strong women who are also going through, surround her. I’m sure she has friends, and her mother lives nearby. But there’s something…” Pastor Ford paused and her eyes thinned as if she’d gone deep inside her thoughts.
“What’s wrong, Pastor?”
“I’m not sure. I just want to make sure Vanessa is getting the support she needs. This group will be great for her because she’ll be helping as much as she’ll be helped. That’s what she’s all about. Taking care of others. So, it’ll work both ways for her.”
Sheridan pushed herself from the couch and stood with her pastor. “I’m glad she’s one of the women.”
Pastor Ford nodded, then tossed the folder back onto her desk. “And the last one”—the pastor sank into her chair—“is my niece.”
“Asia?” Sheridan had met the young woman at a few church functions, but she didn’t know much about her except that she seemed to run with celebrities. She most often saw Asia on the television entertainment shows, linked with one of the LA Lakers stars. But Sheridan couldn’t imagine why her pastor would suggest that Asia be part of this group. Besides the difference in age, she wasn’t even aware that Asia had been married.
“She’s never been married,” Pastor Ford said as if she’d heard what Sheridan was thinking, ‘’although I can’t say that about the man she’s been seeing.” Pastor Ford sighed. “I’m not even sure it’s a good idea for her to be part of this.” Pastor Ford paused, still playing this thought through. “My hope is that you, Kendall, and Vanessa will be a good influence on my niece—even in the midst of your situations. I want her to see that she never has to settle for a married man.”
So those stories are true , Sheridan thought. “Pastor, I hope you don’t mind me asking…is Asia saved?”
“You know what I say, you never know anyone’s heart, but I believe she is. The challenge with her is what happens to so many. She prayed the Sinner’s Prayer, but then stopped right there. She hasn’t continued to grow. She comes to church only after I harass her and that usually lasts for a few weeks. All of her attention is on…this relationship.”
“Doesn’t she have a daughter?”
“She does, but I’m going to let her tell you about Angel and everything else. In fact, the rest should come from all the ladies. It’ll be part of the bonding.” She pushed herself from the chair. “Now, I asked them all to be here Thursday at seven. Is that good for you?”
Sheridan smiled. The question was asked in an it’s-already-decided-so-you’d-better-cancel-any-plans-you-may-have tone. “I’ll be here, Pastor.”
“Great.” She joined Sheridan on the other side of the desk. “Talking this through makes me feel even better about it. You’re going to do a great job.”
Pastor Ford embraced her and Sheridan closed her eyes, muttered a quick prayer. She hoped to live up to her pastor’s expectations and hoped that in the process of praying with these women, she just might find a way to help herself.
Sheridan wrapped her hands around the warmth of the Starbucks cup and inhaled. She stirred in two packets of brown sugar, swiveled to her right, and bumped into the man next to her.
“Excuse me,” she said, grabbing her cup. “I’m…” She looked up. “Quentin!”
“Hey, beautiful.” He grinned and kissed her cheek.
“What’re you doing here?”
“Same as you, obviously.” His eyes danced. “And this had always been one of our favorite places,” her ex-husband said. He pointed to a table. “Join me? I’ve got a few minutes before I have to be at the hospital.”
Sheridan glanced at her watch. She didn’t have anywhere to go, but she didn’t feel like sipping coffee with her ex. Since their divorce, their children were their only common ground. “No, I don’t think…” She paused. Daddy has a new lover .
“Okay,” she agreed and then followed him.
“You look good,
“What’s wrong, Pastor?”
“I’m not sure. I just want to make sure Vanessa is getting the support she needs. This group will be great for her because she’ll be helping as much as she’ll be helped. That’s what she’s all about. Taking care of others. So, it’ll work both ways for her.”
Sheridan pushed herself from the couch and stood with her pastor. “I’m glad she’s one of the women.”
Pastor Ford nodded, then tossed the folder back onto her desk. “And the last one”—the pastor sank into her chair—“is my niece.”
“Asia?” Sheridan had met the young woman at a few church functions, but she didn’t know much about her except that she seemed to run with celebrities. She most often saw Asia on the television entertainment shows, linked with one of the LA Lakers stars. But Sheridan couldn’t imagine why her pastor would suggest that Asia be part of this group. Besides the difference in age, she wasn’t even aware that Asia had been married.
“She’s never been married,” Pastor Ford said as if she’d heard what Sheridan was thinking, ‘’although I can’t say that about the man she’s been seeing.” Pastor Ford sighed. “I’m not even sure it’s a good idea for her to be part of this.” Pastor Ford paused, still playing this thought through. “My hope is that you, Kendall, and Vanessa will be a good influence on my niece—even in the midst of your situations. I want her to see that she never has to settle for a married man.”
So those stories are true , Sheridan thought. “Pastor, I hope you don’t mind me asking…is Asia saved?”
“You know what I say, you never know anyone’s heart, but I believe she is. The challenge with her is what happens to so many. She prayed the Sinner’s Prayer, but then stopped right there. She hasn’t continued to grow. She comes to church only after I harass her and that usually lasts for a few weeks. All of her attention is on…this relationship.”
“Doesn’t she have a daughter?”
“She does, but I’m going to let her tell you about Angel and everything else. In fact, the rest should come from all the ladies. It’ll be part of the bonding.” She pushed herself from the chair. “Now, I asked them all to be here Thursday at seven. Is that good for you?”
Sheridan smiled. The question was asked in an it’s-already-decided-so-you’d-better-cancel-any-plans-you-may-have tone. “I’ll be here, Pastor.”
“Great.” She joined Sheridan on the other side of the desk. “Talking this through makes me feel even better about it. You’re going to do a great job.”
Pastor Ford embraced her and Sheridan closed her eyes, muttered a quick prayer. She hoped to live up to her pastor’s expectations and hoped that in the process of praying with these women, she just might find a way to help herself.
Sheridan wrapped her hands around the warmth of the Starbucks cup and inhaled. She stirred in two packets of brown sugar, swiveled to her right, and bumped into the man next to her.
“Excuse me,” she said, grabbing her cup. “I’m…” She looked up. “Quentin!”
“Hey, beautiful.” He grinned and kissed her cheek.
“What’re you doing here?”
“Same as you, obviously.” His eyes danced. “And this had always been one of our favorite places,” her ex-husband said. He pointed to a table. “Join me? I’ve got a few minutes before I have to be at the hospital.”
Sheridan glanced at her watch. She didn’t have anywhere to go, but she didn’t feel like sipping coffee with her ex. Since their divorce, their children were their only common ground. “No, I don’t think…” She paused. Daddy has a new lover .
“Okay,” she agreed and then followed him.
“You look good,
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