Church Folk - Michele Andrea Bowen [60]
Willie Clayton's eyes locked on a silver-framed wedding picture of Essie and Theophilus. Snatching it up off the desk, she flexed her shoulder, ready to heave it right at Theophilus's head. Essie jumped in front of her and said in a low, deadly sounding voice, "I wish you would," then grabbed her wrist and tried to shake the photo out of Willie's hand.
"Essie!" Theophilus snapped. "Let her go. Let her go and leave. This is church business. You need to stay out of it."
Essie released her hold on Sister Clayton, shocked that Theophilus would speak to her so sharply and in front of a prominent church member, no less. His outburst also stopped Sister Clayton dead in her tracks, and she loosened her grip on the photo. Essie pried it out of her hand and set it on the desk, then marched out of the office.
Willie Clayton stormed out right behind her, shouting, "Theophilus Simmons, your black behind has made a big mistake this time. You just don't know."
Essie was so mad she walked right past Coral Thomas, who had been waiting to talk to her. Coral had heard the shouting going on in the office and got up to follow Essie, hoping to console her. She said, "I see you getting ready to end this honeymoon, Miss Essie."
Essie started at the sound of Coral's voice, still too consumed with fury to quite catch what she was saying.
Coral repeated, "You gettin' ready to stop being a bride and 'bout to become a bona fide wife, soon as you set that boy straight 'bout his mess. Lord, don't know what gets into him sometimes," she said, shaking her head. "You want me to stay and wait with you until he come out that office?"
"No, I'm okay," Essie said.
Coral understood that she needed time alone so she could calm down before she had to face her husband. She gave Essie a hug and kiss and went to find D.S., whom she had left outside sipping a Pepsi and walking around the church, checking out the building for any problems. Being in construction, he believed it was his Christian duty to keep Greater Hope in tiptop shape.
"Who died and made you bishop, Essie?" Theophilus demanded, huffing and storming around the living room like he was trying to bring the house down on their heads.
"You may run that church but you don't have the last word in running me," she shot back. "You owe me an apology."
"I owe you a what? You're the one who came barging into my office, interrupting an important meeting, and got to tussling with Sister Clayton!"
"Theophilus, I did not know that old witch was still in there. And she was the one who got to tussling—she was about to smash our wedding picture!"
"You didn't belong in there, Essie! Willie Clayton was in the middle of threatening to pull out of Greater Hope."
"Theophilus, if you had told me, your wife, why you were meeting with Willie Clayton, I never would have come in that room."
"Why should I tell you church business that doesn't concern you?"
"Because I am your wife, Theophilus. Because we are living one life now, not two. If you rise in the denomination, I rise with you. If you fall, if you wind up out on the street, I do, too. If you fight with Sister Clayton, I am the one who's going to defend you to the churchwomen, who are going to talk to me about it, not you. I am your helpmeet, and all your business is my business."
"The point is, Essie, you should have knocked."
Essie blinked back tears and, raising her eyes to the ceiling, over his shoulder, thought about King David as a young boy facing Goliath. She whispered to herself, "Lord, I need me a slingshot 'bout now."
Theophilus felt outgunned. Whenever Essie felt he was getting the best of her in an argument, she always went over his head and straight to Jesus.