11/14/2007

Boyd asked, "What happened?"

Brock laughed again, "I ain't gonna tell you over the phone. Hurry up and get here."

Boyd grunted, "Why you gotta clown? Alright, but this better be good." Boyd hung up the phone without even saying bye.

Lela walked slowly towards the exit of the mall. She was fuming, half at herself for acting a fool in front of Pastor Van Duren, half at Pastor Van Duren for acting as if he didn't care about her advancing towards him. She was hurt, noticeably hurt, but there was no one to even detect how she felt. She was lonely. Perhaps, she was going to be lonely for the rest f her life.

"If that nappy headed preacher doesn't know a precious jewel when he sees one, then forget his trifling no count tail. He ain't that fine anyway," Lela's inner self proclaimed loudly. "We don't need him anyway. He would be more trouble than he is worth, too. His ignant friend would probably always be hanging around. They both are some idiots," Lela's inner self screamed louder.

Lela audibly whispered, "Ok. You are right." She had to quiet her inner self. The woman was screaming too loudly. Apparently Lela's response was sufficient; her inner voice was stone quiet. Lela felt bad. The Christian side of her knew that she was wrong for confronting her pastor like that. She had been all out of place. She had to set things right, before Sunday. Thankfully, she had the number to the church programmed on her cell phone. She knew that the secretary was at the church today, too.

Lela grabbed her cell phone and dialed the number for the New Tabernacle of Praise Baptist Church.

The church secretary answered, "Praise the Lord. It is a great day at the New Tabernacle of Praise Baptist Church. This is Sis. Gould, how may I help you?"

Lela laughed. Sis. Gould always answered the phone like that. Lela responded, "Hello, Sis. Gould. It's Lela Rhineholt."

Sis. Gould smiled, "Hey, girl. How are you doing?"

Lela could feel Sis. Gould's smile through the phone. It made her feel a little better. Lela proceeded with the task at hand, "Can you put me through to pastor's voice mail?"

Sis. Gould paused, "I can just take a message if you want me to."

Lela blew an exasperated breath, "No mame, this is something personal."

Sis. Gould made a face that said, "Uhh huh, personal I bet." Sis. Gould responded, "Okay, give me a second. You know you can't be leaving the pastor no booty call messages on the church phone, girl." The church secretary laughed so that Lela would not feel indicted.

Lela laughed, "I know. It is not a message like that. He probably has no interest in me or any other woman for that matter."

Sis. Gould was about to ask Lela what she meant, but Sis. Gould knew better than to get wrapped up into church gossip. She tapped herself on the leg, her cue to let the thought in her head go. She said, "Hold on, Lela. I will transfer you."

Lela waited for the call to go to voicemail. Then she heard Pastor Van Duren's voice, "God bless you. This is the voice mail of Pastor Brock Van Duren. Thank you for calling me. At the moment, I cannot take your call, please leave me your name, a detailed message and your phone number. I will call you back as soon as possible. Again, please leave me your name and your phone number so that I can call you back. May God's peace fill your life full." The phone beeped.

Lela left her message, "Pastor, this is Lela Rhineholt. I called to apologize for my behavior at the mall today. I should not have acted like that and I should not have said what I said. Please forgive me. Good bye." Lela clicked the end call button, closed her phone up quickly, and threw it into her purse. She had to get out of the mall quickly because tears had begun to fill her eyes.

Mrs. Caroline Logan walked the food court looking for her husband. She had arrived at the mall after having to deal with an emergency. She knew that her husband was probably looking for her all day. She had to go into work on her day off. She was livid, but she had finally calmed down. she brushed her graying hair off her light beige forehead. She noticed David Victor Lyons out of the corner of her eyes. He was one of the other security guards that worked with her husband Bill Logan.