Damsels in Distress (18 page)

“I'm not perfect, Portia. And I don't pretend to be. It took me four long years to realize that Ronald was never gonna amount to anything. But when I made up my mind to get him out of my life, look what God did for me. He placed the man of my dreams right in my path. And look what God did for Celeste. It was when she confessed to Tony about keeping her secret that He planted the seed in her womb. I'm trying to get you to understand that you're prolonging your own blessings. You know you're living foul.”

“What Latricia doesn't know won't hurt her,” Portia stated nonchalantly.

“This ain't got nothing to do with Latricia!” Ginger shouted. “We're talking about your actions, Portia. This is about you.” Ginger was frustrated. She would've bet one hundred dollars that if anyone had gotten her frazzled that day it would have been Celeste for sure. She threw her hands in the air and stood from the bed. “Look, I've said my piece. We've been in this bedroom long enough. Portia, you're grown and you're gonna do what you wanna do.” She looked at Celeste. “It's time to open your gifts.” Ginger followed Celeste out of the bedroom.

Portia sat down on Ginger's bed and exhaled loudly. “This really can't be happening,” she said. She picked up the telephone on Ginger's nightstand and dialed David's cellular number.

“This is David,” he answered.

“It's me. I'm calling from Ginger's house. Where's your wife?”

He frowned. “What?”

Portia spaced her words apart and spoke clearly. “Where . . . is . . . your . . . wife?”

“I think she mentioned something about going to a bridal shower. Why?”

“Try a baby shower, David.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You called me three days ago and asked if we could get together today. Remember that?”

“And you said we couldn't because you were giving Celeste a baby shower.”

Portia chuckled sarcastically. “It's the same baby shower Latricia got an invitation to.”

David got quiet on the other end.

“Did you hear what I said, David?”

“Are you saying that Latricia is at Celeste's baby shower?”

“Ding, ding, ding, ding,” Portia chimed out of frustration. “That's exactly what I'm saying.”

“How did that happen?”

“Apparently, you store your money in the bank where Celeste works. Latricia came to the bank to cash a check. She and Celeste chatted a bit and she asked Celeste to send her an invitation to her baby shower. Fast forward a few months, Latricia's here, I'm here, and this whole situation is uncomfortable and a big freakin' mess.”

“Oh, wow. What are the chances? It really is a small world.”

Portia ran her fingers through her hair and exhaled loudly again. “Tell me about it. I opened the door and got the shock of my life. I darn near peed on myself. Latricia remembered me right away.”

“Last night Latricia told me she was going to a shower of somebody she went to high school with but she didn't mention the woman's name.”

Portia exhaled again. “This changes everything.”

“What do you mean?”

Portia paused before she spoke. “I don't think we should see each other again, David.”

David knew Portia was headed there. “Portia, Latricia doesn't know about us.”

“She reached out and hugged me today. Can you imagine how that made me feel? Latricia was happy to see me and here I am screwing her husband.”

It made all the difference that Portia had reconnected with Latricia. Having not met a wife or not being in contact with any of her married lover's wives gave Portia the guts she needed to be the other woman. Portia had no ties or connections to the wives of the men she slept with.

“Why you gotta make it sound like that?” David asked.

“Like what? Disgusting?”

“Yeah, disgusting. We don't screw, Portia. We make love.”

“Really, David? Let's be serious. We have sex. There's no love in it at all. I'm ending it.”

“Baby, you're being paranoid. Calm down.”

“No, David,” Portia shouted out. “I can't do this.”

“Can we at least get together and talk about it?”

David couldn't see Portia shaking her head. “No. Uh-uh.” She knew once she got in David's presence all of her newfound common sense would leave her brain. Portia was weak. It would only take one kiss or the warmth of David's breath on her neck and Portia would be naked instantly. “There's nothing left to talk about.”

“What about the Escalade?”

Portia chuckled.
That didn't take long.
“Wow. Is it like that?”

“You know what time it is,” he said calmly.

Portia knew she had to give it up. The Escalade was a conditional gift and she understood that when she had accepted it from David. She could drive the truck as long as she kept her legs open for him. She didn't want to do it but she had no choice. Portia exhaled a third time then recited Ginger's address. “It's parked outside. Come and get it.”

Ginger walked over to Latricia just as she was helping herself to a second cup of fruit punch. “Hi, Latricia. Do you know who I am?”

Latricia looked at Ginger, smiled broadly, and set the cup of punch on the table. “Of course, Ginger. I would know you anywhere. I could never forget that cocoa-brown smooth skin of yours. I use to envy your complexion back in high school. How are you doing, girl?”

Ginger took Latricia in her arms and embraced her. “I'm wonderful. Life is good.” Ginger could honestly say that. Had Latricia asked that same question a year ago, Ginger's answer would have been completely different.

“I think it's wonderful that you, Celeste, and Portia are still close after all these years.”

“Yeah, we're soul sistas. We always will be. So, how has life been treating you since high school?”

“I don't have any complaints, Ginger. I've got good health and strength, I'm married to a wonderful man who worships the ground I walk on and I don't have to work. I'm able to stay at home and enjoy life.”

Just as Ginger thought; Latricia was clueless. She really thought David worshiped the ground she walked on. David should have been ashamed of himself for making Latricia look stupid. “All right, Latricia. Sounds like you got it going on.”

“God has been extra good to me, Ginger. I wouldn't trade my life for anything.”

Yeah, that's what every wife says when she's in the dark.
The fact that Latricia mentioned how good God had been to her, Ginger assumed she was a regular church attendee. “Where do you and your husband worship?” Ginger was careful to not mention David's name.

“Well, I worship at Progressive Life-Giving Word Cathedral, right off of Interstate 290. You can't miss it. I'm working on getting my husband more active in the church. But it's hard. David always seems to have something else to do on Sunday mornings.”

He does Portia,
Ginger thought. She knew of Progressive Ministries or “Gress,” which was what the church was affectionately called. Ginger remembered reading an article in the
Chicago Sun
-
Times
that the members of Progressive had purchased a movie theater in the city of Hillside and turned it into a house of worship. The article stated that over 200 cars had traffic jammed from the cities of Maywood to Hillside. The church members had driven their cars from the old church on Thirteenth Avenue west on Washington Street to their new church home on Wolf Road.

“Apostle Donald Lawrence Alford is the pastor, right?” Ginger asked.

Latricia nodded. “That man has an anointing on him something fierce.”

“How's Sunday morning service?”

“It's fire. I can't even describe it. You have to be there to experience it for yourself. But morning service ain't got nothin' on Sunday night broadcast. It's a different kind of crowd and a different kind of anointing. The Holy Ghost is straight-up ghetto.”

Ginger laughed. “I listen to the broadcast often. I know all about it.”

“You should meet me there tomorrow night,” Latricia suggested.

Ginger smiled. “You know what, Latricia? I might just do that.”

“Elder DeAndre Patterson is over there, too.”

Ginger's eyes lit up. “The
He's Alive
DeAndre Patterson? I listen to him on the gospel radio station when he deejays on Saturday afternoons.”

“Yes, he's really good on the radio.”

“Okay, I'm sold, Latricia. I'll definitely be at the broadcast tomorrow night and I'll bring Joseph along.”

“Good, I'll look for you. I always apologize to people in advance when I invite them to my church. You're gonna see some wild stuff. We leap over pews, run the aisle, do cartwheels and it's the norm for Apostle Alford to lay holy hands and the folks pass out. So, if someone accidentally steps on your feet, just excuse them and move to the side. By the way, who's Joseph?”

Ginger smiled again. “He's my sunshine. But we'll have to talk about him later. It's time for Celeste to open these gifts so I can get these women out of my house. Don't leave without giving me the directions to your church.”

Ginger went into the kitchen and saw Portia leaning against the sink drinking from a bottle of water. “Celeste is gonna start opening her gifts. Get me a large garbage bag from beneath the sink for the gift-wrap paper. And I really wanna thank you for helping me host this baby shower, Portia. You're doing a fine job staying in the kitchen,” Ginger said sarcastically.

“I broke it off with David.”

Ginger looked at her in disbelief. “Say what?”

Portia exhaled. “David and I are done. I just talked to him.”

Ginger came and stood in front of her. “What did you say to him?”

“I told him that Latricia was here and she's claiming to be happy. I told him I think she's beautiful and a wonderful woman and I couldn't keep betraying her. Then I told him to come and get his truck and to never call me again.”

Ginger saw tears streaming down Portia's face and pulled her into her arms. “Oh, honey. You did the right thing. God is pleased with your decision.”

Portia wiped her tears. “But I love my Escalade, Ginger. I think he's really gonna come and get it.”

Ginger let go of the embrace and looked into Portia's eyes. “He needs to come and get it. Sever all ties with David. You work at a car dealership, Portia. Don't you get an employee discount? You can afford to buy your own car. I'm glad you're giving David back the truck. It's time for you to stop depending on men to make you happy. You can make yourself happy. Now what are you gonna do about the other married men? I can't keep waking up every morning wondering if it's the day I'll get another call that one of your married lovers flipped out. ”

“I'm done with married men, period. When I get home, I'll call all of them and put an end to this crap.”

“Whoop, gotta cut a step.” Ginger teased Portia by pretending to do a holy dance and speaking in tongues in the middle of the kitchen.

Portia laughed at Ginger. It was just like her to locate the silver lining in any dark cloud. “You are so silly. You better stop playing before the Holy Ghost gets a hold of you for real.”

“I want the Holy Ghost to get a hold of me.” Ginger took off and ran around the kitchen table three times.

Portia looked at her acting a fool. “I'm glad you're having a good time at my expense. Now let's get real for a minute. I wanna thank you and Celeste for not turning your backs on me.”

“You are our sista, no matter what. It was meant for Latricia to come to this baby shower. Look at the result of it.”

Just then Latricia came into the kitchen. “Celeste sent me for a trash bag.” She saw Portia's tears. “What happened, Portia? You okay?”

She could hardly stand to look at Latricia. Her guilt was eating at her. “Yeah. I'll be all right.”

Ginger spoke. “She made a decision to do something that wasn't easy but it will work for her good.”

Latricia came and stood before Portia. She grabbed both of her hands and closed her eyes. “Father, in the name of Jesus, I come to you on behalf of my friend.”

Portia's body stiffened. Latricia praying and referring to her as a friend made Portia want to run and hide.

“I lift her up to you as she faces this challenge in her life,” Latricia prayed. “It is my request that you guide her, walk with her, and show her the righteous way to go. I ask, Lord, that you crown her head with the knowledge and wisdom she needs to carry the anointing that you're about to bestow upon her shoulders. And, Lord, as she walks in your glory, whoever comes into her presence, let your light so shine in her that people will see you. Amen.”

Latricia opened her eyes to see waterfalls cascading down Portia's cheeks. She embraced Portia and held her tight. She let go of Portia and turned to Ginger. “I better get that garbage bag out to the living room. It's getting messy out there.”

Ginger got a single trash bag from beneath the kitchen sink and gave it to her. Latricia squeezed Portia's hand, gave her an assuring smile, and walked out of the kitchen.

Portia looked at Ginger. “Can you believe that?”

“If I hadn't witnessed it, I wouldn't have believed it.”

“You think she knows?” Portia asked.

Ginger frowned. “Heck no. I don't care how sanctified a person may be. There is not a black woman on this earth who will love, hug, and pray for her husband's mistress the way Latricia just did. Trust me, she doesn't know about you and David. I will say this though, come tomorrow night at nine o'clock, I'm gonna be sitting at Progressive. I gotta get me some of that anointing power. Whatever the Holy Ghost is pouring on Latricia, I'm gonna make sure my cup gets filled with it.”

When Ginger and Portia walked into the living room, they saw that Celeste had unwrapped the crib the two of them had purchased. Celeste sat in a chair in the middle of the room surrounded by a highchair, bassinette, swing, a baby bouncer, many boxes of newborn diapers, baby bottles, and so many blankets, bibs, and onesies. Someone had taken all of the bows that Celeste had removed from the gifts and put them in her hair.

Celeste opened her last gift. She held up a yellow knit sweater and pants set with booties and a cap to match. The living room filled with oohs and aahs.

“Thank you, Lady Elaine,” Celeste said. “This will be his homecoming outfit.”

Celeste looked at all of the gifts she received. “I wanna thank everyone for coming. Tony and I appreciate all of you and we can't wait to welcome our son. All of your gifts will come in handy and will be put to good use.”

“There's one more gift,” Ginger stated. She gave Celeste the small gift-wrapped box and card. “This one is from Tony. He wanted you to open something just for you.”

Before Celeste unwrapped the box, she opened the card and read the words out loud: “‘My darling CeeCee, you are the love of my life and the woman of my dreams. I have truly found my virtuous woman. I asked God what gift I could buy for the mother of my seed and He told me that the one true gift has already been given. It was when He gave you to me. You are my very special gift. Inside this box is a token of my love and appreciation for having you in my life. I thank God for you. You are amazing. And I'm thankful that no one but you is my baby's momma. Love, Anthony.'”

The entire living room was quiet as Celeste opened the box and held up the $850 platinum crucifix she had been admiring for months. “Oh, my God,” she cried out.

The crucifix sparkled. More oohs and aahs came from every direction.

Ginger made frappes with ginger ale and ice cream sherbet. Portia sliced the cake and served all of the guests. The women sat around the living room, listened to music, and offered boy names to Celeste.