Six months earlier…
“Come on Faith,” Miracle Chapman tried to hurry her sister along as she continued to poke around.
“What’s the hurry, Miracle? The service doesn’t start for another hour.”
Miracle gathered her purse along with her bible then turned to her sister. “Emanuel is preaching today and I want to give him support before he steps into the pulpit.”
Faith rolled her eyes. “You’ve supported him in every way possible. When does he support you?”
Miracle paused. “What are you saying? Emanuel is my fiancé, of course we support one another.”
Faith grabbed her own purse. “No, you do everything he asks.”
“That’s what I’m supposed to do,” Miracle answered. “I’m preparing to be a Proverbs 31 wife.”
Walking over to her sister, Faith placed a hand on her arm. “Miracle, you can be a good wife and still be your own person. We all know that you agreed to marry Emanuel because Daddy chose him.”
Miracle shook her head. “No, God sent Emanuel to me.”
Faith laughed. “To you, Daddy and God are one in the same.”
“Our father is a man of the cloth, Faith, and we are blessed to have such guidance in our lives,” Miracle said passionately.
“Daddy’s a man, Faith, and so is Emanuel and every other male with a penis.”
Miracle’s eyes widened. “Faith!”
Faith shrugged. “What?”
“Your language…a lady doesn’t talk like that,” Miracle chastised her younger sister.
Faith rolled her eyes. “Miracle, you need to step out into the world. You’ve been under Daddy and the church for so long, that you’re completely sheltered from the real world.”
Miracle took a seat on the sofa. “Faith, I went to college. I have a degree and I’m one of the best realtors in the Tri-County area. How am I sheltered?”
Faith sat next to her. “Yes, you’ve handled your professional business,” she agreed. “But your personal business, you’ve put that in Daddy’s and Emanuel’s hands.”
Miracle shook her head at her sister. “Why do you say that?”
“Miracle, you’re engaged to a man that you don’t love, because you believe he’s been sent to you. You have no outside activities, other than the church and you’re waiting to be a scripture wife one day,” Faith pointed out. “You’re twenty-seven, Miracle, and you’ve never even kissed a man!”
Miracle put a hand to her full lips. “Emanuel and I are waiting until we get married. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Do you even want to kiss him?” Faith asked.
“That would make me wanton,” Miracle answered.
“No, that would make you a real, live, human woman.” Faith corrected.
Miracle stood to her feet. “I don’t even know why we’re having this conversation.”
“Because I love you and you’re my sister,” Faith said standing and hugging Miracle. “You’re so beautiful and kind. I want you to be happy.”
“As long as I’m following what’s right…” Miracle began and Faith shook her head.
“Fine, Miracle.” Faith said as she began to walk to the door. “You sound just like Bishop Chapman.”
Miracle followed her sister and they headed out to the car. “Thanks for the ride,” Faith said as they entered the car.
“Is Dante coming to service today?” Miracle asked about Faith’s husband.
Faith shook her head. “No, he has to work. We’re saving for a house, so he’s putting in overtime.”
“Did you pray about it?” Miracle asked.
Faith smiled. “Yeah, we did Miracle and guess what…now we’re working to make it happen because contrary to popular beliefs, it’s not going to fall out of the sky like Manna.”
Miracle frowned at her sister. “Don’t be condescending.”
“I’m not, I’m being honest.”
Miracle drove and glanced at Faith. “Daddy wanted you to marry a minister too.”
“Daddy is all the minister I ever need in my life,” Faith told her.
“What’s wrong with a minister?” Miracle questioned.
Faith shrugged. “There’s nothing wrong with one. I just didn’t want to marry one after being raised by one.”
“Emanuel says that we’ll buy a house together later, when he’s promoted from an Assistant or he gets his own church,” Miracle informed her sister.
Faith frowned. “Miracle, you’re a realtor. You can buy a house anytime you want.”
“He wants us to only use his income.”
“You make five times more than him,” Faith pointed out. “…and you already have a house. He’s the one that still lives with his parents.”
Miracle became silent for a moment. “He wants us both to live there once we’re married.”
Faith stared at her. “With his parents?”
Still driving, Miracle nodded.
“What kind of foolishness is that?” Faith questioned.
“Emanuel takes his role seriously as the Head, so he doesn’t want to live in a house that I bought,” she explained. “He wants to be the sole provider of our needs.”
Faith shook her head. “Miracle, is it going to take an actual miracle for you to see?”
“See what?”
“You’re not getting a husband,” Faith told her. “You’re getting another Daddy.”
Miracle looked over. “Daddy took care of us.”
“Yes, he did.” Faith agreed. “And he managed every aspect of our lives.”
“You just had a rebellious spirit,” Miracle recited.
Faith laughed. “You even quote him.”
“It’s true,”
“No, it’s not.” Faith argued. “I just had my own mind and I wasn’t afraid to use it.”
They arrived at the church and the two women headed inside the beautiful edifice. This was their grandfather’s dream and their father’s glory. Down the long hall with shiny marble floors, they headed to Emanuel’s study.
“I’m just going to pop in and see him, then we can make sure everything is ready for service.” Miracle told her sister.
Emanuel’s study was empty when they reached it and Miracle looked around confused. “He’s probably making sure that he’s ready.”
Faith shrugged and looked down the empty hall. “Well, we’ll run into him somewhere around here.”
“His car is outside, so he’s here.” Miracle confirmed. “Let me check with Sister Anderson, she may know where he is.”
Faith agreed and the pair walked to the secretary’s office. Miracle opened the door and froze while Faith’s face turned angry.
“Emanuel?” Miracle whispered putting a hand to her heart.
The two people broke apart quickly and Emanuel wiped his mouth. The mouth that had been attached to the young woman standing next to him. The woman whose body he’d been holding in his arms.
“It’s not what you think, Miracle.”
Faith looked at her sister.
“Why?” Miracle asked confused. “Why would you do this?
“She was only wishing me good luck today,” he told her moving closer.
Miracle lifted an angry brow. “With your tongue in her mouth?”
Emanuel stopped in front of her. “Listen, let’s not make a scene. We are in the house of the Lord.”
Faith waited, because she knew the other side of her sister…the side that few witnessed.
Miracle nodded. “Luke 6:29,” she whispered. “If someone strikes you on your cheek, offer the other also.”
Emanuel smiled. “That’s the woman I’m going to marry.”
She returned his smile. “No, it’s not anymore.”
Emanuel didn’t know what had hit him when she slapped his right cheek, but by the time she finished with the left…he got her meaning.