THANK YOU JESUS!
After spending time with Louise yesterday Sinclair realized that she really needed to talk to Kingston. She needed to hear his side of the story without yelling and screaming at him. She needed to hear him and tell her his side of the story without being blinded by rage. She needed to be near him and to have him hold her in his arms. She needed him in a nutshell, she thought to herself.
She had just turned the TV on to find a sermon to watch when a news report came on the screen. She almost fell off her crutches while she was at the kitchen counter pouring cereal into her bowl.
“Stanley Devilen is charged with fraud after he allegedly tried to dupe millions of dollars from local businesses in the metro area. Using one of many aliases, including that of Chad Dunbar, he masqueraded as a real estate investor. He conned many people into buying property that was not for sale. He even sold a piece of property that is currently owned by the city of Hyattsville. The crime came to light when Kingston Carter found himself being duped.” The news reporter said as a shocked Sinclair poured the cereal onto the floor in disbelief.
“He contacted the authorities and upon further investigation it led to the arrest of Stanley Devilen, who is also wanted in Canada for running a similar scheme where he bilked a bank out of millions.” The lady reporter said as Sinclair tried to steady herself on her crutches so she would not fall in shock.
“Oh my God! Kingston was telling the truth, I have to get to the church!” Sinclair said out loud while making her way to her bedroom to get dressed.
She wore a gray dress with black square patterns on it and added a black blazer to it. She added a glittery silver hairpin to her new hairstyle that she wore.
Just as she was headed out her door Desmond and Robyn came running up her stairs.
“Your business is safe, Chad Dunbar was a fake,” Desmond said waving papers in Sinclair’s face. “You don’t have to close the agency.”
“I know; I just saw it on the news. I was trying to get to the church to see Kingston. Can you please give me a ride please?” Sinclair asked with pleading eyes.
“We sure can.” Desmond said as he helped Sinclair down the stairs and into his car. “Let’s go.”
“Don’t you look nice today? I love your hair blown out straight, it looks so nice.” Robyn complimented Sinclair.
“Thanks, Miss Louise came over and took me out yesterday to get my hair and nails done.”
“That was nice of her to do that. You look absolutely stunning. But I have a question for you. How were you going to get to the church with no car, Sinclair?” Robyn asked as she put her seatbelt on in the car.
“I was going to call a cab before I started walking down the stairs. I figured it would take them ten minutes to get here and it would take me about that amount of time to get down the stairs.”
“Well I am glad we got here when we did, I can’t even imagine you trying to climb down all those stairs by yourself. You just got the cast off for God’s sake, it would have gone right back on if you would have fallen.” Desmond said as he put the car in drive.”
“Yes, that’s very dangerous, you could have broken your other leg,” Robyn agreed with her husband.
“And you my sweet,” Desmond turned to Robyn as the light had just turned red. “It was dangerous for you to try and run upstairs to Sinclair’s apartment behind me. What were you thinking? You could have just taken your time, you are carrying our child, the last thing I need is for you to get hurt so please don’t try that again.” Desmond said just as the light changed to green.
“I promise I won’t run again.” Robyn said to a smiling Desmond who then kissed her hand.
“And I promise I won’t let her. From now until she has my niece or nephew she has to walk just as slow as I do.” Sinclair added
“Good. So from now on you two will take it slow,” Desmond said looking at Sinclair through his rearview mirror.
“Okay we promise. Now can you step on that gas please?” Sinclair asked Desmond wishing she could drive herself.
Sinclair had no idea what she would say to Kingston but she knew she had to see him. Never in her life had she ever missed someone so bad that her heart literally ached. Sinclair had never had such a connection to another man until she met Kingston. He had done so much for her that she didn’t even know where to begin to even thank him. He had gone way out of his way to make sure she had what she needed and if she didn’t have it Kingston made it his business to get it for her. He was surely a man of his word because she did not want for anything. If only her stubborn spirit would have allowed her to speak to Kingston earlier she would not be rushing to across the streets to get to him. She made a mental not to stop being so stubborn. She had come to realize that only the truly special people in her life made her cry tears of joy and Kingston was one of them and she had to tell him how much he meant to her.
********************
Calvin stood pacing the floor of his church office while staring at his watch. He had grown tired and decided he couldn’t wait anymore.
“Kingston are you coming to church today? I will understand if you don’t want to preach today.” Calvin asked as soon as Kingston answered his cell phone.
“I’m coming to church Pop, I just had to run a quick errand before I came. It’s my turn to preach so I will be preaching this morning while you take your seat as you always do on third Sunday.” Kingston said to his father while giving the thumbs up to the man behind the glass counter.
“Are you sure? Because I can preach, it’s no problem?” Calvin said as he went to grab a bottle of water from his small refrigerator.
“Pop, you have always taught me to chase my dreams and to never let anything or anyone get in the way of me getting what I wanted. Well, right now I am chasing my dreams. I will be there in time to preach, I won’t let you down, I promise.” Kingston said while reaching for his wallet.
“Okay son, just be careful driving. I know how you like to speed like Simon who taught you how to do an eighty in a forty.” Calvin was feeling a little at ease knowing Kingston was at least all right.
“I promise I will drive safely. See you soon.” Kingston said as he hung up from his father.
Kingston took his item and was headed to his Navigator when he saw his reflection in the mirror. He stopped and looked at himself like he had never seen his reflection before. Kingston couldn’t help but like what he saw in the mirror. He was wearing a beige suit with his chocolate tie and chocolate shoes to match and under his jacket he was wearing his signature suspenders. For the first time in weeks he actually felt happy. He didn’t know whether it was the talk he had with God or the talk he had with his dad or the fact that he was literally holding his dreams in his hand. Thinking it was all of the above he headed to the parking lot smiling like he had just won the lottery.
Had his father known he did an eighty in a forty, he would not have been happy, Kingston thought to himself as he entered the church fifteen minutes later. As he stepped onto the pulpit he kissed his mother on the cheek and shook his father’s hand and he took his seat next to them. When he realized the choir was singing He Has His Arms Around You, he rose to his feet and started praising God.” The Lord was certainly speaking to him and he surely was listening.
“First I give an honor to God who is the head of my life,” Kingston said after the choir sat down and he took to the podium. “I have been going through a storm my brothers and sisters but I believe my storm is over. Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus!” Kingston yelled as he waived his hand in the air.
“I know my God is a healer and I know He has never left my side. When I was at my lowest point He never left me. But I thank God because the whole time as I sat with my face to the ground, He had forgiven me. He forgave me.” Kingston said pointing to himself. Both his parents smiled at him seeing the old Kingston emerging right before their very eyes.
Kingston started taking off his jacket when his father came over to help him while patting him on the shoulder.
“You see just because I am a pastor it doesn’t mean that I am a perfect man. It means that I hurt, cry and bleed just like you do. Hallelujah! Can I get an amen? I am not a perfect man. I messed up so bad that I couldn’t stand to look at myself in the mirror. I couldn’t believe I hurt someone I truly loved by my foolish and childish mistake. I beat myself up so bad that I didn’t want to get up from where I had fallen but my dad said something to me that made me get up. He said you look like you have already accepted defeat, so here I am saying I refuse to accept defeat. God never said the road would be easy. What He said in Matthew 7:14 is But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult. He never once said this or anything else would be easy.” Kingston was shouting so loud he threw down the microphone and continued without it.
“I am only flesh and I make mistakes. So if no one else forgives me, I forgive myself!” Kingston said with such strength and power in his voice.
“I forgive you Pastor Carter!” Sinclair shouted as she made her way down the aisle with Desmond helping her.
“Thank you Jesus!” Kingston said in disbelief.
“Because my mother abandoned my at the firehouse when I was five, I didn’t know what love was. I couldn’t comprehend how a mother could just leave her child, so I blocked out any form of love because to me love hurt and then came you Kingston.” Sinclair said aloud not caring about the many faces staring at her.
“I never knew what real love was until I met you. You showed me unconditional love I had never had and because it was new to me I got scared and I ran until I couldn’t run anymore. But I am here now to tell you that I am sorry and I love you and that I want you back in my life. I don’t care if I make a fool out of myself but I will do it any day just to make you smile because I love your smile.” Sinclair gave her crutches to Desmond and started walking slowly on her own to a stunned Kingston.
Kingston began clapping as he stepped down from the podium and made his way toward Sinclair. Everyone in the church joined him in clapping for Sinclair as well.
“Beautiful, I am so very sorry, I miss you and I need you in my life,” Kingston said he walked down the middle of the aisle to meet Sinclair. He also did not care that their private world was now made public.
They hugged each other tightly as they met in the middle of the church. “I saw it on the news about Chad, I mean Stanley. I’m sorry that I ever doubted you. Please forgive me Kingston?” Sinclair asked through her tears.
“Beautiful, it’s okay. Just please don’t leave me again. I can’t sleep and I can’t eat. I need you in my life.” Kingston said while tears were flowing from his own eyes.
Everyone in the church was fixated on Sinclair and Kingston as they held each other in the middle of the aisle and cried together.
“I don’t want to spend another minute without you in my world,” Kingston said as he got down on one knee in front of Sinclair. “Will you marry me Sinclair Madison?” He asked while holding a diamond engagement ring out to her.
If it were not for Kingston holding Sinclair’s hand she would surely have fallen in disbelief. “Yes!” she shouted through even more tears.
“SHE SAID YES!!” Kingston announced as everyone started clapping for the couple. “Thank you Jesus, she said yes!” Kingston shouted as he rose from his knees. Still holding on to Sinclair’s hand he did a little dance while Sinclair raised her other hand giving thanks to God.
Kingston’s mother and father had come down off the podium to congratulate the couple. The musicians had begun to play and the choir started singing again.
“Now wait everybody. I need to finish my sermon. Just because I’m about to marry the most gorgeous woman in the world doesn’t mean I can’t finish,” Kingston said while holding Sinclair’s hand. “Now when you forgive, it that means that you are no longer held captive in your past and you can now move on with your future,” he said as he smiled at Sinclair. “Isaiah 40:29 says He gives strength to weary and power to weak. I was weary because I couldn’t forgive myself for what I had done but I stand before you healed and forgiven because of God.” Kingston continued his sermon.
“Amen!” Sinclair shouted.
“My future bride just walked down that aisle; after the doctors said they weren’t sure if she would ever walk again without her crutches. The Lord gave her power to be able to walk without those crutches! Hallelujah! My sisters and brothers, whatever it is that you are going through, I don’t care how big or how small. Just take it to God and plant your knees on that ground and just start praying and watch the miracle that He will make happen.” Kingston said smiling to his father who helped him back into his jacket. “Now, I’m done. Have a blessed day everyone.”
“You look amazing!” Kingston said to Sinclair as they walked out the church hand in hand.
“And you don’t look so bad yourself Pastor McSteamy.” Sinclair said as she winked at Kingston.
********************
College Point had hit a record high temperature of 102 degrees and it was only the beginning of June. The frozen food aisle was packed with people buying frozen treats to keep cool.
“I know I was late when you came to pick me up but I said I was sorry, I was busy. Next time just….” Kingston stopped mid-sentence because he thought he was seeing things. I will call you right back.” Kingston said without waiting for a reply from the person on the other end.
“Kingston!” Shouted the person on the other line before Kingston hung up.
Sinclair stood looking at the box of pasta contemplating a way to retrieve it from the high shelf. No one was looking so she thought it would be a good idea to do her normal climbing. Just as she placed her sandaled foot on the bottom shelf someone whispered in her ear.
“If you keep reaching like that and showing those sexy legs of yours, Desmond and Robyn won’t be the only new parents.” Kingston said to Sinclair’s as she backed away from the shelf and Kingston gave her a seductive smile.
“Here, watch this,” Kingston said as he went and pushed a button on the side of the shelf.
“Assistance needed in aisle eight.”, came from over the loud speaker. Within moments a young clerk walked up to them.
“Mr. and Mrs. Carter, how can I help to you today?” The young clerk asked who was wearing a Tee shirt with Carter Market written on it.
“Can you please get me four boxes of pasta? My wife is an amazing cook and I have a healthy appetite.” Kingston said while looking at Sinclair seductively.
“Here you go.” The clerk handed the items to Sinclair. “This is a new service we offer our customers because we understand that some items are placed on higher or lower shelves that sometimes are not always accessible. We don’t want anyone to get hurt while trying to reach for things. If there is anything else you need feel free to push the button and someone will assist you,” the clerk said.
After thanking the clerk for his help, Kingston turned and smiled brightly to Sinclair.
“Wow, I can’t believe you remembered that. You never seem to amaze me Mr. Carter,” Sinclair said.
“How can I forget the first time I laid eyes on you? Now speaking of remembering are you sure you have everything we need for our trip tomorrow? I don’t want to leave anything we need.” Kingston asked.
“We have everything and yes I have a stash of Fig Newton’s for you too. I just can’t believe we just got back from our honeymoon in Paris and now we are headed to New York City tomorrow for my photo shoot at a national magazine.” Sinclair said as she and Kingston started strolling down the massive aisle together.
“Well believe it because they chose you as Woman of The Year. All your outstanding work with your agency has earned you the title, now it’s time for you to reap the rewards of all your hard work. You deserve this and so much more.” Kingston explained to his beautiful wife.
“Can we stop at our new specialty store and get….” Sinclair was saying before Kingston cut her off.
“They already have your bag of white chocolate waiting for us to pick up.” Kingston said smiling to Sinclair.
“I love you Kingston Carter,” Sinclair said softly.
“I love you too Mrs. Kingston Carter and you will always be my woman of the year.” Kingston said to a blushing Sinclair.