Free Work What You Got by Stephanie Perry Moore Page B

it. Every time we saw her she lifted up her hands to the sky and proclaimed, “Praise the Lord.” I was down with GO-D myself, but I had to admit to my two girls that she was over the top.
    â€œY’all, I think we should pray,” Audria shouted from the back.
    â€œWhy don’t you just pray quietly for us,” Bea said sarcastically, and half of the line snickered.
    â€œWe all need Jesus, Bea,” Audria responded, a little put-off that everyone was mocking her.
    â€œDon’t hurt her feelings, Bea,” I said over my shoulder as I lightly spanked Bea’s big thigh.
    â€œWatch it now! She’s really gonna have to pray for you if you hit me again,” Bea teased.
    â€œY’all two stop,” Trisha said.
    â€œSeriously Bea, we’re about to go in here for this induction ceremony. The first official step into the sorority. This event should tug at our hearts. How better to get in the right spirit than by seeking God. What’s wrong with getting a cool word?” I said, knowing a covering from up above would be a great thing.
    â€œAight Audria, say something for all of us,” Bea said, relenting.
    â€œDon’t worry about it. I already did,” Audria retorted.
    â€œWell, forget it then,” Bea said to her.
    Then there was our number one, Dena, the shortest girl on our line. She was so shy. I wished she was a little tougher.
    â€œMiss Dena over there is shaking,” Trisha said to Bea and me.
    Bea said, “See, I don’t know how we gonna make it with the big sisters with one as weak as her. They shoulda took that other girl we had. Dang!”
    â€œYeah,” Trisha agreed.
    â€œI’m still really upset that my friend didn’t make it. With the exception of you two, she’s got all these girls beat, hands down. She had the grades, yet they took her through all those hoops and stuff for nothing,” Bea lamented.
    Then the girl in front of Trisha turned around, put her hands on her hips and said to the three of us, “Why are you guys griping about who is not here on this line? I tried to stay out of your conversation because I know you aren’t talking to me, but I know I speak for everybody on this line when I say enough already. Contrary to what you think, the rest of us can carry our own. That’s why we did make the line and your friends didn’t. My name is Sharon. Don’t you forget it.”
    Trisha wanted to take her hand and bash the girl when she turned back around, but I held her and said, “Just let it go.”
    Thankfully Penelope came and got us and escorted our line into the assembly. All the hostility that had been penned up in the waiting room was released when I walked into the room filled with Betas wearing white. The night before, Edythe told us to wear black for the ceremony. They told us the black we were wearing symbolized the darkness we were in before being connected to the Beta Gamma Pi light. When I passed my mom and saw the tears fall from her eyes, I knew this was a special ceremony. Though she wasn’t forcing this on me, I knew it was something she really wanted for me. Something we would now be able to share. Something dear to her heart. Her sorority would soon be dear to mine for life.
    Our initiation ceremony was breathtaking. With the marble floor, crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the many mahogany chairs, I couldn’t help but feel spellbound by the room’s captivating beauty. The hundreds of small flickering lavender and turquoise candles all over the room symbolized our connection with the Beta Gamma Pi light. The chandelier lights were fairly dim, perhaps to allude to our darkness before coming into our newfound sisterhood. The room’s center held a life-sized framed portrait of our five great founders. A hundred sunrise lavender and sunset turquoise sprayed flowers surrounded the base of the portrait. This was the moment I had dreamed of.
    The