The Pastor’s Daughter: Episode I

I always miss my father. He taught me almost everything I know. When I was a kid he often tell me that people are not fools.

“Nobody chooses the Devil, son” he said. “The Devil chooses you.”

For me, the devil chose me the day I became an active member of St. Teresa’s  Episcopal Church, a popular church attended by the black community in Middle River neighborhood in those days. By saying this, I don’t really mean that he came to me right away. The way I see it, he waited until I gave in to the request of Reverend  Waters , who was in charge of the Parish at the time, to pick up his beautiful  daughter from the airport .  Now,  Brittany, the pastor’s daughter, was young and very beautiful. The fact that I was also young and single at the time is, perhaps, why the devil  knew I was ripe for the taking. All he had to do is to throw such an enticing proposal my way, and the rest fits in.

It started one afternoon in the month of June in 1975. Since there’s nothing important to do in my office, I dozed off.  Soon the telephone bell brought me awake with a start.

I reluctantly picked up the receiver.

“Yes, Candace?”

“It’s  Reverend Waters on the line,” Jane said.

I was surprised.

“Reverend Waters? Did he mention why he’s calling to you?” I asked.

“No, he didn’t. But he said it is important.”

By now I was fully awake.

“Okay, put him through,” I said, and sat forward, rubbing my eyes. 

            For five years I had been the news editor of the Essex office of the Middle River Times, which is a small metropolitan newspaper  owned by Reverend Waters and his late brother Kamal Waters .   Before coming to Middle River, I was freelancing  for the branch office of this  newspaper house in Trenton, New Jersey. Now, in the 1970s Middle River  is a small, sleepy  town on the east side of Baltimore. It is a place  where everybody knows everybody.  One bad thing though is that nothing travels faster than the speed of light than gossip in this small town. On the positive side, to get a decent job in a town like this, you will need a good recommendation. I was one of the lucky ones because Reverend Waters didn’t have to think twice before recommending me as the news editor of Middle River Times. Who would be a better candidate than his parishioner who also edit the church’s weekly  bulletin?

            A recommendation by Reverend Waters is a guarantee for almost anything in Middle River. He was a rich and  well connected black American. He even plays chess with the Mayor of Baltimore City. To have Reverend Waters call you on the phone was like having the Mayor ask you out to dinner in the county clubhouse.

            With the receiver on my ear,  I heard a relaxed voice said,

“Harry?”

“Yes, Reverend Waters. What can I do for you today?”

While holding the receiver on my ear, I wondered why he was calling me. It had to be something important. I just hoped I was not in trouble. I couldn’t imagine Reverend Waters calling me unless something going on at the Parish house or at Middle River Times  had displeased him. However, I was surprised when he told me why he was calling me.

“Look Harry,” he said, “You don’t have to do this. Please let me know if you can handle this. I will be going to Paris tomorrow where I will spend some months for a conference and  vacation. My daughter, Brittany, will be arriving in BWI Airport on the twelve-thirty plane. She will not take summer classes at the Rutgers University in New Jersey. So she will spend her holiday at our house in Victory Villa. Maybe she can get a part-time job too. I want you to meet her and take her to the Parish house, and then at our house at Victory Villa. The Parish secretary will give you more details. Can you do that for me?”

I heaved a sigh of relief. I knew he had been married two times but he is somehow secretive about his daughter. 

“Sure, I will,” I replied.

“Like I said, she’ll be staying at our house in Victory Villa,” he continued. “I will tell her to call you if she wants anything. Please don’t give her any money. She’s getting  one  hundred dollars every two weeks from me and that’s a generous allowance for a girl her age. I’ve already told her to get a vacation job and if she can do that, she won’t need much money anyway. But, to be on a safe side, I want someone I can trust to be around in case in case she gets ill or something, you know.”

“No problem Reverend Waters. I will pick her up from the airport, and I will be around in case she needs anything,” I replied.

“Thanks a lot Harry.” There was a pause, then he said, “ How’s life treating you so far? You enjoying your job?” I  think he was just trying to be nice. Otherwise, he doesn’t sound that interested in my welfare.

I said everything is okay at my end.

There was another  long pause.

“I hear good things about you Harry,”  he said abruptly. “Shabray was talking to me about you last night. He has a high opinion of you Harry. He’s thinking of giving you a bump, you know. He could put you in charge of the new operation in Trenton City.”

I drew in a long, slow breadth. Wow! This is the best news I’ve had for the last twelve months! I’ve been arching to hear this type of news because it means higher pay and good bank balance.

“I will certainly be honored if  I’m favored with the position.”

“I will talk to him Harry” he said, “Shabray would listen to me.”

“Thanks a lot in advance Reverend Waters,” I said.

“You are welcome son. I have high hopes for you.  Now, let me leave you alone so you can do your job. I will talk to you latter.”

I waited until a click on my ear told me he had hung up. Then I gently replace the receiver.

I stared at the opposite wall while  thinking that it will be great to become in charge of the Middle River Times office in Trenton City after being  the news editor in Middle River for five years. Not that I disliked Middle River, but I knew that I wouldn’t get an increase in pay nor a chance for promotion so long as I was holding this current position.  As far as I’m concerned, if I were going to get somewhere I would only get there in Trenton, New Jersey.

I decided to go into Candace’s office after a few minutes brooding got me nowhere. Candace Lateef was a twenty-two year old second generation immigrant from Nigeria. She was dark, sexy and beautiful. She had been my secretary since I started this job at Middle River.  She was very effective as a secretary  and sometimes I feel so surprised that  a girl of her age and looks could have been so smart. She was typing on her electric typewriter when I came into her office. And she stopped and looked inquiringly at me.

            I told her about Reverend Water’s daughter.

“Isn’t that something?” I said.  “’Her Majesty’, the pastor’s daughter needing my attention and advise! I didn’t know I will also be a chaperone at Middle River Times!”

“You never  know,” Candace said in a cool voice. “She may be beautiful. Most African-American girls are very sexy anyway. Consider this:  suppose she end up liking you and you fall in love with her? I don’t have to tell you that you will be in a very happy position if you marry her. Reverend Waters is a power broker in this town. He can pull a lot of strings both here and at the City Hall.”

I believed her. As far as the world knows, Reverend Reginald Waters,  the pastor-in-charge of St. Teresa’s  Episcopal Church and  the president of the East Coast Association of Black Pastors(ECABP) was a good  guy, a saint. As the president of ECABP,  the Reverend was a powerful man in the Baltimore area, which include Middle River, and in Trenton – two cities that has very large population of African-Americans at the time. The politicians in these cities kiss his feet because an endorsement from him can assure them large number of black votes as well as make them attractive to the local press, which is what they need to win election in these cities. So the politicians worship him like he’s a kind of royalty. For the politicians, an endorsement from Reverend Waters automatically washes away their sins, making them the darlings of the black population. They think of him as the Niagara Fall of black votes to which they want to put their cups to. Tell you the truth, I don’t blame them: Keeping Reverend Waters happy is the most reliable political insurance policy they can have.

“You Africans!” I said. “Always thinking of marriage. You are all the same. Of course I don’t doubt she will be beautiful, coming from the Reverend’s stock. But I’m sure of one thing though: he wouldn’t  want me for a son-in-law. A man like him will obviously have bigger ideas for his daughter than me.”

“Wait till you see her before jumping to conclusion,” She said, smiling at me.

Candace was right. Brittany Waters was beautiful. She is dark in complexion, like her father. She has a soft face with rounded cheek bones, and proportionally slim nose. Her body contour can drive any man crazy. But as the daughter of a rich man like Reverend Waters, her dressing did not impress me at all. She wore horn-rimmed glasses, washed out blue jeans, a yellow T-shirt  and flat-heeled shoes. She looked just like any serious-minded college  student, more like a book-warm.

I met her at BWI  airport and took her to the Parish house, and then to their house at Victory Villa like I was instructed. And, of course, I said the usual polite things one can say to a stranger who happened to be the daughter of his benefactor, and she answered as politely as well. I was as bored as a louse by the time I had  got her to their house at Victory Villa and can’t wait to get away from her. And, as I  was instructed, I gave her my telephone number and told her to call me  if she wanted anything. Then I left.  I was convinced that she wouldn’t call me since she doesn’t look like somebody  who will need my help or advise anyway.

When I got to the office, I told Candace to send a telegram to Reverend Waters to say her daughter had arrived safely. At this point, I felt that I had fulfilled the first part of my promise to the Reverend. So I put Brittany’s issues aside so as to concentrate on a couple of local news stories  that broke out, mostly about crimes and political issues. In fact, I completely forgot about her.

Two weeks passed and Candace told me it is both important and good to call her and find out if she is doing okay. I guessed I had no choice, so I called her but got her voice mail. I left a message for her, reminding her to call me if she needs anything. When I didn’t get any response from her, I called her again two days later. I don’t know if she was faking it, but she sounded surprised when she came on the line.  While I was here feeling guilty that I wasn’t  looking out for her as I thought I should, she seemed to had forgotten about me completely. I didn’t find it funny. But what do I care? Anyway, she told me she was okay, and she was getting along fine, and thank you. I cut the conversation short since her voice suggested that she doesn’t feel comfortable about me inquiring about her. Before I hung up I did tell her again that if there’s anything I could do I would do it.

For the next two weeks, I heard no more of her. I wasn’t too worried because I was swamped by work at the office. And since I was planning for a vacation myself in a few weeks time, my plan was to get everything ready for Phorbus Taylor who was coming out from Trenton (New Jersey) to take my place while I’m away.  My plan for the vacation was to spend a week in Atlantic City, and then go to Las Vegas for two weeks. I was really looking forward for this vacation for I have never had a long vacation for almost three years. The strange thing about this vacation is that I will be alone. This may be funny, but  I was a loner. Besides, if I travel with a companion, I wouldn’t have the freedom to change my mind where to stay and how long I would stay, you know.

The third week after I had spoken to Brittany, I had a call from  Marcus Evans, a good friend of mine who worked for East County Times. He asked me to go with him to a party the city councilman, McCutchen Smith, was throwing to celebrate his re-election to the Baltimore City Council. Councilman McCutchen was once a nightclub bouncer and a local boxer. Later on he earned his law degree and has been in politics since then. Only in America, huh?

Well, I liked parties, especially this one in which many politicians and other crèmes of Baltimore society will be attending. And I know that there’s gonna be plenty of food and drinks and so it will be gracious and fun. I told Marcus I would pick him up around nine  o’clock.

McCutchen had a big house in Federal Hill. When we got there, the whole compound, including the alley, was so packed with Mercedes, Chrysler, Cadillacs and BMWs that my 1970 Pontiac Grand Am flinched as I drove it into the last of the parking spaces. How these politicians live!

The party was good. And being a journalist, I knew a lot of people there. Most of them were politicians, as I thought. And there was plenty of food and liquor circulating. Around eleven  o’clock, I decided it is time for me to go to the patio to be alone and cool off. When I got there, I saw that a girl was there alone, resting her hands on the railing while she stared up at the moon. She was wearing a very provocative red dress, which showed the outline of her figures. Well, looks like I won’t be alone after all, I thought. I went and stood beside her, and stared up the moon too.

“What do you think?,”  I said. “ Nicer than all the noise inside, huh?”

“Sure. And serene too,” she said. And since she did not turn to look at me, I sneaked a look at her. What I saw wasn’t bad at all. She was ravishing with sparkling eyes that can make even a monk to misbehave, you know.

“I know Paul and I know Barnabas,” I said jokingly, smiling at the same time. “ How come I didn’t know you? I thought I knew everyone in Baltimore City”

“I’m sure you know me Harry,” she said, turning her head to look at me. “ I haven’t changed that much, have I?” she added, smiling.

I stared at her, surprised that she knew my name and amazed at why she said that.

“ Forgive me sweetheart, but I still don’t recognize you,” I said, thinking she was the loveliest lady I had seen in this party, and how young and good she will be in bed. I must confess – I was a little drunk by now.

She laughed, and said: “I am Brittany Waters, and I believe we’ve met before.”

I was dumbstruck. Brittany Waters of all people! I wanted to tell her right there how surprised I was to see her at the party, how beautiful and desirable she was, how I felt a sudden thumping on my pulse and a tight feeling across my chest as soon as she turned to look at me, and stuffs like that, but I didn’t do that. I had other ideas. And I was convinced that it would be a big mistake to say the obvious anyway.

Since Reverend Waters wanted me to  watch out for her, I spent almost an hour with her out on the patio.  And since I wasn’t expecting to see her at this  elite party, this unexpected meeting did threw me off balance. In any case, we talked about stuffs in general, being careful enough to keep our conversation at an impersonal plane. I was sharply aware that she was my benefactor’s daughter but I was attracted to her the way a  moth is attracted to a bright light. I tried very hard to keep my eyes off her but I just couldn’t. Is she really the same Brittany I had met at the airport? I was carried away by my thoughts, but I came to a start when she said, “Where’s your car?”

“I left it at the garage,” I replied. “Why?”

“I wanted to ask for a favor,” she said. “Will you take me home?”

I was disappointed. I thought we were having fun.

“Come on, Brittany,” I  said. “We just got here. The party is just starting to warm up and I was about to ask you to dance with me.”

I stared at her. There was a look of surprise in her eyes.

“I am really tired and sleepy,” she yawned. “Don’t bother. It’s not fair to drag you away. You go ahead and enjoy yourself. I’ll call a cab.”

“Now don’t get mad” I said. “It’ll be a pleasure to take you home. Come on, let’s go.”

She shrugged, and then smiled.

“What type of car do you drive?”

“It’s a red 1970 Pontiac Grand Am,” I said. “Don’t worry, I will walk you to my car. Let me thank my host and we will leave pronto.”

I went back into the big house which by now was packed with people and looked for McCutchen. When I couldn’t find him, I decided that he will understand if I left my thanks drift until tomorrow morning. We walked out of the house into the garage. I opened the door for her and then got in beside her.

I drove away down to Pratt Street. Since it is already past  twelve midnight the usual heavy traffic has thinned down a little. So it only took me around twenty-five minutes to reach her house at Victory Villa. When I pulled up in front of their house and stopped the car, she got out and said, “Do you mind coming with me? It feels lonely in there and I will appreciate it so much if you can keep me company for a while.”

I wasn’t comfortable with the idea. She is the daughter of my benefactor after all. And remember: this is the 70s: people are more conservative in those days than they are today. When they see you spend time in the night with a young woman who is not your wife, they will start to gossip. Besides, this is my employer’s daughter – and a pastor’s daughter for that matter.

“Are you sure about this?” I said.

“Sure. Now that I know you better, I believe we have a lot to talk about.”

I shrugged and turned the engine off. We went in together. Believe me it never crossed my mind that she will ask me in. And as I felt uneasy about going into their house at that time of the night, I kept wondering what Reverend Waters would think if someone told him I had been seen entering his house with his daughter at twelve fifty in the night. Again, mind you, this is the 1970s, when people are more conservative about relationships.  I thought about my job. A word from Reverend Waters and I would be out of my job for good. Fooling around with his daughter is a dangerous gamble. It could be as dangerous as fooling around with an angry pit bull.

We entered their huge lounge which was decorated with bowls of flowers and lit by shaded lamps. She went over to a big drinks cabinet which was stocked with assorted liquor.

“Brandy or champagne” she asked.

I started sweating.

“I thinks this is  a bad idea Brittany,” I said. “I just can’t stay and I believe you will understand why.”

She turned and stared at me, her eyebrows lifting.

“Why? Are you scared of my dad?”

“Yes and no,” I replied. “It’s not proper for me to stay here alone with you.”

“Come on,” she said. “We are adults and I don’t see anything wrong with us being alone.”

“I think you miss the point. What will other people say? That’s the issue here”

“Well, what other people? Nobody saw us.”

She was right. However, I still felt nervous.

“You know your neighbors could see me leaving. The walls have ears and eyes…”

She started laughing. “Just sit down for Christ’s sake and stop acting like a middle school kid.”

She had me there. If I knew then that I was walking on a mine field, I would have simply walked out. If I had done that I would have been the happiest man in the world. But I didn’t. My usual cautious judgment was swamped by the reckless, irresponsible streak in me. Instead of leaving the house, I stupidly sat down on the couch and took the glass of Champaign she gave me.

I must confess: I have kicked around Middle River for five years and I haven’t led an entirely celibate life. I have had my big moments with a couple of ladies in the neighborhood and they are actually good and lively. And as I sat with Brittany in the  lounge I can’t help thinking that this was something special, even though I was nervous.

“So how’s life at the college?” I said.

She regarded me with a half smile.

“Can you keep a secret?” she asked.

I nodded.

“It’s boring”  she said. “I’ve actually dropped  out. But don’t tell my father.”

“He will eventually find out anyway.”

“Why would he bother? He’s too busy with his latest wife to bother about me.”

I can’t help noticing the bitterness in her voice.

“You know that’s not true,” I said. “Your father loves you. He’s so concerned about your wellbeing that he asked me to watch out for you. Can’t you see that?”

I knew that trying to convince her is like selling pork to a vegetarian.

“Oh, please!” she snapped.  “Tell you the truth the only thing he’s concerned about is this new wife of his. Instead of being in the way, I decided to enroll into college so that I will live in the hostel. And he jumped at the idea because I knew he feels that I’m actually in the way. Tell you what, that woman is nothing but a fortune hunter. I can tell you that. Otherwise, how can you explain why a club girl of my age would marry a sixty-two year old man? And a pastor for that matter. See what I mean?”

That’s too much information. And by telling me this she was  making me an accessory. If Reverend Water found out she dropped out from college and I did not tell him, and I knew eventually, the hammer might come down on me.

“Now you are scarring me Brittany,”   I said.

“I’m really not trying to scare you Harry,” she paused. “I’m just telling you the story of my life. I don’t tell  that to everyone. I guess I like you.”

“You are just being young and innocent,” I said.

“I’m not that young” she said. “I am twenty-one. My mother died when I was twelve years. My father had been alone since then. He really loved my mother, and I think her death brought us very close. Now this girl came along with the charms of her youth and everything changed. I am as unwelcome to her as an outbreak of Ebola fever. But the thing that worries me though is that she married him for his money.”

“If you ask me, that shouldn’t make you to drop out of college,” I said. “As a matter of fact, it should be a source of motivation for you to pursue a career. Come to think of it, you trust me so much by telling me all these. What’s to stop me from sending a telegram to your father, telling him what’s going on?”

“I know you won’t do that. I’ve talked to Marcus Evans about you. He said you can be trusted. If I don’t trust you, you wouldn’t be sitting here talking to me this very moment.”

I laughed, and then said, “So why am I here then?”

She stared at me and I stared at her. The expression in her eyes actually lit a flame of desire on my loin. Now, I have dated a lot of women in my life. So I knew what that expression meant: she was inviting me to  go ahead  and make love to her.

“I’ve already told you that I like you,” she said. “I’m tired of dating young college kids. They are so immature and are so stupid  and direct. I asked  Marcus to bring you to the party, and we are here now, aren’t we?”

I was definitely turned on by now. But I do know that this could be risky. I owed my job and my reputation in this small town to Reverend Waters. But at this point I did not care anymore. I knew that all I had to do was to get up and take her in my arms. I expected no opposition from her. I hesitated for a second, and then did just that. With her in my arms, I slid my tongue into her mouth. She responded wildly, grounding her pelvis against my mine. We kissed, rubbing each other and grinding our hips together.

I felt her fingers working furiously to unfasten my belt and then the button on my pant. I could feel her slip her hand down my underwear. I gasped when she pulled my manhood through the opening of my boxers and rubbed the head against her crotch.

“Don’t worry about my dress,” she said breathlessly. “Just take off my pants and lets make love.”

And we made love.

After we have done, we both slipped down the flow and I let her lie on top of me.  I started stroking her hair.

“I will be leaving soon sweetie,” I said. “I  have some work to do before going to my office tomorrow.”

“But you can’t go now. I need you around”

“I will like to stay sweetheart,”  I replied, kissing her. “But you know, news are time-sensitive. I know you will understand.”

She looked disappointed.

“All right, if that’s the way you feel” she said, putting her dress back. I got dressed too and she walked me to the door.

“Maybe we can have a dinner one night or go to a movie,” I said.

“That would be excellent,” she said.

At that point, I kissed her good night and left the house.

END OF EPISODE ONE

P.S. Episode Two will be published here next Monday.