Blessings From the Father

by Michelle Larks

  “You never know what might come up. You might need my help again.” Carson smiled engagingly at Mariah. His grin warmed her heart. She beamed his way.

  “I guess so.” She turned to unlock the front door, and then turned back around. “Hey, Carson,” she said.

  Carson faced her. “Yes?”

  “You aren’t married or anything, are you?” She gazed at him with a penetrating stare.

  “No, I’m not married or anything.” Carson shook his head with a serious expression. “I’m not that kind of man. Give me time and you’ll find out. Have a good evening, Mariah Green. It was a pleasure meeting you. I have a feeling we’re going to become good friends.”

  Mariah blushed and waved at Carson. She watched him get inside his truck, which was parked in the rear of the driveway. He waited for her to go inside the house. Then he honked his horn and drove off.

  Mariah flipped on the light switch after she walked into the foyer. She set her bag from the store on the dining room table and walked to the living room. Mariah turned on the table light and sat on the sofa.

  The contemporary living room and dining room set she had ordered had been delivered yesterday. She also bought a wall-mounted flat-screen television. She requested that the delivery men remove the television console from the room. She left the picture of Harold and his wife over the fireplace.

  She looked at her father and his wife and shook her head. “How could you work with boys and girls and not do anything for me? I don’t understand you at all.” She picked the remote off the cocktail table and turned on the television. She decided to sleep downstairs for the night. Mariah didn’t have any nightclothes so she would have to wing it and sleep in her clothing and hope she didn’t look too disheveled in the morning.

  Mariah checked her phone for missed calls and saw that Rosemary had called a couple of times. She decided to call her back in the morning. Mariah didn’t want to turn the heat on, so she ventured upstairs to get a comforter and blanket out of the linen closet.

  When she opened the closet door, she saw a pair of pajamas, with the price tag still attached, folded on the shelf. Mariah had forgotten to put it with the other clothes she had donated to the Salvation Army. Based on photographs Mariah had seen of Dorothy, she appeared to be plus sized. Mariah held up the pajamas; they were a little large for her. Still Mariah was glad that she wouldn’t have to sleep in her clothes. She quickly shucked her clothing off and put on the PJs.

  After she put on the nightclothes, Mariah went back downstairs and set the burglar alarm. She had bought a bag of Goldfish Crackers and a bottle of 7 Up. She eagerly tore open the bag and munched on the snack. She took a pad of paper out of her purse and added grocery shopping to her to-do list. When she finished eating, Mariah relaxed her body against the back of the sofa, and thought about her day. She focused on Rosemary declining to move to Hammond, and then meeting Carson. She had to admit she felt a spark of attraction between them. He was very handsome, a pretty boy turned man. She had sworn off pretty boys a long time ago. They were way too much work. She wondered if he was interested in her for herself, or because of the money he must have known that she had inherited. “Only time will tell,” she told herself.

  Mariah looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. She noted it was nearly ten o’clock. She picked up her cordless phone off the end table and dialed Sonyell’s number.

  “What took you so long to call? I was getting ready to put on my clothes, get Sasha to the car, and drive out there,” Sonyell scolded her friend after she answered the telephone.

  “I talked to Carson for a little while. I was starving, so I ate the snacks I bought. I changed clothes and made a bed on my new leather sofa. Thank God, it was delivered today. So I’m just getting around to calling you.”

  “Good. I really was worried, Mari. I’m glad everything turned out okay. You really took a chance depending on a stranger for help. He could have been a crazy.”

  “He turned out to be a godsend. Can you believe he actually knew my father? You know I’m going to pick his brain.”

  “Hmm, is that so? Do you plan on seeing him again?” Sonyell tried to keep the excitement out of her voice. She sat upright in the bed.

  “Well, we have a date of sorts on Sunday.”

  “You don’t waste time.” Sonyell cackled. “What do you mean by a date of sorts? Either you do or you don’t.”

  “I guess we do,” Mariah said wonderingly. “We definitely do.”

  “Cool beans. It’s about time you got out and tested the waters again.” Sonyell lay back in the bed.

  “I don’t know about this, Sonni. He knows that Harold Ellison is my father. He spotted the resemblance. How do I know that he likes me for me and not for the money I inherited?”

  “You don’t. You’re a smart woman, you’ll figure it out. I’ve got to go. I have to go to work early in the morning. Since I gave my month’s notice, they have found a million things for me to do before I leave. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Oh, did you call Granny?” Sonyell turned off the light on her nightstand.

  “No, I didn’t. I thought it was too late, that she was probably asleep. I’ll call her in the morning.”

  “You know that you’re wrong. She called here earlier looking for you. I told her I would have you call her. Now, would you please do that?”

  “I’ll think about it. Good night, Sonni. Thanks for having my back.”

  “That’s what sista/friends are for. Sleep tight.”

  The women hung up. Mariah held the cordless phone in her hand indecisively for a few minutes. Then she dialed Rosemary’s number.

  The older woman didn’t sound like she been asleep. “Mari, I’ve been sick with worry. Why didn’t you call me sooner? Where are you?” Rosemary asked tensely.

  “I’m all right. I decided to stay in Hammond tonight. I had car trouble. I just got here a little while ago.”

  “Praise God, you’re okay. I’m sorry you’re upset with me for not moving with you. But, I feel my decision is the right one for both of us.”

  “I think I would feel better if you moved out the projects. Why won’t you at least let me buy you a house? You could stay in Chicago, but just not in the projects.”

  “I don’t want you to spend your money on me, Mari. I am independent and I want to stay that way as long as I can. Now if something changes, then we’ll talk about it at a later date. Can we call a truce?” Rosemary voice was full of trepidation. She clutched the telephone receiver tightly in her hand.

  “Do I really have a choice?” Mariah sighed. “I guess so.” She shifted her body on the couch.

  “Thank you, baby,” Rosemary said, relief evident in her voice. “I want you to enjoy your life and enjoy the new projects you are about to embark on. I know with God’s help, you are going to make a difference in the lives of people in Hammond the way you have in the Garden.”

  “I plan to. I know you have to go to work tomorrow. So I’m going to let you go. If I decide to stay here tomorrow I’ll let you know.”

  “Fair enough. I love you, Mari. I only want the best things in life for you and Cassie. I hope you’ll still consider finding a good rehabilitation facility for her. Don’t let your anger about the things she didn’t do for you while you were growing up cloud your judgment. Praise the Father that you are in a position to help her. Maybe she might turn her life around.”

  “We’ll see. Good night, Granny.”

  “Good night, Ms. Mari, sleep tight. I love you.”

  “Love you too, Granny, you have a good night.”

  After the call ended, Mariah clicked the phone off and held it next to her chest. Then she put it back inside the base. She got up and turned the light on in the dining room. The light switch had a dimmer. She set the lighting low. Then she returned to the living room, lay on the couch, and turned off the table lamp. Before she fell asleep, she thanked her Heavenly Father for the many blessings He had bestowed on her. She made a mental note to get her
old car repaired and donate it to charity. She planned to ask Carson if he could recommend a good mechanic. Mariah had a feeling he could.

  A smile filled Mariah’s face after she fell asleep. A pair of green eyes and the person they belonged to made for a pleasant dream for the young woman. Mariah admitted to herself that she looked forward to talking to Carson Palmer again. She really hoped he used the digits. If he didn’t perhaps she would call him herself. Though the day had been rocky, there had been a light at the end of the rainbow and the rainbow came in the guise of Carson Palmer.

  Chapter Ten

  Mariah had been on pins and needles the remaining days leading up to her moving date. By eight o’clock Saturday morning her stress level had rapidly accelerated. The weatherman had predicted rain in Hammond. When Mariah returned home Thursday evening after work, she resumed packing. As the day elapsed and Friday was upon her, Mariah reflected on how drastically her life was about to change and prayed that God would be with her every step of the way. Her mind like a needle on a vinyl record was stuck on the same melody: Granny won’t be living with me anymore. Every time that thought crossed Mariah’s mind, her inhalations seemed to slow down and get stuck in her throat. The thought of not seeing Granny every day caused a sensation to trickle through Mariah’s body. Like a giant finger poked her in the middle of her back, that was sending her reeling into uncharted waters.

  She had just put the last pieces of her clothing inside a box. Mariah left her room and walked into the bathroom. She verified that she’d removed all her personal belongings. She opened the medicine chest, and scanned it quickly. Nothing.

  She had returned to her bedroom when the doorbell rang. When Mariah opened the door, Sonyell and Raquel stood at there with cups of coffee, bagels, croissants, and a fruit tray for breakfast. After they went into the kitchen, Sonyell removed the food from the bags. Rosemary came down the stairs; she was dressed in a blue sweat suit.

  “I see you girls brought breakfast. I planned to fix my grandbaby her last morning meal at this house. Since today is the M day.” Rosemary brought her shaking hands up to her midsection and clutched them together.

  “I’m afraid we don’t have time for that,” Mariah informed her grandmother. “The movers will be here soon. Let’s just eat what the girls bought. I’ll come visit you one morning next week before you go to work, and you can spoil me rotten, like you did when I was a child.” She swallowed tears and then ran from the kitchen upstairs to her bedroom.

  Rosemary looked toward the staircase; matching tears to Mariah’s sprang into her eyes. Everyone looked at other in amazement. Raquel’s mouth formed a perfect O, while Sonyell’s eyes widened dramatically. Sasha looked dismayed. “Is Aunt Mari all right?” she asked Sonyell fearfully. Her knuckles appeared to be glued to her mouth.

  “I guess I’d better go up and see her. Let us know when the mover gets here,” Rosemary finally said with a grim look on her face. She marched up the stairs while everyone watched her ascent. A chorus of babbling ensued in the kitchen between Sonyell and Raquel after Rosemary arrived upstairs.

  Mariah stood at the window wiping tears from her eyes; she turned toward the door when Rosemary came into the room.

  Rosemary walked over to her granddaughter and the women hugged each other tightly, for a long time. Rosemary led Mariah to the bed.

  “Come on now, you’re too old for this,” she tried to tease Mariah. “You’re moving about fifteen miles away and you’re blubbering like you’re moving to Africa or someplace.”

  “Granny, it just doesn’t feel right, you not moving with me,” Mariah blurted out.

  “It might not feel right today, but give it some time. You knew you had to leave the nest one day, and that day is today.” Rosemary nodded her head, while she wiped a tear from Mariah’s cheek.

  “I want you to come with me,” Mariah said stubbornly like she was a ten-year-old child.

  “We’ve had this discussion. You’re twenty-nine years old, Mariah. It’s time you stand on your own two feet. I feel like a mother bird, pushing her baby out of the nest.” Rosemary tsked.

  “I know you’re right, I’m just afraid,” Mariah mumbled.

  Rosemary took her granddaughter’s hand. “You have nothing to be afraid of. Once you make up your mind to do something, you do it and do it well. I don’t live that far from you. I promise I’m going to come and stay with you next weekend.”

  The doorbell rang.

  “That’s probably the movers,” Rosemary said matter-of-factly. She stood up. “Mari, I love you so much. God has good things in store for you. Now it’s time for you to embrace all the blessings He’s going to send your way. You will be fine. I’m going to miss you like the dickens, but I know it’s the right thing for me to do, to stay here and you move to Indiana. Now, go wipe your face, and then join us downstairs so we can get this party on the road.”

  Mariah swallowed hard. She hugged Rosemary again and went to the bathroom. She ran a towel over her face, while Rosemary went to her bedroom and got her purse. She wiped a few tears from her own face. When she went downstairs, Mariah was instructing the men on what tasks needed to be completed.

  “What do you need us to do?” Sonyell asked, with her hands on her hips.

  “Not too much. If you just put my television and a few of the boxes in my bedroom in your car, that would be a big help. The boxes contain my cosmetics and books, those kinds of things,” Mariah told her friends.

  An hour and a half later, Mariah went to upstairs to her now empty bedroom. For sentimental reasons she decided to keep her bedroom set. She planned to store it at the new house. She was astounded at how small the room seemed. She planned to take her granny shopping and buy new furniture for Rosemary’s house the upcoming week. Mariah took one last peep inside the closet. She walked to Rosemary’s room and removed her purse from Rosemary’s closet. She had put it there while the movers were removing the possessions from her room. Mariah put the strap on her shoulder and joined the women downstairs.

  “Is there anything else?” a mover asked Mariah.

  She shook her head and looked around the kitchen and into the living room. “That’s it.”

  “Okay, then. We’ll be on our way. See you in Hammond.” He departed the room and went out the door.

  Sonyell grabbed one of Mariah’s arms and Raquel the other one. She said, “Let’s get out of here before she changes her mind.”

  Rosemary threw back her head and laughed. “I know that’s right.”

  After the friends went outside, Rosemary pulled the door shut and locked it.

  “Mommy, can I ride with Aunt Mari?” Sasha asked her mother hopefully.

  “If it’s all right with Mari, then you can,” Sonyell answered.

  “Can I, Aunt Mari?” the young girl asked Mariah hopefully.

  “I’m going to ride with Sonni and Rocki,” Rosemary informed her granddaughter. She knew that Sasha’s constant chatter would keep Mariah’s mind occupied. Mariah wouldn’t have time to dwell on Rosemary not moving with her.

  “Of course you can,” Mariah told Sasha while she and the girl walked to Mariah’s silver Toyota 4Runner.

  “I like Aunt Mari’s new truck,” Sasha said as she got inside the vehicle.

  Rosemary and Sonyell entered Raquel’s midnight-blue Chevy TrailBlazer.

  Mariah and Sasha chatted during the drive. The day was sunny and bright. Traffic slowed down due to an accident ten minutes into the trip. By the time Mariah exited the expressway, pricks of excitement danced in her stomach. Quiet as it was kept, she was truly excited about the move. Before long Mariah parked in front of her new lodgings. Raquel pulled in behind her.

  The moving truck had not arrived yet.

  The women exited the car and walked up the stairs leading to the entrance of the house. Sasha asked if she stay on the porch and swing on the glider.

  “You can for a minute,” Sonyell informed her daughter. “It’s cold outside. But, you’re going to help Aunt Ma
ri get situated. So don’t get too comfortable.”

  Mariah opened the door and the women followed her inside.

  “Wow, you did a lot of shopping,” Sonyell noted as she looked at the stacks of boxes piled neatly in the living and dining room.

  “Well, I thought the room needed lighter colors after the painter finished painting the exterior of the house.” Mariah beamed. “Come see what I did with the kitchen.”

  Rosemary, Sonyell, and Raquel followed Mariah into the kitchen.

  “I like it. The marble countertops and new appliances are great. Have you done anything upstairs?” Raquel asked.

  “Not yet. I want to do some remodeling up there, particularly in the attic. Luckily there’s a bedroom down here, and I’m going to bunk there temporarily. I plan to talk to construction crews next week and take some bids.”

  “Listen to her,” Raquel commented. “I swear she sounds so professional. I need to go to the little girls’ room; I’ll be right back.” Raquel departed from the kitchen and to the powder room.

  Beep! Beep! sounded from outside.

  “That must be the movers,” Mariah exclaimed excitedly. She flew out of the house.

  Rosemary and Sonyell chuckled. Then they followed their friend outside.

  Mariah directed the truck driver to the driveway leading to the rear of the house. She turned to Rosemary and said, “I kept some of my dad’s things and put them in the coach house. You know I’ve been going through his and his wife’s things in my spare time.”

  “Hmm, have you found anything interesting?” Rosemary inquired. She too was caught up in the excitement.

  “Not yet. I had the coach house painted. It can be used by the director of the transitional home when the time comes,” Mariah answered. The women followed her into the small dwelling.

  “It’s so quaint, I love it,” Sonyell proclaimed upon entering the house.

  They took a quick tour and then returned to the main house.

  By afternoon, the movers had completed their work. Mariah had special ordered a dining set, and other furniture. She had visited the new house several times. Mariah had decided to order furniture for it now instead of later. That would be one less chore she would have to do later down the road. Plus, it wasn’t like she had to move far from where she was staying.