“Not only am I hearing it, but I thought about it before I said it. I’m sorry, Sonya. I know how you feel about this; I was there when you told Rena she had to stay after she had proof of her husband’s infidelity. But if that’s what one has to do as a First Lady, then I’m not cut out for the job.”

“You’re more than cut out for this, Ginger,” she said. It was the first time that she’d spoke to me with such sternness. “You helped build this church.” Her arm swooped through the air like she was Vanna White. “Even Reverend Williams gives you accolades whenever he speaks. He always says that New Kingdom Temple wouldn’t have happened without you.”

“And he’s right.” I nodded. “We built this church together.”

“So then explain to me why you would want to leave all that you’ve built because some woman, and I’m using that term loosely, on the side got pregnant?”

I didn’t really need to answer Sonya. Because if she had just repeated the question, she would have had her answer. I said, “You know, Sonya, I really don’t feel comfortable talking about my personal business with you.” I paused, looking at both of them. “But how you start is how you finish in life and since this all started with what you told me, I have to finish it because this is the last conversation I will have about my husband and my business with you.” I paused long enough for the two of them to glance at each other again.

I continued, “I don’t know yet what I’m going to do because I haven’t yet found out everything that I need to know, but it would be hard for me to see a way where I would stay with Jeremy if I found out that he fathered a child outside of our marriage. And not only because that would be blatantly disrespectful to me, but to our children as well. And what would I say to my daughter one day? How would I tell her that I want her to be with a man who respects her if I stayed with a man who didn’t respect me?”

“Jeremy hopping into bed with a woman has nothing to do with respect. Trust me. But what we’re saying is that it just doesn’t make any sense that you would risk all that you’ve built....”

“I didn’t risk anything.” I pressed my hand against my chest. “I never stepped out on my husband. Never have, never would. I took those vows seriously.”

“I’m talking about you just walking away from all of this. If you were to leave, it would cause quite a scandal in the DMV.”