Читать книгу Strongholds - Vanessa Davis Griggs - Страница 11

For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

—Luke 23:31

Darius rang the doorbell twice. Fatima sat on her couch trying her best to ignore it. She already knew it was Darius. He had called and said he was on his way over.

“Darius, don’t come here. I’m not playing; we’re through,” Fatima said.

“Well, if we’re really through, then you can at least have the decency to tell me to my face.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything to your face. Look, you’re the one who’s married here. This is wrong…for both of us. I hate this. Do you understand? I hate this!”

“Is that why you went sashaying up to the altar yesterday at church?”

“That’s none of your business,” Fatima said.

“Oh, it is my business. Especially if you told what you went up there for.”

“You don’t know why I went up there. That’s between me and God.”

“Well, I know you. And knowing you, you were up there because of us. I just want to know if you happened to tell anybody why you came forward.”

“Darius, look. If you’re worried about your sweet reputation and word getting out that you have—oh, I stand corrected—had a woman on the side, you don’t have to sweat about that. This is about me. It’s about me doing what’s right for me.”

“So what are you saying? That I’m not right for you?”

“Look, I don’t want to talk about this with you, okay? You and I are history. Finished. Through. It’s over. You can just go on with your wife and try to work things out with her. That’s what you should have been doing all along anyway. She’s the one you chose and decided to spend your life with—”

“But she doesn’t make me happy,” Darius said.

“Well, that’s not my problem.”

“I’m coming over there.”

“Don’t come here.”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Darius, I’m not playing. Don’t you come over here!”

“Just don’t have me standing outside making a fool of myself. Because if I come and you don’t let me in, I will cause a scene if I have to.”

“Yeah, right. Mr. Darius Discretion. I bet you will.”

“I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

“Darius—” Fatima stood there as a dial tone hummed in her ear. “Okay, God. What do I do now?” Fatima could only think to recite a Biblical passage. “The weapon of my warfare is not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. My weapon is not carnal, but mighty through God.”

Nine minutes later, Darius, as promised, was ringing her doorbell. She refused to answer it. He rang it again and again. She stood praying to God for strength not to give in and open the door, which was what she really wanted to do. Darius began to bang on the door. She continued to pray.

“Fatima, I know you’re in there!” Darius yelled. “Open up and stop playing games!”

Fatima continued to pray.

“Fatima, open this door!”

“Thank you, Lord, for strength,” Fatima prayed. “I am mighty through you, God. I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me. I can do this. I can.”

There were a few more pounds on the door, then finally…silence.

Fatima listened as she heard the car crank and tires squeal as Darius drove away. Tears streamed down her face. “God, I do love him so. Please, take away these feelings I have for him. Please. Take away these feelings. Oh, Father God, this hurts so much!”