Chapter Eighteen
Michelle slammed her Bible shut. She had been reading Corinthians, refreshing herself of her godly duties. She may not have spent the majority of her life believing and worshipping God, but as she often said, “I came to Jesus as soon as I could, just as I was.”
She had been in Dallas for two weeks, rolling right in with the month of March, and still hadn’t gotten the nerve to tell Keithe she had made his bachelor grounds her hunting grounds. Making Stoney swear to do the same, Michelle knew she’d have to come clean if she wanted Keithe back and that was that.
“What in the world?” She looked around her temporary dwelling that couldn’t match her home back in Houston, even if she brought in the most experienced decorator Dallas housed. It was a top-of-the-line, four-bedroom condominium in the Highland Park area; however, it still wasn’t as elegant as her home in Houston.
Michelle couldn’t believe she had made such a drastic move. Was it the fear of being alone? “I did this, for real, for real?” she questioned herself, when she really honed in on why she uprooted herself from life as she knew it.
When she was in a short-lived relationship with the deacon at church, her desires, her want for Keithe had been moved to the back burner, if existent at all. It really wasn’t until Deek, her ex-beau, delivered the news to Michelle over sushi that he was going back to his ex-wife. Or something like that.
Michelle had to admit, all she knew was that he had said something like, “My ex-wife ... want me ... I’m going, blah, blah, blah.” Why not, sarcastically was what Michelle would have said had she been able to get it out of her seaweed-filled mouth. She opted rather to chew the remains, take a sip of water, and walk away gracefully from the table.
And that night while at home alone, not a single tear had dropped from her eyes. She simply reflected on all she had done in her lifetime. She had been a vengeful woman; out to hurt others before they’d hurt her. She just figured repercussions always made their rounds.
Now Michelle gloated on her being changed. She loved God for giving her the joy that her money never gave her. Money couldn’t buy the joy of the Lord, that was for sure. She now realized joy, unspeakable joy, was there even when there was nothing to be happy about. Which was the emotional state she was currently in.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, gathering her black sheer Berkshire pantyhose at the toe, Michelle wasn’t about to allow moving to another town pull her away from a God who allowed her to right her wrongs. Especially when it came to being able to proudly be a mom to Stoney.
In reality she had only been a mother for the past three years. Her C-section scar may have been in place for twenty-four years but that was the extent of being a mother. But with everything in her, Michelle now tried to show and tell Stoney just how much she loved and adored her. She knew without a doubt she would give her life for her daughter’s if it ever came to that.
Yep. Michelle was amazed herself, but that was just how much she was thankful to God for allowing her another chance in being a mother. Even after twenty-one years.
For the better part of her luck, Michelle was excited about moving to the city just in the nick of time. Her church’s National Women’s Convention was being held in the city. Snapping her figure-shaping pantyhose in place, Michelle moved throughout her closet, looking for her best ensemble to suit her mood.
“You a mess, Kendra.” Gracie slowed her pace so that her best friend could keep up. “You know good and well you need to drop a couple of inches in your heel. We are not in our thirties any longer.” Gracie held on to her Bible tote, balancing herself with one hand on her hip. “As a matter of fact, we aren’t in our forties either.”
With a physical fitness background, both ladies could easily be mistaken for being in their late forties when indeed they were over that hump by ten years. With both knocking on sixty, they always gave their signature high-five to celebrate their fierceness.
Gracie, knowing her shoes were a tad bit too tight, walked a bit farther and came to a coffee shop located inside of the convention center. Not wanting to tattletale on herself about her own choice of footwear, Gracie put pep in her step hoping to find available seats.
Blowing out a breath through her neutral-colored, glossed lips, Gracie shook her head. “You knew those shoes were too tall, chil’.”
“What? Oh hush. I didn’t ever say I was gonna wear them all day,” Kendra fought back. “Girl, this is so exciting. The Clark Sisters? Being able to meet them after the gospel musical will be too much, honey. Ouch.” Kendra enjoyed her time with her best friend, Gracie. Being full time in the ministry, a bishop’s wife, and speaker herself, Kendra enjoyed time spent with her best girlfriend. “But for the time being, I need to rest these feet. Ohhhhh, girl.”
Always a “thick sistah” even in her younger years, after Kendra contracted HIV in her thirties, her body form changed. Those who knew the two ladies knew that their physiques had traded places. Kendra was now the thinner of the two, though shapely, and Gracie wore the hippy title with no complaints from her husband, Marcus.
Though still shapely, Kendra made sure she watched her diet and still put in as much time at her home gym as she could. Being a socialite in the Christian community, it was imperative that Kendra always looked and felt her best, especially when trying to encourage others.
Kendra had battled depression when her first husband died. From there she fought her own war to live. When she refused to either eat right or take her medication, Kendra’s body eased into a coma. Stuck in a dark world, with no way out, it took Kendra depending on her relationship with God to find her way back to life. On the other side, Kendra came through as pure gold, not knowing she was pregnant with her late husband’s baby, Mercy, all the while.
Now, years later, with the great help of medication, Kendra’s HIV was under control.
Gracie shook her head and puckered her lips. “You are too old to be that ghetto, Kendra.” Gracie referred to her friend stopping midstride and taking her shoes off. “Don’t stop here, chil’. Wait until we get up there to the table and chair.” Gracie looked back at her friend and took the first step toward the coffee shop setup.
Patrons of the women’s convention brought out big hats, fashioned heels, and all the Donna Vinci’s that could fit in one room. Kendra stuck to her St. John’s because she loved the preciseness of how it fit her size-ten figure. Gracie tried her best to purchase all the Donna Vinci’s and the replicas she could.
“Look. That lady is leaving the table. There are two seats... .” Gracie couldn’t believe what must have been luck for them to find a seat so soon. With all the dressed-up women walking around the convention with slippers on their feet, Gracie just knew it would be a battle. “Oh my ...”
It hadn’t been but three years since they’d last laid eyes on her, but still ... Why is she in our hometown? was all Gracie could think.
Turning quickly, hoping she could get Kendra’s attention before she saw the woman for herself, it was inevitable. The two women ran right into one another.
“Gracie! Oh, goodness. Honey, are you okay?” Kendra asked, pulling her church bag back onto her shoulder once she realized Gracie hadn’t been the one she’d bumped into.
“Are you two okay? Look who’s heeeeeere.” Gracie slid the words out of the side of her mouth as she moved to face the woman who once dated both their husbands and eventually had a baby by Kendra’s husband. It was Stoney’s mother, Michelle.
Before Kendra could respond, Michelle had bounced back from the clash and gained her composure. Gathering her items from the floor and readjusting her purse strap, Michelle had gotten close enough to verbalize the trio seeing one another once again.
“Good morning, ladies.” Michelle hadn’t actually seen them coming. If she had, she would have opted to leave through the other entrance. “Don’t worry, I’m leaving,” Michelle acknowledged, hoping to leave peacefully. Even though their last encounter hadn’t led any of them behind bars, Michelle was still embarrassed about several incidents she had brought the two women.
Kendra and Gracie parted, giving Michelle a small aisle of space to allow her through.
“Wait,” was the first thing that rushed from Kendra’s mouth. Not realizing her own outburst, she knew it had to be God ready to work through her. Her calling was just that: a ready, willing, and able vessel, no matter the circumstance.
With her own eyebrows raised, Gracie waited patiently to see what would come next. Because of the background the women had with one another, ranging back close to thirty years, Kendra stood in shock of what to do next. So in sync with her friend, her ace, her prayer partner, Kendra looked to Gracie for validation. Raising her eyebrows, the invisible nudge she received from Gracie as only she knew what it was, Kendra continued.
“Don’t leave. Have coffee with us. Please?” Kendra managed to say to Michelle.
Growing older definitely brought along wisdom, if one allowed it. Kendra had gone through too many of life’s ups and downs to keep things that belonged in the past to invade her life now. Heaven forbid, her future.
Turning to face the two women, Michelle squeezed her clutch under her arm and shifted her body on her left hip. With a weary look on her face, Michelle wanted to know the catch.
Giving herself a once-over in thought, Michelle could envision coffee on her white knit suit if the two ladies went to lay hands on her. And not in a holy way. With that thought Michelle was about to take a rain check until Gracie said, “No strings attached, Michelle. I mean, I know my husband’s not going anywhere.”
“And I know Bishop’s not going anywhere.” Kendra paused. “He’s too old, for one.” Kendra laughed to break the ice.
When all three laughed in unison, they moved toward the awaiting table, with Michelle wishing she could say the same about her husband ... who she no longer had.
Before they knew it, hours had passed with them sitting in a God-ordained setting. Neither Kendra nor Gracie would have ever guessed Michelle had changed her stripes. From the story she’d shared with the ladies who used to be her nemeses, Michelle had stuck to the saved life once she and her husband divorced. The trio sat together showing that all things indeed happened for a reason. Kendra, never missing a beat, and shared with the ladies what her mother had once shared with her.
“God allows us to live long enough to straighten up, repent, and ask for forgiveness. He allows us to right our wrongs before we leave this earth.”
“Yes, He does,” Michelle agreed. “Thank you ladies for inviting me for coffee. This is still weird.” Michelle chuckled, losing her nervousness.
“Only to unbelievers,” Gracie added, grabbing Michelle’s free hand. “This is something that only God could have ordained.”
“Exactly.” Kendra sealed the deal.
“And, ladies, if you two could please not bring up my obsession with my husband ... my ex.” Michelle playfully rolled her eyes at the two. “Especially to Stoney. She thinks I’m a little off-kilter with the whole idea. But I prayed about it and I—”
“Did you really?” Kendra asked with deep questioning brows. “Did you ask God if you were truly making the right decision for you? I mean, Michelle, you are a beautiful woman, a judge, honey. And you just up and moved from your city to a man who left you?”
Michelle didn’t take it personally. Stoney had always shared how blunt Kendra was. Why sugarcoat the truth?
“Of course.” Michelle hunched her shoulders, knowing she hadn’t wholeheartedly prayed to God about her actions.
“And what did He say? I’m saying, in His approval?” Gracie questioned with her chin resting on her hands.
Without answering, Michelle just pursed her lips together and nodded. She had felt so at peace with what Gracie had asked that she knew it was questioned out of sincerity of her heart. Not even aware of the tears that had built up in her ducts, when she blinked her tears made their home on her cheeks. “I just don’t know how to do this.” Michelle no longer tried to hold in her cry. “I’ve been manipulating people and my relationships all of my life. N ... now, I have no one. I’m afraid of being alone ... of dying alone.”
The two ladies moved their chairs in closer to their new friend. “Don’t do that to yourself, Michelle,” Kendra insisted. “You are not alone. Just think about it. This very hour God had you sitting in this convention center ... and He had me wearing these too little shoes.” The three laughed through the tears.
“God has a way of doing things, of bringing people together. Even if you don’t have Keithe ... it may look crazy to some on the outside, but you do have us.” Kendra was sincere.
“Ken’s right. You have us. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Houston. That’s nothing but a hop, skip, and a jump for us. And plus, we love to come down and shop,” Gracie said.
As if her favorite subject had been announced, Michelle straightened up. “Oh, I can tell. ’Cause, honey, y’all are wearing them hats.” Michelle gathered a napkin and wiped her tears away.
“Girl, you ain’t seen nothing. I’m gonna take you to Ella’s Boutique and let you meet my personal stylist. Mrs. Fannie keeps me stepping, baby!” They laughed. “Y’all need to get up off the mushy stuff. We have sat here too long and missed the preaching; let’s not miss the midnight musical. Y’all have y’all tickets?” Gracie asked, never being able to rid her speech of her Southern drawl. Mainly because she never tried.
“And you know it,” Michelle and Kendra shared.
Before allowing the women on either side of her to stand from their seats, Michelle grabbed their hands and prayed. “Lord. What can I say? You are remarkable. There was a time I didn’t know who I was, and surely didn’t know whose I was. But you are so merciful and loving. And you have been there all the time. I thank you for these two ladies and I pray that you bless our union. In whichever direction you would have us to go, Lord, I pray you forever stay in the midst. I’m blessed by you. I’m in awe of you and your loving kindness toward me. Dear God, I pray for your presence to forever remain in my heart and the hearts of these beautiful women. Amen.”
“Amen,” Gracie said as she raised her head.
“I couldn’t have said it better, Missionary,” Kendra joked around as all three ladies stood and gathered their belongings.