CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

 

When Erica dashed into the house, she realized that she had not gotten the groceries that she wanted to buy but she had no time to ponder that right now. She was talking to Caleb again and he said he loved her. Love was a powerful thing, she grinned to herself. With love she could overcome whatever problem he had been going through.

She skipped into the shower singing at the top of her voice, and with a big smile on her face. She was done with being afraid of Caleb's past. Whatever it was she would deal with it.

She was heading out of the shower and toweling off when she heard the phone ring. She hurried to get it.

"Hello, Erica," It was Lola and she sounded slightly mollified.

"Hi Mom," Erica said brightly. Her mother had been giving her the cold shoulder for the past two weeks and had rarely called.

"I am going to church tonight, so I can't stay and talk," Erica frantically dried her body.

"Well," Lola said hesitantly, "your father has something to tell you about that guy… I mean Caleb."

"Ooops," Erica said, "I had forgotten about that detective report… the guy took so long."

"It surprises me how blasé you are taking this man's past," Lola said and then huffed. "Anyway, your father has gotten all the details and…"

"Meet me at church," Erica said frantically, "I have to do the health lecture tonight."

"Okay then," Lola said. "I was planning to come to church anyway. Fred is actually ready so we'll see you there."

Erica hung up the phone and then found her pink dress; she always thought she looked extra pretty in it. Tonight she was going to meet Caleb and they would finally get to talk. She sprayed on her favorite scent, gave herself the once over in the mirror, and rushed out.

When she got to the church, the parking lot was unusually full for a Wednesday night. Usually the attendance was sparser but since the health lectures, more people were coming out.

She got out of the car hurriedly and entered the church lobby. Pastor Brick was talking to a group of people and he waved her over when she entered.

He turned to Erica. "They are having song service now. After that Sister Gena, will introduce you and then we'll have the testimonies and prayer section."

Erica nodded. "Okay, I will just give the technicians my jump drive with the presentation."

Pastor Brick nodded absently; he was already caught up in the conversation that was going on around him.

Erica couldn't wait to get the presentation over and done with so that she could go and talk to Caleb. She wondered if he had arrived yet. She kept looking behind her to see if he was around. He arrived when she was in the middle of listing the different types of exercises that people could do from home. He sat in the back. She saw that he was dressed all in black and she stumbled a bit over the few words she still had to say. He looked masculine, and handsome.

The church was fairly packed with quite a few members and visitors. She tried to get back into the presentation but her eyes kept straying toward Caleb. He gave her a discreet thumbs up.

She grinned and continued with her presentation, finally breathing a sigh of relief when she finished—the question and answer session was relatively easy for her to handle. Phoebe wanted to know how she lost the weight; she told her that she engaged in a particularly taxing outdoor activity.

Her mother winced at that and Erica breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't get up and say something about it.

When she finished, she went to sit beside Phoebe who called her over but she wanted to join Caleb at the back.

"Your ex-con is here," Phoebe cackled softly when she sat beside her in the front.

"I know," Erica said, excited.

"So you found out what he was in for?" Phoebe asked curiously.

"No," Erica looked at her. "Frankly, I am going to trust my instincts where he is concerned and I am going to wait for him to tell me."

Phoebe shrugged. "I would want to know without delay. Suppose he's psychotic or a serial killer."

"Stop it," Erica whispered.

"Thank you, Sister Erica," Pastor Brick was saying from the front. "I think these health lectures can make a difference to the way we operate on a daily basis." He patted his paunch. "I will take into consideration some of those pointers you gave us.

"And now we will have our testimony time. Our first testimony will be from our infamous church visitor, Brother Caleb Wright. He has been visiting with us for close to seven months. He was actually baptized in prison. I don't want to take up too much of his time so I invite Brother Caleb to come forward."

Erica gasped. "Caleb. What's happening?"

Phoebe snickered beside her. "Well now…I guess we are about to find out."

Erica looked across at her mother.

Her mother had a serious look on her face and her father was smiling slightly.

Erica's heart picked up speed and she inhaled deeply, exhaling in spurts. She wondered if she could deal with his announcement publicly.

Well, she would have to because he was heading for the front; his slight bowleg giving him that extra sexy walk.

It was her turn to be supportive so when he picked up the mike she gave him a thumbs up and then tensed her spine in anticipation of his testimony.