Try a Little Tenderness Page 5

  Mrs. Ingle turned the phone around so that Amirah could see them. Five hundred sixty-two messages were left for Mrs. Ingle. Another had just come in, making that 563 messages. Amirah knew she had an uphill battle to convince Mrs. Ingle not to force her to cancel her show in order to keep her teaching job.

  Unlike Mrs. Slate, who appeared nurturing and understanding, Mrs. Ingle would be harder to please. Mrs. Slate didn’t care about social media, but Mrs. Ingle had a personal profile and a fan page on Facebook and actively participated on her own and the school’s Twitter accounts. Mrs. Ingle taught a well-respected seminar on LinkedIn and its benefits in business twice a year on campus and at two of the local community colleges. She also advised students and staff on the best practices to develop professional accounts.

  So the question wasn’t if she saw “the video,” but how many times?

  “I’m sure that once I get back in the studio tomorrow I’ll be able to clean this up. Instead of doing a new show, I’m going to clean house and start the search for new staff.” Amirah tried to convince Mrs. Ingle.

  She wasn’t impressed. “That’s what your lips say, but what does your heart say?”

  “Mrs. Ingle, please—” Amirah didn’t want to beg. She hated the idea of begging anyone to do anything for her. “I have a show next week with Donte Longstocking. This show was already on the schedule.”

  “Donte Eugene Speaks,” Mrs. Ingle corrected her.

  “I’ve forgiven that man. I’m sure he has forgiven me for putting him on blast and criticizing his decision to follow God and join a church ministry.” Amirah conceded, “I was wrong to tell people it’s all fake and a ploy just to gain sales for his movies.”

  “Well, you of all people should know that one can’t sell pornography at church.” Mrs. Ingle got up from her desk and walked around to the side Amirah was sitting on.

  Donte Eugene Speaks, aka Donte Longstocking, was a five foot ten, sexy chocolate track star cutie with a Barry White-esque voice. He became a local celebrity and a national adult video star when he produced a series of webcasts and homemade movies featuring himself physically penetrating women of all shades, shapes, and sizes. Unbeknownst to Mrs. Ingle, her students, and most people around her, Amirah appeared in a few of his Fabulous and Thique videos—a concept he stole from the comedienne Mo’Nique. The videos featured him doing his thing with the big girls. Amirah knew what she was doing when she signed up for the flicks, but she also knew that she’d need to practice discretion. Folks didn’t know Amirah was in the videos because she always wore shades and had a lot of extensions added to what was then a short hairstyle.

  After doing those videos and hearing an insensitive comment made by Donte, Amirah worked hard to grow her own hair and lose the weight. It was during that time of reconstruction that she found Jesus and worked to get her life together, as well as getting some of her immediate family members, including her mother, saved. The seven years that had passed played a role in the reason why people didn’t recognize her from the videos. Her use of a fake accent and the extra hundred pounds she had carried then aided in her disguise.

  “Well, Donte isn’t the only man at the church, and besides, it’s your fault for laying up with him and doing whatever it was you may have done with him on film,” Mrs. Ingle chastised while giving her a hug.

  How did she know? Amirah started to ask, but there was no way she was going to confess to being in an adult flick to her boss.

  The better question was what was she doing watching it?

  “It wasn’t me,” was the best denial she could come up with. Amirah and Mrs. Ingle had the best relationship a superior and an employee could have, and she didn’t want to ruin it by lying.

  “We’re not perfect, and if I thought you couldn’t have a life beyond sex and pretty boys, I wouldn’t have hired you. But you really need to give this ministry a chance. I can see where your idea of doing the show with Donte could give you some room to clean up the situation. It is a risky move but one I know you can handle and do right.

  “I want you to look at it this way.” Mrs. Ingle reached behind her and pulled out the iPad, which was well protected in a special case that blended in with the books on her desk. She turned it on, and in a few seconds, she had a video clip of a young female preacher with fiery red hair giving a fiery word that commanded the attention of the congregation. “This young lady used to be a well-known porn star. Don’t assume that because there are a lot of old people like me that go every Sunday that that is all church is. There’s a young man in Winston-Salem that was just up here this past Sunday recruiting members for his growing Street Disciples Ministry that I think deserves more time on your show. Donte’s younger brother—that Christian rapper—The Revelation would benefit greatly from the exposure your show could give him. And Lord forgive me, but if I were your age and unmarried, I’d give both of them a run for their money.”

  Amirah shook her head. She didn’t want to admit that Mrs. Ingle was a cougar, and she definitely didn’t have the courage to call her one to her face. After all, Pastor Ingle was at least five years younger than Mrs. Ingle. “After I interview Donte, I’ll see about getting Rahliem and The Revelation on my show. Some of my students listen to his music. Maybe we can get him to visit the school.”

  “I’ll tell you what—” Mrs. Ingle pulled up a writing app on the iPad. “We’ll talk about finding you the right seminary school another time. I can help you bring The Revelation to Shiloh if that’s really what you want to do. Right now, let’s focus on you getting your act for your next show.”

  “I already have it worked out. Plus, Donte’s done a great job cleaning up his image, and I’m sure he can help me too.”

  “I won’t make you quit the show in order to keep your job,” Mrs. Ingle promised.

  Amirah breathed a sigh of relief.

  “I already have some of my people doing damage control. Shiloh Christian Academy will help you with all the resources we have available to us. That’s one of the blessings of being a private school: we have more freedom and flexibility to fix things and call on the Lord to help us, too. But your show can’t get sidetracked like this again, or it will put you in a position to leave it behind—or find another school to teach at.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Amirah answered. She was glad that Mrs. Ingle and Shiloh Christian Academy were going to help her with damage control. Gospel United Christian Center had already released statements condemning her attack, and after she found out who was behind the prank, she began digging through resumes to find replacements.

  Chapter Six

  Old Things New

  The scent of the Axe Instinct body spray filled the air as Mateo moved the small black can across his frame. He looked in the mirror and his whitened smile reflected back when he saw his spiked hair maintaining its form at the top and the sparkle of the small diamond stud that clung to his left ear.

  Mateo had decided to get dressed in Sonic’s room as opposed to his because Sonic had a run-in with Turner a week ago. The one day Mateo hadn’t met up with Sonic at his job, Turner confronted Sonic and started beating on him behind the restaurant. It seemed that the violent and abusive relationship would never evade Sonic. If it weren’t for a coworker who happened to be taking the trash out, Sonic could’ve ended up in the hospital. Ever since then, Mateo always made sure he knew where Sonic was at all times, and when they were together, Sonic stayed in plain sight.

  “Mateo, what’s wrong with you?” Sonic complained as he coughed while ironing some khakis in the middle of his room. “We’re going to Bible study, not to some club or a house party.”

  “Wait a minute.” Mateo turned around to face his friend. “Do I say anything about you wearing that God-awful wave cap every time you step out of the door to go somewhere, or how you always poppin’ Tic Tacs like you have intentions of catching the next female in sight?” Mateo thought it was cool how his friend was trying to turn all aspects of his life around.

  Sonic rol
led his eyes, easily irritated. Mateo knew that questioning the fact that Sonic wanted to leave his homosexual ways behind would get under his skin. “Mateo, seriously dude, we are just going to the Street Disciples meeting to get the Word and continue our study on the Book of Acts, not for you to find the next woman you want to be with.”

  Mateo dropped the plush green towel that had been covering his midsection and picked up the black slacks that were still in the packaging that had come from the dry cleaners earlier that day. He reached in his bag and pulled out a gold rope necklace. “Bruh, I’ve picked up many a woman after Sunday service.” He put on the necklace while simultaneously slipping into his onyx-colored wingtip shoes. “Besides, I’m trying to remain celibate. Been that way for a few months now. Don’t tempt me and make you regret it when I’m entertaining my guest in my room.”

  Sonic shook his head as he set the iron down to put on his khakis and to reach for the white button-up shirt he was going to wear. Mateo had just finished buttoning his sky blue shirt with the matching silver-and-black tie that he’d gotten from an urban clothing store earlier that day as well. He reached for the mint-flavored bottle and pressed the spray twice in his mouth.

  “You are so vain.” Sonic quickly put on his clothes so that he could be ready when Mateo walked out the door, because they both were going to ride in Sonic’s car to the Guiding Light Ministry Center. The church was about a mile from the campus of W. E. B. DuBois College in Asheville, North Carolina on Merrimon Avenue. They would be meeting with some students from the nearby campus of University of North Carolina at Asheville to study the Word and fellowship.

  “Whatever, bruh.”

  Sonic shook his head and pressed his lips shut. He knew it was pointless to argue with Mateo. He knew every word Mateo spoke about his previous reputation to be true, and Sonic, being the ex-homosexual, had no right to judge.

  Mateo and Sonic had been prayer partners since Hammer brought them together almost eight months ago. Sonic had taken Mateo with him to church many Sundays, because it would be another two weeks before the suspension on Mateo’s driver’s license was lifted. Mateo was still working off the time he got for a DUI a few years back.

  They left Sonic’s room, and Sonic suddenly reached for his pocket. “I think I left my key inside.”

  Mateo smirked. “Don’t worry. I have mine.” He reached into his pocket and dug out the plastic card with the Pizza Hut advertisement on the front. Mateo and Sonic heard a car honking as they were leaving Sonic’s room. Sonic’s car was at the end of the parking lot closer to the street. Sonic had taken to parking the car in different locations to avoid the risk that Turner may find it and do some damage.

  Just as they pulled off from the motel, Mateo’s phone dinged, alerting him that he had another notification from His-Love.com. This was a message from a Dijonaye96, whose profile said she was only eighteen. He tried to think of a polite way to tell her that he wasn’t interested. He was proud of himself, because the old Mateo would have met the girl, had his way with her, and then never called her again.

  Amirah pulled into the closest space near the church so that she and her two friends, Marjorie and Aja, wouldn’t have to walk very far.

  “Why didn’t you park in the back?” Marjorie asked from the backseat. “I would’ve been fine walking.”

  Amirah looked at her friend from the rearview mirror. “We always park in the back, because we are usually late and have to walk the farthest. This is a reward for getting to the Lord’s house on time.”

  “Oh, really?” Aja reached up to turn the rearview mirror in her direction so she could make last-minute adjustments to her makeup and to make sure no loose strands of hair had come apart from her bun. “So God’s gonna start giving bonus checks if we have a quarter of good attendance? I could use one of those checks right now.”

  Amirah turned and looked at her friend. “Aja, you know going to church is not about getting something material. It’s about gaining something that will benefit you spiritually and keep you grounded in the Lord.”

  “Amirah, stop turning my words around.” Aja attempted to put the mirror back to its position. “I’m just saying that I spent up all of my tax refund check and I could use some financial aid right now.”

  Amirah shook her head. “Did you tithe any of that money?”

  “Did you tithe yours?” Aja shot back.

  “Yes, I did. I gave about seven percent. I know it’s not the full ten, but I’ve been working my way up to that since I gave my life to the Lord a few years ago.”

  Amirah was telling the truth. She’d been having financial problems since having to bury her mother this past summer. She was still sorting out her mother’s affairs with some of her business partners when she returned to her job as a teacher a few weeks ago.

  “Well, when I get some money or find a man with some money, then I will tithe. Until then, may God have mercy on me.”

  Amirah could see Marjorie shaking her head in the back.

  “Hey, isn’t that Sonic and that fine Blatino getting out the car?” Aja shouted as if they were outside.

  Marjorie took a quick look in their direction and then moved away. “They look nice today.”

  “When are you going to ask Sonic out?” Aja looked in the mirror and licked her lips like a seductress. “That boy is fine, and you know you like him. That’s the only reason I haven’t asked him out yet is because I know you like him.”

  “Because the Bible says that a man who finds a wife finds a good thing,” Marjorie quipped. “It’s Sonic’s job to ask me out on a date. I’m not going to chase after no man. Girl, bye. This is 2015, and when a man wants me, I’ll be just fine, because this fabulous and thick madam don’t need a man. Besides, I want to make sure he has his past out of his system completely before I give him the time of day. And he’s gotta stop dying his hair blue.”

  Amirah unlocked the door so she could let her friends out. For a brief moment, she caught herself thinking about Mateo, but she detested the idea of leaving the Bible study just another one of his harlots. Amirah had heard stories about how Mateo got around, especially with women who either left church or their social club gatherings. She knew how he would purposely pretend like he’d come from a meeting or be at church just so he could spit game and talk the women out of their undergarments.

  “Well, I came to hear the Word and to talk about how Paul and Silas managed to overcome being in prison.” Amirah got the girls refocused on the mission at hand. She stepped out of the car, and soon all three of them were closing their doors at the same time.

  “Hello, ladies,” Sonic greeted them as he and Mateo reached Amirah’s car. He hugged each of the ladies. “I managed to bring a guest with me.”

  Mateo shook each of the ladies’ hands, but he lingered when he shook Amirah’s. Amirah felt her heart beating faster when Mateo’s hands slipped into hers. She’d always heard about how fine Mateo was, but she had never been this close to the man. She noticed the sharp goatee that outlined the shape of his chin, and how it matched his mocha-colored eyes. She also noticed the slight limp every time he took a step. Amirah wondered if it was an act or if it was natural. Normally, she didn’t find non-African American men attractive, but she did enjoy the interracial romances she discovered on her mother’s bookcase, and she did like Miguel’s latest album. Before she got saved and holy, she did think Mario Lopez was cute.

  “Nice to meet you.” Amirah gathered her thoughts.

  Amirah couldn’t believe they made Hispanic men this dark. Then she remembered her studies in undergrad about the Moors conquering Spain, and it made sense. Amirah reflected on some of the comments her professors had made about the Africans not getting their due for preserving the European culture, and the resentment some Africans have toward them for trying to annihilate them.

  “We’ll have to sit together and study the Word. See what Jesus is talking about.” Mateo smiled as bright as a hundred-watt bulb.

  Amirah shook her he
ad. She felt that Mateo didn’t mean it and didn’t entertain the thought. Together, the ladies, Sonic, and Mateo headed toward the entrance of the church. Aja pulled Amirah to the side.

  “Girl, you better be careful. You know Mateo is a player, and you don’t want that,” Aja warned as she spoke quietly in Amirah’s ear.

  Amirah could feel Aja pulling on her arm. “I know. I came here to study the Word. I know where my priorities are.”

  Aja smiled and Amirah instantly felt convicted for how she had answered her friend.

  “I’m sorry, Aja. It’s just that right now, I’m not trying to think about a man. I got to stay focused on school, the show, Jesus, our business, and whatever He’d have me to do.”

  “Okay. I was just warning you. Be careful.”

  Amirah and Aja caught up with the rest of the group. Amirah observed the way Mateo and Sonic acted like gentlemen as they interacted with the other members of the Bible study. Amirah saw Mateo look at her, and when she felt herself looking too long at him, she turned away and opened her Bible so she could make sure the notes she wanted to discuss with the group were available. Once she found her notes, she looked them over and then hugged one of the girls who’d come up to greet her. They’d taken a seat near the front and excitedly waited for the leader of the Bible study to continue their study on Paul.

  After the lady took her seat, Amirah looked back at Mateo and wondered, What if?

  Mateo nodded his head every time Minister Soulja Harmon emphasized certain points in his mini-sermon. He admitted to himself that Minister Harmon was impressive for a twenty-year-old communications major who accepted his call into ministry early in life.

  The minister reminded him of one of the boys he used to hang with back in the day. The way Minister Harmon carried himself gave the impression of a young street soldier. Mateo saw the way members of the congregation followed him as he paced the pulpit. His voice was bold, and the Bible verses felt like daggers with flame tips as they took root in Mateo’s soul.