'tractive in your way. But chile, you sure ain't Mister Valentino. And another thing, you got to quit that ring fightin' and get a solid job ... why don't you go to church with me? The Lord might show you a wife.'
Terminal pain screws up his face, 'Mama, please don't ask me. Them niggers shouting and talking in them spooky tongues gives me the heebie jeebies, and the hives. Remember?'
He narrowly escapes his kneecap from the kick of her foot heel. 'Hush up and call your play sister. Tell her, her play mama wants to ride to church with her.'
'Aw Mama! We on the outs. I don't wanta talk to her. I'll dial and you talk to her' he says as he takes the phone off the end table behind him to place in her lap. She leans, hugs, kisses him.
He dials, then hands her the receiver. He goes to the vacant two bedroom rental house in the rear. He punches a light bag on the service porch converted to a mini gym. Then he goes to plop down across a bed in one of the bedrooms to fantasize, for the dozenth time, about his sexual romp with Delphine. He is catnapping when he awakens to soft lips on his cheek. He stares up at Reba aglow in her choir robe.
She says, 'Hi Bro, I hope you're not still mad with me.'
Swooned by her perfumed presence and moonlit voice, he stammers, 'Naw ... uh I ain't mad ... uh wasn't in the first place with you, but with Melvin and his cousin that teed me off way back in the ring.'
She leans and kisses his hops, says 'Bye, bye.'
Through a haze of excitement he sees her leave the room. He leaps from the bed, goes to the front house living room. He stands at a front window and watches Reba drive Zenobia, gussied up in black taffeta, away to church. His head is chaotic as it struggles to unravel the riddle of his flaming love for two women at the same time.
Within fifteen minutes, Reba drives into the car clogged church parking lot. Immediately that she parks, the child prodigy preacher, Reverend Felix Junior, leaves a knot of members on the church steps. A breeze whips his flowing black satin robe on his greyhound frame as he hurries to the Packard with a radiant smile on his breathtakingly attractive peach hued face. His Persian Cat eyes are afire with precocious passion.
He warmly embraces Reba and Zenobia emerging from the car. 'Good morning, Ladies, good morning' he says in a voice surprisingly rich in timbre for a ten year old.
They chorus, 'Good morning Reverend Felix.'
'Father, thank the Lord, is well enough today to preach his first sermon since his stroke three months ago. Praise the Lord!' the Reverend exclaims as he escorts the women toward the church.
Zenobia breaks off to go toward the front door of the church as the Reverend and Reba enter a rear door leading to the pulpit and choir section behind it.
As they go down a hallway, the Reverend embraces Reba's waist and squeezes her close. 'I missed you so much since last Sunday, Sister Reba ... too bad services can't be held every day so I could see you' he says petulantly.
'Reverend Felix, that's very flattering for a pregnant, soon-to-be-married woman to hear, especially from a handsome gentleman half her age.'
His rosebud lips pout irritation. 'Please, Sister Reba, call me just Felix when we're alone, if you don't mind.'
She says, 'I don't mind a bit Felix' as he opens the door into the packed church.
He goes to sit, dwarfed in an ornately carved high backed chair behind the pulpit beside his septuagenarian father. Reba takes her first row seat with the choir behind the pulpit.
A scarecrow deacon, in shiny black suit and high, starched yellowed white collar, comes behind the pulpit to welcome the congregation and to announce the singing of the hymn 'Rock of Ages' by the risen choir. An elephantine woman organist accompanies the choir's spirited rendition of the hymn to the rapt thousand souls.
The Elder Felix is presented by the deacon to cacophonous applause by the brightly feathered congregation. He feebly rises and takes his position
Terminal pain screws up his face, 'Mama, please don't ask me. Them niggers shouting and talking in them spooky tongues gives me the heebie jeebies, and the hives. Remember?'
He narrowly escapes his kneecap from the kick of her foot heel. 'Hush up and call your play sister. Tell her, her play mama wants to ride to church with her.'
'Aw Mama! We on the outs. I don't wanta talk to her. I'll dial and you talk to her' he says as he takes the phone off the end table behind him to place in her lap. She leans, hugs, kisses him.
He dials, then hands her the receiver. He goes to the vacant two bedroom rental house in the rear. He punches a light bag on the service porch converted to a mini gym. Then he goes to plop down across a bed in one of the bedrooms to fantasize, for the dozenth time, about his sexual romp with Delphine. He is catnapping when he awakens to soft lips on his cheek. He stares up at Reba aglow in her choir robe.
She says, 'Hi Bro, I hope you're not still mad with me.'
Swooned by her perfumed presence and moonlit voice, he stammers, 'Naw ... uh I ain't mad ... uh wasn't in the first place with you, but with Melvin and his cousin that teed me off way back in the ring.'
She leans and kisses his hops, says 'Bye, bye.'
Through a haze of excitement he sees her leave the room. He leaps from the bed, goes to the front house living room. He stands at a front window and watches Reba drive Zenobia, gussied up in black taffeta, away to church. His head is chaotic as it struggles to unravel the riddle of his flaming love for two women at the same time.
Within fifteen minutes, Reba drives into the car clogged church parking lot. Immediately that she parks, the child prodigy preacher, Reverend Felix Junior, leaves a knot of members on the church steps. A breeze whips his flowing black satin robe on his greyhound frame as he hurries to the Packard with a radiant smile on his breathtakingly attractive peach hued face. His Persian Cat eyes are afire with precocious passion.
He warmly embraces Reba and Zenobia emerging from the car. 'Good morning, Ladies, good morning' he says in a voice surprisingly rich in timbre for a ten year old.
They chorus, 'Good morning Reverend Felix.'
'Father, thank the Lord, is well enough today to preach his first sermon since his stroke three months ago. Praise the Lord!' the Reverend exclaims as he escorts the women toward the church.
Zenobia breaks off to go toward the front door of the church as the Reverend and Reba enter a rear door leading to the pulpit and choir section behind it.
As they go down a hallway, the Reverend embraces Reba's waist and squeezes her close. 'I missed you so much since last Sunday, Sister Reba ... too bad services can't be held every day so I could see you' he says petulantly.
'Reverend Felix, that's very flattering for a pregnant, soon-to-be-married woman to hear, especially from a handsome gentleman half her age.'
His rosebud lips pout irritation. 'Please, Sister Reba, call me just Felix when we're alone, if you don't mind.'
She says, 'I don't mind a bit Felix' as he opens the door into the packed church.
He goes to sit, dwarfed in an ornately carved high backed chair behind the pulpit beside his septuagenarian father. Reba takes her first row seat with the choir behind the pulpit.
A scarecrow deacon, in shiny black suit and high, starched yellowed white collar, comes behind the pulpit to welcome the congregation and to announce the singing of the hymn 'Rock of Ages' by the risen choir. An elephantine woman organist accompanies the choir's spirited rendition of the hymn to the rapt thousand souls.
The Elder Felix is presented by the deacon to cacophonous applause by the brightly feathered congregation. He feebly rises and takes his position
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