If you like reading about family, fights, sex, mystery, surprise, gossip, jealousy, excitement, suspense, pain, joy, sadness, death, life, love, hate, wealth, and poverty, you will love The Maid of Honor. This book is about the relationship between two sisters, Willie Mae and her younger sister Angie. Both girls have grown up in the lap of luxury, but that is all they have in common. Angie is spoiled rotten and takes full advantage of her status in life. She loves to spend money, and her attitude toward those that have less than she is, is blatant. She feels that she is better than almost everyone (including her sister). She is in a relationship with Darryl Jenkins, the son of a famous wealthy Holy Ghost-filled minister from the ATL. Willie Mae grew up in the same household, but these two girls are as different as day and night. Willie Mae works in a bank, and she loves her life of living a quiet life at home with her parents and leading the church youth. Not having a man in her life bothers her, but she realizes that the old saying "there is someone for everyone" is not necessarily true, and she is happy with the life she has made for herself. Being a daddy's girl is enough for her-well, it was until Angie came home after an evening with Darryl excited that she was now engaged. This announcement alone sent Willie Mae's life into a panic and everyone around her into a state of confusion. Describing this book, many words come to mind, superbly crafted, generous hearted, evil temptation, a delicious love story, engaging and memorable. When you read this book, you will experience many emotions. I promise you, you will laugh, cry, yell, curse, and you will relate differently to each character. The Maid of Honor is a book that will make you happy that you took the time to get to know the story of Willie Mae and Angie Johnson.

The Maid of Honor

By S.D. Lewis

Trafford Publishing

Copyright © 2012 S.D. Lewis
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4669-4728-3

Contents

Acknowledgments....................................................xiAuthor's Note......................................................xiiiChapter 1 Willie Mae...............................................1Chapter 2 Angie....................................................6Chapter 3 Darryl...................................................9Chapter 4 Willie Mae...............................................12Chapter 5 Angie....................................................16Chapter 6 Willie Mae...............................................22Chapter 7 Tonya....................................................25Chapter 8 Darryl...................................................32Chapter 9 Vivian...................................................40Chapter 10 Willie Mae..............................................43Chapter 11 Angie...................................................47Chapter 12 Tonya...................................................49Chapter 13 Willie Mae..............................................52Chapter 14 Darryl..................................................60Chapter 15 Clara Anne Jenkins......................................64Chapter 16 Willie Mae..............................................67Chapter 17 Cheryl..................................................71Chapter 18 Angie...................................................78Chapter 19 Willie Mae..............................................81Chapter 20 Vivian..................................................87Chapter 21 Demarlo.................................................92Chapter 22 Darryl..................................................96Chapter 23 Angie...................................................101Chapter 24 Tonya...................................................105Chapter 25 Vivian..................................................110Chapter 26 Willie Mae..............................................117Chapter 27 Russell Jr..............................................122Chapter 28 Reverend Russell Charles Jenkins Sr.....................127Chapter 29 Angie...................................................135Chapter 30 Willie Mae..............................................138Chapter 31 Vivian..................................................148Chapter 32 Tonya...................................................153Chapter 33 Willie Mae..............................................160Chapter 34 Darryl..................................................168Chapter 35 Michael Johnson.........................................178Chapter 36 Vivian..................................................189Chapter 37 DeMarlo.................................................195Chapter 38 Angie...................................................202Chapter 39 Willie Mae..............................................208Chapter 40 Cheryl..................................................214Chapter 41 Reverend Jenkins........................................219Chapter 42 Vivian..................................................222Chapter 43 Darryl..................................................231Chapter 44 DeMarlo.................................................236Chapter 45 Tonya...................................................247Chapter 46 Angie...................................................253Chapter 47 Willie Mae..............................................259Chapter 48 Vivian..................................................272Chapter 49 Michael Johnson.........................................279Chapter 50 Clara Anne Jenkins......................................293Chapter 51 Tonya...................................................300Chapter 52 Russell Jr..............................................309Chapter 53 Darryl..................................................313Chapter 54 DeMarlo.................................................317Chapter 55 Michael Johnson.........................................323Chapter 56 Cheryl..................................................330Chapter 57 Willie Mae..............................................335Chapter 58 Tonya...................................................344Chapter 59 Vivian..................................................350Chapter 60 Angie...................................................362Chapter 61 Reverend Jenkins........................................375Chapter 62 Michael Johnson.........................................379Chapter 63 Willie Mae..............................................383Chapter 64 Tonya...................................................390Chapter 65 Michael Johnson.........................................399Chapter 66 Willie Mae..............................................407Chapter 67 DeMarlo.................................................411Chapter 68 Russell Jenkins Jr......................................414Chapter 69 Angie...................................................419Chapter 70 Vivian..................................................422Chapter 71 Tonya...................................................426Chapter 72 Michael Johnson.........................................433Chapter 73 Tonya...................................................437Chapter 74 Mae.....................................................450Chapter 75 Darryl..................................................467Chapter 76 DeMarlo.................................................477Chapter 77 Vivian..................................................486Chapter 78 Tonya...................................................504Chapter 79 Willie Mae..............................................509Chapter 80 Russell Junior..........................................513Chapter 81 Angie...................................................518Chapter 82 DeMarlo.................................................526Chapter 83 Michael Johnson.........................................528Chapter 84 Rev Russell Jenkins Senior..............................532Chapter 85 Angie...................................................535Chapter 86 Willie Mae..............................................541Chapter 87 Vivian..................................................545Chapter 88 Angie...................................................548Chapter 89 The Wedding/Mae.........................................557Chapter 90 The Beginning...........................................561Chapter 91 PS......................................................576

Chapter One

Willie Mae

I'M GETTING MARRIED! I'm getting married! I'm getting married! Where is everybody? I AM GETTING MARRIED! Arhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Please lord, please let me be dreaming. I was pretty sure I was not dreaming since I was sitting in the den on the computer looking up my scriptures for tomorrow's youth program, but I needed God to make it a dream. Please do not let that be my little sister Angie running through the house screaming that her and Darryl are getting married. How is it possible that my little bratty, cute, perfect, butter won't melt in her mouth, Daddy's angel, Mommy's heart, has done it again? Just when I think I may begin to like her, here she is again upstaging me and getting the house in an uproar with her shenanigans. I hear my mom yelling "Finally, I get to plan a wedding!" That of course was a dig at me. So what, I am 33, not married, living at home, only been in one real relationship which was a total flop, and there's nobody knocking my door down trying to get with me.

I knew my day which began with my usual prayer of thanking God for his blessings, his miracles, his patience, thanking him for my family, my friends, my ministry with children, my job and for the safe return of all the military people in the war, I knew my day was now going downhill. Don't get me wrong I love Angie and always have, but the moment that little "Princess" made her debut my life has been nothing but trying to catch up to her. Even her name was prettier than mine. Princess (yes, her name is really Princess) Princess Angie Denise Darling Johnson. My name? (Oh God!) Willie Mae Johnson. I was named after my paternal grandmother who lived in Texas that hated my mother and even stopped my parents from getting married by standing up in the ceremony (I am told) and yelled that my mother was a tramp and the baby she was carrying was not my fathers' and if her son Michael actually went through with this she would cut him out of her will and he would be dead to her. Then she and the rest of the Johnsons left. So why am I named after her? The bitch was rich and my father was no fool. He loved my mom but he was not about to give up a fortune for her so when the Johnson family left the chapel, he was driving the car. Not until I was born and when his family got the word, they all came to my grandma's house and checked me out. It takes my maternal grandmother Elizabeth (the one that I should have been named after) to tell how they looked at every inch of me. "Girl, they came in like they was the army. In walked his daddy Mike Sr, then Willie Mae looking like she had ate a lemon, then his ugly sisters, Eula and Priscilla with they nose stuck up like they smelled some shit, when the shit they smelled was them. I told yo Mama Carolyn; don't let that nasty boy and his family in my house to see this baby after how they shamed you at the Springhill Methodist Church of God in Christ. We still had not been able to go back to church without someone snickering and pointing their finger saying "they she go, the one Mike Johnson left at the altar, what make her thank he want her with her broke self" It was all I could do to not get to shooting in the church, but I knew yo mama needed to hear that since she had committed sin and laid up with that boy and got herself pregnant. She needed to know that they were consequences to sinning, so I let her walk in her shame. She my daughter but she had disobeyed me and God so now she paid. Anyway, in they walked three days after you born. There you lay on a pink blanket I had knitted, in yo pretty dress, just sleeping and dreaming bout God when this bitch say "where the baby at?" I looked at yo mama waiting for her to stand up and say "Bitch, if you and the rest of that ugly ass family of yours don't get out my house I will kill all yall, bury you in the back yard and let my dog Killer piss on yo grave, now get to stepping" But I was just waiting cause that heifer said "here she is" and I almost gagged. Willie Mae picked you up, looked you square in tha face, turned you around and started to take off yo clothes. That's when I lost it. I asked her what was she doing and yo mama say "wait mama, its okay" Oh hell naw ... I was madder at her than I was them. After she took off yo dress she took off yo diaper and there you was bucked naked as you was three days ago when you come out of yo mama. She held you for a moment then passed you to her husband and he looked you over and passed you back to yo mama. Finally his mama say "she yours" and yo stupid ass daddy then came over to look at you. Then and there is when the shit hit the fan, yo daddy said, "have you named her? And I said "her name is Stephanie Renee" Yo mama rolled her eyes at me and said "I named her but if you want to add Johnson that would be nice. This dog said "I do want to add Johnson to her name but yours too" Oh Shit! He went on to say "Mama would like us to go head and get married, live with them and oh yes, she want the baby named after her" I got up, went in my room, got my gun and loaded it. While I'm back there trying to get some extra bullets to put in my pocket, in walk yo mama saying she gon marry yo daddy and move. Then and there I knew she was crazy. Willie Mae Johnson is my name and I hate it and the woman that had it before me. Anyway, I hear Angie coming down the hall and I send up a quick prayer "Please God let me be having a nightmare and I need you to wake me up, RIGHT NOW" In walked Angie, "Hey sis, did you hear me? I am getting married. Darryl asked me last night while we were over to his parent's house for dinner. It was so romantic. Everyone was excited and there was not a dry eye in the house" I said congratulations, have you set a date? "Well, we thought a winter wedding would be nice, but mama has her heart set on a spring wedding" Angie, this is your wedding, it should not matter what mama want. You and Darryl need to plan your own wedding, you know she is going to take over."

"Well to be honest, it does not matter to me as long as we get married, besides, I like mama planning it, and after all she has waited so long to see one of us get married" Are you talking about me? "No, Willie, I'm just saying she is so excited and she loves weddings and since you are not even dating anyone, I got to take up the slack" Oh now you are taking up my slack? And don't call me Willie. "Oh, I forgot, Mae, I am sorry, I am not trying to get you upset, I actually came up here to tell you, you are my maid of honor"

You came to tell me or ask me? "Do I need to ask my own sister to be my maid of honor? Okay, will you please be my maid of honor in my wedding, dear sister of mine that I love and adore and cannot believe you are making me do this, please?" I had to laugh and say yes. She was the only one who could make me laugh when my life was going down the drain. Even now in my moment of distress I was glad for her but sad for me. Where was my Darryl? Where was the man of my dreams? When would I get a chance to share who I was with another? So many questions and no answers. I dreaded this upcoming wedding but I could not turn Angie down. Just like Mama and Daddy, I loved her with all my heart.

Chapter Two

Angie

OH GOD, I do not believe I am actually getting married. Darryl and I have been dating for two years and I thought he would never ask me. Hell, I even thought about asking him. Last night was so wonderful. He asked me to have dinner with him at his parent's house and at first I hesitated because I have a major exam tomorrow plus being in the same room with his mother can be horrible. I don't know why that woman hates me but I don't care. She is a witch and as soon as Darryl and I say "I do" will be the last time I have to see that old hag. Anyway, I finally agreed to go after he begged so hard and after he gave me some of the best dick in the world. Just thinking about that part makes me want to scream. That boy knows he got some good loving. If I had to describe his dick I would have to invent new words to tell how good it is. I remember the first time I told Willie Mae about how Darryl freaks me. She was sitting with her mouth wide open and I could tell she was jealous. I don't understand why Willie Mae can't get a man or better yet keep a man. She used to date that boy name Chuck and I thought she was having a good time until I found out he was just using her for her money. When she told me they never had sex I almost died. How in the world can you be with a man for six months and never got the goodies? Six days and I'm giving up the drawers.... I can be such a ho! Nevertheless, Willie Mae needs to get her some and maybe she will stop being such a bitch and leave me alone. I get so tired of hearing her complain "Angie, you need to be more careful" "Angie, why you did that?" "Angie, you should go see grandma" "Angie, Angie, Angie!" Keep calling my name and I am going to knock her out! Yeah, right, she built like a sumo wrestler so I better keep my hands to myself before I get my little ass kicked. Tomorrow is going to be great. After I get out of class Darryl wants to go down to the beach for the weekend. I love spending time with him and now we are going to be together forever. I am so happy! I was surprised that he asked me especially after Monday night. I don't know what came over him to slap me like that. I know I can get on his nerves and he always teases me about being a "nagging bitch" but he's never laid a hand on me. Well, there was that one time at his Brother Russell's house but it was so quick and it was because I wanted him to stop drinking, so that one doesn't count. One thing you have to say about those Jenkins boys, you can't get on their nerves and tell them what to do. At least he ain't as bad as his big brother Russell. Dang, Russell Jr. be beating Cheryl's ass just because the sun set late. The last time he beat her so bad she had to go get stitches in her mouth and he put a knot on her head the size of a baseball. Boy that was some funny shit when she came in the room looking like another person had grown on her head saying hello like we wouldn't notice that shit. I thought I would laugh my ass off. That bitch is stupid. Three kids, pregnant again and having her ass beat every other weekend. If he was mine he would either be judged by twelve or carried by six, the choice would be his. Darryl knows not to fuck with me. Darryl did apologize but I wasn't hearing it. I put his black ass out of my apartment. That's his business if he beat Tonya's ass but putting his hands on me again was the last straw. The next day he left me that beautiful five hundred dollar Coach bag and scarf that I wanted. After that how could I not forgive him? I know he is stressed with his job at his family business and dealing with all that bullshit with his grandfather's will. After the wedding he'll get right. I know I can get him right, that's what I do! I can still see his mother's face when he got down on one knee with a box in his hand. I could feel the steam coming out of her nose like a dragon but I ignored her and looked into my man's eyes when he said "baby we been together a long time and I can't imagine my life another day without you. I love you with all that is within me, will you please marry me?" I love when he begs. I could barely see with all the tears coming out of my eyes, but I made sure I looked in his mother's direction and smirked before I yelled "yes, baby, yes, of course I'll marry you." That bitch was hot! She just knew he was going to drop me and go back to that slut Tonya but I am the HBIC, the head bitch in charge. Shit, Tonya don't have anything on me plus she's ugly, looking like a pit-bull that's been in to many fights. Last I heard she was pregnant and getting ready for a trip to see Maury. One thing for sure I know it's not Darryl's because I got him whipped and he has no desire for another ho! I find it hard to believe my man ever fucked her, let alone lived with her; at least I know he wore condoms with that slut because he told me so. I can't wait to show her my ring. I am going to bed and dream about my life as Mrs. Darryl Tyrell Jenkins. There are some jealous bitches out there that are going to die when they find out about my engagement. Good night Bi—otches!

Chapter Three

Darryl

I CANNOT BELIEVE I am getting married! I got engaged last night to Angie and I must say I am glad but nervous as hell. I do love that girl but she can nag like nobody's business. As a matter of fact she was fucking with me the other night asking me about Tonya and if the baby she is having is mine. I kept trying to avoid her but she just kept on and on and on. Finally before I knew it I slapped the hell out of her. I got scared cause she landed on the floor across the room. I never knew my strength and when I went over there to pick her up she was screaming. Shit, I knew I had fucked up. She put me out and I knew she would never take me back unless I did some Houdini magic shit. Thus came that stupid ass proposal! Yeah, it was not planned and I never thought I would get married, but Angie is something special and I cannot lose her. Mama was pissed that I used her birthday dinner to propose but I was desperate and I did what I had to do. Russell laughed when I told him and said "you should know better." He thinks everybody should stay single since him and Cheryl can't get along. I swear that girl leaves him every month and come right back. I wish I could be a fly on the wall and hear what he say to get back in after he whoop her ass the way he do. Damn, Russell be beating that girl for everything. I am glad I am not like him. I wonder where he gets that from. Anyway that last time he beat her she looked like some Sci-Fi monster. Her face was swollen and her head looked like it was on backwards. When I asked him what happened he said "I told that bitch to have my cornbread cooked when I get home and when I stepped in the door, she was just mixing it up. You know how I feel about my Jiffy cornbread" I looked at him like he was crazy. Angie had the nerve to laugh when we left, saying Cheryl got what she deserve. Sometimes I wonder how she can be so cold. I wished I had thought to go ask her dad for her hand because her family doesn't play and I know they are not going to be pleased but I had to move quickly. I think I will call her dad tomorrow. I plan to go to the beach late tomorrow but I got to go see Tonya in the morning. She has been blowing up my cell. I hope she don't find out about the engagement before I get a chance to tell her. Tonya has been my backbone since we met. You never forget your first real freak that will do anything to you and let you do anything to her. Tonya is one good piece of ass and trust me the things she can do to a dick should be illegal. Shit, it probably is in some states. Just thinking about Tonya makes my pants swell. Angie is good but Tonya is a freak on a mission. She is the girl every man needs to have on the side and trust if I can, I will keep her. Angie doesn't have to know everything. I wonder what will happen if this baby she is having is mine. She doesn't know who her baby daddy is and I probably will end up on Maury sweating and hoping to hear those magic words "Darryl, you are NOT the father." Shit, I should have gotten up when that condom broke. What I should have done was buy my own damn condoms cause Tonya be fucking with them little dick niggas and that condom didn't cover half of my dick. That pussy was too good and she was mad because she found out I had Angie at the Beyonce concert. One thing about Tonya when she gets mad she will fuck the hell out of a nigga. She had me speaking in tongues and calling her name, shit it was good! Baby or no baby, it was worth it. Still I hope another cat is the father.

I better get some sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day!

Chapter Four

Willie Mae

"GOOD MORNING GOD. I thank you for this day and I promise to make this day count. I will reach out to my fellowman and help make somebody life a little easier. Amen." I know I should have been up. Today is going to be a doozy. I have to see grandma and then go see Miss Viola in the nursing home. Mama will want me to take over for her at the mother daughter tea next week, and I will not. I get so tired of her getting me to do all her work. "Why does she volunteer for all these committees and know she can't do half of the work required? I know why, she be putting her name down, but I do all the work. Well, not today! I got my own life to live and starting today I am going to do only my work." How am I supposed to ever find a man of my own when all I do is sit around old folks and run errands like I am a secretary? Anyway, it is almost seven, and I need to get up and get my day started. I think I will take my time and take a long hot shower so I will feel refreshed. "Willie! Willie Mae. Are you up?" "Oh lord! Mama is up already trying to work my nerves. I shouldn't answer her but I know she'll just barge in here." I think I will ignore her for a few minutes and maybe she will finally get the hint that I hate mornings and I hate her coming in my room with all her problems. "Willie Mae, I know you hear me gal, what cha doing?" It was good while it lasted so up I go. "yes maam, I'm up" I think I am going to go crazy if I keep living here. Angie is so lucky to have her own apartment and don't have to be bothered with all this foolishness. If it wasn't for daddy I would leave and never come back. Just thinking about daddy changes my mood. He is so special. I know Angie is his favorite but it doesn't matter because he's mine.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Maid of Honorby S.D. Lewis Copyright © 2012 by S.D. Lewis. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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