The Preacher’s Son Read online

  “We were already eating,” Jeremy said, pulling out the chair for Aura. “Please sit down.”

  “Thank you,” Aura responded quietly. Jeremy quickly filled a plate with food and set it before her and glanced her way as she began to slowly eat after bowing her head and saying a silent blessing.

  Jeremy cleared his throat, causing his father to break his stare at Aura and look at him.

  “Well, Pop?” he said, looking at his father. “It seems that you have something on your mind.”

  “Well to say that you’ve surprised us is an understatement,” his father said dryly, returning his attention to his plate.

  Jeremy moved the food on his plate around with his fork. It was obvious to him that his parents didn’t approve of Aura. His father looked pissed, and his mother looked uncomfortable. What did he expect? This was, after all, the good old South. South Carolina hadn’t changed that much, Jeremy gathered. Even with his father being a minister, he knew that his father still had his own prejudices to deal with. They continued eating, and no one said anything for a few minutes. Jeremy could feel the awkwardness in the room and wondered what to say at this point. He stole a glance at Aura, who was picking at the food on her plate. Finally, Jeremy’s mother broke the silence.

  “So, Aura,” Mrs. Ferguson said trying to sound upbeat, “how did you and Jeremy meet?”

  “Actually, it was at church,” Aura replied, looking around the table. “Jeremy visited my church. I am the relief musician for the youth choir.”

  “Oh really?” Mr. Ferguson responded. “What church do you attend?”

  “First African Missionary Baptist Church,” she said. “We’re located in Queens.”

  “So you see, Pop, I do have a church home,” Jeremy said, smiling at Aura. “Aura witnessed to me, and I joined.”

  His father did not comment and continued to eat his dinner, keeping his eyes on his plate.

  “What do you do for a living?” Mrs. Ferguson asked Aura.

  “I’m an accountant,” Aura replied. “Of course I also work at the church as the relief musician and Sunday School teacher.”

  “See, she’s smart, and she keeps all my books for me,” Jeremy said proudly. “You know I was never that great with math.”

  “You should know enough to be able to take care of your own financial affairs,” his father snapped, finally looking up at him. “You’re much too trusting. You could be taken advantage of. Your youthful beauty is not going to last. You had better be saving something for later.”

  Jeremy did not like his father’s tone. “I can assure you, Pop, that Aura takes good care of me,” he said, turning and smiling at Aura.

  His father cleared his throat, and Jeremy looked back at him. The disapproval on his face was obvious.

  “She’s not your wife, Jeremy. I was merely stating that you should be careful,” he said, glaring at his son.

  Aura touched Jeremy’s arm, preventing him from saying any more. “Your father makes a valid point,” she said, giving his arm a squeeze. “You can’t leave your money in just anybody’s care.”

  Jeremy leaned over and kissed her cheek, causing his father to clear his throat once again. “You’re not just anybody, baby,” he said, ignoring his father.

  Mrs. Ferguson stood up. “Why don’t we all go to the den and relax. I’ll get some coffee for us.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t stay,” Aura said, wiping her mouth on a napkin. “I only came to Myrtle Beach with Jeremy because I have a cousin here, and I promised to help her with a personal matter. I do appreciate the dinner though.”

  Aura stood up. “I enjoyed meeting all of you, and I thank you again for the nice dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson. I am sure that I will see you again.” She looked at Tara and Jessica. “See you again soon.”

  “It was a pleasure,” Mrs. Ferguson said, smiling.

  Jeremy noticed that his father did not respond, and he was irritated but didn’t want to say anything in front of Aura.

  “I’ll come by the room and see you later,” Jeremy said, walking her to the door.

  He kissed her quickly, opening the front door. “Love you, babe.”

  “Love you too,” she said, stepping out on the porch. Jeremy followed her, pulling the door shut behind him. “I hope things are all right with your father. He didn’t look too happy.”

  “Don’t worry. He’ll be fine,” Jeremy said. “At least he knows I’m not gay.”

  Aura snickered. “The look on his face when he saw me makes me think that he wishes you were.”

  Jeremy coughed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah right!”

  He stood on the porch, watched as she pulled off, and then turned around to go back in the house. He took a deep breath as he reentered the house and shut the door. Let the fireworks begin!

  CHAPTER 2

  FAMILY CONFRONTATION

  Jeremy returned to the den where he knew his family was waiting. He could just imagine what they were thinking, and he made a mental note to keep his temper in check, but he wasn’t sure if he could.

  He slumped down in the nearby love seat and awaited the onslaught of questions and comments he knew were coming.

  “She seems nice,” his mother ventured, breaking the ice.

  “Jeremy’s got jungle fever! He has jungle fever!” Jessica sang, giggling.

  “Jessica!” her father snapped. “That’s enough! Both of you, go to your room right now so your mother and I can talk to Jeremy!”

  “Aw, Dad,” the two girls said in unison.

  “Listen to your father,” Mrs. Ferguson said. She led them out of the den and watched them until they had walked up the steps and shut their bedroom door. She sighed, returned to the den, and sat down beside her husband, facing Jeremy.

  “How long have you been seeing her?” his father asked, looking at Jeremy hard.

  “Long enough… over a year,” he replied, picking up the remote and turning on the television.

  His father jumped up, snatched the remote out of his hand, and cut the television off. He then threw the remote on the coffee table.

  “Is this serious, or did you bring her here to hide something else?” his father snapped. “Do you really expect us to believe that you’re in some sort of serious relationship with this girl?”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Jeremy said, sitting up straight on the sofa.

  “You’ve never bought a girl home before. You are twenty-eight years old. You are a model in New York, and now you come in here with this… this black girl? I can see through the little game you are playing, Jeremy. Why don’t you just tell us the truth? If you are gay, then just tell us! At least if you wanted us to believe that you liked a black girl, you could have gotten a pretty one… one who looks like Halle Berry. This girl… well she’s nothing to write home about and I know that there’s no way that you could be attracted to someone like her! She’s heavy, and what’s going on with her hair? Why doesn’t she straighten it like decent-looking black girls? Is she some sort of black radical? I can’t see anything about her that would be the least bit appealing.”

  Jeremy jumped up off the sofa. “How dare you speak about Aura in such a manner? I love her despite what you think. In fact, to hell with what you think!”

  “You watch your mouth in my house, boy!” his father yelled, moving into his personal space.

  “I can’t believe you, Reverend.” Jeremy’s voice dripped sarcasm. “Here you are judging someone on their appearances alone. You are such a hypocrite! Aura is a wonderful and loving person. She’s beautiful to me. I like the way she looks, and I love her hair. I don’t like skinny women, and I don’t think she is fat. She’s just right to me. How dare you insult her like that?”

  “You could have any woman you want with your looks, and you want me to believe that you are actually attracted to this girl?” his father po
inted out angrily. “Is she some sort of freak in the bedroom or something? Is that how she got her hooks in you?”

  “Daniel, please!” his mother said, grabbing her husband’s arm, trying to pull him away from Jeremy.

  “It’s not any of your business, but I have not slept with her!” Jeremy spat, moving into his father’s personal space. “Even though I have tried a number of times. She’s a virgin. She wants to wait for marriage. After all, isn’t that what a good Christian is supposed to do, Reverend?”

  “You’re so naive!” his father replied, unimpressed. “You really believe that she’s a virgin? I can just look at her and tell she’s been around the block a few times.”

  Jeremy heard his mother gasp, and Jeremy’s head snapped back as if he’d been slapped. He realized that he had to get out of there before he said something disrespectful to the man who was 50 percent responsible for him being in existence.

  “I’m not going to stay here and let you talk about her like that. What kind of pastor are you? In fact, what kind of father are you talking to me like this?” Jeremy growled, his fist balled tightly with his arms to his sides. He took another deep breath and glanced at his mother, barely able to control his outrage.

  “It was a mistake coming here. I’m sorry, Mom. I’m leaving.” He pulled out his cell and dialed Aura, turning his back to his father.

  “I need you to come and get me now,” he said into the phone once she answered, and then he snapped it shut. He turned back around, facing his parents.

  “Jeremy, don’t go. Let’s talk about this,” his mother pleaded. She hadn’t seen her son in two years and didn’t want him to leave like this.

  “Let him go,” his father said. “He needs to come clean and tell us the truth and stop this nonsense!”

  “I’m leaving, Mom,” Jeremy said, running his hand through his hair, exasperated. He turned to his mother, ignoring his father. “You see your husband would rather believe that I’m gay and that I’m in the closet or something than believe that I could actually love Aura. He should be happy for me and be relieved that I’m not gay. Instead he can’t see beyond Aura’s race.”

  He turned and walked toward the doorway, and his mother grabbed his arm, trying to keep him from leaving. “Son, please.”

  He pulled away from her and went upstairs to his room to get his things. He had to get out of that house. He could hear his mother following him, but he refused to turn around.

  His mother was sniffing back tears from the doorway of his room as he gathered his bags. A part of him felt bad about leaving like this, but he couldn’t stay after what his father had said.

  “Jeremy, give your father time,” she pleaded while his back was still turned.

  “Mom, you know… I love you both. I just don’t like him right now. Why do I need to convince him? Why can’t he just accept what I say? I love Aura. I want to marry her one day,” Jeremy said, facing her.

  He looked at his mother’s surprised expression. He could tell that even though she wasn’t as vocal as his father, she didn’t approve of his choice either.

  “Does that alarm you, Mother? Does it make you cringe at the thought of black grandchildren?” he asked mockingly.

  She did not reply immediately, and he took that as her answer. He leaned forward, bringing his face close to hers.

  “You know,” he said, “I look forward to having golden-skinned, curly-haired babies with Aura. They will be beautiful, and they will be loved. It’s up to you whether or not you want to be in their lives… you and of course the good Reverend.”

  “When are you getting married?” she asked, wiping her eyes and following him out of the bedroom.

  “I haven’t even asked her yet,” he replied over his shoulder. “I wanted to do the proper thing and introduce her to my family first. What a laugh.”

  He put the bag on his shoulder and paused at the top of the steps. “I’ll wait outside. I’ll call you about Little Bit’s birthday.”

  Jeremy walked down the steps and out the door, not looking back. He should have known that his father would disapprove of his choices. Daniel Ferguson had always disapproved of his choices.

  Aura had been surprised to hear from Jeremy so quickly. She was about to leave the hotel room and go to her Cousin Barbie’s house when he called. She wondered what had happened because she could tell that he was upset.

  She pulled up in front of Jeremy’s parent’s home and saw him sitting on the curb looking miserable.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked as he approached and threw his bag in the backseat of the rental.

  “Just peachy!” he snapped, slamming the back door of the car and then getting in the front beside her.

  Aura glanced over at the door of his parents’ home and saw his mother standing there watching them.

  “What happened?” she asked, pulling off from the curb into traffic.

  “Well let’s just say that my father couldn’t figure out what I see in you,” he said, looking out the window as she drove down the street he’d grown up on.

  “Jeremy, maybe they just need some time,” she reasoned.

  “Time? Aura, my preaching father is a racist! He gets up there and preaches about Jesus and love and all that for everybody else. He needs to listen to his own sermons! For once I wanted him to accept my decision, but once again, he’s basically told me that I’m a disappointment!”

  Aura sighed, knowing that there wasn’t any use arguing with him at the moment. He was upset, but she had expected far worse than what had occurred earlier.

  “Jeremy, maybe it was just a shock. People say things they really don’t mean sometimes.”

  “How can you take up for him, Aura?” Jeremy asked. He turned from the window to look at her. “My father is a racist!”

  “I can’t be mad with him. You haven’t met my family yet,” she said, glancing at his angry expression.

  “It can’t be any worse,” Jeremy grumbled.

  Aura looked at him and laughed. “Oh, I can debate that point. We’ll see what you think after you meet my family.”

  “How bad could these relatives be?” He asked. “I’ve met your family and they were cool. At least your sister and brother accepted me right away. I know that your mother and father were hesitant at first, but they were never rude to me like my father had been to you. How bad could these other relatives be?”

  She laughed. “You’ll see.”

  After about forty minutes, they pulled up in front of a small brick house that Aura said was her cousin Barbie’s.

  “The gang’s all here, I bet. Barbie probably called my aunt and my uncle and all my cousins over after I told them I was coming and bringing my boyfriend,” Aura said as she parked the car. “I’ve never had a real boyfriend before, so I know the word has spread. They call me a late bloomer.”

  “So, is this your dad’s family?” Jeremy asked.

  “No, this is my mother’s family. Barbie is my cousin, my mother’s sister’s child. My Uncle Howard, who is my mother’s brother, should be here too! It’s my mother’s family that’s from South Carolina, but my Dad’s from New York. They met in college.”

  They walked up to the door, and before she could knock, the door flung open wide.

  “Cuz!” A woman rushed out and threw her arms around Aura in a bear hug. She had waist-length braids and wore a huge pair of hoop earrings.

  “What’s up! What’s up! What’s up!” she shrieked happily, imitating Martin Lawrence.

  “Hey, Barbie,” Aura said and then looked at Jeremy. “This is my man, Jeremy.”

  Barbie stopped hugging Aura and gave Jeremy the once over, batting her eyes at him. “Oh, girl. He looks finger-licking good. Hi, Jeremy,” she said, flirting a little with him.

  Jeremy smiled at her. “Hi, Cousin Barbie.”

  “God! He is a pretty b
oy, and he has dimples too. Damn!” she said, laughing. “You’d better be glad that I love you, Cuz,” she said, looking Jeremy over one more time. “Because if you weren’t family, I’d have to take a bite out of this sweet-looking white chocolate drop. I’m Barbie, and he definitely looks like he could be Ken.” She winked at Jeremy. “I might just have to steal you away, pretty boy.”

  “You could try,” Aura said, putting her hand on her hip in mock indignation. “I doubt if you’d get any play from my man, Barbie.”

  Barbie grinned at Aura, who was scowling with her hand on her hip. She waved her hand at her cousin in a dismissive fashion and rolled her eyes.

  “As if I’d really try! Come on in this house, girl!” Barbie said, playfully yanking Aura by the arm, and they both broke out in giggles.

  They walked into the house, and a number of people stared at Jeremy as they entered the living room.

  “Hello, everybody,” Aura said. “This is Jeremy. I know my mama has already called ya’ll and filled you in.”

  There were a few snickers that went around the room at Aura’s comment.

  An older woman who identified herself as Barbie’s mom came up and hugged Aura and then Jeremy. In fact, all the women in Aura’s family that were there hugged him. Barbie’s father extended his hand, but he didn’t smile. However, her mother’s brother gave Jeremy a warm handshake. Aura could tell immediately that Barbie’s father wasn’t pleased with the fact that she and Jeremy were dating.

  “Jeremy, I’m Howard,” Aura’s other uncle said. “Want a beer? Come on out back, and I’ll give you one. I’m on the grill.”

  “Sure,” Jeremy replied “Aura’s driving.”

  “I don’t drink, Uncle Howie,” Aura reminded him. “And don’t load Jeremy up with beer!”

  “So, Jerome,” one of the cousins said loudly for all to hear, “you play ball? We have a hoop out back.”

  “It’s Jeremy,” he replied, his face stern. “No. I’m not very athletically inclined.”

  There were snickers between the men as they looked at each other and then back at Jeremy.