Read The Perfect Christian Online
Authors: E. N. Joy
The Perfect Christian (13 page)
Chapter Twenty-seven
“Lauren Casinoff,” the words fell from Mother Doreen's lips as she stood at that altar on what should have been her perfect wedding day to Pastor Frey. But so far, it had turned out to be a complete mess. No, maybe
disaster
was a more fitting word. For some reason, not even that word described the full magnitude of what Mother Doreen would now describe her wedding day as.
disaster
was a more fitting word. For some reason, not even that word described the full magnitude of what Mother Doreen would now describe her wedding day as.
“Aha; the name rings a bell, does it?” the man that had interrupted the wedding ceremony said. He bobbed his head up and down with a knowing grin on his face. “I thought saying her name would.”
This man started out as a stranger, but now Mother Doreen knew him to be the son of Lauren Casinoff. But a stranger, to a degree, he was. Exactly who was he? Meaning, why was he there? What did he want from Mother Doreen?
“Honey, what's going on? Who is this young man?” Pastor Frey asked Doreen, who had not taken her eyes off the young man once.
Mother Doreen remained frozen, still gazing at the young man.
“Go ahead, Doreen, answer the man,” the stranger said. “Tell him what's going on. Tell him who I am.”
Mother Doreen snapped out of her daze. “Uh, oh, yeah. Uh, he's, uh . . .” Mother Doreen couldn't even focus enough to speak a complete sentence. With just hearing the name Lauren Casinoff, her mind had traveled way back into the past, and then all the way to when she'd heard that name for the first time.
Not even in the courtroom during Mother Doreen's arraignment had they said Lauren's name. They simply just kept referring to her as the victim or the alleged victim, like she wasn't real or didn't even exist. Like the only thing that had existed or allegedly existed was the incident itself. Ironically enough, for years, she didn't existânot in Mother Doreen's thoughts anyway. Mother Doreen had served her time in jail, repenting daily at first. Coming to realize that God had indeed forgiven her, she was released from jail and moved on with her life.
As promised, Willie had been there waiting for her once she got out of jail. As promised, they moved to another town in Ohio. They started their lives over together. They never looked back, never speaking about the incident that had cost Mother Doreen a year of her life behind bars and had cost Willie his son.
Not only did Mother Doreen and Willie never speak of it to each other, but the two never spoke of it to anyone else either. Willie never told his parents, and Mother Doreen never told hers. For that year she was in jail, her family had always thought she was caught up and consumed with chasing Willie around. They'd even shared that mysterious year of Mother Doreen missing in action with her baby sister, Bethany, over the years, citing Willie for being the cause. Mother Doreen never allowed them to think otherwise.
It wasn't until about a year ago that Mother Doreen finally decided to share the dirty part of her life she had swept under the rug for years. First she told her pastor of New Day, Margie. Next she'd told Pastor Frey. He'd been so persistent in courting her in an attempt to make her his wife, she knew there was no way she could marry him without telling him.
Mother Doreen thought once Pastor Frey learned that she was a murderer, he'd withdraw his desires for her. That didn't happen though. He loved the woman Mother Doreen was today, and he showed her so by proposing with a diamond ring the very next day after she'd shared her past.
Although Mother Doreen hadn't told them herself, some of the New Day members even knew about Mother Doreen's past. Margie's former secretary had a problem with eavesdropping in on Margie's prayers and conversations with the saints. The secretary would then spill what she'd heard like a toddler just learning to walk carrying a cup of Cherry Kool-Aid around a white-carpeted house. Some of Mother Doreen's Kool-Aid, so to speak, dripped into other folks' ears. Gossiping and rumors started, but Mother Doreen never really put a stamp on what was true and what wasn't. She just let folks talk. She allowed people to think what they wanted to think. But now what's-his-name was here, obviously to give his version.
“My apologies for not introducing myself to the groom,” the gentleman said, sticking his arm past Mother Doreen to Pastor Frey. “My name is Terrance Casinoff, and I drove all the way from my hometown in West Virginia just to be here today.” He smiled a cunning, devious smile.
Pastor Frey hesitantly shook Terrance's hand. “I'mâ”
“Pastor Wallace Frey,” Terrance said. “You're all set to head back to Kentucky after the wedding and take over the reigns of Living Word, Living Waters, isn't that correct? Congratulations.” Terrance began to shake Pastor Frey's hand harder.
Pastor Frey kindly pulled his hand away and looked at Terrance suspiciously. It was written all over his face that he was wondering how the man knew that bit of information about him.
“Oh, you're wondering how I know that,” Terrance said, responding to the expression on Pastor Frey's face. “Well, you know I've been keeping up with the bride here,” he pointed to Mother Doreen, “for quite some time. As a matter of fact, my latest Google search pulled up a local article about Kentucky's hometown preacher man to wed the woman of his dreams. It went on about some type of comeback from a scandal you'd been a part of and how you'd redeemed yourself to the church. There were quotes from church members supporting you and your works and how they couldn't wait to welcome you back with open arms as the head of their ministry.” Terrance opened his arms wide.
“Uh, yeah, I know exactly what article you're talking about,” Pastor Frey acknowledged.
“It just moved my heart.” Terrance sarcastically put his hand on his heart and shook his head. “Heck, by the time I finished reading it, even I was cheering for the underdog. That's why I couldn't let you do it. I couldn't let you ruin your life . . .” he glared at Mother Doreen, “or should I say, I couldn't let her ruin your life. She's ruined one life too many as it stands.” He looked back at Pastor Frey. “Man to man and just me looking out for a fellow black man, you're better off dead than marrying this woman.”
Pastor Frey instantly flexed toward the gentleman. That's when everyone at the altar either jumped to hold him back or jumped in between him and Terrance.
“Oh, feisty old man, are you?” Terrance chuckled. “Maybe you two are a match made in heaven after all. You both like to jump on people.” He shot Mother Doreen a glare before turning his attention back to Pastor Frey. “So, tell me, Pastor Wallace Frey, do you like to jump on pregnant women, beat 'em half to death, killing the baby inside their wombs too? Or is that something you leave up to the old lady here?”
Once again, Pastor Frey flexed and everyone put their guards back up to keep him from getting at Terrance. They almost didn't move quick enough this time, as Pastor Frey's hand had almost got the collar of Terrance's suit coat in a grip.
Terrance dusted off his suit coat and held his hands up. “Hey, don't shoot the messenger.” He let his arms drop. “I'm just here with your best interest in mind. I'm here to stop you from possibly making one of the biggest mistakes in your life. I'm here to share with you something I bet you never would have guessed about this woman.” He pointed an accusing finger at Mother Doreen. “She's a killer. She even served time in jail for it.”
There were gasps about the sanctuary. “I told you so,” and “I knew those rumors were true” could be heard sprinkled throughout the sanctuary. A handful of folks even had the audacity to get up and leave, taking their gifts they'd left on the gift table out in the foyer with them.
“I'll have you know that Mr. Frey here is well aware of Mother Doreen's past,” Margie interrupted. “So, Mr. Casinoff, you've pretty much wasted your time and ours. So if you don't mind, please remove yourself from the sanctuary. We have a wedding we need to finish up here.”
Terrance looked at Pastor Frey. “So this is the type of leader you are? This is the type of first lady you are knowingly going to present to your church? I wonder what the parishioners are going to think when the local journalist prints that story in the paper.” He looked at Mother Doreen, Margie, and then Pastor Frey. “Pardon me. Looks like I'm going to have to leave before the nuptials are exchanged. I need to get to Kentucky before it's too late.” Terrance bowed as if he'd just performed on Broadway and was making a grand exit.
“No!” Mother Doreen shouted, stopping Terrance in his tracks. “Don't go. There's nothing to tell that journalist. There's no need to make the saints of Living Word think they are going to have someone like me as their first lady.”
Pastor Frey said nervously, “Doreen, what are you saying?”
Mother Doreen looked at Pastor Frey with tear-filled eyes and said to him, “I'm sorry, Wallie, but I can't marry you. The wedding is off.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
“The coast is clear,” Deborah said, entering the dressing room.
Mother Doreen had been sitting in there the last hour or so waiting for the coast to clear of all guests who had come to see a wedding that never took place.
“Some folks ate and lots of people took food to-go in those foam containers. Unique wouldn't let anybody cut the cake though. She said she was going to freeze it for a couple days just in case you changed your mind.”
There was silence for a brief moment; and then Mother Doreen spoke. “How's Pastor Frey?”
“Other than the times he came back here and you refused to see him, he's been at that altar praying.” Deborah sat down next to Mother Doreen. “You know I love you, and I have the utmost respect for you. You're like a mother to me. You're like a mother to everyone at New Day. And I'm sure you're going to be like a mother to everyone at Living Word too.”
Mother Doreen began shaking her head. “That's not going to happen, Sister Deborah. I can't take this mess to Kentucky and destroy everything Pastor Frey has worked to build with that congregation. They have to trust his judgment. He's already been involved in the scandal when he was covering for his once senior pastor's affair with my sister.”
“And the church got over that,” Bethany interrupted, “so they'll get over this too. Trust me; I know what you're going through.” Bethany entered the room, closing the door behind her. She walked over and sat beside her sister. “You know how hard it was for Uriah, me, and the kids to start going back to Living Word again. It was crazy. People were talking, whispering, gossiping, pointing fingers, and turning up noses. But God wasn't. Some folks were even bold enough to walk up to Uriah and ask him how on earth he could still be with a woman who cheated on him with his pastor and got pregnant by him. Church folks, the ones who are supposed to be practicing forgiveness, will sometimes be the first people to write you off. But God didn't write me off.” Bethany went over to Doreen and put her hand on her shoulder. “And God is not going to write you off either. He knows your heart. You're like the perfect Chriâ”
“No! Don't you say it!” Mother Doreen stood up in a gust of anger. “I'm not now, nor have I ever been the perfect Christian. And if that's what I've been portraying to people for all these years, then I repent right now in the name of Jesus.” Mother Doreen was in such a huff, it silenced both Deborah and Bethany. They both had shocked looks on their faces. “Jesus was the only perfect somebody who ever walked this earth, and don't you forget it.”
Her big sister had spoken. Just like when she was younger, Bethany had planned on taking Mother Doreen's word as bond, allowing her older sibling to have the final word. But this time she just couldn't. Too much was at stake, namely her sister's happiness.
Bethany stood up and stomped her foot like a spoiled four year old throwing a tantrum. “Now you listen to me, Doreen, and you listen to me right now. You're as close to perfection as I've ever witnessed. No, you're not God, but God is in you. And the God in you is the only God some folks are ever going to be blessed enough to see. So you better own it. You better own the fact that God chose you to work through all these years; that God gave you a testimony powerful enough to change other people's lives. Just think about all the people at New Day whose lives you've touched.”
“Like mine.” Deborah stood up to cosign for Bethany.
“God has a calling on your life,” Bethany continued. “You know that, and everybody else knows that. And He's requiring that you take that calling to Kentuckyâto Living Word.” Bethany walked over to Doreen and placed her hand on her sister's belly. “God don't care nothing about a person's age. He's birthing a new thing in you. God don't care how old a woman is in order for Him to impregnate her with something. Ask Sarah from the Bible.”
Bethany began to rub her hands on Mother Doreen's stomach as she began to speak in unknown tongues. Deborah extended her hands toward Mother Doreen and began to pray.
“God is birthing something inside of you, Sis,” Bethany said. “God is requiring more of you. You once said, âLord, wherever you want me to go, I'll go.' Did you mean that, Doreen? Did you really mean it? When you said yes to God's will and yes to God's way so many years ago, was it a complete yes? Was it a yes to everything or a yes to some things?”
“It was a complete yes,” Mother Doreen replied with closed eyes. Even with closed eyes, the tears managed to seep through and down her face.
“Then why is it you are going to allow that Terrance fellow to come up in here like a doctor putting on his rubber gloves and perform an abortion on you?” Upon Bethany saying those words, the entire calm atmosphere changed. Mother Doreen opened her eyes immediately and even Deborah was at loss for words to pray. Noticing words were no longer coming out of Deborah's mouth, Bethany turned to her and said, “Keep praying, Saint. Please keep praying. The Word says where two or more are gathered . . . I need you to touch and agree with me, Sister Deborah. We need to send this demon off to flight that's trying to abort what God is birthing in Doreen. Pray!” Bethany demanded.
Deborah went right back into praying. She was praying harder than ever.
“That's right,” Bethany said. “We're coming up against you, Satan. I know you don't want to kill, steal, and destroy my sister. No, you ain't thinking about Doreen. It's the gifts inside of her that you want to kill, steal, and destroy. See, that's where folks get it twisted; thinking you're after them, Satan. But it's what's inside of them that you're really after. It's what's inside Doreen that you're after. But you can't have it, Satan. This thing inside of my sister will be birthed. I declare it so in the name of Jesus.”
“Hallelujah!” Mother Doreen cried out as tears continued to flow from her eyes. “Hallelujah!”
“That's right, give Him the highest praise,” Bethany ordered her sister as Mother Doreen continued to cry out praises to God. “You can make it through the labor pains, Doreen. I know it's hard. I know it's painful, but if you don't get this thing out, it's just gon' die up inside of you. You are not death, but are life. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, I hear you,” Mother Doreen cried. “I hear you.” She turned and embraced Bethany. “Oh, God, thank you for your Word. Thank you so much for bringing forth that word, Sis. I love you, Beth. I really do.”
“I love you too, Reen. And that's why I want to see you happy. I know what makes you happy is doing God's work. If God didn't have you on some type of assignment, then you'd be all up in the rest of our business driving us crazy.”
All the women in the room laughed.
“You know I love you, Mother Doreen,” Deborah laughed, “but Bethany's right.”
“Oooh, y'all ain't right,” Mother Doreen said as she pulled her arms from around Bethany and wiped her face with her hands.
“Oooh, and if Unique was in here to see the mess you've made of her makeup job . . .” The women shared another laugh until a knock on the door interrupted them. “Speaking of the devil . . .” Deborah tiptoed over to the door, assuming it was Unique. She cracked the door open, and the smile that had been on her face as a remnant of the laughter faded. She turned to face Mother Doreen. “Someone wants to see you. But I'm not sure if you're ready to see him yet.”
Mother Doreen took a deep breath and looked at Bethany. “I guess I'm going to have to face Wallace sooner or later. Do you think he'll forgive me for my little stunt and still want to marry me?”
Before Bethany could answer, Deborah spoke. “I'm not sure what Pastor Frey is going to do, but he's not the one who wants to see you.” Deborah opened the door wide enough for Mother Doreen to see Terrance standing in the doorway.
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