“Now I understand. I thought you were just a pimp,” I joked.
After our third round of drinks, we began feeling the effects. Wesley spoke casually to a female customer to his right. He was even more irresistible when he’s being silly. She laughed most of the night, at anything he said. I didn’t find any of what he was saying funny. She wasfeeling her drinks, too. I didn’t catch everything this lady said, only knew her name was Nadine. I thought she was very attractive until I noticed the white-gold diamond ring proudly displayed on her left hand. I was immediately unimpressed. I waved my left hand in Wesley’s direction, bringing his attention to my ring finger, and then nodded in Nadine’s direction.
“Does your husband know you’re here?” Wesley asked, sounding disturbed.
She opened her clutch purse, pulled out a carton of cigarette, and, as if to say “to hell with you,” she placed a single cigarette in her mouth and, without another word, grabbed her glass and walked away.
Wes swiveled around in his chair.
“Thank you for the conversation,” he yelled with a smile, and turned his attention back to me. “See what I mean. Poor man is probably home playing babysitter, thinking his wife was out hanging with her girlfriends, not knowing she’s out trying to find her next sexual fix.”
“Well, I hope that cigarette and Bacardi gives her the pleasure she was seeking from you,” I joked.
“She was just entertainment for the moment. It wouldn’t have gotten farther than those glass doors.Can you close out our tab, please?” Wesley handed Collin his credit card.
Ace of Spades had gotten a little more crowded. The two-for-one special that brought more people in was over, but people were still drinking.
“I expect to see you bright and early tomorrow,” Wesley joked.
“I would hate to disappoint you, my friend.” I hadn’t felt this relaxed, this good, in a while.
In the parking lot we saw Sidney and a male companion.
“Trevor. How are you?” she greeted.
“I’m fine. How have you been?” I asked, giving her a hug as if I had known her all my life.
“No complaints.This is my fiancée, Jamel,” she introduced, pointing to the man standing next to her.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, and introduced Wesley. “We’re getting ready to head out of here. You guys enjoy your evening.”
“Pleasure to meet you Sidney…Jamel…,” Wesley acknowledged and headed towards the car.
“Likewise,” they responded in unison.
I stood and chatted with Sidney for a few moments longer before joining Wesley, who was waiting patiently at the car. When he got his chance, Wesley asked the question he had been burning to ask.
“Is that the Sidney you met here the other night?” he asked when he was certain he couldn’t be heard.
“Yes, that was Sidney.”
“Beautiful,” he complimented.
When I got home, all I wanted to do was sleep. The one missed call and message I received was from my father. I promised to return his call tomorrow. He probably just wanted to hear how my dinner with the Millingtons went, I thought.
Messages Deleted.
There was still no word from Kelvin or Jackson.After a long hot shower and less than a half hour of watching a re-run episode of the ‘The Jefferson’s’, I fell asleep and slept like a baby.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
DON’T YOU WORRY, YOU JUST SLEEP MY LOVE
Dexter
When I reached home from the hospital, the mood to eat was gone. Eleanor was up waiting. Deidre and Marcel Sr. were asleep in one of the upstairs bedrooms. My niece, Briana, was asleep in her grandparent’s room, next to her grandfather, except this time he wasn’t there. J.R. had fallen asleep on the couch, his head resting in his grandmother’s lap.
Eleanor had her hands wrapped around a cup of steaming hot coffee, gripping it tight enough, as if at any moment, it might fall. After taking a sip, she gently tapped the empty seat next to her and summoned me to join her and my favorite nephew on the couch. She had a large cup of hot chocolate waiting when I sat down. I was a little tired, but I couldn’t pass up tea and conversation with Eleanor. I sat, took a sip of the hot chocolate, and reached for one of the chocolate chip cookies the ladies had made earlier. The first bite was delicious. They were still warm and soft, as if they had just been removed from the oven.
“Hey, how are you holding up?”
“Oh, I’m fine. I’m more concerned with how you’re doing,” Eleanor said, her eyes still fixed on the cup in her hand.
“I don’t know. I mean, I’m talking to him and he was just lying there. Every now and then his eyes twitched, but that’s pretty much all the movement I saw in him,” I explained.
“I’m sure he heard you.”
“I just wished we weren’t so stubborn.”
“There’s no denying you are both set in your own ways. You know your father. It’s not that he doesn’t understand. There are things you and your father should have dealt with a long time ago, but for whatever reasons, you’ve allowed it to fester. You’re his son, and well, you know.”
“Listen, I told Rian and Lena I would meet them for breakfast tomorrow, and give you some time with dad.”
I got up and kissed her on her forehead.
“I love you.”
“I love you too, baby.”
“I’ll put J.R. to bed. Let’s go, man,” I said, tapping J.R. several times on his back.
When he didn’t respond, I lifted him and carried him to the bedroom. When I returned to clear the coffee mug, teacup, and tray of chocolate chip cookies, I stopped to listen to Eleanor’s prayer.
She was on her knees with her hands clasped beneath her chin and her elbows resting on the couch.
“Heavenly Father,” she began. “My Comforter, my Provider. You know exactly what you’re doing so I dare not question your actions. I just want to say thank you for bringing my family together, safely. Thank you for bringing my sweet Marvin into my life and letting me borrow him for as long as you have. Whatever he has done, I ask that you forgive him, and when he meets you, have mercy on his soul. Thank you for protecting my dear Dexter, and my precious grandson, J.R. You know I couldn’t go on without my children. They are everything to me. Thank you for guiding and protecting my family. I pray to you, my Father, my Savior. Amen.”
If there was some unspoken law about intentionally overhearing someone’s personal conversation with their God, I had just broken it. Her prayer brought tears to my eyes. Eleanor got up from her knees, grabbed the blanket that covered J.R. while he slept, folded it neatly, and then headed upstairs to bed. I quietly placed the dishes in the dishwasher then went to my room to sleep.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Sunrise rarely found Eleanor DeGregory in bed. It didn’t matter what time she went to sleep, she was usually the first one to wake. When I entered the kitchen, Deidre was standing over the stove pouring small puddles of pancake batter onto the skillet. Eleanor, who made the best scrambled eggs, was whipping eggs in a bowl. In another bowl, she had separated egg whites for J.R. Marcel Sr. hadn’t made it downstairs yet.
“Good morning, mother, sis,” I greeted, wrapping Eleanor around her waist and kissing her cheek.
“Good morning, Dex,” they answered in unison. Eleanor lightly slapped my face.
“Morning, Uncle Dexter,” Briana yelled. She was in the breakfast nook setting the table.
“Good morning, Sunshine. Hey, where’s your brother? Does that boy ever sleep in?”
“He’s outside with that basketball again,” Briana responded, still concentrating on the self-given task.
J.R. was in the driveway practicing his dribbling and his crossover. Sometimes it was hard to tear him away from the basketball. At least while he played, his mind was on something other than his grandfather.
“Uh, mom, who are you making so much breakfast for? I told you last night I was meeting Rian and Lena.”
“No, you’re not,” Eleanor ordered.
“What do you mean?”
“I called Rian. They should be here shortly.”
“What did you do that for? If we are all here, who’s with dad?”
“That’s why they have nurses, Dexter.”
“Don’t you think one of us should be with him?”
Dane walked into the kitchen and headed towards the refrigerator.
“Dexter, dad’s going to be ok. Honestly, I don’t think he wants all the attention we’ve been giving him,” he said, removing a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice from the refrigerator.
“Uncle Dexter, grandpa likes his privacy. He’s going to be alright. I prayed for him last night.”
Briana grabbed the pitcher of orange juice from her Uncle Dane and headed back to the table. A few minutes later, Rian and Lena arrived. J.R. followed behind them holding the basketball on his hip.
“Boy, you have been in that driveway all morning.”
“I’m just perfecting my skills, Uncle Dex. Now I can take on Uncle Patrick, beat him even, with one hand tied behind my back,” J.R. bragged. “He doesn’t have to lose on purpose.”
“That is so true.” Not wanting J.R. to see that I was bothered, I responded as politely as I could. That was the last name I wanted to hear.
“Do you think we can call him when I get home?”
“I’m sure he would love to hear from you.”
I was very protective of my nephew, and was careful who I allowed to meet him. J.R. was like my son. He didn’t have the easiest entry into the world. Born three months premature, he spent the first few months of his little life with tubes coming from his nose, attached to machines monitoring everything from his heart rate to his body temperature. His birth was very difficult for Deidre who, two years earlier, had given birth to Briana, who she carried full term with no complications.
I fell in love with J.R. when I first saw him. Visiting her baby at the hospital was very emotional for Deidre, heartbroken every time she had to leave him there. Often she visited J.R. alone, since her husband spent most of that time on business trips. I made sure Deidre had the support she needed, and whenever she called, I was right there.
As I watched J.R. grow, I saw so much of myself in him. I thought about some of the things I had to go through, especially with my father, and promised to provide love and understanding to my favorite nephewmy only nephew, but still my favorite. If at anytime no one understood J.R., I vowed I would.
“It’s time for breakfast, son,” Eleanor interrupted. “You can talk to your uncle about that later. Go and get cleaned up, and tell your father breakfast is ready.”
“Dad, we’re ready to eat,” J.R. yelled from the bottom of the stairs then dashed to his room.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
There was an unusual silence at the breakfast table. Unlike other visits, Marvin wasn’t sitting at the head of the table, sharing jokes he had heard on the golf course, passing them off as his own. Even when he did make them up, they usually weren’t very funny. Also missing were the tense moments my father and I often shared, even though I wasn’t the only one at the table.
Last Christmas after the announcement of Rian’s engagement to Lena, Marvin jumped at the opportunity to dish out his usual jabs. Of course, they were directed at me. He acknowledged that all his children were either dating, married, or engaged, and wanted to know what I was waiting for. It didn’t matter that Patrick had been a constant in my life for the last couple years,our relationship wasn’t acceptable in Marvin’s book. I often wondered if, between golf swings, Marvin bragged about me as much as he bragged about my brothers and sister, or did he drag my name through the mud every chance he go, as he always does. I never thought I was a disgrace to my father, but every now and then, my father’s actions made me think otherwise.
I had spent most of my life living as my father wanted. I wanted so much to matter. I became a lawyer as my father wanted. It was my dream, too, but my academic success was largely to please Marvin DeGregory. Law School was very demanding, and I gave up so much while studying for the Bar. Yes, it was all worth it. My dedication was more about making my father proud than anything else. It seemed none of my accomplishments overshadowed the fact that, in myfather’s eyes, Inever became the man he hoped. The gleam I saw in my father’s eyes when he talked about Rian, Dane, or Deidre, seemed to disappear when my name was spoken. I had so much I still needed to say to Marvin. How dare you leave him now?I thought. This was so much like the Marvin I had come to know so well. He knew exactly how to avoid situations.
It was as if time stood while I had escaped in my thoughts. J.R. was still trying to convince his father to buy him the newest pair of Michael Jordon basketball sneakers. Jordan was no longer anNBA player, but everyone was still trying to be like Mike. Eleanor was still laying out reasons why Rian and Lena’s wedding should be in Florida, although most of the family lived further north. They did agreethat a wedding in Florida, at a country club, with the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop was very hard for them to pass up. Nonetheless, they were going to have the wedding they wanted, and where they wanted. Deidre and Briana had a brief discussion about cutting her hair before returning to school, but that was a moot point. Deidre wasn’t having it.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
The last letter I received at my parent’s house were those from the many universities I was interested in attending. I was surprised when Briana walked into the living room and handed me a letter with a return address but no name. I didn’t recognize the address on the front of the envelope. I ripped open the envelope, curious to see what was inside. ‘A Celebration of Love’ was written in calligraphy across the seal. The invitation, protected by pearly white tissue paper read, “A celebration of a new love. Come share in the renewed love of Mrs. Belinda Todson-Nealon and DaMarcusNealon.” Before I could finish reading the invitation, I was on the phone, waiting for Belinda to pick up.
“So, you and DaMarcus decided to work things out after all?” I asked, almost sarcastically.
“Hey sweetheart, how are you doing?”
“I’m fine. I just got the invitation. Where is the husband now?”
“He went to visit his parents for the weekend. How’s your father coming along?”
“He hasn’t made much progress. He’s hooked up all sorts of machines, and has tubes running from one body part to another. It’s hard to see him in that condition, but that’s the condition he’s in.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure he’ll pull through.”
“I’m starting to have some doubts about that, B. All we can do is wait, and I am tired of waiting.”
“A little impatient, are we?” Belinda asked with a hint of smile in her voice.
“Oh, I’m beyond impatient.”
“I’ll keep him in my prayers, honey.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Listen, considering everything that’s happening with your dad, you know I’ll understand if you can’t make the reception.”
“I know. Every time I talk to him, I feel like I’m on borrowed time. It bothers me that we’ve been so withdrawn from each other; he and his stubborn ways, me and mine. I’ll have to make this one up to you. Deidre and I will go shopping for gifts tomorrow.”
“You’re such a sweetheart.”
“I love you, too.”
“Listen, let me call you back. My mother and I are at a fitting with Shayna. You should see these dresses.”
“I know they’re a knockout.”
“To say the least. You’ll have to see the pictures.”
“I can’t wait. Ok, beautiful. Give my love to the family. Enjoy your day. Love you lots.”
“Love you more,” Belinda said before quickly hanging up.
Love truly is a beautiful thing. To find it once is amazing; to find it twice, with the same person, is incredible. I was extremely happy for Belinda and DaMarcus. If nothing else made my day
, this announcement did. I imagined Belinda and DaMarcus fifty years down the road, surrounded by their children and grandchildren, celebrating some golden anniversary, with everyone wondering how they managed to stay committed all these years. As much as she hated to admit it, Belinda was too in love with DaMarcus to let him go.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ASK YOURSELF IF HE’S REALLY WORTH IT
Belinda
I stood in the upstairs window of my old bedroom in my parents’ home, looking at the beautifully manicured lawn which was now covered by lawn chairs, family members and close friends. The gazebo was decorated with white roses. Placards the shape of wedding cakes sat in silver-plated cardholders, displaying the names of each of the fifty expected guests. The centerpieces were simple: a printed bud vase. It read, “Love will never do without you. Belinda and DaMarcus”.
The day was beautiful. August was coming to an end, and although the day was hot, it had cooled to a comfortable seventy-five degrees. The threat of rain had held off. The clouds that were once dark were now white, and resembled vanilla flavored cotton candy. All seemed perfect, yet something was missing.
Shayna and her Fiancé, Elliot De Luca, a tall Italian she met while on vacation two years ago, were expecting their first child. Ingrid and her husband of five years, Mario Roloson, sat at a table in the front row. Julie and her son, Nikalaus, were seated next to my brother, Christian, whose girlfriend chose to attend her family reunion, which was fine, since she hadn’t been introduced to the family. I was happy to see my friends with the people who added more meaning to their lives.
I was sitting at the edge of the bed reading a card that was attached to her gift from Dexter that was delivered earlier. My Dear Belinda: I thought how beautiful you looked on your wedding day and I can only imagine how beautiful you look today. As you renew your vows to DaMarcus, remember to trust love. Remember to believe that true love will never hurt you. I may not be there in person, but I am always with you in spirit and in heart. Love you always, Dex.