Pay It Forward

Secrets Revealed

  Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny. Janice had to rush to answer her phone. Whoever was calling was insistent. "Hello," she answered breathlessly. "Um, just what I like to hear. That's how you sounded when I finished with you the last time", his voice boasted.

Janice froze. She clenched her fist. She hated this man. Whenever she saw him and had to pretend to tolerate him, her skin crawled. "What do you want, Deacon? Look, deacon, I am not-", she stated with false bravado. Five years after her night with him, she tried to forget. Even when she had his children, she never said his name. Now he called her.

"Shut up," he growled. "The board is tired of your Daddy. They want him out. Guess what? I'm the deciding vote. I have a proposition for you. That church is your daddy's life work. Letting those homos in was his first mistake. Then you got pregnant, I kept him there as a favor for my baby's momma. Right after you got knocked up, your sweet innocent sister, Shelia, let Old Rod pop her cherry and got a bun in her oven as well. Now, baby girl Kara did the same thing, with a white boy, no less. Just because Kara married that boy, it doesn't change anything; the feelings are the same. The board wants him out." He chuckled. "Little girl, I know you love your daddy. You'll do anything to protect him, right. I want three nights with you. I don't care how you do it. Leave the brats with your momma, but give me three nights, and your daddy can keep his church."

She exclaimed, "Hell no! I am not some scared eighteen year old girl. You will not use me like you-".

He cut her off, "I'll tell daddy I found out who fathered your brats. Imagine how upset he'll be when I tell him that drug dealer, Treymaine, knocked you up. You did name the boy Treymon. I'll tell him I found out and I tried to make him man up, but he came after me right? After all he did attack me. I guess your thug boyfriend thought he could defend your honor. Why else would he do that Janice? You know he didn't want you dating that boy. He'll believe me, and you know it. I'll let you think about it, so before you say No; just think on how that news will hurt your daddy. Besides, I was your first. A girl never forgets her first. See you later, lover." He whispered, blew her a kiss, and then hung up.

Janice collapsed on the couch. Oh, God! What am I going to do? I have to tell daddy the truth. He'll be so mad, but he believes everything Deacon Virgil tells him. The truth will kill him. But I can't be with that man again. I hate him. He is not a Christian; he's evil. I wish he'd never found out about Treymaine. She thought as she cried to herself, tears streaming down her dark cheeks. For five years, she kept this secret. She didn't want to hurt her father this way, but she couldn't let this man use her again. Janice didn't know what to do, but she knew she had to do something.

Trey ran in and stopped, "Mamma, what's wrong. Why are you crying?" He asked hugging her, trying to make her feel better. He was scared, but Uncle Gianni said he had to protect his Momma and sister. Momma was crying so much; he'd never seen her cry this hard. He wished Uncle Gianni was here, but he and Aunt Kara went away for a while. Trey remembered that Uncle Gianni said to call grandpa if he ever got scared.

"Nothing, baby. I'm OK. Let's make you breakfast." She hugged her son close. She looked at her little boy, and realized that he looked like Virgil. She never noticed how much her baby looked like that man. But he was hers, and it didn't matter. She'd protect her children from that bastard, no matter what it took. Janice hugged her son, and kissed the top of his head. Gianni told him to look out for her and Tracy. Her little man did just that. "Hey, do you and your sister want pancakes this morning? I feel like pancakes with strawberries, Ok." Trey nodded and Janice smiled. Then she stood to and went to the kitchen to make breakfast for them.