June 15, 2017
One week after taking the pregnancy test and on the same day of Haze return, Theenda sat in the examination room twiddling her thumbs. The test was positive, so she found a doctor that combined faith, healing, spirituality, and medicine. She felt that a doctor of this sort would help her through the abusive life she suffered and overcome the fright of becoming a mother. Theenda believed that after an abortion, her system was not strong enough to carry a child. She had promised Donovan if she ever became with child, she would carry it to term. When she made that promise Theenda had no idea that she could get pregnant. And then she thought, maybe it's not a baby, maybe a cyst or fibroid tumor, she had a friend in New York that had a tumor, the doctors cut it out. Even so, there she sat anxious about questions, if she was pregnant what type of mother would she make? Will she abuse the child? “My sister does,” Theenda said out-loud.
The Doctor entering the room heard Theenda, she asked, “your sister does what?”
“Abuse her children. Will I? Am I pregnant?”
“You are nine weeks, and no you will not abuse this child.”
“We were abused by our mother and neglected by dad.”
“That's not you Mrs. Bright. Society says, all abused kids will grow to become abusers, that is a fabricated lie. Mrs. Bright, you will look on your child's tender young face, into those innocent eyes and see unconditional love. You see Mrs. Bright, the difference between a counselor and God is the doctor knows only what the patient tells him, God knows everything we suffer. Talk to Him, review with Him all-things, and God will fill in the blanks without your knowledge because maybe, what you forgot will be too much for you to bare. On the day you feel like getting a baseball bat and thrashing your child with it, most parents have those days.”
Theenda laughed.
The Doctor said, “walk away and call on Jesus, He will calm you down.”
Theenda left the doctor’s office with renewed sacred strength. She called Donovan and told him she had good news but did not want to share it over the phone. She asked him to meet her for lunch.
Donovan was in the teachers’ lounge taking a rest between classes When Theenda called. “Baby Girl, I'm tired.”
“I'll see you at 12 o'clock at our favorite bistro. Love ya.” She hung up thinking, it’s too late for him to cancel the escape which is on the seventeenth, and I am carrying two little humans. Theenda was giddy with joy, she called Donovan’s mother, after telling Sara, Theenda said, “don’t tell Don, I’m springing it on him at lunch today.
Sara asked, “when did you find out?”
Theenda answered, “I took a pregnancy test last week, it was positive. Today at the doctor’s office, she confirmed.”
Theenda and Sara were overjoyed. Theenda said, “mom, I’m carrying twin boys.”
Sara asked, “why wait to tell Don?”
“He would have cancel the escape, but now it’s too late. We rescue the slave and leave out in two days.”
Sara was shaken and overcome with fright, but all she said was, “I’m calling James soon as we hang up.”
After purchasing a pregnancy test, two female employees asked Theenda to return the following day to let them know the result, Theenda returned as she promised. When the conversation ended with Sara, Theenda was returning to the drugstore to tell the two women that she was carrying, twin boys.
At the end of the school day, Donovan went to the junkyard to meet Haze, who was returning home. The attendant at the junkyard allowed Donovan to hide two school buses in the back of the yard. Donovan anxiously waited, he checked his watch about a hundred times and paced.
Haze had purchased a small used car to drive from the trailer park back to Ogville, over three thousand miles. Donovan heard a vehicle approaching, he ran in the direction of what he was hearing and saw Haze speeding in the driveway of the junkyard. When Haze spotted Donovan, he put the car in park and jumped out, both men ran towards each other. Haze was the first to speak, “man it's good to see you.” He grabbed Donovan, they hugged.
Donovan pushed back from Haze and said, “it's been too long,” He looked in Haze eyes and said, “you look good, rested. How’d you get along these few months?”
“It's lonely out there, no friends, no woman, nothing. Man, I got to get’ married.”
Donovan smiled, “You are.”
“A new wife Don-man. Look at my face, no cuts, no bruises, my back, watch this.” Haze jumped up and down and spun around. “No pain man.”
“I get your drift. I have good and bad news.” Donovan said.
“What’s the good news.”
Donovan said, “Thee and I are having twin boys.”
“Shut-up, you going to be a daddy.”
The two laughed for a moment.
Haze said, “congrats man.”
Donovan said, as though it was an afterthought, “Haze you can't go home, Tess didn’t sign the papers.”
“Why?!”
Donovan answered, “the police are watching your house.”
“No Don-man, why didn’t she sign the papers.” Haze said irritated.
“She says you want her back, Tess and Thee, are at Timpkins waiting to hear from you.”
“Where am I staying?”
“At Mrs. Paddleton’s.”[RL102]
“Who?”
“Call Tess so we can go,” Donovan said.
Haze called Tess, anger was in his voice when he said, “Tess.”[RL103]
“Hello, how are you?” Tess said sweetly.
Donovan put his hand over the phone and said, “hang up.”
“She needs to sign the divorce papers.” Haze said as he hung up.
“I am taking you to Mrs. Paddleton, I will tell Tess to go there this evening.”
“Who’s Paddleton?”
“I'll explain on the way.” He looked at Haze car and said, you're leaving this car here.”
“I paid cash for it.”
“Really Haze. You paid, what? Two maybe three dollars?”
Haze laughing said, “in the day I would not be caught in that thing. But marry a woman like Tess, the police is out to kill you, yeah, that will drive a person humble quick. I had no time to think about it. So, yeah, I bought a 1978 Ford Pinto Coupe. It made it here man.”
Donovan said laughing, “we're leaving it here, let’s go.”
Haze handed the keys to the junkyard man, before he got in Donovan's car, he looked back at his car and said, “I took Pinto to the shop and they fixed her up, most of the parts were none existent so they made the parts, if anyone buys that car, they will become a believer in Christ.”
Both men got in Donovan’s car, sitting behind the wheel Donovan asked, “what’d you mean? “I prayed with the turning of the tires, Jesus please help me get home, thank you, Jesus, for helping me get home, Jesus please help me...”
Donovan laughing said, “I get it.” He looked at Haze and said, “so, He got you here safe.”
As Donovan pulled off, he called Theenda. “Baby Girl, I need for you and Tess to go shopping for Juneteenth celebration. I will text you when I get Haze to Mrs. Paddleton what I need.”
“Gotcha Sweetie.” She hung up.[RL104]
Tess asked, “who was that?”
Theenda grabbed her purse and said, “Donovan want us to go shopping for the Juneteenth Celebration.”[RL105]
She looked at KayKay and said, “we’ll be back.”
KayKay said, “dinner will be ready.”
Theenda looked at Tess and said, let’s go.” She quickly walked out the door, with Tess close behind.
Tess went to her car, Theenda said, “we're taking mine.” She opened the door and tossed her purse in, then got down on her hands and knees and crawled around the car looking underneath and under the chrome. Tess watched Theenda with a strong disinclination, then said, “Thee get off your knees, we're taking my car.”
Theenda got up, brushed herself off and said, “get in.”
“How about I driv
e,” Tess suggested.
“Will you get in the car,” Theenda yelled in a low rhythmic whisper.
Tess got in Theenda's car, but said, “something is wrong with you woman.”
Theenda put a CD in, she cut the sound all the way up before yelling softly, “your car is bugged.”
“Who told you?”
“Felix, the black officer told Donovan, who told me to tell you. Donovan had me to check and see if the police are watching our house. I saw one.”
“I am so glad you were sitting there when Haze called, or I would have gotten diarrhea of the mouth and spilled everything.”
“Me too,” Theenda said,
Tess asked, “we through talking about this.”
“Yep.”
Tess cut the radio down when Theenda pulled off, Tess said, “girl cut this music down are you deaf?”
“You crazy.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the mall in Titleburk, girl, they are having a sell like none other. You know those tweed suits that Donovan wears, they are expensive but half off at the mall, I need maternity clothes, and I am picking up a few items for the Juneteenth Celebration.”
Tess's mouth gaped open wide, her face froze in a surprised look, as she asked, “you're having a baby, or are you joking around?”
“Yes, I’m having two,” Theenda joyously squeaked.
“When did you find out? Have you told Donovan? What did he say?”
“Hold on girl, I will answer all questions one at a time.”
The two women drove off laughing.
Donovan and Haze were on their way to Mrs. Paddleton house. Haze asked, “Everybody ready to leave?”
“Almost, we need a few more days, but only have until tomorrow.”
“Since the police are watching my house, where am I sleeping?”
“Right here.” Donovan parked in front of Mrs. Paddleton’s castle.
“This house. Wow, it's huge.”
“Yeah, her home,” Donovan said.
“When am I going to see Tess.”
“Tonight,” he looked at Haze and asked, “are you going to be able to drive Saturday night?”
“Yea, why?”
“You drove cross country, only to drive back in a few days.”
Haze said, “I’ll be fine as long as I get a good night sleep.”
Donovan looked at Haze and said, “thanks man, you gave up a lot, your life, your company.”
Haze responded, “my top man, Doug is running it. Besides Don man, we’re all giving up a lot. Our homes, cars, clothes.”
Donovan’s youth came out when he said, “my sports car man, dad bought me a new truck.”
Haze said, “stop whining.”
Donovan said, “Oh shut up, where’s the trailers located?”
“In a city on top of a mountain, they are in a middle-class suburb all by themselves. The people that owned these things had a whole lot of money. I didn’t know mobile homes could have seven rooms.”
“Are there schools where Thee and I can teach, a place for Kay and Timpkin to work? How about you and Tess?”
“There's a high school about fifteen miles away, an elementary school a few blocks from there. Timpkin can work at the Government building. As for me, there's no janitorial service in town.”
Donovan said, “you'll have to change the name of your company.”
“From, Day by Day too, I don't know what.”
“Hum, I don't know what, not-a-bad-name for a company.”
Haze smiled and said, “You're silly Don-man.”
As they got out the car to enter Mrs. Paddleton’s house, Donovan asked, “where can the slaves work?”
Haze answered, “At the glue factory.”
“Is it close to the trailer court?”
“Yea, the factory is about thirteen miles away from us.”
Donovan said, “Mrs. Paddleton gave us a great sum of money, if it's enough, I want to sell the trailers and build houses.”
Haze perked up a little as he said, “I'm all for that. I hired a lawn company to clean up the area and take care of the yard for now when we get there the newly freed can do it. The trailers and land are all paid for.”
“Good job and thinking Haze,” Donovan said.
A very grateful Haze said, “thanks man for sending money for me to live off.”
“When you said you got a temp job, I thought he’s going to need more money to add to your pay.”
*******
Becky Lou went to the train station to get the items she took from the mansion. She kept watching for anyone that may have followed her. From a distance she looked at the locker, it appeared that no one had tampered with it. A man walking past startled her, she watched each person in the station and then escaped to the bathroom to calm herself. When she came out, she observed the area and every person as she slowly went over to the locker and grabbed the items. Feeling safe, she exhaled and ran.
*******
Theenda and Tess finished shopping, they returned to the Linwood's where Donovan was talking to Timpkin. When they entered the house KayKay's burnt greasy food made Theenda's stomach feel queasy. Donovan watched her turn three shades of green, he jumped up and took her to the bathroom. Tess smiled while Timpkin and KayKay looked confused. “What’s wrong with Thee,” Kay asked before anyone could answer, she said to Tess, “it’s about time we meet someplace other than their place.”
Tess said to KayKay, “you’re a mean vile woman.”
Timpkin concurred, “yes, you are Kay.”
Theenda and Donovan returned to the table.
Tess looked at Theenda and asked, “you okay?”
Timpkin said, “it doesn’t matter where we meet or eat.”
Donovan whispered to Timpkin, “they can hear us.”
Timpkin said, “I had one and removed it.”
KayKay had prepared greasy fried chicken that was hard, the cornbread had fallen and didn't get done in the middle, and whole green beans that were too salty and slimy with grease. KayKay was busy in the kitchen putting the food in serving dishes, Theenda asked KayKay, “may I help.”
“No, I’m almost finished.” She entered the dining area and sat the food on the table.
Tess frowned, everything looked terrible.
KayKay looked at Donovan and said, “I went downtown today with some of my coworkers, I was surprised and had to admit, there were countless vendors from surrounding cities and states that were preparing for the three day celebration. There’s going to be four kiddy rides and three adults, looks like it’s going to be a decent Juneteenth. you two is so young I didn’t know you could pull it off. Juneteenth is only a one-day event.”
Theenda looked at Donovan, their eyes met. Timpkin saw the exchange as though he understood, he whispered, “sorry.”[RL106]
KayKay sat down and said, “dig in,” she looked at Theenda and said, “at least I would have had it on one day.”
Theenda looked across the table at Donovan struggling to chew the chicken, she watched Tess take a small bite of a green bean and frowned. KayKay looked at Theenda's plate and said, “everything all right Thee, you haven't touched your food. Eat.”
“My stomach is a little upset,” Theenda replied.
Donovan said, “we're pregnant, Thee gets sick at smells and certain foods.” He looked at Theenda and said, “I would imagine about now, you feel like paying the toilet another visit.”
“Oh Shut-up Donovan,” she said as she quickly ran to the bathroom.
Timpkin said, “lil’ Don going to be a daddy.”
Donovan smiled, KayKay said, “we must shop for baby things, bed, dresser,” KayKay got up from the table, she continued, “I need to get a piece of paper, got lots to plan.”
Tess said, “their Donovan's babies, you can't plan without them,”
Timpkin said, “Kay, sit down.” He looked at Donovan and asked, “did she say, babies.”
“Yes, we’re having twin boys.”
Tess said, “I'm confused, what your children have to do with theirs.”
Theenda returned from the bathroom heard Tess yell at KayKay, “silly woman, I try to respect you, but sometimes Kay you make it really hard.” Tess clench her teeth tightly together, balled up her fist and said, “you don't know what Theenda or Donovan want for their baby, the baby’s needs are what the parents want.”
Kay observed Tess's angry stance and said, “I know because I've had a few babies, you haven't been pregnant.”
Tess advanced closer to Kay, Theenda stood between the women and asked, “you two okay?”
Tess did not back down, she pushed Theenda out the way, she looked in KayKay's shifty eyes and said, “you know nothing about me.”
Donovan jumped up and grabbed Theenda out their way.
Finally, Timpkin grew tired of KayKay’s busybody meddlesome gossiping way. After seeing the slaves for the first time, Timpkin visited his mother and asked, “should I leave KayKay?” The conversation he and KayKay had the morning after going to the plantation, caused Timpkin to have doubts about his marriage.
His mother said, “she is an awful gossiping woman, but I believe in her own selfish way, love you.”
Timpkin looked at Donovan protecting his wife from his, he looked at wild Tess, he turned the television on and said in a commanding tone, “everybody sit down.” He looked at Kay and said, “you will not run or ruin Theenda and Donovan's happiness by meddling in their business. Tess is right, they know what they want for their twins and for themselves.”
“You side with the little brat?” KayKay asked.
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