As the preachers arrived onto the stage at the Divine Empowerment Conference hosted by Honest City Church, Bishop Wilson McQueen sat in his chair, looking like a man whose wife had just been stolen by his best friend. His disenchanted countenance was quite noticeable by anyone who cared to look, but the powerful ministration of the choir provided the perfect distraction. He was seated a row behind Archbishop Rhamses King, who was flanked on each side by his wife and his senior bishops.

Wilson was so distracted by the thoughts in his mind that he didn’t even bother to look at who was standing next to him.

“Good to see you, Wilson. I can tell Ellen is taking the greatest care of you.”

Wilson looked up and was about to respond, but then he stopped. Bishop Kusi looked like the cat that ate the canary, and he couldn’t be less bothered to show it. Whatever had Kusi looking this smug had to be bad for Wilson, so he knew that anything he said would simply trigger a response which would send him deeper into the depths of rage. So he chose to look ahead.

Still Kusi persisted. “Oh come on, not even a hello to your regional bishop? I thought we were better than this. There’s no hard feelings on my end with regards to you. I was hoping for the same on your end.”

Wilson began to mutter in tongues under his breath, and Kusi got the message. “Well, at least I can tell God that I tried.”

Once Ellen took the stage and began to minister, Wilson’s sadness started to leave. By the time Ellen reached her third song ministration, Wilson was lain on the floor, deep in worship, with tears running down his face. Someone started to tap him, trying to get his attention, but it was a lost cause. Wilson cried in his heart to God, not knowing what to say, but speaking out anyway.

Ellen saw him from the corner of her eye, and her heart went out to him. She’d seen him fall deep into worship when she ministered, but nothing like this. His white shirt was already changing colors by the time he finally raised his head, and his face was wet with tears and snot. She continued to lead worship but she knew something was wrong.

Ellen finally got off the stage as the entire church was slain in the spirit, some mumbling in tongues, others kneeling in worship with hands raised, and even more singing the chorus of the previous song. Reverend Carlson took over and began to lead the church in prayer. Once Ellen got to her seat beside Wilson, who was now on his feet, she took his hand and walked backstage with him.

“Do you have any shirts in your office?”

“Um, yeah, in a cabinet. I need to get back out there. I’m right after Carlson.”

Wilson tried to go but Ellen held his hand, which stopped him. “Does Obi know where they are?”

“Ellen, I need to-”

Ellen stood in front of him this time, which sent the message across. “Does Obi know where the shirts are?”

“Yeah, he’s the one who puts them there for me. He’s already gone to get a change.”

“Good.” Ellen took a handkerchief out of her bra and began to clean Wilson’s face. “You were really deep in the spirit there, Bishop.”

“Yeah, I went to a whole other zone. Your ministry tends to have that effect on me.”

“Oh, so you married me just to keep all my anointing for yourself, eh?”

Wilson shook his head. “I should’ve known better than to walk into that trap. It was right in front of me too.” They both chuckled.

Ellen held his face in her palms. “Kusi looked unusually smug, even for him.”

“Yeah, he tried to say hello to me like we were best buddies. Talking about no hard feelings on his end.”

She took his hands and put them on her waist. “Do you think he has something planned?”

He looked her in the eye. “Do you?” 

Ellen took his right hand, placed it on her belly and looked straight at him. He stared as she kept his hand right there, and then it finally clicked. “Hell of a place you chose to deliver this news, woman. I can’t even express my full excitement!”

“Good. I need you to hold onto that all night. I’ll leave before you because I have to go pick something up for Erica, but the second I come home, we can celebrate.”

“Oh, we’ll celebrate alright. Better believe it, woman.”

Ellen hugged him tightly. “There’s the man I know. The other guy was beginning to scare me for real.” She pulled back and looked him in the eye again. “No matter what’s coming, its us against the world, baby. Us versus everyone.”

Wilson looked at her, staring deep into her eyes. “Us against the world.”

“We’re backstage and my father’s right there, so I can’t kiss you even though I really wish I could. But I promise-”

Wilson’s lips engulfing hers took away the words and just about every bit of consciousness she had in her. It was short but it felt long and deep. Once he pulled back and looked at her, she didn’t even remember what she was going to say. “I’ll be damned if I can’t kiss the First Lady in our own church. I love you, baby.”

Ellen’s dreamy look stayed on her face as she kept her eyes closed. “I love you too, baby.”

He kissed her again, and then they walked back into the service, holding hands.

Well well well!!! Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of what’s going on in Honest City Church. It’s obvious there’s a lot of church politics in there, and we’ll soon see how all that will unfold. Prepare yourself for the first season, people!!