Remember Who You Are

Ch 35,36

Chapter Thirty-five





“I wonder if he will bring his dog.”





Tracy laughed. “That three-legged dog might recognize us. Remember the first time we went in to clean the parsonage and didn’t know the dog was there and you screamed like a little girl?”





Lori Fields threw a towel at her roommate Alex. “I was just startled, that’s all. What do you think the dinners are all about anyway?”





“Just a chance to meet the members of the congregation, I guess. He seems to be pretty cool on Sunday mornings.”





“Yeah. Couldn’t believe it when the choir quit and then BAM! The next week, Casey comes in with a band. This preacher’s sneaky,” Lori laughed.





“That was pretty awesome. Are you working this weekend?”





“I have to prepare for depositions next week, so some reading. That’s all. Why?”





“I thought we might go hiking tomorrow. Hit the parkway, enjoy the leaves.”





“Maybe make out in the woods?” Lori smiled demurely and walked over to where Alex was stretched out on the sofa.





“Why wait? We have an hour before we have to be at the church.” Lori melted into Alex’s arms and the two kissed lightly and then more fully until Lori sat up and said, “Hey! Is this my blouse?”





“You said I could wear it.”





“Well, don’t stretch it out. Your boobs are bigger than mine.”





“You like ‘em big too. Kiss me baby.” Alex deepened her voice to a throaty rasp.





“Mmm. I love it when you talk like that.” Their lips met and parted. Their tongues danced playfully, teasingly, passionately. The next hour flew by.





*****


“Sharon’s not going to make it tonight,” Rodney Johnson leaned against the doorjamb of his partner’s office. Another hour in the office and both men would escape for the weekend.





“Amy sent me a text. She is babysitting for you guys tonight. Our girls are having a sleepover,” Thomas Beckett, Jr. looked up from the paperwork he was trying to finish – the upcoming weekend kept distracting him.





Rodney laughed. “I don’t know what’s worse. Me dealing with my wife’s headache or you dealing with our girls.”





Thomas moved his hands in a weighing motion. “Half of one….”





Rodney laughed again. “I was thinking about from the fire to the frying pan.”





Thomas shook his head, “We need new analogies.”





“Blow off the preacher and grab a beer or four?”





“We will never hear the end of it. Besides that, I am getting pressure to attend church regularly from Dad and Amy. Looks like I will have to just to shut them up.”





Rodney shook his head. “I’m hearing it too.” His voice changed into a nasally, high-pitched pseudo-female voice, “You need to set a good example for our girls. They need to know the importance of a spiritual life.”





“She really say that?” asked Thomas Beckett, Jr., his forehead furrowed, about his sister.





Rodney raised his eyebrows in surprise. “More than once. You not getting the guilt trip?”





Thomas shook his head, “Not yet. But if we blow off spaghetti with Satan…”





“Pasta with the Pastor,” laughed Rodney.





“And the difference would be? Anyway, if we blow it off, I will never hear the end of it.”





“Well, I see it as a break from Sharon and her migraine. So, what committee do you think he will try to put us on tonight?”





“No way. No one has the balls to ask two men who don’t come to church regularly to serve on a committee.”





“Don’t be surprised. This guy has massive cojones.”





*****


“What do you mean just me tonight? I have always had either you or Charles as a buffer. What’s different about tonight?” Wesley was shredding parmesan cheese and keeping his eye on the garlic bread in the oven. After five of these dinners, he had an unblemished record of having perfectly shredded parmesan cheese and perfectly toasted garlic bread. He was not about to blow his streak tonight.





“Just a feeling I have.” Susie was inspecting the table and the place settings and making minute corrections and tweaks. She loved teasing Wesley a little and seeing him in a situation where he did not have a ready answer. Except for the cooking part, Susie knew that Wesley could handle these dinners without her help; but she was not ready to cut the apron strings yet. He still needs me for a few things yet, she thought.





“A feeling, huh? A bad feeling?”





Susie giggled. “No, silly. Just remember, the two girls are cousins and roommates. Might as well say they are best friends. And the guys, since their wives aren’t coming, are also best friends. Well, they are best friends even if their wives came. You’ve already met Rodney, and you met Thomas, Jr.’s father. So, no major surprises there. These are four professional people. Two lawyers and two accountants. You should be fine here without us. Especially without us.”





Wesley saw the logic in Susie’s reasoning but he still preferred working with a net. “Anything else I need to know?”





“Remember, the wives are active members, they teach Sunday School to the elementary school kids and they run the nursery during preaching. Their husbands don’t attend regularly.” She stopped and thought for a moment. “Oh, and we need four people to fill slots on the Board of Trustees. Four young professional members would be preferable.” Susie winked at Wesley.





“And you call me the devil.”





*****


“This is excellent Wesley,” Lori Fields took a break from her ravenous attack on Susie’s spaghetti to shoot Wesley a compliment. The other participants in the meal murmured their agreement. Wesley had insisted, and insisted again several times after that, everyone call him Wesley and leave any titles at the door. Titles get in the way of friendship. After the usual pleasantries and initial awkwardness, the five had settled into an easy camaraderie and everyone seemed to enjoy their meals.





“I cannot take credit for anything except for the immaculately shredded parmesan cheese, and the expertly toasted garlic bread.” Everyone laughed. “Susie has prepared every meal, and every meal has been delicious. But,” he paused a moment, “I am tiring of spaghetti. She may have to make lasagna next week.” They all laughed again.





“So, what time do you want us to be here next week?” asked Thomas Beckett, Jr. who seemed, to Wesley anyway, to have the same easygoing personality as his father.





Everyone laughed but even Lori and Alex, the two cousins, sounded their agreement.





Tracy Wiggins spoke up, “I would not have been surprised if you hadn’t returned to the pulpit after almost being fired and then being shot. Most people would have walked away.”





I have walked away from too many things in my life already, thought Wesley. Looking at the four people seated around the table, he felt like there was opportunity for friendship here. “Walking away would have been too easy. I could not let the evil forces allayed against me have the victory.”





“Evil forces?” asked Lori with a laugh.





“Preachers are allowed a little melodrama from time to time or we run out of things to say.” This brought a hearty laugh from everyone at the table. Everyone took time to take a break from eating and drank thirstily from their glasses of tea. Wesley jumped up from his place and refilled their glasses.





Finishing, he sat back down and picked up his fork. But choosing not to eat, he used it as a distraction. “How can we improve? You are four educated, smart individuals. Two of you are regular members and two of you are married to regular members.” Wesley winked at Rodney and Thomas, both of whom smiled tightly. “So, where are we failing and where are we succeeding?”





Everyone sat, doing nothing, except for Alex Wiggins who was still gobbling down spaghetti. Realizing she was the only one eating, she self-consciously and slowly, placed her fork on her plate. “Sorry. It’s good and I’m hungry.”





Her feigned contriteness broke the tension created by Wesley’s question and they all laughed.





“Please, I did not mean for anyone to stop eating. Susie will be tickled that you liked her cooking.” Tracy smiled a thanks at Wesley then grabbed her fork, twirled her spaghetti, and started eating again. As did everyone else.





Lori was the first to address Wesley’s question that hung over the group like a spiritual Sword of Damocles. “We need to be more inclusive. Latinos, blacks, gays, everyone should feel welcome in this church. We are very old and very white.”





Lori’s answer confirmed for Wesley one of his suspicions. His “gaydar” had been buzzing all evening. The two women moved like a couple and they looked like they were struggling not to touch one another constantly. Plainly, they were lovers. He smiled inwardly at how these women had fooled the entire church. “Well, that is the first time I have heard that answer. And I agree wholeheartedly. Anyone else?”


“It’s possible,” started Thomas Beckett, Jr. “that we have stagnated because the same people that are making decisions now are the same people that were making decisions twenty years ago. Maybe we need new blood and new ideas.”








Thank you Susie, thought Wesley. That was all the opening he needed.


 


Chapter Thirty-six


Wesley and Thad pulled into Simon’s driveway. The past couple of weeks, working with Thad, had given Wes some insight into the young man. Thad worked well with his hands and was a quick study. Outside of a minor painting incident, one that Wesley swore to never reveal, Thad had learned most things with minimal instruction and had proven to be attentive to detail and quality. There was a curiosity to the boy that extended beyond basketball and home repairs; one he concealed beneath the veneer of teen pride and nonchalant “cool.”





Four cars, none of which belonged to Simon, lined the street, and their former inhabitants were scattered throughout the front yard waiting on Wesley and Thad. Thad, seeing the group of men, looked questioning at Wesley who ignored him as he parked. Thad and Wesley had always worked alone. Wesley hoped to expand their “project” to include more members of the church. This would allow more people to be helped, provide an opportunity for church members to serve their church family, and give Thad exposure to people willing to give who received nothing in return.





Hopping out of his car, Wesley waited on Thad to exit.





“Hello friend Preacher Wesley. How is friend Lucky? I will play with friend Lucky this afternoon. I promise.” Matthew had moved to Wesley’s side of the car and enclosed Wesley in a familiar hug. Wesley returned the hug and said, “Hello Matthew. Lucky is great and I know he looks forward to playing with you too.” Thad had exited the passenger side of the car and looked dubiously at Matthew – probably hoping not to be hugged, thought Wesley with a little smirk. Thad, my friend, you need more hugs. Mathew saw Thad but, surprisingly to Wesley, did not have the same reaction to Thad that he had had with Cameron. Must have been that she was a girl. Wesley smiled at the memory.


Moving to Doc Kirby, Wesley introduced Thad to everyone present. The usual suspects were there: Doc Kirby, Charles Loftin, Gary Meade, Casey and Matthew Dietz, Thomas Beckett and his son, Thomas Beckett, Jr.





After the introductions, Doc Kirby grabbed Wesley and whispered, “There is something you need to see in the house. It came with the mail today.”





Wesley nodded his acquiescence and organized the men. The plan was to be as efficient as possible for four hours. Finishing at lunchtime, the men would retire to the church where some of the biddies, inspired by Susie, had prepared a delicious lunch of sandwiches and homemade soup. The plan today was to winterize Simon’s yard. The grass needed cutting, leaves needed removing, the yard needed aerating, fertilizer needed spreading, and the flower beds needed to be covered in mulch. Wesley and Thad would return to plant grass seeds later. Wesley assigned aerating to the older men; Loftin, Beckett, Sr., and Doc; the grass cutting to Matthew Dietz, naturally, and the fertilizing to Casey Dietz and Beckett, Jr. Thad would get the pleasure of weed whacking. But first, Wesley wanted to check in on Simon and Mamie. He caught Thad’s gaze and motioned to the house with his head.





As the men worked, Wesley and Thad entered the house. Like every other time that Wesley had visited since Simon had returned home following his stroke, Simon was sitting in his recliner, cradling his left arm and Mamie was, well, being Mamie. Today, she was in the kitchen when they entered the house and upon hearing the storm door close, bustled into the front room. Seeing Wesley brought a huge toothless grin to her face and she almost skipped to where he and Thad stood, grabbing Wesley in a big hug before stopping, and half-turning to face Thad, asked, “Now, who is this fine-looking young man?”





Thad looked at Wesley as if he expected Wesley to answer. Wesley just winked and nodded. “Thad. Thad Wright, ma’am.”





“Ma’am,” thought Wesley. He said “ma’am.”





“Such a polite young gentleman. Who are your people Thad?”





“Don’t know my old man,” Thad’s chin jutted out as if he dared anyone to comment. No one did. “My mama was Darlene Wright and my Maw-Maw is…”





“Renee Wright.” Mamie interrupted Thad. To Thad’s surprise, and Wesley’s, Mamie continued. “I know your mama and your Maw-Maw. You look like your Paw-Paw. He was a good man. Hard worker. He passed years ago. We all used to go to church together. Your Maw-Maw still attend Shilo?”





Thad looked a little confused. “Shilo? The church? Nah. She ain’t gone there in years. We don’t go nowhere.” Thad glanced at Wesley a little guiltily.





“Well, this man right here,” Mamie patted Wesley on the shoulder, “has got it going on down at his church. Jess look out there in the front yard. If that ain’t Christ-filled then ain’t nothing Christ-filled. Tell your Maw-Maw you met Mamie Black.” She cackled suddenly. “But don’t you believe any stories she might tell you about me.” Thad grinned self-consciously.





“Oh, before I forget. Mamie, this is the young man who helped me with your porch and all the other work we did. He has been a big help.”





“That was your house?” asked Thad.





Wesley saw Mamie’s face change. He had seen that face before. Mamie was going to cry.


“Sweetness,” Mamie grabbed Thad around the waist and pulled him into a tight hug. Thad looked surprised and embarrassed. Wesley grinned at Thad’s discomfort and Simon barked his laugh. “You two have been a blessing. The preacher took me out to see the work you did,” Mamie still had Thad clasped in a hug. “And it is beautiful. Simply beautiful. Blessed blessed child,” at that, Wesley saw two perfect tears slide down Mamie’s face. Thad looked even more embarrassed. Enjoying Thad’s discomfort more than a man of God should, Wesley rescued Thad by changing the subject.





Wesley cleared his throat and said, “Doc said there was something I needed to see.”





“B-astards,” growled Simon.





Wesley looked over at Simon who had forgotten his prior humor and surrendered to anger. Moving over to his friend, Wesley knelt on the floor in front of Simon’s chair and took his right hand. “Hey pal,” not quite a whisper, but still an intimate pitch that aimed to convey a semblance of privacy.





Mamie had released Thad and retrieved an opened envelope. “Simon got a letter.”





Taking the letter from Mamie without moving from his kneeling position at Simon’s feet, Wesley removed the single sheet of paper and read the contents of the letter. “A psych eval? To determine competence? Your own children? Those bastards,” said Wesley, echoing Simon. Wesley kept moving his gaze from Simon to the letter and back as he read the letter. Disbelief filled his very core and sounded in his voice.


Finishing, he raised his eyes from the paper to meet Simon’s, Wesley saw that Simon was in anguish. To think his own kids would try to force him into a nursing home against his own will was the ultimate betrayal. Mixed emotions flooded Wesley’s heart. Wesley shook his head, wanting to hit someone, and studied Simon’s heartbroken face.





“You wanna fight?” Wesley whispered.





Simon chewed his words carefully before replying. “Hell yes.”








Thomas Beckett sat cross-legged on Simon’s floor. Covered in grass clippings, he refused to risk any damage to the furniture. Studying the single document he said, “This is not my area of expertise but to the best of my understanding they can force a psychological evaluation even if they have to get a court order and refusing the evaluation can be used against you in court. You know, kinda like, no reasonable person would be uncooperative. That sort of thing. After the psych eval there will be a visit from a social worker. After both of these reports are complete then it will go before a judge for a final determination.” Thomas Beckett, Sr. paused and took a breath. “Simon, you need a lawyer. Anything you would try, like giving power of attorney to Wesley or someone else would be fought in court. I will be proud to represent you but there are two attorneys, members of our church, that will do a better job. They live for this.”


“Who are they?” asked Wesley.





Thomas Beckett laughed. “The way I hear it, you just met them. The cousins. Lori Fields and Tracy Wiggins.” Addressing Simon, he said, “They can shepherd you through the legal process, make sure you are not blind-sided by anything, and be strong, loud advocates when you go to court.





Simon’s eyes blazed. He bared his teeth and nodded.








“His kids want to lock him away?” Thad had finished the weed whacking and Wesley was raking the last of the clippings. The other men had finished and left. They had headed to the church for lunch. Thad and Wesley were almost finished.


“Yeah. They are not nice people. And their breath stinks.”





Thad burst out laughing. “Man, I would never lock my Maw-Maw away. Never.” That last word, “never,” hung between Thad and Wesley for an eternity. Both men knew that Thad meant much more than one word could express but both men also knew that Thad was not ready to use more words.





Wesley just nodded. “I think we’re done. Let’s put up these things and say our goodbyes.”





After securing the weed whacker and the rake in Simon’s garage, Thad and Wesley re-entered the house. Simon and Mamie had been in a quiet conversation, sitting side by side, which made Wesley think that was their normal positions, when no one else was around. Mamie rose from the chair beside Simon and said, “I have fresh lemonade. Least I could do for all the hard work ya'll did today.”





“Thank you Mamie,” said Wesley.





“Thank you ma’am,” said Thad.





Mamie pointed a long finger at Wesley as she exited the room. “Manners. You could learn from this young man.”





Thad blushed and Wesley decided then to bring Thad around Mamie more often.





“Looks like we are done for the day pal,” Wesley addressed Simon. “We will try to schedule another day to finish up on the house. You kept things in good shape so we will probably only need a day. But we will get it done. Don’t you worry.”





“B-hank B-ou.” Wesley noticed that Simon spoke better when he was angry.








After finishing their lemonade, Wesley and Thad said their goodbyes and headed to the church in Wesley’s car.


Wesley was quiet, strategizing for Simon’s defense and making plans to call the “cousins” to see if they would take Simon’s case.


“You must make good money,” Thad said without preamble.





Wesley focused on the road but took a second to glance at Thad, “I wish. The fact is, one reason they hired me was I was willing to work for the small salary they offered. I am cheap.” Wesley had lost count of the times he had made that joke.


“How can you pay all those guys for doing that work? You rich?”





Wesley was momentarily stunned. He could not believe that Thad assumed everyone was being paid like he was. Thad had no conception of people volunteering their time for another person. Wesley just shook his head as he answered, “You are the only one getting paid Thad.”


“For real? What about that one guy?”





Matthew, thought Wesley. “What one guy?”





“You know,” Thad said uncomfortably. “That, uh, that hugging guy.”





Wesley smiled and shook his head. “Matthew. He volunteered. He also cuts the grass at the church every Friday morning. Matthew loves the lawnmower. He also comes by and gets my dog and plays with him every day. All for free.”





“Why?”





“He’s a good person. Just like Mamie.”





“Mrs. Black?”





Wesley laughed. Thad’s attitude towards Mamie was illuminating. “Yes. Mrs. Black. She volunteered to take care of Simon. For free.”


“Seriously? Cause he looked rich.”





Wesley shook his head. “Mamie and Matthew have so much love in their hearts that they don’t care about money when it comes to doing something good for someone else. They do it because it makes them feel good to do good.”





Thad sat quietly for a minute. “That’s the first time I ever heard you sound like a preacher.”





Wesley roared with laughter. “Sorry,” he was able to choke out between laughs.