Golden Hue (2 page)

“It's nice, very nice,” I said. “Is it a perk of your new job?”

“Being the queen now and inheriting my mom's fortune does have its benefits,” she said.

We loaded up our bags into the back of the SUV and Cathy and I climbed in the front with Sarah.

“So where’s her church?” Sarah asked.

“It's on 34
Street,” I said.

She turned the key, started the engine, and the vehicle pulled out into the street.

On the way to church, Sarah received a number of phone calls. It was obvious that her new position as vampire queen of Savannah was keeping her busy.

“No,” she said. “I can’t meet with them before I leave for Atlanta. They’ll have to wait until I get back.”

I tried not to eavesdrop on her conversations, but it was difficult with my enhanced hearing. The best I could try to do was to ignore them and focus on Cathy. She looked both exotic and wholesome in her crisp, new looking Sunday dress.

“It's a beautiful morning,” Cathy said, looking out the passenger door window. The sky was clear and perfectly blue – except for a few small, white puffy clouds.

“It sure is,” I said, noticing a brick house with large azalea bushes in full bloom.

“I love azaleas,” Cathy said. “When we get a house will you plant some for me?”

“Of course,” I said.

As we passed a small shopping center I saw a sign in the distance that read, “Valentine's Day Merchandise Clearance Sale.” I realized that I hadn’t gotten Cathy anything. With all the events that had transpired, the day had completely skipped my mind. I’d have to make it up.

Cathy leaned over and laid her head on my shoulder and squeezed my hand tighter. I summoned a small measure of mystical power and directed it through my hand, making it glow with a white aura. She felt it and raised her own power level. A feeling of connectedness to her filled my mind; I could sense her essence.

“You two had all last night to make out,” Sarah said. “We’re almost at the church.”

“Sorry, Mom,” I said, allowing my power level to drop back to normal.

A moment later we pulled into the crowded parking lot of a large white church surrounded by a freshly mowed lawn and meticulously trimmed hedges. As we got out of the SUV we saw people were walking through the parking lot and heading towards a second smaller building next to the church.

“I think we’re in time for Sunday School,” I said.

“We might as well head over there,” Cathy said. “I wonder what class we'll be in.”

Before we reached the door to the building, an old, wrinkled black woman with a big smile drove up to us in an electric wheelchair.

“Welcome, young folks,” she said. “We’re glad to have you today.”

“Thank you,” I said. “We’re glad to be here.”

“My name is Miss Ellen Jackson, but you can call me Jackie if you like,” she said, reaching out her hand.

Cathy gently took he hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Jackie,” she said. “I'm Cathy, this is my fiancé, Eli, and my friend, Sarah.”

“The pleasure is mine,” she said. “Just head on in so you won't be late for Sunday School. It’ll be starting soon.”

Inside the building we were ushered by a short Hispanic woman down a hallway. As we walked down the short corridor, I saw several people of various ages walking into rooms on either side. Our usher led us to a door with a sign that read, “College and Singles.”

When I opened the door I was surprised to see Dr. Smart, the physician at the free clinic and Ms. Juanita's son, standing at a chalk board. A number of young people were sitting in chairs around a large table in the middle of which was a basket full of pens and pencils and a box of glazed donuts.

“Welcome,” Dr. Smart said. “Please, feel free to grab a seat and have a donut. We’re about to start soon.”

I was not sure if Dr. Smart recognized me or not. He’d only met me once, very briefly, at the clinic.

The three of us pulled up chairs at the end of the table furthest from the chalk board.

“I'm Ron,” a tall black man said, reaching out his hand to me. I shook his hand, introduced myself, and repeated the process a few more times. The members of the class, all eight of them, seemed friendly.

Dr. Smart stood at a small, metal podium in front of the chalkboard and began to address us.

“Good morning everyone,” he said. “I'm glad that all of you showed up this morning for Sunday School. I'd like to begin by welcoming the three guests we have the privilege of studying God's word with today. We’re very pleased to have you with us. Would each of you please tell us your name?”

We each introduced ourselves.

“I remember you, Eli,” Dr. Smart said. “How is the neck doing?”

“Oh, it's all better,” I said.

“My mom has been wondering about you, she’ll be glad you’re here.” he said. “Please make sure you see her before church is over. Actually, I hope you’ll stay for the pot luck we’re having afterwards.”

“I'll make sure I talk to her,” I said.

For the next forty five minutes Dr. Smart taught a lesson about the Biblical character Job. He explained how Job lost everything: his family, fortune, land, livestock, and health. However, he refused to curse God. As a reward, the Lord restored his health and made him more prosperous than ever.

Dr. Smart continued to explain that during periods of stress, trials, and tribulation we need to draw closer to God and not further away. Because after we overcome the challenges, if we stay true to ourselves and our faith, God will reward us.

“You’re my reward,” Cathy whispered to me at the end of the lesson.

Reaching under the table, I took her hand and squeezed it.

When class was over and the room was emptying, Dr. Smart came over to us.

“Do you mind if I take a quick look at your neck?” he said. “I'm curious how well it has healed. It was a nasty wound.”

“Sure,” I said.

I pulled my shirt color down so he could see where I’d been bitten.

“Amazing! It looks like it has healed up perfectly,” he said. “There’s not even a scar.”

“Thank you so much for treating it at the clinic,” I said.

“You’re welcome,” he said.

“We need to get going,” Sarah said. “We don't want to be late for services.”

“You have about ten minutes,” Dr. Smart said. “It was very nice meeting both of you as well. Are you related to Eli?”

“I'm his... cousin,” Sarah said. “And this is Eli's fiancé.”

“You’re a lucky man, Eli,” he said.

“Thank you,” I said. “I know.”

We finally walked out the classroom and headed towards the Sanctuary. On the way there, we were greeted and welcomed by at least a half dozen different church members. They all seemed glad that we were there.

A few moments later we sat down on a wooden pew with a long, red cushion.

“I enjoyed Sunday School,” Cathy said “It was a good lesson.”

“I thought so too,” I said.

Sarah seemed quiet as the church building filled with people. I looked ahead at the pulpit, and I saw that choir members in elegant blue robes with gold trim were gathering behind the pulpit.

“We should have brought Bibles,” Cathy said. “Everyone else has one.”

I felt a bit of guilt as I realized I didn’t even know where I kept my Bible. My mother had given me one as a child, and I read it frequently for many years but my study had fallen off drastically.

I glanced again at Sarah. She looked like her mind was elsewhere.

“Are you okay?” I whispered in her ear.

She slowly turned her head.

“The last time I was in a church was at my boyfriend's funeral,” she whispered. “I'm just having memories, that's all.”

“I'm sorry,” I said.

“Don't worry, I'm fine.”

As the sanctuary filled to capacity, I could smell the scent of women's perfume. A number of women in flowered dresses and large, fancy hats had sat down in the pew in front of us. Normally the smell would have broken me out into allergies, but since my transformation it had no effect on me.

The organ began to play and soon the choir was singing a hymn. A few moments later, the music director asked for everyone to join in. We stood to our feet with the rest of the congregation, and I hummed along to the song – the ability to sing was not one of my new powers. Sarah and Cathy were both singing beautifully.

After a couple more slow hymns, the tall black pastor of the church walked to the pulpit and began to speak. I noticed a deep scar on his left cheek.

“Good morning!” he said. “Aren't you glad to be in the house of the Lord this morning?”

“Yes I am,” a woman shouted.

“Amen,” said a man.

“I'm so thankful to be here,” exclaimed the pastor in a booming voice. “I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday Morning than at church with my family, my friends, and my congregation. You know, the devil convinces some people there are better things to do on Sunday morning – like going fishing, or staying home and watching TV.”

The pastor stepped down from the elevated platform and walked onto the floor of the sanctuary. He straightened his gray suit.

“Some people are fooled by Lucifer into sleeping in on Sunday Morning. Maybe because they drank too many beers at the bar the night before. Or maybe they danced at the club all night,” he said.

“Preach it,” a woman called out. “Preach it!”

“I go to bed early on Saturday night. I don't have any desire to go out drinking on the weekends. The party I look forward to is the Holy Spirit party I have right here on Sunday morning!”

“Amen!” another woman called out.

“I don't need no liquor to get Holy Ghost power,” he said.

He pointed his finger at people in the congregation.

“I got sister Margaret who prays for me every single week,” he said.

He mentioned various people in the room that had prayed for or encouraged him.

“No amount of booze, no joints of dope, and no lady of the night can make me feel like I do right now. I'm where I want to be, right now, in this church!”

He walked back to the platform and took a chair as the choir started to sing an upbeat song. Everyone in the church stood up and began to clap. A few members of the church stood up, walked into the area between the two rows of pews, and began to dance.

“Glory!” the choir sang. “Glory!”

A few minutes later the song ended, a prayer was given, and the pastor began to give a sermon. He taught on marriage, of all things.

“God commands us men to act like men, not pigs,” he said. “We’re to love our wives and sacrifice for them like Jesus did for all of us. Jesus gave his life for the church, and we should be ready to give our lives for our wives if need be.”

“So if we’re willing to die for our wives, why do so many Christian men cheat?” he asked. “If we claim to be loving husbands, why do we break their hearts?”

He pounded his fist on the pulpit.

“I'll tell you why,” he said. “Because we listen to the devil.”

“He tells us that some other woman looks better than our wife. Or he may try to convince us that some woman may treat us better than our
old lady
. However, I'm here to say that the grass is not greener on the other side. Not matter what Lucifer may say, your wife is the only woman that should be in your life. No one can love you like she can,” he said.

I felt Cathy's hand wrap around mine.

“But my wife doesn't take me to bed anymore, you say! Well, how do you treat her? How many times this month have you told her that you loved her? When was the last time you cleaned the house and told her to have a day off?”

A number of women shouted “amen” enthusiastically.

Before long, the pastor switched gears and discussed how women need to be faithful to their husbands and love them as well. He said the best way for a couple to stay together was to stay in church and mentioned that there was a special Thursday night Bible Study group for married couples of all ages.

After his sermon, an offering was taken. As the ushers walked from pew to pew with the collection plates, I saw Cathy reach into her small, leather pocket book and pull out a fifty dollar bill. She must have enjoyed the sermon, I figured.

When the usher came by she dropped the bill into the plate and looked back at me.

“I'm going to make a good wife for you,” she whispered in my ear.

“I promise I’ll do my best to be a good husband,” I whispered back.

A final chorus was sung and a final prayer was made before the service was dismissed. As soon as people started walking out the door, an old lady rushed to the microphone and reminded everyone about the potluck in the social hall.

Immediately upon standing, I started scanning the room looking for Ms. Juanita. I wanted badly to speak to her. On the far side of the room I saw her waving at me.

“Eli!” she shouted as she made her way towards us through the crowded room. I took Cathy by the hand and headed towards her. When we met she wrapped her arms around me.