Legacy: It's Never Black and White in Love and Business

by E. W. Brooks

  “Turn it off right now. I got you. But, you and your mom need to sort this out asap. Got me?”

  “Will you come?” Edwina asked, her voice low and high like a child.

  “Come where, Baby?” Clarke asked.

  “Will you come with me? I know she won’t hit me if you’re there.”

  “You’re damned right she won’t,” Clarke returned, “You just enjoy the rest of the fall break and I’ll take care of Tesha.”

  “Oh, Mrs. Bellow. There’s one more thing.”

  “What is it, Love?”

  “I told the Marlowes that my mother is dead.”

  Edwina could hear Mrs. Bellow spewing out something. “You did what?” she exclaimed.

  “But she is, Mrs. Bellow. After a lifetime of being broken by her, I had to kill her to live. She and everything she’s ever done is behind me. I want to be better than her and to do that I have to be free of her, so I killed her in mind. She is dead to me. My mother is dead.”

  Clarke’s mind wandered back to the last 18 years of her life. Tesha had been a mess and considering all the drinking and weed smoking, it’s a wonder Edwina was this normal.

  “We’ll talk about this later. Get dressed. I got you,” Mrs. Bellow returned, now moving into business mode.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Bellow. I don’t know how to repay you.

  “Don’t worry, Suga. We’ll figure something out. You just enjoy the rest of your holiday.”

  “Yes Ma’am.”

  ***

  I’ll be nice to her, but I won’t like her, and I won’t let her get close, Lena thought as she brushed her hair in the mirror. It was all she could do to hide her disgust from Marcellus. He’d grown to know her so well and could notice the slightest change in her mood or attitude. How could she ever explain that Edwina was Mandell’s illegitimate child? Various scenarios ran through Lena’s mind, as she turned to pick up her ringing cell phone.

  “This is Lena.”

  “Hey, Lady. This is Clarke. I need your help, Sis,” Clarke stated.

  “What’s up?” she asked.

  Then, for the next 10 minutes, Clarke filled Lena in on what life had been like for Edwina since Mandell’s death.

  “I’d never thought I‘d say this about any parent/child relationship, but Edwina really is better off without that alcoholic bitch. You gotta help her Lena. I know it’s not your thing, but she’s done everything right. Why should she be punished for having that piece of mess be her mom?” Clarke pleaded.

  “What do you need me to do?” Lena asked, ready to finally give it to Tesha.

  ***

  Edwina laid across the bed paralyzed in fear. She knew Mrs. Bellow had her back, and her word was golden, but the young woman still worried.

  Her thoughts were again interrupted as she answered the knock at the door.

  “Come in,” she called.

  Her heart dropped to the bottom of her chest as Lena St-James-Marlowe stepped into the room. She sat at the vanity in the corner of the room and turned the chair to face her new charge.

  “I just got off the phone with Clarke Bellow. She says you need my help,” Lena began.

  Edwina looked on at Lena in shock, not knowing how to proceed or what to say next.

  “I do,” she responded honestly. The torrent of tears washed away her shame. “I used to be so embarrassed by the crazy things she did, but now I just want to be free. I want a chance to make my own decisions, my own mistakes. Instead, I was forced to relive hers, and I just couldn’t take it anymore. So, I told everyone she was dead.”

  Lena nodded understandingly.

  “Yes, Clarke just told me about your mother’s tragic death. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. She also told me you have a little problem on its way to you right now.”

  “Yes, Ma’am. I don’t know what to do. She is hell bent on getting to me. I’m just not sure why. It’s not like she’s coming to make amends. She’s probably drunk and then that’s an entirely different beast. I just don’t want to be embarrassed. I really like Matthew, and I don’t want her to ruin it for me.”

  “I got ya this time Lil Lady, but we have a really deep conversation coming up really soon. Got that?”

  “Sure thing, Mrs. Lena. If Mrs. Bellow trusts you, I do too,” Edwina returned, finally feeling a bit of relief.

  Lena smiled. Despite her best efforts, she could not dislike this young woman.

  “Meet me downstairs in 10 minutes. Today you get your first lesson in Marlowe Family Calamity Avoidance.”

  Edwina chuckled. Lena did too, but then her face became much more serious.

  “Suga, when you associate yourself with someone like Matthew, there are certain things that come along with it. For instance, there are those women who will flirt with him in your face and those who will do it behind your back. Then there are the serious things, like living-dead people stalking you. I am helping you because you don’t deserve to be belittled when you’ve checked all the boxes. You are very intelligent. You and Matthew will go far, but you should know that this may be one of the hardest things you ever do.”

  “No, it won’t be. I told you, she’s dead.”

  “Okay, Lil Mafietta. Let’s see what you’re made of. See ya in 10.”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  “Oh, Edwina, cut that ma’am shit. You better hope you look as good as me when you’re my age, and besides, it’s time you meet your Godmother anyway,” she crossed the room and kissed her new protégé on the forehead. She closed the door behind her quietly as she left.

  Godmother? Wow, Edwina thought, as she lay back on the overstuffed pillows enjoying the perks of her new life, but missing Lena’s clue.

  ***

  Edwina met Lena in the foyer. Her new godmother met her with a smile and again Edwina’s worries vanished.

  “Are you ready?” she asked

  “Yes, Mrs. Lena. Let’s see what these sales have to offer us?” Edwina answered confidently.

  Edwina followed Lena through the length of their massive home to a garage bigger than her house in Norwood. They had every car she’d ever wanted to drive. Her eyes moved past the Mercedes, over the Maserati, and to the left of the Porsche to land on an all black Range Rover with flat black paint and black rims.

  “So, you like the Rover, I see,” Lena smirked.

  “What gave me away?” Edwina smiled.

  Lena laughed, “I’ll school you on that later. Get in,” Lena said, as she walked to the passenger side of the truck.

  “Ummmm, aren’t you on the wrong side of the car?” Edwina asked with a confused look.

  “Nope, let’s go,” Lena answered, as she closed the door.

  Edwina couldn’t hide her smile as she smelled the scent of new leather and gripped the steering wheel.

  She turned to Lena, “Where are the keys?”

  Lena laughed, “Just push this button, Suga. Now stop daydreaming and let’s get outta here.”

  Lena gave Edwina turn by turn directions to the front gate. Then she instructed Edwina to pull to the road’s edge and they waited.

  Edwina’s hands gripped the steering wheel as she saw her mother’s car approach. She saw two security guards exit the booth and shortly after that, her Mom’s trunk popped open. Tesha stepped out of the car obviously cursing and screaming.

  Another guard walked to her passenger side and opened the door. He got down on his knees and that’s when Edwina knew they had her. Tesha never went anywhere without taking something to smoke with her and for an hour drive, she probably had at least half an ounce on her.

  Moments later, the red headed man stood up shaking a Zip-loc bag of weed in the air. The second immediately headed toward Tesha. She pulled away as he tried to handcuff her. She slapped the shit out of him before he’d even seen what was coming. The red head rounded the back of the car as the other guard attempted to regain his balance.

  Tesha didn’t get far in her tracks before she stopped dead sudenly and fell to the ground. Lena watc
hed Edwina’s reaction to see if she meant the strong words she spewed earlier, but to her surprise the young woman never even flinched.

  “How could you not even move?” Lena asked, trying to hide her approval.

  “Sometimes, you have to cut away the thing that stops you from growing. I can always love her from afar, but she can never get close to me again. She’s dead, remember?” With that, Edwina pulled from their space, through the guard station and made a left turn toward the mall.

  “As long as you know this will keep her away from our home today, but it won’t stop her from trying to see you.”

  “I know, but I’ll figure something out. I can’t have this stranger stalking me forever.”

  She ain’t my Mammy, Edwina thought to herself.

  I Passed

  Edwina burst into Matthew’s house waving her final grade in the air.

  “I passed, Baby. We did it. I passed.” She rushed into the living room, but he wasn’t there. She moved on to the kitchen when she heard an all too familiar voice. It was Tesha.

  “There she is,” Tesha grimaced, “Here is the little wench that is so ashamed of me that she won’t even call home. I haven’t seen you since August, Edwina. It’s December. Don’t you think your mother was worried about you?”

  “Mother? So, now you want to be my mother? Well, it’s waay too late for that now, Mommy Dearest. My mother is dead. She died in a car crash. I never knew my father,” she said looking at Tesha with an emotionless look on her face.

  “Oh, I get it. You think because you’re as white as a lily and I’m as black as a pan, that you are better than me? Well, let me tell you something. You ain’t.”

  “Oh yes the hell I am,” Edwina responded, as she found her strength. “I am better than your drinking. I am better than your whoring and I am better than the hood rat lifestyle you chose for yourself. I am better than all of the bad decisions you made using my money and the list goes on. So, TESHA, I think I’ve more than proven my point.”

  “You think you have it all mapped out, but you’re just young, dumb, and full of cum. You don’t know shit. How do you know this rich white boy ain’t gone use your lil black ass like an old wash rag and then throw you away like the rest of the slaves on the plantation? Do you think I don’t know his lily white daddy? He can’t stand a nigger and now his son is obviously fucking one, because your ass wasn’t that big when you left.”

  “Stay away from me. You had 18 years with me, and you treated me like shit. I had no control then. I’m grown now. I haven’t asked you for a dime in over a year. It’s more than clear that I can take care of myself. Just go away. I don’t need you in my life, and you know you’ve never wanted me in yours, so this should be easy. The check is gone, Momma. You can’t live off me anymore.”

  “You think you and Richie Rich have it all figured out, but you don’t. It’s okay though, I’ll be here to laugh at your little dumb ass when he knocks you up and then leaves you high and dry. Don’t come home then either, little sister.”

  For the first time since their exchange, Matthew spoke up.

  “Thank you for coming by, Tesha. Actually this couldn’t have been a better day. I’d like to help make sure you sleep a little better going forward. I want you to know that I’ll always be here for Edwina. She hasn’t needed you for some time, and now I can guarantee that she won’t ever again.” He fell to his knee and pulled out a small silver box.

  Tesha stood there, her mouth hanging open as Matthew Marlowe, son of NC Senator Marcellus Marlowe, proposed to her daughter. A single tear fell from her eye, as she saw the love between them and the happiness that crossed her baby’s face. She hadn’t been the best mom, but her child turned out okay. Now, she could stop worrying. She understood if Edwina wanted nothing to do with her. She was well aware of her shortcomings.

  “Congratulations, Sugar Lump,” Tesha said and for the first time in forever, she knew her mother was happy for her. She walked over to her daughter and grabbed her away from Matthew, hugging her tightly. They both knew it was for the last time. She kissed Edwina softly on the cheek and began to descend the steps of the deck to head for her car.

  “Well, you can’t say that you didn’t turn out okay, Baby Girl. I may not have been perfect, but you turned out just fine. I did that. I passed. Now, you can too.” Edwina watched silently and motionless, as Tesha walked away.

  “Does your Mom mean that you should pass for white?” Matthew asked.

  “That’s kinda what it sounded like isn’t it?” Edwina asked with a confused look on her face.

  “Well, have you thought about it?” Matthew asked.

  “No, that’s like cheating at life,” Edwina answered.

  “Isn’t that how most rich families come up anyway? I have a big issue with the old southern mentality. White folks didn’t mind exploiting blacks when it was advantageous for them. Why not turn that way of thinking around on them?” Matthew inquired.

  “I don’t know, Matthew. It sounds risky.”

  “Oh, so you wanna be trapped in the world as another interracial couple fighting to make it out here?” Matthew asked.

  “I just want to be rid of my mother. I don’t know about the rest of it. I don’t want to get into trouble.”

  “How can you get in trouble? You look white. Who would ask you anything different when you’re walking around with a white man?” Matthew asked.

  “Well, you know you’re that dirty looking white. How do I know you aren’t black?” Edwina joked.

  “You don’t. You’ll just have to trust me.”

  “And why should I do that?” Edwina smiled and winked, showing off her long eye lashes.

  “Because, I didn’t let your little fine ass drown or leave you when your black ass momma showed up,” Matthew laughed.

  “That’s not funny,” Edwina answered as she pouted.

  “Well, you’re the one who says she’s dead. You’d better make sure you can handle the weight of all the things that come with that. My family lives in the public eye and someone will always have something to say.”

  Edwina moved in closer to her fiancé, “I’m not afraid of her or anything else now. I have you to protect me.”

  “That’s right, Cutie,” he remarked before kissing her passionately on the lips. “Nobody’s gonna bother you now. You’re about to me my wife.”

  “So, what about the white/black thing?” Edwina asked.

  “How about this? We’ll let people think whatever they want. You don’t’ have to respond.

  “Sounds good to me. Wanna hear something strange?” she asked her husband-to-be.

  “Sure, Babe. What is it?”

  “It felt good to finally know she was proud of me. I’ve been waiting for that my entire life.”

  “Yep, you finally passed,” Matthew said, sweeping his honey bun off her feet.

  The Deal

  Matthew slid his arm from beneath Edwina’s head, as his phone jumped around on the night stand. He grabbed it and quickly answered.

  “Hi Pops. What’s up?” Matthew asked heading for the bathroom.

  “How’d the engagement go?”

  “She said yes, Pops. Life is good. Now we just have to finish school, so it looks like I’ll be keeping my house and fat bank account after all.”

  “I’m glad to hear it, Son. There’s just one thing. I’m gonna be running for Governor next year, and we all need to be sure to tie up any loose ends. Cannon Keen is my opponent, and as it stands right now, and she is big on family and God and doing things in order. I can’t have her taking jabs at you and Edwina.”

  “No, Pops. You can’t do this again. I love her!”

  “Do what again?” Marcellus asked, “I called to tell you to move up the wedding.”

  “Move up the wedding?”

  “Yes, you heard me right. I need you two to be married by the end of the school year. I think a summer wedding will be nice.”

  “What? Now, that’s not fair, Dad. I did everythin
g you asked, and now you throw this on me. I can’t rush her like that.”

  His father chuckled, “I knew it. You’d marry her tomorrow. You’re waiting to see how she plays this thing out aren’t you?”

  Matthew began to giggle. “Daaaaaaaaad, you don’t know me.”

  “Oh, yes I do. The apple never falls too far from the tree. Just be good to her. She’ll stick around. That’s a woman you’ll be able to build a sound future with. Treat her right, Matthew.”

  “No worries there, Dad. I don’t like remembering what it was like before her, and I can’t see a future without her. I would marry her tomorrow.”

  “Let’s do it then,” a small voice chimed in.

  “What?” Matthew asked turning around.

  “Let’s do it. I feel the same way about you that you do about me. What are we waiting for?”

  “That sounds like a woman who knows what she wants. And Son, she has a trust fund bigger than your head. She’s a friend of Clarke Bellow.”

  “Who is that?” Matthew asked.

  “If you were here, I’d slap you. Clarke Bellow is Mafietta,” Marcellus responded, obviously annoyed.

  “Oh shit!”

  “Watch your language, boy,” said Marcellus smiling through his words.

  “You two get up here this weekend and let’s get this engagement party planned. Tell Edwina to get ready. It’s gonna be a big deal. I’ll make sure of it,” Marcellus said before hanging up.

  Then Edwina’s phone rang. She looked at Matthew.

  “They have a system. I bet you a thousand dollars it’s Lena.”

  Edwina ran to the bedroom for her phone. Matthew knew he was right when he heard Edwina laughing.

  “I won’t take your money, but you can make me breakfast,” Matthew screamed as Edwina ran to rejoin him in the kitchen.

  The bride-to-be kissed her man and headed to the cabinets.

  Damn, he thought, she’s fine, she’s smart, she loves me, and she’s mine. I could get used to this. Maybe the deal wasn’t so bad at all.

  ***

  Jackal handed Marcellus an envelope.

  “Where’d you get this?” Marcellus asked.