Free When It All Falls Down by Dijorn Moss Page A

and belief in her calling.
    â€œSo you’re the one who they call Mr. Clean?” Pastor Robinson asks me.
    â€œPeople can call me whatever they want. I go by Nic or Minister Dungy if I’m feeling ecclesiastical.”
    Pastor Robinson lets out a chuckle. Her laugh resembles a squeal and she covers her mouth out of embarrassment. It takes Pastor Robinson a moment to gather herself. “I just want you to know that when Minister Blackwell presented me with this idea I was opposed to it.”
    Now I feel like I am in a motel and it is time for me to get down to business. “Most pastors do and I understand if you want to resolve this issue on your own.”
    That is what I love about this job. I agreed to help the church and as a result the church had to put up half the money. If Pastor Robinson decides that she no longer wants my services, well, then I just got $75,000 richer without breaking a sweat. But Pastor Robinson will not back out; she just wants to air her reservations in order to save face.
    â€œWell, it would be a waste to bring you out here for nothing, so how does this work?” Pastor Robinson says.
    I sink my hands into my pockets and walk over to Pastor Robinson. I make sure that my shoulders are up and that I do not give the slightest hint of insecurity. “I need full disclosure. I need to know everything, before I can do anything.”
    Pastor Robinson uncrosses her legs and folds her hands. “What do you want to know?”
    â€œThe last night you saw your husband.”
    â€œTwo weeks ago we had an argument. He thought that I had been neglecting him and I guess the rumors started to get to him. He wanted me to take some time away from ministry to work on our marriage.”
    â€œI guess you said no; otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”
    Pastor Robinson did not respond. I have seen too many occasions where ambition has robbed marriages and blinded leaders. Pastor Robinson is no exception.
    â€œWere the rumors true?”
    â€œNo,” Pastor Robinson says.
    â€œDon’t lie to me. Don’t ever lie to me. If the rumors are true then let me know and I will still help, but don’t lie to me or I walk.” I walk up toward Pastor Robinson so that she can know that I’m not playing. “Now I’m going to ask one more time, are the rumors true?”
    â€œNo! They’re not. They are evil lies made up by my detractors,” Robinson says with a look of discontent.
    â€œSo why would your husband give into the rumors? It has to be more than your husband feeling neglected. Most pastors neglect their spouses; it’s in the bylaws.”
    â€œJeremy is not only a promising basketball player, but he is a skilled musician. I have bragged about him to the point where it started to arouse suspicion and no man can handle their wife talking about another man more than them. So what should we do?” Pastor Robinson asks.
    â€œI suggest that Pastor continues to do as she’s been doing. She continues to preach the Gospel while you locate her husband and talk some sense into him,” Minister Blackwell says.
    â€œReally? That’s funny. I was about to suggest the opposite. In fact we’re going to do the exact opposite,” I reply.
    â€œI don’t want to draw attention to his absence,” Minister says.
    â€œThere is already attention being paid to her husband’s absence. I’m not just a Mr. Fix-it; I am a minister and when I step into a situation I look to resolve it. I neither take nor do I have repeat customers. There’s your way of doing things and then there is my way of doing things, which is the right way.”
    So after I put Minister Blackwell back in his place, I then turn my sights to Pastor Robinson, who is eager to hear my suggestions. “Once I find your husband I can guarantee you that there is nothing I could say that will repair things. You’ll have to do that on your own. So I want