Reluctantly, she returned her thoughts to the meeting that was scheduled to begin in a couple of hours. Matters of a financial nature tended to be stressful for Ruth, and she wasn’t looking forward to the meeting, and the tension that she knew would ensue. If the church’s ministry was to continue, it was imperative that the committee come up with methods, albeit painful ones, that would preserve The Temple and all that it stood for. Ruth couldn’t bear the thought of failing the church and, most of all, her father, Bishop. She had never been more aware than she was at that moment of how tall the boots were that she had to fill.
Chapter Fourteen
Sarah pasted a smile on her face as she opened the front door of her house, where she found Naomi and Montgomery standing at the threshold with smiles on their faces. Sarah’s mouth dropped at the sight of Montgomery; then she composed herself and stood back to allow the couple to enter. She closed the door and the two women hugged.
Brian and Joshua stood back in the room and watched the scene unfold. Sarah shot her husband a puzzled look. Father and son walked to the foyer.
Naomi turned toward Montgomery, then back to her family, and said, “Everyone, this is my good friend, Montgomery Brooks. Monty, this is my sister, Sarah, and my brother-in-law, Brian, and my oldest nephew Joshua.”
Montgomery frowned for a second when he heard Naomi introduce him as a “friend.” He plastered a neutral expression on his face and responded, “Pleased to meet you all. Naomi has told me a lot about all of you.” His voice sounded cheery as he shook hands with everyone.
Sarah led everyone to the living room, and they made small talk about the drive from Edwardsville. Then the doorbell chimed, and Sarah leaped from her seat, saying, “Excuse me.”
She opened the door to find Maggie. She was wearing a denim jacket and jeans, with a backpack in tow.
When Maggie saw her aunt, she screamed, “Auntie Nay, you’re home!” She ran to Naomi, who rose from her seat, and threw herself into Naomi’s arms.
“Hey, girl, you’ve grown so much,” Naomi said after the two parted.
Maggie looked at Montgomery inquisitively, and then asked Naomi, “Who is he?”
“He’s a good friend of mine from Edwardsville, and his name is Montgomery.” Naomi introduced the pair.
“Hello,” Maggie said, staring at Montgomery.
Montgomery stood up and shook her hand. “You look like a younger version of Naomi,” he commented.
“That’s what everyone says.” Maggie giggled. She took a chair from the dining room and brought it into the living room.
“Are you two hungry?” Sarah queried the couple nervously. She had to stop herself from staring at Naomi and Montgomery, who seemed quite comfortable with each other as they sat on the sofa.
“We are. We didn’t stop for lunch and drove straight through,” Naomi replied. She fluffed her hair, and then set her purse on the floor on the side of the sofa. Montgomery asked where the loo was located.
“What’s a loo?” Maggie asked him, with a baffled expression on her face.
“I’m sorry, that’s what we call the restroom in England. I slip up sometimes and call it ‘the loo.’” Montgomery looked at Naomi. “I think Naomi knows some of my British terms by now.”
Brian stood up and said he’d show Montgomery where the bathroom was located. As they walked down the hallway, Brian asked Montgomery about the Jaguar.
Joshua and Maggie asked if they could be excused and go to their rooms. Sarah nodded and they left the room.
“Naomi, will you help me set the food out in the dining room? I thought we’d have a light meal before we go to Daddy’s house,” Sarah said.
The sisters stood up and strolled to the kitchen. “It looks like you’ve done some redecorating since I’ve been here,” Naomi observed. “Those look like new curtains in the living room, and you’ve painted in here and in the living room.”
“True. You know I like to spruce up the house from time to time,” Sarah replied. She walked to the stove, turned on the oven, and placed the aluminum pan of chicken inside it. She eyed Naomi, and then whispered, “Just how good a friend is Montgomery? You two seem mighty cozy.” She handed Naomi the bowl of baked beans and asked her to warm them in the microwave oven.
“We’re friends, as well as lovers.” Naomi clarified the relationship nonchalantly. She took the glass top off the bowl, placed it on the counter, and put saran wrap around the bowl. Then she opened the microwave door, placed the bowl inside, and set the timer. “What else did you fix?” she asked Sarah, who stood gawking at her with her mouth agape.
“Nay, I don’t believe you,” Sarah huffed. “What would possess you to bring a man home, and then calmly announce you’re having sex with him, and fail to mention that he’s white?” She leaned against the counter, with her arms folded over her chest.
“Chill out, Sarah,” Naomi said. “I was just messing with you. Montgomery and I are engaged, and have been for a year. He insisted he wanted to meet my family, so here we are.” She took a bow.
“You’re having premarital sex? I hope you’re using protection. Oh, Nay,” Sarah said dramatically, “you were raised better than that. Why didn’t you wait?”
Nay turned up her nose. “You are hardly one to be preaching to me, Miss ‘I Had Sex As A Teen, Had A Baby, And Palmed It Off On Momma And Daddy.’ You sound so hypocritical.”
“That wasn’t a very nice thing to say.” Sarah looked pained. The corners of her mouth turned down, and her eyes looked sad.
“I didn’t mean it the way it sounded,” Nay said contritely. The beeper on the microwave sounded and she removed the beans. “I’m an adult, and have chosen to live my life the way I see fit, just like every other person in this family.”
Sarah held out her hand in a gesture of calling a truce. “I understand what you’re saying. We have all made mistakes, or done things we wish we could take back. I just don’t want you to repeat some of the mistakes that Momma, Queen or I have made.” She walked over and kissed Naomi’s cheek. “If he makes you happy, then I’m all for him. I hope to get to know him better this weekend. He is nice-looking for a white man, though a bit on the studious side.”
Naomi’s eyes glowed. “Monty is truly a good guy. He’s been there for me, and I love him to pieces.”
“Good.” Sarah’s smile wired her approval. “So where’s your ring?”
Naomi pulled a chain from under her sweater, and on it was a marquise-cut five-carat diamond ring.
Sarah put a hand over eyes, as if shielding them. “Goodness. It hurts my eyes to look at it. Congratulations, Nay, I’m happy for you. You’ll have to tell Momma and Daddy. They will be glad for you as well.”
“I hope Momma likes him, and that she doesn’t have a problem with me marrying out of my race. Once Monty has met the family, then I’ll put my ring back on my finger, where it belongs.” Naomi held up her hand.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard Momma say anything negative about interracial couples. So she won’t be a problem,” Sarah remarked as she took a pack of napkins from out of the lower cabinet. “Daddy is so traumatized by Lenora’s leaving him, he might not even notice that Montgomery is white.” They shared a laugh.
Soon they began taking the food to the dining-room table, which was already set. Brian and Montgomery sat in the living room, chatting and watching the fifty-inch high-definition television mounted on the wall.
Sarah and Naomi stood in the kitchen, glancing around one more time, making sure they hadn’t forgotten anything.
Naomi’s hands flew to her mouth. “You know who will more than likely give me a hard time about Monty?”
The two women yelled in unison as they grabbed each other’s hands. “Queen!” They laughed.
“Bishop had a saying, and it took me a long time to see what he meant. Do you remember?” Sarah asked Naomi.
“Um.” Naomi cocked her head to the side and closed her eyes. “I remember.” She snapped her fingers. “He said,
‘Don’t go looking for trouble ...’” she began.
“‘... And trouble won’t come looking for you,’” Sarah finished, nodding her head. “You got it. I think we better stick to that philosophy until we face the situation head-on.”
“You’re right,” Naomi concurred. She dipped her head and then raised it, looking at Sarah, abashed. “Thank you for supporting me, Sarah. In retrospect, I realize that I shouldn’t have sprung Monty on the family without any warning. I kept recalling how Queen would crow about how our bloodline on her and Bishop’s sides were pure. The lines hadn’t been tainted. I wasn’t sure how you and Momma would react, so I kept my relationship a secret.”
“Girl, as light-skinned as Queen is, there had to be some tainting of the bloodlines,” Sarah said dismissively as she made quotation marks in the air. “I bet we have relatives who have passed for white that we don’t know about.”
“You’re probably right.” Naomi nodded. “Remembering how Queen used to make those statements is what made me hesitate about introducing Monty to the family. And let me tell you,” she shared, looking toward the doorway, “Monty was not happy about it either. He kind of gave me an ultimatum.”
“So you didn’t come just to see Daddy?” Sarah asked, visibly disappointed.
“Not quite. I thought I could kill two birds with one stone,” Naomi admitted. Her brow wrinkled. “Do you think Queen will be so out of it that she won’t know what’s going on, or notice that Monty is white?”
“You wish,” Sarah chortled. Then she became sober. “Some days are better than others for her. Momma seems to catch the worst of it, Queen can be cranky. She knows who Brian and I are eighty percent of the time. Sometimes she forgets who Josh and Maggie are.” She pointed to the dining room. “For now, that’s enough about Queen. Let’s get the rest of the food out there before everything gets cold. My stomach is yelling, ‘Feed me.’”
Naomi complied, and before long, Brian had blessed the food and they were all breaking bread together. Napkins were spread over laps, and bowls and platters of mouthwatering cuisine were passed back and forth. Conversation ensued as the family quickly demolished the food.
“The meal was great, Sarah, my kudos to the cook,” Montgomery said as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“That’s not all that’s on the menu. I hope you left a little room for dessert.” She got up and walked to the kitchen, returning with a platter full of the cupcakes and brownies.
Sarah walked around the table so everyone could make a choice of the sweets. She returned to the kitchen, and then came back with a carafe of mocha coffee.
“I thought I was full,” Montgomery said after he selected a brownie and put it on the small plate next to his dinner plate. “But I can’t resist. Naomi can tell you, I have a wicked sweet tooth.” He cut a piece with his fork, placed it in his mouth, and swallowed. Then he said, “This is heavenly. Sarah, you can bake too? You need to go into the catering business.”
“I made dessert,” Maggie piped up. “I love cooking. Joshua says I should be a chef.” She glanced at her brother momentarily, and then back at Montgomery.
“Yeah, Maggie can burn when it comes to food, just like the other women in the family.” Joshua praised his sister; then he bit off a piece of a cupcake.
“Aunt Alice showed me how to make red velvet cake, so I’ve been making red velvet cupcakes too,” Maggie said modestly. “I love cooking.”
“She may love cooking,” Sarah mentioned, “but she doesn’t like cleaning up afterward.”
“Mom, please,” Maggie whined, embarrassed by her mother’s comment. She tossed a braid over her shoulder.
Montgomery was correct in his assessment of the resemblance between Maggie and Naomi. Maggie was a little carbon copy of Naomi, and both girls clearly had Daniel’s features. Brian often complained he was glad Joshua resembled him, or none of his children would have looked like him at all.
Joshua’s cell phone in his pocket chirped. He excused himself to take the call. Maggie, who was staying overnight with a friend, also excused herself so she could pack her overnight bag.
“They are growing up so fast,” Naomi mused. “Joshua is a giant, and Maggie is such a young lady now. And she’s going into high school. Time is really passing quickly.”
“So, Montgomery, tell us more about yourself,” Brian urged his guest. He asked Sarah to pass him the carafe of coffee and poured himself half a cup.
“Let’s see,” Montgomery paused and then said, “I was born in Cheltenham, England. My father was an officer in the military. He retired twelve years ago, and into his second year of retirement, he passed from a brain hemorrhage.”
“Our brother, DJ, is in the army. I’m sorry to hear about your father. I know how difficult that must have been,” Sarah offered.
“It was a shock, and it happened so suddenly. I spoke to my dad that morning; and by that afternoon, he was gone. My mum and dad had me late in life, so she dotes on me. I have an older sister, Elizabeth. She’s married, and has a girl and boy.”
Brian cleared his throat. “I’m assuming you and Naomi are in a relationship. How long have you two been dating, and what are your family’s feelings about the cultural difference?”
“Sweetie, you sound so politically correct. Cultural differences?” Sarah teased her husband.
Naomi listened to Brian interrogate Montgomery. His questions had a paternal tone, which unsettled Naomi. She shifted and chewed her lower lip, clearly perturbed by Brian’s grilling of Montgomery.
“Naomi and I have been together for four years. She has traveled to England with me a few times, and she has met my family. I think the worst we endured from my family was when my niece, Emma, blurted out, ‘Mummy, Uncle Monty has a colored girlfriend.”’
“I was taken aback, to say the least!” Naomi exclaimed. She sneaked another cupcake. Then she looked at everyone guiltily. “This will be my last one, Scout’s honor.” She held up two fingers.
“Knock yourself out,” Brian said to her. A wide grin split his face. He raised his coffee cup.
“Naomi conducted herself admirably. My family realized we had a long way to go to change our way of thinking about and treatment of black people. And I think we’ve come a long way since then. I’ve never been married, so Naomi will be my first, and only, wife. I own an accounting firm in Edwardsville, and I have an M.B.A. from Southern University. So I’m financially secure,” Montgomery said.
“What a minute. Are you saying, what I think you’re saying? Just what are your intentions toward my dau ... I mean, sister-in-law?” Brian questioned sternly.
Naomi and Sarah’s faces swiveled toward Brian as their mouths gaped open in amazement. Dang, Naomi thought, I can’t believe Brian went there. She didn’t know whether she should cringe from embarrassment, or take pleasure in the knowledge that her biological father cared enough to query Montgomery. Embarrassment won, and a flush of heat rose from her neck to her face.
“Brian, that’s not necessary,” Naomi stated firmly as she tossed her napkin on the table. “I’m more than capable of looking out for my own interests. I’m a big girl, and I have enough credentials to know how to make my decisions. You are out of line.” Her mouth snapped closed.
“I’m sorry if I was out of line. I didn’t mean you or Montgomery any harm,” Brian said stiffly. He rose from his seat abruptly and walked to the den, near the front of the house.
“What just happened?” Montgomery looked from one sister to the next. When no answer was forthcoming, he dropped his napkin, which had been lying on his lap, on the table and followed Brian to the den.
Sarah and Naomi looked at each other uneasily. Sara spoke first. “I’m sure Brian didn’t mean anything. I think he just got caught up in the moment. Like he said, he didn’t mean any harm.”
“I wish he had just let it go. I haven’t exactly been honest with Monty about you and Brian being my biological parents,” Naomi said, exasperated.
“Nay, why not?
If you’re marrying this man, then you need to come clean with him about your past,” Sarah said, feeling disappointed with her.
“I don’t know ... I mean,” Naomi said, confused and gulping. She held out her hand entreatingly. “I plan to tell him, and I will before we get married. I just don’t want him to think I’m bringing a lot of drama to the relationship. His mother, sister and her family are so proper.” She paused. “Or maybe ‘stuffy’ is the word I’m looking for. I don’t want Monty to think I’m not good enough for him. He’s even related to royalty, on his father’s side.”
“You can’t start off a relationship with secrets and without trust. You know firsthand how secrets have affected our family. If Montgomery loves you, then he’ll accept you regardless who your parents are,” Sarah advised, although personally her feelings were hurt. She felt like Naomi was ashamed of her and Brian.
“I will talk to him,” Naomi said weakly. “Give me time. Anyway, give me the 411 on Daddy and Lenora. What’s happening with them? Have you talked to DJ and Chelsea lately? How is D3? Hold that thought, I’m going to get a bottle of water.” She rose and walked to the kitchen.
Sarah turned the face of her watch over and noted the time. It was nearly time for the finance committee meeting to commence. She bowed her head and said a quick prayer for her mother and the finance committee. Then she turned her attention to Naomi, who had returned to her seat. She told Naomi that she and Glenda had been caring for Daniel’s little boys. Sarah mentioned Daniel was finally showing signs of life, taking an interest in his sons. Though her tone was light and she was thrilled to be with Naomi, Sarah couldn’t keep her thoughts from wandering to Ruth, and what she was sure would be a spirited meeting at The Temple.
Chapter Fifteen
Ruth and Clarence sat at the round table inside her office, under bright fluorescent lights, trying to crunch numbers as they had been doing for the past hour. The committee meeting was scheduled to begin momentarily at seven o’clock. June was in the office at the Xerox copier, printing off the financial reports for the committee members.
Letting Misery Go Page 14