“Yabba-dabba…” Merle Peterson practiced her tongues. “Yabba-dabba-do.” She groaned and leaned forward to peer into the bathroom mirror. “I sound like I’m impersonating Fred Flintstone.” If I’m going to speak in tongues, I must sound authentic.
She wiped her sweat, closed her eyes, and tried in vain to remember how Sister Inez Richards had sounded. Her tongues came out smooth like butter on bread. That’s how Merle had to be. Natural.
“Sh-a—nanah.” A picture of the comedian Martin Lawrence dressed as Sheneneh teased her brain. Merle giggled before she caught herself.
She stomped into her bedroom and dropped to her knees. “God, I’ve been serving You for some time now. Why won’t You give me utterance? I have to listen to Sister Inez spitting it out while I only have a measly hallelujah.” She gritted her teeth. “How are the people going to believe me when I haven’t yet spoken?”
Sister Inez always spoke in tongues before giving a revelation. She had the church in hushed awe every time she opened her mouth. Merle wanted that power. She was a grandmother. Speaking and prophesying were a given at this stage in her life. She would fake it until it was real.
Merle prayed. “Please, God, don’t let me say something that’s a bad word in another language.” She squared her shoulders, held up her hands, and chanted, “La-mek-keel-euhm.” That sounded good. Merle said it again. Then she added: “Ab-lach-tahk-chi.” That sounded even better. She crossed her fingers and put the two words together. “La-mek-keel-euhm Ab-lach-tahk-chi.” She smiled. Now she was getting somewhere. She closed her eyes. “Yes, Lord. I hear Your voice. I will answer Your call.”
Yes.
She practiced over and over, adding a couple of phrases. Merle kept at it until she had convinced herself she spoke in tongues. She couldn’t wait for the upcoming Sabbath to show off her spiritual skills. By the end of the day, Merle would be the new prayer warrior. People would be coming to her for healing and for advice. She could pull it off. She had been a nurse and studied herbalism, so she was comfortable dishing out suggestions. When the time was right, she would invite Karlie. Merle needed her granddaughter to see and believe.
If Karlie believed, she would remain compliant. She would give in to Merle’s requests, thinking she was obeying God’s command.
A flash of guilt made Merle uneasy. She needed to stop using God for her own benefit. But she had programmed herself that way and didn’t know how to stop. She had nearly died in a fire after Tiffany’s death and Merle had been devastated. She hadn’t wanted to live. She was tormented with nightmares about the fire and how she had treated her only child, Tiffany Knightly.
Tiffany had told Merle about being raped by Merle’s husband, Clifford Peterson, and Merle refused to believe it. Instead, she had turned on her child. All day long her sins taunted and pricked at her soul. The only relief she found was when some missionaries from Faith in Action Temple visited and sang.
Their songs soothed her turbulence. She enjoyed the praise and worship. She welcomed their prayers. They prayed for her and introduced her to God’s love. Merle had grabbed onto Him. He was the father she never had. Merle loved hearing about His never-ending mercy and love. The idea that no matter how much she sinned, God would forgive her captivated Merle. It was addicting. She had found someone who would love her flaws and all, and for a while, He was enough.
Until Karlie.
Merle had reached out to her granddaughter because Karlie was her only living relative. Karlie’s love and acceptance lifted the dark cloud of her past. Karlie gave her a second chance.
And Karlie was generous.
No matter how much Merle asked for, Karlie delivered. Merle had found a new addiction.
And she intended to live off that high for the rest of her life.
Merle glanced at the embossed wedding invitation on her bed and rolled her eyes. Brian and Karlie’s nuptials made her stomach churn. She had liked Brian’s outspokenness until he started staring into her soul. Merle knew he had the gift of discernment because he had seen right through her act. Brian probably had no idea about his spiritual blessing, but she did. A fake could spot the real thing from miles away.
She shuddered when she remembered their last conversation, or rather, his warning. Karlie had brought Brian over for dinner to share their wedding news. He had played nice until Karlie left the room to use the restroom.
“I see you for what you are,” he had said.
She lifted her chin. “What do you mean?” Merle asked, putting on her best grandmother tone.
“If you’re saved, then I’m the King of England.”
“That’s not funny,” she had chuckled, wiping her suddenly damp hands on her slacks.
“It wasn’t meant to be. You’re like Judas drinking out of the Master’s cup.”
Merle jumped to her feet. “Now listen here. You don’t know me like that. You don’t want to mess with me, all right? I’ll put you in your place real quick, you little piece of—”
“Grandma?”
She whirled around at Karlie’s shocked tone. Karlie stood there with wide eyes.
Merle clutched the gold necklace that had been a gift from Karlie. “Oh, hey, baby, I didn’t hear you come out the bathroom.”
“Were you about to say a cuss word?”
Merle slid a glance toward Brian, who gave her a knowing look. She cut her eyes and faced her granddaughter. “Of course not, baby.” She went over to kiss Karlie on the cheek. “I was saying he’s a piece of sugar cookie.” Sugar cookie? That didn’t make any sense. Karlie’s face said she wasn’t buying it either.
Merle ignored the whispered “Judas” from Brian and led Karlie back to the dinner table. “Did you want more candied yams?”
Karlie shook her head. She looked at Brian and then at Merle. Her eyes narrowed. “What’s going on here?”
Brian opened his mouth, but Merle clutched her chest and coughed. She coughed and coughed until Brian jumped up to slap her on the back. Real hard. Merle grabbed a glass of water and swallowed before she cussed him out. Karlie’s concern overshadowed the conversation.
Since then, Merle made sure to keep her cool and at least twenty feet between her and Karlie’s fiancé.
She walked over to the bed and picked up the wedding invitation. She read it again. “October 23, 2017,” which was seven months away. She had seven months to squash that plan. She closed her eyes and smiled. A lot could happen in seven months.
She spoke her tongue then tapped her chin. She could see the revelation. Karlie and Brian were not going to make it down the aisle. It was unfortunate because Karlie would be heartbroken. Lucky for Karlie, she had a grandmother waiting to comfort her with open arms.
Merle smiled. She could hardly wait.