Guilt Trip

by Pat Simmons

  Walking behind Talise and Eva, Sandra stated, “I hope you’ll be glad that you came.”

  “I already am.”

  Talise felt the cool air when the front door opened to what appeared to be someone’s home.

  “Welcome, ladies,” the hostess greeted them and took their names. “This way to the Garden Room, please.”

  “Wait,” Eva stopped her. “We’d better go to the little girls’ room first.”

  Eva and Talise made a detour around a short corner to the rest-room. The hostess waited for them and nodded once they returned. She then walked ahead and motioned for the group to follow.

  The place was charming and dainty, like a secret hideaway. Talise couldn’t take in the details of her surroundings fast enough. They passed through a large room with snug tables sprinkled all about, a floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace, sun light shining throughout, beautiful chandeliers, and much more. Since it was close to noon, there was a brisk lunch crowd.

  The hostess continued on to another enchanting room. Among the cozy, white wrought iron tables, a section was set apart for their group. As if possible, the ambience in that room superseded the others. Talise was a sucker for airy rooms with enormous custom windows. She smiled in appreciation at the wide shutter-look blinds. Another “wow” escaped from her lips.

  Eva chuckled. “We had hoped you would enjoy this experience.”

  “What woman wouldn’t love it?” Talise replied excitedly, quickly scanning the room once more before taking her seat.

  “Your waitress will be with you in a moment,” announced the hostess. One by one, she patiently handed them their menus and then retraced her steps back toward the front entrance.

  As if the moment was synchronized, Eva’s stomach rumbled, followed by Talise’s. Eva looked at her and grinned. The woman’s engaging smile was contagious.

  “The babies are hungry, Cousin-Auntie Eva and Miss Talise,” Kami said with a laugh.

  “Feed those babies,” Grandma BB ordered.

  Their waitress appeared and introduced herself as Mattie. After pouring hot tea into each china tea cup, she took their drink orders.

  Kami unzipped her purse and pulled out white laced gloves. As if she cued the others, everyone but Talise did the same. Eva promptly handed her a new pair of gloves similar to her own.

  “Thank you,” Talise whispered. “I was starting to feel left out.”

  “You’re always included,” Eva reassured her and opened her menu.

  By the time Mattie returned with their drinks, they were ready to order. Everyone suggested Josephine’s special, the Crystal Bowl Salad, so Talise decided to give it a try. Cheney ordered the small Crystal Bowl and soup for Kami.

  During their wait, conversations bounced from babies, to food, to shopping sprees. When Talise mentioned she was a part-time hair stylist, she fielded questions about hair care products, the latest in hair trends, and the best hair maintenance between visits.

  “When I go to Boston, I’ll have to visit your shop,” Eva said. The others bobbed their heads in agreement. “You know,” she paused to sip her drink, “we might as well make it a shopping spree.”

  Grandma BB tsked. “Don’t invite me. If you go into labor while you’re on one of your shopping expeditions, I’ll be forced to use some of those midwife skills I picked up on the TLC channel.”

  Talise sucked in her breath, as fear streaked through her bones at the very thought.

  “And you’ll have to wait until after they ring up my purchases,” Eva taunted.

  “She’ll be like that lady who went into labor while waiting in line to vote for the first Black president. She refused to go to the hospital until she cast her vote,” Cheney added.

  Eva raised her hands. “That would be me.”

  When the salads arrived, the conversation ceased.

  Bowing their heads, Sandra led the table in saying grace, “Lord Jesus, we are giving You the highest praise for Your blessings, seen and unseen, in our lives. We thank You for safe travels from Boston. We ask You to protect Talise as she returns later today. Thank You for this fellowship and for the next generation of Jamiesons. Please bless our meal, purify it, and sanctify it. And, Lord, please provide for those who have not, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.”

  As everyone voiced their Amens, Talise sniffed. She enjoyed hearing people pray. She felt Sandra’s prayer was sincere like Sinclaire’s. As they prayed, Talise heard either Cheney or Hallison whisper something like, “guide Talise through her decisions in her life.” Amen to that.

  Touched by the prayer, Talise heard a faint voice say The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. I’m far from righteous, God, she admitted to no one but Him. I hope my prayers reach your ears. My current condition is evidence of my wrongdoings, she thought to herself.

  Not realizing she had zoned out until Eva’s chatter pulled her back into the conversation, Talise sat up and rejoined the discussion.

  “My first trip to Boston was when Kevin and I made that friendly wager. He had a suspicion that the ramblings of Grandma BB’s roommate in the nursing facility were true. I dismissed her as senile and simply repeating old wives’ tales,” Eva explained.

  “And Valentine could tell some doozies too,” Grandma BB interrupted with a faraway look in her eyes.

  Agreeing, Eva nodded. With her pinkie poised, she lifted her china cup to her lips and sipped quietly.

  “So how much weight have you gained, Talise?” She asked after a brief pause.

  Talise finished chewing and swallowed. “Six pounds. I’m following my doctor’s orders to watch what I eat. I’m also taking public transportation to work so I can get more exercise.”

  Plus, I need to save money. Not for a college fund, but for day care, unless I move back home. That would be a last resort—definitely, the last. She kept those thoughts private.

  “I hope I don’t get as big as a whale,” Eva stated.

  “I don’t know. Your husband was a big baby,” Sandra teased.

  “That was a joke, remember?” Eva replied, rolling her eyes.

  Talise enjoyed the interaction between Sandra and Eva. She hoped that if she did get married one day, she would have the same type of closeness with her mother-in-law. On the flip side, if she followed down the same path as Sandra, then there wouldn’t be any wedding bells for her either.

  Every now and then, Talise added her two cents in the conversation about clothes and childhood. When the Jamieson wives began to recall their husbands’ antics, she withdrew emotionally and remained silent. It didn’t take long for them to notice her sour mood and their blunder about her single status.

  “We’re sorry, Talise. No matter what, you’re one of us,” Eva whispered and laid her hand on top of Talise’s. Sandra’s hand followed suit and the other Jamieson wives reached across the table as far as they could. Kami stood and rested her small glove-covered hand on the stack for a few seconds and then retook her seat.

  Grandma BB didn’t make a move, and Talise was trying to determine where she stood with the odd family matriarch. Maybe the woman didn’t like her.

  “Girl, you’re a Jamieson whether you carry the name or not, like that Jewish law. Remember, Cheney?” Grandma BB interjected.

  After displaying a puzzling frown for a few minutes, Cheney seemed to have an answer to what her grandmother was alluding to. “Oh yes. According to the Torah, if a mother is Jewish, so is her baby, even if the father isn’t. It’s the opposite for the father who marries a non-Jewish woman. Their baby wouldn’t be considered Jewish.”

  Wow. These people were like a walking Wikipedia. “Ah, I’m sorry. I don’t see a correlation between a Jamieson and a Jew.”

  “Girl, there isn’t,” Hallison said, shaking her head. “That’s Grandma BB twisting biblical text to her liking—again,” she said, stretching out the last word.

  “Humph.” Grandma BB leaned across the table. “Ignore her. She’s a Jamieson.” She paused and squinted at Talise. �
�Your baby’s going to be a Jamie—”

  Lord, please don’t let any of Grandma BB’s defective genes be passed down to my child, Talise thought. Then she spoke aloud, “I’m having a baby who’ll be born out of wedlock by no fault of its own. My child will carry my last name, which is Rogers.”

  Gasps echoed around the table.

  “Sweetie, if you’re finished, you can go on to the gift shop now,” Cheney said to her daughter. Clearly, the calm waters were about to get stormy.

  Kami’s eyes lit up. “Okay, Mommy,” she replied. Giddy, she stood and lifted the long chain shoulder strap of her purse off the back of the chair.

  Next, Cheney eyed Grandma BB. Without saying a word, the older woman gathered her walking cane and purse, gripping, “I declare it’s more fun babysitting the Jamieson women than the little princess.”

  In protest, their grandmother huffed and humphed. “I’m going. I hope you gave her a hefty allowance because I’m going to help her spend every last penny.”

  As Kami led Grandma BB away, the woman suddenly turned around. “Just so you’ll know, Ty, I’m down with whatever method you decide for Ace’s punishment: abduction, torture, or a simple beat down.” She patted her purse. “I pack.” Winking, she resumed walking with her granddaughter.

  With her mouth hanging open, Talise stared after the woman in shock. When she found her voice, she glanced around the table. “Is your grandmother serious?”

  In unison, the Jamieson wives nodded. “Very.”

  “I don’t know how to say this without offending anyone,” Talise paused and gnawed on her bottom lip. “But I’ve got to get this off my chest. Is that woman crazy? Does mental illness run in your family?”

  Everyone chuckled. Then Cheney, who appeared to be the spokeswoman for the Jamieson wives explained, “Thankfully, no. Our men suffer from a stupidity gene until they get a good wife, then they’re miraculously cured.”

  “Don’t worry about her,” Hallison added. “Both Grandma BB and Kami are adopted, but they’ll beat you down if you argue they’re not part of the Jamieson clan.”

  Adopted? Not that sweet, well-mannered little girl who could pass as Cheney’s biological daughter. Talise’s head was swimming with questions. As an outsider, she had no right to ask, so she remained quiet. However, she was relieved that her child was safe from Grandma BB’s genes.

  “It’s a long story. They had to explain it to me too.” Eva glanced around the room, as if double-checking their privacy. “Tell us what you want to do to make Ace come around. Although we believe prayer can change things, Grandma BB prefers force—and she will use it.”

  “Tell me about it. She even played target practice on my dad. But, fortunately, he survived the superficial wound,” Cheney added.

  Talise gave her a dumbfounded expression.

  “I know it sounds crazy. As Eva just said, it’s a long story for another visit. But basically, Grandma BB is a widow today because of the actions of my father before I was even born. Dad was the hit and run driver who killed her husband, Henry. He kept the secret bottled up for decades until I returned from college.

  “When she learned the truth, Grandma BB shot him in retaliation. Like I said, she wasn’t trying to kill him, only scare him. They both served time for the crime. Grandma BB did ninety days shock time.”

  Talise didn’t believe a word of it. The doubt must have been written on her face.

  “It’s true,” Cheney said, as all the women nodded, except Sandra.

  Lifting her shoulders, Talise exhaled. “Okay. Well, I didn’t expect that. But with me, at this point, she doesn’t have to bother. The man walked away from me. He’s guilty by desertion. The penalty for desertion in the military is court-marital. My sister is serving in the air force and, despite Ace’s treason, she’s the one who encouraged me to come today for my baby’s sake. Otherwise, I don’t know if I would have made the trip.”

  “Girl, did we not just say we’re a praying family? It was a matter of time before we came to you,” Eva advised her with a serious attitude.

  Mattie returned to their table and collected their plates. “Anyone want dessert?”

  Only Eva took the bait.

  “Yeah? I prayed that I wasn’t pregnant. Since I am, I’m paying for my sin.”

  “We don’t know how to pay for our sins. Plus, we don’t have enough clout to eliminate our debt. Christ died on a wood cross to redeem us. For those who repent, He releases the power of the Holy Ghost as the tool to help us live right,” Cheney gave her spiel.

  Talise withheld her comments. Wholeheartedly embracing Christ wouldn’t change anything—Ace’s attitude or her condition.

  “The Holy Ghost can keep us from falling,” Sandra added, raising her arm and waving her hand. “I’m a witness. It’s a promise from the Book of Jude, but we have to do our part.”

  Cheney continued, “I’m not judging you, Talise. None of us are. I was pregnant out of wedlock, and I made a different choice. I aborted my baby over a stupid man. When doctors told me I could never become pregnant again, it was God’s grace that gave me another chance to get it right. Now I’m the proud mother of three children.”

  “Well, Ty’s having a baby despite Ace Jamieson’s stupidity,” Grandma BB added her two cents, sneaking up on them.

  Cheney whipped her head around. “Where’s Kami?”

  “She’s coming. I made her max out her allowance. That girl had some serious money saved.” Grandma BB beamed.

  “Do we really want to have a contest on the stupidest Jamieson man? Because you know Kevin would win hands down.” Eva slapped the table.

  Talise watched their interaction with humor, interest, and longing. The Jamieson wives were a harmonious group. However, there were no whimsical thoughts dancing in her head that she would ever be part of the team.

  “Do you go to church?” Hallison asked her, seemingly out of nowhere.

  That was the second time in one day someone asked her that. “No, I work on Sundays.”

  “God will make a way,” Eva said with a nod, and then stuffed the last bite of dessert in her mouth. “We’ll pray on it.”

  It was close to two o’clock, and the crowd at Josephine’s Tea Room had thinned considerably. Their group seemed to be a handful of the last remaining guests. When they left Josephine’s stuffed, Cheney drove to historic downtown Alton to shop.

  Not wanting to haul a big bag on the plane, Talise refrained from going overboard on souvenirs and other purchases. The hours passed quickly, until it was four o’clock and time to head back home.

  Arriving at Lambert Airport, Talise assumed she would be dropped off. Instead, Cheney parked and everyone, including Grandma BB, escorted her inside. With her purse and bouquet in one arm, Talise accepted their goodbye hugs.

  “This has been fun. You all are some special ladies. Eva, I appreciate you honoring your word and not ambushing me with Ace.”

  “Hey, whether you accept your ties to the Jamieson name or not, we’ve got your back. Ace will never know you were here.” Eva said it with a smile, as she winked in triumph.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Ace had a one-track mind. He had to get home to see what was brewing in Boston. Besides, he missed the months he’d been away from his beloved Beantown. Not only would he surprise his mother, his main objective was to confront Talise.

  On his way to Lambert Airport, Ace couldn’t stop thinking about the nerve of his ex-girlfriend. Whatever shenanigans she had up her sleeve, he would put a stop to it once and for all. He wouldn’t allow her to keep dragging his family members, especially his mother, into her web of dishonesty. He knew how to wear his game face when he threatened to put the fear of his fist upside an opponent’s head.

  Threaten. Ace groaned at his bad choice of words in association with Talise. He would never lay hands on his ex or any woman. At the same time, he knew he’d need a game face. Staring into Talise’s mesmerizing brown eyes would be a huge challenge.

  Unable t
o ever admit it, he shuddered at the thought of confronting a woman who could make him weak in the knees. However, at the end of the day, no matter how tempting Talise looked—whether she was pregnant or not—Ace couldn’t give in. Above all—whatever she said or however enticing her voice may be when she said it—Ace had to stay strong.

  “Don’t fall for her charm, man,” he coaxed himself. Parking his car on the park-n-ride lot, he boarded the shuttle to the airport. While in Boston, he also planned to patch up things with Cameron. Very much like a brother, Ace’s cousin was the closest person to him after Kidd.

  Minutes later, the Super Park shuttle dropped him off at the Southwest terminal. He was more than two hours early for his 7:05 flight home. Although he preferred an earlier flight, it was booked. But there still might be hope for him to fly stand-by. If that didn’t work out, Ace figured he would hang out in the sports bar.

  With his mind elsewhere, he bypassed the curbside check-in and headed for the door. Then something got his attention. From a distance, Ace squinted and blinked when a woman who reminded him of Eva caught his eye. It couldn’t be. What reason would she have for being at the airport?

  Earlier, when he informed Kidd that he was going home to surprise their mother, his brother had joked with him. Kidd had told Ace that he’d better be glad Eva wasn’t home. If she’d been there, she would have handed him a list of items to bring back from her favorite places.

  “Eva, the other Jamieson wives, and Kami are spending the day together shopping,” Kidd had said. So there was no way the person he just saw could be his sister-in-law.

  Funny how women have such peculiar ways, he thought. It baffled him how Eva could side with a woman she had never met. Ace shook his head in disbelief. Blood was thicker than water, though, so Eva might as well forgive him for whatever imaginary transgression she thought he caused.

  For some reason, he wasn’t able to dismiss the woman’s uncanny resemblance. So, angling his head, Ace decided to get another look. When he turned around, the woman in question was nowhere in sight. Evidently, his eyes and mind were playing tricks on him.