Reverend Cash: Let Us Prey (7 page)

Chapter 16

Billy was already pretty fucked up but his now black heart only made him worse. You can’t live a good life with a black heart. Lady’s heart, on the other hand, was completely broken and it’s hard to live a good life with a broken heart as well. Lady was so distraught that she didn’t leave her room for days after Mary’s death. A pickle jar served as an outhouse since she wouldn’t leave.

It wasn’t until the day of the funeral that she picked up a little. The thought of being in church propelled her from her sweaty sheets. She smelled a little pickled herself, but she still slipped on one of her Sunday’s best dresses, hat, and shoes.

Mrs. Paul came to give the family a ride to church to say their final goodbyes. She winced from the foul odor that filled the car as Lady climbed in beside her. She almost lit the reefer just to change the fragrance in the air but held out. They would blaze up after she put her daughter in the dirt.

Most of the congregation nodded their condolences to Lady and Billy as he led her to the front pew. However, there were some salty sisters in the church who still turned their noses up at the woman who took money out of their purses by fucking their husbands. Lady’s motto was ‘if your husband wanted his dick suck you should suck it’ and if you didn’t she would and she’d get paid for it too. And she did.

Pastor Paul looked dapper in a somber black suit and black glasses. The choir hummed an ol’ Negro spiritual, like backup singers, as the preacher began to preach. He paced to and fro with his deacon/hype-man only a step behind ready to co-sign like a good hype-man is supposed to. Every now and again he would run over and wipe the sweat from Pastor’s brow.

“Pastor shol’ got a mouth on him,” Lady admired bringing her word count to ten for the day.

“Yeah, he do,” Billy replied. His mother squeezed his hand not knowing he was referring to the pastor’s head game. He almost got an erection from watching the man’s lips moving.

It didn’t matter which chapter or verse Pastor Paul quoted, because it was just some bullshit as far as Billy was concerned. It was all just game to fill up the collection plates that were constantly in motion.

“Take yo’ time!” Lady’s friend yelled amongst the Amens. It was purely for attention in hopes that Lady would open her legs for business later.

No one really gave a fuck about the girl in the box. Even her friends had ulterior motives for being there. They all stared at Billy hoping to spend a little time and money with him after the ceremony. The preacher eulogized the girl he’d watch grow up but rarely spoke to. You wouldn’t know it though by the way he put on. Only about half of the mourners from the church made it out to the cemetery. Lady was in such a daze that she didn’t even notice. However, Billy did and it angered him. If he ever got a chance to make them pay, he would.

After more mumbo-jumbo from Pastor Paul the casket was lowered into the hole in the ground. Lady moaned woefully as the grave digger began shoveling dirt back into the hole he’d dug. People passed the grave tossing in flowers and mumbling their final goodbyes.

“I’ll take Miss Lady on home,” Mrs. Paul offered. She’d gotten hold of some good reefer and couldn’t wait to get to it.

“Okay, and I’ll take the boy with me,” Pastor replied. That meant Lady got high and Billy got head before they made it home.

****

After the funeral Lady retreated back into her room and didn’t come out again. She remained closed up in her room where she smoked her reefer and mumbled to herself. Her vagina was in a funk too since she wouldn’t bathe.

Billy now had extra expenses and he passed them along to his customers. It now cost ten bucks for him to pay a visit to your cervix. However, his new found aggression made it money well spent. Inflicting pain became his pleasure. He now got a kick out of really beating the pussy up.

“You gotta take it easy this time,” Shawna pleaded as they undressed for their latest sexual session. Of all the women in his rotation Shawna was the only one who really couldn’t handle it.

“Okay,” Billy agreed. He slid into gently and then proceeded to beat it up anyway. Shawna howled for mercy but got none. Luckily for her, he got off quickly from her agony. He decided not to pull out and came inside of her. Whatever came of it would be her problem. Obviously, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Like father, like son.

****

Leroy was a criminal so every time the door to the pool hall door opened he shot his eyes over to it. He never knew if it was the police, a rival, or some husband angry about him pimping his wife. Seeing that it was only Billy he nodded and turned back to his drink.

He was far too cool to acknowledge that he was in his feelings over not being able to control Billy like he did Byron. Billy was making his own money from slinging dick and preaching revivals. He liked wine and reefer and not only could he pay for his own, but he could pay for his mama’s as well.

“Sup Leroy, Byron,” Billy greeted. Mandy was present as usual but as usual she wasn’t present so there was no need to greet her. Her mouth hung open as her chin lay on her chest while she was in a deep nod.

“Sup Billy!” Byron cheered while Leroy simply nodded in greeting. “You coming to make these rounds with me?”

“I cain’t. Gotta go make sure my mama eat,” he said and turned to Leroy. “I need some reefer.”

“Boy, I been tryna put you in charge of the reefer. You do and you won’t have to pay nar’ ‘nother day for it,” Leroy chided.

“I’m good,” Billy declined and pulled out two tens — twenty bucks was a lot of money back then and could buy you a lot of reefer, enough to last both him and his mama for a week.

Byron handled the sale while Leroy glared at Billy. He didn’t want his damn money he wanted his soul, and one way or another he vowed to get it. It was fatherly love in a fucked up, sick, twisted, ghetto sense, but it was all the pimp had to offer.

Billy said his goodbyes as he stood and departed. He felt the daggers in his back before he made it halfway to the door. He stopped and turned around to see Leroy staring at him with a snarl. He smiled appreciatively and turned back to the door.

****

“Hey Mama, I’m home!” Billy called as he walked back into the house. His mother’s odor greeted him back in return. “You hungry?”

“Shol’ is! That sister of yours ain’t gone cook nothin’!” she huffed, showing she had slipped another notch into mental illness.

“Don’t worry, I’ll fix you somethin’. After yo’ bath,” he replied.

In a rare act of altruism Billy ran his mother a hot bath. He then turned away as he stripped her of her smelly clothes and helped her inside. He lit her a stick of reefer, placed it between her lips, and left her to soak.

Billy left Lady in the tub long enough to clean her room and fix her a plate. He got her situated in her clean bed with a full plate and a thick stick for desert. A peck on her forehead served as a goodbye before he headed out into the night.

Chapter 17

Billy realized that the harder he preached at the revivals the more people gave, so he gave his all to ensure that they would too. It didn’t take long before he was the star of the show. People old and young came from near and far to hear young Reverend Cash do his thing.

Earl and Greg pouted when he became the headliner. Dwight, however, was smart and jumped on the Billy bandwagon. He decided to hitch a ride on the other boy’s shooting star by becoming his hype-man — technically it’s called dick riding, but back then the phrase hadn’t been coined yet.

Greg didn’t like it but was content with his fade to black. Not Earl, however. The sissy plotted and planned to get rid of Billy; especially once Pastor Paul started to openly cater to him.

The preacher saw that Billy had a stronger will than the others. He was a leader so following didn’t come easy. It was obvious to him that Billy enjoyed the oral favors but the boy never initiated them. Earl, on the other hand, threw himself at the pastor, like the woman that he wished he was. The first time he got rebuffed he decided that Billy had to go.

The Junior Pastor Team met at least once a week at the pastor’s house. And once a week Earl would steal a small trinket or knick-knack from the pastor’s house. Nothing major, just a little something to raise suspicions. He figured since things didn’t start to go missing until after the arrival of the new guy that the suspicions would fall his way. It should’ve but it didn’t.

“I gotta pee!” Earl raised his hand and announced as he wiggled in his chair like a young girl.

“So, go ‘head,” Pastor said and frowned up at the unnecessary request for permission. Mrs. Paul made herself scarce most weekends, so the boys had the run of the house. Therefore, they didn’t need permission to use the bathroom. Pastor Paul, being Pastor Paul, still took a look at his ass as he left the room.

Earl walked loudly down the hallway then quietly tip-toed into Pastor’s room. Once inside he rushed over to the dresser and swiped a pair of the Mrs.’ Panties for his personal use and one of Pastor’s watches as part of his plan. It might have worked had Pastor not snuck down and saw him. Without a sound he snuck back out and acted as if he hadn’t seen the theft.

“Whew! I had to pee bad!” Earl said, still playing it off like he’d gone to the bathroom.

“That’s it for the day. Now, let’s say we hit the backyard and fire the grill up!” Pastor Paul suggested.

“Yassir!” Billy cheered along with the other boys. They all popped up to rush outside for burgers and hotdogs. Both Pastor and Earl lagged behind the others, but for different reasons. Earl wanted to slip the watch into Billy’s bag while Pastor had a call to make.

“What’s the matter boy?” Pastor Paul asked when Earl stayed behind. Assuming he wanted the usual he whipped out his dick.

“Pastor, I… oh! Earl paused upon seeing his favorite snack. He rushed over and quickly went down on the man.

“Hurr’ up,” the preacher said thrusting his hips so he would. Hurry up Earl did and so it was over minutes after it started. Earl wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stood.

“I’ll be right out,” he said, hoping for a chance to hide the watch, but it was not to be.

“No, gon’ on out. I’ll be right out,” Pastor corrected so he could make his call.

“I… um… I… um…” Earl stammered in confusion at the changed of plans. He thought quickly and came up with a new one. He then dug in his pocket and produced the watch. “Look!”

“My watch! Where did you get that from boy?” Pastor boomed.

“From Billy! He stole it! He always be stealing. I saw him put it in his bag and I got it out for you. Here.”

“You know what… put it in your pocket and hold on to it,” Pastor Paul said and shooed him on outside so that he could make his call before joining the party.

Billy frowned curiously at the smug looks the sissy kept shooting his way. Earl just knew that today would be the last day that he had to deal with the intruder and boy was he right. Right after the food was served and they’d all lowered their heads in prayer two police officers entered the yard. Earl giggled, like a little girl, at what he thought was to come.

“Which one of these boys been stealing?” the no nonsense white officer demanded. He hoped in his black heart that the pastor would say all of them so he could lock all of their black asses up.

“Mm hm,” Earl chided at Billy. “Bye-bye.”

“I can’t say for sure. You better check their pockets,” Pastor Paul replied.

“Mm hm,” Earl teased once more until the words processed in his head.

The white cop ordered the boys to their feet and then he and his black partner got to work. Billy came up clean, as did Dwight. The two stood to the side and watched as Greg and Earl got frisked.

“What in the world?” the black cop asked when he pulled a pair of Mrs. Paul’s panties from Earl’s pocket.

“I can explain!” Earl said and looked at Pastor.

“While you at it explain this too!” the cop demanded as he held up Pastor’s watch.

“My watch! Boy, what you doing with my watch?” Pastor asked, showing off his acting skills.

“Huh? You… I… I… thought we…” Earl whined as he was cuffed and carted off to jail. Luckily for him he was still a juvenile so he only went to kiddie jail.

“Can I have his burger?” Billy asked once the commotion died down.

“But of course! Y’all dig in,” Pastor ordered. The party went on as if the incident never happened. All the boys knew that Pastor had been fucking that boy and they all hoped that they wouldn’t be next.

****

“Billy, why don’t you wait here while I drop Greg and Dwight off at home,” Pastor Paul suggested once the meal was wrapped up. Both the other boys breathed a sigh of relief that they weren’t chosen.

“I… uh… I… um… gotta get home. Gotta go take care of my mama!” he begged off and held up Earl’s burger as proof.

“Shol’ do,” the preacher recalled. “You a good boy!”

Dwight raised his brows like ‘whew’ and pretended to wipe sweat from his face while Billy shook his head in agreement at having dodged a bullet. He would take the money, clothes, driving lessons, he would even take the blow jobs but he wasn’t getting fucked.

When Pastor drove to Greg’s out of the way house first Billy knew he was being saved for last. He and Dwight shot each other knowing looks and shook their heads. In truth they could only blame themselves for the abuse. They’d traded their dignity in exchange for material things. Pastor Paul was the only one winning.

“See you at the revival,” Dwight said when he got out at his house. He waved and went inside.

“I think you ‘bout ready to…” Pastor began but got cut off.

“No, I ain’t ready! I doubt I’ll ever be ready! I…”

“Boy, I’m tryna let you drive and you acting scurred! Don’t let me find out you scurred!” Pastor dared.

“Fo’ real! I mean, really? I can drive?” Billy asked changing his tone.

“Sure you can!” Pastor replied changing his tone as well. He was about to crack for some booty but saw that the boy wasn’t ready. That he wasn’t quite ripe yet so he’d slow it down, for now. He figured he might have to buy him a car before he got the ass.

Billy cheesed from ear to ear as he pulled off in the shiny new car. Just like with sex and drugs he had become instantly addicted. He wished he could push past the pool hall so he could be seen. All of the pimps pushed Caddies but none as new as this. Even big shot Leroy drove last year’s model. Proof that there’s more money in selling dreams than nuts.

“First Corinthians…” Billy said and began to quote scripture. He had saw Pastor looking him up and down and hoped to take his mind off of whatever it was on.

“Mm hm,” he said and reached into Billy’s lap. He fiddled with the zipper until he got it down. Once it was open he went inside.

“I’m tryna drive!” he protested in a whiny voice.

“You gotta learn to drive while getting yo’ dick sucked too. That shit is an art!” he explained. At least that much was true, it was an art.

The car swerved slightly when Billy felt Pastor’s tonsils tickle his dick head. He got it straight and tried to focus as he deep throated him. An orgasm caused him to stomp on the gas, but he eased off before running a light. He’d managed to master the art in only a couple of miles.

Lady was on the porch rocking in the same rocker he’d left her in hours before. The full pickle jar next to her meant she hadn’t been inside. She didn’t even register the car pulling to a stop. Billy skipped the goodbyes and rushed up to his mother.

“Hey Mama. Did you eat?” he asked softly. The sound of his voice snapped her from her incoherent thoughts that had frozen her in place for hours.

“Chile, I’m starved! Yo’ sister still ain’t made it in yet!” she announced.

“I know, Mama. Come on. Let’s go inside,” he urged and helped her up. Pastor stared at his ass as he walked her inside.

“You got some reefer?” Lady asked hopefully.

“Yeah, Mama. I got some reefer.”