Like Sheep Gone Astray Read Free

Terri's rolling eyes. Four-year-old Tyreeka Oliver turned around in her seat, peeking over the edge of the wooden pew to examine Terri and the Spirit-filled, stomping Sister Pearl. Terri flashed the child a large white smile.
    “Bless Jesus,” she moaned, letting her eyes drift dreamily to the ceiling while waving both her hands. When Terri saw the plaited pigtails of the little girl bobbing in another direction, she rolled her eyes again and snatched her hands back into her lap.
    “Just hurry on up with this service,” she groaned. She studied the church bulletin, noting that only a quarter of the planned program had been covered. Offering had not yet been taken. The announcements still needed to be read. And Pastor Green had not even begun his morning remarks.
I hope Anthony gives a short sermon today.
She sighed to herself while glancing at the pulpit.
    Anthony sat slouched in his seat, his eyes studying the red carpet. He looked distant and preoccupied, shuffling and reshuffling the papers in his hand.
This is not the same man I met five years ago.
Terri frowned.
    She daydreamed about the first time she saw him. She'd just left the office of a client and was headed back to her car when she heard door chimes ringing to her right. There he was, strolling out of the Golden Touch Dry Cleaners and Tailoring in the busy downtown district. From the number and quality of suits he carried, she knew instantly that he was some type of working professional with a lot of money and a lot of class. He walked like he had jazz in his shoes, a syncopated, sure-of-yourself strut that was smooth and easy. She remembered the warm shiver she'd felt when she studied not only his strapping six-two frame, but also his luxurious brown suede overcoat flapping wildly in the wind. She was rendered speechless, and had frozen, before realizing too late that he had disappeared in the congestion.
    Terri smiled to herself, thinking how good confidence and cash looked on a caramel-colored brother. Isn't that what she'd almost told him the second time she saw him, at the gym, a week after that first sighting? How she had missed a brother like that working out in her two years of regular exercise she didn't know, but she was not going to let opportunity pass by her again.
    By the time they'd finished their conversation outside the locker rooms about how they had both secured their dream jobs through successful college internships and were well on their way up very lucrative career ladders, she knew she had him hooked. The man had money written all over him. Together they would read like Forbes magazine, and he knew it. Terri's smile deepened at the memories. Then she looked back up at Anthony sitting on the pulpit, and both her smile and the memories quickly faded and fizzled away.
    “Ouch!” Terri hissed, rubbing her foot. “Sister Pearl needs to hurry up and sit down,” she mumbled to herself. She sighed in relief as she saw some of the deacons and trustees getting the collection plates.
    “At least the service is moving forward now.” She rechecked her watch.
    “…And so may I present to some and introduce to others, our very own, Minister Anthony Murdock.” The junior usher charged with the introduction crumpled up the index card and hurried back to his seat. A light applause and a string of Amens rippled through the congregation as Anthony took his place behind the lectern.
    Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he stood quietly for a moment, gazing out into the faces of people who thought they knew him. He was careful to avoid Terri's blank stare. After looking up at the balcony and then letting his eyes circle the rest of the church, he began.
    “Good morning, church,” he started. “I'd like to first give honor to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me this opportunity to stand once more before you this morning.”
    “Amen, amen.” A deacon nodded.
    “And to Pastor Green, the deacon board and officials, and all the members