She bit her bottom lip to prevent herself from crying and prayed that they weren’t heading down the same path as Bridgette and Nick. And certainly not with them getting ready to be parents. That would be a travesty, and something she wouldn’t be able to deal with, especially after everything else she’d been through.
Chapter Forty-Five
B
ridgette made sure the boys were away because it was the day Nick was moving out of the house. They were spending the weekend at Savannah and Julius’s, which they always enjoyed. Bridgette would have liked to be somewhere else too, but she wanted to make sure Nick didn’t take anything from the house that he wasn’t supposed to. She didn’t want to be petty, but she’d paid for a lot of what they owned, and she wasn’t about to sit by and watch him walk out with any of it. He made the choice to leave his family, so as far as she was concerned all he’d leave with was his clothes if she had anything to say about it. And, she was going to have the locks changed as well. Since he wasn’t going to be living there, he certainly didn’t need a key.
Nick had been carrying boxes from the house and loading them into a small U-Haul truck early that Saturday morning when Bridgette had gotten up to shower and have breakfast. As she made a bowl of oatmeal, she thought about how Nick would survive since she had always cooked for him. And it was funny for her to imagine him over a stove. She honestly had no idea if he could cook or not because she had never witnessed it. But, how or if he ate would be no concern of hers anymore. It hurt that it had come to this moment, but she would have to continue to pray about it because there was nothing else she could do other than beg him to stay, and that wasn’t going to happen.
Bridgette had just poured a glass of grapefruit juice and was headed back to the kitchen island to sit and eat when she heard voices coming from the foyer. She thought maybe Nick had gotten some of his buddies to help him move, but then the voices sounded muffled as if whoever was talking was now whispering and curiosity caused her to go check. Bridgette walked out of the kitchen and headed to the foyer, but froze when she heard her mother-in-law, Cassietta’s voice.
“Mama, please keep your voice down. I don’t need any trouble today. I told you to wait at the apartment,” Nick was saying to her.
“Well, I’m a grown woman and I won’t be told what I can and can’t do. Who does she think she is anyway, forbidding me to come here? That hussy got some nerve. Now, get out of my way, Nicholas. I’m here to help you get your things out of here as fast as you can so you can be done with that dry cake-making witch,” Cassietta huffed.
Bridgette felt herself getting ready to go from zero to one hundred, and she took a deep breath to calm down because she didn’t want to have another altercation with her mother-in-law. But she wasn’t going to sit back and listen to her insults while she was standing in her house.
“Ohhh, if it isn’t the Queen of the palace herself, speaking of the She-Devil,” Cassietta remarked when Bridgette stepped into view.
“It’s great to see you too, Cassietta,” Bridgette replied with sarcasm. “Hope you won’t be here long.”
“Don’t try to be cute with me. I hope you’re happy now that you’ve finally managed to run your husband away. Good luck in that cold bed at night,” Cassietta retorted, her face twisted into a smirk.
Nick placed his hand on his mother’s arm. “Mama, come on. We’re going back to the apartment. We’re not going to do this today,” he said, and Cassietta snatched her arm away.
“Oh, I’m just getting warmed up, son. I’ve sat back and watched this heifer make you look like less than the man you are and it makes me sick, especially when you’ve always been a good husband and father,” she said to Nick in a disgusted tone. “But, you always reap what you sow, honey. God don’t like ugly and that’s why you’re paying in full now,” Cassietta said, glaring at Bridgette. “And it started with that baby you was carrying around. It was ungodly how it was conceived and it’s unfortunate because an unborn child is innocent, but that miscarriage was a high price you had to pay.”
Bridgette felt the heat rising in her like a volcano about to explode. She couldn’t believe her mother-in-law could be so nasty. It was a low blow even for her. They’d never had the best relationship, but it had never been this bad either. They always managed to tolerate each other for the sake of being in-laws and because of her love for her grandchildren, but Bridgette didn’t have to do it anymore.
“Don’t you ever speak about my miscarriage again. Do you understand me, Cassietta?” Bridgette glared at her, placing her hand on her hip and she could tell Nick was getting nervous. He certainly didn’t want a repeat from last year.
“Mama, I said let’s go,” he demanded, reaching for her arm again, but Cassietta moved out of his grasp and closer to Bridgette.
“Who do you think you’re talking too? I can talk about what I want to, especially when I’m speaking the truth. You better get on your knees and pray for repentance because the Lord is going to keep coming down on you,” Cassietta said, pointing toward the hardwood floor for emphasis.
“Mama, please. I’m not going to say it again. Let’s go. Now,” Nick urged, keeping his eyes on Bridgette as her chest heaved because he knew she was about to go off. He grabbed his mother’s arm and gently nudged her toward the door.
“Gladly. I’ve never liked this big, flashy house anyway. Like the house your Granddaddy left you wasn’t good enough to live in for her Highness. She had to slap you in the face once again by buying something bigger and grander. What a dishonorable and disrespectful thing to do. Always trying to keep up with The Joneses. But, I hope you like living in it by yourself. Witch,” Cassietta hissed before marching out the front door.
Bridgette inhaled deeply and then let out a long breath. Nick stared at her with an apologetic look. She knew he was about to apologize, but she put her hand up to stop him.
“Don’t, Nick. Just go. Get her off of my property before things get ugly. That woman gets a kick out of pushing my buttons and I hate that I continue to let her get to me. And she’s right about one thing. I do need to pray, but not for the reasons she said, but that I don’t end up in jail and you sitting in front of her casket,” Bridgette said, rolling her eyes.
“I didn’t know she would come here, Bridgette. If I had known I would’ve tried to stop her. I don’t like seeing you two at each other’s throats,” said Nick with a pained look in his eyes.
“Well, I don’t know what you expect me to do, Nick when she’s continually disrespecting me. The things that came out of her mouth were uncalled for and nasty,” Bridgette said, shaking her head. “She was being mean and just plain evil.”
“I can’t control what comes out of my mother’s mouth, but I’m sorry she said those things, especially about the…you know?” Nick said, and Bridgette knew that he didn’t want to say anything about the miscarriage because he still felt guilty about it
“Just go, Nick.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow for the rest of my things,” he said, before turning to leave.
“You know I have church tomorrow, so that’s not going to work. I prefer that you just get everything out today because I have a locksmith coming to change the locks later,” she announced, causing him to turn back around to face her.
“Well, I guess I’m not surprised. It is your house.”
She didn’t like his tone and she felt like he was piggybacking off of his mother’s comments about her buying a bigger house. “Nick, just for the record, I’ve always considered this house to be ours. I’ve never tried to make you feel otherwise, so I don’t know why you’ve had such an issue. What was so wrong about wanting something bigger for our family? And plus, your grandfather’s house is still in your family. That’s why you rented it out,” she said.
Nick shook his head. “No. It’s not. I sold that house four years ago, Bridgette,” he said, his voice lowering.
Bridgette looked at him in shock. “What? Why would you do that?” she asked, her
brows furrowed in confusion.
He was silent a few seconds before responding. “To help you start your business, but just like with everything else, you found a way to exclude me,” Nick murmured and then turned to walk out the front door. “I’ll be back in a few hours for the rest of my things,” he said over his shoulder, closing the front door behind him, leaving Bridgette standing in the foyer shocked and confused.
Chapter Forty-Six
B
read of Life Baptist Church was abuzz with praise and worship as the choir belted out the ending to “We Come This Far By Faith”. A chorus of “Amens” and “Hallelujahs” spread throughout the sanctuary. Savannah was in tears as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, moved by their uplifting performance. Julius had been holding her hand and gave her a comforting squeeze as she composed herself. Bridgette was on her feet in the pew in front of them with her children, her arm and hand extended in praise.
Reverend Barrett stood at his place on the pulpit, waiting patiently for order to be restored as he always did when the congregation broke out into a frenzy, which happened often during the two-hour time frame of service.
“Let the church say, ‘Amen’,” Reverend Barrett’s voice boomed through his microphone, five minutes later as the commotion ceased.
“Amen,” the congregation complied in unison as Reverend Barrett prepared to give his sermon.
Everybody listened intently as he spoke about family and going through adversity and healing after. Bridgette openly shed tears as she thought about what her family had been through over the past year, but she took comfort in Reverend Barrett’s inspirational words. Her mind went to her husband and their fractured marriage, and as she glanced at her boys sitting next to her, her oldest twin, Dylan’s hand rested on top of hers to comfort her, she prayed for discernment.
Had she done the right thing letting Nick leave so easily without putting up a fight? Maybe she should’ve suggested that they seek marriage counseling. It was obvious there were issues that she’d overlooked and Nick had been harboring resentment because of it. Yes, he could’ve said something to her, but would she have really heard him with the way she’d submerged herself into running a successful business while still trying to maintain their household? His biggest gripe was always that she did too much, especially for everyone else. She’d almost gotten herself killed trying to protect Ivy and put her life at risk again, getting pregnant for Savannah, and she’d managed to damage her marriage in the process.
As she sat hearing Reverend Barrett’s baritone voice as he preached with passion and conviction, she realized that Nick had a right to be angry with her and in his feelings about their marriage. She’d put him in situations unwittingly because she hadn’t considered how her actions would affect them both. They were supposed to be a unit, but she’d been acting in the singular. It all made so much sense while listening to the word of God, but sometimes tragedy had a way of bringing what was truly important to the forefront. Her eyes and ears were wide open now.
***
“Bridgette? The rolls. You’re going to burn them. Now, I may not be much of a cook, but I know they’re looking awfully brown,” Savannah interrupted Bridgette’s thoughts a few hours later.
They’d reconvened at Savannah’s house after church for Sunday dinner. Bridgette’s mind had been consumed with thoughts about her marriage, and it was hard to focus on much of anything else.
“Shoot,” Bridgette exclaimed as she hurried to the oven.
Savannah had been making a salad while she’d been making a pitcher of sweet iced tea. “Are you okay, sissy?” she asked as she watched Bridgette don an oven mitt and pull the bread out.
Bridgette was reluctant to mention anything regarding Nick because she knew how Savannah felt about him. She still blamed him for the loss of her baby and had refused to be anywhere near him. Their altercation at the hospital had been the last time she’d seen him, and that was over a year ago.
“Other than trying to get used to the idea of raising my sons in a single parent household, I couldn’t be better,” said Bridgette, removing butter from the refrigerator.
“I’m sorry, Bridge. I hate that you’re going through this. Despite my feelings about Nick I can’t celebrate the dissolution of a marriage,” said Savannah. “And, I feel responsible.”
Bridgette popped a bowl with a half stick of butter in the microwave to soften it.
“Well, don’t. I’m the one who offered to be your surrogate. And, I don’t regret that decision.” Bridgette leaned against the counter waiting for the timer to end.
“Everything you did was for me and if it wasn’t for that fact this probably wouldn’t be happening. Your separation, I mean,” said Savannah, stretching plastic wrap across the wooden salad bowl.
“Savannah, neither one of us knew this would happen. It’s unfortunate, but I don’t want you to keep blaming yourself.” Bridgette pulled the butter out of the microwave when it dinged and then spread the yellow, oily liquid on top of the warm bread with a brush.
“While that may be true, I still can’t help but to feel like I’ve turned everybody in my family’s life upside down in one way or another. And while I’m eternally grateful to you and Ivy for putting your lives on hold to give me the ultimate gift, I feel guilty sometimes for the sacrifices you’ve both had to make,” Savannah lamented.
“Savannah, we’re family. And that’s what we do for one another. I saw a way to help and I did. And like I’ve told you time and time again, I’d do it all over again. The exact, same way. I have no regrets because I would do just about anything for my family, except kill somebody.”
“Thank you for saying that, Bre. And I feel the same about you and Ivy as well, even though she hates me right about now. I really hoped this experience would draw us closer like we used to be, but she seems to want nothing to do with me. And, I can’t help the uneasy feeling I have,” said Savannah.
Bridgette poured them both glasses of her freshly brewed, sweet iced tea and brought them to the island. She handed one to Savannah before taking a seat next to her.
“She doesn’t hate you, Savannah. This is a new experience for her. We’ve been through it before, so we knew a little of what to expect, but I don’t really think Ivy realized what she was getting herself into. She’s used to being on the go all of the time, wearing what she wants and doing what she wants. Being pregnant has halted all of that, and she’s having culture shock or in her case, baby shock.”
“I hope that’s all it is. I’ve tried talking to her about it on numerous occasions, but she always shuts me down before I can get a word in. I just want this to be over for both of our sake,” said Savannah, sipping from her glass and then giving Bridgette a thumbs up signal to let her know that she approved of the sweetness level.
“It will be in a few, short months. And then maybe after the baby comes and you get acclimated to motherhood, we can spend some quality sister time together at the beach house since we haven’t been there in ages. I think that’s what we all need.”
“I do too, and especially being at the beach house. We haven’t been since we were there to see the completed renovations,” said Savannah.
“Almost two years,” said Bridgette.
“Wow. I didn’t realize it had been that long. But, life has a way of making you lose time,” Savannah murmured.
“So true. Time is the one thing that none of us have, so that’s why it’s so important for us to get back to the basics of what made us such a tight knit family. And our parents’ beach house is the perfect place. It’s truly home for us and the one place where their spirit really surrounds us,” said Bridgette, smiling at the thought.
“I agree,” said Savannah. “It’ll be good to go back.”
“Mom, is it time to eat yet? I’m starving,” Ryan whined, walking into the kitchen. Bridgette and Savannah chuckled.
“I’d thought you’d still be full from all those blueberry pancakes you ate this morning that your
uncle made for breakfast,” Savannah joked.
“That was hours ago, Auntie Savannah. I’m ready to eat again,” Ryan replied, rubbing his stomach for effect.
Bridgette tousled his soft hair, cut into a Mohawk style young boys were wearing now. “Dinner will be served in a minute, sweetheart. Why don’t you and your brother go get washed up and then let Uncle Jules know we’ll be ready to eat shortly?”
“Is Dad coming too?” he asked, and Bridgette felt a tug at her heart as she glanced at Savannah who gave her a sympathetic look.
“Not this time, honey.”
“But, why? He said that we’re going to still see him like always, and we always have Sunday dinner together,” said Ryan, his voice sad.
Bridgette hugged him close to her. “Well, he’s very busy this weekend, but maybe you can give him a call later.”
“Okay,” Ryan responded, even though he still wore a sad expression.
Bridgette placed a kiss on his forehead and sent him off to get ready for dinner. “This is going to be harder than I thought,” she remarked to Savannah who reached over and gave her a much-needed hug.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Three months later…
O
n a balmy August evening at 6:55 p.m., Arianna Elizabeth Yancey was delivered at Piedmont hospital in Atlanta, weighing in at seven pounds and four ounces. Ivy had been in labor almost sixteen hours with her sisters and Julius there for the delivery. Baby Arianna was a chubby cheeked beauty with a head full of black, curly hair. Ivy marveled at the fussy newborn from her hospital bed as the neonatal nurse cleaned and dried her under a warmer. Savannah cried tears of happiness while Julius embraced her, both proud new parents hovering close by.
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