Samson had been giving Julia the cold shoulder most of the day. He had planned on letting her know he understood why she didn’t tell him about her daughter, but the exchange with Delilah had put him in a foul mood.
His phone had been ringing off the hook all day, but he allowed all of the calls to go to voice mail. Today he decided to take a mental break from everything. Samson picked up the television remote and watched ESPN. Eventually, he dozed off. Julia’s screaming voice woke him out of his light sleep.
“How could you?” Julia shouted as tears streamed down her face.
It took him a moment to register where he was. “Baby, what?” he said as he woke up.
In a calm voice, Julia said: “I’ve been praying to God most of the day, asking Him to soften your heart to forgive me from keeping that secret from you.” The volume in her voice increased as the tears returned. “I feel like the biggest fool.”
“Julia, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Delilah.” Julia stormed away.
Samson jumped off the couch and went after Julia. “I don’t know what she told you, but she’s lying.”
He followed Julia to the computer. “I didn’t want to believe it when my soror called me, so I decided to check for myself. Here it is for the whole world to see.”
She rotated the computer screen, and Samson was at a loss for words. He thought the conversation with Delilah was private. He had no idea he’d hit the wrong button on Facebook. “Baby, I’m sorry.”
Julia used her arms and wiped his desk, and everything in her arms’ path hit the floor. “You told me I was paranoid for thinking something was going on between you two. You chastised me for checking your phone.” She started beating him on his chest. He felt like he deserved it. He didn’t stop her. She ranted. “Something in my gut told me you were sleeping with her, but I just didn’t want to believe it. No, not my Samson. Not the man who promised to love and be faithful to me. Not the man who has been ignoring me all day.”
Samson stood and took the beating to his chest. Julia got tired of hitting him and collapsed in his arms. He held her. When she stopped crying, she pushed him away. “I would tell you to get out, but this is your house, so I’m leaving.”
“Julia, don’t leave me. We can work through this.”
“Once a cheater, always a cheater. I’m not going to be like my aunt. She stayed with a habitual cheater, and by the time she decided to do something about it, guess what? She’d contracted HIV and eventually died. No, that’s not going to be me.” Julia left Samson standing there and headed to the bedroom.
Samson followed her. Every time Julia would reach for a suitcase, he would move it. “Fine,” she said. She grabbed a few items and put them in a duffel bag. She grabbed her purse and duffel bag and headed for the stairs.
“Julia, you’re still my wife, and you’re not going anywhere,” Samson said.
Julia removed her wedding ring and threw it at him. “This belongs to you. I’ll be back later to get the rest of my stuff.”
“Julia!” Samson called her name several times as she walked out of the house. He followed her outside. Some of the neighbors were outside. “Please don’t go,” he begged.
Julia threw her stuff in the car and got in. She rolled down her window after starting the engine. “I suggest you move or your feet will be run over.” She laughed. “Then again, stay right there.”
She revved the engine. Samson jumped back as she put the car in reverse and pulled out quickly. She was inches away from running over his foot. That pain would have been better than the ache Samson felt in his soul.
He dragged himself back in the house. The phone was ringing. He rushed to answer it.
“I’ve been trying to reach you all day. Open the door.”
“Mama, now is not a good time.”
“Samson, we’re pulling up right now, so open the door.” The tone in his mother’s voice let him know that she was not to be played with.
Samson went to the door and let his parents in the house. They whisked past him without saying a word and went straight to his living room. He followed them. The look on his parents’ faces let him know they had heard about the Facebook mishap. They were now seated across from one another in the living room. “Son, we’re very disappointed in you,” Regis said.
Samson had never heard his father say those words to him. It cut him deep.
“You’re a disgrace, and I’m ashamed to call you my son,” Kelly added.
“Dear, we agreed to be easy on him,” Regis said in Samson’s defense.
“I warned him about Delilah. I knew she was trouble the first time I met her. But no, he didn’t want to listen to me.” Kelly’s face turned beat red. “Now you’ve disgraced your family and, worst of all, you’ve disgraced your church.”
Samson covered his face with his hands and cried. Neither his father nor mother tried to comfort him. Samson felt truly alone for the first time in all his years of living. “I’m so sorry.”
Samson didn’t know how long he sat there in his own misery. His father touched him on the shoulder. “We’re going to give you some time to yourself. Pull yourself together. Tomorrow you must come clean with the congregation and pray that they forgive you.”
“Mama,” Samson cried out.
Kelly stood behind her husband. Without uttering a word, she held up her hand and followed Regis out the door.
Samson stared at the closed door as if in a trance. With a heavy heart, he laid down on the couch. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see the pain etched on Julia’s face. The phone rang bringing him out of his stupor. He hoped it was Julia but was disappointed when he heard Calvin’s voice on the other end. Calvin informed him of Julia’s whereabouts. “If you wouldn’t have lied to me about Delilah, I could have done damage control. People want you to resign. I have to admit, I don’t blame them.”
“I just got caught up.”
“You were the man. I wondered how you could resist temptation in an area many of us men fail in. Little did I know you weren’t resisting; you were a willing participant.”
“Can you ask Julia to come to church tomorrow?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“I owe you all a public apology.” Samson’s voice drifted off.
“We’re supposed to be boys. I asked you if you were sleeping with her, but you told me no. I would have helped you deal with Delilah.”
“I just couldn’t. Marriage is sacred, and I didn’t want you to know I didn’t keep my marriage vows.”
“Well, I’m the last one you need to worry about. You have a woman in there whose heart is broken in two because of what you’ve done.”
“If it takes me a lifetime to make it up to her—I will.”
“Good luck,” Calvin responded before ending the call.
It hurt Samson to know that Calvin was disappointed in him. He’d let everyone down. Samson prayed he didn’t feel the full wrath of God.