Deja Vu

“You and your stuff have twenty-four hours to be out of my house,” Donna finally said without looking in Angelica’s direction.

“We should talk about it,” Angelica said.

Silence ensued, and Angelica left it at that. She had no idea where she would go and what she would do for money. She had enough money to stay in a hotel for a while, but she needed a job if she planned on staying in the Big Apple. Her plans did not include running back to Fayetteville, at least not this soon. Margo, Malik, Jefferson, and Hamilton were better off without her.

14

It looked like Mother’s Day as Margo sat in church flanked by all four of her children-Ivy and JR, and twins Winter and Winston. Margo lifted her hands and sang louder than the other parishioners, her children glancing from time to time to make sure she was all right. Margo was happy because she was sure the Lord was about to answer her prayer.

A side door opened and Malik walked in and found a seat. After a moment, he gazed around the room until he spotted her. A look of surprise registered on his face upon seeing the entire Myles clan. He faced the front and bowed his head.

“‘Tis another day that the Lord has made,” the pastor said. “We should rejoice and be glad in it. Oh, the Lord is good all the time. All the time the Lord is good.”

“Yes,” the congregation sang, cheering the pastor on.

“Sister Myles, please come down front.”

Margo jumped up and made her way to the front of the sanctuary. She felt Malik’s stare as she passed in front of him. Neither Malik nor anyone else was going to steal her joy today.

“Sister Myles has a testimony she would like to share today. Go on, Sister Myles, and tell us about the goodness of the Lord.”

“Thank you, Pastor. Church, if I haven’t told you individually, I’d like to take this moment to say thank you for all your prayers during one of the most stressful times in my life. The last five years have not been easy for me or my children, but through the grace of God, we are doing fine.

“A couple of days ago, I received a call from my husband, and he reports that he is up for parole in a few days. Jefferson’s attorney believes he has an extremely good chance of being released from…prison, soon. I rejoice because of your prayers; my prayers are about to be answered. I owe everything to God, and I can’t thank Him enough for all He has done in my life and what He is doing for my family. I ask that you continue to pray for us. Thank you, Pastor.”

Clap, clap, clap, clap, and clap. The congregation praised the Lord right along with Sister Myles.

“God is good, isn’t He saints?” Pastor said.

“Yes, He is,” the congregation blurted out.

“Sister Myles, we thank you for your testimony. We will be in prayer for Brother Myles’ early release. Hallelujah!!!” Pastor shouted.

Malik continued to look straight ahead. It was obvious to Margo that the news had stung him. It was hard concentrating on Pastor’s sermon for wondering what was on Malik’s mind. Why should she worry? The Lord was about to answer her prayers, and her husband would finally be home where she could pamper him until he got enough. Jefferson didn’t need to worry about a job right away; she had sold four houses in the last few weeks.

Church was over and some of the members came over to give Margo a hug and offer words of encouragement. After the group dispersed, she looked around for Malik. There was no sign of him. Margo shrugged her shoulders. She had hoped to receive congratulations at the news about his best friend, but obviously the news was not good to him.

She corralled her group together and exited the church. Her children seemed to enjoy seeing everyone. It had been years since they had visited. Ivy pulled her mother to the side.

“Mom, you are so obvious.”

“What are you talking about, Ivy?”

“Malik. You’ve got a thing for Malik. I saw how you watched him today. I bet you don’t remember a word that Pastor spoke because you were tuned in to Malik. Mom, don’t deny it.”

“Shut up, Ivy. You’re always thinking with your mouth. Malik is your dad’s best friend and that’s it. You need to keep your wandering mind in check. Do you hear me?”

“Straight up, but I know what I saw. You can’t fool me.”

“What are you talking about?” Winter asked, walking into the middle of Margo and Ivy’s conversation.

“Nothing,” Ivy said.

“Your dreads are squeezing your brain, Ivy,” Winter said. “It was obvious you were talking about something because your hands were moving a mile a minute. It probably has something to do with Malik.” Margo and Ivy exchanged glances. “What I tell you? Anyway, everyone in the family knows that Malik has been more than attentive to Mom.”

“All right, hold on Winter. You and Ivy need to get it straight right now. My eyes and heart are only for your dad. Any ideas or illusions you may have conjured up in your brains about me and Malik are false. Now, let’s get out of here and go to dinner.”

“Hello, Margo,” Malik said. Margo jumped and turned around to find Malik in her space. Ivy and Winter each put a hand over their mouths to stifle a laugh. Margo looked like a thief that had been caught.

“Good afternoon, Malik. Good Word today.”

“Which one, Pastor’s or yours?”

Ivy and Winter turned and continued to giggle at the sight of their mother.

“Of course, Pastor’s. He sure did preach today.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about Jefferson? Don’t you think I deserved to have received the news privately, instead of during a congregational announcement? We’re like family.”

“Jefferson asked that I not tell anyone yet.”

“So you make a public announcement? It will probably be printed in the Fayetteville Observer, tomorrow’s edition. I thought we were better friends than that.”

“We are, Malik. Bad judgment on my part.”

Malik smiled at the girls. “Sorry for the intrusion.”

Margo stared at Malik as he walked away. “As I said, Mother,” Ivy chimed in, “you need to come clean with yourself. The Bible says you can’t have two masters.”

Winter roared with laughter.

“Enough! Go pull Winston and JR from their friends, and let’s go eat.”

“As you say,” Winter said, still laughing.

Malik jumped in his car and drove away. How could Margo humiliate me like that in front of God and witnesses? It had taken courage to tell Margo that he loved her. Spending all that time with her wasn’t just for show and tell. Now his heart ached for what he was so close to claiming but was now cut off like a major detour on a heavily traveled road.

Jefferson didn’t deserve Margo. Hadn’t he spent endless hours begging and pleading for Jefferson to see the error of his ways-to leave that married woman alone and save his marriage to Margo? All the lying, cheating, and fornicating Jefferson committed should have been sure grounds for divorce, but wonderful Margo, loving Margo, forgiving Margo would stand by her man, no matter what she had been through or how long it took for her life to mend.

Malik drove blindly down the street, distancing himself from the last image of Margo and his hurt ego. He stopped for the light and watched what appeared to be three generations of women cross the street, the young mother holding the hand of her daughter on one side and that of what appeared to be her mother on the other. His chance at fatherhood had been lost when Toni was killed along with their unborn baby, but he’d settle for being