Mama B - A Time to Speak (Book 1)

by Michelle Stimpson

  Henrietta come hopping out of her car. Fast as she whipped out of that front seat and scrambled back to Pastor’s side, I don’t see how she ridin’ around with handicapped license plates.

  “Pastor!” She flagged with her handkerchief as she shuffled her way into our conversation. “I got some ice cream to go with that peach cobbler. I can have my niece bring it by your house later on this afternoon.”

  “Oh, no, Mother Henrietta, that’s alright. I can’t take in too much sugar at once.”

  Henrietta pursed her lips for a second. “You sure? It’s Blue Bell.”

  “That’s mighty tempting, but I’ll have to let it go this time. God bless you for thinking about me, though.”

  Lord knows, if I was the gossiping type, Henrietta sure would have gave me plenty to talk about. But I ain’t the one to talk about people, so I don’t. Just keep it between me and Jesus.

  She waddled on back to her car while me, Pastor, and Rev. Martin stood there and watched just what way she was backin’ out so she wouldn’t hit none of us. Once she was clear, we said our good-byes and promised to pray for one another until we met again.

  The rest of my Sunday I spent watching football. One thing I don’t like is people talkin’ during the games, so I do my very best to watch football at home alone. And that’s exactly what I did until the last second of the last game.

  Nothing like a good ‘ole Cowboy game and some peach cobbler.

  I tell you what, whoever this is knockin’ on my door after nine o’clock at night better be some kin to the late Ed McMahon.

  “Just a minute!” I wrapped my robe around my waist and pulled the belt to. Good thing about these old houses, don’t matter what size you are, your feet make you sound like Godzilla walkin’ across these hardwood floors. Make strangers think somebody real big on this side of the door. “Who is it?”

  “It’s Derrick, Mama B.”

  “Derrick who?” I set my ear up against the door so I could catch his voice maybe.

  “Roy James and Winona’s son.”

  Lord, what Derrick want at this hour? I twisted both locks to the left and beheld a sight for sore eyes. Derrick LeVon Jackson, my nephew from my husband’s side. Might as well have been my grandson as much time as he spent at this house with my grands, especially during the summer.

  “Well, to what do I owe this pleasure, if that’s what it is?”

  I hugged him, felt his heart racing even through his shirt.

  “Hello, Mama B. It’s so good to see you.”

  I stepped back and pointed him toward the couch. The clock showed it was nine-thirty. In my book, might as well have been midnight, but I know the young folk don’t think the same. “You hungry?”

  “No, thank you.”

  He sat down on my sofa, letting a black duffle bag fall at his feet. I already knew where this was going, so I started praying. Lord, I don’t know what the problem is, but he sure can’t stay here while he find the solution.

  I hadn’t been too long getting back into my routine after my granddaughter and great-grandson, and Cameron, moved out. They had stayed with me most of the summer while Nikki found a new job and closed the door on a relationship with her deranged ex-boyfriend.

  Somebody must done put out the rumor that my house was the Red Cross. I don’t think so, Jesus!

  Chapter 2

  I sat down across from him and we made some small talk. He asked about me and mine, I asked about Roy James and Winona. Derrick said they was doing fine in their retirement village in North Dallas. He said it was almost like a cruise ship, they had so much to do in the complex.

  If I wasn’t so busy with the church and the food pantry, I might give one of those places a second glance.

  Soon as I found a lull in the conversation, I decided to cut to the chase. My word, it was going on 9:45 by then! “Well, I know you ain’t stopped by here just to catch up on me. What’s the matter?”

  He dropped his head. Look like a cloud of shame come over his whole body while he tried to fix his lips on the first word to say.

  “Go on and spit it out.”

  He exhaled. “I messed up.”

  Couldn’t help but chuckle. “Join the club, son. I been president a time or two.”

  Derrick shook his head. “No. I mean I really messed up. I don’t know if my life will ever be the same, or if Twyla is going to take me back. It’s complicated, Mama B. I just need a place to stay for a little while.”

  Don’t take no genius to figure out his problem got something to do with another woman. This is exactly the kind of business I keep my nose out of. “Well, I’m sorry to hear you two are having problems, Derrick, but y’all got to work this thing out.” I stood up so he could get the signal it was time for him to leave.

  “But I can’t stay…at home,” he said, with his behind still flat on my couch.

  “I didn’t say you had to go home. All I’m sayin’ is you can’t stay here. I don’t house no marital fugitives.” I crossed my arms.

  Derrick grabbed the short handles of his bag and rose. “I understand, Mama B. Where’s the nearest hotel?”

  “Down Main, left on Second.”

  “Got it.”

  “I’ll be praying for you and Twyla.”

  He raised one eyebrow and sucked in his cheeks. Seem like every man on my husband’s side of the family got that same expression when they got no clue of what to do. “I don’t know about praying. I doubt God wants to hear anything from me right now.”

  “Oh, He’ll listen. You might not like what He has to say about it, but He will listen because He said He would,” I assured Derrick.

  “Good night, Mama B. Thank you.”

  “Anytime. Well, make that any time before eight, you hear?”

  We shared a laugh as he walked out the door.

  I made good on my word. Went back to my bedroom, got on my knees and prayed for him and Twyla. They hadn’t been married but five years or so. Had a three-year-old daughter, Kionna, cute as a button. Mmm, mmm, mmm. I know the devil is busy tryin’ to tear up families. Don’t help none when folk make foolish choices. But if the truth be told, we all done something we knew we had no business doin’ at least once upon a time.

  Lord, I don’t know what Derrick did, but You do. I bring him, Twyla, and that precious baby before you. Not because they’ve done everything right, but because You are good. I intercede on their behalf. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  I tried to call Winona, but her voice mail picked up. I left her a message letting her know Derrick and Twyla might need some help by way of prayer. Me and Winona go way back. She know how to keep things between me and her and God long enough for Him to work it out. Plus, she’s his Momma. We got a way of praying for our kids that God pays special attention to, I believe.

  When I got up off my knees, I rolled back in bed. I had just snuggled up under the covers when that same knockin’ come on the door again.

  My goodness! Folk gon’ think I’m runnin’ numbers up in here with all this nighttime traffic!

  I stomped back to the door, knowing it had to be Derrick again.

  Chapter 3

  “Mama B,” he said before I had a chance to fuss at him, “please. I went to the hotel but…I can’t stay there.”

  “What you mean you can’t stay there? It’s a free country, last I heard.”

  “Even if I could stay there, Twyla’s got the credit cards.”

  He let his eyes drop to the floor again. I knew that was a half-truth if I ever heard one. No wonder he got caught doing something. Derrick was a terrible liar.

  But for the first time, it hit me: Derrick really was sorry about whatever shenanigans he’d been up to. This thing would work itself out eventually. In the meanwhile, however, he was only asking for a place to rest his head which, I suppose, is better than asking for money.

  “Boy, you betta thank God I’m led by the Holy Spirit. Get on in here.”

  “Thank God and you, Mama B!” Derrick grabbed my neck
a little too eager-like.

  “Wait just a minute here! We gotta come to an understandin’,” I piped up. Now, I let Nikki stay here for free, it’s true, but I can’t bring myself to let no able-bodied grown man stay under my roof without paying something. God ain’t in that arrangement.

  Derrick stepped back, still wearing a boyish grin. If memory served me right, he wasn’t too much older than Nikki, which would put him in his late twenties. Too old to be babied, too young to put him out in the streets if I didn’t have to.

  “You workin’ right?” I checked.

  “Yes. Got a good job in Mesquite, not too far from here. I won’t even be here during the day.”

  “Mmm hmm. Rule number one, rent is a hundred dollars a week.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Derrick quickly reached into his wallet, flipped it open, thumbed through, then slapped five twenties in my hand. I guess he figured he’d better give me the money before I changed my mind. “What else?”

  “No keepin’ up racket all night. No other woman in this house except your wife if she comes to visit you. Church every Sunday at ten o’clock sharp.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  This boy cheesin’ like he done won the lottery.

  “How long you plan on staying here, anyway?”

  “I wish I knew, but it’s really out of my hands.”

  It ain’t outta mine. “We need to sit down this time next week and get some timeframes in mind.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I took a deep breath and let it out. As much as I wanted to fuss at Derrick about whatever it was he did, I couldn’t. Wasn’t no good in makin’ my guest feel uncomfortable during his visit. Whatever his problem, he already felt bad enough. “You can stay in Son and Otha’s old room.”

  He followed me down the back hallway so we could get him set up with fresh sheets and towels. I bit my tongue the whole time ‘cause Lord knows I wasn’t in the mood for no more houseguest. Why me, Lord?

  Then the Holy Spirit brought a memory to my mind, fresh and clear like it was just yesterday. I remembered standing on the front porch, holding hands with Albert as my old pastor and Deacon Handley dedicated this house to the Lord. Hmph. Every once in a while, the Lord’ll have to remind me that everything I got belongs to Him. Wasn’t for Him, me and Derrick might be in the same boat.

  As we forced the fitted sheet to grab hold of the bottom of the mattress, I started humming to the tune of “I Surrender All.” That song sure is a lot easier to sing than to do, I tell you.

  “I forgot about your singing,” Derrick smiled.

  “Hmm?”

  “You used to sing and hum all the time.” Already, he looked lighter. His face was a perfect blend of his parents. Roy James’ tight eyes, Winona’s broad nose. Almost all the cousins, my kids included, had inherited a dimple in the chin. This trademark had become near and dear to my heart. Derrick was family. I needed to remember that, too.

  “Oh, yes, I sing all the time.” I smiled back. “Gets me through the day a lot easier.”

  He froze and gave me a smart-aleck smirk. “You sound like my Momma. Both of you are retired. What’s so hard about life at this point?”

  “There’s more to life than work, I’ll have you know. I got my friends, my church, and my family with people like you that need lookin’ after.”

  He laughed again. “You got me on that one, Mama B. You got me.”

  We finished fluffing the pillows on the bed. “That oughta do it.”

  Derrick stopped for a moment and looked around the room. He nodded. “Man, I used to want to be like Son and Otha. They had it made.”

  “So did you.”

  “Naw, not like they did. They had every new video game, new movies, new scooters. Y’all had everything. I used to love coming over here.”

  Come to think of it, he was right. We were blessed beyond measure. “Well, God is good.”

  “I guess so,” Derrick said.

  “Oh, honey, I know so. Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, Mama B. And thank you. You won’t be sorry.”

  “Night, Derrick.” I surely hope not.

  Other Books by Michelle Stimpson

  Fiction

  A Forgotten Love (Novella) Book One in the “A Few Good Men” Series

  A Shoulda Woulda Christmas (Novella)

  Boaz Brown

  Divas of Damascus Road

  Falling into Grace

  I Met Him in the Ladies’ Room (Novella)

  I Met Him in the Ladies’ Room Again (Novella)

  Last Temptation (Starring “Peaches” from Boaz Brown)

  Mama B: A Time to Dance (Book 2)

  Mama B: A Time to Love (Book 3)

  Mama B: A Time to Mend (Book 4)

  Someone to Watch Over Me

  Stepping Down

  The Good Stuff

  Trouble In My Way (Young Adult)

  What About Momma’s House? (Novella with April Barker)

  What About Love? (Novella with April Barker)

  What About Tomorrow? (Novella with April Barker)

  Non-Fiction

  Did I Marry the Wrong Guy? And other silent ponderings of a fairly normal Christian wife

  Uncommon Sense: 30 Truths to Radically Renew Your Mind in Christ

  The 21-Day Publishing Plan

  A Note from the Author

  This Mama B series has sparked a new desire to fellowship with believers and share the gospel in the same ways Mama B does—not by preaching at people but by letting Christ be known in the way I treat others. I pray that her example of a godly woman will encourage you to think about how you want to be after walking with the Lord for 40+ years.

  If you have yet to start your journey in Christ, let me encourage you to seek Him. Seek Him in all of his glory, all of His love, and His wisdom. If you feel the tug in your heart, Thank Him for His goodness, ask Him for forgiveness, and invite Him to live in you. He stands knocking on the door of your heart and is more than pleased to come in and be your Lord (Rev. 3:20). And as both Mama B and I can testify to, He is a good Lord indeed!

  God bless you!

  -Michelle Stimpson

  About the Author

  In addition to her work in the field of education, Michelle ministers through writing and public speaking. Her works include the highly acclaimed Boaz Brown, Divas of Damascus Road (National Bestseller), and Falling Into Grace, which has been optioned for a movie of the week. She has published several short stories for high school students through her educational publishing company.

  Michelle serves in women's ministry at her home church, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship. She also ministers to women and writers through her blog. She regularly speaks at special events and writing workshops sponsored churches, schools, book clubs, and educational organizations.

  The Stimpsons are proud parents of two young adults and one crazy dog.