by Pat Simmons
Eva covered her mouth. “Must be my hormones talking.”
“Ace, you know we’ve got each other’s back—and I need yours right now. I hope you’ll stay if my wife promises to behave and bridle her tongue.” Then, looking directly at Eva, Kidd chided her with a voice of authority, “James 1:26 tells all the saints, ‘If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”’ To that, he added with a confident grin, “And we do consider our faith worth everything. We promise we won’t interfere in your personal matters.”
Reluctantly, Eva nodded, as Kidd eyed her for confirmation.
Ace grinned. “I thought you were going to pull out that Scripture that tells wives to obey their husbands.”
“Ephesians 5:22 says, ‘Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.’ And I do love, respect, and submit to my husband. That’s my responsibility,” Eva checked him.
Kidd looked tenderly at his wife and sighed. “It’s an even exchange, bro, because verse 25 is aimed at me: ‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,”’ he quoted. “That’s easy.” Kidd leaned over and brushed a kiss against Eva’s cheek.
Maintaining his poker face, Ace experienced a moment of longing. He always brushed a kiss against Talise’s lips like that.
“Anyway,” Kidd continued, “our doctor says if a woman is going to miscarry, 80 percent of them usually miscarry during the first twelve weeks. Eva’s beginning her ninth week now.”
Eighty percent chance? It’s that high? Ace swallowed, as his mind drifted to Talise again. If she was pregnant, was she spotting? Would she lose the baby?
Kidd kept talking. “During the next two months after that, it’s still a ten to twenty percent possibility …”
More questions bombarded Ace’s mind. Was Talise in danger? Their baby—did he just say their baby? His baby? Wait a minute. He wasn’t falling for anybody’s guilt trip.
“Since you telecommute three days a week, I’m hoping you won’t mind sticking around here on those days and checking on Eva while I’m at work,” Kidd asked, breaking into Ace’s reverie.
Me? Babysit a pregnant woman? Is Kidd crazy? Ace left Boston to get away from one.
Chapter Eighteen
Talise now had an excuse. Dr. Sherman’s request for Ace’s medical history gave her a reason to meet with Sandra. Deep down inside, she wondered if his mother would blatantly state why Talise didn’t make the cut to maintain a relationship in Ace’s life.
At this stage, it didn’t matter whether he wanted her or not, but the curiosity was still lurking in the back of her mind. Making the call, Talise didn’t waste time in small talk but got straight to the point.
“Sandra, how about meeting me at the Boston Market on Mass Ave at five-thirty tomorrow evening?”
“I’ll be there,” Sandra didn’t hesitate to reply. There was a hint of relief in her voice. “Thank you.”
Silence.
“How will we recognize each other?” Sandra interrupted the awkward moment. She chuckled. “My first thought was to hold a sign, saying ‘Ace’s mother,’ but I figured that would make me an easy target in case you want to shoot darts at me.”
Talise smiled at the woman’s sense of humor. If it was Ace standing in front of her, then she would use anything she could find to throw at him.
Sandra suggested wearing a shade of green and to wait outside the entrance. What Talise felt like wearing was black to mourn the loss of Ace’s presence in her child’s life, but she agreed and they disconnected.
The woman didn’t need to know that Talise wasn’t coming alone. Nobody in the Jamieson family was above suspicion. She didn’t care if Sandra claimed the last name or not. With Lois present, it would make sure she wasn’t caught off guard.
Although mindful of what Lois had advised Talise about bugging her sister, she still wanted Sinclaire to remain in the loop. She booted up her cumputer and signed in to her email account.
Hi, Claire. I’ve been praying and reading my Bible. I decided to meet with Ace’s mother. I don’t know what to expect, but I’m hoping there won’t be any shockers like he’s married or an escaped convict. His moving away was a big enough blow.
Lois is going with me for support. She says I shouldn’t worry you. I’ll keep my emails short, so as not to distract you on the battlefield. I love you more than anything. I know we both agreed on how we would live our lives and the choices we would make as adults. I’m so sorry I’ve let you down and fallen short of my career objectives. I’ll bounce back, if not for me, then for my baby.
Hitting send, Talise rubbed her stomach. It was becoming a habit whenever she said or wrote the word ‘baby.’ She didn’t care if there was any outward evidence or not.
Sinclaire emailed her back late Friday night: Talise, you’re my sister. I want you to be happy. You’ve already repented. The sooner you stop beating yourself up over this, you’ll have peace.
I’m paraphrasing here, but the Bible says in Romans 3:23 that we, (including me), all have sinned and fallen short. But then Jesus rectified our shortcomings on the cross. I’m praying that soon you’ll want to totally surrender your life to the Lord for all your personal shortcomings.
More on the Bible later. I love you too. And don’t even THINK about keeping stuff from me! I want in on every detail about what’s going on. Lois may be a girlfriend and roommate, but big sisters rule! Love you, Claire. Or should I start writing Aunt Claire?
Smiling, Talise rubbed her stomach again and signed off. At only nine weeks, she still had a couple of months to go until she could feel the baby kick. She couldn’t wait. That night before going to sleep, Talise read the entire third chapter of Romans.
As she closed her Bible, she prayed and hoped that Sandra would have no ulterior motives. But her main concern was that she wouldn’t take out her frustrations on Ace’s mother.
The next day, nothing went according to plan. At the salon, hair chemicals dripped on Talise’s green dress, despite her wearing a smock. Not only was the mishap noticeable, but her dress was ruined.
“Great.” She groaned and called Lois at the apartment. Without any other green garments to wear, she would have to settle for anything. “Bring me something presentable,” she asked.
Suddenly, the fumes from a relaxer made her nauseated. She excused herself again from the same customer. Racing to the bathroom, she threw up. After freshening up, Talise took several deep breaths before she went back to her client. Slowly, but competently, she shampooed, conditioned, and then roller set the woman’s hair before putting her under a dryer.
Things seemed back to normal. Talise had regained her rhythm with the next two clients when another wave of nausea hit. It came after she applied heat to one of her client’s hair to straighten it. Evidence of a rich Italian dish unexpectedly surfaced when the pungent odor of spices, including a strong hint of garlic, seeped from the woman’s hair follicles.
Talise was fully aware that it wasn’t unusual for the telltale signs of medication or some other intense odor to present itself during a hair appointment. It was amazing that agencies spend a lot of money on DNA testing when hair stylists could detect the same outcome without such a sophisticated process. Just barely finishing the customer’s hair, she rushed to the restroom and threw up—again.
After fifteen minutes, a bottle of 7-Up, and some saltine crackers, her stomach settled. Each episode left her weaker and made her move slower. To make matters worse, the next client was a customer referral who decided at the last minute that she wanted curls instead of a bump hair style. The unanticipated change resulted in a prolonged process.
As the day dragged on, Talise went through the motions the best she could. Besides food, her only craving was for rest, which made her contemplate rescheduling with Sandra. Then strangely enough, she experienced a surge of energy that came after finishing her last customer.
Lois arrived
at the salon right on time with the change of clothing. Talise glanced at the garment. “Red? You couldn’t find anything in the green family in my closet like blue, purple, or even black?”
Shifting her body, Lois angled a hand on her hip. “Hey, you glow in red. Plus, it’s my favorite color,” she replied with a grin.
“Probably the vitamins.” Talise cleaned up her station, took the garment, and went into the restroom. Behind closed doors, she scrutinized herself in the mirror. Her skin had never appeared quite so flawless without makeup. Maybe Lois was right about having “the glow”—whatever that was.
She rinsed any residue from working with the hair products off her face with cool water. After adding a few strokes of blush, Talise sealed her look with lip gloss. Closing her eyes, she mumbled a prayer, “Lord, prepare me for the unexpected.”
Minutes later, they left the shop. Lois trailed Talise home to drop off her car. She insisted on driving Talise to her dinner meeting.
“If that woman makes you upset, I don’t want you behind the wheel,” Lois said, once Talise was fastened in the passenger seat.
“Good point.” The thought made Talise feel faint, but there was no turning back now. “Why do you think Sandra wants to meet me? I hope there won’t be any ‘mother of the son’s baby drama,’ if there is such a thing.”
“You’ve got money to bail me out, right?” Lois glanced over at Talise with a smirk. When it appeared she didn’t get the joke, she cleared her throat. “I don’t know if you’ve thought of this, but could Ace be behind this stunt and is using his mother as bait?”
Why? Ace knew where she worked, lived, and how to reach her by phone. She doubted if he saved her old number. There was no reason for a go-between, unless there was bad news. Talise’s heart pounded faster.
“I doubt it,” she said, trying to sound convincing. As they were nearing the restaurant, she revealed, “I haven’t spoken to Ace since the Sunday I told him that I was definitely pregnant. He dumped me because of the baby and has never looked back. That hurt will last a lifetime.”
Lois continued her chatter of possible scenarios, but Talise tuned her out. They arrived at the outdoor shopping area in record time, without her friend racing the cabbies. “Hey, I see a parking spot.” Talise pointed.
“Yes!” Lois made it, beating another car to the vacancy. Finished parking, she tried to reassure Talise, “It’ll be fine. Cameron says Sandra’s cool people.”
“Yeah, isn’t that what he told you about Ace? And look what happened. I think something was wrong with your hearing that day. Cameron probably said ‘Ace fools people,’ not ‘he’s cool people.’ Anyway, I’m not blaming Ace for me being pregnant. I should have said no to his seduction and taken the advice of those anti-drug commercials.”
“Humph.”
Talise dropped the subject. She was already nervous. It felt like she was moving in slow motion when they got out of the car and mingled in with the crowd. Crossing to the other side of the outdoor mall, they headed to the restaurant. People darted in and out of their pathway. Talise’s heart began pounding with fear.
Do not be anxious about anything. Pray, give thanks and make your requests to Me for I am God. Talise heard the words from Philippians 4:6.
“Sinclaire must be praying for me,” she whispered.
Puzzled, Lois asked, “How do you know?”
“Because God just spoke to me.” Talise took a deep breath and smiled. It had to be better than experiencing the baby’s first kick.
“What did He say—”
Before she could answer, Talise spotted Sandra. Swallowing hard, she almost stumbled. “That’s her.”
Chapter Nineteen
Sandra Nicholson?” a striking woman who was approaching the entrance of Boston Market asked with a slight hesitation. Another woman was a step behind her; neither was wearing a shade of green.
“Yes,” Sandra answered with a nod, quickly assessing the woman standing in front of her.
“You’re Ace’s mother?” Talise asked curiously.
“Yes,” she responded again, this time with a chuckle. “Are you Talise?”
Sandra had no preconceived notions about what Ace’s ex would look like. But she was instantly impressed with his upgraded taste in women. It wasn’t just her appearance but the air of confidence that the younger woman projected.
Caught a little off guard, Talise blinked and then managed to say, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to be so … young … and pretty.” Then feeling a bit embarrassed, she added, “This is my roommate, Lois.”
The two women exchanged suspicious greetings. Sandra had hoped it would be only she and Talise.
“Yes, I’m often mistaken as his sister, but I have the gray strands to prove I’m his mother.” She laughed nervously, as a few seconds passed. To keep things from getting even more awkward, she regained her composure and motioned toward the door. “Shall we go inside?”
As Sandra reached for the handle, a man came out of nowhere to exercise his chivalry and held the door for them. She nodded her thanks and they stepped inside.
“Hungry, ladies?”
Patting her stomach, Talise breathed in a whiff of the aromas in the air.
“Starving.”
“Me too,” Sandra agreed. Getting in line, they scanned the menu board. Once they reached the counter, each woman placed her order.
“My treat.”
Thanking Sandra, Talise and Lois agreed on water as their drink option. Lois accepted empty cups from the cashier and headed to the drink dispenser.
“I’ll find us a table,” Talise offered and walked away.
She seems cordial enough, Sandra thought. So far, so good, Lord.
As Sandra waited for the staff to complete their orders, she glanced over her shoulder. The two friends were whispering. She hoped Talise’s roommate wouldn’t hinder her from getting to know Ace’s ex. Sandra was starting to have second thoughts about this encounter.
Silently, she prayed, Lord, I approach Your throne of mercy and grace. I believe Your perfect will to be done in my son and this young woman’s life. You know what went on between them. Guide my words for her to look past me and see You. Amen.
“Miss?” The server called for Sandra’s attention.
Suddenly, Lois appeared by her side to help.
“Thanks for coming to the rescue.”
While Lois balanced two trays, Sandra grabbed napkins and silverware and carried her own tray. Lois dutifully placed Talise’s meatloaf dinner in front of her and then chose a table nearby to eat alone.
“There’s plenty of room here,” Sandra said to be polite. Secretly she hoped Lois wouldn’t accept the invitation.
“This is fine. I figured you two need some privacy.”
Thank you, Sandra mouthed, appreciating the young woman’s insight. Taking her seat, Sandra smiled at Talise and then bowed her head, “Lord, in the Name of Jesus, we thank You for Your mercy and grace. We ask that You provide for those who are in need and please bless our food, conversation, and fellowship.”
The pair mumbled their Amens. Seconds later, Sandra amusedly watched Talise scoop a helping of sweet potato casserole into her mouth. The satisfied expression on her face was priceless.
As Sandra sipped her water, she continued to discreetly study Talise. Yes, Ace does have good taste. I could see how he lost his head. I only wish he had Holy Ghost sense to make better decisions, she thought.
Talise’s thick hair was coal-black, glossy, and a few inches past her shoulders. Together with her flawless complexion, she was a stunning picture of health. Her appearance was glowing in the red sundress that complemented her brown skin.
If Talise was pregnant, she was wearing it well. Briefly caught staring, Sandra hurried and broke the crust on her chicken pot pie. Whether it was piping hot or not, she didn’t hesitate to find out. Taking the first bite, she wondered, Where do we begin?
Wiping her mouth, Talise took a sip from her cup and then j
ump-started the inevitable dialogue. “Sandra, I’m sure you could understand my confusion when I received your call. Clearly, your son wants nothing to do with me.”
Although Talise’s voice was steady and strong, sadness flashed in her brown eyes. Sandra ached for her.
“So why did you want to meet me?”
Sandra exhaled and gathered her thoughts. The correct phrasing of her answer would be key. “Cameron believes you’re pregnant, and—”
“I’m not having Cameron’s baby. This is Ace’s child.”
“Yes, that’s what he told me.” Then attempting to clarify her words, she said, “I’m sorry, what I meant was, Cameron is adamant that you’re telling the truth.”
Lifting a brow, Talise was poised to challenge her. “Excuse me? I know we don’t know each other, so I don’t have any credibility with you, but one thing I am not is a liar,” she countered. “What has your son said?”
“Nothing,” Sandra admitted in disgust and a bit of embarrassment. “Unfortunately, I believe he’s in denial, again.”
Dropping her fork, Talise stared at Sandra. She squeezed her lips together as if holding in a growl. The sadness in her eyes was gone. Fiery darts were taking aim.
“Again? Denial? Number one, Ace flat-out rejected the fact that I’m pregnant. Number two, he deserted me without a backward glance when my doctor confirmed it. And number three, he broke my heart. That’s three strikes. I am definitely out.”
She emphasized her words by making a hitchhiking gesture with her thumb. Then Talise’s eyes narrowed. “And what do you mean by ‘again’?”
Okay, Lord, here it comes, the good, the bad, and the ugly. “Aaron is no saint. I suppose he gets it honestly from his parents. I wasn’t exactly close to being God-worthy myself when I got pregnant not one, but two times.”
Her confession became easier with her testimony. “Since that time, I’ve repented and God forgave me of my sins and has given me the tools I need to live holy. With His gifts, I can honestly say I’m striving to live my life as a saint and no longer a sinner.”