Dwight threw his head back and screamed, “Yesssssss!” Taking the ring from the box, he slipped it onto Eleanor’s trembling ring finger. Their lips met and held for a long while . . . the future Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Humphrey.
Chapter Forty-two
“I’m going to invite Sister Lola, Sister Margaret, Sister Norma, Brother Terry, and Sister—”
“Mama Pearl, stop.” Eleanor laughed and moved over closer to the older woman on the couch.
“What?” Mama Pearl’s face was lit up with happiness. “We have a big wedding to plan. This is going to be the wedding of the year.”
“No,” Eleanor said shaking her head. She took Mama Pearl’s hand in hers. “I don’t want a big wedding.”
“What?” Mama Pearl shrieked, horrified. “But . . . But, why?”
Eleanor smiled. “I just want the family to be there,” she stated. “That’s it.”
Mama Pearl looked at her for a few seconds. “Okay,” she finally remarked, disappointment in her voice. “It’s your wedding so we’ll have it your way.”
“I know you are disappointed,” Eleanor said to Mama Pearl. “But I’m trying to make do with the only family that I can have at my wedding.” She took a deep breath, blinking her eyes rapidly, her lips trembling.
Mama Pearl opened her mouth to ask Eleanor what she meant by that remark but reached over and hugged her instead. “You and Dwight are going to be happy, and I pray that one day soon your family will be completed.”
Over the next few months as her wedding date approached, Eleanor felt like she was on a roller coaster. She was excited to be marrying the man she loved, but her heart bled to know that Aunt Madge and Dupree weren’t going to be there.
Dwight brought up the subject a few times, trying to get her to change her mind about contacting Aunt Madge and Dupree, but Eleanor wouldn’t budge. She refused to let anything happen to the people she loved just for her own selfish reasons.
On Saturday, December 24, 1988, Eleanor and Dwight stood on the green, landscaped grass in the forest garden at the beautiful Hope Botanical Garden to get married. They were surrounded by a variety of exotic, colorful flowers perfuming the air with their enchanting scents and giant, green, shady trees, from palm to oak, their leaves blowing gently in the soft breeze, the bright Jamaican sun kissing their faces.
The stunning bride wore a beautiful, simple, long, white-laced dress, and the handsome groom, a black and white tuxedo. Rose stood up with Eleanor and Omar with Dwight. The guests, consisting of Mama Pearl, her four sons, their wives and children, Dwight’s other best friend, Edward, and his wife, and his aunt Clover, who flew in from New York, sat on white chairs facing the wedding party and the pastor.
“Dearly beloved, we are . . .” the pastor’s voice tapered off as he looked over the heads of the guests. Everyone turned around to see what had caused the distraction.
Dwight felt his blood begin to boil as he watched his mother and father strut toward them. “I’ll take care of this, babe,” he whispered in Eleanor’s ear before he angrily marched toward his parents, Omar hot on his heels.
“So you think you can just walk in here and ruin my wedding, huh?” Dwight hissed in a low voice when he came face-to-face with his parents. “I want both of you to turn around and leave right now!”
“Son, we—”
“Or I will throw both of you out,” Dwight said his fists folded in anger. Omar stepped closer to assist him with the job, if necessary.
“We didn’t come to cause trouble, son.” David Humphrey took a step closer to Dwight, tugging his wife to his side. Unbelievably, his eyes were filled with tears. “My only son is getting married, and we want to be here.”
Dwight looked at him for a moment, trying to decipher the truth in his words, his face still masked with fury.
“I know we’ve had our differences over the years,” David Humphrey began, “and we still do, but this is your wedding day. We would never forgive ourselves if we missed it. Right, darling?” He gently elbowed his wife who stood silent by his side.
“Right,” Mrs. Humphrey said through her teeth, her eyes looking everywhere but at her son. Dwight had no doubt that his father had given her an ultimatum which was why she was there. He probably threatened to tighten the money bag. It was going to take more than her only son’s wedding to a woman she despised to thaw out the ice queen.
“I don’t want any trouble from either one of you,” Dwight said tightly, his eyes going back and forth between his parents. “Say one thing out of line, do anything inappropriate, and I’ll never forgive you. You got that?”
“Got it,” David Humphrey said with relief on his face. His father had sat in the front row for his wedding and he was lucky after everything that was going on between them that his son was allowing him to stay at his wedding. Family tradition meant everything to him.
“Mother, did you hear what I just said or should I walk you out?” Dwight stared pointedly at his mother.
“I won’t cause any trouble,” Eve Humphrey mumbled, rolling her eyes.
Dwight sighed loudly. “Come and have a seat then and behave yourselves,” he warned again.
As they walked back, Dwight noticed a worker hurriedly adding two chairs in the back row. He walked over to the man and whispered in his ear. The worker nodded, went, and got the chairs, placing them in the front row beside Aunt Clover.
Eleanor watched as Dwight’s parents took their seats in the front. It was the first time she was laying eyes on David Humphrey, but it didn’t take a genius to see that Dwight was a replica of the older man. “You are amazing,” Eleanor whispered to Dwight when he took his place again beside her. “I know it took a lot to do what you just did.”
Dwight winked at her. “Okay, I’m ready to marry this beautiful woman,” he said loudly to the pastor. Laughter rang out, easing the tension as Dwight and Eleanor became man and wife.
Chapter Forty-three
Mrs. Eleanor Humphrey began adjusting to married life. She had moved into the large, beautiful house in Cherry Gardens with her husband, ready to settle down in marital bliss. In love and happy for the most part, there was still something missing from Eleanor’s life, the presence of her aunt and daughter. So Eleanor focused all her attention on her husband and her job as the days became weeks, weeks turned into months, months into years.
In love and happy, Eleanor had worked her way up the corporate ladder. It was now five years since she started working at BDO Jamaica, the last two years she worked as the human resources manager after being promoted. Dwight also was claiming his spot among the executives at BNS, now the Group Finance and Deputy Group managing director.
Everything seemed to be working itself out except for one thing.
“It’s negative again,” Eleanor said sadly as she talked into the bedroom, waving the pregnancy test in the air. Her eyes filled with tears.
“Come here,” Dwight said gently, patting the space beside him on the bed where he sat, his head resting against the headboard. “It’s okay,” he told his wife as he rocked her in his arms. “Baby, we will conceive when it’s time. Stop worrying.”
They had been trying to have a baby for almost five years now but no luck. But in her heart Eleanor knew exactly why she could not conceive. “It’s my punishment for abandoning my daughter,” she told Dwight. “The Lord has sealed my womb because I’m a pathetic mother.”
“No, don’t say that,” Dwight remarked. “You are a good person. But now that you mention it, are you ready for us to go and see Dupree and Aunt Madge?”
Eleanor sighed and tried to pull away from her husband, but he held her tighter.
“Darling, I know you think you are doing the right thing by staying away, but I feel in my heart it’s time for you to connect with your daughter and aunt,” Dwight told her.
“I can’t,” Eleanor muttered. “Too many people could get hurt.” Eleanor glanced up at her husband alarmed. It was too late to take back what she had just said.
Eleanor bit her lip and looked down into her lap. She had said too much.
“Eleanor, look at me,” Dwight demanded. “He can’t hurt you anymore,” he said when his wife’s terrified eyes met his. “You are not alone anymore.”
Eleanor knew Dwight was referring to Officer Gregg, and she had no intention of telling him about the other demon police officer who had taken it upon himself to make Eleanor his enemy. At least not yet. Officer Bailey scared her more than Officer Gregg. She knew he was a killer and would do anything to keep his dirty, criminal life hidden. A cold chill ran down Eleanor’s spine when she remembered how close she came to being killed by the madman. No, she had to protect Dupree, Aunt Madge, and Dwight.
“Sweetheart, are you listening to me?” Dwight’s voice brought back her attention to him.
“Yes,” Eleanor replied. “It’s not yet time to go back there.”
“What do you mean? Why—”
“Babe, please trust me on this,” Eleanor implored him. “It’s for the best.”
“At least call someone and check on what’s going on.” Dwight refused to let go as he had done over the last few years. “Get the phone book and see if a neighbor or someone from the church is listed.” Eleanor had told him that Aunt Madge had no electricity, so he knew she wouldn’t have a phone.
“Okay,” Eleanor relented. “I’ll check—”
But Dwight was already off the bed and going through the door. Seconds later he returned with a phone book in his hand. “Here.” he handed her the phone book. “Search and see who can you find.”
As Eleanor searched through the phone book under the parish of Trelawny, she had a sinking feeling in her gut. Dwight sat on the edge of the bed at the opposite end, looking at her anxiously. The first name that Eleanor saw was the last one she wanted to see, Dr. Beverly Gregg, General Dentistry, Falmouth, Trelawny.
“You found someone?” Dwight asked when he saw the frightened look on her face.
Eleanor nodded. “His wife’s office number is listed.”
Dwight didn’t have to ask whose wife, he knew. “Do you want me to call her?” he asked Eleanor. “She lives in the same community and attends the same church as Aunt Madge, right?”
“Yes, but do you think she is going to tell you anything about her husband’s illegitimate child? Babe, I had an affair with her husband.”
“No, her slimy husband was the one who took advantage of a child,” Dwight said angrily. “If she is mad at someone, it should be the man who betrayed her, not you, and certainly not innocent little Dupree.” He walked over to the telephone sitting on the bedside table beside her and took up the receiver. “What’s the number?” he asked. “I’ll call.” Eleanor held out her hand for the telephone. Dwight looked at her before placing the phone in her hand. Her fingers shaking, Eleanor dialed the number. As the phone rang, she looked up at the clock noting that it was twelve noon. It was Saturday afternoon, so surely the dental office was opened.
“Dental office, may I help you?” said a familiar voice.
Eleanor opened her mouth, but not a word came out.
“Darling, did someone answer?” Dwight asked, watching her face. “Here, give me the phone.” He held out his hand but Eleanor ignored it.
“Hello?” Dr. Beverly Gregg said on the other end of the phone. Her receptionist had stepped out to get lunch, so she was covering until she returned.
Eleanor took a deep breath. “Hmmm, it’s Tiny,” she finally said. For the first time in many years, she used her nickname but knew it was necessary for Beverly to know who she was talking to. She had already told Dwight when and why she had stopped using the name.
“You?” Beverly screeched in disbelief. Talk about a ghost from the past. “What do you want?”
“I know I’m the last person you want to talk to, but I need some information,” Eleanor said and looked over at Dwight. He gave her the thumbs-up, nodding his head in approval. Encouraged, Eleanor continued. “I need to know how my daughter and aunt are doing.” Eleanor held the phone tightly to her ear, inhaling and exhaling, trying to calm her nerves.
“You really have some nerve,” Beverly snapped into the phone. “Calling me to ask about the child you had with my husband. I should hang up the phone right now.”
“But you won’t,” Eleanor stated. “I did what you and your husband wanted all these years. I left town and never came back. Now I need to know if my child and aunt are okay. You are the only one I know who is listed.”
Beverly closed her eyes tight; she felt a migraine coming on. After all these years, Tiny had resurrected from the dead. She knew she was now talking to a grown woman and not the scared teenager she had threatened fifteen years ago. If she didn’t tell Tiny what she wanted to hear, she might decide to come back to Falmouth and turn their lives upside down. “Sister Madge and Dupree are doing great,” she lied. “I just saw them at the market earlier. Dupree was helping her grandaunt to sell her produce.”
Happy tears leaked down Eleanor’s face as she listened to the good news. She pressed the phone so hard to her ear, it was beginning to hurt. But she didn’t care.
“Dupree has grown into a beautiful, intelligent young lady,” Beverly continued with her deception. “She doesn’t know who we are, but I see her every Sunday at church with Sister Madge. She also sings in the choir. Such a beautiful voice.”
All lies. It had been a little over two years since Aunt Madge had her stroke and hadn’t been to church since. Life for Dupree was very hard as she struggled to make ends meet. But Beverly could not afford for Eleanor to find out about this. She would probably be in Falmouth in a few hours, and she had to continue to protect her family.
“If you are planning on coming back to disrupt Dupree’s life after all these years, you should seriously think about it,” Beverly said. “She is getting ready to take her CXC exams in a few months. What do you think is going to happen when she sees her mother who had left her all these years, Tiny?”
Eleanor didn’t respond. Her heavy breathing was enough for Beverly.
“You are going to turn her life upside down, causing her to fail her exams, denying her the opportunity to get into college. Don’t you think you owe her that much? At least wait until she graduates high school before contacting her.”
Beverly knew by then her son, Anthony Gregg Jr., would be going off to college, and so Tiny’s reappearance would not hurt her only child, if she decided to return to Falmouth at that time.
“Thank you,” Eleanor said and slowly hung up the phone. “She is all right,” she said to Dwight who was now sitting on the bed beside her. “My daughter and Aunt Madge are doing okay.” She relayed the side of the conversation he couldn’t hear.
“Hmmm.” Dwight looked at the wall, a frown on his face.
“What?” Eleanor asked him. “This is good news . . . Isn’t it?”
“Baby, something doesn’t sound right to me,” Dwight remarked. “My spirit tells me she was lying. That woman was too willing to give you information and too quick to persuade you not to come back there.”
“Well, she probably thinks I would cause trouble for her and her husband,” Eleanor said. “But I don’t see why she would lie about Aunt Madge and Dupree.”
“Let’s go and find out for ourselves,” Dwight said.
“No, I won’t go and disrupt Dupree’s life now,” Eleanor replied. “I do agree with her on this. I think we should wait until Dupree is ready for college, which is just a few months away. Who knows, maybe she will want to live with us and attend UWI.”
Dwight grunted but decided to drop the subject. He still had a gnawing feeling in his gut. That night he prayed extensively for the stepdaughter he had never met and his aunt-in-law who he loved without even meeting her as yet. He made a note to speak to Eleanor again soon because he wanted t
o see for himself what was going on with Dupree and Aunt Madge.
But it was three years later that everything actually came to a climax. Eleanor, now the human resources director after Mr. Wallace retired the year before, walked into Mr. Chevon Brown’s office, the human resources manager, and overhead his telephone conversation.
“Well, Dupree, I do appreciate your interest in BDO, but I have yet to review your application. I promise to do so very soon and get back to you. Okay, dear? Thank you for calling and have a wonderful day,” Mr. Brown said into the telephone.
Eleanor’s knees almost buckled under her. That was a very unique name. The name of her daughter. Quickly composing herself before Mr. Brown could see her reaction, Eleanor stood by quietly, waiting for him to hang up the phone, her curiosity piqued.
Mr. Brown hung up the phone and looked up to see Eleanor staring at him intently. “Is something wrong, Eleanor?” he asked her nervously.
“No. I’m sorry for interrupting your call, Chevon, and it seemed to be an interesting one, too. Why don’t you tell me some more about it?” Eleanor said and smiled at him.
Mr. Brown breathed a sigh of relief and went on to tell her about his conversation with Dupree. “She’s from Falmouth, Trelawny, and is currently attending UTech. She would like to work here in Kingston for the summer,” he concluded. He watched as Eleanor gazed out the window, her lips sealed in deep concentration. “Eleanor?”
“Oh, sorry. My mind took a little walk. Well, she seems like an ambitious young lady and we could always use more people like her around here. Why don’t you have her come in for an interview with me?” Eleanor instructed him. “And let’s make it sooner rather than later. We need an assistant for one of our chief financial officers, and this young lady might be perfect for it.”
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