Strange Love

Matthew and Alyse were eight months into their courtship. After vying so long for her affections, Matthew finally broke into the wall surrounding Alyse’s heart and gently placed a piece of himself inside. After many trips down dater’s row with good and bad dates alike, Alyse stopped answering Matthew’s calls, his text messages, and his personal invitations. Matthew’s past came to the forefront like lava gushing on its path of destruction and halted his courting Alyse.

By the fifth month of their courtship, which had become public knowledge, droves of women surfaced from everywhere vying for Matthew’s attention, and noticed they no longer had his attention nor his affections. These women came with threats towards Alyse in the church, in public venues with friends, and even on dates with Matthew. As more threats came, Alyse stepped back and observed Matthew. While on this particular date that Saturday evening in October, their romantic dinner for two at Red Lobster evolved into two plus eight. After carefully observing the present situation, Alyse left Matthew sitting there with the proverbial “egg on his face.” Her words still lingering in his mind. “Matthew. Reverend. It’s obvious you’ve left some business unattended. You and Marla and Charlotte and Katherine and Danielle and Paula and Elizabeth and Nia and Olive can enjoy this meal and all the others behind it. I won’t be threatened! Don’t call me anymore! I am done!”

Matthew hurried behind Alyse, pleading for her to remain. “Lyse, babe, don’t leave me like this! All of that means nothing to me. All of that happened before you. You are the only woman I see and the only woman I want!” Alyse extended her hand motioning Matthew to hush. Matthew groveled on the gravel at Alyse’s feet. “Alyse Marie, I love you, and I won’t live without you! You are the reason that I am striving to be a better man. Let me mend this, please?! Allow me to mend us.” Alyse stood at her car stoic as Matthew groveled on the ground. “Reverend, get yourself together; you’ve embarrassed me enough for one night. I am done! Allowing you to court me was my inadvertence because of my lack of cognizance of the warnings I was given. Leaving you here tonight is the best thing I can do for myself. Do not call me again! I. AM. DONE!”

Matthew returned to the table where his life, his world shattered before his eyes. Those crimson, tear-stained eyes glaring at the ladies. One attempted to caress him and he shouted, “Damn woman, do not touch me! All y’all need to get back! Do not come any closer to me! May heaven help each of you if I don’t get Alyse Marie back! I LOVE THAT GIRL, and that’s something I cannot say about each of YOU! She’s the one, the last one I will bring home to my mother! If I don’t get her back, y’all had better crawl under the biggest rock in the lowest valley you can find, and that’s a promise!

Matthew left Red Lobster angered because the date which had gone so well erupted into a volcano of his past conquests. Alyse’s words still lingered with him. “I won’t be threatened! Don’t call me anymore! I am done!” Matthew repeatedly heard her words with increased volumes of anger every time he thought of them. She never raised her voice in anger before that evening. At times when he played or joked too much and she told him to “stop,” he did. But her telling him to “stop” was completely different those times than her telling him, “I am done!” Matthew didn’t know how to receive that, nor was he willing to accept Alyse being “done.” Matthew called Alyse that evening, incessantly, and his calls went unanswered. He gradually went from hearing “Hi, sorry you missed me. Leave a message at the sound of the beep,” to hearing “The voicemail is full and cannot receive any new messages at this time. Please try your call again later.”

What a mess? What a mess he’d created for himself. What happened to the forceful man who didn’t take crap from anyone? What happened to the manipulative man who manipulated every situation, every conversation? Was this the same man who had previously paid some of these women and told these women to leave and stay gone or deal with the consequences? What happened to that man? Did her love really change his nature? Was Alyse’s love strong enough to change Matthew and his ways? Or, was it like the light-switch? On and off, and then on and off? Hmmm.

Matthew reverted to his stalker traits from back in the day when he chased her before gaining the ability to court her. He didn’t like his calls and texts going unanswered and thought something was wrong. Because he knew everything he thought he needed to know about the lovely Alyse Marie, Matthew appeared everywhere he assumed Alyse to be. Lurking in corners and behind trees and also, in plain sight. Matthew's next actions made Alyse wonder if he had a death wish.

A week after the numerous unsuccessful attempts and flowers and books and poems and stuff, Matthew did something foolish. He took a drive and appeared at a house, a quaint house for a lovely married couple.

Ding-dong. He waited and pressed the button again. Ding-dong. Within moments, Matthew heard “crack.” A brusque voice met him, “That’s your first and only warning, Reverend. Please leave, as you are trespassing. I guarantee I won’t miss next time!” The burgundy lava pooled from the bullet’s graze. Appalled, Matthew replied, “Brother Bailey? O.W.? I am desperate, and I need your help!” O.W. chuckled and retorted, “Reverend, you must be desperate to darken my doorstep with your presence. You know you are not welcomed here!” Matthew paused, and then continued, “O.W., I love Alyse, and I intend to marry her one day. I need Alyse. She has brought about a change in me, and I know I don’t deserve her, but I can’t live without her. My heart hurts without Alyse.” O.W. leaned back and the barrel clicked in his hand. Matthew replied, “Evelyn, please help me?! O.W., please, I am begging you! I did not hurt Alyse.” Evelyn interjected, “You didn’t do anything to help the situation. You sat there and attempted to ignore the threats made on Alyse’s life instead of defending the woman you claim to love. I’m not sure if you realize your life is in danger. O.W. will shoot you again. You are an intruder on our property, and we felt threatened. Given your history, who do you think they’ll believe?”

“Crack.” “Dammit O.W., you really shot me,” Matthew shouted! O.W. smirked and replied, “It’s a flesh wound, but the next one won’t be. Reverend, you’re a damn fool if you think I’m going to help you get Alyse back when I don’t approve of your union. I’ve told you twice before that you are too damn old for my sister! Twenty years her senior is old enough to have fathered her. That’s vile, and I won’t have it! I will NOT give you her hand in marriage! I will NOT support or defend any union between you and Alyse! I love her, and she knows it, and I’d hate for the likes of you to come between her and me! Please leave my home, do not come back here, and stay away from Alyse!”

One would think being shot twice, well, grazed and a flesh wound, would keep Matthew away. Hah, nope. The following week, Matthew attempted a similar approach with a different sibling. Ding-dong-ding. Ding-dong-ding. Ding-dong-ding. Before he pressed the button a fourth time, the door opened before him. “So, I hear O.W. shot you twice, and yet here you are ringing my bell like I owe you money. O.W. missed you on purpose, but I won’t! Why are you here, Reverend?” “Sister Mattie, like I expressed to O.W., I am desperate, and I have to get Alyse back! She won’t see me. She won’t return my calls. It’s nothing but silence and dark expressions where there once was a smiling face. I need her, Mattie! My heart yearns for Alyse.” Mattie cackled something awful. She was too tickled by Matthew’s expressions. She replied, “Looka here Reverend, my advice to you is to take whatever fraction of your mind remains, forget about Alyse, and move on. I’m told baby girl expressed to you she was done! If she’s yet to return the simplest of things to you, then I’ve taught her well. Don’t shit and step back into it! Reverend, you just don’t know when to quit. You are too damn old! You are no damn good, and it’s long overdue that Alyse knows it too. We can advise her all day long, but she’s the one who must reap the consequences of her actions. If she had listened in the beginning when you first came sniffing around, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation now. I hope Alyse has the good sense to stay away from YOU! However, Alyse has always been one who’s had to learn things the hard way, and I hate that for baby girl. But I will be highly damned if I help you hurt my sister! You’ve hurt one of them already, and shame on you for not realizing you’ve conquered two sisters. Alyse doesn’t realize it yet, but I know the other one knows. I also know you are too much of a whoremonger to know which one of your whores I’m referencing. And you gon go broke buying out all the florist shops in Mississippi with all these arrangements. Do you see any modicum of your money around here today?” She paused, and replied, “Please leave before I do something I’ll come to later regret!”

Louis Daniels’ descendants gathered for dinner that Sunday evening at Alyse’s home. Lorraine finally joined them again, as this was the second time she fellowshipped with them since their father’s passing. After dinner, Mattie and O.W. were chortling in the living room. Alyse remained in the kitchen with the dishes, Evelyn and the other siblings were relaxing in the den, the children gathered in the guest bedroom, and Lorraine re-entered the kitchen.

Lorraine closed the kitchen door, sat at the table, and observed Alyse’s mannerisms. Morose, Alyse stood there with dishes in hand, but her gaze was upon the window. “Penny for your thoughts, Alyse? Girl, you okay?” Alyse looked up, gasped, and dropped the plate into the sink. Lorraine spoke again, “Alyse? Alyse? Girl, I’m talking to you.” Flustered, she replied, “What do you want Lorraine? I don’t have time for games with you.” Lorraine chuckled, “Hmmm, games, you say? Who’s playing games? I’m just having a sisterly conversation. Where’s the reverend tonight? Thought y’all would be halfway down the aisle by now or has he shown you the real Matthew Wright?” Alyse retorted, “Don’t mention Matthew Wright to me! We don’t have sisterly conversations, Lorraine; you made that clear when daddy died. You made it abundantly clear to me that you wanted nothing to do with, how’d you put it, daddy’s last bastard child! And that shows me how much YOU lack intelligence because bastard children are those created outside of a marriage! I was not created outside of their marriage. Matter of fact, none of us were created outside of his marriages. Contrary to your smart-ass beliefs, my daddy, correction, our father, closed his eyes leaving my mother as his widow! So, cut the shit with your sisterly conversations! You want to have a sisterly conversation with me, then start with a damn apology! Otherwise, cut the shit, Lorraine, get the hell out of my kitchen, and get the hell out of my house until you can show me some respect!” Lorraine chuckled again. “It’s quite interesting how an invitation quickly turns into a dismissal. In the spirit of correctness, you invited me into your home, and now you want to uninvite me! That’s fine too because you are nothing to me but the hypocrite who got daddy’s money, cutting the rest of us out like we weren’t here first! Snobbish lil bitch!”

“Whoa? Whoooo? Hmmm? Hmmmmmmm?” Alyse laughed a raucous laugh, shook her head, and drained the sink. “Lorraine, tell me how you really feel, and I dare you to call me another one! I double-dog dare YOU to call me another one! That’s not my name, because my momma didn’t name me that! But if that’s who you woke up to be this morning, then so-be-it!”

Lorraine continued. “You’re the same hypocrite who saunters around like she’s some holier-than-thou person running around here dating the man she swore up and down was beneath her.” Lorraine paused, walked over to Alyse, grabbed her, and continued. “The same man you got running around here sniffing yo ass like you got him brainwashed. The same man who will beat the hell outta you for not answering him quick enough, if you’re not careful, little sista. You can’t tell me you’ve been with him this long without a bruise to show for it because that’s certainly not his style! Just got to have things that don’t belong to you! Hmmm!”

Alyse pushed Lorraine away; her face flushed five shades of ruby as the tears flowed. Lorraine had been a lot of things, but never inappropriate until that heated exchange. Alyse had never been that angry either. As Alyse opened her mouth to speak, she was interrupted by, “Hey lil girl, come on in here and talk to me. I have something important you need to see. Alyse? Lil girl? Hurry up now.” Alyse joined Mattie and O.W. in the living room. Still fuming from her unwarranted exchange, Alyse attempted to readjust her facial expressions. To no avail, Alyse could not “light-switch” her expressions any more than Matthew could “light-switch” his temperament. “Oooh, lil girl, what’s wrong with your face,” questioned Mattie? “Nah now, we’re not gon have that going on this Sunday or any other day! Girl, who died?” O.W. scowled, “Those better not be tears over the reverend! Is he in there? I can’t hear you, Alyse?” Alyse quivered, “I’m fine. No, he’s not in there. Mattie, you called for me; what’s up?”

Mattie handed her phone to Alyse and scurried to the kitchen. Seeing Lorraine sitting at the table did nothing for Mattie’s mood. Not realizing which sister had entered the kitchen, Lorraine questioned, “So Alyse, you’ve come back for more?” Mattie retorted, “Honey, I didn’t come back for nothing; this is my first time in here. Never mind all that, what’s wrong with Alyse?” Lorraine attempted, “Well –,” and Mattie interrupted, “You know Lorraine, shut up! You bout to tell a lie. Save them lies for somebody else; I’ll deal with you later.”

O.W. stood when Mattie returned, “Is Matthew Wright in that kitchen, Mattie?” Mattie chuckled and Alyse shouted, “So you don’t trust me now?! You asked a question and I answered it! That’s what we’re doing now, O.W.?!” O.W. and Mattie looked upon each other and then at Alyse. Mattie restrained O.W. from addressing Alyse’s disrespect. “Brother man, uh-uh, uh-uh; don’t get her. That’s not Alyse, and you know it. I know sibling shit when I see sibling shit. And that right there Oliver, is sibling shit.” Mattie laughed and continued, “Never mind that right now. Alyse, press play on the phone because there’s something you need to see. Turn it up now, because you can’t miss a word of what you hear. Ha ha. Oooh-wee, I can’t wait!”

“Transcript of the video’s contents”

Good morning saints, I think it’s wise that I address the elephants in the room today. It’s a blessing that I’m not delivering the word this morning because I am troubled in my spirit, and y’all don’t deserve that negative energy from your pastor. For the last eight months, I have been in the most loving, respectable, joyous relationship of my adult life. Didn’t know that I would be blessed to find a love so great, and better than the first occurrence. I now know the true meaning of love; two hearts beating into one. Until recently, things were well between us. On our last date and a few dates preceding the last one, elements from my past came into my present and disturbed my peace. This disturbance has caused a shift in my nature. I’ve never been one to use technology to this extent, but I believe this method to be my purest form of getting my point across. Let us allow the record to show that I, Reverend Matthew Stephen Wright, Senior, am fully, unequivocally, and wholly in love with the lovely Miss Alyse Marie Daniels, and she alone. Yes, I’ve made mistakes in my past; some of which I’ll probably spend the rest of my life in repayment. I’ve done things wrong for so long that some of you deem me unforgivable. What is more unforgivable than my nature are the threats and trauma that’s been inflicted upon the one I love. If you all are angry with me, come tell me to my face. From this day forward, allow me to make my vision plain: Matthew Wright is not available! He is not on the market for anyone other than Alyse Daniels. If you don’t have any kind words to say to Alyse Daniels, DO NOT ADDRESS her! Approaching Alyse Daniels about Matthew Wright is unwarranted, unnecessary behavior, and it is no longer tolerated! Yes, I had fun, and too much of it. But I’ve put that life behind me because I am ready to devote my life to Alyse, my children, and my family. So now, if you think this doesn’t apply to you, let’s address the individuals this message benefits: Abigail, Amanda, Amelia, Bethany, Charlotte, Chastity, Danielle, Dina, Elizabeth, Farah, Gayle, Haley, Inez, Jackie, Katherine, Lena, Lorraine, Marla, Nia, Olive, Paula, Queen, Rita, Sarah, Stephanie, Tammi, Ursula, Victoria, Whitney, Xenia, Yvonne, and Zara. Just in case I missed someone, don’t forget to include yourself. Saints and sinners alike, y’all have a great day!

Mattie cackled herself to the floor as O.W. sat there and gaped at her. Alyse didn’t know whether to scream, cry, cuss, break something, holler, or be still. If she thought he’d embarrassed her at Red Lobster a month ago, what in the world was this? We’ve gone from the patrons in the restaurant to a viral sensation of “The Unhinged Pastor” which presently had five hundred viewers and counting. Once Alyse grew tired of Mattie’s behavior, she screeched, “Mattie, it’s not funny; get your tail off that floor! That’s not cute! Alright Oliver William, let’s hear your thoughts?” O.W. shook his head. There was nothing to say, not to her anyway. Plenty to address with him, but nothing for her at that moment. Though he did address Mattie, “Alright Mattie Anne, that’s enough. Get off the floor, now. Our sister needs you, and not cackling in her face.” Finally composed into a chuckle, Mattie sat on the sofa with her sights on Alyse. “Say lil girl, you mad? Come on and tell me what you gon do about it?” Alyse shook her head, “You wouldn’t care if I was mad, would you Mattie?” “Hell no, lil girl. What you gon do about the reverend? For the man to put ALL his business in the street, it’s clear to me that he loves you or he’s running great game. Or he’s had a taste of the chocolate chip? Hmmm?” Mattie cackled again. O.W. dropped his phone. “Say what? Mattie, care to repeat that? Hold on, Mattie Anne? Ma’am, are you and the reverend…?”

“BAM,” items bounced off the end table and fell to the floor! “Dammit Mattie, why are you always creating problems where they should not be?! I cannot deal with the jealous jackass sitting at my kitchen table, the jester with her conjectures in my living room, the stalker standing outside my kitchen window, and let’s not forget my brother-father standing here trying to decide if he wants to have Evelyn knock me in my mouth or verbally chastise me because he deems me disrespectful! Still cackling, Mattie replied, “Oh, you real mad now, ain’t you, girl? Your hand hurtin’? O.W., sex is a natural part of life; that’s the nature of the beast. If Alyse is –.” Alyse extended both her hands, “Hush your mouth, Mattie! Now, both of you listen at the words coming out of my mouth: I will not stand here and discuss nor entertain conversations about my sexual encounters! Ollie, don’t get yourself riled up over Mattie’s antics. Mattie is just being Mattie.” Alyse exited her home and shattered the windows outlining the door. Mattie looked at O.W. and laughed some more. “Oliver, I guess she’s mad. She’ll be alright. Now, come on to the kitchen with me to see what lies Lorraine is spewing, or this “stalker” outside the kitchen window.”

While outside just a few steps off the porch, Alyse stood in the middle of the walkway and spoke:

“You shouldn’t be here. I’ve asked you not to come here. You were shot twice and threatened with a shot, and yet, here you are. For the person who told me he was a private man, you’ve certainly altered the definition of privacy! You’ve allowed your past to meet me before your truths met me! If nothing else, you should have told me about the thirty-two of them before I saw it in a YouTube video, and before they harassed me in public. I am more than capable to defend myself, but why should I have had to defend myself against Matthew’s harem? Surely, you knew what was coming before it came. If your love is supposed to hurt this much, then I want no amount of it. How many more women shall I expect to hear or see? What exactly is your truth now? With five hundred viewers and counting, how do I go to work tomorrow; and how do I step into Zion Hill or Hope Street? Did your revelation make you feel like a better man? Your imprudence is showing, Reverend.

Here are some suggestions for you: stop following me in the grocery store, stop glaring at me from behind the Magnolia trees at Angelou Park, don’t come to that campus or Marion’s office with another damn flower, don’t send anymore packages here, don’t call Horace Willoughby or Uncle Henry to have them do your bidding, stop lurking outside of my windows gawking at me, leave my siblings alone because they cannot help you with me, Evelyn will not save you from Oliver William and I cannot save you from he nor Mattie Anne, do not call Celeste, do not travel down the highway and involve my mother in your debauchery, come out from behind the tree, don’t say anything to me, and lastly, do not call my phone again unless I call you first!

Weeks passed from Matthew tasting the defeat of losing Alyse. But he wasn’t ready to give up. After a long talk with Uncle Henry, Matthew made one last attempt to regain Alyse’s attention and affection. Matthew appeared at Alyse’s home after service, rang the bell, and waited until she opened the door. Clearly, she realized he was not leaving until she opened the door. With her arms folded across her chest, she asked, “What do you want, Reverend?” Matthew handed Alyse a sealed envelope, a vase of blue tulips, and replied, “I want you, but I realize I messed up. I am not leaving until you read the contents in the envelope. Please read the letter.” Alyse went inside and closed the door, leaving Matthew sitting there.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

To the Lovely Alyse Marie Daniels:

Alyse, I could go on and on about how much I love you, but I know that’s not something you want to hear right now. I could also tell you all the ways my heart yearns for you, but that won’t help me plead my case. I could even tell you how much I need you, but I know I’ve hurt you and I can’t go on like this knowing how much I’ve hurt the woman I love.

With all that said, I was blindsided by those others and my lacking approach in attempting to ignore what was happening did not make matters better. I lost you amidst ignoring the foolishness, and then publicly attempting to fix it. If provided the chance again, I will spend the rest of my life proving to you that you are the only woman for me. You are the only woman my heart beats for. You, Alyse, are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. You’ve taught me to trust again and for that, I am eternally grateful to you. You have the purest heart of anyone I’ve ever known and there is no other woman with the slightest comparison. Alyse completes Matthew. I am whole and renewed because Alyse has made my heart bloom like these flowers and beat to a different set of drums. I don’t want to imagine life without you, and I apologize for not defending you. I apologize for embarrassing you and making a spectacle of myself. I apologize for not telling you about that fraction of my past sooner. I didn’t try to hide it, but I was afraid you’d leave me if you knew that many existed. I’m ready to mend what’s broken between us, defend you at all costs, and move forward if you’ll only allow me the opportunity. I did not make the right decision that night last month, I’ll retract the video, and do whatever is necessary, if you just say one word. This is not a proposal today, but an apology and a promise for betterment.

I love you, Alyse Marie Daniels with every fiber of my being and I’m ready and willing to prove it every day until my last breath.

Forever, For Always, For Love, Alyse

Matthew

Alyse’s tears stained the letter and the envelope. She returned to the porch and sat on the opposite end, away from Matthew. Matthew rose and took three steps before she stopped him. Extending her hand, she replied, “Don’t come any closer. Just stay over there. I need some time.” Alyse stood there, never placing her eyes on him.

“Marie?” Alyse interrupted him, “Hush, Reverend. I have some questions for you, but I won’t disturb this peace I have today with such questions. Are you prepared to receive my questions when they come? Will the truth come in the answers?” She paused and he answered, “Depending on the nature of the question my love, although you will get the truth, either way, you may not like the truth; but yes, I am prepared whenever you present these questions to me.” Her eyebrows shifted, and she continued, “Fair enough. I heard a good sermon this morning about forgiveness and the consequences of hardening the heart. Therefore, in maintaining peace today, would you care to join me for dinner?”

After eight months of dating her, Matthew still could not read Alyse’s expressions. Fear overcame Matthew as he prepared for the rejection he assumed would meet him on the porch that afternoon, instead of the invitation that came. Matthew embraced Alyse and gaped as she turned to walk inside. “Sweet perfection, even down to the apron strings.” Alyse turned, “Excuse me, Reverend, what’d you say?” He smiled, “Didn’t think you heard my whisper, but I was just admiring your beauty.” Matthew stood there in a daze as Alyse walked away. When she realized he was still frozen in his spot, she replied, “Reverend, you comin’?”