The Baby Chronicles

by Beatrice Bruno

  Homer and Ethel, however, had a different opinion concerning their youngest daughter. Protective to a fault concerning Marie and her children, Homer and Ethel closely guarded them from the bad opinions of those family members. The damage had already been done. There was no need to condemn them any further. God had a way of straightening things out in even the toughest situations.

  In spite of her mistakes, Ree had done quite well for herself. Having acquired a good job as a paralegal in a Manhattan high-rise, Marie was able to not only care for herself and her children, she was also able to send money home on a regular basis to help the family. Ethel and Homer banked the money Ree sent so they could put it toward the twins when they came for their frequent visits.

  This summer, though, Ethel and Homer perceived a definite difference in Jeffrey. After celebrating the twins’ birthday during the annual family reunion, Ethel and Homer noticed Jeffrey’s sullen attitude. The more everyone tried to get him to participate in the activities they’d planned for the reunion and birthday party, the more he withdrew.

  Jeffrey had a newly developed oldness (the old folks would say, “he has an old spirit about him”) that Ethel and Homer couldn’t figure out. Many of his cousins complained that Jeffrey wasn’t any fun anymore. They said that all he talked about was death and dying, stuff they weren’t interested in.

  Ethel was worried, that was certain. She and Homer prayed about their grands all the time, especially these two who didn’t have an earthly father around them in New York. When the twins came South for their visits, they had more than enough father figures to be around—their uncles and, especially, their Paw-Paw. Ethel and Homer made sure the twins were surrounded with love and discipline at all times so Marie wouldn’t have to worry about them getting on the wrong path.

  And Marie did her part. She didn’t date much in the twins’ early years after having been dealt a raw hand by their father. She’d just recently started seeing a very respectful young man whom she’d brought home with her for Christmas the year before.

  Samuel Jenkins was an exceptionally nice young man. Originally from South Carolina, he had lived in New York for about five years. He drove for New York City Transit on the train system. He made good money and was not afraid to spend it on Ree and her two children.

  Dating Marie for over a year now, Samuel loved Jeffrey and Joyce as though they were his own. Attending the family reunion this year with Ree to drop off the children for the summer, he made a great impression on the whole Jones family.

  “Honey,” began Ethel, breaking out of her reverie to finish their discussion. “Boys will go through their changes as they try to find their way to manhood,” she explained. “Look at your uncle Rufus. Child, we had a time with him! He thought he was some kind of sugar daddy to all the girls in school. You should have seen him. He’d played the field like nobody’s business until he fooled around and tried to talk to a girl who had four older brothers. They tore Rufus’s tail up before he got away from them.” Ethel laughed at the thought of her son receiving his comeuppance. She was also trying to make sense of why Jeffrey was acting the way he was.

  But Joyce knew differently.

  “No, Grandma, it’s different. Jeffrey is selling drugs! I even saw him hanging out with a boy that has guns. Grandma, I’m scared for him.”

  “Guns? What you say, child?” Ethel questioned Joyce. Her heart pounded at the thought of her grandson handling guns.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Joyce said respectfully. “I saw him with Oscar Brown on 33rd Street just last week. They were back in an alley. I saw him holding Oscar’s gun and looking at it like he wanted to use it. He was holding it like this,” Joyce explained as she took a comb and held it in both hands like it was a gun. She pointed it toward the window as though studying how to shoot the birds flying past the window.

  Ethel sat down on a chair at the table. Now this was upsetting! She would talk to Homer about this. They would let Ree know about it as well. As she sat there listening to Joyce, a very bad feeling wound its way around her body. She considered the things that could happen if Jeffrey got his hands on a gun. She knew nothing good could come of it.

  “Samuel,” Ree said into the telephone handset. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with Jeffrey or Joyce. They’re hanging out with the wrong people. I have to work. They’re getting too old to have a sitter, but I don’t know what to do,” she said, venting to her friend.

  “And I don’t want to send them South to live permanently with my parents, either,” she said, anxiety in her voice. She was exasperated as she shared with Samuel the things the twins were going through a couple of weeks after taking them South for the summer.

  She enjoyed the relationship she shared with this man. Samuel Jenkins was all a girl could dream of and she enjoyed being in his company. Handsome and hardworking, Marie quickly learned he was someone she could trust. She didn’t hesitate in sharing her hopes and dreams with him.

  Very respectful and always the gentleman, Samuel really cared for Ree. He considered asking her to marry him. He loved her like crazy. He even loved her two kids. He realized that everyone makes mistakes—he had made quite a few in his lifetime. He wouldn’t hold the twins over Ree’s head. She was a good woman. After meeting her family last Christmas, he knew she came from really good people. And he wanted her in his life.

  “Ree,” he interjected, “let’s get married. You know I love you, girl. And I love the kids. Let’s just do it.”

  He had talked about getting married before. Ree would never allow herself to believe that a good guy like Samuel would want to marry her and take on her two children. She had thought about it, even daydreamed about her wedding. She just couldn’t allow herself to consider the possibilities.

  “Samuel, get serious,” she replied. “These are not your children. You would probably be better off with someone who doesn’t have the baggage I have to bring into a marriage,” she said, trying to talk him out of his proposal.

  Samuel wouldn’t be dissuaded this time. A decision had to be made. He was determined to marry this woman.

  “Ree, remember what Reverend Allen preached about last Saturday evening at the singles’ meeting?” he asked. “You know, about the man who finds a wife finds a good thing?”

  “Yes, I remember,” Ree answered softly. She wasn’t sure where Samuel was going with this line of reasoning.

  “Well, I believe God has brought us together to give me a wife, you a husband, and your children a father,” he explained matter-of-factly. “You know there are no coincidences with God. He does everything for a reason,” he said softly.

  Ree considered what he said. When she became pregnant, she knew her life had changed completely. As she made the decision to keep her two babies, she also made a decision that would affect all of them for the rest of their lives.

  The twins’ real dad had nothing to do with them. After she gave birth to the twins, Marie discovered he was married. He was on a mission to have as many extramarital flings as he could without getting caught. Unfortunately, she was one of those flings.

  Fortunately, though, she had taken the lemons life had given her and made two pitchers of good lemonade. Both sweet and tart at the same time, her children were her reason for being at this time.

  And now, here was a man who wanted to share her life and the lives of the two precious bundles of joy God had given to her. Ree cried as she thought about her prayer to God Who she thought was still angry with her. She had asked for a man to love her and her illegitimate children like they were his own. God had sent just that man.

  “Mama, it’s Ree,” Ree said breathlessly as she phoned her mother. What a day this had been! After Samuel proposed again that night, she had accepted. The two had gone to city hall, applied for a license, and gotten Reverend Allen to marry them a week later.

  Ree decided they would have a more formal wedding at Greater Tabernacle Baptist Church where she had grown up when they went to pick up the kids down South. They
hadn’t told anyone, her parents or his. They wanted to savor the moment, just the two of them. Now it was time.

  “Mama, guess what I done went and done did?” she said, using as much bad grammar as she could to get her mother to laugh.

  “It must be good if you done went and done did it, baby,” Ethel laughed. The grammar thing was a joke throughout the whole family. Though only able to complete the eighth grade, Ethel had always spoken good English. She expected her children to do the same.

  “Mama, Samuel and I are married!” she shouted into the phone, not able to hold it any longer. She and Samuel had shared the most joyous three weeks together as man and wife, not sharing with anyone else but themselves. Now Ree wanted the whole world to know.

  “You’ve done what, honey?” her mother asked, shocked beyond words.

  Of course she was happy for Ree after meeting the young man who was now her son-in-law. But again, this crazy child had done something so monumental without telling anyone. Ethel could hear Samuel in the background chuckling as Ree laughed melodically.

  “Mama, where’s Daddy?” Ree asked. Hearing silence from the receiver, Marie knew her mother was crying since she was the most emotional mother of all times.

  Ethel cried quietly into the phone as she handed it to her husband. Homer looked at his wife, worried something was wrong because of her tears.

  “Hello,” Homer said into the phone, a question in his heart. “Ree, what’s wrong, honey? Is everything all right?” he asked.

  “Daddy, everything is all right! Samuel and I are … married!” Ree explained excitedly.

  Homer’s heart pounded as he comprehended his youngest daughter’s declaration. Married? His little Ree? To that Samuel Jenkins boy? This was good.

  “Honey, when? You never said anything about this. Let me speak to Samuel.”

  Ree handed the receiver to her new husband. Kissing her softly on the lips, Samuel beamed as he put the phone to his ear.

  “Mr. Jones? It’s me, sir,” he said respectfully to Ree’s dad, his new father-in-law. He could hear Ree’s mom crying in the background and praising the Lord. “Mr. Jones, Ree and I got married three weeks ago. We just wanted to spend some time together before we told either of our families, sir,” Samuel explained.

  Homer Jones considered everything he had been told over the last few minutes. He respected this young man for loving his daughter and her two children. He respected him even more for marrying her.

  “Well, son, first off, I guess you need to call me Dad,” Homer said with joy in his voice. “Second, son, welcome to the family! Let me speak to Baby Girl again.” He nodded his head as he thought about the happiness this would bring to his family. “Ree, you know you have to have a wedding here or your mama will never let this rest, don’t you?” Homer informed his daughter, both of them joyously laughing.

  “Yes, Daddy, I know. Samuel and I have talked about it. We would like for you and Mama to make arrangements with Pastor Killian for us for August when we come to pick up the kids. Mama, tell my sisters I want them to stand with me. We’ll get Samuel’s brothers to stand with him with my brothers. Daddy, I am so excited!”

  Homer could tell. He felt the excitement through the phone coming from his daughter. He couldn’t wait to tell her brothers and sisters.

  “Honey, do you want me to tell Jeffrey and Joyce for you?” Homer asked. He thought the children should be told as soon as possible. He didn’t know what effect it would have on them.

  Ree became silent. Joyce will take it well, she thought. Her daughter already loved Samuel and called him “Pops” whenever he came to the house. Jeffrey, however, was a different matter.

  “Daddy, is Jeffrey there now?” Ree decided. This was a major hurdle she would have to get over in order for her happiness to be complete.

  “Yea, Shuge,” Homer answered, calling her by one of his many pet names for her. “He’s sitting out on the front steps. Let me get him.”

  Homer looked out the door at the boy. He wanted to help him because he loved him with all his heart. During this visit, though, it seemed as if Jeffrey had turned away from the older man. Jeffrey acted as though he didn’t want to be bothered with anyone.

  “Jeffrey, son, it’s your mama,” Homer said quietly to the boy, apprehensive of the way the boy would react.

  When Jeffrey heard his mom was on the phone, he perked up before he could stop himself. He missed her and missed being in New York with his buddies. Maybe she was calling to say she would be there to pick them up earlier than planned.

  “Mom,” he said into the receiver, gladness in his heart and on his face. “Mom, how are you? I miss you,” he said with his changing, thirteen-year-old voice. “When are you coming to get me and Joycie?”

  “Honey-babe,” Ree said gaily to her son. “I have a surprise for you and your sister.” Marie paused, searching for the right words to win her son over in this moment of truth. “Samuel and I got married, Jeffrey,” she quickly breathed out before she could change her mind.

  FORTY FOUR

  Jeffrey stared at the receiver in his hand as though it had grown a mouth, hands, and legs. He felt like he had been slapped as the breath left his body. Married? Mom? Why? He was the man of the house, wasn’t he?

  He took care of things. He watched out for Joycie. He even had a job running errands for Eddie Purdie, the thug who lived in that real nice brownstone down the street from their apartment building. How could she do this?! They didn’t need a man in their house. He was the man of their house.

  “Why?” Jeffrey intoned the word. He felt dead inside. This Samuel guy was all right but Jeffrey didn’t need a dad in his life. For thirteen years, his mom, sister, and he had made it by themselves. They didn’t need some man coming into their lives trying to be the man of the house and a dad to him and Joyce.

  “Why, Mom? I’m the man of the house. You’re always saying how I keep things in order. Why?” Jeffrey repeated. He needed to know the answer, but at the same time, didn’t want to know.

  “Honey, it’s not about you being the man of the house. I love Samuel. He loves me and you and Joycie. He wants to help take care of us, Jeffrey. Don’t you understand?” Ree asked, hoping and praying she could help her son see her side of the situation.

  Samuel motioned to her to let him talk to his new stepson.

  “Jeffrey,” Samuel began. “Son, please don’t think I’m coming in trying to change anything in your life. I just want to make it better for you, Joyce, and your mother,” he explained to the wall of silence on the other end of the phone line.

  “First of all,” Jeffrey said, immediately belligerent, “don’t call me ‘son.’ I am not your son. I am not anyone’s son except my mom’s! Understand?” He challenged Samuel with what little authority he could muster to his voice.

  “Yes, Jeffrey, I understand,” Samuel answered. It was wiser to give in until he got on better footing face-to-face with Jeffrey.

  “Second of all,” Jeffrey shouted in rage, “we were doing just fine before you came along. I was taking care of things for my mom. We don’t need you, man!” Tears began to roll down his face. Dashing them away with the back of his hand, Jeffrey squeezed the receiver, wishing it were Samuel’s neck.

  Standing behind the boy, Homer put his hand on Jeffrey’s shoulder in support. Jeffrey shoved the phone into his grandfather’s hands and ran out of the house. Homer took the phone. He knew the boy was hurting. He also recognized that Jeffrey would need time to sort things out on his own.

  “Samuel,” Homer said into the mouthpiece, “don’t worry, son. And tell Ree not to worry, either. He’ll be fine. Let me go to him. I’ll get back with you. OK?” He felt a strong urge to pray before he went out to the boy.

  “Daddy,” Ree cried into the phone as she took it from Samuel. She knew her son was hurting. “Daddy, what should we do?” she asked, feeling the distance between her and her son right now.

  “Honey, don’t worry,” assured Homer. “I’ll take c
are of this. Just enjoy yourself with your husband. We’ll talk more about this,” Homer said, ending the conversation.

  Ree and Samuel looked at each other as she hung up the phone.

  “Babe …” Samuel looked at his new wife, her cheeks stained from the tears she shed for her teen son. “All we can do is pray and ask the Lord for guidance. He hasn’t failed us yet,” he assured her as he took her petite hand into his.

  “Jeffrey, Pops said for us to come straight home from school today so we can pick mom up from work and go to dinner,” Joyce reminded her twin.

  Jeffrey had acted strangely ever since returning from down South. He acted as though he hated their new stepfather Samuel Jenkins. Joyce was crazy about him. He was so funny and helpful most of the time. And he always brought a smile to their mother’s face.

  “He’s not my pops and I’m not going straight home. I’m not going to dinner with ‘the family’ either,” Jeffrey said sarcastically. He voiced his displeasure at having to play the happy family with this man who had come to take over as man of the house.

  Jeffrey refused to attend the wedding when his mother and this man came to Alabama to pick them up after summer vacation. He hadn’t said two words to his new stepfather in the four weeks they had been back at home. He wasn’t planning on saying anything to him at all except, “Get lost!”

  “I’m tired of him trying to tell me what to do. I didn’t want Mom to get married in the first place. I will never accept it,” Jeffrey said, argumentative and petulant at the same time.

  Jeffrey had not accepted Samuel. He was doing everything he could to drive Samuel away. Nothing seemed to work. He began hanging out more with Eddie Purdie and his crew, taking on more responsibilities as a runner for Eddie’s organization.

  Bankrolling about two grand a week, Jeffrey kept the money hidden in his room until he needed it. He was one of Eddie’s best couriers and his weekly pay showed it. None of the other couriers made as much as he did. He had plans for this money.