Samson sat behind the desk in his office and leaned back in his chair as he thought about the events of the previous night. Julia showed him a side of herself that made him a very happy man. He reached in his briefcase and retrieved the bottle of Viagra. He threw it in the trash because he was more than positive that he would no longer have any use for it.
Elaine walked in. “Delilah’s outside, and she insists on seeing you.”
“Tell her I’m tied up for the rest of the day.”
“I swear that woman won’t give it up. I owe you an apology because now I realize you’ve been innocent, and she’s the one who won’t give up her quest to get next to you.”
“Apology accepted. Now do whatever you have to do to get rid of her.”
“I got your back, Pastor.” Elaine left his office.
A few seconds later, Samson could hear Delilah shout, but shortly thereafter he heard the other door slam. To his relief, Elaine accomplished her mission. Elaine said, as she walked back in Samson’s office, “She asked me to have you call her at your earliest convenience.”
“That would be never,” Samson stated under his breath as Elaine left to finish doing her tasks.
Samson turned his chair around and peeped through the blinds. He saw Delilah get in her car and speed out the parking lot. “Delilah, you have to let this go,” he said out loud.
Samson returned phone calls and e-mails most of the morning. Before he realized it, it was close to noon. “Elaine, you can go to lunch now if you want. I’ll man the phones.”
“You sure? Because after your anniversary program yesterday, I’ve been fielding calls for speaking engagements throughout the city.”
“I got the phones. You go ahead and go. Take as much time as you need.”
Elaine grabbed her purse. “You don’t have to tell me twice. I’m out of here.”
Samson turned up the volume on his computer as he listened to some gospel tunes. His singing was interrupted by a sinister laugh. He turned to face the enemy. William strolled into Samson’s office with his gold-tipped cane, holding a manila folder. He took a seat without waiting for an invitation. “I would have knocked, but I didn’t want to interrupt your mini-concert.”
“You can leave because we have nothing to talk about.”
“But, Reverend Judges, that’s where you’re wrong. We have a lot to discuss. This is for you.” William handed Samson the folder.
Pictures of Delilah in various naked poses with and without men in them stared Samson in the face. He didn’t know what to make of it all. He dropped the folder down. “Now, do you want your congregation to know the kind of woman their great pastor has been lounging around with?” William asked.
“The Delilah I know would not do something like this.”
“There’s a lot about that woman you don’t know. But since I like you, I thought you would want to know.”
Samson shouldn’t have been shocked at the pictures, but they caught him off guard. As Delilah’s pastor, he would do his best to make sure the information didn’t get out to the general congregation. “William, this is a private matter. I will talk to Delilah about it. Now that you’ve delivered this, you can go.”
“Not too fast, preacher man.”
“I don’t have time to play games with you.” Samson stared straight into the eyes of the enemy. William didn’t flinch. His cold, black eyes stared back at Samson.
“Delilah told me about your affair. I know about the two of you sleeping together.” Samson opened his mouth to speak, but William interrupted him. “And before you say it happened before you got married, I know for a fact it was before and afterward, so don’t try to deny it.”
William gave Samson details of his last interaction with Delilah—information that had been given to him by Delilah. Samson knew William was no longer bluffing.
Samson slammed his fist on the table. Some of the items on the desk jumped a few inches high. “Satan, get thee behind me.”
William laughed. “I’ve been called worse. I’ll give you twenty-four hours.”
“Get out of my office,” Samson stood up and said.
William got up and walked toward the door. He stood in the entranceway. “Since I’m such a generous person, I’ll give you forty-eight hours. Forty-eight hours, Reverend, to let me know you’re signing over the land to me or”—William picked up a picture of Julia on the stand next to the door—“your little wife will be finding out about your indiscretions, and you won’t be able to talk yourself out if it either.” William left Samson alone with his thoughts.
Samson picked up the pictures of Delilah. “How could you?” Samson cried out to the photos as if Delilah was standing in the room with him. “You said you loved me.”
Everyone tried to warn him about her. Delilah’s telling William about their affair was the ultimate betrayal. He could not lose his wife—not because of his few minutes of weakness. He had to do something—and fast.