2. Welcome to Endless Prosperity COGIC #2
When I noticed the gold shoes with red bottoms she had propped up on his desk and the extravagant jewelry she was draped in, something told me that she wasn’t down bad enough to rob a church for money.
“Wait! What’s going on?” I asked, taking a step forward.
“Destiny, what are you doing here?” Daddy snapped, scolding me like he didn’t have a gun pointed in his face.
“Y-You told me to stay late! What is this?”
“Des, just go home. We’re just having a little meeting.” I gave him a blank stare, standing my ground. That may have worked on me when I was younger, but I knew better.
“I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s happening, and why there are random double charges entered in the books?”
“Double charges?” she asked, spinning the chair to face me. Daddy cut his eyes at me like I messed up. “So that’s where the fuck my money has been going, huh Pastor?”
“Reverend,” I corrected. She completely ignored me, rising from the chair and gracefully strolling over to the two men.
She gave her henchman a head tilt and he lowered Daddy to the floor and took a step backward.
He was still close enough that if he tried anything, his big hands would be back at his neck in an instant, and of course, he still had the gun.
“You slimy, thieving-ass motherfucker! I help you out and you steal from me?” she barked as she raised her hand and smacked him across the face with it. Tears welled my eyes when he hollered out in pain, but I refused to let them fall. I stepped forward, but the man ushered me back.
“Ma’am, I don’t know what’s happening, but I think you’re confused! My daddy is a man of God. He doesn’t steal. Please don’t do this!”
“Daddy?” she asked, brow raised in interest like that was the only important thing I said. “This is your daughter?”
“Y-Yes,” he whispered, lips shaking in fear. “Please don’t hurt her!”
“Hm…” She took a step back and walked around me in a circle, eyes burning into me so intensely that it made me uncomfortable.
“How old are you?” She lifted my chin with a finger and examined my face closely.
“Thirty-one,” I answered, staring straight back at her. Henchman or not, I was not about to let her know how shaken I was.
Once she was done inspecting me from head to toe like a used vehicle, her eyes snapped to mine.
“You can go.”
“I w-what. I’m not leaving without knowing he’ll be okay! No!” Her head snapped back like I slapped her, and her eyes widened.
Obviously, she wasn’t used to being told no.
She snapped her fingers at her security, making him back away from my dad. A menacing grin took hold of her face.
“I may have figured out how you can repay me. I’ll be in touch.”
Without another word, the two of them strolled out of the office. We stood frozen in place listening to the sound of her heels echoing down the hall. The moment we heard the front door slam, Daddy fell to his knees, leaning over the trash can as he lost his last meal.
“Oh! Are you okay?” I tried to rush over to help, but he held his hand out to stop me from getting any closer.
“Go home, Des,” he said, still hovering over the trash can, chest heaving erratically.
“Should I call Mama for you?” I asked.
“Take your ass home, Destiny! And don’t fucking tell anyone what you saw here tonight!” His voice echoed so loudly that I jumped back.
“I—” My voice died off as I stood there with my mouth wide open.
“Good night, Daddy.” I turned and rushed to grab my things, a few of the tears I tried so hard to hold back running down my cheeks.
My head spun the entire drive back to my apartment as I replayed the events that just went down.
Who was that woman? And what did she mean she helped him?
Then there was the issue of the mysterious add-ons to the reports.
By the time I got home, I felt sick too.
I knew in my heart that there was no way Daddy would ever steal, but she definitely called him a thief.
Did I believe her? The woman who put guns in people’s faces and cussed like a grown man?
I tossed and turned for half the night, and by the time I finally drifted off to sleep in the early hours of the next morning, I decided that I had to find out what was going on.
My morning routine passed in a blur as I rushed to the church, fully prepared to fight that man until he told me what was happening. When I got in, I stormed into his office, stomping up to his desk with determination.
“We need to talk,” I demanded. It wasn’t until after I spoke that I realized that his assistant, Connie was standing behind his chair. She always looked at me like she had a one-sided beef with me. I ignored her eye roll, staring him down until a huge smile spread across his face.
“You’re absolutely right, Destiny. Let’s do it at the house tonight over dinner.” His words held an air of finality, like he dared me to argue with him.
“I… Yes sir,” I agreed in confusion. I was expecting pushback, so I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to debate.
I walked back to my office in silence as the entire interaction replayed in my head.
None of it made any sense. He should have been calling the police, not setting up a dinner date.
I had just powered up my computer and started typing up the programs for next Sunday’s service when a knock on the door interrupted me.
“Come in,” I answered. Daddy walked in looking even more mischievous than before.
I hadn’t seen him grin like that since I was a little girl, and he told me horror stories of the Lord sending down angels of darkness to torture me if I didn’t obey his word.
The thought sent shivers down my spine because those stories had me sleeping in my little sister’s room until I was twelve years old.
“Hey, Princess,” he crooned in a charming voice. I replied with a blank stare, waiting for him to continue. “Listen, I wanted to apologize for last night. I never should have spoken to you in that way. Let me make it up to you.”
“Huh?” My mouth was wide open again. That man never apologized. He always said a man who apologized was weak and didn’t stand on his actions.
“Let me make it up to you,” he repeated, stepping forward to slide an envelope onto my desk. “Take the rest of the day off and do something nice for yourself.”
“What are you saying?” My brain felt like it was short circuiting. He’d never done this with me before and only did it with Mama when he was in real trouble. Maybe he genuinely felt bad.
“Take the day off. Go get your hair done, nails done, new dress. I’ll see you at the house later for dinner.”
“I—um. Okay, thank you.” I watched him stroll out of the room just as confidently as he walked in.
One would have never thought that was the same man that was cowering and throwing up after he had a gun pulled on him.
I giggled to myself at the thought as I opened the envelope and counted fifteen crisp hundred-dollar bills.
Once I slid the money in my purse, I ran out of there as quick as I could before he changed his mind.
My hair was freshly washed and slicked back into my usual low bun for the week, and my natural nails were painted the prettiest shade of green.
I decided to just pick something from my closet, take a trip to the nursery for a new plant, and put the rest into my savings account.
Daddy took care of my necessities—rent, car payment, and insurance.
Aside from that, I got a paycheck every two weeks from working at the church to cover my cell phone bill, groceries, and anything else I may need.
I didn’t have much as far as savings, but he said that I didn’t need it because he would take care of it for me.
Every now and then, I would get some extra, and I made sure to save whatever was left after I paid my tithes.
I wasn’t necessarily rolling in dough, like my sister, but I didn’t want for anything, so I was okay.