But while Jeremy had walked into his calling, I had to admit that in many ways this felt like my calling, too. Because while I’d given up my career, what I’d been given was the marriage that I’d always prayed for. I’d asked God to make Jeremy’s heart just like my dad’s and He had answered that prayer.

Never once had Jeremy stepped out on me. I knew that for sure not only because I knew my husband’s character (and I’d set up systems where my husband never spoke to a woman alone in his office), but with the way the world was set up these days — someone would have definitely made sure that I found out about any indiscretion.

"Well, since you’ve brought this up,” Jeremy said, "my wife and I are very excited about this deal. We’ll have a show on BET and at the same time, we’ll be developing faith-based films for Netflix."

"That is awesome," Angela gushed. To me, she said, "You’re one lucky little lady."

That was it. I’d had enough. The producers would just have to edit out what I was about to say — if they wanted to. I really didn’t care if my putting this woman in her place aired on national TV in high-def.

But before I could say a word, Jeremy gently grasped my forearm. "Mrs. Wiley."

"Oh, it’s Angela, and it’s Ms. Definitely Ms."

"Well, Ms. Wiley. Please don't ever get it twisted. I’m the blessed one. Everything we have at New Kingdom Temple is because my wife has been right by my side making it happen. What we built here, you need to understand and get it right — we built this all TOGETHER."

I settled back and settled down. He’d put Angela in her place in a way that I would have never been able to do. The same way he did to any woman who came his way. Just like my dad.

With the tips of my fingers, I turned Jeremy’s chin toward me and then, I kissed my husband, on national TV.

And when he kissed me back, all I heard was Angela’s voice saying, “Cut! Cut! Cut!”

I smiled in satisfaction. My point had been made.

Chapter 8

This was something I would never get used to.

I leaned back in the chair and my eyes did a slow stroll around the table of the fifteen women gathered. After four years, I still didn’t fit in with the First Ladies Council.

This had been my struggle once I finally accepted First Lady Sonya Douglas’ invite after she’d been calling me, semi-annually, for more than five years.

“You and Reverend Williams are doing great things,” First Lady Sonya said when she called me the first time and the second time and the third time. “You must join the First Ladies Council so New Kingdom Temple is represented in the DMV.”

That had been First Lady Sonya, the matriarch of the group’s pitch. But in our early years in D.C., my focus was on building our church, and three years after we started that, building our family. There was no room in my life for anything else — not the First Ladies Council, my sorority or even the Links who had also reached out to me.