“An ounce of blood is worth more than a pound of friendship.” Spanish Proverb
Stiles called Fancy to see if she had moved into her new home.
“Hey,” she said. “I’ll be moving soon. Right now, I’ve been shopping and getting things in order, which means making sure I get everything in order for the moving company. They’ll be doing all the work.”
“Good for you. I hope you enjoy your new place. You know, Fancy, things may seem as if they’re deteriorating around you, but God’s got you. Hezekiah may have tried to ruin you, put you in a bad way, but look at how you’re being blessed. You have a new home, and you don’t have to be concerned with whether or not he’s going to do something to try to pull the rug from underneath you again. You know what I mean?”
“Yeah, you’re right. I thank God I was able to get this house. It’s beautiful. It’s so me,” she said, and laughed.
“I can’t wait to see it. Where is it anyway?”
“Whitehaven, inside Lion’s Gate. Remember, it was the only one for sale there at the time.”
“Yeah, I know, but when we saw it you didn’t seem too impressed.”
“It wasn’t that I wasn’t impressed. I guess it was because at the time I wasn’t being forced out of my home, at least not to the point where I actually had a date to get out.”
“I hear ya, but anyway, I think you made a good choice.”
“Yes, because houses in that gated community don’t come up for sale often, but that one was still on the market, and this time I decided not to pass it up. It was the two-story with the red brick, and that long foyer that I loved. It had the swimming pool in the back yard and that beautiful lanai.”
“Oh, okay, I remember.”
“What about you? Have you given any more thought to Khalil’s offer?”
“Yes, we’ve talked a few times about it, and I told him I wanted to make a visit to just talk face to face, talk to some of the staff ministers, and that sort of thing before I make my final decision.”
“Sounds like you’re definitely considering his offer.”
“Ummm, I don’t want to say. I’m not sure. I mean it has its perks, but then again, I still have some reservations, which is why I told him I wanted to spend some time talking to the other ministers on staff.”
“I’m sure Khalil didn’t object to that. I mean it’s a reasonable request,” Fancy responded.
“Oh, he was all for it, encouraged it even. All I have to do is come.”
“How soon will it be before you come?”
“Soon, but I’ll know more for certain after I talk to him. I suspect it’ll be in the next couple weeks or so.”
“Good,” she said with excitement ringing in her voice. “Maybe you’ll be here for my housewarming, nothing big. I invited some of the ministers, trustees, and deacons and their spouses or significant others. I would love if you were able to be here, too. It’ll be my first time entertaining in my new home. I can’t wait.”
“I won’t promise you, but I’ll try. Let me talk to Khalil first and I’ll get back to you. Okay?”
“Okay, great.”
“So I take it you haven’t heard anymore from my brother?”
“Not since I was served those papers, and as angry as I am at him, it’s probably better if I don’t. I don’t know where he’s living anyway.”
“You don’t?”
“Nope. I have no idea. I went to the last place I knew him to be and found out he was no longer there. Of course, they wouldn’t tell me if they had a forwarding address or not. My lawyer told me not to worry; he’ll get in contact with him. I’m not going to contest the divorce anyway. I just want out of the marriage. It might sound crazy, but I still love him.”
“That’s not strange. True love doesn’t just up and disappear overnight. I still think Hezekiah’s operating out of pride and haughtiness, which can cause a person to do things they wouldn’t normally do or react in ways that are questionable. We have to keep praying for him that he’ll come to his senses one day before it’s too late.”
“It might already be too late for us, but only God knows for sure.”
“You never know, but just live your life, Fancy. Try not to stress or worry. I’m here for you. I’ve always told you that.”
“Yes, you have and I thank you for your support. I really, really do. Just knowing I have you to talk to is a colossal weight off my shoulders.”
“Bless you, Fancy. Well, look, I better call Khalil. You take care of yourself and we’ll talk again soon, and remember, I’m always just a phone call or text away.”
“I know. Thanks, Stiles. Buh-bye.”
Ending the call, Stiles immediately called Holy Rock and asked for Pastor McCoy. Sista Mavis answered the call and led him into a conversation that went longer than he anticipated. In Sista Mavis fashion, she shared with him the latest gossip spreading around Holy Rock.
“I heard Pastor Hezekiah is in one of them god-forsaken nursing homes. That poor man has been abandoned by his family. Can you believe that, Pastor Stiles? And his wife, what kind of first lady would leave her husband to rot in one of them awful nursing homes? I tell you, it’s a cryin’ shame. Lord knows I wish you would come back.”
Stiles couldn’t get a word in edgewise as Sista Mavis kept babbling. “I’m sorry to hear about poor Pastor. Your daddy was a good preacher in his time,” she said.
“What about my father?” Stiles asked, his listening ears suddenly interested in what Sista Mavis had to say about Pastor.
Sista Mavis grew quiet on the other end of the phone, but not for long. “All I can say is I’m praying for his wife. That lady is a strong woman. Having to take care of somebody that has Alzheimer’s or dementia, whichever it is, has to be hard. I know my cousin has Alzheimer’s. He wanders off, and he doesn’t even know his wife and kids anymore. Lord, have mercy. I know you’re a busy man, but I’ma tell you what God loves, Pastor Stiles…and that’s the truth. You need to come to Memphis more often so you can help that poor woman, Josie, care for your father. She’s not a spring chicken you know. And like my cousin, they ended up having to put him away in one of those Alzheimer’s facilities. It was for his own good.”
“Thank you for the advice, Sista Mavis, but my father doesn’t have dementia or Alzheimer’s. He may forget some things but hey, we all forget from time to time. But, listen, you take care of yourself. It was good listen…I mean it was good talking to you. Now will you put me through to Pastor Khalil? he insisted, hoping he didn’t sound too frustrated, but he was.
Stiles didn’t care to entertain much of what Sista Mavis said, but the part about his father having dementia and Alzheimer’s’ struck a nerve. He couldn’t deny that a time or two, maybe more, Pastor seemed more forgetful of things, but the man was in his seventies. Who wouldn’t forget a thing or two at that age. Plus, Pastor had been devastated when he was basically excommunicated from the church he loved. That threw him for a big loop. Though he attended Holy Rock from time to time, Pastor and Josie never returned full time to the church after that. It was sad, and Pastor still had a hard time accepting it. If he did return to Holy Rock, he would have to make sure that Pastor and Josie felt comfortable enough to return to the church too.
Hearing what Sista Mavis said about his father, Stiles made a mental note to call Pastor after he spoke to Khalil.
“Hello, Unc, how’s it going?” Khalil asked when he answered Stiles’ call.
Stiles smiled to himself. Hearing Khalil call him Unc made him feel a little proud although Khalil’s words sounded more like sarcasm rather than a genuine salutation. But Stiles would accept it for what it was.
“Hello, Khalil,” he said in return. “How are things going?”
“Blessed. Like the older people say. Blessed and highly favored. I hope you’re calling to tell me you’ve decided to accept the job offer.”
“Not exactly,” responded Stiles. “I’m still praying on it. Do you have a deadline?”
“No, not really, but the sooner I know where you’re headed, the better. What’s holding you up? You don’t want to leave that chick you smashing in Houston?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Don’t try to sound all innocent, man. I know you got needs. Shoot, we all do. Pastors or not. You can be real with me.” Khalil laughed.
“Naw, it’s not like that. Me and her are strictly friends.”
“Yeah, friends with some real good benefits.” Khalil chuckled harder. “But that’s not my concern. I just want you here, man. It’s a lot going on. I could use your help.”
“I take it your father—my brother—is still wreaking havoc even in his absence.”
“Nothing I can’t handle. So what’s the reason for your call since you aren’t calling to tell me you’re coming back to Holy Rock?”
“I wanted to tell you to give me a few more days, maybe a week or so, and I’ll have my answer. I also wanted to check on your mother. I spoke to her and she told me she was about to move. Is she straight? She sounded down, a little depressed. I know she’s having it rough.”
“Yeah, trying to deal with my father’s antics has been hard on her, but I’m on it. Me and Xavier are making sure we keep an eye on her, take care of her, you know. Thanks for being concerned, but you handle your situation in Houston and let me and Xavier handle our mom.”
Stiles detected some hostility in Khalil’s voice. It was somewhat understandable that he was protective of his mother but Khalil sounded like he thought Stiles had deeper interests in Fancy other than her being his sister-in-law. He thought about the kiss. It had definitely taken him by surprise. It was unexpected, the last thing he would have thought Fancy would have done, but he understood that a beautiful, sexy woman like Fancy had needs. If she wasn’t his brother’s wife, in another day and time, he would have made a play at her, would have taken the kiss she gave him a step farther, but he wasn’t about to do that. He’d done it once when it came to Rena and his deceased sister, Frankie. Maybe he didn’t know until later in his relationship with Rena that she had messed off with his sister for years, but when he did find out, it was heartbreaking. He refused to get himself tangled in a web like that ever again.
To this day, Rena still refused to talk to him, and that hurt Stiles every time he thought about her. The Jubilee Tragedy changed the lives of so many innocent people. He couldn’t blame Rena for never wanting to see, speak, or talk to him ever again. She had told him every time she dealt with his family, she was put in the middle of mess and mayhem. His family, but especially him, had given her nothing but heartache.
As much as Stiles hated to think about it, he had to admit Rena was right. He thought she was his forever love, the one woman he would spend eternity with, but he managed to blow that to smitherings because he couldn’t overlook her past with his sister. It was before he was even in the picture that she and Frankie messed off, but he treated her like she was trash, wouldn’t forgive her past when his past was no better.
At one time he was nothing more than a playa, going around bedding girls in college, leaving a trail of broken hearts yet he couldn’t forgive Rena for her mistakes and foolish choices. He sometimes thought about how he had really made a mess of things between him and Rena, but it was too late now. No way could the hands of time be turned back. He had to move on with life, and he prayed that she was happy and content with her life. It was one of the main reasons he didn’t want to invest in a real relationship again. He had been screwed over by the likes of Detria but he came to the conclusion that it was karma kicking him square in his behind because of his inability to forgive his ex-wife, Rena. Detria caused him much grief, heartache, and pain. Not so much because he was so deeply in love with her—he did love her at one time, but never the way he once loved Rena. He believed Detria sensed that so she never allowed herself to give her whole heart to him. She chose to give it to his friend, Skip, instead.
Stiles pushed the conversation with Khalil out of his mind for now and the thoughts about what could, would, or should have been with Rena and concentrated on Pastor. He dialed Pastor’s phone and his father answered, sounding like a tired, old man. It was disheartening to hear.
“He…hello,” Pastor said feebly into the phone.
“Hello, Pastor. How are you?” Stiles asked.
“To God be the glory,” Pastor responded.
“Yes, that’s right. To God be the glory,” Stiles repeated.
“How are you feeling today?” Stiles asked again.
“Who am I talking to?”
Stiles dropped his head. Did Pastor just ask him who he was? Maybe Sista Mavis had been right after all. Could Pastor have dementia or Alzheimer’s? Stiles shook his head in disbelief. No, Pastor was fine. He just didn’t recognize his voice. Probably because of a poor phone connection.
“Uh, it’s Stiles, Pastor.”
“Stiles?”
“Yes, Stiles, your son.”
“Stiles, oh yes, hello, son. How are you? What time are you going to be home?” Pastor asked.
Stiles held back tears. Was this Pastor? What was happening? He had just spoken to the man a few days prior to this call and he was fine, now this? Something was wrong, terribly wrong.
“Uh, remember, I’m in Houston, Pastor. I won’t be there for a few weeks. Where’s Josie?” Stiles asked.
“Josie? You mean, Audrey don’t you, son? Your memory is failing you, isn’t it?” Pastor laughed into the phone.
“Stiles,” Josie said, suddenly on the phone.
“Josie, what’s going on? Why is Pastor talking out of his head? Is he okay?”
“No, not really. We have an appointment at a neurology clinic day after tomorrow. He’s been forgetting a lot lately, but the past few days he’s like a different person. I was going to call you after I took him to the neurologist. I didn’t want to worry you unnecessarily.”
“I don’t want you going through any of this alone, Josie. I’ve told you that before. I’ll get a flight out and get there tomorrow sometime. This is the first time I’ve heard him talk like this. I mean he forgets from time to time. I was aware of that, but this is different. He didn’t even recognize my voice, and he thinks you’re Audrey?”
“Is Stiles all right, Josie?” Stiles heard Pastor ask in the background.
“See, he comes and goes. He’s back to himself now.”
“Woman, what are you talking about? What do you mean I’m back to myself?” Stiles heard Pastor say to Josie. “Will you let me talk to my son, woman?” Pastor said, laughing lightly.
“Pastor?” Stiles said when Pastor returned to the phone.
“How are you, son?”
“I’m good. I was just telling Josie that I think I’m going to come home for a short visit. I’ll catch a flight tomorrow.”
“I always want to see you, son, but don’t come here on account of me and Josie. We’re fine. God’s got us and you have a church to see to there in Houston. Me and Josie can take care of ourselves. The good Lord has been good to us.”
“Yes, I know, Pastor, but I want to come. I’ll stay a couple days and then I promise I’ll fly back to Houston in time for Sunday service.”
“You young folks are something else. Fly in, fly out. Like it’s easy as one, two, three. Anyway, if that’s what you want to do, me and Josie will be looking for you. Have you heard anything about your brother?”
“No, I haven’t, but I have talked to Fancy and to Khalil. They’re doing their best to cope with all the changes going on with Holy Rock, in their household and well, it’s nothing to be concerned about. They’re fine. All we can do is pray for Hezekiah that God will not only heal his body, but his mind, too.”
“I touch and agree with you on that, son. It was good talking to you but I gotta hang up. It’s time for Judge Mathis. You know me and Josie can’t miss it.” Pastor laughed heartily.
“Yes, sir, I know. Tell Josie I’ll see her tomorrow if God says the same. Until then, take care of yourself, Pastor.”
“I will, good bye, son.”
Stiles was happy to hear his father talking normal again, but it didn’t erase his concern about Pastor’s mental state. As soon as the called ended, he began searching for a nonstop flight out of Houston leaving first thing tomorrow.