“Simon, I agree with Minnie on this one,” Ruby said, appearing on the side of her sister.
“So do I,” Big Junior chimed in from the domino table. “We don’t need any mo’ snobs in this family anyway.”
“I don’t like her, either,” Uncle Bubba added. “I know my Mae Frances was just about to give me a chance till that gal went and ruined things.”
“Uncle Bubba, that woman wasn’t about to give you a chance,” Minnie said. “Matter of fact, you probably had as much chance with her as you do of getting with Michelle Obama.”
“How you know I ain’t already been with Michelle?” he cackled.
That seemed to lighten the mood and everyone, little by little, returned to their normal selves.
Once the attention was off Simon, Rachel took her father’s hand. “Daddy, I think Aunt Minnie may be right. You might need to let this go,” Rachel said. She felt a small pang in her heart. She had started to look forward to being Jasmine’s sister. But after what Jasmine had just done, the way Jasmine had hurt Simon, Rachel didn’t care if she ever saw Jasmine Cox Larson Bush ever again.
“I can’t let it go, baby girl.” Simon’s voice was just above a whisper, and his words carried the weight of his sadness.
“Daddy, she doesn’t want to get to know you.”
He looked Rachel in her eyes. “If I lost you, would you want me to give up on finding you?”
Rachel sighed. “I just don’t know what else you can do.”
“I can keep trying.”
“Trying, smyring,” Minnie interjected. Rachel hadn’t realized she was still standing over them. “You know she wasn’t raised by us because she’d know better than disrespecting grown folks.”
“She’s not disrespectful,” Rachel replied. “She’s hurt and trying to deal with it.”
“Hmph,” Minnie muttered, rolling her eyes. “Pain is no excuse to be a prick. Come on, Ruby. Help me bring the food out.”
Minnie was done and Rachel felt defeat set in even more. Even if they did get through to Jasmine, now her family didn’t like her, so becoming a part of the Jackson family would be even more of a challenge.
“Maybe Reverend Bush could help,” Simon said, snapping Rachel’s attention back to him.
“He was here, Daddy. Even he couldn’t get through to Jasmine.”
“Not Hosea. Reverend Samuel Bush, his daddy.”
“Oh.” Rachel frowned. “Help how?”
Simon threw up his hands in frustration. “I don’t know. He has a way with people. It’s the only in I have.” Simon turned to Brenda, who was sitting across the table from him, worry lines etched in her face. “It’s a good thing you spent all those years working for Delta, because we can fly anywhere, right?” Simon asked her.
“Yes.” Brenda frowned like she was trying to figure out what he was saying.
“Including New York.”
“Daddy, what are you thinking about . . .”
“I’ve always wanted to go to New York.”
Suddenly, it dawned on her what her father was trying to do. He was really going to try to follow Jasmine to New York! “Seriously, Daddy? You cannot go to New York.” Rachel was shocked. As much as her father hated flying, the fact that he was ready to board a plane without a second thought spoke volumes about his determination to get through to Jasmine.
“Why not? I’m not going to be able to rest until I get Jasmine to hear me.” And as if he were reading her mind, he added, “I’m just going to have to take me a sleeping pill to make it through the flight.”
Rachel released a defeated sigh and turned to Brenda. “Can you get two tickets to New York?”
Chapter
29
Rachel
If Samuel Bush was not an esteemed preacher, he definitely could’ve been a college professor, because at this moment, Rachel felt like she was in somebody’s classroom. A regal man, Reverend Bush commanded the room, looking more like a Hollywood legend than a minister. He could be intimidating, were it not for the warm and genuine smile.
“Well, I imagine you all must be pretty tired,” Reverend Bush said after he’d gotten Rachel and Simon settled in his office.
“We’re fine,” Simon replied. “This was a last-minute trip, so we really appreciate you making time to see us.”
Rachel couldn’t believe this time last week she was in Smackover, Arkansas. Now, she was in the Big Apple attempting to do the impossible. After Simon made the decision to go to New York, the tension seemed to lift from the family reunion and they’d had a wonderful time. When everyone returned to Houston, Rachel was hoping—no, praying—that her father would just let the issue drop. Of course, she should’ve known better. Rachel had even tried to get her father to talk to Reverend Bush over the phone, but he was insistent that they do this in person. Once Simon got in touch with Reverend Bush and secured a meeting date, he had Brenda immediately get tickets, and here they were.
Rachel had been a bit frazzled because she didn’t have a good feeling in her gut. But sitting here in front of Reverend Bush brought her a sense of peace. Maybe he could convince her father that it was time to let go of the delusion of them being one big happy family.
“I can’t apologize enough for calling you and asking for a favor,” Simon continued.
“Nonsense. I’d love to help however I can. But I’ll tell you,” Reverend Bush said, taking a seat behind his desk, “I’ll admit, I was a bit taken aback when Hosea first told me that you’re Jasmine’s father. How long have you known?”
“Just recently,” Simon said. “After I saw Jasmine on TV several times, I just had this feeling. Then I prayed about it because I didn’t want to disrupt Jasmine’s life. And the Lord revealed to me that she’s my daughter.” Simon said it with finality.
“And the tests confirmed it,” Rachel added. She didn’t want Reverend Bush thinking her father was some psycho who randomly heard from God.
“Yes, I know,” Reverend Bush said. “So Jasmine and I haven’t talked about this at all, but what are your thoughts; why do you think she isn’t receptive to this news?”
“I don’t know. She won’t even talk to me.”
“And you came to New York because?”
“Because I have to talk to her. I have to get her to hear me out.”
Reverend Bush nodded. “That’s understandable. And what role do I play in this?”
Rachel knew it was time for her to speak up. She would make her father’s pitch—ask for Reverend Bush’s help—but then she would pull him aside and ask him to help her convince her father to let this dream go. “As you know, Lester greatly admires you. We all do. But Hosea told Lester that you have a special relationship with Jasmine. You’re one of the few people in the world who can get through to her.”
He nodded as he continued listening.
“And we need her to hear him out.”
That caused Reverend Bush to shake his head. “I don’t know about this.”
“Please, Reverend Bush,” Simon said. “If you had a long-lost daughter, wouldn’t you move Heaven and earth to see her?” He paused for a brief moment. “She has a lot of animosity. She doesn’t have to ever talk to me again, but what she’s feeling is not going to go away. It’s just going to fester.”
“And we know unresolved anger only creates issues down the line,” Rachel felt the need to add. “And we know you wouldn’t want your grandchildren subjected to that,” Rachel threw in for good measure.
“Of course, I want only the best for my grandchildren, but this is a completely separate issue.” Reverend Bush sat in silence for a moment before saying, “I understand where you’re coming from, but let me talk with my son, then I’ll talk to Jasmine. I can’t make any promises, but I’ll see what I can do.”
Simon smiled as he shook Reverend Bush’s hand. “Thank you. Thank you. That’s all I need.”
“Okay, but if I get her to talk to you, you’ll have to take it from there.”
Rachel didn’t
have to see her father beaming. She knew that was all he needed to hear.
Chapter
30
Jasmine
It had been a week. A peaceful week. A week without any conversation about Simon Jackson. It was as if when they landed in New York, the nightmare had stayed behind in Smackover. She hadn’t even had to say a word to Hosea; he didn’t mention their trip. And except for the few snippets about their fishing expedition and that close encounter of a strange kind with the skinned deer, Jacqueline and Zaya had pretty much moved on to the next part of their summer.
So when her father-in-law called and said that it was time for them to have their quarterly lunch, Jasmine felt like that was the cherry on top of a sweet week.
As the taxi rounded the corner onto Central Park West, Jasmine leaned back against the hard leather seat. She blocked out the video that was playing on the machine in the back of the cab, and instead turned her attention to the towering buildings that stood in the historic district known as Central Park West.
The two-way thoroughfare was packed with all kinds of cars, primarily cabs, but the New York traffic didn’t bother Jasmine today. She relished taking in the sights and loved hearing the music of New York City. After spending those days in Arkansas, she felt blessed to call New York her home. So even though her cab jerked to a stop, then started again over and over, it was fine with her.
She would’ve broken out into a song if she didn’t think the cabdriver might pull over and demand that she, a crazy woman, get out. That’s just how happy she was. It was her father-in-law who had made her feel that way from the moment he called this morning.
“So what are you doing today?” he’d asked her after he’d spoken to Jacqueline and Zaya.
“Nothing. Mrs. Sloss is taking Zaya to a friend’s party and Jacqueline is going with a couple of her friends from school to the kiddie spa.”
“The kiddie spa?” Reverend Bush chuckled. “Only in New York.”
“Yup, she’s going to have a manicure and pedicure, so while she’s being pampered and Zaya is out partying, I’m going to chill since Hosea is in Queens at that prayer luncheon.”
“Well, instead of staying home by yourself in that big lonely apartment, why don’t you have lunch with me? We haven’t had one of our father-daughter lunches in a while.”
Jasmine’s heart had swelled when he’d said those words. See, this was just another reason why she didn’t need Simon Jackson in her life. She’d been raised by the best man and now Samuel Bush gave her everything that she needed as a grown woman.
They’d made plans to meet at the church in a few hours and Jasmine was really looking forward to this time. It still amazed her that she had such a special relationship with Hosea’s father. It had been almost ten years since they’d met and when she and Hosea had started dating, no one could have told her that she and Reverend Samuel Bush would ever like each other, let alone get to the point where she loved him like a father.
She remembered how she’d first gone to City of Lights at Riverside Church to hook up with the senior pastor. But Samuel Bush had not only made it clear that he wasn’t interested in Jasmine, he’d let her know that he didn’t think she was anything more than a common hoochie. So when she had turned her attention from the father to the son, the senior Pastor Bush was not having it. To him, the girl was just not good enough.
But once Hosea had fallen in love with her, Reverend Bush had opened his heart, too. And once he did, he was all in. Jasmine knew he had a great deal to do with saving her marriage when Hosea had found out that he wasn’t Jacqueline’s biological father. And any other time when their marriage had been strained, Reverend Bush was always there, helping them to put the pieces back together again.
They had all settled down, and now she had a wonderful life and a greater than wonderful family—which was just another reason why she didn’t need Simon Jackson.
“Ugh!” she moaned softly. Why in the world did her thoughts continue to turn back to that man? No matter what, he kept rising up in her mind.
The taxi rolled to a stop in front of the church, and she pressed two twenties into the driver’s hand, then slipped out of the car. Trotting up the side steps, she opened the door and called out the moment she stepped inside.
“Dad?”
“I’m in my office, Jasmine.”
She walked by the empty desk where Reverend Bush’s longtime assistant, Mrs. Whittingham, usually sat. Even though it was Saturday, Jasmine was a little surprised that Mrs. Whittingham was not here, though she didn’t miss her. They’d gone through so many peaks and valleys in their relationship that Jasmine always felt like she was on the world’s greatest roller-coaster ride. Right now they were in the middle of a truce—they said hello, then good-bye, and stayed out of each other’s way in between.
Reverend Bush met her at the threshold to his office. “How is my favorite daughter-in-law?” he asked as he kissed her cheek.
Jasmine laughed. “I’m your only daughter-in-law.”
“That doesn’t matter to me,” he said as he led her to one of the two chairs in front of his desk. “You would be my favorite even if I had ten.” Chuckling, he then added, “So how are you, baby girl?”
Jasmine beamed at the love she felt from this man. “I’m good.”
“And my favorite granddaughter?”
“You talked to her this morning; can’t you tell that she’s getting grown?” Jasmine said, then paused. Her heart always wanted to cry—in a good way—when Samuel Bush talked about Jacqueline. Though there was not a single drop of Bush blood in her veins, to Samuel, Jacqueline was his firstborn grandchild. He loved her and doted on her as if she carried every bit of his legacy. It was the love this man had for her child that made Jasmine love him even more.
“And my favorite grandson?”
“He’s just like you. He’s sweet, and kind, and patient, and always so concerned.”
“I have the best grandchildren.”
She laughed. “You do.”
“We’re all so blessed,” he said. “So, Hosea told me it was a little rough for you down in Arkansas.”
Jasmine sighed. How did the conversation make that left turn? If this were anyone else, she would shut this down right now. But this was her father-in-law, a man who could not be turned off. The only way to get to the end of this conversation was to begin. And then move through it as quickly as she could.
“Hosea told me that he shared my . . . news with you.”
Reverend Bush nodded. “He did. And I know it’s been rough on you.”
“It was at first, but I’m fine now.”
“I’m glad about that. I want you to be fine.” Then he added, “But, Jasmine . . .”
She groaned without meaning to.
He continued, “No matter how hard it’s been, what I can’t figure out is why you’re so against even sitting down with Simon. Hosea said you won’t even talk to him.”
“He doesn’t want to just talk. He wants me to accept him as my father. And how can I accept him when I have so many questions about my life?”
“Questions?”
“Yeah. Now I have questions about my own fa—questions about the man who raised me. I mean, did my dad know I wasn’t his daughter? Or did he know and then he adopted me? Was he fine with that? Did he ever look at me and regret it?”
“Jasmine, you know that didn’t happen.”
“How do I know that? How do I know anything anymore? My dad could have had moments when he looked at me and didn’t see me as his daughter. All of those are questions I have now, and I won’t ever be able to get the answers.”
He nodded. “I can understand you having questions. But how do they matter? The only one that matters is: did your dad love you? And from what I know about you, from what I know about Serena, that man loved you and then some.”
In an instant, another memory of the man she loved so much: her father standing, clapping, cheering when Jasmine crossed the stage to receive
her college diploma, then meeting her afterward with tears still streaming down his cheeks. He’d kissed her, hugged her, and kissed her again. Told her a million times in thirty seconds just how proud he was of her.
That was the man who was her father.
Reverend Bush broke through that memory with, “And now, you have a chance to have another man love you.”
“How could he love me when he didn’t even love my mother?”
His eyebrows rose, as if he were shocked by that question. “Well, first of all, I could tell you that there are lots of men out there who love their children but don’t have too many fond words to say about their children’s mothers. That’s a whole ’nother sermon. But how do you know that about Simon and your mother?”
“Because he just left her, pregnant.”
“Do you know the story behind that?”
Jasmine shook her head. “But I don’t need to. I’m not interested in hearing any more stories. I had my dad, I have you, I have enough fathers in my life.”
“And I feel blessed that God gave me you as a daughter. But having Simon in your life will never take away from me and you. And it won’t take away from the man you know as your dad.”
Jasmine shook her head slightly.
“Three men, Jasmine? You’re going to turn down the chance to be loved by three fathers?”
That was enough for her. “So where are we going for lunch? I’m starving.”
He looked at her for an extra moment, chuckled a little, then stood. “I have to take some of these folders to Brother Hill,” he said, referring to the man who’d been his armor bearer for more than a few decades. “He’s in his office. I’ll be right back.”
A Blessing & a Curse Page 20