Preaching to the Choir

PREACHING TO THE CHOIR

A NOVEL BY

CAMRYN ROYCE

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This novel is a work of fiction. Any reference to real people, events, establishments, or locales is intended only to give the fiction a sense of reality and authenticity. Other names, characters, and incidents occurring in the work are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, as are those fictionalized events and events that involve real persons. Any character that happens to share the name of a person who is any acquaintance of the author, past or present, is purely coincidental and is in no way intended to be an actual account involving that person.

Copyright © 2014

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portion thereof in any form whatsoever.

This novel is dedicated to the happiness and prosperity of my friends, family, and fellow authors. God is so good. Thanks for believing me, Jade. XoXo, Cam.

“Preachin’ To the Choir”

Preaching to the Choir

Alana sat in the waiting room of the pediatrician’s office, holding her 2 year old daughter Michaela. She adjusted Michaela’s diamond earrings and tied her baby Jordans for what seemed like the tenth time; Michaela hated having shoes on. She set her down and watched her run off to play with another little girl who was building Legos. Alana knew it wouldn’t be long before Michaela’s bossy attitude would cause a problem.

Sure enough, she watched as Michaela snatched a Lego from the younger girl’s hand. The little girl stood up and snatched it back. Alana couldn’t believe the little girl was standing up to Michaela. Alana stood up to intervene as Michaela shoved the little girl down and took the Lego for the second time.

Just as she had scooped Michaela up and began to scold her, she came face to face with a woman she guessed was the little girl’s mom. The little girl was yelling in some unknown baby talk, angry at Michaela. The babies screamed at each other as the two mothers held them apart. The younger girl clearly had a temper on her just like Michaela.

              “I’m so sorry.” Alana apologized after they had settled the girls down. “This little girl clearly has to try and run everything.”

              “Sounds a lot like Madison.” The woman said, referring to her daughter.

              After telling them to play nice, the mothers let the little girls down to play once more.

              “I’m Milan by the way.” She added, after the two sat down side-by-side.

              “I’m Alana, nice to meet you. How old is she?” Alana asked, curious.

              “Eighteen months. She thinks she’s grown though.” The girl said, shaking her head with a smile. “How old is your little princess?”

              “Two going on twenty!” Alana said with a laugh.

              “I know what you mean…Madison is getting bossier by the day. Her dad had to take her out of daycare because she bit the teacher. She’s a handful, but I love her to death.” She looked over at Madison and Michaela, watching them play.

              As Alana watched her bossy daughter carefully, she noticed how similar the two little girls looked. Michaela was a mirror image of her father, Michael. They both had dark, silky skin and almond-drop eyes. Michaela had Alana’s long wavy hair and pouted lips, but she was her father’s twin. She even had his controlling attitude and anger problem. Madison had the same eyes and skin color, but her hair was shorter and curlier, the way Michaela’s was when she was younger. Before she had time to wonder about it, the nurse came out with her clipboard.

              Matthews.” The nurse said, looking around.

              Alana stood up and picked up Michaela. She walked toward the front where the nurse waited, reading her clipboard. The nurse gave her a confused look, and reread the name on the papers.

              “I’m sorry, I meant Madison Matthews, not Michaela.”

              Alana apologized and sat down, embarrassed and slightly confused. She waved at Milan as she picked up Madison and followed the nurse down the hall. As she looked at her baby girl, she thought of Michael and how much she hated him.

              She had been with him for almost 3 years and had been miserable since she had Michaela. She felt trapped because she didn’t work and hadn’t gone to college. Michael made all the money and provided everything for her and their baby, but on the other hand, he was a complete ass. He felt like he could do what he wanted and he knew she wouldn’t leave him because he did everything for her.

              Alana had always been spoiled, so of course she didn’t want to work, but as she sat in the doctor’s office with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she felt like she had no choice if she ever wanted to get away from Michael. If he had fathered this other little girl, that would be the final straw for Alana, and no matter how hard it was, she’d have to leave him.

              “Michaela Matthews.” The same nurse called, a few minutes later. Alana grabbed her purse with one hand and picked up Michaela with the other. She approached the nurse and cleared her throat.

              “Um, you probably can’t answer this, but I’m going to ask you anyway…the other Matthews baby, is her dad named Michael?”

              The nurse shook her head.

              “You’re right, I can’t answer that. Sorry. This way please.” She led them to a room. “Dr. Lyle will be with you shortly.” She smiled at Michaela and exited, closing the door.

* * *

              “You know you was preachin’ yo behind off tonight, Pastor! I’ll see you Sunday!” Sister Beverly’s daughter Kim shouted on her way out to the lobby of the large, beautiful new church.

              Michael smiled and waved, trying his hardest not to stare at her ample backside as she strutted away. Loosening his tie, he shook hands with a few of the remaining members who had come to the Wednesday evening bible study that he led faithfully. He preferred being the one to convey the words of Christ to his church members even though the deacon had volunteered to take over in order to free up some of the good Pastor’s time.

              Deacon Banks was a solid, handsome man with a smooth bald head and dark rimmed glasses. His salt & pepper chin hair was the only evidence that he was nearing his 40’s.

              “You need anything else, Pastor?” he asked as he gathered his Bible and his suit jacket.

              “I can handle it from here, brotha. Take care.”

              “Alright, you too. Kiss that wife and baby for me.” He said as he led the rest of the lingering members toward the lobby.

              After the church was cleared out, Michael headed to his large, comfy office in the back of the church to pack up his things. The floor to ceiling mirror that made up the wall behind his large executive chair showed him that he looked exhausted.

              Michael said a small prayer for his daughter, hoping there would be good news after her latest doctor’s appointment. She’d started showing early signs of autism and developmental disorders, and he couldn’t help but to feel like it was his fault. He’d wished he’d been more careful, and although he loved his little girl with all his heart, he couldn’t help but to feel as if he should’ve waited before having her. Maybe things would’ve been different.

              All the stress from his already hectic week had started to take a toll on Michael. Once he made it to his 2015 Cadillac CTS, he tossed his briefcase in the trunk and closed it, but not before retrieving a small velvet drawstring bag from a toolbox he kept in it.

              After he’d climbed into his luxurious ride, he quickly pulled off and headed to the car wash nearby. Once he’d placed his car in neutral and the automatic wash started, only then did he open the velvet bag and take out a plastic baggy of cocaine. He quickly dipped his long pinky nail into the bag and snorted, waited a few seconds and then repeated the process.

              He then laid his head back and enjoyed the effects that he’d already begun to feel. A wide, perfect smile spread across his face as he pulled out of the car wash, feeling much better. Cocaine was his secret pleasure, and the reason why he’d always been able to handle anything that life threw at him. He was invincible when he got high, and there was nothing that could make him give it up.

              Michael cruised for awhile, enjoying his high before he finally decided to go home. He was pretty sure his woman was ovulating today, and he had to plant the seed before it was too late.

* * *

              “Who the fuck is Milan?” Alana asked, as she watched Michael dice onions.

              He looked around as if there was someone else in the room.

              “…Who you talkin’ to?”

              Alana indeed realized who she was talking to and lowered her voice.

              “Mike…I know you been cheatin’. That little girl looks
just
like Michaela!” her eyes began to water.

              “Yo…I’m cookin’, something you need to learn how to do. But since you wanna run your mouth, you can get the fuck out.” He said, never looking up.

              Alana watched for a moment before she stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She peeked in on Michaela, who was watching cartoons in her room.
My beautiful girl
, she thought as she smiled sadly. She loved her daughter so much, but she decided just then that if she really loved her than she had to leave Michael. He was no good for either of them.

              “Now what was that nonsense you asked me earlier?” Michael asked as the two sat across from each other eating dinner.

              “It doesn’t even matter anymore. It was nothing.” Alana responded, fighting with Michaela to eat her food. “Come on Kay-Kay just eat it.”

              “If she doesn’t want to eat it, don’t try and make her.” Michael said, raising his voice.

              “Are you serious? She needs to eat.” Alana said, looking at him. She felt so powerless.

              Michael got up and pulled his daughter from her high chair and sat her in his lap. He glared at Alana before he spoke again.

              “If my daughter doesn’t want it, she doesn’t have to eat it. Maybe she wants something else. She gets whatever she wants, and don’t you forget it.”

              Alana lowered her eyes, eating silently. Michaela grabbed Michael’s glass and tipped it over onto the floor, shattering it. She clapped excitedly as Michael laughed and stood up, leaving his empty plate on the table.

              “Clean that shit up before my princess cuts her foot.” Michael said before he walked away.

              Leaving her unfinished meal on the table, she got down on hands and knees and picked up all the glass. She cut her hand but she kept cleaning, not even fazed. After wiping up the juice and clearing the table, only then did she go to the bathroom to dress her wound.

              “Babe…Are you bleeding?” Michael called from the bottom of the stairs.

              “Yes.” Alana responded, wondering why he even cared.

              “Yeah, well you got that shit on the kitchen floor. The
very expensive
kitchen floor. Clean it up before it dries.”

              Alana shook her head and quickly bandaged her hand so she could tend to the mess before Michael got violently impatient. Once the kitchen was in order, she went into the living room and found Michael and his ‘princess’ watching TV. She sat down next to them and curled up.

              Michael looked over at her and put his arm around her. Michaela frowned at her mother and reached for her daddy’s arm, trying to pull him away from Alana. It crushed Alana’s heart to see that her baby preferred her father to her as she whined and pulled on Michael’s shirt.

              “Calm down princess. You’re still my favorite girl.” Michael calmed his daughter, smiling at Alana. He thought it was funny, Alana didn’t.

              “Michael, I don’t think that we should let her act like that. It’s not nice.”

              “Like what? She’s a daddy’s girl Alana. Nothin’ wrong with that.” Michael said.

              “But she’s like that to everybody. When she starts daycare she’ll----“

              “Whoa…wait a minute, daycare?” Michael asked, seemingly appalled. “You don’t work, why do we need to put my kid in daycare?”

              “Well…I was thinking about going back to school.” Alana said, playing with the throw pillow.

              “Why? If we’re both gone all the time, Michaela will never see us and I refuse to let somebody else raise my daughter. You can forget that. We don’t need any more money or education around here. Trust me, I got this.” Michael stated.

              Alana had known this wasn’t going to be easy, but Michael had a way of belittling her with the simplest words, and now she just felt defeated. She made one last attempt.

              “Why are you trying to make this about Michaela? All you’re really trying to do is keep me dependent on you.”

              “Ready for bed princess?” Michael said, turning his attention to his daughter.

              He had completely ignored Alana’s statement and instead took his daughter up to her room.

              Alana sat there staring at the TV, wondering why she loved this man so much. He was all she had ever known, and the only man she’d ever wanted, but what she didn’t know was why.

              As she sat there pondering her feelings, Michael leaned over the couch and kissed her forehead and she was right back to loving him.

              “Coming to shower with me?” he whispered, kissing her again.

              “You want me to?” she asked, surprised.

              “Of course, baby.” He said, pulling her to her feet and hugging her.

              Alana smiled, looking up into his eyes. As they headed upstairs, Michael asked her what the date was. After she told him, his eyes lit up. It was then that Alana realized what he was being so nice for. He now knew she was ovulating and he’d been trying to get her pregnant for the last few months.