The Sunday Only Christian by E. N. Joy

yoke up Deborah by the throat and mop the halls and walls with her. But Helen’s Spirit Man was overpowering and kept her flesh under subjection.
    â€œI am so not moved by those tears,” Deborah said callously. “You should have thought about all this when you were running your trap to Lynox.”
    â€œLynox? Lynox?” Helen’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “Is that what all this is about? Deborah, are you serious?”
    â€œOh, quit acting like you didn’t know what all this was about, you phony heifer. Now that I done pulled your ho card, you ain’t so hard after all, huh?” Deborah was taking advantage of the fact that Helen wasn’t coming at her all crazy. Realizing that Helen’s bark had been worse than her bite all along, Deborah kept pushing. “But like I said, in spite of what your intentions were, he still wants this.” Deborah ran her hands down her body.
    â€œAnd he can have that, ” Helen spat. “I don’t want no Lynox.”
    â€œOh yeah? Then why did you tell him?” Now it was Deborah putting up her hand, not allowing Helen the chance to speak. “Oh, I know, like I said, so he’d dump me and then you’d have an opening to crawl and sliver through like the serpent of a snake you are.” Deborah’s words were laced with so much venom, she hoped her words alone would poison Helen and make her drop dead right there where she stood.
    Helen just laughed right in Deborah’s face though. She couldn’t help it. This was all too much for her. “Girl, you are crazy and you need Jesus. Now go on back into that sanctuary and go find Him.” On that note, Helen turned back toward the door to enter the classroom.
    â€œOh no, you don’t.” Deborah jerked Helen back around, gripping her arm. “Did you or did you not tell Lynox about”—Deborah moved in close to Helen’s ear and whispered—“the abortion?”
    Helen jerked away. “You doing all this . . . You trippin’ about something that happened years ago?”
    â€œAnswer me! Did you tell him?” Deborah spat, spittle landing on Helen’s face.
    Helen paused for a moment and then replied, “Yeah, but it—”
    â€œI knew it! I knew it was you! How could I have been so stupid to think that all this time you had changed? Well, thank God He opened my eyes up to you. You ain’t nothing but the devil in disguise and I don’t want my child around you ever again.” Deborah nudged Helen out of the way. She opened the classroom door, walked in, scanned the area for her son, and then immediately scooped up him and his belongings.
    â€œMommy, I playing. No, Mommy. I play,” her son cried out.
    â€œDon’t do this, Deborah,” Helen pleaded as calmly as she could.
    â€œI didn’t do it, Helen, you did.”
    â€œPlease just let me explain.” She looked down at Deborah’s son, who looked fearful and upset. “Let him stay. You and I can go talk later and you’ll see that you’re making a mistake. You’re overreacting.”
    â€œThe only mistake I made was forgiving you and thinking we could be cool. But I will not make the same mistake twice. Deuces.” Deborah threw up two fingers and swished out of the room with her son in her arms. “And to think I thought she had changed,” Deborah said about Helen as she headed back to the sanctuary, none the wiser that God was saying the same exact thing about her.

Chapter Sixteen
    Once Deborah returned to the sanctuary, she got settled and turned her attention immediately to the Word Pastor was giving. It was as if she hadn’t missed a beat.
    â€œHallelujah!” Deborah had shouted out when Pastor said something she agreed with. “He’s worthy!”
    â€œYes, He is, Sister Deborah. Tell ’em again,” Pastor said from the pulpit.
    â€œHe’s worthy!” Deborah