“Do you really like him? I’m sorry, Pat. I shouldn’t have told you that then. But don’t trip. We never went out or anything. He doesn’t hold a candle to Nate.”
Patricia’s head shot up. “What does Nate have to do with who you’re dating?”
“Everything.” Jennifer felt this was as good a time as any to start marking her territory, and see how much trust she could put in this new friend.
“You’re dating the reverend?”
“We’re very close.”
“Reverend is ‘close’ to a lot of women,” Patricia said sarcastically.
“Our situation is different.”
Patricia snorted. “That’s what we all hope.”
The two ladies were silent as the waiter placed their orders on the table. When Jennifer spoke again, it was on a safer topic. “Yum. This taco bowl is good, Pat. It’s delicious.”
“I thought you’d like it.”
“How’s that combo plate?”
“The bomb. These enchiladas are spicy! I love how they seasoned the shredded chicken.”
The women ate in silence a moment, but thoughts raced through both their minds at a mile a minute.
After eating almost a third of the food on her plate, Jennifer put down her fork and picked up her tea. “I might have to kick Katherine Noble’s ass,” she said evenly.
“You too?”
“I’m serious. I don’t know who told her she was God’s gift to the universe, but she’d better back off me. I am not the one.”
“Who you telling? Would you believe she had the nerve to tell me to call her either ‘Ms.’ or ‘Sister Noble’? I have a few titles for her all right, but she doesn’t want to hear them. What did she do to you?”
“What she’s always doing. Trying to block where Nate is concerned. She thinks I don’t know that she had Kirk hired to spy on me and Nate. What she doesn’t know is money talks and bullshit walks. I’m paying him to spy on her ass now!”
“Has he found out anything?”
“What I already knew—that Nate is screwing her too.”
“That’s disgusting. She’s old enough to be his mama.” As she said this, Patricia thought about James, and realized she probably should use a different argument.
“Tell me about it. Some men will put their dicks anywhere.”
“She does look good though, for a woman in her fifties. I’m sure glad Simone found somebody and moved the hell on. If she had stayed here, she probably would have become first lady.”
“Do you know that dude she married?”
“Mark? Not really. Seen him at church a couple times. It don’t make sense for one family to have so many fine men.”
“I wonder how their marriage is going.”
“Must be going pretty good. I heard she had a baby.”
Jennifer sat straight up. “What?”
“It’s just rumor, but supposedly somebody saw her going into Katherine’s house with a little bundle.”
“When?”
“Oh, this had to be two, three months ago that I heard this.”
That’s Destiny’s baby! is what Jennifer thought. “Interesting,” is what she said. “What do you know about her granddaughter?”
“Destiny?” Patricia said with disdain.
“Uh-huh.”
“Not much. I think she’s in college.”
“Where?”
Patricia shrugged. “I couldn’t care less. Why are you asking?”
“I’m just curious.”
“I could probably find out. Enter her name in our system and see if an address comes up. Want me to try and find her?”
“No. Like I said, I was just curious. She used to be a regular at the church and then disappeared all of a sudden.”
“Now that you mention it, I don’t remember seeing her when they prayed for the seniors graduating high school. But like I said, I think she went to college.”
I think she went to have Nate’s baby. And now Simone supposedly has a child? Jennifer didn’t want Patricia to know it, but she definitely intended on locating Destiny’s whereabouts, as well as the “little bundle.” Even if the baby was Destiny’s, Jennifer was almost sure that Nate wouldn’t even think about marrying someone so young. But Carla had told her that some of the Total Truth members were nudging Nate to find himself a wife, a first lady for the church. If and when he responded to that nudge, Jennifer wanted to be the one to whom he said “I do.”
28
The Buzz Begins
It was Nathaniel Eli Thicke’s sixth pastoral anniversary, and Verniece’s words proved prophetic. It was big—twice as big as his fifth anniversary. The guest speaker for this year’s service was Total Truth board member Stanley Lee, pastor of Logos Word Interdenominational Church in Los Angeles, accompanied by his wife, Passion. Whether or not this had anything to do with the fact that his ex-wife, Carla, and husband, Lavon, Chapman were “unable to attend,” one could only speculate. And Mama Max was sorely missed, especially by Nettie, but the good reverend doctor had been feeling poorly off and on for months. They decided not to chance his health to make the journey. But no matter; it seemed as if everybody else who was anybody else was there, including a spattering of celebrities and professional athletes. Yadah, the gospel girl group who’d nabbed Stellar and NAACP awards for best new gospel group, was a highlight. There were write-ups in all the major Texas papers, and many magazines from other regions, including LA Gospel, covered the event. And later, Katherine would concede that she’d never seen so many women in this area of Texas in her thirty plus years of living here. It was official. Nate had arrived.
And so had someone else—Simone Noble Simmons. The buzz began as soon as Anne, with a front row center seat in the elevated choir stand, noticed her entrance and sent a text message to Verniece. It continued as Simone, accompanied by her debonair husband, Mark, followed the usher down the aisle and sat in the first row. When Patricia found Jennifer in the VIP room and told her of Simone’s arrival, Jennifer almost broke her neck trying to get to the main auditorium. She wanted to see if Simone had brought “her little bundle,” and if she had, she wanted to examine said little bundle to within an inch of its life, and see if she saw Nate anywhere. There were necks craning, eyes cutting, tongues wagging. And later, only a handful of Gospel Truth members would remember the title of Dr. Lee’s message: Eyes Stayed on Jesus. Most of their eyes had been on Mark and Simone.
After the service, the VIP room was full. Simone held Mark’s hand as they were escorted through the doors into the room that had been transformed from a regular meeting room into a plush gathering place with deep-piled burgundy carpet and burgundy, blue, and silver silk panels covering the walls. Heavy hors d’oeuvres were strategically placed throughout the room, as were hot and cold drinks. An ice sculpture in the shape of a cross dominated the back of the room, backlit with blue strobes. And dominating the entire room was Nate Thicke, in his element as the center of attention.
Nate knew the moment Simone had entered the room, but kept talking to the LA Gospel reporter who was singing his praises. He noticed how she clung to Mark, and how possessively Mark held her. Nate knew he had no right to be jealous, and he wasn’t, not too much, and not of the fact that Mark had Simone. No, he was jealous because the woman who had his heart above all others was not with him, standing by his side. He’d wanted Destiny to attend but Katherine had been adamant.
“It’s not time yet,” she’d said.
“Give it another year, son. She’s just eighteen,” his mother had echoed.
He’d expected Destiny to be devastated by the fact that she couldn’t attend this anniversary, especially after missing the one following the birth of their son, but she’d surprised him, something that was beginning to happen with frequency. “I think it’s best,” she’d said simply. Then she mentioned having to study for finals, and hung up.
On the other hand, Katherine had encouraged Simone and Mark to come. She’d said it was time that people saw he
r daughter again, with her husband, and that people knew about the baby. Even though the child attended children’s church, with the babysitter, Katherine had no doubt that news of Benjamin’s existence would be on the tell-a-church-member hotline before the benediction. Nettie agreed with Katherine when she suggested this information be handled low-key, that there be no formal announcement. “Let people assume, that way we don’t have to lie,” she’d said. Katherine’s plan seemed to be working. Even James Robinson had come up to Nate and said about Simone: “It’s a shame for a woman to have a baby and still look that good!”
“What’s up, cuz!” Nate said when Mark and Simone were finally able to get through to him. He and his cousin hugged. They were as different as night and day, and didn’t have time to talk much these days. But growing up they’d been as thick as thieves, and though just under the surface, the affection was still there.
“Excellent service, man,” Mark said. “You’re up there looking like you’re somebody.”
“I am somebody,” Nate said in a voice mimicking Jesse Jackson. “Glad you two could make it.” He leaned toward Simone and gave her a peck on the cheek. Her stiffening was subtle, but Nate noticed it anyway. “You’re looking good, Simone.”
“Thank you. I’m being well taken care of.” She looked up at Mark, adoration swimming in her eyes, and then put her arm around him.
“Glad to hear that. But I heard something else that surprised me. That you’re cavorting with the enemy.”
“If you’re talking about my moving my membership, yes, I joined the church my husband attends. My place is with Mark, wherever he is.”
“Yeah, Simone. But Ed Smith? I’ve been trying to get Mark out of that church for years.”
“He’s a bit chagrined to learn that I have my own mind,” Mark said playfully to Simone.
“I admit Reverend Smith can be a bit…judgmental at times. But there are some good things going on at his church,” she said.
“Especially since Simone arrived. We’ve had five people join the choir in the last month just so they could sing with her. Attendance has increased too. Word of her talent is getting around.”
“Well, I’m happy for you,” Nate said sincerely.
Jennifer walked up and butted right in. “Simone! You finally came out of hiding.”
“Hello, Jennifer.”
She nudged Nate playfully. “Nate, I don’t think I’ve met your cousin.”
“Oh, my bad. Mark, this is my PR manager, Jennifer Stevens. Jennifer, Mark Simmons.”
“Nice to meet you,” they both said.
“Now where’s this baby I’ve been hearing about?” Jennifer asked. “I can’t believe that didn’t warrant an announcement in the bulletin, Katherine being a staunch member of the church and all, and this being, what, her second grandchild?”
Simone answered, unfazed. “If I were still a member of Gospel Truth, then it probably would have been in the bulletin. But since I’m not, I guess it isn’t Gospel Truth business.” The way Simone looked at Jennifer made the real meaning clear—that it wasn’t Jennifer’s business either. Anyone watching from a distance would have observed a cordial conversation going on.
“How’s your daughter?” Jennifer asked, giving as good as she got.
“She’s fine.”
Jennifer looked at Nate. “That girl graduated and got the heck out of Dodge, didn’t she? Has she even been back to Palestine? I don’t think I’ve seen her.”
“I wasn’t aware that you were looking for her,” Nate said, as his eyes narrowed.
“Oh, I’m not. But she was a faithful church member, as I remember. Always active in the youth department. A church can always use good young Christians like her.”
The tension was so thick it was a wonder anyone could walk through it. But Katherine’s assistant, Charmaine, managed to do so, and tapped Nate on the arm. “Pastor Montgomery asked if he could have a brief word with you. He and his wife have to leave soon to catch their plane. They’re waiting in the back.”
“All right, Mark, Simone,” Nate said, giving Mark dap and Simone another kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for coming by. We’ll be in touch.” He cut a brief yet stern look at Jennifer before following Charmaine to the back of the room, and the place reserved for the VIPs of the VIPs.
Jennifer watched him go, an involuntary shudder ripping through her. The attitude she’d felt from him just now was colder than the ice sculpture melting in the back of the room. It was a habit with Jennifer, talking too much. But something in her had snapped when she saw Simone and Nate conversing. Even with Mark there, she’d felt immensely intimidated. She hadn’t intended to show that many cards, had meant to keep most of them, especially her suspicions about Destiny, in the deck. But if Simone’s answers and Nate’s attitude were any indication, she’d exposed them—face up. She sighed as she went to look for the LA Gospel reporter to make sure Nate’s picture graced the cover of the issue featuring him. After handling his business, she would worry about reshuffling her cards.
“I’m sorry if I came off sounding like I was getting in her business, Nate. But I was genuinely curious about the child. Everybody was talking about it.”
It was ten P.M., and Nate was experiencing a rare moment of having his house to himself. Jennifer was the only other person there. And if his mood was any indication, she wouldn’t be there long.
“I didn’t hear everybody talking about it. I just heard you. Mark is my cousin, Simone is my friend, and they were here as my guests. How dare you walk over and start grilling them as if you had the right. You’re my manager, Jennifer, not my wife. And after that stunt you pulled, I’m wondering if your being in my employ is a good idea.”
Jennifer realized if she was going to reshuffle cards, now was the time. Nate was even angrier than she thought he’d be, and she’d thought he’d be livid. “I was wrong, Nate. I don’t know what came over me. You know how professional I am; your best interest is at the front of everything I do. I am so sorry for how I acted with them, and will do whatever you ask to make it right.”
“And what was with the questions about Destiny? You don’t even know her.”
“You’re right,” Jennifer answered quickly.
“There’s something you need to understand, because obviously you don’t. I am the only one who handles my business, nobody else. And I’m the only one who knows my business. Other people might think they know, but they don’t! My life is complicated enough. I don’t need people around me trying to make it more so by being messy. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Nate, Reverend, I’m sorry.” Jennifer wasn’t aware she was wringing her hands. “Would you like me to fix you something, coffee, tea, or maybe some fresh-squeezed orange juice? Or I could run you a bath and give you a good massage. It’s been a long day. I know you’re tired.”
“Yes,” Nate answered. “I am tired, Jennifer. I’m especially tired of bullshit. And I won’t have it. Not in my ministry.”
“What can I do for you?” Jennifer whispered. “I’ll do anything.”
“You can go home,” Nate said after a long pause.
Jennifer hung her head and headed for the door.
“But before you go, I need my keys back.”
“What, the key to the office?”
“All of them.”
Jennifer swallowed hard. “Even your house key?”
“Especially my house key.”
From now on, Jennifer would be locked out of Nate’s house. She only hoped she wasn’t locked out of his heart.
29
A Love Song
It was almost midnight when, after dropping Benjamin off at Destiny’s house, Mark and Simone arrived back at their home just outside Baton Rouge. For Simone, it had been a grueling day, especially mentally. She’d been all too aware of the looks and whispers, all too familiar with what was probably being said. Most of the women at Gospel Truth had little love for the Nobles. And as far as Simone was concerned, the feeling was mutual. That�
�s why she’d ditched the town weeks after high school graduation. It had always been too small for her, full of small-minded people without enough business to leave hers alone. But while the day had been taxing, in another way it had been hugely beneficial. When she’d come face to face with Nate for the first time in months, she finally knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she was no longer in love with him.
“Would you like some tea?” she asked Mark when they entered the living room.
“No, thank you.”
“I know it’s late, but would you like to watch a movie or…something?” Simone wanted to be near her husband any way she could; she wasn’t ready to spend another night alone.
“Thanks, sweetness, but I think I’ll just head to bed. You were wonderful today, and the most beautiful woman in the building. Good night.”
Simone stood still and watched the man she loved mount the stairs to his bedroom, his not theirs, as she wanted it to be now more than ever. This evening it became clear she not only loved Mark, but that she was in love with him. At first the need for sex had been purely physical. After all, Simone had had sex regularly since she was sixteen years old. This year was the longest she’d ever gone without intercourse. Here she was, married for the first time in her life, able to screw both legally and morally, and dealing instead with a forced celibacy. If this was God’s sense of humor, Simone thought, she didn’t find it funny at all. But now the need was much more than physical, it was spiritual. Her very soul was crying out for Mark’s presence. But apparently his soul didn’t hear.
Simone watched until Mark had taken the last step and turned the corner. Then she walked into the kitchen, put on water for tea, and mentally recounted the day’s events. It had been good to see some of the people there. She knew Nettie’s hug was genuine, and that while Deacon Robinson was a feisty rascal, he was a harmless one who respected her. The women who’d known her since she was a child oohed and aahed over Benjamin. And when they said he looked just like she and Mark, Simone had simply smiled. It had been good to sit in her mother’s dining room and enjoy a light breakfast. Few would understand the relationship between her and Katherine; even she didn’t understand it sometimes. But Simone knew that Katherine was mothering in the best way she knew how, and that love for her family was paramount. Katherine really liked Mark, Simone could tell, and the sense of normalcy had been extremely soothing, as the three had chatted while Benjamin slept in Katherine’s lap.
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