My Son's Ex-Wife: The Aftermath Read online

  My Son’s Ex-Wife:

  The Aftermath

  Shelia E. Lipsey

  www.urbanchristianonline.net

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  What Readers Say About Shelia E. Lipsey’s Books

  Novels by Shelia E. Lipsey

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty -two

  Words from the Author

  Discussion Questions - My Son’s Ex-Wife: The Aftermath

  A Personal Invitation from the Author

  Author Contact Information

  Author Contact Information

  Copyright Page

  What Readers Say About Shelia E. Lipsey’s Books

  Shelia E. Lipsey is one of the few authors who sets my heart to blaze with her writing. Her writing is intense, complex, unforgettable, and most of all, needed in the world today. Shelia’s novels have everything Christian fiction novels need: brilliant plots, timely conversations, and faith building passages! Keep your eyes on Shelia E. Lipsey . . . she is definitely a legend in the making.”—Ella Curry, president of EDC Creations. Publisher of Black Pearls Magazine. Based on novels Beautiful Ugly and My Son’s Wife.

  Wow, Shelia E. Lipsey takes it there with My Son’s Wife. She masterfully wraps the subject content of religion around that of molestation, homosexuality, and skepticism. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter set the mood for what will occur. Often times I found myself nodding in full agreement with what they represented . . . This book was a great read and one I recommend to everyone. Reviewed by Chantay, APOOO BookClub

  I loved Shelia E. Lipsey’s My Son’s Wife. Five stars are simply not enough. In addition to the drama, it was an eye opener about Christianity. If there’s one lesson to be learned, it’s that people shouldn’t be so judgmental. I didn’t like how it ended, and I am hoping it’s because there will be a sequel. My Son’s Wife is good reading, and I recommend it. Reviewed by: Marcella

  Sheila E. Lipsey should be applauded for the work she created for My Son’s Wife. She has brought up a subject that some do not like to speak about and just want to sweep under the rug. She doesn’t miss a beat with the way she ties in the Christian community in this novel. The detail and the characterization she gives each person in My Son’s Wife are commendable. She touched on some subjects that some authors like to stay away from. You understand what Francesca, Rena, and Stiles are feeling when they realize the dissent the first lady has caused. My Son’s Wife is a great read. Reviewed by Jackie for Urban Reviews

  Shelia E. Lipsey is without a doubt a great writer. The story she tells is one you can relate to. It’s not too over the top with preaching, and not the typical urban Christian novel. Her detail for writing is of expertise. She has the passion in My Son ’s Wife. I highly recommend My Son’s Wife. Not only does Lipsey teach the Word of God in this urban tale, she allows us to walk in her characters’ shoes. You will know more about yourself when you are done reading this story. Tamika Newhouse AAMBC Reviewer

  Shelia E. Lipsey has done a masterful job of showing how imperfection is part of the daily walk of religious life. Envy Wilson, Layla Hobbs, and Kacie Mayweather are friends in their 30s who look to each other for support yet still are unable to find what they need most. Sex, men, lies, attempted murder, and redemption await the reader in this story of understanding how imperfect people can do great things when they understand that GOD’s grace is sufficient and HIS mercy is forever.***** (5) stars out of 5. Tanya R. Bates Reviewer for C&B Book Distributor, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, International Grant Writer

  Novels by Shelia E. Lipsey

  Into Each Life

  2007 Shades of Romance Readers’ Choice Award for

  Best Multicultural Christian Romance Author of the Year

  Best Multicultural New Christian Romance Author of the Year

  Best Multi-cultural Christian Fiction Book of the Year

  Best Multi-cultural Christian Fiction Author of the Year

  Sinsatiable

  2008 Conversations Book Club Author of the Year

  My Son’s Wife

  2009 Shades of Romance Readers’ Choice Awards for Author of the Year

  Best Book Cover Award

  Best Christian Fiction Book of the Year

  Best Christian Romance Book of the Year

  Best Fiction Book of the Year

  Urban-Reviews Top Shelf

  Beautiful Ugly

  2009 Black Pearls Magazine Top Books

  Dedication

  To those that need to be forgiven and to those who

  need to do the forgiving.

  At once, Moses fell to the ground and worshiped,

  saying, “Please, O Master, if you see anything good in

  me, please Master, travel with us . . . Forgive our iniquity and sin. Own us, possess us. Exodus 34:9 (The

  Message Bible)

  Acknowledgments

  To God be all of the glory, all of the honor, and all of the majesty forever!

  Thank you, Lord, for endowing me with the gift of placing your words on paper. Thank you, God, for showing me that despite my physical challenges, you are still able to use me as you see fit. I pray that I will always make myself available to you, Lord.

  Thank you, God, for every reader of my work, every naysayer, every doubter, every person of faith, every prayer warrior, every interceder, every believer, every non-believer, everyone and anyone who picks up a book written by Shelia E. Lipsey. These people are the ones who keep your message of non-condemnation and redemption spreading worldwide.

  May those who read my works see that you are a good God, a merciful, kind, and loving God whose mercies are new each and every morning. You are the bright and morning star, the lily of the valley, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.

  You are the God that promises me that if I obey your commandments, that I will be the head and not the tail, that I will be above and not beneath, that I will be blessed going in and blessed going out; you said that the fruit of my womb would be blessed, so in obedience to you, Father, I write.

  I write because you’ve blessed me to write. And so I write because you’ve given me stories to tell about imperfect people who are in need of your perfect love and your never ending forgiveness. And so I write, so that someone somewhere might be touched, changed, saved, forgiven, and reminded that you do love them. Yes, I write because one day you chose me. Before I was even in my mother’s womb, you chose me, Lord, and predestined my final destination on life’s journey.

  I love you, Father.

  Chapter One

  “What most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things.

  Unknown

  Audrey and several ladies from Holy Rock Women’s Ministry gathered in one of the church meeting rooms for their quarterly meeting. Toward the end of the meeting, the ladies sat around and talked, rather they gossiped.

  “First Lady, may I a
sk you something? one of the ladies spoke up.

  “Certainly,” Audrey replied.

  “What really happened to your son’s wife? It’s like she disappeared off the face of the earth.”

  Audrey threw up one hand and waved it carelessly. “Honey, she left town after he divorced her. I tell you, it was the best thing she could have done. It was enough that she pretended to love my son, only to leave him heartbroken.”

  “I know she put him through a lot,” another woman commented.

  “Yes, I tell you, my son’s wife was not all she pretended to be. All of the years I thought I knew that child, and she turned out to be a deceitful little phony. And to think, we’ve known Rena and her family since they first moved to Memphis. Well, she sure had the family fooled. Who would have thought that she was only using Stiles? That’s why you have to be careful these days.”

  A fair skinned, older woman agreed with Audrey. “Yes, you sure have to be careful, First Lady.”

  This fueled Audrey’s flame, and she kept on talking. “You think you know somebody, and find out you don’t know them at all.”

  “Lord, these women today are scandalous. I tell you, our men of God have to stay in prayer,” a short, dark complexioned woman added.

  “You sure are right,” another commented. “We have to stay prayed up on their behalf.”

  “Is Pastor Stiles all right, First Lady, since the divorce is final?”

  “Yes, he’ll be fine. Of course, the pain of divorce is something that takes time to heal; even more so, for a man of God like my Stiles. He tried, but there was no way to mend their marriage. The girl was promiscuous, and she wasn’t about to change. I tell you, I cried almost every night for months for my son. Thank God for Pastor; he keeps Stiles encouraged. And since he appointed Stiles as the full time pastor of Holy Rock, Stiles doesn’t have a lot of time to mope around and feel sorry for himself.”

  The fair skinned older woman was named Sister Jean. She readily agreed with Audrey. “Don’t worry,” she said and waved her hand. “He’ll find another woman. That’s for sure. A smart, intelligent, handsome man of God like him won’t have a problem at all. This time, she’ll be the kind of woman that will be worthy of being his wife and the first lady of Holy Rock. We’re going to keep praying that next time he’ll meet a fine Christian girl with true morals and respect. But we all know that whoever it is won’t be half the first lady you are, Sister Audrey.”

  Audrey blushed. “Thank you, Sister Jean.”

  “The truth is the truth,” Sister Jean remarked, and so did several of the other women that were gathered in the lunch room.

  Audrey’s face brightened like the morning sun. She was astonished at the sense of fulfillment she felt as she spoke. “I know one thing, whoever she is, she will have to be more than special. She’s going to have to definitely prove that she’s worthy if she ever plans on becoming, my son ’s wife.”

  On her way home, Audrey was flying high on praises. Rena had been revealed for the two-faced, double-life leading, unworthy woman that she was. “What the devil meant for bad, God meant it for good,” Audrey said followed by her laughter over the way things had turned out. The gall of Rena trying to ruin Stiles’s name with her vulgar, nasty, abominable lifestyle with Francesca. It was bad enough that her child was a practicing lesbian, convict, and a drug user. Audrey turned up her nose at the thought of the vile life Francesca led. She couldn’t begin to imagine how Francesca turned out to be the kind of terrible, shameful daughter that she was. She was a disgrace to the Graham name and especially to Holy Rock Church.

  Audrey hummed along to a song on the 95.7 gospel station to help replace the terrible thoughts of Rena and Francesca with positive ones. She was thankful that Pastor was on the mend from his stroke. God was really healing him in a ‘nothing but God can do’ kind of way. His speech was markedly improving daily, and his gait was becoming stronger with each round of physical therapy.

  Audrey thought about Stiles. She was sad that he’d been hurt so badly by Rena. If only she could have seen warning signs of Rena’s devilish ways, then she would have been able to save her only son from Rena’s evil intentions. Audrey believed that Rena’s purpose had been to latch on to Stiles in an effort to cover up the affair she was having with Francesca. But God has a way of bringing things to light.

  Audrey continued to hum and think about the fact that Francesca and Rena had a lot of reaping to do. As for Stiles, Audrey had her eye on a few young ladies at Holy Rock who would make a good wife for him. There were also a few more she planned on checking out from two or three of the other churches that Holy Rock interacted with on a frequent basis. This time around she would make sure she checked into the background of the young lady, her parents, finances, and any other thing she could find out. No more surprises like the one with Rena.

  “And to think, that, that, oh, Lord, you know I can’t call her what I want to call her,” Audrey said out loud as the song on the radio ended and she was left with her own thoughts bursting forth like mighty waters through her mind. “But Lord, she has to pay for how she hurt my baby. It’s been close to five months since their divorce, Lord, and my baby is still beside himself with embarrassment, a broken heart, and mistrust about receiving another woman into his life. Lord, fix it. Fix it for my child,” pleaded Audrey with the tiniest trace of forced tears trickling down her made up face. “You know he doesn’t need to be preaching Sunday after Sunday without a first lady in his life. You said, ‘he who findeth a wife findeth a good thing and findeth favor with you,’so fix this mess that Rena caused in his life.”

  Audrey swiftly went to the next thing on her mind, like she had a mental to-do-list. She called Pastor to see if he wanted her to order takeout from one of the local restaurants. Since she’d eaten at the quarterly meeting, she didn’t want to think about standing over a stove cooking anything for dinner. When he answered, she told him her suggestion, and without hesitation, like most of the time, Pastor agreed to eat takeout. She stopped at one of the neighborhood soul food restaurants and ordered two dinner plates of turnip greens, hot water cornbread, fried corn, baked pork chops and peach cobbler.

  While Audrey waited on the food to be prepared, she went into mental overdrive. This time she thought about Francesca. Where in the world could that wayward child be? She hadn’t seen or heard from her in weeks, and it worried her a little. She was used to Francesca running off and getting locked up or going on one of her drug binges, but this time around Audrey felt somewhat different about Francesca’s no show. Maybe she was with Rena and the two of them were making an ungodly life for themselves. That certainly was something to be considered.

  For Audrey, the good thing that came out of the mess that Rena and Francesca created was Pastor and Stiles could see the women for who they really were. Rena and Francesca needed to fall before the Lord and beg for His forgiveness. But Audrey couldn’t imagine Francesca ever going before the Lord to ask Him anything.

  Chapter Two

  “People who are sensible about love are incapable of it.

  ~Douglas Yates~

  Ring. Ring.

  Stiles listened, hoping to hear the tender voice he once adored, answer the phone. Instead, he listened to the automated voice of what used to be Rena’s cell phone number.

  “At the subscriber’s request this phone does not accept incoming calls, message SEL9324,” the robotic sounding voice informed him.

  He closed his cell phone and lay back on the bed, with his head resting in the palms of his hands. It had been months since he’d seen his ex-wife. He opened the phone again and scrolled through his contacts until he saw the listing, The Jacksons; Rena’s parents.

  Should he call? His mind and heart were confused. Part of him missed her. He thought about her laugh, her smell, and her touch. “But why did she have to turn out to be so deceitful? “God, I don’t understand why all of this happened? I can’t get over it. I can’t get past it.” Stiles dropped the cell phone and bolted
upright in the bed like he’d been electrocuted. He stood and paced the floor in front of the bed.

  Looking upward, he stopped. “God, I preach to hundreds of people two to three times a week. I tell them about your love, your forgiveness, your grace and mercy. Rena was my love, the woman I dreamed of having babies with, Father. She was the perfect wife in every way. So why?” He rubbed his hands over his head. “Why did she have to be… I don’t know what to call her.”

  Stiles’s body jerked. He looked around the room as if he expected to see someone. A sinner? He heard within his spirit. Why did she have to be a sinner like you, and all of my children?

  Tears streamed from Stiles’s eyes. “Who am I to judge anyone?” He sat back on the bed and clasped his hands together. “I am a sinner; a sinner saved by your grace, Lord. You forgave me, and you love me unconditionally. But I don’t have the strength, or the kind of heart that can allow her back in my life. Part of me yearns and aches for her because I still love her, but it’s time for me to make a fresh start. It wouldn’t be fair to Rena to have a man who couldn’t love and accept her for who she is. I’d probably never be able to trust her again. I repent for any wrong I’ve done toward her and Francesca. Father, forgive me. I know now that this is your will. You want me to close the door to my past, to my hurt, and my heartache.” Stiles felt his heavy heart lighten. It was time to let go of the past and look forward to what God had planned for his future. He would always love Rena, but he finally realized that although he didn’t understand the ways of God, God was the one in control of everything. It was time to trust Him totally and completely.

  “Whatever tomorrow brings, I’m ready, Lord.” Stiles looked at the cell phone, and then opened it and scrolled through it again until he came across Rena’s old number. He deleted it. He scrolled again until he found The Jacksons. He paused again, and then he deleted it too. Closing the phone, he threw it on the other side of the empty bed before going into the kitchen and pulling out a frozen dinner.