Between a rock and a hard place

Short Story

Between a rock and a hard place

By Lawrence Kadzitche

Staring out of the window, Jessica’s eyes were fixed on the lean, tall handsome man approaching her house. Her heart beating wildly, she went to open the door for him.

“Welcome, pastor,” she said trying to control the tremor in her voice. “Come in.”

The pastor got into the house and sat down. She closed the door and took a seat facing him.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t find any elder to accompany me at short notice so I just had to come alone,” the pastor apologised.

She lowered her head so that she could look up him in a way that was sexy. To herself Jessica said- I knew there would be no one to accompany you, pastor. Today I wanted you here all by yourself. But to the pastor, she said, “I believe the Lord sent you here alone for a purpose, Pastor John.”

The remark made the man of the cloth glance at her sharply. “You’re one of the strongest leaders of our church,” he told “Naturally, I’d to give your call priority, sister.”

Jessica rolled her eyes. “Maybe. Do you believe in letting the will of the Lord to be done, pastor?”

Again, the question made pastor John look at her. “Of course, Sister Jessica. Doesn’t the Lord’s prayer say ‘let thy will be done on earth as in heaven?’?”

“Let me get you a drink, pastor” she said suddenly, getting to her feet. As she walked away, he noted something he hadn’t noticed before. The dress she wore clung to her body, carving every curve of her body. She swung her ample behind as she walked. The pastor shifted uncomfortably in his chair and averted his eyes.

Jessica came back with two glasses of juice. She deposited the glasses on the coffee stool which stood before them then sat down, her skirt showed her thighs as she sat. He allowed his eyes to see them before covering them.

She noted with satisfaction that the pastor seemed uncomfortable. That was what she wanted. She knew John was a powerful pastor who was not easy to seduce. But pastor or not, he was a man. And all men have weaknesses as far as women are concerned. Wasn’t Samson, the strongest of all the Judges, defeated by a woman? She would seduce John.

“Sister, you asked me if I believe in letting the will of the Lord be done, why did you ask?”

She smiled sensually. “I just wanted to be sure because that’s exactly what is going to happen today.”

The pastor bit his lower lip. “I don’t understand…”

“John, look at me. How do I look?”

“I don’t understand…”

“I mean how do you find me? Am I beautiful?”

The pastor frowned. “Sister, you called me…”

“You’re a beautiful young woman,” he said earnestly. “You should be able to find a good man to marry you.”

Jessica got up and eased herself on the arm of his chair. “But the man I want is you, John.”

“Sister, you said you had a problem you wanted me to help you solve,” the pastor said ignoring Jessica’s statement.

“The problem I want you to help me solve is this; I’ve always loved you. Wanted you.”

“Well, thanks. Unfortunately, I am already married, you know,” the pastor reminded her. “Our church does not allow polygamy.”

She put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m not talking about marriage. A secret love affair.”

“But the church…”

“Who’s going to tell? Since I won’t tell then nobody will ever know.”

The pastor took a deep breath. “That’s not the point. It’s morally wrong and a sin before God to have extra marital affairs.”

“There are a lot of wrong things people do in the church, John. This wouldn’t be anything out of ordinary.”

“Sister, if we can avoid sin, why should we do it?”

Jessica giggled. “How can loving each other be a sin?”

The pastor stood up. “I am leaving. I’ll forget that this discussion ever took place.”

The young woman rose and stood before him so that their bodies were almost touching. There was a dangerous look in her eyes that frightened.

“I’m not through with you, John,” she hissed. “You’re leaving this house only when I say so. Now sit down!”

John involuntarily sank back into the chair. “Sister Jessica…”

She raised her hand. “Cut the sister crap, John. Call me, Jessica.”

“But sister…”

“I said call me Jessica,” she repeated violently.

“Jessica, what’s this all about?”

“You’ve forced me to resort to measures I hoped I would not make,” she shouted. “Now things will have to go my way.”

“John, our love affair starts today,” Jessica said. “You’ll make love to me before you leave.”

Pastor John shook his head. “You know I can’t do that.”

“If you don’t, I’ll shout that you wanted to rape me,” she said with finality.

“You wouldn’t do that,” pastor John.

Jessica flashed him a smile. “I wouldn’t? John, I love you so much that I would do anything-anything to get you.”

With a sickening feeling, John realised she was telling the truth. If she did, it not only meant loosing the priesthood but also going to jail for a long time.

“Jessica, give…give me time to…err…”

Her answer was to tear her dress. “Too late,” she said throwing away the torn dress. “I shout and you’ll be going to prison.”

Although Pastor John knew there was no going back, he still tried to make one last effort. “Jessica…”

The words died in his throat as she scratched herself on the arms and body. “These scratches were made as we struggled when you tried to rape me.”

The pastor stared at her in utter disbelief. Like a doomed person, she saw her remove her underwear and tear it.

“In court it will look like I barely escaped being raped,” she said as she knelt before him so that their lips were almost touching. “Courts hand harsh sentences to rapists and prisoners hate rapists. You wouldn’t survive the ordeal.”

John stared at her like a condemned man. His hand involuntarily went around her.

She pouted and stuck out her tongue. “But you can avoid all that by making love to me, sugar,” she purred. “It’s your call.”

The End