My Rock

by Pat Simmons

  “So, to introduce this medication, my patients would have to be monitored every week for two months, instead of bi-monthly visits,” he summarized.

  “Yes,” she nodded. That was the truth.

  “Will the benefits outweigh the side effects?”

  “In the best candidates, yes. Possible concerns could be tumors, some cancerous. Besides serious allergic reactions, the drug could cause kidney failure or pancreatitis.” Doctors were well aware all drugs had side effects, some more severe than others. That’s how medicine worked.

  Her mother once said doctors practice medicine, but God was the healer. Tabitha believed that, however, until God healed, the medicines were the best option. “Dr. Bernstein, I’m asking that you identify patients whose quality of life would benefit from this new drug. With your extensive research on the complication of this disease, especially in certain ethnic populations, I hope you’ll willing to consider prescribing it.”

  He pushed circular glasses up on his nose. “You’ve done preliminary research for me. I appreciate that.”

  “I don’t believe in wasting physicians’ time. I’ll leave samples and check back with you. Please call me with any questions.”

  He accepted her packets, then stood. Thanking him, she left for her last two appointments in Mid-town. On the way, she called Marcus. “Hey,” she greeted him hesitantly.

  “Hey, yourself,” he sounded upbeat.

  “Have you had a chance to get my aunt?” If he said no, something came up, like what had happened in her case, she would pull over to the side of the highway and have a meltdown.

  “Of course. As a matter of fact, we’re enjoying a light dinner at OL’ Henry’s.”

  Some of her tension subsided. “Thank you sooo much, but I’m jealous,” she teased. “But seriously, you didn’t have to feed her. I’ll reimburse you.”

  “Our dinner—just us—is waiting to be cashed in. I’ll ignore your offer to pay me back. When we finish, my lady friend and I will do a little sightseeing, then head home. Without you, I didn’t want to take her too far from familiar surroundings, so you’ll find us at the pond.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered. The man was thoughtful. “Can you put her on the phone?” There was some muffling, then Aunt Tweet said hello. “Are you are okay?”

  “Of course. We’re eating supper. He’s handsome, you know.”

  No comment. Once this crisis had passed, she could bask in Marcus’ handsomeness, kisses, colognes, hugs.... That would come later. “See you soon, Auntie. Love you.”

  SUNDAY MORNING, TABITHA couldn’t open her eyes. They were too heavy with sleep. Her body begged for another hour—three hours to be generous, but Aunt Tweet’s memory never faded on this day of the week.

  She didn’t know what time it was, nor did she care as she rolled over. She could play possum like her aunt when it came to sleep.

  “Miss, it’s time to go,” a voice echoed in the distance, forcing Tabitha to open her eyes.

  As her aunt came into focus, fully dressed. She sat up to get her bearings. Aunt Tweet’s appearance needed tweaking, including re-combing her hair; replacing her pantyhose, which had a run; and removing the wool sweater, since it was almost summer. Plus, give Aunt Tweet her red purse to match the red hat she insisted on wearing.

  “Okay. Let me shower.” She sniffed. Even though Tabitha had assisted bathing Aunt Tweet last night, she still needed freshening up.

  While showering, Aunt Tweet said she would start breakfast. When Tabitha walked into the kitchen ten minutes later, she determined it was time for Aunt Tweet to retire from cooking, a life pleasure that was slowly fading. Her aunt was scrambling eggs with an uncut onion in the skillet.

  “I’ll take it from here.” She threw the onion away, finished the eggs, and made toast. That was the best she could do. While her aunt ate, Tabitha took Sweet Pepper outside for a potty break and to stretch his legs. Back in the kitchen, she made sure the puppy was fed, then gave her aunt a final inspection.

  “Let’s go.” She grabbed a piece of toast for breakfast and headed out the door.

  They arrived at Bethesda Temple in time to hear the praise singers lead the congregation in worship.

  As anticipated, it wasn’t long before Aunt Tweet hummed a melody before singing the lyrics Tabitha followed on the screen. Her aunt’s eyes were closed, and she seemed to know every word.

  Something was familiar about the song. Wracking her brain, Tabitha realized she had heard it last night. Her aunt must have hummed it in her sleep. The mysteries of Aunt Tweet were starting to seep out during her illness.

  Pastor Nelson stepped to the podium to welcome visitors and give announcements, then he flipped through his Bible. Tabitha yawned as she opened her Bible app. One extra hour would have made a difference. Marcus is right. Who is going to take care of me?

  “What is your reality today?” He paused and folded his arms. “Are you in a place that your circumstances have forced you into situations that you’d never thought you would be in? God knows. He cares, and He is waiting for you to come to Him. Have you called out to Jesus? From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Lord responds to our prayers.

  “Why turn to temporary fixes like drugs, alcohol, sexual immorality, and countless other things to take you from your reality when Jesus is our Rock? The Lord can give your soul and mind peace at the same time, taming the storm in your life? Yes, God has the authority. Read for yourself in Mark 4:35–41, Luke 8:22–25, or Matthew 8:25–26, which is our text this morning: And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us: we perish.’ And he said to them, ‘Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?’ Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.’ You don’t have to perish in your reality. Call out to Jesus, and he can change your situation. That’s the reality today.”

  My reality is being a caregiver, Tabitha thought. It was the source of her stress. As the pastor continued with his sermon, her mind drifted. In truth, her life was stressful before the caregiver’s pact with her sisters. As a sales rep, her income was based on performance, which was tied to her drive to earn her quarterly bonuses.

  It seemed like in a blink of an eye, Pastor Nelson had concluded his sermon and people were flocking to the front for prayer. She wondered about their reality. Soon, the offering was taken and benediction given.

  Standing with the others, Aunt Tweet gave her a smile that warmed Tabitha’s heart. Her aunt’s happiness was her reality. Feeling inspired, she looped her arm through her aunt’s and headed for the parking lot. Maybe, she could find time to start reading her Bible. When? Her mind challenged her.

  “I haven’t eaten since yesterday.” Her aunt chuckled, and Tabitha dismissed it.

  A half hour later, they enjoyed brunch. She tried to pry childhood memories from Aunt Tweet, but didn’t succeed as Marcus had. When they returned home, Sweet Pepper greeted them at the door. Uh-oh. In her haste to leave, she didn’t put him back in the kennel. There was a trail of accident from the kitchen to the hallway. She nudged away her aunt who was about to step in the path.

  Although the sermon had inspired Tabitha, it was snatched away. This is my reality. As she settled Aunt Tweet in the family room, then cleaned up the mishaps. She sighed, thinking if she could sign up for space travel, she would max out her credit card to get away. The only hope in sight was when Rachel took the baton.

  Talk about stress, Tabitha lived it during the week with her sales calls. When she returned home, she was exhausted. She couldn’t wait for her sisters to arrive the coming weekend.

  Chapter 16

  O

  n Saturday morning at Lambert Airport, Tabitha screamed her excitement at the sight of her sisters exiting the Southwest terminal. Even her aunt’s eyes lit up at the familiar faces. After a group hug, they chatted on their way to the baggage carousel for their luggage.

  “You two look well.” Kym smiled.

  “Thanks.” Tabitha, on the o
ther hand, wore suits throughout the week, and believed in bumming it when she wasn’t on the clock—except today. Aunt Tweet liked to be dolled up before leaving the house. “Then I guess my makeup is working.” She half teased. “I’m so glad you’re are here.” She hugged them again.

  “It is, sis, but more contour and your features will pop,” Rachel cooed in her dramatic, sultry voice. Their personalities were as diverse as their looks. Rachel had a flair for fashion and was meticulous when it came to her personal appearance. She knew how to capture any man’s eye and keep his attention with little effort. Blame it on the baby sister syndrome—screaming for attention.

  Tabitha was more down to earth sister and not an attention seeker unless it was a room of medical professionals. Surprisingly, men often took her as the youngest. She didn’t mind being mistaken for a teenager with her hair in a ponytail and wearing jeans. If someone, including a man, didn’t appreciate her natural beauty, then they could move on.

  Kym was on a whole different level as the oldest. They couldn’t ask for a better role model. She was a nurturer, protector, and counselor when it came to matters of the heart when it came to first love as teenagers. She was their idol.

  Her big sister stepped forward to lift her luggage off the carousel.

  “There’s mine.” Rachel pointed and moved closer. As she reached for the handle, a gentleman intercepted.

  “Need help, pretty lady?” He didn’t wait for her to answer—and he was cute.

  Tabitha and Kym exchanged knowing glances, then giggled. Even Aunt Tweet was fully aware of the vibes. Tabitha may favor her aunt’s features, but Rachel had inherited their aunt’s charm.

  Once they exited the airport, Tabitha took them to Ol’ Henry’s for a soul food brunch. They discussed highs and lows in their lives as they devoured chicken and waffles. Their aunt didn’t add much to the conversation, but her eyes twinkled every now and then. It felt like old times.

  “We’ve heard you’ve been singing.” Kym leaned forward and waited.

  Aunt Tweet shrugged and patted the table. “I can’t sing.”

  “I heard you just the other night in your sleep.” Tabitha slightly nudged Aunt Tweet.

  “I don’t remember.”

  Clearing her throat, Kym changed the subject. “What are we doing for the next three days?”

  “I thought we’d chill.” Tabitha was looking forward to some much-needed rest. Between work and Aunt Tweet, the thought of sleeping late made her smile.

  “What? We can’t play tourist? No cruising through Forest Park or Creve Coeur Park?” Rachel knitted her recently waxed arched brows together. “Okay. That’s fine, but I checked the local events last night and there’s a play at the Muny. I was hoping we could check that out together.”

  Shaking her head, Tabitha said, “Nope. That’s too much effort. Tame your excitement for Pasadena Hills Neighborhood District’s summer kickoff.” She checkmated her sister’s plans.

  Kym laughed. “I can’t believe the district is hosting that summer kickoff. It’ll be interesting to see who still lives in the neighborhood.”

  “And meet new neighbors.” Tabitha smiled, thinking about Marcus.

  After finishing their meal, she drove the short distance home. Once she turned on Roland Avenue, food vendors had circled the landmark fountain. Game booths and lawn chairs dotted street corners. Some neighbors were dressed in costumes, handing out balloons.

  Tabitha inched along until she made it to her driveway. Her bedding plants around the patio were bursting with color—the evidence of her and Aunt Tweet’s labor of love.

  “Looking good, sis,” Kym complimented. “The lawn is green and lush the way Daddy used to keep it.”

  “It’s called lawn service,” Tabitha admitted.

  Rachel agreed. “The flowers around the garage brings back memories of playing upstairs,” she said with a nostalgic sigh, referring to the spacious attic above the two-car garage. As little girls, they had spent hours entertained with their doll collection. When Aunt Tweet travelled, she would bring back different dolls for all three of them.

  They had a makeshift classroom to their dolls lessons. Her whimsical thoughts faded as she helped Aunt Tweet out of the car and inside.

  Rachel kicked off her heels and slipped into comfortable, but stylish sandals to walk to the festival. It didn’t take long for her sisters to note their aunt’s stubbornness at the simple suggestion of changing her attire to something more casual.

  “I wouldn’t sweat it. We won’t be out there long anyway,” Kym said.

  Hmph. Aunt Tweet powdered her nose. “Ladies should always look as if they’re about to step on a runway.”

  Hands down, Rachel was the winner on that one. Even in her casual outfits, she was polished. Her nails, hair and makeup were always on display. Called the accessories queen, their youngest sister knew how to sassy up any outfit.

  Kym was the color trendsetter. She would wear the same shade for months and dare anyone to question her color binges. Despite high expected to be in the low eighties, she was still in her all-black phase. Her sister was going to burn up.

  Nothing mattered at the moment. Tabitha was happy her sisters were there to help, she felt free of any cares. Of course, Marcus had made his presence known that he was there to rescue her any time, but Aunt Tweet wasn’t his responsibility. This was the Knicely sisters’ caregivers’ pact.

  Still, he gave her permission not to stress so much. The day he picked up Aunt Tweet, she had driven home to see them sitting on the park bench by the pond. He had fed and entertained her aunt, and even had a carryout for her from Ol’ Henry’s, which was why she’d returned with them to try something else on the menu. Enough thoughts on her neighbor. Her sisters were in town.

  Caving in to Aunt Tweet’s demands, they let her stay dolled up as they left the house and took a leisurely walk toward the activities around the fountain. Kym recognized some familiar faces from their childhood: Mrs. Pope who was now an elderly widow. They also introduced themselves to fairly new families that had moved into the neighborhood.

  “You might get a chance to meet Marcus,” Tabitha said casually. “Despite our rough start, he was willing to help me out in a pinch.” She told them he had picked up their aunt. “That’s what neighbors do.”

  “How well do you really know him, besides his address?” Kym was definitely alarmed. “Does he have a criminal past?” she asked in a hushed voice, so Aunt Tweet wouldn’t hear as she strolled ahead of them with Sweet Pepper on a leash.

  “I’m with Kym on this one. Why would he be willing to drop everything to help you when he threatened to have you arrested? I don’t trust him...” Rachel stuttered, “Whoa. If these are guys are neighbors, you’ve got a second roommate, sis.”

  Looking in the direction that had Rachel in a comatose state, Tabitha sucked in her breath. Two men commanded the sidewalk as if they were bodyguards. The most handsome one was Marcus.

  “Good eye,” Kim said with an hmph. “A man’s confidence shows up in his walk, and those brothas have the swag.”

  Did her big sister just say that? Kym was usually nonchalant around men, but clearly Marcus and the other guy had piqued her attention. It was a good sign he had made a good impression. A hint of a smile tugged on his lips when they made eye contact, and he held her stare until he invaded their space.

  “Ladies,” he greeted.

  His eyes sparkled as he leaned closer and kissed Aunt Tweet’s cheek. Tabitha blushed for her, then Sweet Pepper yelped for attention, so Marcus squatted and scratched behind the puppy’s ears.

  She caught herself waiting in line for whatever affection he was doling out. She didn’t want to have any romantic fantasies concerning him, but it was hard not to. He winked. “You look pretty.”

  “Thanks.” Her blush spread.

  “And you are?” Kym lifted her arched eyebrow like their mother often did when they were being reprimanded.

  He smiled and extended his hand.
“Marcus, one of Tabitha’s neighbors. I hope she mentioned me.” He glanced at her and mischief danced in his eyes.

  “Oh, she did.” Kym nodded, accepting his hand.

  His grin widened, which confirmed a faint dimple. “This is my older sister, Kym, and our youngest sister, Rachel.” Tabitha made the introductions.

  “Nice to meet you. This old guy is my brother, Demetrius.” With a low grunt, Demetrius nodded his greeting. Clearly, he wasn’t the friendly sibling. “Need an escort?” he asked them.

  “Sure do,” Aunt Tweet spoke up. “You girls snooze, you lose.” Latching onto his elbow, she allowed him to lead the way.

  Whose caregiver was he supposed to be anyway? Hers, or Aunt Tweet’s?

  MARCUS HAD BEEN DISTRACTED all morning—until he saw Tabitha. She had the ability to make things better in his life, although she probably thought it was the other way around.

  When she smiled, he grinned like a pre-teen boy with a crush. What was amusing was watching his brother’s infatuation with her younger sister. Rachel was a beauty; Marcus had to give her that. She acted older and a tad bolder than Tabitha who was low-key, soft-spoken, and had no problem fading in the background.

  Those qualities attracted him. She was a woman who could speak her mind to show her strength, yet she was feminine and vulnerable enough for him to be her hero. How could she ever have irritated him?

  Right now, another woman—Latrice—was becoming a thorn in his side, which explained his earlier bad mood. It was as if his employee wasn’t taking no for an answer, judging from her phone call.

  “Good morning, Mr. Whittington, I’m sorry to bother you at home, but you always said if there was an emergency, your employees were free to call you.” She released a sigh. “I was hoping you’ve changed your mind about helping Victor get out. Maybe you’ve had a chance to sleep on it.”

  “I slept very well, because I gave Victor’s situation no further thought.” Despite his tone of finality, she sounded optimistic when he said goodbye.