Church Boyz--Book 4 (After the Rain) Read online

  Tayah’s gaze froze over the email address and its subject line. [email protected]. Phillip is dying…

  Tayah immediately began to rant within her mind. How dare that witch still refer to herself as a pastor…after all the hurtful things she and her brother have done to me and my family. No, Shaniece, you don’t get to do this…how’d you remember my email anyway? Tayah nearly flew out of her copper-toned skin when she heard Dominic open the door to the SUV. She tried to ditch her stunned expression for a smile, but she knew it was already too late.

  “Why do you look so petrified? The twins okay?”

  Again, Tayah attempted to hush her husband’s concern with a smile. “The boys are fine. I was reading something that made me think, that’s all. Everything is okay. Did you get the breast pump?”

  “I did…” Dominic’s eyes lingered on Tayah a little longer before he climbed behind the steering wheel, decidedly curious. He did not like the vibe he was getting from her. “At least tell me what you were reading.”

  “Stop badgering me, honey. I don’t want to tell you.”

  “Why?”

  Dominic’s response was met with silence. “Okay, I get the point, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting you off the hook.”

  “Thank you. Maybe some things are best left unsaid.”

  “We’ll see,” Dominic challenged. “It’s hard for you to keep anything from me anyway. We were best friends long before we were even married.”

  Don’t sound so cocky, Tayah mumbled to herself. You won’t be too thrilled to know that the queen of manipulation and her brother have appeared on the radar again. It’s best that I deal with them in my own way.

  Chapter Three

  The majestic views of the Paxtons’ two-story mansion rivaled any five-star hotel property. Its limestone-covered courtyards and yellow daffodils that edged the various walkways, created an engaging entrance into the world of grandeur. Michelle, Leroy’s treasured wife of twenty-eight years had taken decorating to a new dimension. The garland, the balloons and the streamers were woven into royal elegance fit for a king – her husband – the birthday boy. The Paxtons’ mansion was the spot to be on this breezy October afternoon.

  First Lady Paxton, as she was reverently called by the congregants, was always well-ornamented in expensive attire, which was a graceful representation of Leroy’s affluence. Though she strove to behave like a conventional woman, it was difficult to pull off because of the regal air that naturally emanated from her presence – even down to the way she catwalked into a room. As a show of support for her husband, she stood next to him with a glass of peach cider as he conversed with some of the guests.

  Her eyes shifted at the movement to the left, which turned out to be her older son, Eric, weaving in and out of the crowd. Michelle was surprised to see him, because as a wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, who was in the middle of a competitive NFL season, she hadn’t expected him to show up. She’d only mentioned Leroy’s party to Eric so that he would be kept abreast of family events.

  As Michelle’s gaze continued to follow her son’s movements, she noticed that something was incredibly off with his demeanor. Eric had never been as jovial as his younger brother, but he certainly wasn’t normally as listless as he now appeared to be, which was too uncharacteristic for Michelle to simply brush aside.

  She touched Leroy’s arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Honey, excuse me for a minute. I will be right back.”

  Eric disappeared into the kitchen with Michelle trying her best to keep up with him. However, she was accosted by her younger son, Sean and his fiancée, who’d just arrived from viewing the garden where their wedding reception would be held. The beam in their eyes was enough for Michelle to forsake her mission, if only for a minute, to indulge them.

  “You’re practically glowing with excitement, Rachel. I perceive you love the garden idea?”

  “Oh yes, Mrs. Paxton.” Rachel grinned. “It’s a very romantic spot for our wedding reception. I wasn’t sure I would like being on the outside, but when I saw that beautiful gazebo, the lush greenery and all those tendrils of flowers, I was sold. Sean really loved it, too.”

  “Well, then,” Michelle said. “I am happy that my suggestion worked out the way it did.”

  “I just hope the weather is as good as it is now when we get married in December,” Sean chimed in.

  Rachel stared into Sean’s brown eyes, which were a shade lighter than her shoulder-length hair. “I believe God will give us our hearts’ desire,” she said in a confident tone. “Trust Him more and worry less, my handsome young prince. Good weather will be ours, in Jesus’ name.”

  Michelle smirked at her son’s annoyed expression, because like his father, Sean didn’t like to be lectured about spiritual matters by the women in their lives. But Rachel, the daughter of a well-known minister in the church who’d been proficiently trained in the ways of God, was the perfect balance to her son’s precocious personality. It helped that she was an extremely gorgeous catch. With her high, chiseled cheekbones and rustic honey eyes, set against an unblemished complexion. If only her older son, Eric would settle down and find a girl like Rachel, she would be the happiest mother in the world.

  “Would you two excuse me,” Michelle said. “I am anxious to find Eric.”

  Sean rested a hand on his mother’s shoulder and smiled. “Please, go and find out what is up with that crazy boy. We don’t need his funky attitude ruining dad’s birthday party.”

  It was very easy for Michelle to read between the lines of Sean’s words. “What did your brother do?”

  “Well, we ran into him, coming up the steps,” Rachel said. “But he merely said two words to us before he took off in the other direction.”

  Michelle looked past Sean to get a glimpse of the kitchen. “He does seem to be acting a bit strange. I was actually trying to catch up with him just before you came in.”

  “What is he doing back home in the middle of the NFL season, anyway?” Sean asked.

  “I don’t know, honey,” Michelle said. “But I do intend to find out.”

  The immense wooden deck at the back of the mansion, along with the recently purchased outdoor furnishings were updated additions Leroy had added to enjoy quiet times with his wife. Actually, Leroy had given the entire backyard a lift and had planted a rose garden to commemorate the restoration of his once broken marriage. Michelle stepped out on the wooden deck, eventually making her way down toward the end of a stone path.

  It was there where she saw Eric preparing to free throw a basketball into the net. With his back turned toward her, she studied his form. Knees slightly bent, his non-dominant hand straight and fingers spread on the ball to ensure a perfect backspin. Michelle knew the basics. She’d watched Leroy and her sons play against each other for years.

  She cleared her throat. “Hello to you too, my handsome son.”

  Eric straightened from his bent position, turned and offered his mother one of those Paxton lopsided smiles, but Michelle could see that it had required a lot of effort. “Hey, beautiful. You followed me out here, didn’t you?”

  “Of course I did. To begin with, I am surprised to see you, especially after you told me you couldn’t make it.”

  “Well, I have some free days before the next game begins. I decided to come; nothing more to it.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then explain to me why you’re out here by yourself, avoiding everyone like the plague.”

  “You know that I don’t like crowds.”

  “Your brother and his fiancée are not just faces in the crowd. Neither am I, nor your father. Do I at least get a hug that says, ‘Mom, I’m happy to see you’?” Michelle closed in the distance between her and Eric, piercing him with her inquiring gaze. “Is everything alright, my boy?”

  Eric turned away, jumped up and threw the basketball toward the rim. He then walked over to a table where he’d rested his cup of Sprite.
His towering height and broad shoulders brutally reminded Michelle that she was not dealing with a naïve prepubescent any longer.

  “How would you feel if I quit the NFL and moved back here to Tampa?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “It’s just a question; it doesn’t mean I’ve made any decision as yet.”

  Michelle joined Eric at the table and turned him around to face her. “Why would you even ask such a question? Playing in the NFL has always been a life-held dream of yours. Do you even realize how blessed you are to have been selected amongst thousands of college football seniors? You know the stats: Only 1 in 50 are drafted by an NFL team. I would give anything to have you move back home with your family, but I would hate to see you commit career suicide and then live with regrets. Think wisely, honey, about what you are considering.”

  Eric ground his teeth. “You sound just like Dad. I should have just kept my thoughts to myself.”

  Michelle pulled gently on her son’s arm. “You have a habit of shutting everyone out when you don’t get your way. Please, don’t do that to me.”

  “Okay…forget what I’ve said about me quitting the NFL. I’m fine now.”

  “No, you are not. I am your mother and that means I should know when something is wrong with one of my children…”

  “Mom, you’re needed inside!”

  “Give me a few minutes, Sean,” Michelle called back. “I’m talking to your brother.”

  Sean came up behind his mother and began to nudge her toward the stone path. “Let me deal with this knucklehead. I think you should go inside and see what is going on.”

  “Is it really that serious?”

  “You decide. That woman and her son are trying to crash Dad’s party, demanding to see him. I thought you guys paid her off to stay away from us.”

  Michelle didn’t need further explanation to get her feet moving toward the mansion. It was obvious the woman in question had come to execute an agenda, but Michelle had worked too hard in the past to let these unscrupulous buzzards disturb the peace of her marriage. She would see to it that this situation was nipped in the bud and accompanied by a clear message that Leroy was off limits.

  Eric smirked and said, “Looks like the bishop is up to his old tricks again.”

  “Man, you’re so quick to pass judgment. Dad is not the same man he was two years ago.”

  “You’re still the same trusting fool who will believe anything.”

  “And you’re still the same cynical bastard with a chip on his shoulder,” Sean countered. “I so regret making you my best man.”

  “I never asked; so live with it.”

  Sean shook his head. “I thought being thousands of miles away from home with a lucrative contract would have made you a littler nicer, but you are worse than when you left. What’s eating at you anyway?”

  Eric kept that sarcastic smirk going to mask his true emotions. “Being in the NFL comes with its own problems. I prefer to talk about something a little more interesting for the time being.”

  “I can’t believe this is coming from you, after walking past me and Rachel like we were strangers.”

  “You miss me that much? I should have known you would be offended.”

  Sean grinned. “Trust me, you’re not that important to me. I only tolerate you because I have to.”

  Eric knew his next words would stir a bit of trouble, but he couldn’t care less how they were received. “How is the sex with Rachel?”

  Sean shot his brother one of those looks that would burn a hole through the wall. “What kind of question is that?”

  “A very good one. Please tell me she is as satisfying as the girls we used to bring upstairs to our bedroom. You oughta know the importance of good sex. It either makes or breaks a relationship.”

  “Rachel is not that type of girl,” Sean said. “And apart from that, I promised not to touch her until our honeymoon.”

  Eric sniggered so hard that his shoulders jumped. “Who are you marrying? Mother Teresa? How will you even know how well she performs in bed? You need to ‘hit that’ and I mean hit it hard before you foolishly put a ring on her finger. You had to have noticed the size of those watermelons on her chest. Doesn’t that turn you on?”

  Sean looked at his brother with disgust. “What the hell’s the matter with you, talking as if I found Rachel at a strip club? Rachel is a virgin and I intend to respect that.”

  “Virgin?” Eric laughed. “You see, my naïve little brother, that’s where you’re being hoodwinked, bamboozled and taken advantage of – all in one. Virgins have become extinct in the twenty-first century.”

  “Everything to you is one fat joke,” Sean spat. “I’m cool with Rachel wanting to wait before we have sex. I’ve even decided to wear a purity bracelet along with her. Dominic and Tayah have been doing some excellent teaching on abstinence and obeying what the Bible says about fleeing youthful lust. You should pay attention to them sometime –”

  “Listen to you…”–Eric snorted—“…sounding all grown up. I taught you everything you needed to know about sex and this is how you betray me? By wearing a stupid purity bracelet? You’re only nineteen, for heaven’s sake – too young to know what you really want. I beg you. Go and have sex and have lots of it before you marry that girl!”

  With disappointment reflecting in his visage, Sean reached for Eric’s cup of soda and mumbled in a dejected tone, “People change, man. I know I have, but you are too cynical to believe that.”

  “What the heck are you doing with my soda?” Eric spat.

  “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m thirsty.”

  “Put it down.”

  “Dude, what’s the matter with you? I only want a small sip. This was never a problem between us…”

  “I said to put the bloody cup down!”

  “Chill, man. It ain’t even that serious. I’ll get my own soda.”

  Despite Sean’s retort, Eric snatched the cup out of his hand, causing the substance to splash all over Sean’s leather shoes. An apology would have been appreciated, but Sean figured he had better not push his brother’s buttons any further. Flummoxed, he looked on as Eric stomped away in a rage and vanished into the lush greenery of the property.

  Chapter Four

  Brenda Wesson, who’d been promoted to the position of Michelle’s personal adjutant, greeted Michelle as she was coming through the entrance of the kitchen. There had been a little situation at the front door, but Brenda had already detained it and was now waiting on Michelle to give the next order of instructions. Brenda was no stranger to scandals involving the bishop and the first lady. She and the late Abraham Winder had been through hell and back, trying to protect their leaders’ reputations. And it was because of Brenda’s long-standing loyalty to the family that she was even more determined to do what she believed was her personal assignment. No one was going to make any surprise visits to her bishop and first lady’s home without going through her first.

  She and Michelle reentered an open area where several male servers moved through the crowd with trays of finger food and apple cider. The soothing instrumental music in the background created a relaxing mood – just the way Michelle had imagined it would be. Somehow, an upbeat rhythm wouldn’t have suited this stiff crowd. To the far right, Leroy was still deep in conversation, no doubt filling the ears of anyone who would listen with his latest spiritual insights.

  Proud to give a report on her recent interception, Brenda took the opportunity to lean over close to Michelle’s ear. “The situation is under control,” she whispered. “You need not waste your breath talking to that impertinent woman and her child.”

  “That child, if you recall,” Michelle said through clenched teeth, “has Leroy’s blood running through his veins. How exactly did you handle the situation?”

  “Well, for starters, Leroy doesn’t know that they were here,” Brenda answered with a proud look. “I had two men escort them off the premises before they had a chance to step foo
t in this house.”

  “How did they get here?”

  “Does it matter? Because I really don’t care to know.”

  “I am going after her to see what she wants,” Michelle said.

  “First Lady Paxton...that isn’t necessary...”

  “This will only take a minute, Brenda. Keep Leroy distracted until I return.”

  ****

  Dominic and Tayah ran into Michelle as she was coming through the majestic entry. The twins were asleep in their carriers, one in each of Dominic’s hands. Michelle bent down to plant a few soft kisses on their foreheads – her and Leroy’s first set of grandchildren.

  “You guys are late,” she said to them. “We’re about to shut this party down.”

  “Try having two babies at once,” Tayah shot back. “It’s a monumental feat to complete the simplest of tasks.”

  “Don’t complain. The Lord knew just what He was doing when He blessed you and Dominic with these two gorgeous boys. Go on inside and get some food. I’ll join you guys shortly.”

  Tayah scrunched up her nose in the late afternoon sun. “Where are you rushing off to?”

  “Ellie and her son attempted to crash your father’s party. I was going to have a word with her.”

  “Well,” Dominic said, clearing his throat. “You may have just missed her. A blue Toyota Camry was leaving the property just as we were turning through the gates.”

  “Looks as if I need to hire security to watch the gates,” Michelle said, but quickly swatted the idea aside for the moment. “Maybe it was for the best. I’m curious, though. Why, after nearly two years, has Ellie decided to contact Leroy, especially when she was the one who made it quite clear she didn’t want anything to do with us and our money.”

  “Something strange is going on,” Tayah said. She touched her husband’s hand. “Honey, would you mind setting the babies down in one of the guest rooms? I would like to have a talk with my mother.”

  Dominic leaned forward and pressed his lips against Tayah’s cheek. “I don’t mind at all. We’ll be inside waiting for you.”