Christina wiped at the tears in her eyes. She nodded to signal her mother to continue.
“I don’t know how I made it. I didn’t realize I was pregnant until February. Fear was my first emotion. But your grandmother really came through for me. It took all of my courage to tell her. She held me while I cried, and then she told me that she loved me. She even told your grandfather for me. If he was angry, I never knew it. He supported me just like your grandmother did. How I wish you had known them longer!”
Christina went to her mother and held her. Through her tears, she said, “Me, too. I was so young when they died. I wish I had known my father. I miss him so much sometimes.”
“He would have loved you so much. I named you Christina so you would always have him with you.” Louise pulled away so she could see her daughter’s face. “I love you, Christina, and I’ve never regretted having you. You made the suffering bearable. Knowing that I would always have a part of Christian with me kept me going. Even through the deaths of your grandparents.”
“I love you, too, Mom, and I know that you love me and that Big Mama and Big Daddy loved me. What about my other grandparents?”
“Big Mama and Big Daddy decided it best that we not tell them. Christian was dead. Your grandparents and I were your family, and after they died, you and I were a family.”
Christina wanted to ask more questions, but she saw something that looked like fear in her mother’s eyes. She didn’t know the reason for the fear, but she felt that the time for questions had passed. She reached for her mother again and they held each other as they cried.
***
Jackson called his father early Sunday morning as he always did on the first Sunday of the month.
“Morning, Dad,” Jackson said, right before he heard the phone drop.
“That you, Jackson?”
“Yeah, Dad, it’s me. What’s that noise?” Jackson heard something, maybe music in the background.
“I got some of your mother’s old records on the record player. Your mamma sure could dance. She loved to dance, too.”
“I know, Dad, I know.”
Jackson stopped listening as his father went into his age-old storytelling. When he drank, he thought about his wife. Maybe when he thought about his wife he drank. Either way, when he thought about her, he had to talk about her. Jackson’s emotions for his father went to extremes. Sometimes he was overwhelmed with love for the man that had been his father for the first fifteen years of his life. At other times, he was overcome with anger and hatred at the man who had been his father for the last thirteen years. Mostly, he felt pity for the man who had loved a woman who after twenty years of marriage decided she no longer loved him.
His feelings for Sarah—he rarely thought of her as his mother—were more definite. He hated her. He hated what she had done to his family. He hated what she had done to his father. Most of all, he hated what she had done to him. What had she really done? She had left her husband and son, showing them clearly she didn’t love them. He could understand a woman leaving a man, but he couldn’t understand a woman leaving her child. For that he hated her.
His dad was saying something but Jackson wasn’t really listening. “Yes, I know what you mean, Dad. I have to go now. I’ll talk to you soon.”
His Dad mumbled “G’bye,” and they hung up.
Jackson hated making the monthly phone calls. He never knew if his father would be drunk and sad or sober and depressed. Either way, his father was a lost cause. He refused to get over Sarah. Jackson had long given up trying to help him. His father didn’t want help. He wanted to wallow in pity, and nothing was going to stop him.
Jackson picked up the Sunday Journal-Constitution in an effort to clear his head. It worked, and soon his thoughts centered on the adventures of Doonesbury and Curtis.
***
Jackson arrived at Ellis and Betty’s around two. Betty answered the door. “Welcome. We’re all out back. You’re in luck, Angela’s already here.”
Jackson laughed. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Jackson?”
“Figured what out?”
Betty wagged her finger at him. “And you the man about town. Shame on you. Haven’t you heard that matchmaking is the married woman’s way of staying single forever? You get to date, albeit vicariously, without guilt. And sometimes you even get your husband’s help.” She winked at him and led him out to the patio.
“Hey, everybody, the guest of honor is here. Jackson Duncan, meet Michael and Jewel Taylor and Angela Ware. Mike’s an Omega. Jewel and Angela are AKAs. I’ll leave it to you to take the subtle hint.”
Betty started to say more, but Ellis covered her mouth with his hand and the others laughed.
Angela walked over to Jackson, her eyes twinkling. “Welcome to Atlanta. I won’t hold it against her,” she said, referring to Betty, “if you won’t. Deal?” She extended her hand.
He took her hand. “Deal.” He dropped her hand and gestured toward Betty. “Is she always like this?”
“No. Betty is in rare form today. You really impressed her at the picnic. She thought you were a good guy. Your response to that introduction proved it.”
Jackson assessed Angela. She was an attractive woman, tall, brown-skinned, slim, with a sexy voice and legs that were pretty but not as full as Christina’s. Wrong thought. “When did Betty become your matchmaker? I would think you’d have men lined up around the block.”
Angela gave him a half-smile. “There was probably a compliment in there somewhere, but I tell you, it’s pretty hard to find.”
“I apologize,” he said quickly. “I only meant that you’re a very attractive woman and I wouldn’t think you’d need the services of a matchmaker.”
“That’s better,” Angela responded. “Betty and I were college roommates. We’ve always watched out for each other. I introduced her to Ellis. She’s trying to return the favor.”
Jackson was about to comment again on Betty and her matchmaking, but Angela spoke first. “Excuse me, I see Jewel and Betty heading into the house. If I don’t help, I’m dead meat.” She winked and was gone.
Jackson watched her walk away, thinking he’d have to thank Betty for introducing him to her.
“Get over here, Jackson,” Ellis called. “I have a feeling you’re going to need the counsel of married men to make it through this afternoon.”
Mike and Jackson watched as Ellis plopped the steaks on the grill. “You have a nice spread here, Ellis,” Jackson commented. “How long have you lived here?”
Ellis looked up from the grill. “Thanks, man. Betty found this place about four years ago when there was still a family living here. She decided then that we would own it. When it came on the market two years ago, we got it.”
“Betty is something else,” Michael commented. “Jewel is getting to be a lot like her. We’re looking for a house now and yours is the standard. God, I hope we find something before the end of the century.”
Jackson listened as Mike and Ellis exchanged funny stories about their wives. It was obvious that both men were deeply in love. Jackson felt left out and a little envious.
“When will the monsters be back?” Mike was asking.
Again Ellis laughed. “You call mine monsters, but I bet your tune will change in about six months. E.J. and Anne will be back tonight. Betty’s parents took them for the weekend. For Betty and me, it’s been a honeymoon around here. We spend as much time in bed as possible. Unfortunately, for most of that time, we’re asleep.”
“Sure, man,” Jackson said with sarcasm.
Ellis threw another steak on the grill. “I wish. Wait until you have a working wife and two toddlers. Any break from the kids is a time to catch up on sleep. Not that we didn’t have some fun. A man takes what he can get.”
“The times at my house have only gotten better,” Mike said. “Jewel has this new surge of passion since she found ou
t about the baby. It’s great.”
“You’d better enjoy it while you can,” Ellis advised. “And prepare yourself for that dry period that’s going to start sometime in her ninth month and last until the baby is about six weeks old.”
“You guys are something else,” Jackson said. “Do your wives have any idea what you’re talking about out here?”
Mike and Ellis chuckled. Mike answered, “Jewel gives guidelines on what I can and can’t say.”
Ellis pointed his spatula toward the house. “What do you think they’re doing in there? You can bet a month’s pay they aren’t discussing the best way to make potato salad.”
Mike pointed to Jackson. “I’d bet my pay that they’re discussing you, big boy. By now, they’re probably deciding how many children you and Angela should have.”
***
“He is cute,” Angela agreed. He was more than cute, but she’d never tell that to Betty and Jewel. They moved into overdrive when they learned she was attracted to someone.
“Cute? Honey, that is one fine man. If only I weren’t married,” Betty chimed in.
Jewel spoke next. “You’d better jump on that one quick, Ange. The women are going to be out for that man.”
“Ellis says he has some executive engineering position at Communications Limited downtown,” Betty offered.
“I haven’t heard of Communications Limited,” Jewel said.
“Ellis says their offices are in the Peterson Building. Anyway, Ellis says it’s a good company and Jackson has a good position.”
Jewel and Betty looked at Angela.
“Why are you two looking at me like that?” Angela asked.
Jewel and Betty looked at each other. They shrugged their shoulders, then each grabbed a casserole dish and headed for the patio.
Betty spoke, “If you don’t know, girlfriend, we can’t help you.”
***
Mike and Jewel prepared to leave soon after the meal. “We hate to eat and run, but we promised Jewel’s parents we’d stop by tonight.”
Ellis stood. “It’s okay, man. Now is not the time to irritate the grandparents-to-be. They make the best babysitters.”
Betty punched him in the leg. “Ellis, you’re so bad.”
Mike extended his hand to Jackson. “It was nice meeting you, man. You’ll have to go out on the course with Ellis and me sometime. I could use the competition.”
“Thanks, man. I’d like that. Give me a tee time and I’m there.”
Jackson noticed Jewel whisper something to Angela before saying goodbye to everyone else. While Ellis walked Mike and Jewel out, Betty began clearing away the food. She declined Angela and Jackson’s offers to help.
Angela smiled and Jackson noticed she had a very pretty smile. “If Ellis is not back in ten minutes,” she said, “we can safely assume that he and Betty are giving us some time to get to know each other better.”
“It really doesn’t bother you, does it?”
“This matchmaking stuff?”
Jackson nodded.
“Not really. They’re my friends. They’re trying to be helpful. Like I said before, if you can handle it, so can I. How does it make you feel?”
“At first it was funny, but I’m beginning to think they’re serious.”
Angela laughed. “They are, but don’t get too scared. We haven’t set a wedding date yet. Let’s talk about something else. How do you like Atlanta so far?”
Jackson gave Angela his first impressions of the city and found that they shared common interests and viewpoints. Angela was easy to talk to, and before long they were talking like old friends.
“You’ll have to visit Auburn Avenue and the AU Center. They’re pretty close to your apartment building.”
Jackson decided to flirt. “Will I need a guide?”
Angela went along with him. “I think you might.”
Ellis and Betty walked out of the house and joined them. “What are you two talking about?”
“Angela was telling me of some sites I need to see. I think she volunteered to be my guide.”
Betty nodded approval then asked, “Is she taking you to Stone Mountain?”
“I hadn’t thought about Stone Mountain,” Angela said.
“Everybody has to see the Laser Light Show,” Ellis added.
“Laser Light Show?” Jackson asked.
“A fireworks display only with lasers,” Betty explained. “You’ll like it.”
“Sounds like fun,” Jackson said. He looked at Angela. “What do you think, tour guide?”
“That could be our first outing. Since we’re right here at Stone Mountain, we could even do that tonight. That is,” she looked at the three of them, “if you guys are up for it?”
“I’m game,” Jackson said. Looking at Betty and Ellis, he asked, “How about you two?”
Ellis opened his mouth to answer, but Betty beat him to it. “We can’t tonight. My folks are bringing the kids back any minute now. Why don’t you two go on, though?”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” Jackson winked at Betty, then turned to Angela. “Ready to go, guide?”
***
The ride to Stone Mountain Park took about fifteen minutes. After they entered the main gate, Jackson said, “You give good directions. How long have you been a guide?”
Angela smiled and directed him to the parking lot nearest Memorial Lawn. “We got here at the right time. The show starts at nine-thirty, but as you can see, people are already finding places to sit. I’m glad Betty thought of this.”
Jackson studied her for a long moment. “I’m glad, too.” She is attractive, he thought, even if her build is not like Christina’s.
“Shall I get the blanket so we can get seated?” he asked, needing to remove Christina from his thoughts.
“Yes, we’d better stake out a spot. Thanks to Betty, we can have cider and cheese while we wait.”
Jackson grabbed the blanket and Angela took the picnic basket. She picked a spot and they spread the blanket. Jackson opened the basket and poured them both a glass of cider.
Neither spoke for a while. They looked at the people around them as they nursed their drinks. Jackson saw a man and woman in their early thirties with a child. He assumed they were a family. The child, a red-haired boy, carried a blue balloon on a string and had what appeared to be chocolate ice cream smeared around his mouth. Attractive family, he thought. His gaze went to a couple seated not far from them. They were young, early twenties. They shared an intense embrace, kissing as if they couldn’t get enough of each other. Young love, Jackson thought. He turned to see Angela looking at the same couple.
“Ain’t love grand?” he commented, finishing off his cider.
“Nothing like it. At that age or ours.”
“Have you ever been in love, Angela?”
She laughed. “Many times. How about you?”
Jackson answered seriously. “Never.”
“Not even as a teenager?”
He shook his head.
“That’s sad, Jackson, and a little hard to believe.”
An image of Christina flashed in his mind. “It’s true.”
“I bet you’ve broken a lot of hearts though.”
He raised his right hand. “I plead the fifth.” Lowering his hand, he said, “Tell me more about Angela.”
“What do you want to know about her?”
Jackson rubbed his chin, pretending to think hard. “Well, I already know she’s beautiful, she’s smart, she has a good sense of humor, she gives great directions, she has close friends, and she has a sexy voice.” He snapped his fingers. That’s it, he thought. “I knew your voice sounded familiar. You’re on the radio, aren’t you?”
Angela unfolded her legs and stretched them out on the blanket. “Don’t pretend Betty didn’t tell you. She tells everybody. She used to introduce me as her friend Angela who’s on the radio station WAOK.”
Jackson lea
ned back on his elbows and laughed. “That sounds like Betty, but I swear she didn’t tell me.”
“Good. It really bothers me when she does that. We’ve had more than a few heated discussions about it. Maybe she finally understands. I’m glad she didn’t tell you.”
“You’re such a good sport about the matchmaking. Why is this a problem?”
Angela brushed a nonexistent spec from her slacks. “I like to keep my personal and professional lives separate. Once people find out that I’m in radio, they turn into groupies and want the inside scoop on some artist. That can get old really fast.”
“I understand the need to keep your work life separate, but I find it impossible to do in reality.” He was thinking about Christina.
“It works, but you need a strict set of guidelines and you have to follow them religiously.”
He could use all the help he could get. “For example?”
“I don’t date anyone that I work with. Nothing but problems.”
“Is that conclusion based on experience?”
“No. I’ve come close a couple of times, but it was never worth the risk. If the personal relationship doesn’t work, what happens to the professional relationship? If the personal relationship does work, what happens to professional competition? My career is very important to me and I don’t want to jeopardize it.”
Let’s go fishing, Jackson thought. “What if your attraction to the person was strong and you thought it might be the real thing?”
“That’s never been the case. In each situation, for me at least, the chance of something lasting was never really high, so why risk it? There are plenty of other men out there.”
And there are plenty of women, he thought. The problem is that all women are not created equal. “You’ve thought a lot about this.”
Angela crossed her ankles, then inclined her head toward him. “I have. I don’t know how it is for men, but I’ve found that professional women have to be above reproach, and sex with coworkers falls in the reproachful category. It’s the old ‘she slept her way to the top’ story.”
Bands of Gold Page 6