Baring it All (part 33) Just a man I pulled the covers off of my head and crawled out of bed. Whoever was at my door has lost their fucking mind and won't stop knocking. I snatched the door open and screamed "WHAT?!" Granny stood there and stared at me. "I'm sorry Granny, I didn't know it was you." I said and let her in. I walked back into my bedroom and slumped under the covers. Granny followed me. She sat down on the edge of my bed. "What's wrong Marissa?" she asked "Nothing, I'm just tired." I lied. Granny patted her lap and I laid my head in it. She slowly and gently stroked my hair. She was real quiet for several minutes humming to herself. I felt comforted and serene the way I did when Granny held me as a little girl. Whenever Momma would send me to stay with Granny while she "entertained" we'd stay up late playing Crazy Eights and then I'd fall asleep in Granny's lap. Right now I wanted so much to be that little girl again. "You love him don't you Baby." she said. "Who?" I asked "The Reverend". I looked at Granny surprised. "No, of course not. I hardly know him. He just buried his wife." I protested. Granny laughed quietly. "Marissa Anne Rogers. I may be old, but I'm not stupid. I've seen the way you 2 look at each other. I know when my baby is in love." she said I didn't know what to say. It was never easy lying to Granny she could always see right through me, so I didn't even bother trying. I just lay in her lap not speaking. "Now, I don't approve of the things I believe went on between you two before Sister Lisa died Marissa. But I know that you love him and I believe he loves you. That's all that's important right now. So tell me why are you lying here feeling all sorry for yourself?" she said "He was arrested today, Granny. They say he killed her." I said fighting back tears Granny held my face up by my chin and look into my eyes. "Do you believe that baby? Do you believe the man you love is a killer?" she asked "Granny, I don't know. He lied about seeing her that night, and he's lied about...other things." "You mean about him and Sister Lisa not really being married?" I sat up in the bed and looked at Granny in shock. "How did you know that?" I asked "Do you think we'd hire a minister without checking him out thoroughly girl?" "But Granny if you knew... I don't understand." "I was in charge of checking out the Reverend for the board. I never agreed with them turning him down for not being married in the first place. What does having a wife have to do with preaching the gospel anyway? Nothing,that's what. So I didn't tell anybody what I'd found out. I didn't see the harm in his charade, and of course none of us knew what Sister Lisa was doing for a living. Rev. Leonard is a good man and he's good for our church. He's just what we need; some young blood to pump some life back into that church and rebuild our community." She took my hands into hers. "Now baby you know me. I don't judge how other folks live there lives. I wish the Reverend had not lied but he's a man, flesh and blood. He will make mistakes just like any other man. Now if you love him you need to get up out of this bed and go down to that jail and tell him. He's gonna need a strong woman to lean on right now Marissa." I hugged Granny tightly. "I love you! Thank you. Will you come with me to visit him?" I said "Of course Baby. Get up and get dressed." she said I ran into the bathroom to take a quick shower.