Read Online Love Like Hallelujah by Lutishia Lovely - Free Book Online Page A

their penthouse allowed privacy without having to close out the stunning ocean view. It was early, the sky still holding hints of night. But as she continued to look out over the ocean, wisps of light blue, orange, and pink emerged. This was going to be a beautiful Valentine’s Day.
    After returning from the bathroom and morning ablutions, Hope picked up the poem she’d tweaked the night earlier. She sat on the bed and began reading it again, out loud:
    “God’s gift to me was you, His undeniable treasure, Your value beyond numbers anyone could measure, A blessing designed by Spirit, such an awesome wonder, What God has joined together, man can’t put asunder, You’re the one….”
    A tear fell. And then another. Hope set down the poem and covered her eyes. Thank you, Jesus, thank you, God, she prayed inwardly. More tears fell, tears of thanksgiving, and relief. Over the years, when doubt crept in, she’d feared ending up old and alone in a quiet, one-bedroom senior’s complex, playing backgammon and cards with the neighbors, two or three cats for company. She cried harder. It was happening! She was getting married!
    Suddenly a pair of arms went around her. She relaxed immediately, smelling her mother’s familiar perfume.
    “Sh-h-h, now it’s gonna be all right, baby,” Mrs. Jones crooned softly. Hope leaned her head against her mom’s shoulder, willing the tears to stop. “You can’t believe it, can you?”
    Hope shook her head no.
    “God is faithful, Hope. I always told you that one of these days, when the time was right, he would come along. And now he’s here. God is good.”
    This powerful truth made Hope start crying anew. She tried to talk through her tears. “I’m, j-j-just so th-th-thankful,” she sobbed. “I can’t believe I’m getting m-m-married.” Hope had revved up into an all-out boo-hoo.
    Frieda burst into the room. “What the hell, oops, excuse me, Aunt Pat. Girl, what is the matter witchu?” She sat down on the other side of Hope. “I guess you’re trying to get your eyes all red and puffy so you can look like some kind of baboon up there at the altar, have Cy think Queen Kong is walking up to meet him; is that it?” Her words had the desired effect as Hope’s sobs turned to laughter.
    “No, fool!” Hope answered, grabbing a pillow and attempting to hit Frieda upside the head with it.
    Frieda jumped up and grabbed another pillow. “No, you’re the one who needs some whup’ass…in here crying like somebody died.”
    “You’d better not, you’re gonna hit Mama!” Hope snuggled under her mom for protection.
    Pat pushed her away, laughing. “Oh no, don’t be trying to get me to protect you. Take yo’ whuppin’ like a woman, a soon-to-be married woman. In fact”—she reached over and grabbed a smaller, decorative pillow—“take two whuppin’s.”
    Hope rolled to the other side of the bed, grabbed two small pillows, threw one at her mother and one at Frieda. Frieda ducked and it almost hit Jackie, Frieda’s mother, who walked in at just that moment.
    “What in the w—?”
    “She’s trying to hit you, Mom,” Frieda warned, “said she was gonna get you back for beating her at bid whist last night.”
    “Ooh, Frieda,” Hope said, in a menacing tone. “That’s not true, Aunt Jackie. I’m trying to get at your crazy daughter.” Hope ducked as Frieda threw the pillow back, and picked up another one to throw.
    “Y’all stop,” Pat scolded. “You both need Jesus.”
    “I need some breakfast, that’s what I need,” Frieda said, watching herself pose in the mirror. “And I need a man that can put me in a place with a view like this. Now, this is livin’. Hurry up and go on your honeymoon so I can come over here and get my groove on—I mean, so I can housesit.”
    Three pairs of eyes gave her “the look.”
    “Just kidding,” Frieda said sheepishly before flouncing out of the room. A trio of laughter followed her out.
     
    The day flowed seamlessly.