Samson and Julia’s honeymoon ended before it ever got started. Only two days back from their trip to the Bahamas and Julia was giving him the cold shoulder. Disappointed in how his married life had started, Samson headed to the altar as soon as he got to church Monday morning.
“Father God, I come to you with a humble heart.” Samson prayed for the sick and shut-in. He ended his prayer on a personal note. “I know my actions before I got married were not pleasing to you. I don’t want my wife to pay for the sin I committed. Please restore me physically so that I can please my wife in every way possible.”
Samson ended his prayer and slowly made his way toward his office.
Elaine, sitting at her desk, greeted him when he entered. “Pastor Judges, William Trusts called.”
William was the last person Samson wanted to talk with. “If he calls again, don’t take a message.”
Samson sat in front of his computer and got caught up with his e-mails. Many of them were congratulatory messages from other ministers and people he knew who were unable to come to the wedding.
Elaine stepped in his office. “I have a doctor’s appointment at one o’clock, so I probably won’t be back today. Is there something you want me to do before I leave?”
“Just leave the door open. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Trusts called again, so you might want to look at the caller ID before answering the phones.”
“I’ll let the calls go to voice mail, and you can check them tomorrow.”
“I’m out,” Elaine said before closing the door behind her.
“What in the world?” Samson said as he clicked on an e-mail in his inbox. A video of Delilah swinging around a pole played. At the bottom of the e-mail, the note read, “Can your wife do this?”
The e-mailer with the name of “Deedancer” sent him an instant message. “I see you got my e-mail.”
“Delilah, anybody could have checked my mail.”
Delilah responded: “But they didn’t. Do you miss me yet?”
Samson typed, “Unless it’s church-related, I suggest you don’t e-mail me.”
“You never did answer my question.”
Samson hated to admit it, but he did miss Delilah. He missed how her back arched when they made love. He was tempted to watch the video she sent again.
“How have you been?” he asked, hoping to change the subject.
“As well as can be expected after losing the man I love,” she responded.
Samson hated that he had to hurt Delilah, but he didn’t love her. He was now married, and she would have to move on. “Other than that, how have you been?”
“Do you really want to know?” she asked.
“I sincerely want you to be okay, Delilah.”
“Well, I’ve been having nightmares lately. I’ve tried to forget my past, but the dreams won’t let me.”
“Set up an appointment, and I’ll have one of the associate pastors talk with you about it.”
“Can you do it?”
“Now, Delilah, you know our track record.”
“I promise I won’t try anything.”
Samson wasn’t worried about Delilah. He was more concerned about how his wife would react if she found out he was counseling Delilah, especially in light of the problems they were having in the bedroom. “Delilah, I won’t be able to do it.”
“Please,” she wrote, adding a few frowning faces for effect.
Samson felt torn between his pastoral duties and his responsibility as a husband. He had prayed about Delilah and felt he was strong. He would not allow the devil to win. “I have an opening this evening at four, but I have to be out of here by five,” he typed.
“I’ll be there.”
“Hi, hubbie,” Julia said. She entered his office holding two brown bags.
“What a surprise.” Samson remained sitting as he determined Julia’s mood. Julia shortened the distance between them.
Julia removed two plastic containers from the bag and placed one in front of him. “I know I haven’t been the nicest person to live with, so this is a peace offering.”
Samson turned the monitor off. “My favorites.”
“I know how you love my mama’s macaroni and greens, so I bribed her into cooking it for you.”
“I’ll have to call my mother-in-law to thank her.”
“She put you some peach cobbler in there too.”
“I married the wrong Rivers.”
“Watch it now,” Julia said.
For the first time in days, they were actually laughing again.
“I left my phone in the car. Can I use your computer to check my e-mail?” Julia asked.
“Uh, well I was in the middle of doing something. Can it wait?” he asked.
“It’ll only take a minute.”
Samson had to think fast. He felt around on the floor for the plug. Julia moved the mouse around. The screen remained blank. Samson’s heart rate increased. His foot hit the button on the power plug at the same time Julia hit the power button on the monitor.
“What’s wrong with your computer?” she asked.
“It has a mind of its own sometimes.” Samson used his foot to turn the power back on. The computer beeped. “See. It’s working now.”
“I’ll check them later. I told your mom I would meet her.”
“You sure? Because it’s not going to take long to log back on.”
“I’m sure. I’ll see you tonight at home,” Julia said. She kissed him and left his office.
Samson didn’t exhale until Julia had left his office. He logged back on to his account. Delilah had logged off. He sent her an e-mail canceling their four o’clock session. He didn’t know what he was thinking making plans to see Delilah without anyone else being in the office. The two of them alone equaled trouble.