by J. Jakee
“Go for it!”
“That’s not all I want… I want us to do it together. I’m offering you part ownership.”
My eyes bulged. “Is this a prank?”
“Absolutely not! Follow me.” Sharron led me into an office that was behind the front desk. Her office. There were two desks—hers which was decorated with tons of pictures, and miniature plants. The other desk was completely bare aside from the desktop computer. We sat at her desk and she began presenting me with her business plans. The more she spoke, the more I grew convinced that this wasn’t a prank. In fact, her tone of voice changed and she even sounded professional. She was a true boss, although she was dressed in yoga pants, a t-shirt, and sneakers, and I never knew it. “I have ideas, Nola - BIG ideas that keep me up at night. And, I want you to help me.”
“Why me? We just reunited. And, anyway you’ve seen with your own eyes how financially irresponsible I used to be. Why would you trust me?”
“Okay, two reasons.” Sharron folded her hands on top of her desk and looked directly into my eyes. “The first one because I want to. I told you, you blessed me, and I’m gonna bless you. The second reason is because God said so. You see that desk over there. I bought it knowing exactly the kind of person I wanted to fill that seat. She has sincere passion for the misunderstood and challenged. She can see the beauty, strength, and intelligence within them that most cannot. She’s patient with them, deeply compassionate… does this sound like anyone you know?”
I nodded. My body grew chills… But pleasant chills… The chills you get when things began to make sense and dots connect, and the picture becomes clear.
Sharron continued, “Well, I had no idea WHO this person was going to be so I held about thirty interviews until I finally gave up. I got so frustrated and handed it over to God. I prayed myself to sleep that night, and the next morning the Holy Spirit laid it on my heart to relax, take a drive, and treat myself to the finest cup of tea. When have you ever seen me with a cup of FeliciTEA’s?”
I laughed. “Never.”
“When I saw you sitting there, I thought it could be God sent. When we chatted, and from the way you spoke about Dominic, I knew so. That passion you had for Dominic could very well be your calling.” Sharron opened her hands. “I believe that this is for you. I believe that everything… everything… that you have gone through within the past couple of years, up until now, was designed by God to bring you where you are today. The same goes for me, too.”
“I was such a train wreck.”
“Me too!”
I smiled. “He’s putting us on the right track.” I closed my eyes. I could see and hear Dominic telling me to Push hard. Pull hard. Chug hard, like a train. I opened my eyes.
“I wanna do it… just let me pray about it.”
CHAPTER 43
I got a chance to have a two-hour and thirty-minute prayer and praise session with God, all the way down to Silas’s beach house in Rehoboth, De.
I pulled one of his numbers – a pop-up – because I didn’t want to wait. I needed him to know how I felt right away. When Sharron dropped me back to my place, I showered, threw on a shorts and tank outfit from H&M, and flat sandals from Macy’s—simplistic being my new and affordable style—and I hopped in my Range to hit the highway.
Parking at the beach was a headache. It was as if everyone decided to wrap up August there, and I wound up having to park a few blocks away. The excitement however, had me power walking. I was catching my breath when I knocked on the front door.
“Hello.” A pretty, slim, and tall woman opened the door. She was dressed in a bikini top with a towel wrapped around her waist. Her hair was damp and pulled into a pony.
My heart stopped. I Froze. It was too late.
“Can I help you?” The woman raised her eyebrow.
Behind her, Silas came into view. “Sofia, who is it?” He got closer. His shirt was off. Both of them looking like I just interrupted their afternoon tryst. “Nola! What are you doing here?”
I took off running. Silas ran after me and caught me at the corner. He held my arm.
“I’m sorry.” I couldn’t look at him. “I shouldn’t have popped up on you like that.” I tried to get him to release me.
He refused to let go. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“Silas, it’s cool. Let go of me and go back to your girl.”
“She’s not my girl.”
“Your fling.”
“She’s not a fling.”
“Let go!”
He released me. “She’s the pastor’s lady friend.”
I threw up my hands and shook my head. “Wait…what? He has a woman? That fast. Already?”
“You sound like you have a problem with it.”
“I don’t!” half-false. “But, why the hell are you half naked with Pastor Ronnie’s woman?”
Silas laughed.
“It’s funny??”
“You’re funny!” Silas backed up as if he were saying I needed a better look at him. “I’m working, and covered in paint. I told you I was fixing it. Pastor and Sofia were just coming from the boardwalk when you knocked.”
I threw my hands in my face, trying to process that Ronnie had a girl now – not just any girl. She looked gorgeous, young, tall, and smiled brightly. She was most likely the one he told me about in the park.
“It’s his vacation, and he brought her yesterday. I don’t blame him. She’s alright. Kinda nice… Marley introduced them. I think she works at her job or something like that. ”
I didn’t need to hear anymore. I wasn’t jealous either, which was a huge testament that my feelings towards the pastor had dissolved. I just wasn’t interested in Ronnie at all anymore—just by the fact that he moved on.
“Anyway...” I stepped closer and looked up at him. He smiled. His red hair glowed against the sun. “…I didn’t come here to talk about Pastor Ronnie or his girl.”
“Is that right?”
“I came here to talk about you and me.”
Silas nodded, but his reaction wasn’t at all like how I expected it. The way I pictured it driving down, he was supposed to wrap his arms around me, squeeze me, lift me up, and take my lips into his and then whisper, “Finally” or something romantically cheesy like that. Instead, his posture shifted and he stepped back a bit.
“You don’t know what you want, Nola. I think you’re confused.”
I shook my head. “I figured it out.”
“I think you need to chill. Focus on you and your relationship with Christ.”
“You moved on.”
“That’s not it.”
“You have a girl now, too? What--she’s on her way? If you moved on, then say that you moved on. Don’t down play it and push me off on God.”
“I’m single.” Silas stuffed his hands in his pocket and shrugged. “I got things I need to work on. These past couple of months I realized that God isn’t through with me. It’s stuff in my past that’s effecting me today. I can’t bring that into no relationship.”
I said nothing.
“You need work, too.”
“Don’t tell me what I need,” I snapped.
Silas lifted his hands, “I’m just telling you what I’ve learned since knowing you. You’re empty.”
“I’m going home.”
I started to walk off. Silas stopped me. “That void can’t be filled with nobody but God, Nola. I’m telling you.”
I had no comment to that. There was too much to take in, so much for one day. And now, I had to prepare for a two-hour drive home, alone with my thoughts. “I’ll text you to let you know I made it home safe, Silas.”
CHAPTER 44
I was afraid to come to the chapter meeting now that all my dirty laundry had been aired. I missed the first two months of the meetings because of this. I knew I’d come back eventually, present them with the new and improved Nola Victor, but I feared the unexpected. Would my sorors still love me? Would my presence still l
ight up the room?
I was a bit late, so the tapping sounds of my Jessica Simpson booties were all that could be heard as I walked across the lobby and through the conference room doors.
“Heyyyy good to see you soror!” Our hostess rose from the behind the table and embraced me with a warm hug, and gentle rub on my back. Just like that, I felt welcomed. Accepted as if word hadn’t gotten out about the chaos I had caused Marley over the summer. I sat at a table in the back, engaged in small chatter and jokes with sorors who patted my hands and smiled with their eyes as they’d always done. Just like that, I felt glad I came. Sorority sisterhood is powerful. They’ll love you unconditionally like family, if not more. They’ll be disappointed in you, you may let them down, but breaking the bond was about as easy as moving a mountain.
An hour later, President Gabrielle started with the closing remarks.
“As we know, Soror Marley is on bed rest with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.” This was news to me. “Because of all of your donations, we were able to make this beautiful care package.”
She pointed to an oversized wicker basket filled with bath and body products, other spa essentials, candles and magazines, all wrapped in cellophane. Our sorors clapped and “awwwed.”
President Gabrielle looked at me. “Nola, you wouldn’t mind dropping this off to her place?”
All eyes were on me. I nervously twirled my hair with my index finger. She took advantage of my hesitation.
“Ok, good. Thanks Nola.” President Gabrielle gave me a knowing smile. “Sorors this concludes our chapter meeting.”
***
“I know you had sex with my father on my wedding day.”
I stood frozen, clutching the basket.
“So don’t come in here unless you’re gonna keep it real…. Put the basket on my dresser.” Marley pointed across from her. I followed her direction. “Greg!”
Greg appeared from the living room. “Yes, baby?”
“Could you open the basket for me? I wanna see what’s in it.” Greg shuffled to the dresser. Marley looked at me. “Sit down.”
She pointed to chair by her bed. I hesitated. I wasn’t about to get cozy next to her after she just shot me with that statement as soon as I entered her bedroom.
“I won’t bite, Nola. Sit down. It’s the least you could do.”
I sat.
Greg showed Marley all the contents of the basket one-by-one. Marley’s eyes lit up. Even while she was sick, she glowed. Her skin looked flawless and smooth, her hair full and healthy, and her cheeks were rouge—enamored and filled with gratitude.
“Awwww. I love my sorors.”
After displaying the gifts, Greg excused himself. Marley looked at me. “I’m sorry about Dominic. I cried for days… I went to the funeral.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
For the first time ever, I felt intimated and nervous about being in her presence. “And you look gorgeous. You carry pregnancy beautifully.”
It was the first time I’ve ever given Marley a well-deserved compliment. She beamed and rubbed her basketball-sized belly.
“Thank you, Nola.”
Her smile brought me ease. “I don’t want to hold you up, but I just wanna let you know that I’m sorry. I apologize for ever taking advantage of our friendship” I swallowed hard. “And, I apologize for… your father.”
“I can’t believe y’all had sex.” Marley shook her head but laughed. “I mean, you shoulda saw his face when he told me. Poor man, felt horrible.”
“This… is pretty uncomfortable … to talk about…”
“I had forgiven you a while ago, Nola. Anyway, my father has moved on, and he is happy. Sophia is great. He’s great. And I’m feeling great because of it. It’s in the past, and the both of you are grown. You guys have your own sins to deal with, and I have my own. That’s what I needed to learn.”
I breathed. “Thank you.”
There was a pause for what seemed like a few minutes, and then she said, “We may never be as close as we were, but that shouldn’t stop you from worshiping at Worship Way. Come back to our church, Nola. It’s your home, too.”
I sighed. “I miss it.”
“Then come back.”
I nodded.
“Thanks for bringing the basket soror Nola. Tell Silas I said hello when you go to our church tomorrow.”
***
I left Marley’s in time to get to the Deaconess’s place. She wanted me there by noon.
BEEEEEEEEP! BEEEEEEEEEP!
“Hold on. I’m coming, I’m coming.” She descended down her porch steps looking fly and stylish as usual. She pinched my cheek when she hopped in on passenger side of my Range.
“How’s my beautiful granddaughter?”
I laughed. “Stop it… you’re so silly.”
“I’m just happy that God brought you here. You know that was nothing but Him.”
“Amen to that!” I waved my hand.
My grandmother sighed, “You ready?”
My purity ring flickered as I gripped the stirring wheel. I inhaled and exhaled, then smiled. “Lord knows I’m ready.”
“Good.” She smiled back. “Elton is anxious to meet you.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J. Jakée is a living example of transformation and she’s currently resting in the palms of her Potter’s hand. She is a freelance and ghost writer, an editor, a motivator and encourager by nature, and a mother to an adorable prince. At 29, she self-published Beautiful Liar, the debut novel to the Sisterly Relations series.
Jakée worships at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Twin Oaks, PA, and she is in the process of obtaining a certification in Biblical Counseling. Jakée belongs to the first Black Greek letter sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and she’s also a faithful Partner in Hope for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
For more information about J. Jakée and future projects, please visit AuthorJJakee.com
Blessed by God, so that I may be a blessing to others
