she mumbled.
“Speak up!” the judge ordered.
She cleared her throat. “Angela Moore.”
He looked at Monique. “And you are?”
“Monique Cortland, Your Honor.”
The judge looked at the file before him. “Miss Moore, you’re accusing Mrs. Cortland of assault and battery. Do you wish to continue on with this case?”
“No, Your Honor.”
The judge looked at her. “I beg your pardon?”
“I’m dropping all charges against Mrs. Cortland.”
The judge wrote down words in Angela’s file. “Has anyone threatened you to drop the charges?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Your Honor. And I want to recall the restraining order against her as well.”
The judge looked at Angela, then at Monique, then at Angela again. “It is noted,” he said. He wrote down more words, then looked at Monique. “Mrs. Cortland, all charges against you have been dropped. You are free to go.” He banged his gavel, then looked at the clerk. “Call the next case.”
Monique went and sat next to Adonis, but Angela remained where she was. She knew she had to do it all over again.
The clerk stood. “The court calls the case of Moore versus Howell. Please come forth.”
Arykah stood and took Monique’s place at the front of the courtroom.
“State your name for the court,” the judge said to Arykah.
“Arykah Miles-Howell.”
He looked at Angela. “Miss Moore, you’re accusing Mrs. Howell of assault and battery. Do you wish to continue on with this case?”
Angela turned and looked past Arykah at Lance. He glared at her. She turned back around. “No, Your Honor. I’m dropping all charges against Mrs. Howell, and I wish to recall the restraining order that I have filed against her.”
The judge wrote down words in Angela’s file, then looked at her. “Has anyone threatened you to drop the charges?”
Angela paused. She gritted her teeth. “No, sir.”
“Are you sure?” the judge asked her.
“Yes, Your Honor.”
The judge wrote down more words. “It is noted,” he said. He looked at Arykah. “Mrs. Howell, all charges against you have been dropped. You are free to go.” He banged his gavel, then instructed the clerk to call the next case.
Outside the courthouse Team Arykah rejoiced with Arykah and Monique.
“Wow, that was fast,” Darlita said.
Arykah hugged all of the ladies. “I’m so happy y’all came.”
“You know we love you and Monique,” Chelsea stated.
“We had to come and support,” Gladys added.
Adonis pulled Lance to the side. “How did you do it?”
Lance smiled. “Do what?”
“You know,” Adonis said looking over his shoulder to make sure that his words couldn’t be heard by anyone else. “What did you do to get Angela to drop the charges and recant the restraining orders?”
Lance chuckled. “Well, I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.” He patted Adonis on his back and walked away.
“It’s still morning,” Lance said when he rejoined the ladies. He wrapped his arm around Arykah’s waist. “How about I treat everyone to a victory breakfast?”
Arykah kissed Lance’s cheek. “That’s nice of you, Bishop.” She looked at everyone. “Wishbone?”
“Ooh, yeah,” Monique said. “Wishbone has the best pancakes.”
“Sounds good to me,” Darlita chimed in.
“Let’s do the darn thing,” Adonis added. He rubbed his belly. “A brother is hungry.”
As the group walked toward the parking lot Angela stood on the front steps of the courthouse watching them.
It was a quick drive from the courthouse to Wishbone Restaurant on Washington Boulevard. Lance asked for a table for eight, and the waitress seated them immediately. She gave each of them a menu, took their drink orders, and walked away.
Myrtle laid her menu on the table. “I’m glad all of this Angela drama is over.”
“Me too, Gravy,” Monique said.
“Nobody more than me,” Arykah confirmed. “Not being at church is like being a fish out of water. I was miserable last Sunday.”
Lance looked at her. “Really? I thought Mr. Neiman Marcus did a great job of cheering you up.”
The table laughed out loud.
Arykah glared at him. “You’re not cute, okay?”
Monique looked at Arykah. “Why do you think Angela dropped all charges against us? I was not expecting for that to happen.”
“Yeah, Bishop,” Adonis said before Arykah could speak. “Why do you think all charges were dropped?”
Lance looked at him. “I’ve learned that everything that God does isn’t meant to be questioned. Sometimes blessings come for no reason.” Lance winked his eye at Adonis. He knew Adonis had tried to put him on the spot.
“Amen to that,” Arykah said. She accepted Lance’s reasoning temporarily. Later, she would demand to know how he had gotten her and Monique out of trouble with such ease.
The waitress was back with their drinks. After she placed the drinks on the table, she took their orders.
“This will all be on one bill,” Lance said to the waitress. He pointed to Adonis. “Except for that man sitting there.”
Adonis chuckled. “Come on, Bishop. You’re gonna do a brother like that?”
Lance returned the chuckle. “I could ask you the same thing.”
Monique and Arykah looked from Adonis to Lance. The ladies didn’t understand the words they exchanged.
“What’s going on between you two?” Myrtle asked the men.
“Adonis tried to be slick,” Lance answered. “So, now he gotta buy his own breakfast.”
“The two of you look so good together,” Chelsea said admiring her pastor and first lady.
“Yeah, I’m his better half,” Arykah joked.
“I’ll give you that,” Lance said to her. “I am much better now that you’re in my life.”
Arykah leaned over and kissed his lips.
“Yuck, get a room,” Monique said.
“Maybe we will,” Arykah chuckled.
Gladys, Darlita, and Chelsea had never seen their bishop so relaxed. The only encounters they’d had with Lance was at church when he was strict and in pastor mode. Before Arykah came into their lives the ladies only saw Lance dressed in suits and robes on Sunday mornings. It was different to see him dressed down in jeans and a button-down shirt. They enjoyed
watching the chemistry between him and his wife.
“I fired Sharonda,” Lance announced.
“What?” everyone asked at the same time.
Arykah was happy but very surprised. She had been begging Lance to get rid of Mother Gussie’s granddaughter for over a month. “Why?”
“It needed to be done,” Lance answered. “And you won’t be seeing Angela Moore at Freedom Temple anymore. I told you that I would handle her. You got your wish.”
Arykah hollered out and stood up. She started praise dancing. Everyone in the restaurant gave her their full, undivided attention, but Arykah didn’t care. She danced and danced and danced. Monique, Chelsea, Myrtle, Gladys, Darlita, and Adonis all laughed out loud.
“Cut it out, Cheeks,” Lance said as he pulled Arykah’s arm toward him. “I can’t take you nowhere,” he fussed.
Arykah sat down in her chair out of breath. She grabbed her napkin off the table and fanned herself with it. “Whew, I had to get that out, Bishop.”
Monique chuckled. “Girl, you are crazy.”
Arykah rocked back and forth in her chair. “All my life I had to fight. I had to fight temptation, I had to fight against sin, but I never thought I had to fight in my own church.”
Team Arykah screamed out and Adonis hollered. They laughed at Arykah’s imitation of Oprah Winfrey’s line in the movie The Color Purple.
The ladies were laughing so loud that every customer in the restaurant was eyeballing them.
Lance was extremely embarrassed. “Cheeks, please. You’re causing a scene.”
Arykah didn’t care who was watching her. “Bishop, sometimes you gotta throw caution to the wind and bless God right where you are. I ain’t ashamed at all. Glowraaaaay,” she shouted out.
Lance glanced over his shoulder and looked at everyone with an apologetic look in his eyes.
Arykah sang, “God is tryin’ to tell me somethin’.”
Team Arykah couldn’t stop laughing at their first lady. Even Myrtle and Adonis couldn’t hold it in. Arykah tickled them.
“So now the church is without a secretary,” Adonis said.
“I’m available,” Myrtle offered.
Lady Arykah Reigns Page 15
