Pastor wobbled but stood to his feet. “Get out. I will not allow you to point a finger at me. You have no idea what me and your mother went through. What you read, her letters to me, was personal. It wasn’t for you. You crossed the line, son. And I’m disappointed in you.” Pastor’s voice quivered.
Stiles laughed nervously. “You call me self-righteous. If I am, then obviously I got it from you. All this time, my sister has lived knowing that she had a mother who practically hated her guts. And she never understood why. All the time you had the answers and you refused to tell her or me, not even after our mother died. I guess you were protecting yourself. At the expense of my mother, you made her have a baby to cover your own butt.”
Pastor yelled louder and pointed toward Stiles. “I said, leave. If you’re not ready to sit down and talk to me like a man, then you need to go.”
“I never thought I’d see a day like today. A day when the respect I had for a man I called father is gone. I despise you.”
Stiles turned abruptly and within a few steps he had opened the front door and bolted outside. Tears blinded his sight as he walked to his car, got inside and sped off.
“Francesca, Francesca,” he said through his tears. “Mother, mother why did you listen to him? Why, oh God help me through this.”
12
“The heart is the only broken instrument that works.” T.E. Kalem
Rena rushed over to the trash can and chunked the box of condoms inside with as much force as she could muster. “I am so freaking mad,” she screamed. “How could Stiles be so cruel and vicious? How could he tell his wife about me?”
She opened the door to her bedroom and ran up the hall to the guest room. “Delores, I can’t go through with it,” she screamed.
Delores bolted upright in the bed like she’d been poked with a branding iron. “What? What are you talking about?” she asked, her voice groggy from having just woke up.
“I’m telling you that I can’t marry him.”
Delores rubbed her eyes as she got up and out of the bed. “Are you on drugs or something? Of course, you can marry him, and you are going to marry him. This is your wedding day. Those nervous jitters will pass as soon as you see your man standing next to you.” Rena placed both hands over her ears. “Noooo, don’t you see,” she yelled. “How can I marry him after what Stiles and Detria have done?”
“So, it was Stiles who sent those condoms? And Detria? Isn’t that his wife?”
“Yes, that’s his wife. And the card was addressed from both of them. It was just a cruel thing to do.”
Delores walked over and stood next to her sister. “Look, it wasn’t the brightest thing to do, that I admit, but it’s certainly not enough to make you call off a wedding. Maybe it was a sick, stupid prank. Stiles, from what mamma says, still loves you. Sometimes people do stupid things all in the name of love. Maybe he sent those condoms because he doesn’t want you getting pregnant by anyone if it isn’t him. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s not impossible, you know.” Delores wrapped an arm around Rena to console her.
“If only you knew.”
“I don’t know, so tell me. I have no idea why you and Stiles broke up. I don’t know why you moved back to Andover. All I know is what you and mama told me, which was you and Stiles tried but just couldn’t make your marriage work.”
“I wish I could tell you everything, but I just can’t. And now I can’t marry Robert. He’s already gone through a lot with me, and I won’t take a chance of Stiles or his so called bride doing anything else to try to ruin this. I’d rather Robert be hurt now than for my past to be thrown up in my face over and over again. He doesn’t deserve that.”
“Robert loves you, Rena. I don’t know much about him either, but I do know that when that man looks at you, all I see is love, unconditional love. Stop giving Stiles and his wife power over your life. You’re better than that, Rena. And maybe something really, really bad caused your marriage to him to crumble, but that’s all in the past. Don’t let Stiles keep beating you over the head with this foolishness. He’s no longer a part of your life. Your new life starts in a few hours. And I have a feeling it’s going to be fabulous.”
Rena looked at Delores. “I’m going to call him.”
“Call who? Robert? No, please don’t do that, Rena. Don’t mess this up,” Delores pleaded.
“I’m not talking about Robert. I’m going to call Stiles. I need to know why he would do me like this.” Rena ran out of the room and went into the living room where she retrieved her cell phone off the sofa table. She began to scroll through her phone until she saw Stiles’ cell phone number. She’d put it under a fake name just in case Robert ever had a notion to go through her phone.
“Don’t do that. Don’t call him,” Delores ordered as she walked up behind Rena. “That’s what he wants you to do. He wants to see you miserable. Don’t give him the pleasure, Rena. Please.”
Rena pushed the button and the phone started ringing. “I have to do this for me and for Robert. Stiles has to know that he needs to stay out of my life. Him and his wife.”
The phone rang several times before it rolled over to Stiles’ voicemail. Rena listened. “You’ve reached Pastor Stiles Graham. Your call is important to me, so please leave a message and I will return your call at my earliest convenience. Remember that God loves you and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Stiles, it’s Rena. I got your little gift, and I want to let you know that I don’t appreciate your constant interference in my life. If you don’t leave me alone, you will be sorry. I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep you away from me. Even if it means coming to your church and putting you on blast for stalking me.” Rena’s tone was venomous. It was her wedding day, but she couldn’t enjoy it thanks to Stiles Graham.
“Okay, so you called and left him a message. Now go on and get your clothes on. You have to get to the beauty salon and after that we have to get to the church. You have a wedding to attend.” Delores smiled at Rena who remained somber looking.
“I still don’t know whether I should go through with this wedding. I just don’t feel right. I feel like this is a sign, an ominous sign too.”
Delores followed Rena into her galley style kitchen. “Don’t let Stiles or his wife, or anybody for that matter, ruin your day and control your life. If anything, if you’re so disturbed by what he did, then talk to somebody in law enforcement. You may be able to file a complaint against him, perhaps for stalking, but do not, and I mean do not let him have you all bent out of shape. You deserve to be happy; and I believe Robert makes you happy.”
Rena stood next to the refrigerator and exhaled. “I know you’re right. But I still feel out of sorts about marrying him. I mean, I do love him, but well, it’s just a different feeling from when I married Stiles. Back then I was so excited that I could hardly contain myself. And with Robert I was ready to call this whole thing off. I mean with Stiles doing what he did, sending me that horrible so-called gift. It reminds me too much of my past.”
Rena couldn’t tear her thoughts away from Stiles and what he’d done. As much as she tried to focus on her wedding, it was virtually impossible.
“Like I told you, forget about him and anyone connected with him for that matter, including his wife, his sister, his daddy. All of them. Believe me, you’ll feel better once you’re Mrs. Robert Becton. You’ll see,” Delores said.
“I hope you’re right. I really do, because the last thing I want to do is hurt him.”
◊
Delores escorted Rena into the side entrance of the church. Meryl rushed over to both of her daughters as soon as they stepped foot inside.
“Come on, Rena, let’s go to the fellowship hall. The caterer is in there making sure everything is set. I want you to see for yourself, then we’ll go to the dressing room and start getting ready.”
“Hi, to you too, Mama,” Rena responded, then turned and smiled at Delores.
“That’s our mother,” Delores
added.
“What on earth are you two talking about? What did I do?”
Delores waved her hand. “Oh, nothing, Ma. Come on, let’s go check out the caterer again.”
Rena slowly trailed along next to her mother and sister. Delores didn’t understand her dilemma. Robert had already accepted her past when it was thrown up in his face by Frankie. Rena still thought from time to time about how Frankie told Robert about their affair. And she told him at First Lady Audrey’s repast – how foul was that.
Frankie was a piece of work. She had it in for Rena at one time, but right after that incident, Frankie asked Rena to forgive her for ruining her life. Rena said that she would, but there were times like these when she couldn’t stand anyone in the Graham family.
Stiles wanted folks to believe that he was all holier than thou when, in Rena’s eyes, he was an unforgiving, vindictive, revenge seeking man. So why couldn’t she hate him? Why did she let him get her so worked up, mess with her mind the way he did?
“What do you think? I think he’s done a great job with the menu. Everything looks and smells good. And on top of that, the room is nicely decorated,” said Meryl. “What do you think, sweetie?” She asked Rena.
“I like it,” she said half-heartedly. Rena’s mind was not on how good the food looked or tasted, or how pretty the reception hall was decorated, she was having second thoughts about walking down the aisle. Wedding jitters, she thought.
“Where is your mind? You act like you’re somewhere else,” Delores said to Rena.
“I said I like it.” Rena turned and walked toward the exit. “I’m satisfied with the way everything looks, so let’s go to the dressing room,” Rena insisted.
“Ooookay,” her mother said.
The three ladies ran into Robert’s sister as they rounded the hall leading to the dressing room. The four of them chatted while they started getting dressed.
“Rena, how long are you going to be off work?” his sister asked.
“I took Thursday and Friday off so me and Robert will have a long weekend. Robert did the same, and we’ll go back to work Monday.”
“No honeymoon, huh?” Delores said.
“We’re going on sort of a honeymoon this weekend,” Rena said and managed to smile. “We both agreed that we’d do the real honeymoon thing on our first wedding anniversary. You know we just closed on our new house a few weeks ago. I want to decorate it and that takes money, so we decided to forego a honeymoon for now. So in lieu of that, we’re spending the weekend at the Four Seasons, the one that’s in downtown Boston.”
“Umm,” her mother said. “You and Robert are going to do it up. That’s a five star hotel.” Meryl sounded impressed. “Sounds like a honeymoon to me.” She quipped.
“I hope the two of you are happy for many years to come,” said Delores.
Rena inhaled and slowly released it, closing her eyes for a second as she thought about the gorgeous river views the hotel offered. Talking about the honeymoon quickly made her forget what Stiles had done.
◊
“Are you ready?” her father asked as he extended his elbow out for her to loop her arms in his.
Rena looked at her dad, and smiled as she stood behind the doors leading into the sanctuary. “I guess I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be,” Rena responded. She looked radiant in an off white, chiffon, halter, A-line gown that had a flowing side drape. The gown reflected Rena’s natural beauty to perfection.
As Rena glided along the aisle, her mind cleared of all outside interference, and finally she was able to see the man waiting on her at the altar. Robert looked handsome. His eyes connected with Rena’s and she saw his lips turn upward and form a tooth-showing smile.
Rena returned his smile with a warm smile of her own. She felt like he was a magnet and she was a piece of copper or iron being pulled toward him. How could she keep on doubting that this was where she was supposed to be? This man was the man she was supposed to be with. It was time for her to let go of her past. It was time to walk in her new life without clinging to her past life.
◊
Rena giggled in Robert’s arms as he carried her across the threshold of the deluxe garden hotel suite that could easily pass for a studio apartment. The king bed, large bathroom, spacious sitting area with bay window and a spectacular view of the Public Garden and Boston Common rendered Rena speechless.
Robert kicked the door closed with the heel of his foot. Rena allowed herself to be indulged by her new husband. Upon entering their hotel suite, she was met with a trail of red roses leading from the doorway to the bedroom. A bottle of champagne was chilling in an ice bucket, and sensual music played softly in the background.
Robert carried her to the bed and eased her down.. Trying to control his physical excitement, he slowly positioned himself on top of her. Instantly the caress of his lips on her mouth and along her body set her aflame. Parting her lips, she raised herself up to meet him. His hands tugged at her wedding dress, and found their way underneath the gown and up to her intimate places.
Rena responded by pushing lightly against him and with Robert’s help, she removed her wedding gown and he quickly got out of his tux. He eased the cup of her bra aside and his hands moved magically over her small mountains. Aroused she surrendered completely and gasped when he made her all his. She was drawn into a passion that she’d never known before.
Rena lay in the curve of Robert’s arms. She had never felt this way with Stiles. She never had the chance because of her STD and the fact that she hid it from him by withholding sex from Stiles. At the time, it was the only way Rena could protect him. He didn’t know that Francesca had infected her and it was too late for their marriage after he found out.
“I love you. You know that?” he whispered in her ear.
“I love you too, baby. I love you so much.” She sighed in pleasant exhaustion.
13
“Fear not for the future, weep not for the past.” Percy Bysshe
Francesca looked at the caller ID on her cell phone. It was Stiles. “What could he want?” Francesca and her family had basically reconciled and set aside their differences, but she still didn’t talk to them that often, especially now since she was Tim’s wife. Tim’s family embraced her, AIDS and all. It was what Francesca loved about them and Tim. Tim’s family didn’t seem the least bit fazed about her AIDS. For that reason alone, Francesca considered them to be her family. She was loved and accepted just the way she was, with all of her imperfections, with all of the baggage she came into Tim’s life carrying. But she felt loved for the first time in her life and Tim’s love felt good, really good.
“Hello,” Francesca answered.
“Hi, Sis,” Stiles said in a rather odd, yet gentle tone. “What’s going on?”
“Living, taking it one day at a time. You?” she asked.
“We need to talk,” he said.
“Talk then,” countered Francesca.
“In person. As soon as possible,” Stiles told her. “Uh, uh. I know what that means. Drama, drama and more drama. And there’s no more drama for me, Stiles. I’m living my life, not bothering you, or Pastor. I’m trying to take care of me for once. It’s not like I have a lot of time left on this earth. And it’s not because of the Mayan Calendar and 2012 either,” she remarked with light bitterness.
“This is important. It’s something I think you’d want to know. It’ll explain why Audrey treated you the way she did all those years,” he explained.
“I already know the answer to that. She hated me. Plain and simple. The woman had no love at all for her one and only daughter. Whatever excuse you want to make for her, well, that’s on you, but I don’t want to hear it, Stiles,” she said firmly.
“Francesca, you’re going to want to hear this. Believe me. I’m driving up there first thing Monday morning.”
“Look, you can’t tell me what you’re about to do when it comes to seeing me. I see you on my own time, when I say so.”
“Okay, I’m sorry about that. May I come to see you Monday? Is that better?” he asked.
Francesca was silent.
“You there?” Stiles asked.
“Yeah, you can come, but make it before noon. Me and Tim have plans for later that afternoon. So, if you can’t come then, too bad.”
“I’ll be there. And Francesca, I think Tim needs to be there with you. What I have to tell you might knock you off your feet.”
“I don’t think whatever it is can make me feel any differently than I do about Audrey already. The woman gave birth to me, but that’s about all she did. I guess I should be grateful for that, but anything else…when it comes to her, I’m good. She’s made her mark on my life and I don’t want to be drawn back into her mess.”
“This is no mess. I’m going to share some truth with you, Francesca. That’s all.”
“We’ll talk about it when you come. I gotta go.”
“Sure, Sis. I’ll see you Monday. Bye.”
“Bye.”
“What was that all about?” Tim asked.
“That was my brother. He says he knows why my mother treated me the way she did while I was growing up. He wants to come up here Monday to tell me about it.”
“You sure you want to do that?” His voice hardened. “I mean, you’ve gone through a lot in your life already. I don’t see how bringing up something that happened in the past will help you feel better.”
Francesca released a long, audible breath. “I know, but by the same token, whatever he has to tell me, I’d rather he go on and tell me now. If not, knowing Stiles he’ll call and call until I give in. He’s always tried to justify Audrey’s actions and I guess it doesn’t make a difference that she’s dead.” Francesca shrugged her shoulders.
My Sister My Momma My Wife Page 8