Francesca had been so much more present in Pastor’s life, even though it was mostly by way of telephone. Pastor was thankful for the closeness of family. Detria had been an important reason for all the positivity that had been pouring over the Graham family. Detria was the kind of woman who loved family because she was extremely close to hers. She basically forced Francesca into liking her with her always positive words. She often initiated calls to Francesca to check on her.
Detria, Pastor, and Stiles had gone to Newbern to celebrate Francesca’s birthday three weeks prior. Francesca had several of her friends over, and everyone had a blast. Now that it was Pastor’s birthday, Francesca readily agreed to attend the gathering of the Graham and Mackey families and some of Pastor’s friends. She and Detria planned most of the celebration by talking back and forth on the phone and texting each other. There was going to be plenty of food and lots of fun.
Stiles arrived home around two thirty Saturday afternoon, after picking up Francesca for the party later that day.
“Hey, sister-in-law,” Detria said and immediately greeted Francesca with a hug. “I’m glad you made it here. I know how that brother of yours gets road rage.”
“I do not. How do you think that would sound to my members if they heard their pastor had road rage issues?” he said and looked at both Francesca and Detria.
“It’s not something they don’t already know,” Detria responded.
“Boy, no use in questioning your wife. She’s just telling you what God loves—the truth.” Francesca and Detria started laughing, leaving Stiles with his mouth poked out.
“Y’all are just teaming up on me. But that’s all right. Wait until Pastor comes in here. He’ll take my side.”
Pastor walked slowly into the kitchen, where they were gathered. “Take your side about what?” Pastor asked. “Man, don’t be too sure. Depends on what it is. I know betta than to get on the bad side of my two favorite ladies. Hey, baby,” he said to Francesca and stretched out his arms. She walked into them and received his tight, affectionate hug.
“Detria was talking about his road rage,” Francesca said to Pastor as she remained by his side.
“Well, son, if she said that you have road rage, then I have to agree with her. You know you can make even the devil cringe when you get behind that wheel.” Pastor coughed hard when he started laughing.
Francesca patted him on his back. “You okay?” she asked him.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just got choked.”
“Pastor, I see where you stand,” Stiles said. “But that’s all right. I’ll be in this by myself, but I know one thing. Y’all were sure ready to jump in a car with this road rager,” Stiles said.
“That’s because I have sense enough to realize that God is the pilot. He wouldn’t dare leave it up to you alone to drive.” Pastor started chuckling again, but his laughter was once again cut short by a hard cough.
“Pastor, sit down. Let me get you something to drink. Maybe that’ll help that cough,” Detria told him. She poured a glass of water for Pastor and took it over to the island, where he sat.
Pastor took a swallow of the water. “Okay, let’s leave my boy alone. You see he can’t take it.” Everyone laughed again.
Francesca ambled over to where Detria stood. “Let me help you get the deviled eggs made. They’re my specialty.”
“I heard. So do your thing.”
“You’ve done the hard part, and that was boiling all of the eggs and peeling them. The rest is simple,” remarked Francesca.
“Mostly everything you need is in the fridge. And look in the top cabinet over there”—Detria pointed—“and you should find a platter for the eggs. The seasoning is in the bottom cabinet.”
“Gotcha,” replied Francesca.
“Pastor, why don’t we go in the family room and get out of the way of these two beautiful women?” Stiles suggested.
“I think that’ll work.” Pastor stumbled slightly when he stood.
“You sure you feel all right?” Stiles asked his father.
“Just because I’m fifty-eight years young today doesn’t mean I’m an old man. Just to let you know, I have a lot of fire in this engine, and it’s not from road rage, either. God has been good to me.”
“I heard that. All I can say is amen. Honey, call me if you need me to do something,” Stiles told Detria.
“Don’t worry. If she doesn’t, I will,” Francesca said.
Detria giggled. “Tell him, sister-in-law.”
Pastor’s birthday celebration turned out to be a fun event for everyone. The Graham and Mackey families, along with some of Pastor’s closest friends, enjoyed laughter, food, and fellowship. Pastor managed to share some happier memories of the years he and Audrey spent together. Francesca was pleasant. She agreed to spend the night and go home the next day, which seemed to make Pastor beam with happiness when Stiles told him of the plan.
Some three-plus hours later, Stiles and Detria were in their bedroom, snuggling. Stiles turned toward Detria and rested his lithe body on his elbow. “Thank you, First Lady.”
Detria blushed. “For what?”
“For making my life remarkable. For being good to my family and to me. I love you, girl. And I’m so grateful to God for bringing you into my life.” Stiles kissed her with intensity and smothered her body with his.
Between kisses and hugs, Detria told him how much she loved him, too. “Stiles, you’ve made me the happiest woman on earth.” She eased away from him and sat up in the bed. Stiles’s eyes questioningly lingered on his wife. “I love you, love you, love you,” she continued to say as she searched longingly in his eyes. “That’s why I’m so glad—”
“Glad, about what?” Stiles looked at her. He used the back of his hand to lightly stroke the side of her face as he spoke. “What is it?”
Abroad smile consumed Detria’s glowing face. “We’re going to have a baby,” she said quickly. “I’m having your child.”
Stiles sat up like a drill sergeant calling his troops to attention. His thick eyebrows rose, and his mouth fell open.
Detria stared at him, not sure if what she saw was happiness or confusion. She waited for some response from her beloved husband. “Stiles? Did you hear me?”
“Of course I heard you.” Suddenly both hands flew up in the air, and he pounced from the bed and jumped so high his head almost touched the ceiling. “A baby? Me?” He pointed at himself. “And you?” he said. “Oh, my God, my God, my God.” Tears formed in his bright eyes, and he placed both of his rough hands against his cheeks.
Detria threw her head back and laughed almost hysterically. Stiles reached over on the bed and gently pulled her up until she was on her knees. He reached down and held her close, and kissed her forehead, her red cheeks, and on to her lips. He mouthed words of love to her, and fresh tears poured from both of their eyes.
Stiles felt the rapid beating of Detria’s heart pressed against his torso. He pulled back and rubbed her hair from her face. “I love you.” He looked down at her tummy and gently began to rub it in a circular motion. He leaned her back down on the bed and sat next to her and started rubbing her belly again. Next, he lay with his head on her tummy. “A baby—our baby is inside of there.”
“Yes, it is.”
“How long? How long have you known?” He looked up at his wife.
“I suspected something when I missed my period, of course, but then I thought maybe my cycle was just late. I haven’t been feeling sick or nauseated, so I didn’t think I was pregnant. But I mentioned it to Brooke the other day and asked whether I should be concerned about my cycle, you know.” Detria stretched out both hands in an I-don’t-know gesture. “She told me she would buy me a pregnancy test kit and bring it to me at work. She said I should take the test during my lunch. I laughed at the thought, but you know Brooke.”
“Yeah, I do. That woman can be persistent. I think I saw her flashing you some weird glances earlier, during Pastor’s birthday party.” Stiles tucked
in his lips and nodded.
Detria tapped him on his arm. “No, I believe you’re just imagining things now. But anyway, let me finish the story. So Brooke went to the pharmacy and bought me a pregnancy kit a couple of days ago, and just like she said, she brought it to work, and we took it. Well, rather, I took it, with her standing outside the stall, waiting on me.” Detria giggled.
“A couple of days ago? And you’re just telling me?”
“Hold up. Listen, will you?” she said and laughed at his obvious excitement. “I took the test, but I didn’t believe what it read. So yesterday, after I got home from work, I took another one.”
“Ahh, so that’s why Brooke was over here yesterday when I called you from church.”
“Yes, that’s why. Anyway, I took the test . . . and oh, Stiles, when it came back positive again, I couldn’t believe it. I was so nervous. I thought there was a mistake or something, but leave it up to my sister, she had bought three kits!” Detria lifted three fingers and gathered her legs Indian style on the bed and then bounced her buttocks up and down with joy on the pillow-top mattress. “Stiles, I took the test all three times, and all three times I got the same result. Positive.”
“We’ve got to get you to a doctor. You need to rest. And all of this work you did for Pastor’s birthday . . . Oh, baby, you should have been resting. Who else knows? Does Francesca? Your parents?”
Detria placed her hand over Stiles’s mouth. “You are so silly,” she said. “No one knows other than Brooke. And she promised not to tell anyone anything until I told you first and we went to the doctor to be sure.”
“Good, good.” Stiles jumped out of the bed again.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to get you a warm glass of milk. You need to relax and get some rest. I’ll call the doctor’s office first thing tomorrow morning and get an appointment.”
“Stiles, tomorrow is Saturday. We’ll call Monday. And you have to get Francesca home tomorrow, anyway. I’m going with you.”
“I don’t know. I think you need to stay here and rest. I’ll get Francesca home and hurry back here.”
“Stiles Graham, will you calm down? I’m fine. I am going to go with you in the morning, and I don’t need any milk. I’m fine. Now that I know how happy you are, I can rest.”
“Did you doubt that I would be anything other than happy?” he asked her and returned to sit on the bed again. “I don’t know how to show you how much I love you, but I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying.” He caressed her face again, kissed her belly, and then climbed in the bed next to her and gathered her in his arms. “Lord, thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Amen,” Detria said and cuddled in closer to Stiles. The two fell asleep in each other’s arms with smiles plastered on their faces.
The following morning, Stiles awoke early. The sun had barely risen, but thoughts of what Detria told him last night had him energized. He looked over at her. She was still sleeping soundly. He quietly maneuvered around the large master bedroom and into their bathroom. The bathroom looked like it could have been a middle-sized bedroom because it was so massive. God had truly spread favor over Stiles’s life. Stiles turned on the shower and allowed the multi-spray jets to warm while he gathered towels from the bathroom closet.
“And what do you think you’re doing?” The voice behind him startled him momentarily.
“What are you doing? Is the question,” Stiles told Detria as she approached him and automatically stepped inside his arms.
“I thought I heard something and turns out I was right. Is my baby daddy trying to run out on me?” She smiled.
“No, I got up early, and I tried to move around, so I wouldn’t wake you. You looked so peaceful and beautiful. I am so full of praise right now, Detria. God is just so good. So good.”
“Yes, He is. We are truly blessed,” she said in agreement.
“Do you want to join me?” Stiles leaned his head back toward the shower.
“Sure. How can I say no?” She slipped out of her robe and unveiled her naked body before her husband. Stiles gasped at her beauty. He could have sworn he saw her round belly protruding just a little, and he smiled with happiness. The couple stepped inside the spacious shower, and the bursts of steam and gentle jet streams caressed them as they washed each other.
Stiles and Detria dried each other off after they completed their shower, and then Stiles went to the enormous walk-in closet and chose a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. “Baby, it’s still early. Why don’t you stay up here and take it easy? I’m going to do my morning meditation, and then I’ll fix breakfast for everyone. How does that sound?” Stiles asked as he looked at his smiling wife.
“I think I’m going to enjoy being pregnant if this is the kind of treatment I can expect. But you go on and do your meditation, and I’ll prepare breakfast this time. I promised Francesca that I’d make her some of my homemade buttermilk pancakes. And, honey, I feel great. I’m pregnant, not an invalid,” she told him with her hands now on both of her hips.
“Are you sure you feel all right? I don’t want you to be doing anything that can hurt the baby. We haven’t seen a doctor yet, and we need to be careful.”
“I’m not a porcelain doll, sweetheart. I’m not going to break. And I feel fine. I promise to tell you if I feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.” Detria crossed her fingers.
“Well, okay. But after we take Francesca home, we’re coming back here, and we’re going to see about finding an ob-gyn for you and our baby.” He dressed while he talked.
“Okay, I won’t argue with you about that. Now go to your study, and I’ll go downstairs as soon as I finish putting on my clothes. Francesca will probably be waking up soon, too. I think she said she’s an early riser.”
“I can’t believe that, but then again Francesca has made such a positive change in her life that it astounds me at times.” Stiles walked over to the side of the closet where Detria stood, patted her on the butt, and kissed her again before he retreated out of their room, closing the bedroom door behind him.
As soon as Stiles left, Detria looked upward, and then she went to her knees. “Oh, God, how I thank you. You are so awesome, so marvelous, and so mighty. Thank you, Father, for this child I am carrying. Bless this child.” She looked down at her tummy. “Bless Stiles and me to be the kind of parents that you would have us to be. I pray that we will find the right doctor, and that all goes well with this pregnancy. Amen.” She got up off her knees, stepped back into the closet, and pulled a jogging suit off its hanger.
Detria finished dressing, made the bed, and tidied the bathroom. Last, she patted her hair lightly with a hand towel, put some hair butter in her hand, and massaged it until it smoothed out. She massaged and pulled on her curly curls with her fingers and styled them to perfection. She patted her tummy, and then went out of the room, down the stairs and in the direction of the kitchen.
“Thank you, Lord . . . I just wanna thank you, Lord,” she sang softly as she prepared turkey bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs and pancakes.
“Mornin’. What’s got you up early humming while you cook? You Betty Crocker or somebody?” teased Francesca.
Detria jumped and turned sideward at the sound of Francesca’s voice, then replied, “I’m just happy, that’s all.” Detria immediately smiled when she saw Francesca stationed at the kitchen door and already dressed, like she’d been up a while, too.
Francesca walked into the kitchen and stood next to Detria. “You have it smelling so good up in here, I thought I was on one of those commercials about the best part of waking up is . . . Detria’s homemade cakes.” Francesca free-styled while Detria laughed loudly and raised a high five in the air. “You are some crazy sister-in-law,” joked Francesca. “You want some help?”
“Does it smell like I need help? And aren’t you the one who asked me to make you some homemade pancakes?”
“Eww, are you in a great mood or what?” Francesca threw her head back sl
ightly and eyed Detria in amazement.
“Go relax over there in the dining area if you want to, unless you want to sit at the island and talk to me while I finish up breakfast,” Detria suggested.
“Cool, I’ll hang in here with my favorite sister-in-law.”
“You can say that ’cause I’m your only sister-in-law.” The two of them joked back and forth. “I guess you’ll say the same thing when your little niece or nephew enters the world.”
“Huh?” Francesca looked at Detria with curiosity. “You’re having a baby?”
“I believe so. I took a home pregnancy test, and the result came out positive. I still need to go to the doctor to make sure.”
Francesca hugged Detria. “Oh, my gosh, that’s great news. I’m going to be an aunt.”
“That’s right. Get ready to put on your babysitting hat,” Detria teased.
“You got it. Any idea when the baby is due?”
“I’m not quite sure. Like I said, I still have to go to the doctor. And we haven’t said anything to Pastor. So don’t let on that you know anything, not even to Stiles. I want to be certain about my pregnancy first.”
“Understood and congratulations. Where’s Stiles, anyway?” Francesca asked while Detria placed a second pile of pancakes on a heated plate.
“He’s upstairs in the study, doing his morning meditation,” Detria answered. She turned over bacon and sausages, respectively, on the breakfast grill. Like an expert chef, Detria poured almost perfect circles of batter on the grill. “He’ll be down shortly. Do you know if Pastor is awake?”
“No, I don’t know. I haven’t heard him this morning. You want me to go check on him?” Francesca offered and proceeded to turn toward the door.
“No, no. There’s no need to do that.” Detria shook her head. “Believe me, Pastor will smell this food and get up. It works just about every time. If he hasn’t come in here by the time Stiles comes downstairs, then Stiles will check on him,” Detria said, then changed the subject. “Tell me, what’s been going on with you since you turned a year older yourself not too long ago?”
“Like what?” replied Francesca.
My Son's Next Wife Page 5
