by Meisha Camm
“Ma’am, would you like for me to call an ambulance?”
“No, sir, that won’t be necessary. It’s nothing a good Sunday meal and a tall glass of sweet ice tea won’t cure.”
“You’re making me hungry. Well, you folks have a nice evening. Ma’am, please take better care of yourself.”
No one said a word until he drove off into the sunset. “Leave my husband, alone. I thought you were my friend and a woman of God. You’re on church grounds trying to get your freak on. If all these people were not holding me back, I would have you laid out on a stretcher.”
Ma balled up her fists.
The gathered crowd just looked at Ms. Maddox in disgust.
“I wasn’t—”
“Whore, please, save your breath. I saw you with my own eyes right in front of my daughter,” Ma spat at her.
Pop didn’t even dare to try to put his two cents in.
Chapter 7
“Robert, I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. She could have pressed charges on me all of because of your dick. Are you hard now, muthafucka? Hurry up. We’re already late to your mother’s house. She hates when we’re not there on time.” Ma buckled her seat belt.
I couldn’t even eat my food. I lost my appetite and excused myself from the table.
“Honey, are you all right?” Ma was eating her last scoop of rice.
“No,” I replied with tears in my eyes running to the bathroom.
Ma and Pop followed hot on my trail.
“Baby, I know you’re upset about today. It will never happen again.” Pop embraced me in his loving arms.
“Why do you always hurt Ma? She is constantly yelling at you. I can’t stand it when you two fight,” I explained, buried deep into Pop’s chest.
“Those days are over.” Pop dried my tears with a soft tissue.
“Even though we are parents, we make mistakes.” Ma caressed my face.
“I don’t want you two to break up. Jeremy and I are the only two people in my class whose parents are not divorced. Charlotte’s parents just went through a divorce and she hates going back and forth to her each of her parent’s house. I just want to be a kid. I don’t want to have to worry about if Ma is going to try to kill you or put you out of the house on a daily basis. I need both of you.”
“Things got out of hand today. Your father and I are not breaking up.”
“We will always be a family,” Pop reassured, holding Ma’s hand.
I blew my nose in a tissue. “Promise?”
“We promise.”
“Let’s do team.” Pop held up his other hand. I smiled. “All right.”
Then all three of us put our pinkie finger together and said, “T-e-a-m,” as loudly as we could, something we used to do from ever since.
“Why are y’all crowded in here? Is there a meeting I don’t know about? Please move because I’ve got to use the bathroom. What’s wrong with my grandbaby? Alex, you barely touched your plate of good food. Robert, I will hurt you if anything is wrong with my grandbaby,” Grandma ranted, barricading the door.
“Nothing, Grandma. I’m fine.”
“Good. Now I made your favorite, peach cobbler smothered in vanilla ice cream.
“Do you have Breyers All Natural vanilla ice cream?”
“Of course. I know what my baby likes.”
“Thanks, Grandma.” I smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
The clock read 11:45. My throat was dry. I went down the kitchen to get a glass of Welch’s grape juice. As I walked back upstairs, I could hear moans and groans coming from my parents’ bedroom. I ran into my room and turned up the volume of the television show, Saturday Night Live, to drown out their sounds. Ma and Pop were doing it. Yuck! Well, that’s better than Ma beating him down.
* * *
Four hours later, I awoke to use the bathroom. My bladder was full. After I came back to my room, I felt the need to kneel down at the side of my bed. “God, I know I don’t say my prayers or read the Bible as much as You, Ma, and Grandma would like me to. Plus, my attitude does need to be a little better on Sunday mornings going to church. You see, Pop lets me stay up as late as I want, to watch scary movies and mysteries. He knows those are my favorites. If Ma happens to come in my room to check on me, then I just act as if I’m already ’sleep. She’ll have my behind and Pop’s throat if she knew how late I was staying up at night. Anyway, I wanted to pray tonight for my family. I’m so sick of the yelling and the fighting. Most of all, Ma cries over and over again. Please help my family. Please fix my family so that we can be normal. I’m afraid Ma will either hurt Pop to the point where she may have to go to jail or they’ll split up for good. Please, God, my heart can’t take it anymore. Thanks for listening and keeping my family together. By the way, I’ll read two extra Bible verses for the six months in Sunday school. Amen.”
When I turned around, I saw Ma and Pop in their bathrobes in the doorway of my room, in tears.
“Gosh, I didn’t even know my eight-year-old daughter could even pray like that,” Pop cried out.
“I didn’t realize what a toll our fighting was taking on you, Alex. Baby, your father and I will fix this so we can be a family. It’s what we all want.” Ma gave me a hug, and Pop quickly joined in.
I looked up to the ceiling and said, “Thank you,” to God.
* * *
“Alexis, Alexis, wake up,” Pop shouted.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, barely awake. The sounds of sirens were coming closer.
“Your mother is having extreme pains in her stomach.”
“Is she having the baby?”
“Let’s hope . . . because she’s not due for another two months.”
“Are we going to the hospital?”
“I’m going to the hospital with Ma. You’re going to stay here with your Aunt Cecily and Uncle Freddy.”
“No, Pop. I want to go to the hospital, please.”
“You stay here, Alexis.”
Pop only called me my full name when something was wrong.
“Honey, it’s so late. Besides, you have school in the morning. I don’t want you to worry.”
“Pop, please let me go with you. I promise I won’t complain. Let me bring my blanket, coloring books, and crayons.”
“Well, all right. I guess we all can go. Your pajamas are good enough to wear. Go find your sneakers, put them on, and meet me downstairs.” Pop placed my blanket, crayons, and my two Barbie coloring books in my book bag.
Even though, Aunt Cecily, Uncle Freddy, and Pop were covering it up, I knew something was wrong. Pop got into the ambulance with Ma, speeding to Chesapeake General Hospital.
“Is Ma going to be okay? Is my baby brother going to be okay?” I asked Aunt Cecily in the car.
“Alex, your mother is in a lot of pain due to the pregnancy. Your brother and she are going to be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“You promise?”
“Honey, will do me a favor?”
“What do you want me to do, Aunt Cecily?”
“I want to lay back and think nothing but good thoughts. Think about all the times you’ve spent having fun with your mother and father. Also, imagine how your life is going to be even more exciting since you’re going to be a big sister.”
We reached the hospital and got out of the car. I quickly grabbed Aunt Cecily’s hand. She stopped, looked at me, and kneeled down to hug me.
I started to cry because I was scared for Ma. What if she dies or my baby brother does? All the fights Ma and Pop have had, could it have hurt the baby? I had so many questions, and I knew Pop, Aunt Cecily, and Uncle Freddy were trying their best to be strong for me and my mother.
In the waiting room, I colored for two hours and then drifted in and out of sleep with my Strawberry Shortcake blanket. Pop was pacing the floor back and forth, rubbing the back of his neck. I had never seen him so stressed and helpless. Each minute felt like ten minutes. Aunt Cec
ily kept looking Pop up and down. She said, “You know, Robert—”
“Can you lower your voice, please. I don’t want to wake my daughter up,” Pop whispered, cutting her off.
“You know, Robert, if anything happens to my sister, I’m holding you responsible.”
“I’ve got enough to deal with. Please, I don’t need this drama.” Pop sat in the chair.
I kept pretending to be ’sleep.
“Look, I’ve said my piece. Something you will never have if my sister and my nephew don’t pull through.”
“Cecily, you can leave.”
“I left Vivian at your doorstep, and you put her in the hospital. You promised you would take care of her.”
“I do take care of her. She doesn’t want for nothing.”
“You paying all the bills is not what I’m talking about.”
“What are you talking about, Cecily?”
“I’m talking about how my sister is an emotional wreck. She gets up every day wondering whether you’re going to come home. If you do come home, will you bring her herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, crabs, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome? Do you even wear condoms?”
“This is not the time or the place,” Pop spat back. He got up pacing the floor and rubbing the back of his head even harder.
“Vivian wonders, do you even love her any more. You have hurt her so many times. Love isn’t supposed to hurt. Love is supposed to cherish, and lift up a man and woman together. I’m surprised she can even stand to look at you. If you wanted to play the soccer, football, and baseball field, then you shouldn’t have got with my sister. She don’t deserve this. Now your ass put her in the hospital.”
“I’m a good man, a damn good provider, and father.”
“Like I said before, anyone can pay bills on time. I’m not taking you being a provider away from you, or a good father to Alex. Robert, you are good father. Let’s be clear—you treat my sister like shit. This time, I hope you haven’t killed her.”
“Vivian is pregnant. She is supposed to have pains in her stomach.”
“Robert, your wife and my baby sister awoke to a pool of blood in your bed two months prior to her due date. She was bawling over the bed in pain. That kind of pain she is not supposed to have. Maybe if you bothered to show up to more Lamaze classes and doctor’s appointments, you would know these things. I’ve been holding this anger and frustration with you for so long. You needed to hear this. I hope you can get your ass in gear and be there for my sister. Not to mention, karma is a muthafucka.”
“All right, that’s enough, Cecily. We need to keep our focus on Vivian and the baby. I know you’re pissed off at Robert, but let’s discuss it later. Besides, I think you two may have woken Alexis up,” Uncle Freddy said.
The doctor headed toward us. He let a deep sigh and took off his blue paper-like mask.
I sat and rubbed my eyes.
“Well, doc, what’s the prognosis?” Pop asked.
“Vivian is fine, and so is your son. I had to do an emergency C-section. Jason is only five pounds, but I’m sure once he starts eating, he will be fine. I’m going to keep him in an incubator for the next thirty days for observation. Vivian should be able to go home in two weeks. I just finished stitching her stomach back up. She’s very groggy and disoriented. She is being wheeled into Room 228. You may see her but not for a long time, because she needs her rest.”
“Thanks, doc.” Pop gave him a hug.
Aunt Cecily gave Dr. Morales a hug, and Uncle Freddy shook his hand. Maybe, Aunt Cecily and Pop were going to make amends . . . because she hugged him.
Uncle Freddy scooped me up in his arms and hugged me. I was so happy. Ma and Jason were going to be okay. Now, hopefully, this will teach Pop a lesson, and we can get back to being a family.
Chapter 8
“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to Jason! Happy birthday to you!”
I could hear claps coming from everywhere.
He tried to blow out the candles, but I had to give my little baby brother some assistance on his first birthday. He was trying to get a lick of his chocolate birthday cake all day. Finally, Jason had the opportunity to do so. The next thing I knew, he dove right into it, face-first, of course. Coming up for air, all he could hear was laughter and cheers.
He looked proud, with a mighty grin, to have cake smeared all over his hands, hair, and face. I had to sneak a picture. Presents galore filled the living room courtesy of Pop, but Jason seemed more interested in the wrapping paper than the presents.
“Alex, did you get enough to eat?” Pop asked.
“Yes,” I replied patting my stomach.
“I’m tired, and I can already see your mother and her crew are cleaning up. I think I better shut down the grill.
“Last-minute call, people. Does anyone else want anything else from the grill?” Pop scanned the crowd.
Ma and Pop outdid themselves with the cookout. We had barbecue ribs and chicken, grilled rib eyes and porterhouses, hamburgers, hotdogs, Italian sausages, and grilled salmon and flounder. The side dishes were potato salad, deviled eggs, spinach dip, and a vegetable tray with ranch dressing, salt ’n’ vinegar, barbecue, and rippled potato chips. For dessert, four watermelons were lined up in the kitchen with my name on one of them. I loved sweet watermelon. Banana pudding and strawberry shortcake were freshly made for the occasion.
“Going once, going twice, gone.”
As I carried Jason back into the house, I could feel his bottom getting warm. Then the infamous aroma of crap emerged in the air. “Ma, Jason took a dump. Can you change him?” I pleaded, holding him and my nose.
“Honey, your aunts and I have a lot of dishes to wash. Will you change him for me please without the attitude?” she asked, her hands on her hips.
“All right.” I headed up the stairs.
“Thank you.”
“Look, little guy, I’m going to change your diaper, but you better not squirt me like you did last time.” I plopped him down on the bed.
Chapter 9
“Shall we begin, Ms. Gibbs?” Mr. Barres looked down on his clipboard.
I was a complete basket case. The day finally arrived and I couldn’t seem to get myself together.
“Ms. Gibbs?”
“Huh?”
“I said, ‘Are you ready to begin?’”
“Yes, sir, I’m ready.” I gripped my hands tight around the steering wheel. Sweat was pouring down my face.
My best friend Maria passed the behind-the-wheel course on her first try. We’d been practicing for the past week. This was my third try. The first time I took this test, Pop told my instructor, if she felt even in the slightest I wasn’t ready to drive, don’t pass me, or he’d sue her company and make sure she never instructs another student again.
Okay, I did run into a pole because Ms. Stillwall kept talking to me. No, it was rather yelling, which made me nervous. While I’m driving, you have to talk slowly; otherwise, I get all confused and mess up.
The second time I tried, Pop rode in the back seat. Big mistake. He was worse than the driving instructor. “Did you put your seat belt on? Are you looking both ways when crossing the street? Come on, Alex, slow down,” he would say, even though it was forty-five miles per hour on the highway. He wanted me to drive twenty-five miles per hour. I didn’t know who the instructor was sick of, him or me.
This time Pop wasn’t with me, due to Ma’s special request. He was having a hard time realizing that I was growing up mentally and physically. Boys were another issue. I couldn’t even talk to them on the phone until I was fourteen.
“Listen, Ms. Gibbs, I can already see you’re nervous. Here are a few tips. Please, just relax. I don’t want you to hurt anyone. Cars can kill.” Mr. Barres rolled down his window.
“I’m aware of that.”
“Would you like me to put on the radio to help you relax?”
“No, thank you. It will just be a distraction.”
“Su
it yourself. Now, let’s get on the road.”
I backed out of the parking space.
“You’re doing fine.” He marked a check on a piece of paper.
The paper was going to determine my fate. Pop made it plain and simple—no license, no Toyota 4Runner.
“Now turn right at the light.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Proceed on sixty-four west, get off at the first Military Highway exit.”
I put on my left signal to get over, but the jerk behind me wasn’t budging.
“Stay cool. I’m sure the person behind us sees the big sign on top of the car that reads student driver. He’ll let you over.”
Let’s hope so. I remained signaling, and the driver wouldn’t let up.
Mr. Barres was losing his patience by the second. He stuck his head out of the window. “Let me handle this.”
“All right.”
Mr. Barres made eye contact with the stupid ass behind us. I, the huge butt crack in front of my face.
“My student needs to get over. Back off and let her go.”
“I’ve got somewhere to be. Turn around, fat ass, and shut your face up.”
Mr. Barres became red all over. “Listen to me, CXV1256, if you don’t let her over, I’ll take your license and have you cited for drinking and driving. I see the beer can in your hand. Keep fucking with me and you’ll get a year sentence of jail time with ‘Cujo’ sticking it up your ass every night.”
The man slammed on his brakes and almost caused a four-car pile-up.
After placing his head back in the car, he explained, “Ms. Gibbs, I apologize for my behavior. Some folks don’t know how to act.”
“It’s all right. Would you like a bottle of water?” I asked, trying to hold back my tears of laughter. I could see he needed it more than me.
“Yes, thank you.” He loosened up his tie.
I knew exactly where we were going. I just wanted to get there in one piece.
“Proceed through both lights and make a right on Popular Hall Drive. Your signaling is excellent.”
I forgot to signal right after all of the commotion. I didn’t even think he noticed. We were stuck at the light, while the other cars were going straight. I turned the radio on as a little reward for getting through the test. We’re almost there.