They talked a few minutes more before Paige went back across the street to Harper University Hospital.
Pearl headed home and spent the rest of the afternoon working on her music. She was composing the arrangements for a new song she’d written for the youth choir to sing. When she first took over as choir director, there was only a handful of teens coming to rehearsal. It wasn’t until she began incorporating some of her own original compositions to the playlist that other youth joined the choir. They were now thirty-eight strong, with others wanting to join almost weekly.
Pearl enjoyed working with the teens. They seemed to respect her and they listened to her. She even tutored a couple of them in history.
Detroit had its share of gang activity and Pearl knew that there was a lot of pressure for kids to join a gang. She hoped that by keeping them involved in church activities and stepping up as a role model and mentor she could save them from making a choice that would potentially ruin lives.
Although her father died when she was very young, Pearl had a happy and secure childhood. She grew up feeling safe and loved. But kids today were in crisis and Pearl was committed to doing whatever she could to help them make the right choices.
She was still working on the song when Paige walked into the apartment carrying the pizza.
“Hurry up,” Pearl said. “I’ll out it on pause until you get out.”
She set the pizza down on the counter and rushed off to take a shower.
Meanwhile, Pearl gathered paper plates, napkins and glasses, setting them on the coffee table.
She was seated cross-legged on the floor with the remote in her hand by the time Paige came running out of her bedroom.
“Did I miss anything?”
Pearl shook her head. “It’s just starting.”
On the first play of the game, the Chargers came down court and Lyman Epse hit a three-pointer.
“Did you just see that?” Paige screamed. “My man just scored three points. Yes!”
Pearl stood up and did a minicheer. “Go, Lyman. That’s the way you do it.”
She bent down to put a slice of pizza on a plate. Grabbing a napkin, she sat back down on the floor. “Now, that’s the way you start a game.”
She groaned in agony when the ball was stolen by the other team.
“It’s okay,” Paige told her. “We’re gonna get it back.”
“Ooh, I can’t stand him,” Pearl uttered when the camera panned to Dashuan Kennedy, Lyman’s teammate who was currently on suspension. “It’s just something about him.”
Paige agreed. “Amber thinks he’s gorgeous but I don’t see it.”
“He’s not bad-looking. It’s his attitude I don’t like. He was so arrogant when Lyman introduced us at that party last month.”
“He’s been hanging with Kelvin Landy a lot lately.”
Pearl didn’t know much about the physical therapist and trainer who worked with some Detroit athletes. Shrugging in nonchalance, she said, “Kelvin’s okay. It’s Dashuan who is such a jerk.”
For the rest of the half, they yelled and cheered the Chargers each time they scored.
“You having choir rehearsal tomorrow?” Paige inquired during a commercial break.
Pearl nodded. “I hope Pastor won’t be around. He makes me uncomfortable.”
Paige finished off her second slice of pizza. “Why?”
“I don’t know. He just does,” Pearl responded. “Have you noticed that the man hardly ever smiles? He’s so serious all of the time.”
“Maybe he doesn’t have much to smile about,” Paige offered. “You shouldn’t let Pastor get to you like that. He’ll keep on if he knows that he can get to you.”
“He doesn’t get to me,” Pearl said. But there was no time to argue, as the second half started.
The Chargers were ahead, but not by much. Pearl was on pins and needles until the final buzzer.
“Yes!” She rose up and started dancing. “That’s the way to start the season off right. Give Lyman my congratulations when you talk to him,” Pearl said. “Meanwhile I’ll be in the library working on some music. I’ve been inspired by the victory.”
Thursday morning, Wade strolled into his office at the church, crossing the room to his desk. Up since four-thirty, he’d already spent an hour praying and studying his Bible and taking an early-morning stroll.
Barbara Delany, his secretary, entered the office behind him, carrying a stack of documents.
He quickly looked them over. “Thanks, Barbara. How are you this morning?”
“Blessed and highly favored, Pastor. Oh, my niece is moving back to Detroit this weekend. She’s a doctor. An unmarried doctor. I can’t wait for you to meet her. We’re all very proud of her.”
A muscle quivered at his jaw. “I’m sure you and she will have a great visit.”
“She’ll be coming to church with me on Sunday. Marnie’s not just coming for a visit. She’s going to be working at Detroit Memorial. She wanted to come back home. Our family’s very close.”
After signing the documents, he handed the papers back to her. “I look forward to meeting her,” Wade responded blandly.
Barbara whipped a photo out of her pocket. “I just happen to have a picture of her right here.”
Wade politely accepted the photo, eying the woman in it. “She looks like you.”
Barbara broke into a big grin. “That’s what everybody says.”
Wade sent up a silent prayer for any type of interruption to jolt Barbara back into secretary mode. Why didn’t members of his congregation trust him to pick his own wife?
As if heaven sent, the telephone began to ring.
“I better go get that,” Barbara uttered, rushing out of the office.
Wade sent up a quick prayer of thanks.
She put the call through to his office and he answered on the second ring, “Pastor Wade Kendrick.”
“Wade, it’s Harold. Hadn’t talked to you in a couple of days. Wanted to say hello.”
He smiled. Harold Green and his family had always been a part of his extended family, but for the past ten years they were his only family.
“I had you on my list to call today,” Wade stated. “I wanted to invite you to lunch, if you have some time today.”
“Ivy and Cassie are doing some last-minute shopping for the wedding. I have a few hours to kill. Lunch is good.”
They arranged a time and a place.
Wade met Harold at the restaurant shortly after twelve.
“Uncle Harold,” he greeted, “I’m glad you could meet me.”
They followed a hostess to a small table by the window. When they were seated, Harold asked, “How are things going at Lakeview?”
“Well, I’m adjusting,” Wade responded. “Some of the mothers in the church are trying to marry me off to their daughters. That’s a good sign, I think.”
Harold chuckled. “You can’t be surprised. You’re a minister of a medium-sized church, you have a nice car, you’re good-looking. Man, that makes you a good catch.”
Wade changed the subject by asking, “So