by Pat Simmons
Adrian kissed Mrs. Cole on the cheek before making the introductions. “Mom, I’d like you to meet Dr. Sabrece Carmen.”
Her given name had never sounded so sexy on a man’s lips. Hearing him say it even the few times that he had made Brecee consider ditching her childhood nickname that most thought was her real name.
Finally, his mother’s face brightened with a smile.
“And this is my mother, Marsha Cole.”
Brecee nodded. “Hello, Mrs. Cole.”
“My word, you sure do favor Shae Maxwell on KMMD.” Stepping back, Mrs. Cole waved them into the house.
“Thank you.” The comment never bothered her. It was a compliment, after all. Shae was gorgeous, so Brecee accepted it with pride, because she loved her sister dearly.
Brecee glanced around the house. The dark hardwood floors were so glossy, they looked like they could serve as a skating rink.
“Dinner is almost ready,” Mrs. Cole told them. “Sabrece—’’
“Please, call me Brecee.”
“Brecee it is,” she agreed as a handsome, distinguished-looking gentleman stood from his chair in the family room. Even with his salt-and-pepper hair and mustache, he could definitely compete with his son in the looks department. Adrian definitely had good genes.
“Dad, this is Dr.—”
“I heard, Son.” His father chuckled and extended his hand. “I’m Grover. Welcome to our home.”
Soon, they all sat down in the family room. Brecee thought that the space would be picture-perfect on a winter night, with a warm fire roaring in the large fireplace. Unlike at Shae’s house, Adrian stayed by her side.
“So, Brecee, tell us about yourself,” Mrs. Cole began.
Both men groaned.
“Well, I work at Cardinal Glennon Hospital as a pediatric emergency department physician. I completed my residency in Houston, then moved to St. Louis to be near my sister Shae and her family. I’m originally from Philly, where my other two sisters and my mother live. We’re still extremely close, despite the distance between us.”
“And your father...?” Mrs. Cole asked.
“My father died when I was a teenager.”
“I’m so sorry. And your mother never remarried?”
“Oh, no.” Brecee shook her head. “When we were older, our mother told us, ‘With four lovely, almost grown daughters, I wasn’t about to bring another man into my house for him to be tempted.’”
Mrs. Cole nodded. “I like her already.”
“Thank you.” Brecee grinned. “Although no one could ever replace my daddy, my mother sacrificed her personal happiness time and again for our well-being.”
“You said you’re from Philly?” Mrs. Cole queried. Wrinkles creased her forehead, as if she were straining to recall something.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“My mother was born in Jersey, but her family moved to Philly when she was young. My daddy was from Chicago. By the time I came along, they had moved to St. Louis.”
Before Brecee could ask her more about her Philly connection, Mrs. Cole said, “So, why aren’t you married?”
“Mom!”
“Marsha!”
Both men seemed embarrassed by her boldness, but Brecee waved them off. “This is nothing compared to the interrogation Adrian will get from my family when they come to town at the end of the month.” She winked at Adrian. He didn’t flinch, and his intense expression made her shiver. She cleared her throat and turned back to his mother. “To answer your question, Mrs. Cole—”
“Call me Marsha.” When she smiled, Brecee saw a hint of Adrian in her expression.
The woman was playing with her. “Thank you. I'm waiting for that special someone, and I’m prepared to wait until the dots are connected. God doesn’t approve of divorce, and my family certainly doesn’t view it as an option for when trouble brews. They believe in a couple working it out as God gives them guidance.” So far, that was the only area where Adrian was striking out.
“Good answers.” Mrs. Cole smiled. “Dinner’s just about ready. Won’t you come to the dining room?” She stood and strode out of the room.
Adrian reached out and took Brecee’s hand. “She’s not finished, you know. At least you’re on a first-name basis already.”
“She loves you. It’s normal for her to desire a say in your life choices.”
Once they were gathered around the dinner table, Adrian’s parents seemed interested in hearing about her job, so she indulged them.
Overall, Mr. Cole was a quiet man. He let his wife play the interrogator, while he seemed more trusting, taking what Brecee said at face value rather than suspecting her of having a hidden agenda to snag his son.
Brecee was having a good time, especially when Mrs. Cole pulled out an album of Adrian’s baby pictures. Some of the photos included Dolan. They were both adorable as infants, but then, all babies were cute to her.
“Well, Mom and Dad....” Adrian got to his feet. “Brecee and I better head out. We both have to work tomorrow, and my classes start back up on Tuesday.”
Mrs. Cole turned down her lips with unveiled disappointment. “You could’ve been finished with school already if you had started with Dolan. Then you would have more time to visit.” She turned to Brecee with a smile. “Brecee—I should call you Dr. Carmen—it was nice meeting you. I hope my son will bring you to see us again.”
“Thank you.” She wasn’t about to put pressure on Adrian to say he would, but she would gladly accept another invitation.
His parents walked them to the door and waited as they stepped down to the front walk.
“She might work,” she heard Mrs. Cole whisper to her husband.
Adrian must have heard her, too, for he turned around at the same time as Brecee and looked at her.
Folding her arms, Mrs. Cole leaned against the doorpost. Her expression was blank again.
Despite the mask, Brecee had her figured out. Adrian's mother was trying to guard her son’s heart, just like her family would do for her.
What his mother didn’t know was Brecee would have no problem calling it off if their incompatibility outweighed the things they had in common— most important, faith in God.
Chapter Thirteen
B
recee’s sisters peppered her with questions during one of their phone chats that week. For once, the focus was on her love life.
“I can’t believe you met his mother already,” Stacy mused.
“Relax.” Brecee chuckled at the expressions on Stacy and Shari’s faces. “It wasn’t a 'taking me home to meet the parents’ type of moment. Adrian and I were playing around, and the invite kind of slipped out of his mouth, but he made good on it.”
Stacy twisted her lips. The attitude was hanging from her face. “And just what does that mean, exactly? Either the man wanted you to meet his parents or he didn’t.”
Once Brecee had recounted the conversation, her oldest sister snorted. “Served him right. He was messing with the wrong sister. Hasn’t he learned by now that my baby sister is fearless?”
Shari, Brecee’s most soft-spoken sister—unless she was in the courtroom—jumped in next. “It was hard for me not to fall in love with Garrett after meeting his family. Grandpa Moses had pegged me as his grandson’s wife well before he asked.” She smiled.
Garrett’s mother’s family, the Porters, had a lot in common with the Carmens. They were musically inclined and committed to living in holiness before God.
“I can’t wait to meet him.” Stacy had mischief in her eyes. “I hope he’s able to come to the ballpark for Family and Friends Day. I wish the Cardinals were playing the Phillies, but they aren’t, so I guess we’ll root for our brother-in-law and his teammates.”
Brecee noticed that Shari was wearing a mischievous smile of her own. Was she pregnant again? Judging from her expression, she was ready to spill the beans about something.
“Guess who’s dating?” Shari said in a singsong tone.
Dati
ng? Brecee was the one dating! Wasn’t her love life supposed to be the main topic of conversation? II it was one of their two male cousins, Victor and Dino that was nothing new. They had been dating since they’d gotten their driver’s licenses, and they always complained that there weren’t any good old church women left.
“Who?” Brecee asked, in unison with Shae.
“Mom!” Shari and Stacy both shouted.
Brecee’s jaw dropped. Shae’s did the same.
Finally, Brecee blinked and closed her mouth. “It’s been almost twenty years. Who and when? But mostly who?”
“Marcellus,” Shari said, with pride in her voice.
Brecee swallowed, her next question forming.
But Shae beat her to it. “Marcellus? As in, your husband’s uncle?”
“Yes.” Shari nodded.
“Wow.” Brecee had to give her mother credit for good taste. The older gentleman was an attention grabber. Any woman of any age would admire his looks. But she never would have paired her mother with Garrett’s uncle.
The word seemed to be stuck on Brecee’s tongue and in her mind as she tried to comprehend this new development. Of course, Uncle Marcellus’ best asset was his Christian faith—the man knew how to pray tirelessly. Garrett looked to him as a role model.
“Okay, I can see them as a couple,” Shae finally said. “Stunning.”
But Brecee couldn’t see that. Or maybe she just didn’t want to. If their dating led to marriage, she would have a stepfather. She frowned. “I, uh, didn’t know Mom was looking.”
She and her mother definitely needed to catch up. When she excused herself from the chat, her sisters knew why. “Tell Mom hi,” Stacy and Shari harmonized.
“I’m next after you,” Shae said, pointing at her computer screen.
Nodding, Brecee at Shae, Brecee said her goodbyes and immediately called her mother.
“Is it true?” she asked when her mother picked up. “My mother, Annette Carmen, is dating? Isn’t there a rule against dating in-laws or something?” she teased, even though she didn’t see anything funny about the situation.
“Marcellus Porter is truly a godly man.” The excitement in her mother’s voice was undeniable. Actually, it was so heartwarming, Brecee’s own heart fluttered. “I hadn’t realized he had been practicing self-restraint since we first met,” her mother gushed like a teenager. “I had no idea. Then, during one of his weekend visits to see Garrett and Shari, I don’t know what made me notice, but he had removed his wedding band. He was straightforward about his attraction and asked me if I would be willing to explore it. I told him I would think about it.”
How long did you think about it? Brecee wondered.
“I spent a few days in prayer, reflecting on my life since your father’s death,” her mother said next, as if she’d read Brecee’s thoughts. “With no daughters left at home, I asked myself if I was content without a special someone in my life. And then, for the first time in seventeen years and nine months, I removed my wedding ring.”
Evidently, her mother’s decision hadn’t been easy to make. Brecee’s eyes teared, and she sniffed.
“Marcellus is the persona of what Saul would be if he still were alive today—charming, incredibly good-looking, and a godly family man.”
Was it possible for Brecee to be happy for her mother and sad for herself at the same time? She had never used the word “love” with a man. How was it that her mother found a relationship so quickly after opening herself up to one, while the same process had moved so slowly in her own life? Since moving to St. Louis almost two years ago and witnessing Shae and Rahn’s happiness, Brecee had adopted a different outlook on casual dating. She wanted to be in a relationship that went somewhere, that developed into something special, like the relationship every other woman in her family was experiencing.
“You’ve been single so long, I honestly thought you would never marry again,” she told her mother. “I mean, you never seemed lonely to me.”
“Sweetie, loneliness isn’t always an outer garment. The heart can long for someone without anyone else’s knowing it.”
“I guess so.” Brecee got up from her bed, walked into her bathroom, and grabbed a bunch of tissues to wipe her tears.
“Sweetie, it's all right.” Her mother’s smooth voice was soothing. It engulfed her with almost as much comfort as her actual presence would have. “Marc is a good man.”
Brecee nodded. She knew that, but her mind was still in shock as she glanced at the clock. It was almost eleven o’clock on the East Coast—well past her mother’s normal bedtime. But Brecee needed answers. “So, how serious is this?” she asked. “Man, that’s the disadvantage of living far away from home. Not only are Shae and I always the last ones to know, but I can’t give him a hard time.”
Her mother laughed. “Your cousins and my brother-in-law have been sufficient stand-ins.”
“Is this casual dating, or....’’ She held her breath. After so many years, she couldn’t imagine her mother being anything else but a Carmen, “Do you think you’ll marry Garrett’s uncle?”
“If he asked me to marry him today? No. Tomorrow? No. But sometime in the future...maybe. The Carmens marry for life, and I’m too old for any drama.”
For life. That’s what God wanted, and generations of Carmens had been able to make it happen.
“I want to hear about you,” her mother said next. “What’s going on with you and Mr. Cole, besides meeting his parents?”
Brecee rolled her eyes. “I don’t even want to guess who told you.”
“Stacy texted me right after you signed off from the conference call.”
Shaking her head, Brecee smiled. Some things never changed. “I went with no expectations, really,” Brecee confessed. “My first impression of his mother was that she’s hard to read. Her expressions made it hard to guess what she was thinking.”
“Well, it's our turn. We’ll put the fear of the Carmen clan in Adrian when we visit later this month.”
Brecee exhaled. “I’ll be glad when you all get here. I definitely need a third, fourth, and fifth opinion. Shae wants to investigate him as if he’s a suspect in a crime story she’s covering on the news.”
“Better yet, Shari might ask him to consent to a criminal background check,” her mother said.
Brecee giggled. “Well, I’d better go. Mondays are always busy in the emergency department.”
“Okay, sweetie. When it comes to Adrian, stop trying to figure out what the Lord has already worked out. Good night. I love you.”
“Wait, Mom.” Brecee cleared her throat. “One small request: Can you hold off getting remarried until I’m at least engaged? How would it look for every Carmen woman to be married except for me?”
“I know you’re joking,” her mother said. “I’m almost sixty, and you’re almost thirty-two. Do the math, honey. I’m not getting any younger. Good night.”
When the line went silent, Brecee did the math. Unless Adrian was the one, she was going to be an old maid.
Adrian was surprised to see his cousin walked through the dealership door on his lunch break. They shook hands and Adrian guided Dolan back to his cousin and they took a seat.
“What’s up?”
“I heard you took Brecee to meet Aunt Marsha. And the doctor hasn’t dumped you?” Adrian roared.
Adrian didn’t see the humor. His mother had earned a reputation for being picky when it came to women for her son and her nephews back when they were teenagers. Lucky for Dolan, she’d approved of Denise, his late wife.
“Granted, it wasn’t one of my calculated moves, but I think Mom found a kindred spirit with Brecee,” Adrian told him. “Neither one is easily intimidated.”
“Brecee’s got me thinking...” Dolan confessed.
He eyed his cousin warily. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but leave my lady out of it.”
“I’ll ignore your threat.” Dolan massaged his beard. “After seeing how clingy Laura is aroun
d Brecee, I think I need to open myself up to another special woman. My little girl needs a permanent female figure in her life.”
“What are you saying?”
“That height, shape, skin color, and hair length no longer determine my definition of a woman’s beauty. ‘Sweet’ and ‘loves my daughter’ are at the top of my list.”
“Congratulations.” Adrian patted his cousin on the back. He’d always believed that a child needed both parents, but who was he to tell Dolan that he ought to look for love again? “Any prospects?”
“No, but I’m sure if I mention it to Laura, she’ll start praying for one.”
Chapter Fourteen
B
recee had begun counting down the hours until the Carmens would land at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. It was showtime. Adrian was about to meet his mother’s match.
Ever since she had started seeing Adrian, Brecee had been confiding in her colleague and sister in Christ, Regina, about her concerns. Regina’s response was always, “What did God say?”
She was learning that either she had an answer, or she’d better get back on her knees and wait on God to give her one.
Regina was invaluable as a friend and prayer partner. She had even been nice enough to trade her one of her Friday daylight shift with Brecee’s midday shift so that she could start her weekend early. Of course, her friend wanted something in return—baseball tickets when her family came to town. Thankfully, it was easy calling in favors from Brecee’s brother-in-law.
“Enjoy your family,” Regina told her when she showed up to take over Brecee’s patients. “I’m in Adrian’s corner. Hope he wows them.”
Soon, Brecee and Shae were riding in one of two limos Rahn had sent to the airport to pick up their sisters, their brothers-in-law, their nieces and nephews, their mother, and her beau. Would Brecee ever get used to saying that? Then, there was the other Carmen family: Uncle Bradford, Aunt Camille, and cousins, Victor and Dino. The two families had grown up as one. Saul and his four daughters and Bradford and his two sons had always been inseparable.