My heart pounded in rhythm to the thumping in my head. Could this woman be telling the truth? No way. There was no possible way. But Natchez was only three hours away. Was that where Reverend Robinson went just about every Saturday when he said he was in Mississippi preaching at a youth center? My brain was exploding.

"Look, you don’t have to believe me, but I got all kinds of proof. I got our marriage license, I got the deed to our house, which I was smart enough to make Ovide put my name on it, too, and," she pointed toward her car, "I have four little babies, who if we have to take a DNA test, will prove that I ain’t lying."

"Oh, my God," Jeremy whispered my sentiments.

"Look, I ain’t trying to start no trouble, but I told Ovide that I was getting tired of him coming home just once a week and I promised him I was going to move here ‘cause these kids need their daddy. And my mama told me to come on up here and get what’s mine.” Looking at the Robinson’s home again, she said, “And I’m glad I did ‘cause even though he got me a nice car and a nice house, he been holding out on me."

“I just don’t understand,” I said.

Jeremy added, “Neither do I. You knew Reverend Robinson was married?”

"Yeah, I knew, but what’s that got to do with me? He said he loved me more than he loved his first wife and he explained how man was not meant to be monogamous. He showed me all the places in the Bible with all of those men like David and Solomon. I told Ovide I didn’t want to be one of fifty, but I didn’t mind being one of two and long as he took care of me and mine. The problem is now, I can’t find him."

"You don’t know where he is?" I asked.

Shaniqua looked at me and then, she slowed down her cadence as she said, "I. Told. You. I. Can’t. Find. Him."

If I hadn’t been so upset, I would have gone for her. But all I did was stand there and try to make sense of this nonsense.

She said, “So, can y’all help me? I need to know ‘cause the money in the bank is gonna run out soon and somebody’s gonna have to feed these kids. Ovide needs to answer my calls.”

Jeremy and I glanced at each other before he said, “We can’t help you. I’m sorry, but we don’t know where the Robinsons are either.”

She hunched her shoulders and we turned away from her. Then, she said, “Guess I’ll just show up to the church on Sunday and tell the congregation what’s been going on.”

The way Jeremy and I spun back around, it was like our movement had been choreographed. “Uh,” Jeremy stuttered before he pulled a card from his pocket. “Here, call this number and ask to speak to Reverend Lewis. Maybe he can help you. But do me two favors.”