Play The Game. Doug Dixon

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СКАЧАТЬ a preacher, as much shit as you’re into.”

      Curtis gave me a strange stare before he continued on with his negative opinions about churches. I think his problem is not so much joining the church as trusting one. Now I was convinced that once he saw how involved I was getting, he would join, too.

      CHAPTER 12

      Mya

      I was still admiring the roses Darryl gave me on our first date—they were in a vase on my mantel. Each time I passed them, it reminded me of how much of a gentleman he was. I felt like I was with the perfect man at the perfect restaurant on the perfect evening. With him fresh on my mind I picked up my cell phone and called. Before it could ring, I got his voice mail.

      “Hey, Darryl—it’s me, Mya. Just wanted to see what you were up to. Call me when you get this message. ’Bye.”

      As I sat on the couch reading through my mail, my parents called.

      We haven’t talked much since my dad took over as president of the Full Gospel Baptist Counsel a year ago. Before that, we talked three times a week. Now they spend most of their time traveling to different churches across the country, speaking or going to banquets and conferences. My spirits quickly rose when I heard their voices.

      “Hey,” I said with excitement.

      “How’s my girl?” my dad asked.

      “I’m okay. Just working.”

      “When are you coming home?” my mother asked.

      “Whenever you two are there. Oh, and I talked to Grandma LeVeaux the other day. She got on me for not calling.”

      “Well, you know your grandma. She’ll speak her mind,” my dad replied.

      “So where are you guys now?” I asked.

      “We’re in Los Angeles. I have to speak at the regional full gospel convention on Friday,” my dad replied.

      “See? That’s what I’m talking about. You guys are always traveling.”

      “I know, baby, but that’s a part of my calling.”

      “I know, I know,” I replied.

      “So has Atlanta been good to you and are you staying out of trouble?” my mom asked.

      “Of course.”

      “And going to church, I hope?” she added.

      “Mama, of course I’m going to church,” I lied, closing my eyes.

      “It just worries me that you’re up there all alone.”

      “She’s fine,” my dad said reassuringly. “As long as she keeps God in every decision she makes, she won’t have a problem. Baby, just stay focused on God’s will. If it doesn’t feel right in your spirit, then chances are it’s not of God.”

      “I know,” I replied.

      Those were the exact words my dad had said to me since I was a little girl. Every day before I went to school, I would hear it. Pretty soon it started going in one ear and out the other.

      “Well baby, we just called to let you know we love you and to see how you were doing.”

      “I’m fine, just busy working.”

      “Okay, well, let’s pray together and we’ll let you go back to whatever it was you were doing.”

      I closed my eyes as my dad began his prayer.

      “Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for—”

      As soon as my dad got into his prayer, my cell phone rang. I opened one eye and peeked at the caller ID. It was Darryl. As my dad continued, my phone rang a second time. I had my hand on the button to answer, but I was in the middle of prayer. As soon as my dad finished his prayer, my mom started praying. Seconds later the phone stopped ringing. My attention was focused on my mother’s voice.

      “And God, we ask that you continue to shine your goodness and mercy upon us, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

      “Well, baby,” my dad said. “We love you, and have a good night, okay?”

      “Okay, I love you guys, too.” We hung up.

      I quickly called Darryl back, only to get his voice service again. I also checked to see if he had left me a message but he didn’t.

      Later that night Tangie called me on the three-way with Stephanie as I was getting into bed.

      “What’s up, girl?” Stephanie asked.

      “Tell it. Tell it all—I want to hear about your date with Darryl,” Tangie shouted in the background.

      “Yeah, we want the dirt,” Stephanie said.

      I laughed out loud. “Girl, it was soooo romantic. His ass got me yellow roses and everything. We talked and laughed. I mean, I had a great time. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word.”

      “He got you roses?” Stephanie asked, surprised.

      “Yeah, and had them sitting on the table for me when I got to the restaurant. I was like, damn. Everybody around me was staring as I sat there red as a damn beet.”

      “That was romantic, girl,” Stephanie replied.

      “Yeah, it was all right. But don’t get caught up in that shit. Brothers start off like that until they get between your legs. Then that rose becomes a thorn in your damn side,” Tangie said.

      “Yeah, like that thorn in my damn side named Curtis. He started out like that, and look at me now. Oh, and girls, guess what,” Stephanie said.

      “What?” Tangie and I responded.

      “You know his ass was trippin’ ’cause I was hanging out with you and Mya the other night.”

      “What!” I replied.

      “Yeah, he started saying things like what kind of mother would hang out like I did when she could be spending time at home with her child and shit. It just made me feel bad, like I was doing something wrong.”

      “I know his ass ain’t talking, as much as he hangs out. He acts like you two are married or something. You have your life and he has his,” Tangie replied.

      “I know, but—”

      “What about all the times his ass is all up in the club? I mean, let’s just keep it real. Why are you still putting up with his shit? He barely pays child support—the nerve of his ass to question why and who you hang out with.”

      “Yeah, I have to agree with Tangie on this one, Stephanie,” I replied. “You’re good, ’cause I would’ve dragged his ass in court a long time ago.”

      “Don’t get me СКАЧАТЬ