what he’d been working on with her, something he hadn’t wanted to do until he was sure of its success. He’d hoped the joy he felt at being one step closer to his goal could extend into the evening. Maybe not.
“Does there have to be a problem for me to call my wife?” he retorted. He stopped, took a deep breath, and continued in a softer tone. He and Victoria had been operating in a disconnected mode ever since she’d joined that church. Actually, they’d been disconnected for years, but this church thing took their dysfunction to new heights. Every conversation was a potential argument. Whenever he’d tried to broach the subject of what was going on, Victoria would claim she was too busy to talk and would either focus on one of the children, retreat to another wing of the house, or leave the house altogether. He hadn’t noticed this behavior the first couple months, because his mind had been elsewhere. But ever since the Fourth of July celebration two weeks ago, when Victoria had spent most of her time lounging on a hammock and reading the Bible instead of engaging with their family, Malcolm had deduced that something was deeply wrong in their marriage. And he planned to find out what it was.
“I know I’ve been busy lately,” he said, deciding to begin by placing the focus on himself. “I thought that I’d get out ofhere a little early, and we could drive up to Stone Mountain, have dinner at that restaurant we discovered last year, with the desserts you loved so much.”
“It’s Wednesday, Malcolm,” Victoria said with restrained patience. “I have Bible study tonight.”
“I was hoping that you’d consider skipping it for one night. I have some news to share with you.”
I have some news too. News that I’m not ready to share
. “God is to come first in one’s life, Malcolm. Even before one’s spouse.”
“Is that what they’re teaching you in that place?”
“Why don’t you join me tonight?” Victoria said, her voice pleasant for the first time in their conversation. “Then we can learn together.”
“So is that the only way I can get my wife back? To come to church with you? Is that the exchange? You’ll give me some pussy if I spend time with Jesus?”
Victoria’s hang-up was his answer.
Malcolm slowly placed the phone on the receiver. He rose from his desk and looked out of the company’s tenth-story window. The Atlanta skyline beckoned him into the city, a place he rarely ventured unless for business. But looking out toward the Bank of America Plaza, Atlanta’s tallest landmark, Malcolm realized how long it had been since he’d socialized outside his role as a Taste of Soul VP. He thought about his good friend Jon, a popular and prominent city councilman, and wondered if he still hung out at FGO, an upscale private club that catered to the city’s elite.
It’s time I get back into the swing of things, start living like the young man that I am
, Malcolm thought as he sat down at his desk, retrieved his key chain, and unlocked the drawer that contained his future treasure. Malcolm’s pet project would benefit from him reconnecting with old acquaintances. He pulled out the top-secret folder and smiled, his good mood returning.
Yep, I’ll stop by and see my baby and then it’s on to FGO….
* * *
The CD had stopped playing, but Victoria remained where she was, seated on the chaise. Dozens of thoughts clamored for attention in her mind, but one was definitely front and center. Soon, she knew, she’d run out of excuses for why she’d been distant from both Malcolm and his family, why she didn’t want to have sex and had begun sleeping in the guest room more frequently.
But how can I tell him, Lord? How do I explain a problem that only you can solve?
These were the questions that consumed Victoria’s thoughts until she heard the sound of the nanny bringing the twins home from preschool and the cook arriving shortly afterward. How did she tell her
“Does there have to be a problem for me to call my wife?” he retorted. He stopped, took a deep breath, and continued in a softer tone. He and Victoria had been operating in a disconnected mode ever since she’d joined that church. Actually, they’d been disconnected for years, but this church thing took their dysfunction to new heights. Every conversation was a potential argument. Whenever he’d tried to broach the subject of what was going on, Victoria would claim she was too busy to talk and would either focus on one of the children, retreat to another wing of the house, or leave the house altogether. He hadn’t noticed this behavior the first couple months, because his mind had been elsewhere. But ever since the Fourth of July celebration two weeks ago, when Victoria had spent most of her time lounging on a hammock and reading the Bible instead of engaging with their family, Malcolm had deduced that something was deeply wrong in their marriage. And he planned to find out what it was.
“I know I’ve been busy lately,” he said, deciding to begin by placing the focus on himself. “I thought that I’d get out ofhere a little early, and we could drive up to Stone Mountain, have dinner at that restaurant we discovered last year, with the desserts you loved so much.”
“It’s Wednesday, Malcolm,” Victoria said with restrained patience. “I have Bible study tonight.”
“I was hoping that you’d consider skipping it for one night. I have some news to share with you.”
I have some news too. News that I’m not ready to share
. “God is to come first in one’s life, Malcolm. Even before one’s spouse.”
“Is that what they’re teaching you in that place?”
“Why don’t you join me tonight?” Victoria said, her voice pleasant for the first time in their conversation. “Then we can learn together.”
“So is that the only way I can get my wife back? To come to church with you? Is that the exchange? You’ll give me some pussy if I spend time with Jesus?”
Victoria’s hang-up was his answer.
Malcolm slowly placed the phone on the receiver. He rose from his desk and looked out of the company’s tenth-story window. The Atlanta skyline beckoned him into the city, a place he rarely ventured unless for business. But looking out toward the Bank of America Plaza, Atlanta’s tallest landmark, Malcolm realized how long it had been since he’d socialized outside his role as a Taste of Soul VP. He thought about his good friend Jon, a popular and prominent city councilman, and wondered if he still hung out at FGO, an upscale private club that catered to the city’s elite.
It’s time I get back into the swing of things, start living like the young man that I am
, Malcolm thought as he sat down at his desk, retrieved his key chain, and unlocked the drawer that contained his future treasure. Malcolm’s pet project would benefit from him reconnecting with old acquaintances. He pulled out the top-secret folder and smiled, his good mood returning.
Yep, I’ll stop by and see my baby and then it’s on to FGO….
* * *
The CD had stopped playing, but Victoria remained where she was, seated on the chaise. Dozens of thoughts clamored for attention in her mind, but one was definitely front and center. Soon, she knew, she’d run out of excuses for why she’d been distant from both Malcolm and his family, why she didn’t want to have sex and had begun sleeping in the guest room more frequently.
But how can I tell him, Lord? How do I explain a problem that only you can solve?
These were the questions that consumed Victoria’s thoughts until she heard the sound of the nanny bringing the twins home from preschool and the cook arriving shortly afterward. How did she tell her
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