A white stretch limo had brought Zipporah, Chandler, Bea, and Sister Betty to the church just a short time before the funeral began. Just when they thought Sasha had changed her mind about coming, she showed. And, of course, she and Bea showed out.
Each old woman tried to outcry and outshout the other. If Brotha Smitty’s performance was funny, then Bea and Sasha’s was just downright hysterical. And they’d planned it to be so. They were a little disappointed that Jasper hadn’t included them in the funeral plans, so they did what they’d always done. They did it their way.
No funeral would be legit if there weren’t some family drama happening. The news spread quicker than wildfire that Jasper had an illegitimate rich daughter. People who wouldn’t have spat on Zipporah had she been on fire stepped on toes and broke all sorts of funeral protocol to get a look at her or shake her hand. Even the two preachers kept leering down at the front pew. They tried to get her attention by invoking her name every chance they got.
Sister Betty, on the other hand, had been designated the lookout by Chandler. Her job was to pray and if necessary get a couple of burly teenagers from the youth choir to put a choke hold on Ima or Areal should they show up.
If both Areal and Ima did show up, they must’ve hidden among the crowd and behaved. But Sister Betty saw no evidence of their attending, and anyone who knew those Hellraisers knew behaving was not an option. So she was able to relax, welcoming the opportunity to do so.
The burial and the repast went as well as could be expected. Those who’d wanted to see Zipporah cry and scream at the gravesite were as disappointed as they’d been when she’d calmly sat through the funeral. This was her father’s funeral and she wasn’t about to upstage him by sobbing, no matter how much she’d wanted to do just that and more.
The day after Jasper’s funeral Zipporah decided that she needed to be of assistance to someone. She couldn’t just sit around doing nothing, so that meant she had to think and make decisions. But decision-making—she wasn’t ready for that yet.
Zipporah overheard Sister Betty telling Chandler that she would go to see his grandmother with him. Zipporah decided that she’d go, too. He hadn’t asked her to come along, but she figured it was because he, as usual, was trying to protect her. In his mind, he’d probably thought she’d had enough of hospitals for a while.
But Zipporah gathered her strength, determined that she would be there for Chandler whether it was at a hospital or anywhere else.
It was her turn to watch Chandler as they rode to the hospital. She sat between him and Sister Betty. Both were looking out their windows thinking about what, she didn’t know. Not knowing Ma Cile or how to comfort either of them, Zipporah took each one’s hand. She held it and she prayed. In her mind, her prayer was a bit awkward but she knew God would get her meaning. Somehow, although she hadn’t mentioned her own anxieties, and only prayed for God to strengthen Chandler and Sister Betty, Zipporah felt better.
In fact, Zipporah felt so much better that she allowed herself a moment to lie back and let her thoughts come freely, as she held on to Chandler and Sister Betty’s hands.
She closed her eyes and moments later had a vision. It was a vision where there fell a mist of fresh-smelling rain, and balls of light flickered as though they wanted her to follow them. And then she saw her father, Jasper. He was beckoning her to come to where he was, standing by a four-poster bed. She went to him, and then she and Jasper continued their conversation from the hospital. They were laughing as she crawled into the bed. He covered her with the whitest sheets she’d ever seen. He kept laughing and talking while he tucked her in. She began giggling. Here she was a grown woman and her father was tucking her in like a baby, making sure the sheets were tight. She saw and could feel Jasper smoothing the sheets. He tucked them quickly as though he were trying to regain time. In the vision, he’d started singing. She could hear the lyrics and without realizing it, she began to sing a melody out loud.
“If fire came today, I’d not leave you.
If water rose above my head, I’d not leave you.
If death called me home, I’d not leave you.
There’s nothing that can separate me from you.
You’re covered with my sheets of love.
You’re protected by my sheets of love.
You’re warmed by my sheets of love.
Uncovered, my baby, you’ll never be.”
“That’s a beautiful song,” Sister Betty whispered.
Zipporah’s eyes fluttered and then opened. “I didn’t realize anyone heard me.”
“I don’t think I know that song,” Chandler said. “It’s got a beautiful melody. I wasn’t able to catch all the words.”
“Thank you.”
“Sounds like something you should record for my gospel album.” Sister Betty hadn’t forgotten about the album but since the opportunity had presented itself, she brought it up.
“Who recorded it first?” Chandler asked, trying to avoid the look from Sister Betty. She obviously wasn’t going to let him off the hook.
“It hasn’t been recorded.”
“Really,” Chandler said, surprised. “It’s got a beautiful melody and I think you could do something with the hook, perhaps tweak a word here and there.”
Zipporah gave Chandler a disapproving look. “I’m not recording it.”
“Why not?”
“My father just gave it to me moments ago and you’re already talking about recording it.” Zipporah laid her head back and, again, she sang her new song, the one her father had just given her.
Sister Betty and Chandler looked at each other with both concern and amazement.
It was obvious that Zipporah wasn’t ready to let go, or perhaps she had a way to deal with her grief that they didn’t understand. Either way, Jasper had and probably always would play a huge part in her life. After all, he’d already flipped it.
A light rain had fallen since their arrival back at Sister Betty’s from the hospital visit to see Ma Cile. The quick sprinkle seemed calming as Chandler stood at the window with his arms folded, listening to the drops gently tapping the shutters on the house. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the rain’s tranquility as though it were precious air.
“I didn’t realize it could still be so lovely even at sundown and especially during a rain,” Zipporah said, trying to sound as cheerful as her words. She’d pulled her long hair into a plain ponytail, changed into a comfortable red denim pants suit and entered the living room moments earlier. She’d stood at the entrance to the living room and watched Chandler unobserved. Zipporah didn’t want to interrupt what seemed like a moment of reflection and despite how she was feeling, she was happy to see him at peace.
The welcomed intrusion had caught Chandler off guard. He turned slowly, smiling to show his pleasure at her appearance. “I see you’ve changed.” He held out his hand, indicating she should join him.
“I see you haven’t,” Zipporah whispered, as she joined him by the window.
“I haven’t.” He gave a sheepish grin hoping it would hide his confusion. “Why would you say that?”
“I’m not sure. It’s really not what I meant to say.” Zipporah turned her head thinking she’d seen a dark shadow streak across the room. The last time she’d seen such a thing was in her father’s room on the night he’d died.
Chandler’s eyes followed her gaze. He couldn’t tell what she was looking at. “What did you mean to say?”
Zipporah nodded her head, sighed and turned back to Chandler. She didn’t speak. Instead, she suddenly laughed and began to sing.
If fire came today, I’d not leave you. If water rose above my head, I’d not leave you. If death called me home, I’d not leave you.
Zipporah stopped singing, choosing instead to hum the melody. She removed the clip holding her ponytail, allowing it to fall around her shoulders. She kept humming. From her jacket pocket she took a piece of paper and placed it in Chandler’s hand and she continued humming.
> Chandler’s mind raced. He was caught totally unaware. Without saying a word or questioning what she wanted, he joined in and sang the words completing the song, as Zipporah continued humming Jasper’s melody.
There’s nothing that can separate me from you. You’re covered with my sheets of love. You’re protected by my sheets of love. You’re warmed by my sheets of love. Uncovered, my baby, you’ll never be.
With the soft rain as their background music they sang. They sang the words they couldn’t speak—Jasper’s words.
From inside her room Sister Betty listened to the music made by Zipporah and Chandler. “Well, Jasper, you finally did it. You old rascal, you left a dowry with your daughter that will flourish forever.”
Sister Betty quietly closed her bedroom door to give Zipporah and Chandler privacy. And even with the rain bothering her old arthritic knees she raced to the phone. She called Ma Cile’s hospital room and had the nurse place the phone next to Ma Cile’s ear. With the cordless phone in one hand she crept to the bedroom door and opened it. As the sound of the beautiful duet sung by Zipporah and Chandler travelled through the phone line, she could only imagine the healing it was giving to Ma Cile, who managed to emit quick gasps to show she’d heard the music.
And then Sister Betty called Bea and Sasha. Over the telephone the three women were beside themselves as they secretly listened in on Zipporah and Chandler’s “private” declaration of love.
Of course, the three old women’s camaraderie only lasted as long as the song. Within five minutes they were back to arguing. Each blamed the other for the failed conference. But since it had been cancelled, Bea and Sasha retained their positions as president and vice president. However, no matter how many times Sister Betty promised she’d never run against them, they still wanted it in writing.
Epilogue
It took Sister Betty a long time to get over just how close she wasn’t to God. Choosing whom she would or not bear witness to was not an option she was supposed to have. Judging was God’s work and not hers. She’d become so comfortable, God had had to shake her up.
And He shook her good! The pastor and congregation at Crossing Over Sanctuary Temple were shaken as well. Because the first thing Bea and Sasha did, when they had a chance, was to testify about how Sister Betty crossed over onto the dark side in Las Vegas. They regaled the congregation with their version of how Sister Betty had to be dragged from the casino and placed into the hands of hotel security. And the dramatic way they told of Sister Betty’s determination to commit murder, without remorse, should’ve been taped and televised on CNN.
Of course, Sister Betty hadn’t been at church that night so Bea and Sasha felt free to embellish and omit a lot of details. Sasha particularly didn’t mention that she hadn’t been saved or as saved as she’d claimed, all those years.
But on the bright side, Bea now had a family. The way Bea told it, not only was Zipporah her “godbaby” but she’d actually gotten her vocal talent from her.
To try and keep Bea out of trouble because of her inherent need to add to her fixed income, Zipporah started a day care in Pelzer and hired Bea to run it. She wanted Bea to not only make extra money but to put that huge heart of hers to some good use. And, of course, Bea loved the idea because she loved babies. But before Zipporah knew it the day care was losing money. Bea was taking in babies for either half the fee or no fee at all. So it became both a job for Bea and a tax write-off for Zipporah.
Miracles were the order of the day. No sooner had Chandler and Zipporah returned to Las Vegas than Ma Cile started regaining her strength. Whatever Chandler had said when he’d visited his grandmother, according to the doctors, had been just the medicine she needed. Secretly, Chandler thought Ma Cile had taken one look at Zipporah and, stroke or no stroke, had seen the possibility of some beautiful great-grandchildren. As stubborn as Ma Cile was, she wasn’t about to leave earth and miss out on that.
Sasha did what she’d promised. She sat Zipporah down and told her the good, the bad and the ugly side of the Hellraiser clan. Sasha also had to let her know that Zipporah’s sister, Ima, had found out about Jasper. At that time, Ima was in South Africa with her fiancé, the Reverend Lyon Lipps, doing missionary work. Sasha warned Zipporah that Ima would return soon and that perhaps Zipporah might want to hire security to watch her back. But definitely not the wimps that she’d dealt with at the Luxor.
Sasha had also tried to talk Areal into meeting with Zipporah, but Areal wouldn’t do it. Perhaps, one day she would but not then. Sasha had bullied Areal once before and it’d led to nothing but heartache.
Surprisingly, Zipporah calmly accepted Areal’s decision but left the door open if her birth-mother ever wanted to meet her. Secretly, in her heart, Zipporah hoped her mother would do it before it was too late.
Life sometimes had a strange, and perhaps less than kind way of leading a person into providence. And it seemed it didn’t just lead Zipporah, it dragged her over cactus thorns to get there.
Zipporah’s path had been littered with abuse and mistrust. And it didn’t matter that she was gorgeous or had a good heart and even less that she could outsing most of those who’d seemed to regularly receive recognition and fame. But just like the forging of steel, she’d become a force of nature, and Daddy was still helping from the grave.
Details of Jasper’s funeral had hit several newspapers, including a few in New York, Las Vegas, and California. Pictures of him and Zipporah ran side by side in celebrity columns, on television, and even in a few music magazines. He’d left her not only wealthy but well connected. She’d be able to greet and meet with anyone of power, and they were knocking down her door already.
There were some who were not happy about the way Jasper hadn’t owned up to his responsibility, but they were the ones who didn’t know the entire story. They were also the ones who soon learned that if it hadn’t bothered Zipporah, it certainly shouldn’t bother them. Business was business and the newly formed Las Vegas, Nevada, Moses and Lamb Entertainment Agency was all business.
Chandler and Zipporah had the buzz going about their company within six months of Jasper’s death. Many of the bigwigs at the record companies had flown in personally to check out his roster of exceptional talent. There wasn’t a genre in the business he couldn’t supply talent for.
And, as he’d promised Zipporah, Chandler found the brightest and the best to create a Las Vegas show just for her. It was spectacular and she looked and sounded amazing. In no time she was pulling crowds away from Celine Dion and Toni Braxton. And to show that there were no hard feelings, Zipporah hired Alicia to co-manage the show. She knew it was better to keep Alicia where she could watch her; after all, Las Vegas wasn’t that big.
Zipporah also found time to record Sister Betty’s gospel album. Zipporah had written every song with the exception of the one Jasper had given her in the vision. She titled the album Sheets of Love. The album hadn’t cost a lot of money because only one copy was pressed. The hardest part was finding a plant that still pressed vinyl. Sister Betty didn’t have a CD player and balked at having to purchase and learn how to use one.
One of the proudest moments for Zipporah came when she was able to present a sizable check to a kinder and gentler Miss Thompson and the homeless shelter. She even apologized for her little “white lie” about being hospitalized. The check helped the forgiveness.
Two years after Jasper entered and left Zipporah’s life, forever changing it, another change occurred. Chandler and Zipporah exchanged wedding vows. It was a new and adventurous time for the two of them.
For the first time Zipporah and Chandler shared a gift that was unmistakably blessed. On their wedding night they finally got to know one another the way the Bible had meant for a husband and wife to. Each had kept their vow of abstinence.
And not only was their wedding night amazing and exhausting for them, but Zipporah happily wrote a new song the next morning. Almost a year later it became a hit. Just around the same time they bec
ame parents to baby Jasper Chandler Lamb.
Sister Betty returns in time for Christmas in
Pat G’Orge-Walker’s
No Ordinary Noel
Coming in October 2011 from Dafina Books
Turn the page for an excerpt from No Ordinary Noel . . .
It was well past midnight when the reverend’s phone rang. He’d hardly slept a wink, but when he saw the number on the caller ID, he immediately woke up.
The reverend yawned and answered, “Hello, Sister Betty.”
“I’m sorry to call this late, pastor,” she apologized. “This storm has made everything a mess. My bus ran late from Belton, and when I got home to Pelzer, I was too pooped to do anything. I saw that red light flashing on my phone, but didn’t bother to check it right away because nothing good ever comes out of me doing so.”
By the time Sister Betty finished with her long apology and her aversion to checking her messages, the reverend was fully awake. He’d barely explained to her about the mess caused at the church by Mother Pray Onn accusing him of mishandling of her one hundred-forty-dollar-and-twenty-six-cents tithes and his reaction to it, when Sister Betty started to whip him with the Word. She gave him scriptural uppercuts from the Old Testament. “Psalms One Hundred and Forty-four says, ‘Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight!’” She then TKO’d him with scriptures from the New Testament. When she finished, he’d apologized more to her than he had to God.
“How God gonna give you a vision about leading folk to the Promised Land and then not give you the provision?” Sister Betty hissed, “Now I don’t mean no further disrespect, but you acting like you forgot that God gave me that same vision and it was about the same time He trusted you to bring it about.” She waited for the reverend to dispute what she said, but he didn’t. He couldn’t.
Somewhat Saved Page 31
