Heathens Need Love Too

Marcus looked in the mirror one last time to make certain he had on his Sunday best. Beige Armani suit, courtesy of eBay - check. Matching alligator shoes - check. Silver Movado watch that his former girlfriend Alice had bought for him back when they were dating - check. And he could not forget the most important accessory of them all - his silver necklace with the crucifix pendant, courtesy of Mom - check.

"Hallelujah!" he testified, admiring himself while brushing a piece of lent off his sleeve. He then placed the tips of his fingers to his lips and tossed a kiss at his ever-confident reflection.

"Time for Sunday service!" he said as he scanned the room of his third floor studio apartment for any crucial items that he was missing.

"Ah, yes!" he remembered.

Marcus grabbed his brand new bible - which he'd tossed about and then flipped through several times to make look worn - and headed for the bus stop outside his South Side apartment building in Chicago.

"You know where The Last Days of Worship Church is?" he asked the driver upon boarding the bus when it arrived.

"Yep," the female driver replied in a rather stoical tone. "It's on 47^th Street. I stop about five blocks from it before I turn and head north."

"Perfect!" Marcus told her, winking and shooting her a gesture of approval with his hands. He snapped his fingers before sauntering arrogantly to his seat on the empty bus.

Once seated, he reflected lovingly on the conversation he had with his mother earlier that day on the phone.

"I'm so glad you're finally going to church!" she had told him. "I've been praying for this day for years."

"Yeah Mom, I know," Marcus said, shaking his head from side to side.

"Don't forget to tithe."

"Okay Ma," he replied before they hung up. "I love you."

He wouldn't dare tell his mother the real reason he was going to church. She would kill him and then spit on his grave.

"This is your stop Mr. Church Man!" the driver told Marcus as she opened the door to let him off. "Just keep walking straight for five blocks."

The heat outside seemed to have intensified since he had originally boarded the bus. After a block or so, Marcus ceased his signature rhythmic bounce of a walk in order to cut down on his perspiration as the sun beamed down upon his shiny bald head.

When he made it to Last Days, he looked at his watch. "Twelve fifty," he stated. "Perfect timing!"

Although it was hot, he found shade under a large tree and stood outside for another five minutes before going inside. The two female ushers who stood at the entrance of the church gave him a quizzical look as he walked over to the corner of the vestibule and stood there.

"I'm here to give something to my sister," he explained, trying to conceal his bible. In a perfectly synchronized move, both women rolled their eyes at him and then turned away. A few minutes later, they opened the doors to the inside of the church and the congregation began to pour out.

Marcus searched for her, trying to remember exactly what she looked like when he had stopped her a week ago at the mall and invited her for a cup of coffee. Suddenly, the vision of loveliness came back to him: Long, sandy brown hair. Hazel eyes. A figure like an hour glass. She was definitely wifey material.

"Marcus!" he heard her melodic voice purr as he turned and saw her walking toward him.

"Hey Beautiful!" he answered, taking her into his arms and kissing her on the cheek.

"I'm so glad you could make it to my church!"

"Me too," he said convincingly. "The service was outstanding."

"I looked for you but didn't see you," Heather mentioned.

"Yeah, with me being a visitor and all, I just wanted to take everything in, so I sat up in the balcony," he fibbed. "If I had seen you, I would have gladly sat beside you, but the church was too crowded."

"Well next time, we'll go together," she said, smiling.

"I would like that," Marcus replied, flashing his pearly whites. "Today though, I'm going to hang around for a few minutes and introduce myself to the pastor before I leave."

"Oh, I can introduce you to Pastor Frankin," Heather offered. "But then I've got to go run an errand for my mother."

"That's okay," Marcus told her, hoping she wouldn't insist. "I don't want him to think I'm just here because of you. You go on and I'll call you later this evening. Maybe we can go to dinner or something."

His mind instantly began thinking up an excuse to give her for not being able to pick her up at her house. 'My car is in the shop' - good one, he thought to himself.

"Okay," Heather beamed. "That would be great. How 'bout I pick you up at 5PM? I just bought a white Mercedes convertible and I drive it every chance I get. I'll call you in a little while and get your address."

Jackpot!

Marcus knew he had found a gem this time. "You're a woman after my own heart," he told her. They both laughed.

They hugged one last time, and then Heather gave him a flirtatious smile before turning to walk away.

"Praise the Lord!" Marcus said under his breath as he admired her womanly curves from behind.

After she left, he continued to stand in the lobby, pretending to read postings on the giant bulletin board that was on the wall until much of the congregation had cleared out. Then he walked outside and turned to look at the church.

"The house of the Lord, huh?" he asked sarcastically, studying the expansive building.

He shook his head and snickered as he began walking toward the bus stop.

Mission accomplished.

He'd have an excuse for not being able to make it to church next week. By then, he surmised, Heather would be so wrapped up in him that it wouldn't even matter whether he attended church with her or not.