Sister Betty Says I Do (15 page)

“I'm telling you that they told me earlier that they're determined to use this wedding as a way of showcasing their event-planning skills. They are under the delusion that if they do a good job with the wedding reception, they'll get, as they put it, paid. So in their minds it doesn't matter if the wedding is called off. You'd better believe they'll be up to some immature craziness to interfere.”

“We've got to put an end to this.”

“Oh no,” Leotis said, throwing his hands up. “I've got enough on my plate.”

“You're not going to help me?”

Leotis lowered his hands, asking, “Are you going to help me get back in Sister Betty's good graces while the trustee spends time recuperating at my home?”

“We'll see what happens when you come over,” Sharvon replied before she left to see about Sister Betty.

Leotis sat in his car and watched Sharvon walk away. Again, guilt hijacked his thoughts. He had allowed her to share what she believed was the reason things had gotten to a bad end for Sister Betty and Freddie. And yet he couldn't confide in her the seriousness of Freddie's condition. But, on the other hand, he was grateful that she hadn't pressed him as to when he'd come by to see about Sister Betty.

Once he walked inside the house, he went into the spare bedroom and found Freddie just waking up from a nap and seemingly in a completely different mood. He laid the medicine on the nightstand and took the shower seat into the bathroom.

“I'm glad you were able to nap while I was gone,” Leotis told him. “You should feel a little better.”

“I truly do,” Freddie told him. “I'm not saying that I'm ready to perform cartwheels, but I believe God's got this. I feel so good, I'm gonna try to make it to service tomorrow morning.”

M
uch to Leotis's surprise, Freddie woke up earlier than expected this Sunday morning.

“I'd still like to go to the eight o'clock service with you, that is, if you don't mind,” Freddie announced.

“Certainly,” Leotis replied. “I'm only preaching the one service this morning.”

“Why is that?”

“Because the trustees' board is in charge of the eleven o'clock service this Sunday, and they've asked one of the associate ministers to bring the Word.”

“I've got to get myself together. I forgot this was the trustees' day, and I'm one of them.” Freddie gave a weak smile. “I might as well get started. I don't want to be the one making you late this morning.”

No sooner had Freddie gone back to his bedroom to get ready than Leotis went to his bedroom and called Sharvon on her cell phone. He didn't want to take a chance on Sister Betty answering the phone. Not yet, anyway.

“Trustee Freddie just told me he's coming to the eight o'clock service with me this morning,” Leotis told Sharvon once she answered.

“Well, good morning to you, too,” Sharvon replied, letting him know that he'd not started off the conversation properly. “I'm surprised he's feeling well enough, since he just got released from the hospital.”

“I don't have a lot of time,” he responded, ignoring her slight rebuke. “He's actually acting like he's not been sick at all. Anyhow, I just wanted to let you know, in case Sister Betty was planning on coming to the first service.”

“Really?” Sharvon replied. “That's funny.”

“It doesn't sound funny to me.”

“I meant that it is funny because Cousin Betty's been up for a while. She's in the kitchen, just humming and praising God.”

“Well, that's a good thing, isn't it?”

“I guess it is, since the two of them was in the valley of misery yesterday. She hasn't said anything about going to church yet. If she does, I'll try and steer her toward the second service, even if I have to go with her.”

The conversation went on for another minute. Leotis threw in a remark about how Sharvon's busy work schedule was not an excuse for not coming to church, to which she did not respond one way or the other. They also concluded that it'd be a good thing if the couple stayed apart for the time being, and away from Bea and Sasha in particular.

 

The weather outside this Sunday morning was hot, though the usual perspiration-inducing humidity was absent. But at Crossing Over Sanctuary's eight o'clock service, there was heat and sweat to spare.

Despite all the distractions that past week, and especially yesterday, Leotis was determined to preach. He had donned one of his old robes, a blue, white, and gold short-sleeved one that he didn't mind getting dirty.

He tossed his handkerchief in the air, throwing his head from side to side while hollering, “Thank ya, Jesus,” preaching as though the apostle Paul whispered every word in his ear. The night before he was so consumed by guilt, he'd been unable to study his Bible. “Y'all just don't know!” he told the congregation as he brought the sermon to an end. “The enemy will always be at his job.”

“Say that, Pastor,” came a response from someone in the congregation. “Satan's a sneaky sumpthin'.”

“There's a reason God wants us to watch as well as pray. The Devil can come at you in all sorts of ways.” He paused and wiped his brow while shaking his head in the direction of the organist, who'd just begun playing a run of staccato notes designed to set the congregation to shouting. “But I'm going to leave that alone,” he said as he laughed a little. “We still have another service at eleven o'clock, and we haven't had the altar call yet. But one day I'm going to preach in depth about watching and praying and the consequences when one doesn't.”

Leotis stepped down from the pulpit and went to stand in the middle of the floor. As he stood there with his arms opened wide, a pastor's aide member removed his robe and wiped his brow. Then Leotis asked, “Are there any who are in need of prayer? God is not slacking in His promise to forgive your scarlet sins and make you whole again. I won't stand here in judgment this morning. I stand here with the agape love of the Lord.”

“I'm in need of love,” a soft feminine voice called out. All heads turned in the direction the voice had come from, which was somewhere in the back of the sanctuary. The person to which it belonged was hidden among the many who'd attended this morning. “I need some of that agape love you have.”

A sudden movement from Freddie caught Leotis's attention. With one hand in his lap, Freddie had begun waving one finger back and forth, like it was on fire. He then quickly began mouthing, “No, no.”

But Freddie's warning came too late. By the time Leotis's attention turned back to the rest of the congregation, there was a short line of folks headed his way. Bobbing and weaving down the center aisle was Ima. Two ushers, one on each side of her, were both supporting her by her arms and fanning her at the same time. Another usher was trying to help Mother Pray Onn, but she kept using the tip of her cane to push the usher away.

“Sweet Jesus,” called out a woman with a huge pink hat shaped like a tree stump. She was seated near Leotis. “He's soon to come!”

“Sho'nuff,” chimed in the woman who sat next to her, whose girth took up two seats. “I know Jesus is in the saving business if that heifer's tossing in her sin-filled towel.”

Other unkind remarks echoed about the sanctuary, as though none had heard the sermon that morning. And even those who normally sneaked out before the prayer and benediction stayed put.

There was nothing Leotis could say or do. He had preached on forgiveness, on watching and praying with fervor, and had offered God's agape love, which meant a love for all was plentiful. But now, standing there with his arms outstretched, beholding the sight of Ima and Sasha pushing toward him, all he wanted was to fold his arms and, with his peace of mind still intact, go home.

Ima was attending church that morning battle ready. She'd come with her long hair bouncing and behaving, determined to get Leotis's and the congregation's attention. After getting all Leotis's history she could from Sasha, especially bits about him being rather narrow-minded, and putting it together with what she definitely knew about men, she didn't just come to church that morning. Lady Ima arrived there a very different woman.

Shooing away the ushers, Ima walked the last few feet toward Leotis. She wore a neon purple, short-sleeved cotton dress with a jacket that modestly covered her large bosom. Although the outfit had looked plain on the store's mannequin, Ima had filled it out in all the right places and had made it still look church classy. Besides wearing a pearl necklace and pearl earrings to accessorize her dress, she'd settled for matching three-inch, open-toed heels, instead of the normal five-inch heels, and had white polished toenails peeking through. The dress's hem hit just below the kneecap but could easily rise to show where many men had gone before when she sat.

Mother Pray Onn, dressed in her usual white, two-piece mothers' board outfit and tight bun, walked a few steps behind Ima. She looked like she was trying to hide from Leotis, but she needed to be close enough to hear and see Ima perform.

Lord, you take the wheel,
Leotis thought as he beckoned Ima to cover the final few feet between them.

Leotis made no effort to acknowledge her presence any differently than he would that of others needing prayer. “My daughter,” he told her as his adjutant, who'd been standing by, poured a little blessed oil into the palms of his hands. Closing his eyes, he began placing his hands on her head, saying, “I want you to give over to God all the concerns you've brought to this altar.” He opened one eye slightly and saw Ima peeking, too. He quickly closed his eyes again and continued.

Leotis prayed aloud for Ima's salvation and silently for his own. Despite what he had told Sharvon and had even admitted to God, Ima could still get to him, even at God's altar.

Ima swayed a little, silently accepted all that he'd asked God to do for her, and inwardly presented her own petition.
Lord, I truly can change. I'd make a fabulous first lady.

While Leotis went to his study to change after the service so that he and Freddie could return home, Freddie met with a few of the other trustees. He needed to ask them to put a hold on the surprise they'd been planning for his wedding. He hadn't figured out how to tell them why, and after praying and reading the scriptures the other night, he wasn't sure if he should.

“Glad to see you back in the service this morning,” Elder Batty told Freddie, while others added their welcomes, as well. “Things have been rather quiet since the last time we spoke.”

Freddie knew the elder was fishing around to see if there were any hard feelings. He imagined the man was still embarrassed after the way Bea had behaved badly at Sister Betty's home and at the hospital.

“Everything is just fine, Elder Batty.” Freddie could feel tiredness spreading through his body, and he wanted to continue with business. He found a seat.

One by one the trustees brought him up to date on all the outstanding business, but they never mentioned the surprise they were working on for Freddie's wedding. If they had any thought that he looked bad that morning, they kept it to themselves, perhaps thinking it was a result of whatever had caused him to pass out weeks ago in the fellowship hall.

 

While Leotis was still in his study, preparing to return home, and Freddie was concluding his meeting with the other trustees, Ima and Mother Pray Onn were sitting outside in Ima's car. Ima wanted to know what her aunt thought about her approach to winning over Leotis.

“You don't think this purple number is a little too understated?” Ima removed the jacket. She folded it before flinging it into the backseat. “I still want him to see what a real blessing looks like, one he could have if he ever stops acting a fool.”

At first Sasha didn't answer. She was looking away, toward one of the church's three parking lots. She turned around and smiled at Ima. “I don't think it's too understated, but you might want to keep reminding him of what he could lose if he don't loosen up a bit.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because if you don't,” Sasha said before pointing her finger at one of the parking lots, “she will.”

 

Sharvon helped Sister Betty from her car. Sharvon had said she wanted to attend service that day, but she had also done everything to make sure they wouldn't make the same service as Leotis and Freddie.

Although they were attending the eleven o'clock service, Sharvon had wanted to get there early enough to park on the street rather than in one of the church's parking lots. “I don't know where the church gets these slow folks from. They either can't find you a parking space or they don't know how to direct the others to get out of the lot.”

“It's probably because the first service let out late, Sharvon. Don't get so upset. We still have time, and you want your mind clear so you can receive the Lord's Word.”

“I'm okay,” Sharvon told her. “I'm just happy to finally have the time to attend church with you.”

Sister Betty was happy to attend the service but a bit sad because she still hadn't heard from Leotis. She'd already decided not to confront Freddie, should he approach her. It was in God's hand, and she'd made up her mind that that was where she should leave it.

 

“Ain't no way I'm leaving now,” Ima hissed. “I thought you told me that Sharvon worked on weekends and didn't come to church?”

“I said she's been working on the weekends and hadn't been to church in a while,” Sasha replied. “You need to pay more attention.”

But once Ima saw Sharvon walking toward the church with Sister Betty beside her, Ima's green eyes blazed. She watched Sharvon walk like a runway model, with her hair sweeping over her shoulders in long curls and her all-white dress making her look more like a bride than Ima ever could. Ima's eyes darted about the car, like she was looking for something to throw. “She's gonna get told today, I'm gonna be the first lady,” she declared to Sasha.

A few minutes later it was Sasha's turn to become livid. She'd asked Ima to drive her home first before going back inside the church. She had left food baking in the oven and needed to get back and see about it. But Ima didn't care about that.

“Let your building burn down,” Ima told her. “I am not driving you home first. I'm going back inside that church.”

Sasha tried reasoning with her. “I don't have no reservation to take the church bus. You can't just hop on any bus going to the Promised Land development.”

None of Sasha's arguments worked. Ima was on her way back inside the church while Sasha threatened to testify falsely against the bus driver if he didn't make room for her on that bus. The old bus driver, with his fatty stomach supporting the steering wheel, announced that he had one more passenger. Once the others realized it was Sasha, a few got off to give her room. Some hoped she'd give them the real deal on why Ima had asked for prayer and to join the church.

 

Driving home, Leotis fended off a tired Freddie's need to discuss Ima's sudden desire for prayer in morning service.

“I'm not pretending to be her judge and jury. I certainly do believe that God can save anyone,” Freddie said. “But this is Ima Hellraiser.”

“God's got a use for us all.” Leotis wanted that comment to end the discussion. However, nothing he'd said so far deterred the trustee from offering his opinions.