Church Folk - Michele Andrea Bowen [31]
"Why, Rev. Simmons. I do believe you have just worn yourself out. Your leg muscle is tight and soooo hard," she said seductively, massaging the muscle in his thigh.
Theophilus was shocked at her boldness. When Saphronia's hand started to rise higher, stroking a little too close to the danger zone, he stood up so fast that he accidentally spilled coffee on her dress, marring that pristine white linen. He was about to apologize when he caught her masking an ugly look that was more related to his rejection than to the hot liquid or the brown stain. The look was both angry and filled with contempt. She needed to be taught a good lesson about teasing men and acting like she was God's gift to the Negro race.
Theophilus put his cup down under the swing, and pulling Saphronia to her feet, stood as close to her as he dared.
Saphronia grinned. "I guess this means you do have some interest in me. I was a bit worried that you had become taken with that Essie Lane. But even if you play around with a jook joint cook, I know you have the good sense to want to settle down with a decent woman."
Theophilus swallowed his fury and crooned at Saphronia, in a dangerous voice, words that he hoped would never, ever reach the ears of Essie Lee Lane.
"You know something, Saphronia, decent women aren't dick-teasers. I know you understand that word, because I do, and I'm a preacher. And I understand exactly what you're trying to start here. If I weren't so tired, I'd call up all the good sisters from Mount Nebo's prayer circle and get them over here, so we could lose some of that mess out of your stuck-up butt."
Saphronia looked at him like he was crazy. How dare he speak to her with such vulgarity and presumption? She turned her mouth down and said, in a nasty voice that sounded just like her grandmother's, "Rev. Simmons, what kind of woman do you think I am? How dare you suggest that I would crawl up under any man, just because he had the nerve to ask? Essie Lane might do that," she hissed, "but even if I did, I certainly wouldn't be up under a Negro as black as you."
She started to walk away but he was so angry that, without thinking, he grabbed her roughly by the arm. "Saphronia," he said, "I don't know what kind of men you've been around. But I can tell you, girl, that I don't have any respect for a woman who plays these games. A woman who's selling it is more decent—at least she's honest about her intentions. As for Essie Lane, I can tell you that she thinks too much of herself to go rubbing up like you do on every preacher she meets."
Saphronia's eyes narrowed into slits so tight that Theophilus doubted that she could see. He loosened his grip on her arm and she snatched it away from him. Her cheeks were flushed a bright pink, and she was furiously blowing steam in and out of her mouth.
"No man has ever talked to me like that," she huffed, "and I am going to report you to your bishop for even daring to think about what you just said."
"Girl, you go right ahead and tell on me," Theophilus replied. "And here's something else you can add to your list. You act like you have some kind of prize up under that dress. You think you're so high-class. But what's low-class is you toying with a Negro as black as me because you're sure he wants your old high-yellow stuff. What's low-class is your mean little grandmother thinking that marrying her old bishop gave her the right to be insulting. I'd rather have stayed at Mrs. Neese's and risked facing the Klan than here, putting up with all your snooty low-class mess."
Theophilus didn't wait for her response. Storming into the house, he went straight to his room, closed the door, and sat down on the bed, breathing hard to try to calm his nerves. Those two women had just about run him ragged. If people only knew what preachers went through, they would surely have to stop complaining about them.
Part 2
1962
Chapter Five
WHEN THEOPHILUS CAME BACK TO