Chapter 31

            Aaron had made the calls and George and Charles were huddled in his office discussing what Aaron’s strategy would be at the governing elders’ board meeting which was coming up in two days.

             “I guess it’s a question of do I stand up for the truth and almost certainly get fired or do I try to compromise and maybe keep my job,” Aaron stated dryly.

             The George spoke up.  “Well, I think you should . . .”

             Bzzzz . . . bzzz . . . bzzz

             The intercom was buzzing and Aaron pushed the button.  “What is it?” Aaron answered irritably.  “I thought I said I was not to be disturbed!”

             “I’m sorry pastor, it’s Mrs. Chandler.  She says it is very urgent,” Mrs. Halstead said.

             “Give me a minute,” Aaron ordered.

             “Yes, sir” came the response.

             Aaron looked up pleadingly at George. 

             “Don’t say a word, my friend” George assured him.  “I’ll take care of it.  Whatever it is, I’ll take care of it!” he stated firmly.  George left the room as Charles and Aaron continued to talk.

             “Then there’s the problem at home with my wife,” Aaron said as he stood up so the other man could not see the tears that welled up in his eyes.  “I don’t know whether to divorce her, go in for counseling some place or what.”

             Charles waited a long while before responding.  “Jesus said we should even love our enemies.  I don’t think she is your enemy.  Yes, she may be hurt and confused and she may have done something rash and out of line . . .”

             Before Charles could finish this statement Aaron turned and exploded. 

             “Out of line?  Out of line?  I’d say having sex with another man is more than out of line!” he almost yelled.

             “Wait a minute,” Charles replied, “you don’t know that she had an affair with him.  The pictures just showed her getting in a Limo and getting in and out of a plane.”

             “Well, if that were true why didn’t she say it,” Aaron asked.

             “Who knows, maybe guilt, maybe fear, maybe the realization that her best friend Terry had betrayed her.  Who knows!  And even if it is the worse,” Charles said as he rose from his seat and moved closer to his friend, placing his hands on his shoulders, “can you forgive even that?”

             “I don’t know,” Aaron muttered, “I don’t know . . .” he said as he turned his eyes away from Charles and gazed into nothingness.

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            George and Judy Chandler were seated in the conference room as she began her tearful story.

            “I used my last thousand dollars of savings trying to fix the transmission in my car last month, then my employer laid me off, the rent is due and the landlord says he is going to send the eviction process in two weeks if I can’t pay up in full,” she said between gasps of breath trying to hold back the tears.

            George looked at her boys who were now going under, over and around the conference table.  He reflected back at the young children of similar ages that he saw in Africa and how in contrast they were so well disciplined.

            “No problem,” George spoke up after a moment.

            “No problem?  What do you mean?” Judy Chandler asked.

            “There’s no problem because you and the kids are coming home to live with me and my wife.  I’ll speak to the landlord and pay the back due rent.  You move in with us at no charge.  Stay as long as you like.  I’ll help you find a job and you can save money until you’re ready to step out on your own again.”

             “But . . . but . . . I couldn’t let you do that,” she began to protest.

             “Don’t worry about it.  It’s my pleasure.  It’s a done deal,” George responded.

             “But what about your wife, don’t you want to confer with her first?” she asked.

             I am the head of my house and what I say goes.  Besides I have a very loving and understanding wife,” he stated confidently.  “Let’s pack up and start moving” he suggested.

             Privately, George was hoping Juanita wouldn’t mind.  Judy was very attractive and this would be a real test of her spiritual growth.

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             Bzzzz . . . bzzz . . .

             The intercom went off again. 

             “What now, Mrs. Halstead?” Aaron answered angrily again.

             “Your wife is here, Pastor.”

             “My wife?”

             “Yes, sir.”

             “Send her in.”

             Charles and Aaron stared at each other in the eyes.  Then Charles mouthed the words “I’ll see you later.”

             “Hello, Mrs. Cooper,” Charles spoke warmly as he passed her on his way out.

             “Hello, Mr. Okinyi.” Cheryl said dryly.

             Cheryl stood just inside the door of her husband’s office.  She had used makeup to hide her puffy eyes as best she could.  Her hair was freshly washed and draped over her shoulders.  She wore a blouse, a skirted beige suit, white hose and matching beige 3 inch heels.

             Aaron’s back was turned to her as he pretended to gaze out the windows.

             “We’ve got to talk” she began.

             “Oh, really!” he said sarcastically.  “You mean you aren’t flying off with John Becker today?”  He regretted saying it as soon as it came out of his mouth.  He turned slowly only to see she had dropped her head.  A single tear was slowly making its way down her left cheek.  He moved over to her, put his arm around her shoulders and said, “Yes, you’re right, we have to talk, but not here.  Let’s go for a drive,” he said softly.  With that he steered her out of the office.

             Once they were in the car and moving, Cheryl began.  “I want to tell you everything” she said.

             Aaron winced, not sure whether he wanted to know the whole truth or not.

             “When you left” she continued, “I was hurt and angry.  I thought you might go to Africa and find some princess or have a harem of women . . . or . . . Oh Aaron, there were just so many silly things going through my head . . . and . . .”

             Aaron interrupted: “We’ve been married for how long?  And you think I’m just going to drop you and pick up somebody else in thirty days?”

             “Well . . .” she tried to explain “Terry said that . .”

             “Terry!  I figured she had a part in this,” Aaron blurted out.

             “She planned out everything,” Cheryl explained.  “What to wear, how to act, everything.”

             “But why did you go along with it?” Aaron questioned with irritation in his voice and yet pleading to understand.

             “Well . . . I don’t know . . . well, will Mr. Becker being chairman of the elders governing board . . . I thought if you were leaving me in . . .” she halted and started again, hesitant to say it all.

             Aaron interrupted. “Leaving you, how did you come to that . . .”

             “Oh Aaron, I am sorry I . . . I just wasn’t thinking straight.  And those pictures.  I never knew Terry had taken them until you showed them to me.”

             “She’s a witch” Aaron spat out.  “I think she’s demonically possessed.”

             “Well . . . ah . . . I think you may be right now” Cheryl responded.

             “You’ve got to cut her loose.  There’s no chance of us making it with her around!”  Aaron stated firmly as he turned to look at his wife with a flash of fire in his eyes.  They had come to the city part.  Aaron parked the car and walked around to the other side to let Cheryl out.

             Aaron hung his head and bit his bottom lip as he placed his hands on his hips.  “Tell me!” he said.  “Did you have sex with Becker?”  He forced himself to raise his head slightly to look in her eyes.  He had to know the truth, even if it hurt.

             “No!”  Cheryl almost screamed.  “No!”  She said again.  “He picked me up in his limo and the driver took us to the airfield.  He took me for a flying lesson and showed me the city from 10,000 feet.  That’s all!  Truly that is all!”

             Aaron breathed a sigh of relief, took her hand in his and began walking through the park on one of the concrete pathways.

             After several steps Cheryl asked “What now?”

             “I don’t know,” Aaron answered.  “I have to meet with the governing board in two days.”  He took in a deep breath and blew it out his mouth.  “I may lose my job.”

             They walked silently for a long time and finally returned to his car.  “I’ll prepare the best I can and see what happens” Aaron said matter of factly.  However, Aaron wouldn’t be the only one preparing for that meeting.