“All at once everything is different--Now that I see you.” Lyrics from “I See the Light”
Stiles lay in his own bed, something he did very little of. He usually fell asleep on the couch in his man cave, but tonight was different. He shaved, showered, ate a sandwich, and got in his bed where he fell asleep while reading about claiming one’s spiritual gifts. The phone startled him from his sleep.
“Stiles!” The hysterical woman on the other end of the phone said.
He sat up in his bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes, and looking around the dark bedroom trying to get his thoughts together. Was he dreaming? He looked at his hand and saw the name and number on the phone and brought it back up to his ear.
“Hello? Cynthia?”
“Stiles. Oh, my God, Stiles!”
“Cynthia, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Leo. I think someone tried to rob him. Whoever it was beat him up real bad,” Cynthia cried. “He’s in a coma. I…I know he’d want me to tell you,” she continued wailing.
“When? Where?”
“Last night…rather more like after midnight—around two o’clock. Someone saw him…found him unconscious in an alley, downtown, next to—”
“Next to what, Cynthia?” Stiles pushed her to talk. He understood she was upset. Leo was her husband, the father of her children. She had every right to be more than upset—she had the right to be hysterical, and that she was.
“One of those clubs where gays and homosexuals go.”
“Have the police found who did it?”
“No, they’re pulling the surveillance tape. Thank God the cameras were working and running.”
“I’ll try to catch a flight out of here as soon as I can.”
“No. Leo wouldn’t want you to do that. I’ll call you when I learn something else.”
“I’m supposed to be flying into Memphis in a few days anyway. But, listen, keep me updated. If I need to come now, I will.”
“Okay, you know I will.”
“Are you alone?”
“No, our next door neighbor is with me and some of mine and Leo’s family members are here.”
“Let’s pray.” He prayed for his best friend’s healing while thinking, Come on, Leo, man, not this again.
Xavier and Khalil sat in Xavier’s office discussing plans they put in motion to get back at their father.
“From what I’ve been able to learn, he should be under indictment,” Xavier told Khalil.
“Good, hopefully they’ll pick his two dollar behind up, throw him behind bars in a cell with that pervert, George.”
“Oh, wouldn’t that be lovely,” Xavier sang.
A knock at the door made them stop their conversation. “Come in,” Xavier said.
“Excuse me, Pastor Khalil, Brother Xavier,” Eliana said in her professional work voice.
“Yes, what is it, Eliana? We’re almost done,” Khalil said.
“I thought you would want to know a call came in from Cynthia Jones, Brother Leo Jones’ wife. He was found unconscious late last night. He was badly beaten; he’s in a coma. They don’t know if he’ll make it.”
“Man, that’s terrible. I’m really sorry to hear that. Have you notified any of the ministers on call to make sure someone is at the hospital?”
“Yes, two of the ministers are on the way there now. They may already be there.”
“Good, thanks again, Eliana. Oh, and please send flowers from the chur—”
“I already did,” she said before he could finish his sentence.
“And I’ve arranged for the Sick and Shut In Ministry to start preparing food for Cynthia and their kids, and arranging childcare so she can freely stay at the hospital as long as she needs or wants to. That’ll be one less thing she’ll have to worry about.”
“You’re the best, Eliana.”
“Thank you, Pastor Khalil. I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.”
Khalil’s eyes followed as she turned and closed the door.
Xavier clasped his hands together and smiled.
Three days later, his smile widened when Holy Rock received the news—Leo Jones died from his injuries.
“You seem rather happy,” Pepper told Xavier as they went apartment hunting for her.
“I am. It’s been a pretty good week. Added to it being a good week, you’re out here looking for your own spot. I’m happy for ya.” Xavier grabbed her around her shoulders as they walked up to the next leasing office for some apartments she’d read about online.
Xavier was still reveling over hearing the news about Leo. He was sorry for the grief his wife and children must have been experiencing, but as for his feelings, sad to say, he was almost ecstatic. Added to his death were the rumors circulating saying Leo Jones was on the down low and had been for years. Xavier wondered if Stiles knew about Leo since from what he heard the two men had been friends since back in the day. If Stiles said he didn’t know about the dude, then Xavier didn’t know if he would believe him or not. The typical person wouldn’t wish death on another, and he hadn’t wished that on Leo, but now that he was dead, Xavier didn’t feel bad for him either. He was found in the alley of a well-known downtown club frequented by gay men and lesbian women. Zay was tempted to go to the club a time or two with Ian, but he never built up enough resolve to do so. He had a reputation to uphold and he didn’t know if he could accept ridicule or victim shaming by judgmental people.
Leo’s funeral would be in two days and Xavier had no plans to attend. If he did, it would be just long enough to make sure the man lying in the coffin was indeed Leo Jones.
“I like that apartment,” Pepper said as they finished the tour of the model apartment.
“Would you like to put in an application?” the leasing agent asked as he walked along next to her and Xavier.
“Yes, I think I would.”
“Good. Please come to my office and we’ll get started.”
Two weeks later, Pepper moved into her two-bedroom apartment located seven miles from Xavier. They bought two bottles of wine and some Chinese and went to her place to celebrate. By the end of the night, Xavier wasn’t a drinker, so after finishing off a bottle of wine between the two of them, he was lit.
Sitting back on her brand new sofa, a gift from her dear mother, Pepper laid against his chest and listened to his breathing. He had fallen asleep. He sounded so peaceful. Being with him was always the highlight of her day or evening. That’s how much she enjoyed his company.
Without waking him, she got up, went into her bedroom, removed her clothing, and took a shower.
“Pepper,” she heard him calling. “Pepper, where you at?” he asked, still sounding inebriated.
Pepper laughed. “In here, silly. The bathroom.”
Xavier barged into the bathroom, causing the door to hit the back of the closet on the other side.
“Watch what you’re doing there. This is my first night here. I don’t want to lose my deposit on my first night,” she said laughing. “Come on, get in here with me.”
“No thanks,” Xavier said, sounding like he was sobering up after her invitation.
“Don’t be scared,” she teased. “I won’t bite you, and I’m sure you could use a shower. Wash some of the stench of that wine off you.”
Leo was found in the alley of a popular midtown nightclub frequented by gays and lesbians. Xavier had been tempted to go to the club a time or two with Ian, but he never built up enough resolve to do so. He had a reputation to uphold and he didn’t know if he could accept ridicule or victim shaming by judgmental people. He was sorry for Leo’s wife and children but as for his own personal feelings, sad to say, he was almost ecstatic. Added to his death were the rumors circulating saying Leo Jones was on the down low and had been for years.
Xavier wondered if Stiles knew about Leo since from what he heard the two men had been friends since back in the day. If Stiles said he didn’t know about the dude, then Xavier didn’t know if he would believe him or not.
Without forewarning, she took the soap in her hand and began washing his perfectly sculpted body. Xavier grabbed her hand when she began to reach intimate spots, but she didn’t stop. His lack of resistance, scaring even him, turned into full unbridled desire when she continued washing him. She encircled her arms around his waist, closing any distance that might have existed between them.
On her tiptoes, almost slipping as the soapy water rendered her unsteady, Xavier grabbed her tiny waist and held on to her. Her lips found his and he did not turn away. He heard the sounds of desire and passion move from his groin up through his rib cage and out through his throat where a guttural sound poured out.
Being a virgin to a woman, he explored the newness of it all. The sensation ripping through him was like none he had ever experienced. His hand seared a path down her belly and onto her thigh as he explored before moving gently down the length of her back, her waist, her hips.
As she writhed against him, she drew her face to his, and pressed her open lips to his. He returned her kiss with a savage like one of his own as he became lost in the moment. The wine mixed with feelings he never thought about like this, took over and he was helpless to stop the need for her. Waves of ecstasy soared through them as they took their relationship to another level.
“Who is it?” Isabella asked as she was awakened from her sleep by loud, obtrusive knocking that also woke her son. The child began crying and calling for his mother.
“Now what?” Hezekiah asked, as he turned in the bed toward Isabella, lying next to him.
“Don’t you hear that knocking? Who could it be?”
Hezekiah raised himself up in the bed and looked over at the clock. “Four-thirty in the morning! For God’s sake, who is it? Get up and go see, and stop him from crying too.”
Isabella got out the bed as fast as she could, grabbed her gown and put it over her head, followed by her robe. She ran into the other room and picked up her crying little boy, and tried to soothe him as she raced to the door.
“Open up!” the booming voice demanded.
“I’m coming. Hold on,” she said, frightened about who could be demanding she open the door.
At the door, she looked through the peephole. “Who is it?”
“FBI,” the man said. “Open up now.”
“Hezekiah, they say it’s the FBI,” she yelled to Hezekiah who was in the room transferring himself from the bed to his chair.
Clad only in his undershorts, he made it to the door faster than he had been able to move since having the stroke.
“FBI! Open up!” the voice demanded again followed by more pounding.
Isabella opened the door. Four men almost barged inside. “We have an arrest warrant and search warrant for Hezekiah McCoy,” one of them said. “Are you Hezekiah McCoy?” one of them asked, looking at Hezekiah.
“Yes. You say you have an arrest warrant? For me? You must be mistaken. What is this about?”
“You’ve being charged with five counts of felony embezzlement. Hezekiah McCoy, you have the right to remain silent….”
To be continued in Book IX
Those Folks at Holy Rock
Winter 2018