Page 41 of Broken Halos
“Never is a long time.”
“Do you have any idea how much it means to me that you’re standing here talking to me about this instead of running away from me?” I released his chin to run the back of my fingers over his cheekbone. “Other men have let you down and made you feel insignificant, but they’re not me. I adore everything about you, Arch. If you want to wear makeup to my church, then do it. If wearing silk stockings beneath your pants gives you confidence and makes you feel powerful, then wear them. I want you as you are; no exceptions. Well, maybe one.”
“What?” he asked suspiciously.
“Please don’t give me a boner when I’m standing behind the podium. Don’t lick your lips or trace the lacy edges of your stockings beneath your slacks or do anything else that will make me linger behind the podium longer than I need to.”
“You mean you don’t want me to come up there and assist you like I did Friday night?”
“Please don’t,” I begged, loving the devilish smile curving his lips. “It’s hard to believe bingo night was just two days ago.”
“Not quite two,” Archie countered. “It feels longer, doesn’t it?”
I pressed a lingering kiss to his soft lips before pulling back to look into his eyes. “It won’t be long before neither of us can remember a time when we weren’t in each other’s lives.”
We walked hand in hand to church, and I wasn’t surprised to see Millie had already arrived. She was setting out the weekly devotional pamphlets she printed each week once I identified the message I was going to deliver in my sermon and the songs our musical guests would perform. It was something she did for Pastor Randall each week and continued to do for me. She wore a peach skirt and jacket with a floral scarf around her neck and cream-colored hat on top of her immaculately coifed hair.
“There’s my boy,” she said, opening her arms wide to hug me. “Good morning, Son.”
“Hello, Mama.” Oh, how I loved this woman. “Millie,” I said, stepping back so I could make introductions. “I’d like you to meet someone special.”
“My, oh my, aren’t you handsome?” Millie asked extending both hands toward Archie. “I’m Millie, and I’m this beautiful soul’s mother.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Millie. I’m Archie. I’m this beautiful soul’s boyfriend.”
Hearing Archie refer to me as his boyfriend made me want to do a happy dance, but I managed to maintain my dignity and only slid my arm around his shoulders. “Why don’t you find a seat and make yourself comfortable while Millie and I greet the congregation as they arrive?”
“Sounds good to me,” Archie said, preparing to sit in the front row on the right side of the altar.
“You might want to move back a row,” I mock-whispered. “We’re dealing with new snake handlers this week. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
Archie laughed. “Surely sarcasm is a sin.”
“I like him, Son,” Millie said as we walked away. I glanced over my shoulder and found Archie watching us. I winked at him, earning a huge grin and a flirty finger wave. I was glad his doubt from earlier had temporarily been laid to rest. I vowed to be ready the next time it reared its ugly head.
I couldn’t keep the smile off my face when Maria, Esther, and Henry got out of their car and walked toward the front of the church. “I’m so happy they made it.”
“I can tell one of them is Archie’s mother,” Millie said. “Who’s the other lady and the lost lamb?”
“Archie runs an HIV transition home, and Esther is his right-hand lady. The lost lamb is Henry; Archie introduced him to me.”
“Good morning, Ollie,” Maria said, opening her arms. I couldn’t help hugging her longer than usual, because I hated all the pain she’d suffered in her past. I wouldn’t squander the trust she was giving me.
“Good morning, Maria. You look lovely.” She’d chosen to wear a suit in an amethyst shade similar to the throw pillow on Archie’s bed. The purple hue made her eyes look even greener, and I wondered if Archie had a shirt in a similar shade. If not, he would have one soon. I turned to Esther and offered her a hug also. “It’s so lovely to see you again, Esther. Thank you for joining us this morning.”
“Hey, Pastor Ollie,” Henry said, sounding as nervous as the first time he called me.
I placed a hand on his shoulder which seemed to calm his nerves. “Everyone will make you feel welcome here, Henry. We’re all as gay as you are,” I said sheepishly, earning a slight smile.
“Okay,” he said. “I’m glad Archie told me about you, Pastor Ollie.”
“So am I.”
“Mama,” I said when I realized she was waiting patiently for introductions, “this is Maria, Esther, and Henry. Everyone, please meet my mother.”
Mama hugged all three of them because that was her nature. The trio went inside and sat beside Archie in the front row while I continued saying hello to members as they arrived.
We closed the doors when it was time to start the service and made our way to the altar. I took my seat off to the side so the congregation could focus on the performers. Millie sat behind her piano while Regina and Abby Thompson and their kids, Sophie, Jack, and Michael, joined her to perform “Love So Great” to open our service. I chose that time each week to thank God for the miracles in my life and ask he give me the strength to reach the hearts of those struggling.