The Pastor's Wife (15 page)

“I
t’s killing me to not talk to Terrance,” Mamie said, her voice laced with sadness. She, Eva, and Dorothy Mae were at Denny’s having their regular Wednesday-morning coffee.

“Yeah, it’s been almost a week. How long do you think he’s going to stay mad at us?” Dorothy Mae said as she added two teaspoons of sugar to her coffee.

Eva shrugged. “I have no idea. Every time I’ve tried to call or go by his office, he won’t even talk to me. Raquel said to just give him some time. That’s the only good thing in all of this. Him and Raquel seem to be growing closer.”

“You think something’s going on?” Mamie asked.

“Well, I heard through the grapevine that they’ve been spending a whole lot of time together. And truth be told, I think they make the perfect couple. But I wouldn’t know if something is really going on. She’s very protective of him and I can’t get anything out of her, and I dang sure can’t get any information about their relationship.” Eva sipped her coffee. “Ladies, I think we might have really gone too far this time. I’ve never seen Terrance like this.”

“Well, we’ll just have to pray he comes around,” Mamie said.

“We’re still his family, so he will eventually come around. Besides, we have another issue to worry about,” Dorothy Mae added.

“What?” Mamie asked.

“We’re just a few weeks away from the Christmas celebration, and I overheard that same old tired argument from the deacons,” Dorothy Mae said.

“You sure do a lot of overhearing,” Eva snapped.

“Well, it seems to be the only way to find out anything these days,” Dorothy Mae retorted.

“Well, what were they talking about?” Mamie asked.

“The usual. Getting rid of Terrance.”

“This is just crazy. Terrance is good for this church and they want to get rid of him because he’s single,” Eva groaned.

“You know most of them are just old school. They think if you’re thirty and single, something’s wrong. Dang down-low brothers got everybody paranoid,” Mamie said.

“So what are we gonna do?” Dorothy Mae asked, looking at Eva.

“Why do you all always think I have all the answers?”

“Because you usually do,” Mamie replied.

“Well, I don’t this time. I don’t know that I can stop them from getting rid of Terrance. Just like I couldn’t stop him from being with Savannah.” Eva sighed dejectedly.

“Oh, but you did stop him from being with Savannah,” Dorothy Mae said. “He may be mad at us now, but eventually, he’ll thank us for showing Savannah’s true colors.”

“I hope you’re right, little sister,” Eva remarked. “Lord knows, I hope you’re right.”

Savannah took a deep breath. She was standing outside Terrance’s office. She felt like a stalker. She’d sat outside, parked across the street, until she saw that his car was the only one left in the church parking lot.

Terrance wouldn’t take her calls since the disaster at her house last week. He wouldn’t even give her a chance to explain her side of the story.

Savannah was just about to knock on his office door when she heard voices.
Who else is in there?
she grumbled to herself. Somebody was always in his face. That’s why they couldn’t ever work on their relationship because they were always surrounded by people.

Savannah paused and looked through the cracked door. She didn’t see anyone but Terrance. He was facing the door, on his knees in the middle of the room. His Bible was clutched in his hands and his eyes were closed. He was deep in prayer.

Savannah stepped back. She felt guilty spying on him as he was praying. But something about the intense look across his face drew her back to the door. She strained to hear. Maybe he was asking God for guidance on what to do about her.
Please, God, guide him back to me,
Savannah silently mumbled.

“…and, Father, I know I come to you almost daily with this, but I need you to deliver me from my guilt,” Terrance prayed.

Deliver him from his guilt.
Okay, now he definitely had her interest piqued. She leaned in some more and listened to the rest of his prayer, hoping that no one walked by and caught her eavesdropping.

As Savannah listened, she had to grab on to the doorknob and steady herself. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Terrance? Carrying something like that? Never in a million years would she have thought he was capable of something like that.

She heard him wrapping up his prayer and she quickly walked away from the door. Now she was torn. Should she go in and let him know what she’d heard or wait a few minutes and act like she’d just arrived.

“No, I need to process all of this,” she muttered to herself. “I might be able to use this bombshell to my advantage.”

Savannah quickly tiptoed back out the door, her mind racing. She couldn’t believe what she’d just overheard. Maybe this was God’s way of answering her prayers. She nodded, convinced that it was. And for the first time since Terrance walked out of her life, Savannah felt like they might actually have a chance of working everything out.

S
avannah brushed down the waist of her chocolate brown wrap dress, then adjusted the opening so that it would show just enough cleavage to let Terrance know what he was missing, but not enough to be trashy.

She’d stored that little bombshell she overheard two days ago in the “last resort” file and was trying everything to win him back fair and square. He hadn’t spoken to her since the whole pregnancy fiasco, other than to reiterate that they were finished.

This was her last attempt to be reasonable with him. He was probably going to be upset with her stopping by his place on a Saturday evening, but this was the only time she knew she could catch him at home. He always dedicated the hours between five and seven to prepare for his Sunday sermon. She’d waited around closer to seven, just to give him time to wrap up. Now that it was just a few minutes before the hour, she was on his doorstep, saying a silent prayer that everything would work out.

Savannah reached up and rang the doorbell. She waited with anticipation as she heard him fumbling toward the door.

The look across his face when he opened the door was exactly what she was hoping he wouldn’t have.

“Savannah, what are you doing here?”

She tried her best to smile. “Hoping you’d found forgiveness in your heart. You know, the forgiveness you preach that we should have for one another.”

“I forgive you,” he said stoically. “I just don’t think it’s going to work between us.”

“Terrance, you have to understand,” she said, beginning the speech she’d rehearsed a thousand times. “I was desperate for you to give me a fair chance, and I knew with all the negativity you were surrounded with, that just wouldn’t happen.”

He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. “So you just decided to lie?”

She lowered her eyes but didn’t respond.

“Look, Savannah,” Terrance huffed in frustration. “What’s done is done. There is no need to rehash all of this.”

She looked him directly in the eyes. “Can I please come in and talk for a moment?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Please. If you ever had any feelings for me, please. Just give me ten minutes, then I’ll leave you alone.”

Terrance sighed, then stepped aside and let her in.

Savannah turned to face him as soon as he closed the door. “Tell me you didn’t feel anything for me. You might not have truly been in love with me, but you were on your way. I know it. I felt it.”

He ran his hands over his head. “Truthfully, I did have feelings for you. Or I thought I did.” Terrance blew an exasperated breath. “Come in the living room and sit down. We do need to talk.”

Savannah felt a flutter in her heart. The anger seemed to have disappeared from his body. “Terrance, I can’t begin to tell—”

“No,” he said, cutting her off. “Let me talk.” He sat down next to her and took her hand. “Savannah, you are a very sweet woman. Yes, there were some things that as a minister made me very uneasy, but you know I really did like you. I can even say I felt myself falling in love with you.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Savannah softly said. “If you want me to change some of my ways, I promise I can work on them.”

“No, it’s not that.” He looked like he was choosing his words carefully. “There is some man out there that will take you just as you are. A man who you don’t have to change for.”

“But I want you,” she said, rubbing his face. She couldn’t believe how desperate she was sounding. But she was desperate.

Terrance gently removed her hands. “Savannah, I’m so sorry I ever led you on. But, the more I think about it, it just wouldn’t work.”

“Why, because of those people at church? I can win them over. Just give me a chance.”

Terrance got up and began pacing across the room. “It’s not just that.” He inhaled. “I’ve thought long and hard about this. Finding out you lied about the pregnancy is not the real reason it won’t work between us. We don’t have a future because, well, it’s just that…my heart lies with someone else.” He looked at Savannah, and it took everything in her power for her not to cry.

“Raquel?”

“Yes.” Terrance looked relieved to get that off his chest. “I have always had a special relationship with Raquel, but I think I just tried to deny how I really felt about her. Besides, she was engaged and, well, the timing just wasn’t right.”

“So, it’s right now?” Savannah’s voice was a mixture of pain and anger.

“Please understand, this is not something I planned. It just happened. The heart wants what it wants.”

Savannah stood and angrily tossed her purse on the table. “Save that Hallmark bull for somebody else. You’ve wanted that little tramp all along, but she probably wouldn’t give you the time of day. Now that she will, you wanna just kick me to the curb,” Savanna hissed.

Terrance could tell from the look on Savannah’s face that his news wasn’t going over too well.

“Savannah, it’s not like that. I contemplated whether I should tell you, but I figured I needed to be honest with you—even though you weren’t honest with me,” he threw in.

“So just like that, we’re done?” Savannah asked, ignoring his dig at her.

“It’s not just like that,” Terrance protested.

“So, Reverend”—Savannah put her hands on her hips—“have you slept with Miss Raquel, too? Or, wait, let me guess. You want to keep her pure and use me to get your rocks off.”

“Savannah, you know better than that.”

“Do I?” So much for trying to take the sweet approach. “You probably never intended on having a relationship with me in the first place. I was just something to do until Raquel decided she wanted you in her life. I was just a way to get your manly needs fulfilled, is that it? Did the fact that I gave my body to you mean anything?”

Terrance gave her a look to see if she was serious, considering all the men she was rumored to have slept with. He quickly caught himself. None of those rumors had ever been confirmed. And if he didn’t believe them before, he knew he shouldn’t give them credence now.

“Savannah, I just got caught up in the lust of the flesh. I should have never let that happen.”

“But it did happen. And you said you loved me when we made love.”

Terrance racked his brain. He couldn’t for the life of him remember saying that. But she had been so good in bed, and it had been so long for him, that he was liable to have said anything in the heat of the moment.

“I don’t recall saying that, and if I did, I’m sorry. But I care about you, I do.”

She blew a disgusted breath. “Whatever. You try to act all holy and stuff, you’re nothing but a lying, low-down snake like the rest of the men out there.”

Terrance closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Let me explain something to you, Reverend,” Savannah began, her voice laced with attitude. “You don’t play with a woman’s emotions and think it’s over just because you say it’s over.”

“Savannah, please don’t make this ugly.”

She let out a maniacal laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Sweetie, trust me when I say things aren’t going to get ugly. In fact, they’ll be quite beautiful.”

Terrance shot her a perplexed look. “What does that mean?”

Savannah flashed him a smile as she headed to the door. “It means, darling, that this”—she pointed between the two of them—“isn’t over. In fact, we haven’t even begun. I’ll be in touch.”

Savannah left Terrance looking more confused than ever as she headed back to her car. She hadn’t wanted to go this route, but Terrance had left her no choice. It was time for the trump card, the one that would ensure she’d get exactly what she wanted.

“O
kay, I’m not understanding this,” Tyra said after the waiter had taken their drink orders and left them alone at the small corner table.

“What’s there not to understand?” Savannah asked, kicking back in her chair and motioning around the room. They were at the Red Cat, a jazz restaurant in downtown Houston. The place was packed, as usual. “We’ve got great music, drinks are on the way. We’re about to celebrate.”

“That’s just it. What are we celebrating for? You said Terrance didn’t take you back.”

“He didn’t.” Savannah smiled brightly.

“Then why are you grinning like you hit the Lotto or something?”

“I did.”

Tyra leaned in and sniffed. “You sure you haven’t already been drinking?”

Savannah had been in an unusually happy mood since she’d called an hour ago and told Tyra to meet her at the Red Cat. Tyra had asked her what had happened at Terrance’s, but all Savannah would say was that he reiterated that it was over and that he was pursuing a relationship with his secretary.

Savannah laughed. “Girl, I have not been drinking. Yet. This is a celebration of my soon-to-be life as Mrs. Terrance Ellis and the first lady of Lily Grove Missionary Baptist Church.”

Tyra shook her head. “Didn’t you say that not only did he refuse to give you another shot, but that he was involved with someone else?”

“Oh, she’s nobody.” Savannah waved off.

“Savannah McKinney, would you please stop beating around the bush and tell me what’s going on,” Tyra demanded.

The waiter returned and placed Savannah’s apple martini in front of her and Tyra’s rum and Coke in front of her. “Will there be anything else?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Savannah said. “But please keep our tab open as we’ll want to keep the drinks coming.”

The waiter nodded and took off. He had just stepped away when a tall, handsome Morris Chestnut–looking man made his way over to their table.

“Excuse me,” he said, never taking his eyes off Savannah. “My name is Lance and I was just wondering if I could buy you two ladies a drink.”

Tyra displayed a big, cheesy grin. Savannah turned up her nose as she looked him up and down.

“Lance, we can buy our own drinks,” Savannah snidely responded. Tyra shot her a confused look.

Lance chuckled. “I’m sure you can. But I was just hoping to, you know, take a moment of your time to get to know you better.”

“Well, thanks, but no thanks. We’re kinda having a private conversation here,” Savannah rudely replied.

Lance nodded, trying not to let his dejection show. “All right. Didn’t mean to be a bother. You ladies have a nice evening.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Tyra whispered as soon as he walked off. “Did you see how fine he was?”

Savannah dismissed him with a wave of the hand. “Girl, please. I’m not trying to hook up with some dude in the club. I have me a real man.” She took a sip of her drink and leaned back.

“Okay, this whole new level of confidence is creepy. The old Savannah would have jumped at the chance to talk to a man as fine as that dude. You need to tell me what is going on.”

Savannah looked like she could no longer contain her excitement. “Okay, I guess I won’t keep you hanging anymore.” She beamed.

“Thank you,” Tyra huffed. “Now tell me, why are you so sure that you and Terrance are going to be together? Especially after he told you a hundred times that it’s over.”

“Because I have an ace in the hole.”

“An ace in the hole?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Well, what is it?”

“Now that, I’m not going to be able to tell you.”

Tyra rolled her eyes. “You and all this double-oh-seven spy mess ’bout to drive me crazy.”

Savannah laughed. “Seriously, just trust me on this. I have a little secret about the good reverend that will ensure that he will see things my way.”

“Ooooh,” Tyra said, intrigued. “You playing dirty for real. That’s the Savannah I know and love.”

“I didn’t want to, but he’s left me no choice.”

“Are you setting him up or something?”

“No, I didn’t even have to do anything like that. Let’s just say God sent me a little nugget to make all my dreams come true.”

Tyra looked like she was deep in thought for a minute. “Savannah, you know you’re my girl and I love you, right?”

Savannah nodded. “I know. I love you, too. But why are you saying that?”

“Are you sure that you want to get Terrance this way? I mean, do you really want to blackmail him into being with you?”

Savannah lost her smile. “Really, I don’t, Tyra. But I love this man. He’s everything I want and need in my life. And I know that he can love me, too. I can be a good wife, if he would just give me the chance. So, no, this isn’t the way I wanted to get him to be with me, but I gotta do what I gotta do.”

Tyra seemed satisfied with Savannah’s answer because she smiled. “I feel you. You do you.” She raised her glass in a toast. “To a wonderful future with the man you love.”

Savannah clinked her glass with Tyra’s.

“And you’re not going to tell me this secret for real?” Tyra asked after they both took sips of their drinks.

“Eventually I will. I just can’t right now, okay?”

“Cool.” Tyra set her drink down. “I say, whatever your plan is, more power to you.”

Savannah smiled at her friend. “Thank you, girl. That’s why I’m going to let you be in my wedding,” Savannah joked.

“Baby, from all the drama you guys have so far, you’d better believe I wouldn’t miss the wedding for the world.”

They both laughed as thoughts of a life with Terrance filled Savannah’s head.