Church Folk - Michele Andrea Bowen [93]
Thay looked through the stack of albums.
"Honey, it's in the 45 stack," Willis said.
She found the record and put it on. Theophilus grabbed Essie's hand and pulled her into the middle of the floor as soon as the first beats of that Hammond organ sounded out around the living room. He was smiling and snapping his fingers while Essie stood there looking embarrassed.
Thay said, "You ain't shy, baby doll. Show these folks what you can do."
"You're right, Thayline," Lee Allie said. "Essie Lee ain't shy about dancing. Don't know why she trying to start being like that now. Ain't that right, Booker?" When Uncle Booker didn't answer her, she said, "Booker Webb. Didn't you hear me?"
"Yeah, Booker," Mrs. Neese said. "Why ain't you answering your sister?"
Uncle Booker looked a little sheepish. He gave Rose a grin and said in a low, sexy voice, "I ain't answering that girl 'cause I got somethin' so good and sweet right here in front of me, I can't hardly think straight."
Mrs. Neese lowered her eyes down to the floor. Booker pulled her close and her eyes filled up with tears. Uncle Booker pulled out a handkerchief and slipped it into Rose's hand. "You got it bad for me, don't you, Rose?" She nodded her head, and he said, "Well I got it even worse for you. I been lovin' you a long time now, baby." He lifted her hand to his mouth, kissing it gently.
Lee Allie gave her brother a big smile. It was high time that those two lovebirds let the rest of them in on their big secret—not that anyone had ever been fooled.
Theophilus, meanwhile, was pretending to be impatient with Essie, dancing all smooth and cool in front of her. He said, "Girl, quit stalling and show your man what you know how to do."
Grinning up at her husband, Essie finally started snapping her fingers to the grinding beat of the song, then stretched her arms out to the sides and caught the beat with her hips. Theophilus picked up on Essie's rhythm and swiveled his own hips in a masculine version of her movements. Then the power of the beat gripped Essie and, pulling at the bottom of her dress, she just swiggled her hips on down to the floor.
Theophilus laughed. "Yeah, I like that. Do it again, baby."
Essie worked her way back up and then went back down to the floor.
Thay said, "Go on, baby doll. You show that boy how to move, girl."
Willis grabbed Thay's hand. "Come on, honey. Dance with me."
Thay put her arms around Willis's neck and they moved to the beat together, smiling love and friendship into each other's eyes.
When the record stopped, Willis said, with his arms still around Thayline, "Baybro, you pick us another? What you want to hear?"
"How about 'Sweet Sixteen' by B.B. King? Just play me a little B.B. and I'm all right."
Johnnie, who was leaning against Eddie, heard the words "Sweet Sixteen" and said, "Yes! Please play that song. That's my song, too. Ooohh chile! 'Sweet Sixteen' tells my story."
She pulled at Eddie's arm and dragged him out on the floor, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her hips close to his.
With Johnnie swaying all over him, Eddie looked over her shoulder at Theophilus and just grinned.
Theophilus pulled Essie close, resting his chin on top of her head, enjoying the spongy feel of her thick, natural hair. Essie wrapped her arms around Theophilus's neck and let her body sink into his. She could smell his cologne mingled with sweat from all of that dancing. Even damp and sweaty, she liked the way her sweet husband smelled.
He moved his chin from the top of her head and put his cheek next to hers. He kissed the tip of her ear and whispered, "I want to go to bed" so softly she thought she had missed what he said. She looked up at his face questioningly.
"You heard me right," he said and started dancing Essie over to the hallway leading to their room. By the time the song ended, they had reached the bedroom door and kept moving to the rhythm. Theophilus pressed Essie against the door and kissed her deeply on the mouth.
"Theophilus, we need to stop carrying