The Preachas Son

Is this the end?

“The nerve of that boy ….. I don’t mind him getting his religion on … God knoes I don’t … but why he had to come to our church??? He just tryin to get a gift outta me!!” Jamal ranted and raved in the car …… “Damn chile … will u stop fussin??? Making us think that aint over him yet …..” Alex said as he sipped his drink on the way to the club …… “Oh I’m over and done with him ….. That’s the truth!”  Jamal sat down in the back seat … maybe he was blowing it up …. But Kevin did him dirty … although the bible says to forgive and forget …… he wasn’t quite ready to let it go …..
 
“Well ….I aint for getting put in no bodies jail tonight so no funny business … U kno James and his crew be on sum ill shyt ……” Mitch snapped his fingaz …… “I will hold my piece ….. of steel ….” He patted the glove box …… Everyone laughed ……. By the time they got to the club it was packed …… Jamal saw his cousin Jay and Q at the bar ……. “Merry Christmas lil cuz!!” Jay scooped him up ……. “Damn Jay …. Merry Christmas to you also …… Now can u stop flexing and put me down?”  Jamal laughed as Q reached over and hugged him …..
 
“U besta be lucky u mah cuzo Jay …. Cause seriously …… U’d be without this tonight …”  Jamal laughed as Jay hit his head …… They joined Jamal’s friends upstairs who enjoyed the holiday drag show …….. When Sparkles got on the stage and did Rhianna’s “Don’t stop the Music” the club went up …… Jamal enjoyed just being out with his friends …… he looked at everyone and thought of how much his life had changed since last summer …… He smiled thinking about Dudley ……. He wish he knew wat happened to him …. Or if he was even still thinking of him ……. Jamal snapped out of his dream when he heard his name being called …… “Look at your cousin!!!!” Mitch screamed … They had called Jay and his crew on stage to battle Hoe crew style ……. 
 
Jamal couldn’t believe his eyes as he watched Jay and his friends on the stage doing their thing ……. He wish he could move like that … but at least he could sing right???  The crowd went wild as Jay and the Hoe Crew exited the stage …….. “Always gotta show off ……”  Q said as he hugged Jay ….. The club let out as usual …….and everyone was walking to their cars ……. Jamal hugged on his boys as jay and Q walked beside them … “so yall are more than welcomed to come over for dinner tomorrow …..” Jay said …… 
 
Jamal told them they would come over later on and he continued to walk to Alex’s car ……  as he walking …. Kevin pulled up and got out of his car …… Once again he locked eyes with Jamal … who stood for a second ….. but then once again continued to walk away ….. Kevin started to yell out that he was sorry … that he missed him … that he …. Loved him …… but James walked up high …….. “Hey boo …. U ready to unwrap ya gift???” He said as he grabbed his dick …….
 
Kevin looked up and Jamal was gone ……. He got back in the car and drove back to James’s house …….
 
Later that night as Kevin laid in the bed with James on his side … he once again thought back to when he had seen Jamal at school …. And then at the homecoming assembly … When he walked in the gym with that Whyte tux …. All eyes were on him ….. He couldn’t deny that Jamal made him smile …. So why wasn’t he with him? He picked up his phone to dial Jamal’s numbah …….. he held the phone for a few seconds ….. then he dialed the number ……..
 
He stepped out of the bed …… listening for the ringing ….. “I’m sorry the number u have dialed has been changed ….. No further information is available …” *click*  “I guess I missed my third time ….. “ He said as he got back in bed with James …….
 
Jamal lay in his bed also …… When he got dropped off he brought his gifts to put under the tree …… and he ran into “Santa” ….. He laughed as his Dad continued to act as if he was ST. Nick ……. “Were u a good boy this year??” he asked ….. “Of course …I’m the Preacher’s Son ….”  They laughed …… and then his dad handed him his gift ….. “I kno u going to be out of the house soon, and doing your own thing, but I want you to always remember that you are loved ….and that no other person will every love you as much as your mother and I …… 
 
Jamal looked in the box and there was a heart locket with the family picture on it …… He tried not to cry … so he hugged his dad and then went to his room ……
 
*New Year’s Eve*
Kevin had been running around with James all night …. Who was determined to go to Richmond again …….. even in the snow ….. But after the last night when they had got into a fist fight …. Kevin didn’t feel like putting up a fight tonight …. So he roped Akeem and Marcus into coming along …… HE really wanted to be at church ….. but maybe next year he thought …… They arrived at the club by 11pm and was upstairs partying ……
 
Jamal and the choir was in the middle of the final selection …… They had sung almost 10 songs back to back ….. and it was time for the song that made Jamal ……
 His song … ‘Trouble don’t Last Always ….’ …. Jamal’s friends all yelled … “Sang Mal ……” as he stepped up to the mic …. He looked at his mother … she gave him a half smile … which he understood to mean he better not miss a note ….. and he begin to sing …..  The church went in an uproar ….. his voice filled the sanctuary with such passion …… 
 
May not come wen you want him …. But he’s on time …..
In time of trouble yea, He’s a friend of Mine …..
When storm clouds rise in your life ….. He’ll be there ……
All your burdens yea ….. Take it the Lord in Prayer ….
I’m so glad!
 
Jamal sang the verse … Today of all days …this song meant more to him … cause it finally seemed that trouble wasn’t gonna follow him for this new year … so when he got to the bridge ….. “Weeping may …. Endure for a night” ….. he teared up as he adlibbed …… His mother watched him closely … she felt a spirit of love for her son ……. She stood up in approval … Jamal looked and saw her … she actually smiled at him ….  By the time the song was finished … the choir was happy …. The congregation got happy ….. So the organists went into “Joy” …. The choir sang …. As the people flocked down the aisle …. Rev., Brown stepped to the mic … 
 
“Aren’t You GLAD … That TROUBLE … DON’T LAST …. ALWAYS ….. Look at Your neighbor and Say … Neighbor …. Trouble … Don’t last ALWAYS!!!...... Oh Somebody better praise the Lord in here …. I’d like to call my son …. Jamal up to the pulpit …… The spirit is leading me …. So just follow me as I follow Christ ……”  Jamal looked at his momma … she was calling to him … and like the son he was …. His eyes filled with tears … he didn’t think about the note … or the words she’d said to him …. That was his mother …  He walked to her …..
 
“Jamal ….. I love you …and in front of all God’s people … I want to proclaim …that no matter what …. If you were a slug …. A beetle ….I’d love you … Please forgive me … for all the times I wasn’t showing you my love …..” Rev. Brown hugged her son …. Jamal was shocked ….. he never thought his mother would ever do that ….. He cried as she hugged him … she whispered in his ear … “Jamal I meant  that … I love you for who you are …. We will make it ….”  Jamal walked back to the choir stand …….. Rev. Brown continued her sermon …. 
Church ended earlier than usual … Rev. Brown kept getting the spirit and would start shouting …… and the next thing you kno .. the entire church was gone ……. Jamal and his friends sat in the choir stand ….. Everyone was just smiling .. but Jamal had the biggest smile on his face …… By the time they finished it was  a little after 3am …New Year’s had come and gone …..
 
Jamal and his friends enjoyed the potluck … traditional new year’s breakfast …… 
 
By that time Kevin and the fellas had piled in the car … it was snowing so there was no need to stay out in the parking lot …….. James was upset cause Kevin had blocked him from getting a number … so they argued on the way down the interstate ….. Marcus and Akeem lay on each other trying to block out the scene unfolding in front of them ….. 
 
“I don’t kno who u think u are … but u gonna learn to respect me ….. and that’s real!!”  Kevin yelled to James …… “Respect??? Nicca u aint nothing but a kid … Holla at ya boi when u become a man …..”  “A man ???? I won’t no boy when I was tearin that ass up the other night ……”  James looked at him ….. “Tearing up??? Shyt I only made sum noise so u wouldn’t feel bad …cause u aint hit that spot at all yo …… Damn shame … all that dick and don’t kno how to use it …..”
 
Kevin continued speeding in the snow ….. HE was ready to get home …… “Whatever man ….” He yelled as he waved his hand up …. “No fuck you nicca …” James slapped Kevin, which made him, turn the wheel sharply …. The Honda veered through the median and spun into the other side … finally resting in the 6 inches of concrete …….
 
Jamal dropped his fork …..