ain’t nothing but the devil testing your devotion. Hang on to the good book. You got your bible there with you?"
"Yes, Ma," Persha said, only half lying since a hotel Bible was lying on the nightstand next to the bed.
"Then open it to-"
"Ma! I’m sorry I need to go. I have another call coming in. It’s the insurance people about the house. I’ll call you later, love you."
"But Persha-"
"I know, Ma, but I need to run. We’ll pray later."
She hung up without waiting for her mother’s response. The phone wasn’t ringing, but she needed a break. Before calling Kori back she willed the phone to ring, and willed it to be Clarke calling.
After a few minutes with no luck, she dialed Kori’s number and sat back to pick up the conversation where they left off.
"How’s your mom doing?" Kori asked.
"Oh, she’s good. You know her, always with scripture at your service. Oh, Kori, that’s my other line again," Persha squealed with excitement when she saw Clarke's number appear.
"I'll call you back!" She could barely contain her enthusiasm. She blew out a breath and inhaled a deep one before mustering up her sexy voice.
"Hello?"
"Damn, Shorty, you sounding better and better," Clarke said.
"I may sound better, but I still don't have a place to stay."
"Yeah, that's what I was calling you about. I have an idea, but I'm not sure if you'll be cool with it. I mean, how long you talking about being out of pocket?"
"At least four weeks, Clarke. I've put in a request to borrow some money against my 401-K and it'll take about that long to go through the red-tape, then I'll be able to get an apartment until I work out this insurance thing."
"Okay, well hear me out. You know how a brotha been telling you that even though Kelsa got papers on me, it's more in name than anything else right?"
"Yes, and I know you're telling me the truth, Clarke, that's why I try not to bug you about when you're leaving her."
With her eyes closed, Persha could hardly believe what they were talking about. She wondered if all this mess with the mold poisoning wasn't a good thing disguised as a nightmare.
And to imagine, she was just hoping he’d spring for a few more weeks at the hotel. She thought this suggest move by Clarke was even better. She struggled not to get too ecstatic with the news she was sure he was about to share, she sat and waited.
"Yeah, Persha, I am gonna leave, but right now you're my first priority. Shorty, I can't even sleep knowing what's going on with you."
She knew it was coming, what she'd finally been patiently waiting for all these months. Her mind had already started thinking about where they could get a place; maybe in Stafford or even Sugar Land.
She was sure once he proposed to her that her mother would be just as happy. She’d of course leave out the part about them living together, and the part about him having been married before. Those were minor details she needn‘t worry her with.
"So, Persha, you still there?" Clarke chimed in.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I am. What were you saying?"
"I asked if you were willing to hear a brotha out? Support me and stick with me so we can work this out, together?"
"Of course, Clarke. You know I have faith in you and what you tell me. I know you've been trying to figure something out to help me. That's why I love you and I know you love me."
"Okay, so here's my plan. I don’t know if I told you, but Kelsa works the nightshift and has a class in the mornings. She usually gets here at about eleven o‘clock in the morning. You have to be at work by what, eight o’clock, right?"
She wondered just where he was going with the timetable. "Yeah, eight. That's right."
"So I think you should stay here, in the extra bedroom."
Persha dropped the phone right along with her mouth as Clarke’s voice was faintly heard calling out her name.
~ Clarke
On the day of the move, Clarke was nervous. With so much at stake and all the possibilities of what might go wrong, he could
"Yes, Ma," Persha said, only half lying since a hotel Bible was lying on the nightstand next to the bed.
"Then open it to-"
"Ma! I’m sorry I need to go. I have another call coming in. It’s the insurance people about the house. I’ll call you later, love you."
"But Persha-"
"I know, Ma, but I need to run. We’ll pray later."
She hung up without waiting for her mother’s response. The phone wasn’t ringing, but she needed a break. Before calling Kori back she willed the phone to ring, and willed it to be Clarke calling.
After a few minutes with no luck, she dialed Kori’s number and sat back to pick up the conversation where they left off.
"How’s your mom doing?" Kori asked.
"Oh, she’s good. You know her, always with scripture at your service. Oh, Kori, that’s my other line again," Persha squealed with excitement when she saw Clarke's number appear.
"I'll call you back!" She could barely contain her enthusiasm. She blew out a breath and inhaled a deep one before mustering up her sexy voice.
"Hello?"
"Damn, Shorty, you sounding better and better," Clarke said.
"I may sound better, but I still don't have a place to stay."
"Yeah, that's what I was calling you about. I have an idea, but I'm not sure if you'll be cool with it. I mean, how long you talking about being out of pocket?"
"At least four weeks, Clarke. I've put in a request to borrow some money against my 401-K and it'll take about that long to go through the red-tape, then I'll be able to get an apartment until I work out this insurance thing."
"Okay, well hear me out. You know how a brotha been telling you that even though Kelsa got papers on me, it's more in name than anything else right?"
"Yes, and I know you're telling me the truth, Clarke, that's why I try not to bug you about when you're leaving her."
With her eyes closed, Persha could hardly believe what they were talking about. She wondered if all this mess with the mold poisoning wasn't a good thing disguised as a nightmare.
And to imagine, she was just hoping he’d spring for a few more weeks at the hotel. She thought this suggest move by Clarke was even better. She struggled not to get too ecstatic with the news she was sure he was about to share, she sat and waited.
"Yeah, Persha, I am gonna leave, but right now you're my first priority. Shorty, I can't even sleep knowing what's going on with you."
She knew it was coming, what she'd finally been patiently waiting for all these months. Her mind had already started thinking about where they could get a place; maybe in Stafford or even Sugar Land.
She was sure once he proposed to her that her mother would be just as happy. She’d of course leave out the part about them living together, and the part about him having been married before. Those were minor details she needn‘t worry her with.
"So, Persha, you still there?" Clarke chimed in.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I am. What were you saying?"
"I asked if you were willing to hear a brotha out? Support me and stick with me so we can work this out, together?"
"Of course, Clarke. You know I have faith in you and what you tell me. I know you've been trying to figure something out to help me. That's why I love you and I know you love me."
"Okay, so here's my plan. I don’t know if I told you, but Kelsa works the nightshift and has a class in the mornings. She usually gets here at about eleven o‘clock in the morning. You have to be at work by what, eight o’clock, right?"
She wondered just where he was going with the timetable. "Yeah, eight. That's right."
"So I think you should stay here, in the extra bedroom."
Persha dropped the phone right along with her mouth as Clarke’s voice was faintly heard calling out her name.
~ Clarke
On the day of the move, Clarke was nervous. With so much at stake and all the possibilities of what might go wrong, he could
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