All Prayed Up

© 2011 B.J. Mayo. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 05/10/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4567-5662-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-5661-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011904568

Printed in the United States of America

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This is for my daughter Traci, who insisted that I take this journey.

Contents

Mark

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lee

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Chad

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

Acknowledgements

I’d like to thank my friends Janice and Alice Catherine, my sister Jimmye Claire and cousin Jill, for their inspiration and encouragement and for being All Prayed Up!

PROLOGUE

Mark unfolded his napkin and neatly placed it in his lap. He breathed in the delicious aroma from the serving dish in front of him. Uh-uh, this pot roast smells good enough to eat, Mark said smiling. So how was you day Marlene?"

It was a day, Marlene answered dryly without responding to Mark’s humor. She poured iced tea into their glasses and sat down.

Didn’t you have a meeting this morning? He asked her.

Uh-huh, Marlene softly mumbled. Mark was rushing his dinner down in gulps. I’ve got a meeting myself in a half-hour. I’m sure it’ll be as long and boring as usual so don’t wait up baby, Mark said wiping his mouth with his napkin. He complimented Marlene on dinner and grabbed his jacket. He lightly brushed her forehead with a kiss, picked up his keys and briefcase from the foyer and started out the door. See-ya later, he yelled back. Marlene started removing the dishes from the table and placing food into containers, meeting my ass, she mumbled to herself. The word stupid must be stamped on my forehead.

Ten miles away, Mark drove along the sea grape lined road until he crossed the causeway to the barrier island. The setting sun cast beautiful streaks of orange and gold across the sky and gentle breezes playfully blew in and out of his Lincoln’s moon roof. He pulled off the main road, followed the narrow sandy path and knocked on the door of the isolated beach cottage.

Hey baby, Alex whispered throwing her arms around him.

Hey yourself, he said kissing her lips.

Your vodka is chilled and ready. She was pulling him inside. Her full breasts strained against the sheer fabric of her black teddy, stiletto heels accentuated her shapely legs. Alex had pulled her hair up in a twist and one curl dangled down her golden cheek. She sipped her favorite drink, Baileys in a champagne glass. She suggestively rolled the thick liquid around in her mouth. Umm I feel so sexy, she purred.

She moved seductively toward her bedroom door turned and looked back at him, he followed. "You are sexy," Mark whispered softly into her ear as he slid the thin straps of her teddy around her shoulders.

I’ve been thinking about you all day, Alex whispered. I couldn’t wait to feel your hands touch my juicy places, she giggled and lay back on her round-king bed. Mark pulled off his clothes, kneeled over her and placed the hardness of his manhood into her warm mouth. The sounds of his pleasure mimicked the sounds of the waves crashing ashore on the beach just outside the bedroom window.

Back at home, Marlene brushed her hair one-hundred strokes as she had done since childhood. She sipped a glass of Chablis and listened to soft music while she brushed. Before long she had filled her glass several more times. She was in a funky mood and tired of always being alone. Trying to keep busy because she didn’t work wasn’t working! She and Mark had planned on at least three or four children by now but after five years, she still wasn’t pregnant. His refusal to find out if there was a medical reason baffled her. His justification was always the same, When God is ready we’ll have babies.

Marlene’s reflection in the dressing table mirror showed stress on her otherwise soft face. Her grandmother had called her Peaches because as Nannie used to tell her, you’re as pretty as a Georgia peach. She really hadn’t changed much since college, she still had an hour-glass figure and dancer legs. She had been voted Pi Sigma Fraternity Queen and it was then she met the irresistible Brother Mark Strothers. He was tall, tan and pleasing to every female eye on campus. All of the Sigmas were chasing Marlene but Mark Strothers? Stalked her like a dog in heat! Marlene was laughing out loud thinking about how seriously devoted he had been to pursuing her. What had gone so terribly wrong with them? Within the few short years of their marriage she only held fond memories of their past. Her intuition led her to feel the presence of another woman lately, she prayed she was wrong. She and Mark were civil to each other but the warmth and love that had always existed between them wasn’t there anymore, so they put on a good public face, nothing more than a façade.

Marlene regretted too that she hadn’t had a chance to put her degree to any use. So far it had been a waste of her good time and her father’s hard earned money. Mark had insisted that no wife of his was going to work and anyway, he wanted her home raising their children. Well they didn’t have any and she wasn’t a bit happy about it. Marlene poured one last glass of wine before she got into bed and pulled up the covers. Sometime later she felt Mark creep into bed, she didn’t bother to look at the clock. Meeting. On a Saturday night. Right.

The next morning Marlene was up early cooking breakfast before church services. Morning Marlene, Mark said coming in from the porch with the Sunday paper.

Good morning Mark, she said taking biscuits from the oven. He went into the dining room and placed his napkin from the table across his shirt, he was already dressed for church. Mark and Marlene ate in silence while Mark read the newspaper. Glancing at his watch Mark looked up at Marlene. You about ready?

Do I look ready Mark? You go ahead and I’ll be right behind you after I clear the table and put on my dress. She was thinking to herself, if you offered to help me I’d be ready.

I’ll wait, no problem sweetheart. No sense taking both cars with the price of gas nowadays.

You’re just too kind, Marlene said sarcastically as she was clearing the table.

They drove to church in silence. When they arrived, Mark parked and they entered through the side entrance of Calvary Baptist Church. Mark stopped to speak with someone while Marlene walked ahead to get her usual seat. Good morning Sister Strothers, the usher said handing Marlene a program. How are you this lovely Sunday morning?

Fine Sister Hughes, we’re blessed and highly favored for this day, Marlene answered with her brightest Sunday smile. The organist had begun softly playing while parishioners filled in the seats.

Marlene greeted her pew-mates with hugs, handshakes, and well wishes as the church filled up with worshipers.

Soon and very soon, (clap) we are going to see the King…

"Soon and very soon, (clap) we are going to see the King."

The Calvary Baptist church Senior Choir marched proudly down the aisle in their lavender robes with bright yellow-gold stoles swinging as they stepped. The congregation stood. When the choir reached their seats the congregation remained standing to repeat the oath:

Confessing to God that I am a sinner and believe that the Lord Jesus died for my sins on the cross and was raised for my justification, I do receive and confess Him as my personal Savior, Amen.

And Amen, said the Reverend Mark Strothers. Please be seated.

Reverend Mark Anthony Strothers, the youngest of two sons born to the renowned Reverend Samuel Strothers and First Lady Margaret Strothers, had known no other way of life but the church. Mark was considered by the adult members of his father’s congregation to be as stinky rotten as humanly possible. His older brother Sammie was quiet and more reserved than Mark. Growing up as the sons of the legendary Reverend Strothers meant they had the impossible task of appearing to be perfect, and perfection from two small boys was unrealistic. Reverend Strothers was well known and a powerful force in the National Baptist Convention - the NBC. His aggressive nature and political shrewdness allowed him to move upward in the local, regional and national ranks of the Baptist association.

First Lady Margaret Strothers was an English teacher. She constantly stayed behind her boys making sure they displayed outstanding manners. It would be nothing for her to correct them in public, in the middle of a sentence, in front of total strangers - nothing! She made sure they had perfect command of the Kings English, while the Reverend made sure they had the fear of God Almighty in them, right next to the bible and his thick black leather belt. Mark was the one who had always been opinionated and outspoken which didn’t always sit well with the Reverend. It caused him many hours of deep thought, deep prayer and sincere apologies.

Not until Mark’s junior year in college did he decide to enter the seminary, something his father had prayed for. Reverend Strothers realized when they were children that his oldest son Sammie didn’t have that special something required to lead. Mark on the other hand did, he was a born leader. He had ambition, fire, charm and all the qualities required of an exceptional minister. Unfortunately, Reverend Samuel Strothers would never live to see his prayer answered, he would never see Mark preside over his own church.

Marlene Bowers on the other hand, grew up in a household filled with love, respect and affection. Her parents instilled in their four daughters independence, responsibility and self confidence. They were a working class family living in a middle class environment. James Bowers her father, was a postal worker for eighteen years. Anne Bowers her mother, was an office manager in a doctor’s office. Both were progressive thinking, fun loving parents who demonstrated good morals and work ethics, and encouraged their daughters to reach for the stars!

Marlene was the oldest of the girls. She and her sisters were often referred to by the boys in school as the Bowers Beauties and kept James Bowers busy guarding The Fort. Once in college, Marlene was the campus sweetheart. Not only was she pretty but she was smart and had an outstanding personality. Marlene majored in Elementary Education, she wanted to teach Kindergarten. She loved children, her interest in teaching them was influenced by the summers she spent helping out at her Aunt Ruth Mae’s day care center. Marlene would be the first of the daughters to receive a college degree and the first hand to be reluctantly given away in holy matrimony by James Bowers.

Mark and Marlene finished college together and had the most beautiful June wedding to begin their lives together. Mark left immediately for the Virginia Baptist Theological Seminary.