by Faith
“All I want to know is who the daddy is. Who is he, Taylor?” Jackie asked again.
“Boo,” Taylor sniffled.
“Boo? What is a Boo? What’s his real name? And where is he? He should be here.”
“He won’t talk to me.”
“He won’t talk to you? Ah hell nah! Call him!”
“He won’t answer my calls. He said it’s not his, and that if it is, he’s not helping.”
“See? See, this is how they do. Oh, he thinks he’s going to deny my grand baby?”
Elisea watched in confusion as this crazy lady just went from berating her child to defending her. Whatever works!
Jackie pulled a cigarette out of her pack of Salem Gold’s, lit it up and stepped out on the porch. She smoked her cigarette and paced back and forth. When she came back into the house, the cigarette seemed to have calmed her. Her demeanor had changed. She sat back down and looked at her child. “Look, I’m sorry. I have worked so hard for you to have a better life than I have. I don’t want you to have to struggle like me. I wanted better for you. That’s why I push you so hard. You’re only sixteen!” Jackie’s voice cracked as she fought back tears.
“I know.” Taylor started to cry again.
“Stop crying, because trust me, you have a lot of time for that. You got to get refocused. You have to finish school, Taylor. You have to go to college so that you can compete in the world out there. That was the plan, right?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” she sniffled.
“Well okay then. We’re going to stick to the plan. And we’ll figure out the rest as it comes. Pastor, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to blow up at you. You and your family have always been there for me, and I’m sure we’ll need you now more than ever.”
“That’s okay, Jackie. Taylor is a good kid. She has a lot of potential, and we’ll help her anyway we can. Taylor, everything will be okay. It’s not going to be easy, but it will be okay,” Elisea said, and hugged her.
“No, it’s not going to be easy, but she comes from a line of strong women. We’ll make it work, because if I don’t know how to do anything else, I know how to survive,” Jackie added.
“Jackie, where do you work again?”
“I’m a manager at Food Lion.”
“Hmm. Let me talk to my sister-in-law, Lacey. She’s starting a new business—a non-profit organization catering to women—and I know she’s going to need some help, especially now since she just had a baby.”
“Oh, they had the baby?” Jackie asked.
“Yes, this morning. A baby girl.”
“Awww! That’s wonderful!”
Elisea hugged Taylor again. “Now, you call me if you need me, okay?”
Taylor nodded her head.
Elisea picked her purse up and headed for the door.
Jackie followed her. “Thank you, you know, for everything. I know I got a little crazy.”
“I know this is a lot and you’re right; I won’t be here in the middle of the night. but you have an entire church family that will be a support system. You are not alone.”
“Yeah, I know. Please forgive me.”
Elisea waved her off and said, “It’s already forgotten.”
Jackie hugged her and promised to call her soon.
________
Elisea and Andrew went to the Justice of the Peace. Mama Eloise, Lizzie and James were in attendance. Elisea was dressed in a simple white form-fitting dress with royal blue accessories. Andrew was dressed in white linen pants and a royal blue shirt. Mama Eloise cried during the quick ceremony. She was really happy for her baby.
The family planned on meeting at Junior’s house for a big family brunch before the newlyweds left for a week’s honeymoon in Cabo San Lucas. They decided on Junior’s because they didn’t want to bring baby Saniya out of the house yet.
“I talked to Poe, and the funeral service is next week. I think we should all go,” Junior announced.
“Are you crazy? They tried to kill us!” Mud fussed.
“I’m with Mud on this one,” Eddie added.
“That’s exactly the reason we should go. What do think, Edem?”
“I agree with Junior. I think we have to forgive and move on.”
“That fool shot me! Then he tried to burn us alive! Ah hell nah! I’m not going.” The vein on the side of Mud’s neck was popping out.
Mama Eloise said, “Boys, I think we should go. But if you don’t want to, then don’t. What we’re not going to do is argue about this. Today is a day of celebration. Yes, they tried to take us out doing the work of the devil. But the wages of sin is death. Not only did God protect us, but look at all the blessings that came out of all this. Y’all’s marriages are stronger, Lizzie is married, and Elisea found love after all she’s gone through. Once again God took what the enemy meant for bad and worked it out for our good. So, I will be there. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” She said what she had to say, and left her sons to work things out amongst themselves. She had a new grand baby to love on.
________
The newlyweds had a ball on the flight to Cabo San Lucas. They laughed and joked, and talked about their future together.
Once in their rooms, they showered and dressed for dinner. They had a romantic dinner for two planned at the restaurant in the five star resort they were staying at.
They feasted on oysters and shrimp, and they went through an entire bottle of Moët as they enjoyed the atmosphere. The live band playing island music was on point, and the couple danced the night away.
Both were tipsy by the time they entered their honeymoon suite. Laughing and stumbling, Elisea fell into her husband’s arms.
Andrew massaged her butt. He couldn’t wait to get her out of her clothes. Kissing her passionately he unzipped her dress. He gently helped her out of dress never losing eye contact with her. He was taken aback at the sexiness of his new wife. Her ample breasts smothered by her bra looked good enough to eat. He reached around her and unhooked her bra exposing her full breasts. Elisea helped him out and stepped out of her black lace panties. He was in awe of her and quickly undressed in record time. They stood chest to chest, their body heat becoming familiar while their tongues explored each other. “Lay down!” he ordered her.
Elisea did as she was told. She watched as her husband’s manhood swung from left to right as he walked over to his bag. Seeing the size of him made her whisper, “Thank you, God!” He was definitely blessed. What is he doing? she wondered. Her eyes widened when he returned to the bed with a jar of Jif Cookies and Cream hazelnut spread. “What are you going to do with that?” she asked and looked at him like he was crazy.
“I’m going to eat it off of you.”
“Drew! Did I marry a freak?” she giggled.
“You sure did!”
“Well, so did you!” Elisea crawled to the end of the bed where he stood and took him into her mouth.
She took him by surprise, and he moaned, “Oh shit!”
She looked up at him and said without missing a beat with her sucking, “Watch your mouth!”
Impressed with her skill level she, swallowed him whole. “Dag, E! I didn’t know you had it like that!” He watched as she went up and down on his shaft, and his rod disappeared inside of her mouth. Andrew had to taste her. “Lay back,” he said.
Elisea did as she was instructed, and Andrew didn’t waste any time. He dove in face first, tasting his wife for the first time. “Mmm!” he moaned as he looked up at her to see if she was watching. He spread her lips with his tongue and sucked on her clit before twirling his tongue inside of her sugar walls.
Moans escaped Elisea’s lips as she grabbed his head pushing his tongue deeper inside of her. “Aah!”
“You taste so good!” Andrew said while slurping on her juices as they began to flow out of her. He could feel her legs trembling and she called out his name. Satisfied with his performance, he prepared to enter her. He stroked himself and slid himself inside of her.
; Elisea squirmed as her walls felt extra tender for some reason. Whoa! He was bigger than she thought. It took her a minute to catch his rhythm, but when she did she met him thrust for thrust.
He then flipped her over and put her into the doggy-style position. He enjoyed watching himself enter her as her ass bumped against him making a smacking sound. It was music to his ears.
Their sex was intense. Echoes of serious lovemaking filtered throughout the room, until after four rounds they both met their final climax.
Exhausted, Andrew got up and ran the bath water for them. Elisea was dozing off when he called to her. The bottle of wine and good sex had her ready to be in a coma, but she dragged herself into the bathroom where candles illuminated the room, and rose petals floated in the bubble bath. “Aww baby!” she exclaimed.
He helped her into the tub. For a while they sat facing one another in silence, and staring at each other’s like school kids.
“That was as magical as I expected it to be,” Andrew told her.
“Yes, it was. Let’s promise to always keep the fire burning, even when we’re mad. What do you say?”
“I say I’m going to remind you of this conversation.”
“Oh! You didn’t use the jar of Jif!”
“Don’t worry. We have tomorrow. You taste sweet enough anyway, just like candy!”
Andrew started dancing in the tub, and couple laughed as they started singing “Candy” by Cameo.
Chapter 16
Poe held funeral services at one of the local funeral homes. There weren’t a lot of people there considering that Lilith had cut off contact with the majority of her family.
Junior, Edem, Mama Eloise, Lizzie, Denard and his wife Maria came to show their support.
Mama Eloise flipped through the program before the service and noticed that no one was singing. She got up and whispered something to Poe, who was acting extremely weird.
The three urns were sitting on the table.
“Don’t they usually wait until after to cremate the body?” Lizzie asked Junior.
“Yeah usually, but I guess it’s cheaper this way,” he replied.
Someone got up to speak, so they quieted down. Junior almost fell asleep from his monotone voice.
“We will now have Mrs. Eloise Blanks lead us in a selection,” the speaker announced.
Mama Eloise was decked out in all black, and her big black church hat set off the outfit. She strutted up to the front and sang a cappella:
“I need thee ev’ry hour,
Most gracious Lord.
No tender voice like thine,
Can peace afford.
I need thee, oh, I need thee;
Ev’ry hour I need thee!
Oh, bless me now, my Savior;
I come to thee…”
Mama Eloise put a hurtin’ on that song. She did runs with her voice that sent the anointing through the building.
After she finished the song, the eulogy was long, drawn-out and boring. They were all ready to go home.
When service was over The Blanks went to shake everyone’s hands.
Standing next to Poe was a heavyset light-skinned woman who favored Lilith so much that it was scary. “This is my Aunt Leitha. These are the Blanks,” he said, introducing them.
“You have my deepest condolences,” Junior said to her.
Poe introduced his aunt to Denard and Maria. Denard hugged Poe extra tight, and they promised to have lunch later in the week before he left to go back home.
Mama Eloise didn’t like the look in Leitha’s eyes. Leitha was looking at her like she could kill her, so she decided not to shake her hand and just said, “Be blessed!” and kept moving down the line to the other relatives that waited.
________
Junior called Sheila after he received a text from her asking him if he could give her a call.
“Hey, Junior.” Her voice sounded sad.
“Hey, you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fine. I just wanted to touch base with you about what was going on.”
“Okay, what’s going on?”
“We’re moving to Texas in a few months.”
“Texas?” Junior’s heartrate quickened.
“Yeah. Jamir got a promotion.”
“Wow! So what about the baby?”
“I mean, what about her? What do you mean?”
“I mean how am I going to be around my daughter if she’s going to be in Texas?” he asked, getting aggravated.
“Well, Junior, what do you expect me to do? I need to go with my husband.”
“I understand that, Sheila. I’m just trying to figure out how this is going to work out. I want to be in my child’s life.”
“We can work something out, Junior. I’m not trying to keep her from you. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“That’s all I wanted to hear, you know. I’m not trying to cause problems; I just want to make sure that I have a relationship with her.”
“Well, I can’t tell you right at this moment how we can work it out, but we’ll figure something out.”
“Oh, we definitely will! No doubt!” Junior’s voice still seemed angry.
“Well, I got to go. I’ll keep you posted on things.”
“A’ight,” Junior said, and hung up the phone without saying good bye. He was fuming and started pacing back and forth.
Lacey and all three kids were sound asleep so, he left out and went over to Edem’s.
When Edem opened the door he could tell that something was bothering his brother. “What’s wrong?” he asked him.
“Man, I’m about to pop a blood vessel!”
“Let’s go to my man cave,” he said to Junior. “Baby, I’m going to go talk to Junior real quick. I’ll be back!” Edem hollered over his shoulder to Ruthie.
Junior just waved to her as he followed behind his little brother.
“So, what’s up?” Edem asked after he got comfortable in his recliner.
“Baby bruh, Sheila and her husband are moving to Texas!” Junior huffed.
“Oh Wow!”
“I know, right? What kind of mess is that?”
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think that’s a good thing.”
“What the hell? How could this be a good thing when she’s taking my baby away from me?” Junior’s voice was raised.
“If you don’t take it down a notch or two… Look, you and Lacey are healing, so forgive me if I think that not having a reminder of your love for another woman and the love child that y’all created is a good thing. For you not so much, because as usual, you want to have your cake and eat it to. Have you ever thought that maybe you’re trying to hold onto something that God is trying to tear apart?”
Junior sat quietly processing what his brother had just said. Then he shot back, “You make me sick! Why do you always got to try to make sense?”
“Because, I’m that dude!” He laughed. “Look, Junior. You know Sheila’s heart better than anybody. And if you get out of your feelings, you’ll realize that she’s not going to move away and act like you don’t exist.”
“Yeah, I know. She wouldn’t do that to me.”
“So, let me ask you this: do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?”
“I want to be happy.”
“Then be happy and leave the rest to God.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“That’s because it is. We just make it difficult when we try to do His job for Him.”
“You’re absolutely right.”
“And let me add that I am very proud of you. You’ve been making a lot of changes to your inner man, and it’s noticeable.”
“Thanks, man. That fire did something to me. I like that inner man thing you said though. You should do a sermon on that.”
“See, I would, but that’s the title to my next book; ‘Renewing your inner man’.”
Junior coverd his mouth with a closed fist and said, “O-o-oh, I see you baby bruh! Oh
yeah, Elisea and Andrew will be back soon, so we need to figure out what to do about the house.”
“I talked to Lizzie and asked her if she wanted a house over here, and she said no. She said that James’ house is just fine for now. I don’t think she wants to live that close to us!” he laughed.
“Right!” Junior was happy to see his sisters free from the nest.
“But she did say that Andrew had already purchased a house not too far from their house. He’s going to surprise her with it.”
“I like that. He’s a take charge kind of dude. Now, him and Mud… oh Lord!” Junior shook his head.
“Mud is just going to have to understand that his baby sisters are grown, and he’s going to have to deal with it.”
“That’s true, but can you believe the change in Mama? Thank you, God!” Junior pretended to shout.
“Look at God! We’ve been through a lot as a family, but we made it through.”
“You ain’t lying. So, should we just cut Lizzie and Elisea a check and let them do what they want with it?”
“I think that would be a good idea.”
“Now, what about Mama? She’s in that big ol’ house all by herself.”
“Not for long!” Edem said and smirked.
“What do you know, Edem? Spill it. Is she marrying George?”
“Oh I don’t know about that, but she was telling me that Bernice will be getting out of the rehab soon, and she doesn’t want to live with Denard and Maria. So she said she asked her to come stay with her.”
“Oh word? That’s good. Oh Lord! It’s going to be ‘gangsta granny central’ over there, because you know Madear’s gonna be over there all the time!”
They both laughed.
“I know, right! But what if Mama married George?”
“I wouldn’t care about that. I just keep having this sick image in my head that when they’re having sex, Mama says, ‘Oh George!’ sounding all like Weezy Jefferson or something.”
Edem tried to keep a straight face. “No you didn’t say that! You know you said that out loud right? Thanks for the visual! Now I’m going to hear that every time I see them together! Get out of my house!” he said, trying his best not to laugh.