Lady preacher, p.6
Lady Preacher, page 6
Midway through the man’s ode to his wife, Shante’s mind started to wonder. She knew his kind—always praising his wife, wanting everyone to think he had a perfect marriage. Every time she encountered the wife of one of these types of men, she would see a woman looking depressed and worn out, or acting overly righteous to cover up the hurt inside. She could usually tell what kind of marriage the couple had just by looking at the wife. And whenever she encountered someone like Elder Boyd, she expected him to ask her to a private meeting or try to rub up against her. She decided to move before he tried to touch her leg, but before she could every seat had been taken. Every community leader seemed to be there. She stood and opened the meeting with a prayer.
The strategy session lasted more than two hours. Everyone was upset that someone would be bold enough to put a gentlemen’s club near churches, schools, and homes—even a playground just two blocks away from the planned site. A plan of attack evolved and everyone agreed Shante would speak on behalf of the community at the council meeting on the following Tuesday.
As the attendees were leaving, Elder Boyd came to her. “Excuse me, Pastor, may I speak with you for a minute?”
“Sure,” Shante said, shaking the hand of the last person leaving.
“I was really floored by your presentation today. You are a very intelligent woman.”
“Thank you, Elder. However, my assistant, Gail, did all the legwork. It pays to have a good assistant behind you.”
“I know. My wife is my assistant,” Elder Boyd said, looking around the room before coming closer. “I have some questions about some of the points you made in your presentation. I was wondering if we could meet somewhere to discuss them.”
“Elder, check my schedule with Gail. If there’s a time you and your wife can meet me here at the church before the council meeting, she can set it up. However, I don’t schedule meetings with male ministers outside the church setting. You know what the Bible says: Do not even give that appearance of wrongdoing. I try to live by that. So check with Gail. She can set something up for you. You know we have to be about the business of the Kingdom. Come on, I’ll walk you out,” she said, moving toward the door. It was just as she had thought. She knew she could not trust him. She had given him the benefit of the doubt, and he had failed. She couldn’t believe he thought she was naïve enough to meet him to discuss issues. He probably thought she was new to the ministry. She thought he was a joke.
* * *
The council room was packed. People were standing against the walls. Max had hoped to get there early to support Shante, but his babysitter was a no-show, and he had to bring the boys with him. He hoped Joshua would be still and not act up. This was an important night for Shante, and he wanted to be there.
Max saw two chairs in the back and led the boys to those seats. Jonathan and Jacob shared one, and Max sat in the other with Joshua in his lap. Jonathan and Jacob began nudging each other. Max pulled out two video games from his grab bag and gave one to each of them. He gave Joshua a snack.
“Sir, there is no eating in council chambers,” a guard told Max, pointing to Joshua eating his snack.
“I’m sorry. I’ll put it away.” But Joshua had already eaten it. He was relieved that he was spared having to listen to his son whining about his snack the rest of the night. Max looked around for Shante. He saw someone that looked like her, but when she turned around, he saw it wasn’t her.
When Shante entered the room, it was as if a celebrity had arrived. People crowded around her, many walked up to talk with her. Some reviewed notes with her. A man got up and gave her his seat. Max took it all in as if he were watching a movie star on the red carpet. She looked so professional, so distinguished. Everything about her was perfect. Council members took their seats, and the meeting was called to order.
The council discussed a variety of issues involving budgets, highway infrastructure, and pay raises for county employees, and then the meeting was opened for discussion of zoning issues. Shante was called as spokesperson for the community leaders who had met at her church.
She addressed the council with elegance and style, self-assurance and passion. She spoke with authority on the increase in crime rates due to prostitution, gambling, and antisocial behavior a business like the club invariably brings to a community. She reviewed the negative experiences of other areas in the county that had allowed gentlemen’s clubs to open in inappropriate locations. She described community concerns and presented a diagram of the proximity of the business to schools, churches, and playgrounds. When she finished, she received a standing ovation.
Max thought Shante exuded star quality as she delivered her address. She had mesmerized the audience. Max could barely contain himself as he proudly took in the whole scene.
When the crowd’s applause died down, a small voice in the back called out, “You tell ’em, Mama Tay!” Heads turned. Joshua was clapping, yelling, “Yeah!” The crowd laughed. Max tried to cover Joshua’s mouth with his hand, but it was too late; all eyes were on the boy. Shante saw Max and the boys and waved to them. She overheard a women in the crowd sitting directly behind her say, “Mama Tay, um-hum.”
* * *
“I can’t believe that bitch,” Kevin said, driving down from the council meeting. He had gone to support his business partner, although he tried to make it appear he was on the side of those opposing the business.
He could not believe the council had voted against rezoning the gentlemen’s club and had denied it a business license. It was going to be a classy joint, unlike the strip clubs in other areas. He was going to make sure of that. It was also going to be a private club, and only members of a certain caliber would be invited to join. He was not going to advocate prostitution—if the girls wanted to make extra money, they would have to do it on their own time. He wasn’t going to interfere with that. But he was sure to make a lot of money, and it was all shot down because of Shante.
“How could she do this to me? She is messing with my money. I’m going to get that slut. She forgets, I know all about her. I knew her when she wasn’t so high and mighty. Little Miss Holy. I ought to go to her house right now,” he said, his voice loud and angry.
Driving down the street, Kevin’s anger increased as he thought about seeing Shante with Max at the conference at Hilton Head. He recalled seeing them thru the window of a restaurant having dinner. It angered him thinking about seeing them dancing as he spied on them from a fishing pier. They had thought they could keep their little romance from everyone—including him. But he’d found out anyway. He never liked Max. He was too perfect in everyone’s eyes. He was everything Kevin wanted to be—successful.
He continued thinking about Max and Shante when his phone rang. He saw from the caller ID that it was Pastor Foggy. Kevin knew he gossiped like a woman. This was perfect; he had a way of getting back at Shante. “Hey, Kev, how you doing, man? I saw you at the council meeting tonight. I wanted to holla at you after the meeting, but I lost you in the crowd. How you doing, man?”
“Hey, Foggy. I’m blessed.”
“Did you see Pastor Dogan tonight? Man, she was on point. She showed those people on the council that some of us got some sense.”
“Yeah, I saw her. It was funny seeing her, of all people, up there talking against a strip club.”
“What do you mean?” Foggy asked.
“Man, she used to ride those poles like a professional. You didn’t know?”
“Man, I’ve never heard that about her. I thought she was stuck-up. Everybody has tried to hit that. How do you know?”
“Foggy, we go back, way back. I knew her when I lived in Atlanta. She was something else. She wasn’t preaching then. I tried to do everything I could to help her. She didn’t listen to me. But I heard she was up to her old tricks.”
“What?”
“Yeah, man, remember the conference at Hilton Head? I heard she was caught having sex on the beach.”
“Nah, man, I don’t believe it. The way she preached?” Foggy replied.
“You know those are the ones who like to get their freak on. Those are the hot ones.”
“I know, man. Get with a Pentecostal ho, and it’s a night worth paying for. Who was she with?”
“Maxwell Patrick.”
“Reverend Patrick at Earle Street Baptist? You sure, man? He’s pretty straight and narrow. From what I heard he hasn’t messed with anyone since his wife died. He’s taking all our single female members and a few married ones. They are all trying to get on him,” Foggy said.
“Didn’t you hear what happened after Dogan finished speaking tonight?”
“I did hear his son call her something. What was it? I know, Mama Tay. Man, all that was going on right in front of our eyes. You know it’s always the quiet ones that are sneaking and creeping. Man, I didn’t know that. Look, Kev, my other line is ringing. I’ll talk to you later.”
Kevin couldn’t have asked for a better—or more willing—partner in misdeed. By morning this disinformation would be all over Charlotte and quite possibly the East Coast. He was going to show Shante not to mess with him.
* * *
Shante was finally able to get away from the reporters and the crowd of well-wishers after the council meeting. It seemed as if everyone wanted to speak with her about her comments. Other ministers wanted to talk to her about their next move, and the reporters wanted comments for their eleven o’clock news reports. Others wanted to celebrate their victory. She had made her getaway and had started her car when Max rang her cell.
“Shante, you should have gone to law school,” Max said.
“I’ll leave the law up to you. How did you get the boys to be so calm?”
“Believe me, it wasn’t easy,” Max answered. “Hey, we are going to get something to eat. Want to join us?” “Max, now you know . . .”
“Come on. I know this little place not far from where you live. No one will see us. Besides, the boys want to talk to you. They are excited about the win and want to congratulate you. Come on, Tay. We won’t stay long.”
Shante agreed to have dinner with them on the condition they get carryout and eat at their house. She pulled into Max’s driveway and waited.
“Yeah, Mama Tay. We won,” Joshua shouted, running up to her. She smiled at Max as she hugged Joshua. Jonathan and Jacob were busy playing their video games, but they too came up and hugged her. Then went into the house and settled around the small table in the breakfast nook.
“You were just beautiful out there, Tay. I was so proud of you. The council had no other choice but to deny the rezoning after you finished with them. To get them to also deny a business license was a stroke of genius. Now they can’t open a business anywhere in the county. Wonderful, just wonderful,” Max said.
“You are good for a girl’s ego. I think I’ll keep you around for a while,” Shante said grinning.
“And I believe I’ll stay.”
“Shante, did you ever find out who was behind the Annex Corporation?”
“No. Gail has been working on it for weeks. She told me she kept running into roadblocks. I tried calling the company myself. I kept getting an answering machine with a woman’s voice saying they will contact us as soon as possible. Well, I guess it doesn’t matter now. They won’t be in our neighborhood or county. It would be nice to know who was behind it, in case they try to do this again.”
“So what now?”
“We’re going to contact the owner of the building tomorrow to see if he’s interested in donating it for a new youth center. People in the community have a lot of ideas about things that benefit the neighborhood—an after-school program, for example.”
“Any other use for a building that size? That’s a pretty big place.”
“Yes, there are a lot of ideas on the table. We’re going to get together in a couple of weeks to really sort out our options.”
“Speaking of a couple of weeks . . . I have a grant proposal you may want to take a look at. Come with me to the family room,” Max said. He kept one eye on the boys as he spoke to Shante. “Don’t forget about Josh’s birthday party in two weeks,” Max whispered.
“I haven’t forgotten. Did you get the bike?” Shante asked.
“Yeah, It will be ready tomorrow. I’ll bring it to your house. Is six o’clock all right?”
“That’s fine, or you can bring it by the church earlier if you have to.”
Max plowed ahead. “Tay. There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk with you about.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, we’ve known each other for a long time. Since we were teenagers.”
Shante smiled, recalling how they’d met. They were both freshmen in college and had been on campus only a few weeks and were trying to adapt to the heavy reading programs Morehouse and Spelman required. They met in the Shrine of the Black Madonna Bookstore in Atlanta. Ironically, they were looking for the same book, The Falsification of Afrikan Consciousness by Amos N. Wilson. There was only one copy left, and Max bought it and gave it to Shante with the understanding that when she finished reading it she would return it to him. She agreed and kept her word, even though she never actually read the book. Luckily Max had, and talked about it at length on their one and only date. In fact, he talked about it so much, she was able to pass the test just from listening to him. She decided to keep him around for a while. She didn’t like to study, and they quickly became friends, although she felt no romantic chemistry between them.
“The boys love you,” Max continued, walking as he talked.
“Is there anything wrong?”
“No, I’m just a little nervous.”
“Really? Sit down and say what you have to say.” Max sat on the sofa. Shante was about to join him when Josh came in.
“Mama Tay, Mama Tay, come see my frog. His name is Ralph Junior. He’s in my room.”
“Ralph Junior? Where did you get that name?”
“We have a big frog in my class at school. His name is Ralph. My frog is little. That’s why I call him Ralph Junior. Come on.”
“Okay, but give me a minute. Let me speak to your father, and then I will come right up.”
“No Tay, it’s fine. He’s been waiting to show you that frog since he got it. I’ll wait until you get back.”
As Shante and Josh headed up the stairs, she noticed Max sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands. “Max, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I think I’ll go with you.”
After Josh showed Shante how he fed his frog, he and his brothers headed for bed.
Walking to her car with Max, Shante sensed that something was weighing on his mind. “Max, are you sure you’re okay? You had something to tell me. I’m listening.”
“It can wait. But I could use a hug.”
Shante embraced Max. He squeezed her tightly, which told her something was up with him. She always knew. She would talk with him about it later, when they were alone.
Chapter 8
It was Sunday, and Shante had been very busy all morning. She wished people would leave her alone before service; however, she had many visitors that morning. She was tired and hadn’t even preached yet. She wished she could get through one Sunday morning without people unloading a lot of problems on her. She wanted more than a few minutes to focus on her sermon. Shante was closing the door to her office when she heard a knock. The elderly gray-haired man in the doorway was Trustee Tankersly, chairman of the trustee board of her church. “Hi, Tank, how are you doing this Sunday morning?”
“This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
“Amen.”
“Pastor, can I talk to you for a minute? It won’t take long. You know the trustees and the brotherhood are going to get together to do some yard work around the church next weekend,” Tank said, closing the door.
“I know. Is there anything you need? Sit down,” Shante said, pointing to a chair.
“No, I won’t be long. I thought you should know about something that’s going around the churches,” he said lowering his voice.
“Now you know I don’t participate in gossip,” Shante said, leaning on the edge of her desk. What now?
“Pastor, you’ve been here a long time. I’ve been here forty-two years myself. I think I’m a good judge of character. This time the gossip is about you.”
“Tank, you say that as if no one has ever gossiped about me before.”
“This is different. They say when you went to Hilton Head, you spent some time with a man.” She could see he was deeply concerned.
“I spent a lot of time with a whole lot of men at the conference. It was mostly men there.”
“No, Shante, you aren’t listening to me. Rumor has it that you and Reverend Patrick spent the night with each other and people saw you having sex.”
She stood up straight. This was nothing to shrug off. She knew he was serious because he called her by her first name. She was stunned to hear that someone had linked her with Max sexually. They had gone to such lengths to keep their friendship private. “What do you mean people saw us? How can they see what never took place?”
“Shante, I’m just telling you what someone told me. I’m not trying to judge you. Watch yourself. You know Chairman Deacon Curry has had it out for you since you denied his proposal for the staff retreat.”
“His proposal was not properly completed. You know that. I just asked him to check his figures and rewrite his proposal and get back with me, which he never did. I did not deny his proposal.” She walked around her desk and sat down.
“Church is about to start, Pastor. I only wanted you to know what’s going on. Keep yourself clean. You know gossip has a way of blowing up all out of proportion. I’m on your side. I knew it wasn’t you. I just wanted to hear it from you. I’ll see you in the sanctuary.”
Shante sat wondering what made people bring up drama right before service. But, she was determined not to allow the enemy to distract her. That was the problem, she thought, a distracting spirit that did not want the Word of God to go forth. She knew how to fight it with prayer. She went to the door and asked all four of the associate ministers waiting in the main office to come in for their morning prayer before service. They filed into her office and joined hands, and Shante prayed. After they left her office, she locked the door. She could hear service starting. She turned down the speaker in her office, knelt, and began to pray.
