The Pastor's Woman

“Everything on the menu is delicious, though I have some personal favorites.” She described them in detail, and the pastor made a choice.

“I’ll go put your order in and I’ll be right back with your water.”

Wade nodded in response.

Pearl couldn’t believe her luck. Why did Wade Kendrick of all people have to come to Milton’s today and end up in her station?

He’d better leave me a nice big tip, she thought to herself.

She returned to Wade’s table a few minutes later with his water. Pearl sat it down in front of him, saying, “Your food should be up shortly.”

Their gazes met and held, making her uneasy.

“Thank you,” he murmured after a moment.

Pearl moved without haste but with hurried purpose. She had no idea why Wade affected her the way he did, but instead of dwelling on the thought, she pushed it to the back of her mind as she wrote down more dinner orders.

She smiled at the two men entering her station, acknowledging them. As soon as they took their seats, Pearl went over to introduce herself.

She stole a peek over her shoulder at the table where Wade was sitting.

He was watching her. Pearl thought she detected a flicker in his intense eyes, causing her pulse to skitter alarmingly.

She drew her attention back to her customers and managed to get through the specials and take their drink order without fumbling. Having Wade seated in her station made her nervous.

But why? she wondered.

Pearl had been completely caught unawares seeing him. Wade was just as surprised to see her standing at his table. She looked as stunning in her uniform as she did any other time. All of the Lockhart siblings were beautiful, but Wade thought Pearl the prettiest.

She was also the most outgoing, it seemed. And the most opinionated, for sure.

His eyes traveled to the two men sitting at the table across from his. They shared similar features, so much that they had to be related to each other. Probably brothers, Wade decided.

Pearl paused at his table to refresh his glass of water, her appearance distracting him briefly from his thoughts.

He cast another smile her way. “Thank you.”

“Would you like something else to drink with your dinner besides water?” she inquired.

Wade shook his head. “This is fine.”

“Your food should be ready.”

While Wade waited for Pearl to come back with his meal, he reflected back over his life. His journey to the pulpit had not been one without heartache. His gaze landed on the two men laughing and talking nearby, his heart breaking all over again.

I miss you so much, Jeff.

Memories of his dead brother rushed to the forefront, bringing tears to Wade’s eyes. Ten years had passed since Jeff’s death, but to him, it still felt like it had happened yesterday. Wade didn’t know if he would ever be able to escape that particular heartache or be free of the guilt.

It’s my fault that Jeff is dead.

Wade had joined the Chicago Kings, one of the city’s largest and most violent street gangs, when he was fifteen. Two years later, when his younger brother, Jeff, wanted to join, Wade didn’t do anything to dissuade him, despite the constant pleas of their mother.

He knew the dangers, but back then, it was nothing more than a way of life to Wade. It took Jeff being killed in a drive-by shooting a year later to change Wade’s way of thinking and to change his life.

Wade went through the motions of eating but not really tasting his food. Seeing families together, enjoying each other, was a constant reminder of everything that he’d lost.

Suddenly needing to get out of there, he dropped two twenty-dollar bills on the table and rose to his feet. He spotted Pearl coming his way and met her.

“I’m sorry but I need to leave,” he blurted. “I left money on the table. Keep the change.” Wade didn’t give her a chance to respond. He walked briskly to the door.

Outside, he took a deep breath and climbed into his car.

Wade pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind as he drove down I-75, en route to his house in Auburn Hills.

At home, Wade went straight to the dresser in his bedroom. From the top drawer he pulled a yellow bandana and a necklace made of gold and black beads—the items Jeff was wearing when he was killed. The faded brownish stains on it were his brother’s blood. Wade kept the bandana and necklace because it was all he had left of Jeff.

But the items couldn’t help him remember the exact details of what happened that day. Wade had tried over the years to piece together everything, but there was a huge gap in his mind from the time they were walking to a nearby store to his holding Jeff’s bullet-ridden body.

Holding the bandana to his chest, Wade sat down on the edge of the king-sized bed, lost in the memories of his brother and the precious little time they’d spent together.

The images Wade dreaded most were of Jeff wearing the bandana and the necklace, and the day Wade took him to get a royal crown tattooed on his shoulder. Wade had since gone through the expensive process of having the Kings’s symbol removed via laser treatment. Even now, the faint image of a crown still remained as a permanent link to his past.

“I’m so sorry, Jeff,” he whispered, his voice breaking.

Wade would never forget the look on his poor mother’s face when she was told that her sixteen-year-old son was dead. She was in denial initially until she looked into Wade’s eyes. Her expression changed from grief to pure hatred. She charged at him, beating him with her fists and calling him a murderer.

He winced at the memory.

After they’d buried Jeff, his mother had told him at the cemetery that he no longer had a home or a mother. A close family friend who’d been in town for the funeral had invited Wade to live with his family in Indiana—but only if he was ready to leave the gang.

Harold Green and Wade’s father had been in the military together. Afterward they’d both decided to go into law enforcement. Wade’s father had been killed five years later when he went to check on a domestic dispute. Uncle Harold had stayed in law enforcement until retiring a few years ago. He’d tried to counsel Wade against gangs, but his words had gone unheard.

Until Jeff’s death.

When Jeff died, life with the Chicago Kings no longer appealed to Wade. It had cost him all that had ever mattered to him—his family.

Wade had moved in with the Green family and surprised everyone when he not only accepted Christ into his life, but finished high school and announced that he felt led to ministry. When Harold accepted a position with the Detroit police department, Wade opted to stay in Indianapolis to finish school at the Christian Theological Seminary.

He received a master’s of divinity degree with the Green family in attendance. Although he didn’t really expect his mother to be in the audience, Wade kept hoping she would come to see him graduate. He missed her dearly.

Wade had not spoken to her in ten years—not since the day they buried Jeff. His death was a wound that would continue to fester and never heal.

Even after her last customer left, Pearl was still wondering what made Wade leave the restaurant in such a hurry. He’d seemed really upset about something.

She cleaned up her station, picked up her dinner and Paige’s, then left the restaurant.

She drove straight home, listening to Yolanda Adams’s new CD.

Her cousin was waiting for her in the living room. “I’m so glad you’re home. I’m starved.”

She got up and followed Pearl into the kitchen.

Pearl sat the bag of food on the Venetian gold-granite countertop. “Guess who had dinner tonight at Milton’s?”

“Who?” Paige retrieved two plates from one of the cherrywood cabinets.

“Pastor Wade Kendrick.”

Paige’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? Was he alone?”

“Yeah. Why?” Pearl wanted to know. “Is he seeing someone?”

“Not that I know of. That’s why I was asking you if he was alone.”

The thought of Wade with another woman bothered Pearl more than it should’ve. There was no reason for her to be jealous. They couldn’t have a decent conversation much less get involved. Besides, she had absolutely no interest in Wade.

At least that’s what Pearl kept telling herself.

Chapter 3

When Wednesday rolled around, Pearl was ecstatic. Tonight the Chargers would play their first game of the season. This afternoon she was meeting Paige at Charlie’s Coney Dog Empire, one of Pearl’s favorite haunts.

After her errands she made her way to Charlie’s, conveniently located across from the hospital where Paige worked, so all her cousin had to do was walk across the street for lunch.

“I’ll have two with everything and a cherry Coke,” Pearl ordered with a smile. “And these,” she added, referring to the bag of potato chips she was holding.

She liked sitting at the counter in full view of the grill, where she could watch the cooks. Her standard order was always two Coney dogs with chili, mustard and raw onions, the toppings piled so high that half of it ended up on her plate.

Paige came up from behind Pearl, wearing a pair of royal blue scrubs beneath her coat. “Hey, girl,” she greeted. “How long have you been here?”

“Not very long.”

When the waitress came over, Paige ordered, then turned to Pearl. “After I eat this, I’m going to have to spend another hour on the treadmill tonight.”

Pearl laughed. “It’s so worth it. Besides you’ll work it off in the E.R. They usually have you running around like crazy.”

“How can you eat all those onions like that?” Paige asked when their food arrived. “You’re never going to meet a man walking around with onion breath.”

Pearl shrugged. “A little onion breath never killed anyone. Besides, I’m not looking for anyone. I’m content being carefree and single. It gives me a chance to focus on my career.”

She said a quick prayer of thanks before taking a bite of her Coney dog. “Mmm, this is so good.”

Paige nodded in agreement, her mouth full of food.

While Pearl ate her Coney dog, she contemplated her life. It was true, she was very content with her life but still, there was nothing wrong with some male companionship from time to time. And she wanted to get married one day.

A fleeting image of Wade entered Pearl’s mind, surprising her. Why am I thinking about him?

“You’re not saying much,” Paige stated. “Something bothering you?”

“I was just thinking about how it wouldn’t be so bad to have a man in my life. You know, it’s been a while since I’ve even been on a date.”

“A long while.”

Pearl nearly choked on her pop. “You didn’t have to say it like that. You make it sound like it’s been years.”

“Well, it has been a while.”

“Six months, four days and eight hours, but who’s counting?” Pearl responded with a chuckle.

Paige drank some of her pop. “So you’re saying that you’re ready to be involved in a relationship?”

“If the right person comes along.” Pearl picked up her second Coney dog. “I could eat two more of these.”

Shaking her head, Paige said, “You’re a heart attack waiting to happen. You should balance out all that junk food with some healthy foods.”

“I eat healthy most of the time, and you know it. It’s just that I have a thing for Coney dogs and pizza.”

“And white chocolate, and red-velvet cake and—”

“I have a sweet tooth, I admit it.”

They laughed, and finished their lunch.

“What time are you getting off tonight?” Pearl asked.

“Seven-thirty,” Paige responded. “I’ll pick up the pizza on my way home.”

“They’re playing Boston at home on Friday, right?”

Paige nodded. “D’marcus gave Opal our tickets already.”

“Great! I’m working the lunch shift but I should be home by five.” There was nothing she liked more than watching the game in person.

They talked a few minutes more before Paige went back across the street to Harper University Hospital.

Pearl headed home and spent the rest of the afternoon working on her music. She was composing the arrangements for a new song she’d written for the youth choir to sing. When she first took over as choir director, there was only a handful of teens coming to rehearsal. It wasn’t until she began incorporating some of her own original compositions to the playlist that other youth joined the choir. They were now thirty-eight strong, with others wanting to join almost weekly.

Pearl enjoyed working with the teens. They seemed to respect her and they listened to her. She even tutored a couple of them in history.

Detroit had its share of gang activity and Pearl knew that there was a lot of pressure for kids to join a gang. She hoped that by keeping them involved in church activities and stepping up as a role model and mentor she could save them from making a choice that would potentially ruin lives.

Although her father died when she was very young, Pearl had a happy and secure childhood. She grew up feeling safe and loved. But kids today were in crisis and Pearl was committed to doing whatever she could to help them make the right choices.

She was still working on the song when Paige walked into the apartment carrying the pizza.

“Hurry up,” Pearl said. “I’ll out it on pause until you get out.”

She set the pizza down on the counter and rushed off to take a shower.

Meanwhile, Pearl gathered paper plates, napkins and glasses, setting them on the coffee table.

She was seated cross-legged on the floor with the remote in her hand by the time Paige came running out of her bedroom.

“Did I miss anything?”

Pearl shook her head. “It’s just starting.”

On the first play of the game, the Chargers came down court and Lyman Epse hit a three-pointer.

“Did you just see that?” Paige screamed. “My man just scored three points. Yes!”

Pearl stood up and did a minicheer. “Go, Lyman. That’s the way you do it.”

She bent down to put a slice of pizza on a plate. Grabbing a napkin, she sat back down on the floor. “Now, that’s the way you start a game.”

She groaned in agony when the ball was stolen by the other team.

“It’s okay,” Paige told her. “We’re gonna get it back.”

“Ooh, I can’t stand him,” Pearl uttered when the camera panned to Dashuan Kennedy, Lyman’s teammate who was currently on suspension. “It’s just something about him.”

Paige agreed. “Amber thinks he’s gorgeous but I don’t see it.”

“He’s not bad-looking. It’s his attitude I don’t like. He was so arrogant when Lyman introduced us at that party last month.”

“He’s been hanging with Kelvin Landy a lot lately.”

Pearl didn’t know much about the physical therapist and trainer who worked with some Detroit athletes. Shrugging in nonchalance, she said, “Kelvin’s okay. It’s Dashuan who is such a jerk.”

For the rest of the half, they yelled and cheered the Chargers each time they scored.

“You having choir rehearsal tomorrow?” Paige inquired during a commercial break.

Pearl nodded. “I hope Pastor won’t be around. He makes me uncomfortable.”

Paige finished off her second slice of pizza. “Why?”

“I don’t know. He just does,” Pearl responded. “Have you noticed that the man hardly ever smiles? He’s so serious all of the time.”

“Maybe he doesn’t have much to smile about,” Paige offered. “You shouldn’t let Pastor get to you like that. He’ll keep on if he knows that he can get to you.”

“He doesn’t get to me,” Pearl said. But there was no time to argue, as the second half started.

The Chargers were ahead, but not by much. Pearl was on pins and needles until the final buzzer.

“Yes!” She rose up and started dancing. “That’s the way to start the season off right. Give Lyman my congratulations when you talk to him,” Pearl said. “Meanwhile I’ll be in the library working on some music. I’ve been inspired by the victory.”

Thursday morning, Wade strolled into his office at the church, crossing the room to his desk. Up since four-thirty, he’d already spent an hour praying and studying his Bible and taking an early-morning stroll.

Barbara Delany, his secretary, entered the office behind him, carrying a stack of documents.

He quickly looked them over. “Thanks, Barbara. How are you this morning?”

“Blessed and highly favored, Pastor. Oh, my niece is moving back to Detroit this weekend. She’s a doctor. An unmarried doctor. I can’t wait for you to meet her. We’re all very proud of her.”

A muscle quivered at his jaw. “I’m sure you and she will have a great visit.”

“She’ll be coming to church with me on Sunday. Marnie’s not just coming for a visit. She’s going to be working at Detroit Memorial. She wanted to come back home. Our family’s very close.”

After signing the documents, he handed the papers back to her. “I look forward to meeting her,” Wade responded blandly.

Barbara whipped a photo out of her pocket. “I just happen to have a picture of her right here.”

Wade politely accepted the photo, eying the woman in it. “She looks like you.”

Barbara broke into a big grin. “That’s what everybody says.”

Wade sent up a silent prayer for any type of interruption to jolt Barbara back into secretary mode. Why didn’t members of his congregation trust him to pick his own wife?

As if heaven sent, the telephone began to ring.

“I better go get that,” Barbara uttered, rushing out of the office.

Wade sent up a quick prayer of thanks.

She put the call through to his office and he answered on the second ring, “Pastor Wade Kendrick.”

“Wade, it’s Harold. Hadn’t talked to you in a couple of days. Wanted to say hello.”

He smiled. Harold Green and his family had always been a part of his extended family, but for the past ten years they were his only family.

“I had you on my list to call today,” Wade stated. “I wanted to invite you to lunch, if you have some time today.”

“Ivy and Cassie are doing some last-minute shopping for the wedding. I have a few hours to kill. Lunch is good.”

They arranged a time and a place.

Wade met Harold at the restaurant shortly after twelve.

“Uncle Harold,” he greeted, “I’m glad you could meet me.”

They followed a hostess to a small table by the window. When they were seated, Harold asked, “How are things going at Lakeview?”

“Well, I’m adjusting,” Wade responded. “Some of the mothers in the church are trying to marry me off to their daughters. That’s a good sign, I think.”

Harold chuckled. “You can’t be surprised. You’re a minister of a medium-sized church, you have a nice car, you’re good-looking. Man, that makes you a good catch.”

Wade changed the subject by asking, “So how are the wedding plans going?”

Sighing in resignation, Harold answered, “My wife and my daughter are getting sick of each other. I’m glad the wedding is this Saturday. I don’t know how much longer I can referee.”

Wade chuckled. “Weddings are supposed to be happy occasions.”

“But the planning is a nightmare. Ivy wants to throw rice while Cassie only wants birdseed and her future mother-in-law thinks they should just release a couple of doves. Doves. Have you heard of such a thing?”

“I’ve had some similar requests but as long as it’s not done in the church, I don’t have a problem with it,” Wade stated. “I know Cassie. She’s going to have her way in this. She’s as stubborn as Aunt Ivy.”

Harold agreed. “And it’s driving my wife crazy. I keep telling Ivy that this is our daughter’s wedding, not hers.”

The waitress arrived to take their food and drink orders.

While they waited for the food, Harold announced, “I spoke to your mother last week. She sounded good.”

“That’s great news,” Wade replied. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Have you tried to call her lately?”

A pain squeezed his heart as Wade thought about his estranged mother. “No point in it. She’s never going to forgive me for Jeff’s death. She hasn’t spoken to me since he died and she’s not going to talk to me now.”

“How do you know unless you try?”

“Uncle Harold, I’ve tried. You know that. I used to call once a month, then three times a year. She won’t talk to me. All she does is slam the phone down as soon as she realizes it’s me.”

“You should never give up on family, Wade.”

“I haven’t given up,” he stated. “My mother was the one who gave up on me.”

“Your mother loves you,” Harold said. “One day she’ll remember just how much.”

Wade didn’t want to continue this conversation because it hurt too deeply. He changed the topic to sports, which dominated their thoughts until lunch was over.

Wade returned to his office to find Melinda Newberry, one of the church members, waiting for him. He released a short sigh, then pasted on a smile.

“Sister Melinda, it’s nice to see you. What brings you here?”

“I’m attending the Grosse Pointe Heart Foundation gala next weekend and I thought maybe you could escort me. Pastor, it would be the perfect chance for you to meet some very influential people here in Detroit. It would be nice for them to meet you, as well.”

Wade tried to think of a way to let her down gently. “Thank you for the invitation, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend.”

She looked offended. “I just thought it would be nice for you to network. Some of Detroit’s most prominent ministers will be in attendance. Pastor, you really should be there.” She gave him a sexy smile. “Won’t you reconsider?”

“I’m afraid I can’t,” he replied. “Thank you for thinking of me.”

Without a response, Melinda strode out of the building in a huff.

“You did the right thing, Pastor,” his secretary told him. “She’s after fame and fortune. I’m not one to gossip but the truth is the light. Melinda Newberry only wants a man with money.”

He laughed. “Then I don’t have a thing to worry about.”

Wade headed to his office.

Barbara followed him. “Now, my niece…she’s a real nice girl. But I have to tell you that she’s not looking for a boyfriend. Marnie wants a husband. She’s ready to settle down and have a lot of pretty babies.”

“I’ll keep her in my prayers,” Wade stated.

“I appreciate you remembering her in your prayers, Pastor, but I’d like for you to meet her. I’ll make sure I introduce you to Marnie. I’m telling you, she’s a nice girl. Just needs to be married.”

Wade didn’t miss the not-so-subtle hint but chose not to comment on it. When the time was right, God would bring into his life the woman he was meant to marry.

Until then, Wade had to run in the other direction whenever Barbara and the other women threw their daughters in his direction.

Pearl was so exhausted, she could barely think straight. Not even a shower woke her up.

Paige was in the living room watching television when she walked out. “Hey, girl,” she greeted. “You look like you need to go back to bed.”

“Don’t tempt me,” she moaned. “My manager just called. I’m going in early today, picking up another shift.”

“You can’t work all those hours at Milton’s and then do your singing gigs. Just thinking about it makes me tired, too.”

“Hopefully, I won’t have to do this much longer. I pray I’ll get a record deal from the demo tapes I sent out.”

“You will,” Paige assured her. “I believe it.”

Pearl stretched out on the sofa. “Lord, give me strength.”

“Why don’t you just stay home today?”

“I need the money, Paige.”

“But if you’d let us—”

Pearl cut her off. “I’ve told you a thousand times that I appreciate you and my sisters for wanting to help, but this is something I need to do for myself.”

As if on cue, her sister Ruby called.

Glancing over at the clock, Pearl answered saying, “Why are you calling here so early? It’s not even eight-thirty.”