The Veil

by K. T. Richey

  “When your immunity is built up, little things don’t upset you anymore. People can talk about you and call you out of your name all day and night and it won’t have an effect on you. You can lose your job and it won’t hurt you. Your spouse can leave you, but it won’t hurt you. Children acting crazy but it still won’t hurt you. God is building you up so when you are attacked by killer bees they won’t have an effect on you.” The crowd was on their feet. “That’s why you don’t see old people getting upset about a lot of things. God has built up their immunity. God has to build your immunity. You can’t be a leader crying all the time over little things. You can’t be a leader scared of what people will say about you. You can’t be a leader in hiding. You can’t let fear confine you. You’ve got to move beyond your place of comfort and tell the devil that it’s okay. I’ve been stung before. God is just building your immunity.”

  She looked directly at Misha. She was staring so hard at her that her husband turned around to see who she was looking at. Misha knew that word was directed straight to her. It felt like lightning had hit her body and she couldn’t stand like the other people in the sanctuary who were already on their feet screaming. Being drawn back into her sermon Pastor Patrick continued, “You can’t be a leader wanting to fight anyone who makes you mad. God has to build your immunity. Touch two or three people and tell them, God is building your immunity.” People jumped to their feet and began touching people around them. Misha could not stand. This word was meant for her and its power held her to her seat.

  After service, Misha and Judy waited in the long line at the bookstore to purchase the CD. Misha purchased the DVD and CD. Afterward, Judy drove Misha to her car that was parked in the shopping center across the street from the church. They met at the Waffle House to get something to eat.

  “Pastor Patrick preached tonight. I’m so glad I came. Thanks for inviting me. I needed to hear that word,” Misha said, lifting her menu from the table.

  “You’re not the only one. I needed it myself. When she talked about those bees . . . Lord have mercy.”

  “I know. She was preaching to me.”

  “I saw how she stared at you. I think she knew she was preaching to you, too. I thought she was going to call you out.”

  Misha looked up and saw Roger and a woman entering the restaurant. They were holding hands. Misha could feel her heart beginning to beat fast.

  “Misha, you don’t look so good. Is anything wrong?”

  “Roger. He’s here . . . with a woman.”

  Judy turned around to see Roger and the woman walking toward them. “We can leave if you want to.”

  “No, Judy. I’ve got to stay. I’m not running away from him.” She set her menu down and flattened her blouse. She sat straight up and greeted Roger and the young lady, who she recognized from church. “Hey, Roger . . . Tracy.” Misha waved to them to come over. Roger quickly let go of the woman’s hand. She laughed to herself. But it still hurt to see him there with another woman.

  “Mimi, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  “We’re coming from the Rock. This is my friend, Judy.” She turned her attention to the young lady. “Hi, Tracy.”

  “Hi, Misha. You guys were at the Rock? We were there in the balcony. Didn’t Pastor Patrick preach? I got my praise on,” she said, waving her hands in the air.

  “We were sitting in the VIP seats behind the first lady.” Judy invited herself into the conversation.

  “Really? How did you get those seats?” Tracy continued her conversation with Judy. Roger was staring at Misha, but she’d had enough of the whole conversation and she picked up her menu just to have something other than Roger to look at.

  “Tracy, there’s a table opening up over there. We better hurry and get it,” Roger said, pointing at a table on the other side of the restaurant where a man was tossing a dollar on the table.

  “Okay. Well, it was good seeing you again, Misha, and nice meeting you, Judy,” Tracy said as she quickly followed Roger toward the table.

  He’s using her for sex. It won’t last long, Misha heard in her spirit. She thought it was jealousy and repented in her heart.

  “Misha, you took that well. I don’t think I could have done that.”

  “I’m building my immunity.”

  Driving home, Misha began to cry. She thought she could take seeing Roger with another woman but it still hurt. Tracy Applewood, of all people. She always thought something was going on between them. Tracy was always so touchy with him and constantly flirting. Roger denied he was involved with her. That night, she couldn’t take seeing him with her and all the hurt began to pain her again. As the tears flowed, she noticed she was breaking out in hives and it felt like she couldn’t breathe. She remembered what she heard that night. She began to pray. “God, it really hurts to be stung. I know you’re building my immunity.” She started to play the sermon CD and it gave her comfort as she took the freeway home.

  Chapter 7

  Misha could see Bishop Moore sitting at the head table in the large church gym waiting for the Urban Ministerial Society to begin their annual summer prayer breakfast, a kickoff of their revival. She could see the many people approaching him to shake his hands. As the presiding president of the group, she knew, he was in charge of making sure the annual prayer breakfast went smoothly, and preparing the member churches for the revival in the upcoming week.

  As she entered the room, she could see people lined up at the buffet table loading food onto their plates. Others were seated at the round tables that dotted the church gym. Taking in the scene, she spotted Roger work the room, greeting people and laughing loudly as he spoke to them. She tried to keep her focus on her mission there. She wanted to hear Pastor Jarrod Fuller preach. Misha walked through the room, speaking to several people before finally taking a seat beside Gertrude, Bishop Moore’s secretary. She could tell Roger had not noticed her in the room and if he had, he was playing it off really well.

  She looked toward the head table and spotted Bishop Moore talking with Frank Wright, chief executive officer of the City Development League. She watched as he pointed toward Roger. Bishop placed a piece of paper in front of his face, hiding as if he did not want anyone to know what he was talking about. What was so secretive? Misha wondered. Bishop served on the board of the league and wondered what it had to do with Roger. She focused on Roger deeply engaged in conversation and watched as Bishop tried to get his attention. Spotting Bishop waving toward him, immediately Roger ended his conversation and practically ran to the head table. Bishop looked as if he was introducing Roger to Frank and they shook hands. Gertrude was watching the scene too.

  “Something’s not right with that,” Gertrude leaned into Misha and whispered.

  “What?” Misha still did not want to engage in gossip with Gertrude. She was sincere about not talking about Bishop or Roger. She had nothing to gain by doing so. She began to get an uneasy feeling. If she knew someone else, she would have sat with them. Instead, she was stuck sitting at the table with her.

  “Roger, Bishop, and Frank Wright. He’s up to something. I heard they got a big grant and they are going to hire about twenty new people. Roger’s probably trying to get one of those positions.”

  Misha quickly changed the subject and began telling Gertrude about what had happened in her life since she left Kingdom Faith.

  “Well you look good. You’re doing something right,” Gertrude said to Misha.

  “I can’t wait to hear Pastor Fuller preach. I remember when he did revival at the church last year. That man preached. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear him again, even if it meant running into Roger and Bishop. Besides, I saw Roger with Tracy Applewood last month. He’s gone on with his life and so have I.”

  “That’s old news. They broke up. She said she was tired of him acting like they weren’t dating. She didn’t want to be his secret girlfriend. She told a few people they were together and he said she was lying. She was so mad he was trying to ma
ke her look stupid, so she broke up with him.”

  “I see First Lady Moore; let me go speak to her.” Misha got up from the table and walked over to the first lady and hugged her. Satisfaction filled her spirit with the news of the breakup. She had known it wouldn’t last.

  “Lady Moore, I want to be like you when I grow up. You’re working that red suit and hat,” she said, hugging First Lady Moore.

  “Misha. Look at you. You look good. How have you been?”

  “I’ve been blessed. I’m glad school is out. I’m finally taking a vacation. I wanted to thank you for the recommendation for that women’s day program.”

  “Well, you’re welcome. I happened to be at the church when St. Paul called to ask Bishop for a speaker. If Bishop knew I recommended you, he would go crazy. But you deserve it. Don’t tell him. Sometimes I have to pray for my husband. I’m not saying what he did was wrong, I just didn’t agree with how he did it. I don’t want to know what happened between you two. I’m just praying. That’s all I do is pray.”

  “That’s all we need to do. Thank you. I’ll never forget all the things you did and said to me. You are the first lady. If you ever need me, I’m a phone call away.” She looked toward the stage. Bishop and Roger were talking to a group of men. “I see Bishop on the stage. I think I will go and say hello before service gets started.” She hesitated, but she wanted Bishop to know there were no hard feelings between them. So she walked up the small stairs to the stage where the head table was located.

  “Hello, Bishop.”

  Bishop Moore was deeply engaged in his conversation and had not noticed her walking onto the podium. He looked up and saw her standing beside him. “Daughter. Well, look at you. How have you been?” He stood and hugged her tightly.

  Misha was shocked he greeted her with such affection. She expected him to be rude. Maybe he had gotten over what he had done and had a change of heart.

  “I’ve been good, Bishop. You look good. I wanted to say hello before the service started.”

  “Well, I’m glad you did.”

  The man sitting beside Bishop cleared his throat as he stood to introduce himself to Misha. “Hello, I’m Pastor Willingham.”

  “Hello, Pastor. It’s nice to meet you.” She reached out her hand to shake his. He hugged her instead.

  “You know the Bible said to greet the brethren with a holy kiss. You smell good. What’s that perfume you’re wearing, Essence?” Pastor Willingham said as his lips touched Misha’s cheek.

  “No, it’s Coco by Chanel.” Everybody turned to look at Roger. He said it before he realized it. “I mean, I know because someone I used to know wore it all the time.” He immediately turned and walked away.

  “Well, Bishop, I wanted to say hello. Take care.” Misha walked off the stage as Pastor Fuller walked into the hall. Realizing she would not be able to greet him with the entourage surrounding him, she took a seat near the door.

  When Pastor Fuller finished his sermon, she got up and slipped out the door. When she reached her car, her cell phone rang. She looked at the ID. It was her mother. She didn’t feel like hearing the drama so she didn’t answer the call. Driving to IHOP for a meal of pancakes and an omelet was far better than trying to eat the dried eggs or half-cooked bacon at the prayer breakfast.

  She pulled into the parking lot of the IHOP and a flash went across her face. She sat in her car watching the fast-moving scene. She saw Amber and it looked like she was screaming. She was fighting the man. Her arms were flinging in the air, trying to break free from the man’s grip. Immediately, Misha began to pray. She knew God was showing her something about Amber. School was out and she didn’t know how to get in touch with her. She remembered Amber said her family was spending the summer at their lake house. She prayed God protect her wherever she was.

  She shook off her vision and went into the IHOP and sat at a table near the window. After ordering, she reached into her purse and pulled out her itinerary for her trip to Daufuskie Island, off the coast of South Carolina. She was looking forward to vacationing alone. When she vacationed with Roger, they always went where he wanted to go. He never wanted to go more than two hours away from Atlanta. His idea of a romantic trip was going to Stone Mountain during the week when few tourists were there. She looked forward to relaxing on the island and enjoying the spa and beach there.

  “Excuse me. Are you Reverend Holloway?”

  “I’m Minister Holloway.” Misha looked up and saw a young lady standing in front of her.

  “You preached at Mount Moriah a couple of months ago, for singles day. I go to Mount Moriah.”

  “Hi. Are you with someone? Have a seat.”

  “I’m not going to take up your time. I wanted to tell you how you touched me that day. When you spoke, I was going through something and it was like you knew my situation. I wanted to thank you for being so honest with us. I’m doing better now. I listen to your CD over and over. It helps me out a lot.”

  “It wasn’t me. It was God.”

  “Yeah, but God used you to minister to me. Thank you. Well I better go. Enjoy your breakfast.”

  Misha watched the young lady walk away. She thanked God for using her to touch others. She prayed silently for God to use her as an instrument of deliverance for other people.

  After breakfast, Misha drove to the mall to do some shopping for her vacation. It seemed like every store she went in, she ran into Kingdom Faith people. Some of them acted like they didn’t know her. Others were glad to see her and wanted to fill her in on all the gossip in the church, including gossip about Roger. She wasn’t interested in hearing it and she tried to focus the conversation around her vacation.

  As she walked the aisle of stores, she spotted a beautiful sundress in one of the windows. She quickly went in and tried it on. She stepped out of the dressing room to get a better look at herself in the full-length mirror outside the door. She looked at the price tag. She smiled as she thought about how cheap Roger was and how he would have never allowed her to buy a dress so expensive. But, she was no longer with Roger and she liked the dress.

  “You look really cute in that dress,” a woman said to her.

  “Thank you.” She turned around and saw Pastor Deandrea Fuller standing behind her. “Pastor Fuller?” Misha was surprised to see her there. She thought guest speakers and their wives hung out with the host pastor after service. “Thank you. I was thinking about purchasing it. But, it’s a little too pricey for me. I enjoyed trying it on though.”

  “You know my name. So what’s yours?” the tall, well-dressed woman said to her.

  “Misha. Misha Holloway. Your husband preached this morning. I made a special trip to the prayer breakfast only to hear him preach. He’s truly anointed.”

  “You were at the breakfast? I see I’m not the only one who couldn’t wait to get to the mall. My husband knows I like to shop so he didn’t say anything when I told him I wasn’t going with him and the other ministers. So what are you shopping for?”

  “My vacation. I’m going to Daufuskie Island.”

  “In South Carolina? That’s where we got . . . Well I’ve been there and it’s nice. You’re going to enjoy it. That dress would be perfect for your trip. Why don’t you let me get it for you?”

  “You, buy this dress for me? Oh, I can’t let you do that.” Misha shook her head. “It costs too much.”

  “God blessed me to be a blessing to others. Besides, I want to bless you.”

  “Really, I can’t let you.”

  “Tell you what. You can work it off. Why don’t you take me to all the shopping places in the city and we can call it even.”

  “Go shopping . . . with you?”

  Pastor Fuller stood smiling at Misha. She couldn’t turn down the invitation. What an opportunity to go shopping with someone like her. She began to thank God for showing her favor again and allowing her to be in the presence of a woman like Deandrea Fuller.

  They spent the day shopping at the various malls and boutiq
ues around Atlanta. Misha had never seen anyone who could shop like Pastor Fuller. While they were shopping, Pastor Fuller advised her about financial matters and shared her testimony about overworking. She challenged Misha to always find the time to take care of herself.

  At the end of the day Misha drove her to the Four Seasons Hotel. Having been alerted of their arrival, her husband met them to help with their purchases. Pastor Jarrod walked out of the door wearing a gray jogging suit. Misha barely recognized him without his suit on.

  “Hey, honey. Did you leave anything for the other people in Atlanta to buy?” Pastor Jarrod said to his wife.

  “You’re real funny.” She embraced him and kissed him like they were the only two standing in front of the hotel.

  Misha thought about how she used to kiss Roger like that. She shook her head. She wanted to get that thought out of her mind. She saw him and allowed him to get in her head again and she did not want that. She tried not to look at the two of them until they finished. They walked over to her.

  “Misha, this is my husband, Jarrod. Honey, Misha was at the prayer breakfast this morning,” Deandrea said as she caressed her husband’s back.

  “Misha, nice to meet you. I hope my wife didn’t wear you out. When she goes shopping she can do some damage.” He shook her hand as they talked. Misha noticed his wide smile and how informal they both acted. She wasn’t used to preachers acting like that. Most of them were so formal.

  “No. I had fun. I enjoyed the sermon this morning. It was a blessing.”

  “I’m glad I had the opportunity to preach.” He looked at his wife. “So, honey, where are your bags?”