Letting Misery Go

by Michelle Larks

  Daniel had called Fred a few weeks ago, to say that Lenora had sent him a divorce decree from Reno, Nevada. Daniel promptly signed and returned it to Lenora. Residency could be established in Nevada within six weeks. The decree stated Daniel would retain custody of the boys. The couple’s assets were split. Fred argued with his brother, saying he should have consulted a lawyer before he signed on the dotted line. Daniel retorted that he just wanted to be free of Lenora and move on. Lenora further stated in her letter that she would be in touch with Daniel soon regarding visitation and other matters. No mention was made of child support.

  Fred told Daniel that if Lenora had any income, even if it was from her new man, that legally she was supposed to pay him child support. Daniel also told him about the house being in foreclosure status. Fred asked Alice’s opinion, not admitting that Daniel was the person of whom he had spoken. Alice mentioned something known as a “short sale.” His son-in-law, Vincent, Tamara’s husband, was in real estate, so Fred also talked to him. Vincent suggested Fred’s friend, aka Daniel, try to refinance the house, or, like Alice had advised, go for a short sale.

  Fred told Daniel that he couldn’t keep his head buried in the sand forever, and that he needed to take action. Vincent wanted to talk to Fred’s friend about his options, but Daniel declined, saying he had a few tricks up his sleeve that he wanted to try first.

  Fred was worried that whatever his brother’s tricks were, they involved Ruth; and like Alice, he thought his former sister-in-law deserved happiness.

  Alice moaned in her sleep. Fred tenderly kissed the top of her head. Then he took her hand. Fred closed his eyes. He hadn’t prayed to God in a long time asking for something, but at that moment, he felt compelled to ask God to leave Alice here on earth a little while longer. Fred shook his head and marveled that he and Ruth’s sassy friend had developed a relationship, especially a nonsexual one. He smiled as he tightened his grip on Alice’s hand. Fred vowed to be there for Alice for the long haul, as long as she needed and wanted him.

  In Edwardsville, Brian, Daniel, and Montgomery had gone to the Marriott to check in the family. Ruth, Sarah, and the children were still at Naomi’s house. Josh and Maggie were watching television in the den. The women were chatting in the kitchen. Ruth wiped her hands on the napkin and excused herself, announcing that she needed to check her voice mail. When she returned, her shoulders and the corners of her mouth sagged sadly.

  “Brother Eddie Duncan was called home this morning. You know he was ill. He suffered a stroke a few days after the finance meeting. And I never got a chance to talk to him about what he wanted that night,” she said sadly.

  “He was one of Bishop’s closest friends, wasn’t he?” Naomi asked. She had just brought a tray bearing cups of cappuccino to the table for the women.

  “Yes, he was. Brother Duncan was one of the old-timers. Some of the finance committee members looked at him as an irritant, but he was really knowledgeable about The Temple’s financial structure. I had to lean on him heavily after I was voted in as senior pastor.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up, Momma. I’m sure he understood how much pressure you’ve been under,” Sarah said comfortingly.

  “I know, but I still feel terrible,” Ruth said dejectedly.

  “Well, you’re not a superwoman, and that means some things are going to slip through the cracks from time to time. I know that’s happened to me a time or two,” Naomi commented. She sipped her cappuccino and set the cup on the table. “I ordered desserts. Whenever you’re ready, let me know.”

  “I’d love some, Naomi. Sweets would go good with the cappuccino.” Sarah turned her attention to her mother. “So who else called, Momma? Did you get any good calls?”

  Naomi looked at her sister, then her mother. “What am I missing here?”

  “Momma’s got a boyfriend.” Sarah couldn’t resist teasing her mother. “He’s a hottie for an old man.”

  “Momma!” Naomi’s voice rose shrilly. “You’ve been holding out on me,” she said in a quasi-stern tone of voice. “You told me that you and Mr. Reynolds were just friends.” Naomi had missed the byplay at Sarah’s house. She was so attuned to Montgomery.

  “Well, I wouldn’t call Mr. Reynolds a ‘boyfriend.’ He’s a very close friend,” Ruth said as a smile crept into her voice. “We go out here and there frequently. I’ve truly been enjoying my time with Aron. He’s an amazing man.” Ruth’s face lit up with pleasure.

  “That’s good.” Naomi nodded approvingly. “You deserve happiness, even if you’re a minister.” She couldn’t resist teasing her mother.

  “That’s what I tell her too,” Sarah said, crinkling her nose. “She’s trying to keep her relationship on the down low, though.”

  Naomi replied, “Well, I guess when she’s ready, she’ll let the world know. People will have to trust Momma’s judgment. After all she’s been through, Momma knows a good man from a bad one.”

  “Amen to that,” Sarah added. “She has our support, and I know Aunt Alice is thrilled for her.”

  “Stop talking about me like I’m not in the room,” Ruth complained. “I called Alice while I was in the other room too. Fred said she’s been suffering the effects from the radiation treatment most of the day, but other than that, she’s doing well.” She opened her purse and presented Naomi with the cards that Queen, Alice, and Fred had sent her, along with her own.

  Sarah quickly reached for her purse on the floor and gave her sister a card from her family.

  Naomi quickly opened the cards. “Aunt Alice always comes through,” she said triumphantly. She waved a check in the air. “It’s for a thousand dollars.”

  She quickly tore open the other envelopes, which also contained checks. She had a nice little stash, close to three thousand dollars.

  “Thank you.” Naomi jumped out of her seat. “I love all of you. You’re the best family in the world.” She stood the cards up on the counter and then returned to her seat. “Let’s revisit our conversation on these hot old birds!” she whooped. “Who would have thought that Aunt Alice would be dating our playa-playa uncle, and Momma would even be dating, period? I guess, as Bishop used to say, ‘you live and learn.’”

  “Well, we can’t leave you out of the equation, baby girl,” Sarah said. “Who would have thought that you would end up engaged to a white Englishman, of all people, and a rich one at that? Now, that truly blows my mind. When are you getting married? Do you plan to marry here or in merry England?”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Naomi said. “We Wilcox women are just full of surprises. No, we haven’t set a date yet, with school and all. We plan to talk about it once the dust settles after my graduation. My first priority is finding a job. I’ve interviewed at a couple of firms this week. I hope to hear good news from one of them soon.”

  “I know you’ll find something,” Sarah consoled her sister.

  “You know, this house would make a great setting for a wedding.” Ruth stood up and walked to the patio door and looked outside. “The backyard is huge. If you were inclined, you could have your wedding and reception here.”

  “You know what, that’s not a bad idea. I’ll keep that in mind. And, of course, I want you and Sarah to help me plan everything. I’ll definitely plan it for after Aunt Alice is doing better,” Naomi said.

  “She would appreciate that, and she’ll want to be a part of the planning,” Ruth said. “How does Montgomery’s family feel about you and him? I mean your being black?”

  “If there was any fallout, it wasn’t overt. Monty’s mother is pure British. She kept a stiff upper lip, as the English say. I met her a few years ago, when Monty and I went to Europe. Of course, I didn’t tell you two at the time that I was traveling with a man.”

  “And all this time, I thought your trip was school related.” Ruth shook her head. “You’re a sly one, Naomi Patrice Wilcox.”

  “I did what I had to do to keep the peace.” Naomi’s chin jutted upward. “Being in Europe was like be
ing in a different world altogether. I enjoyed my time there, but I definitely wouldn’t want to live there,” she confessed.

  “Good,” Ruth said approvingly. “It’s bad enough that you live six hours away from us now.”

  “So, obviously, you won’t be moving back to Chicago now that you’re done with school?” Sarah asked.

  “No, I plan to live here, of course. Monty’s business is here, and I don’t see him relocating to Chicago. Edwardsville is not that bad, and living in a small town has its advantages. The crime rate is lower, and the climate is warmer. I don’t miss those Chicago winters at all.” Naomi glanced at her sister. “Maggie and Joshua are more than welcome to spend time with us this summer. I would love to have them.”

  “We’ll see,” Sarah responded. “Joshua is scheduled for some basketball camps, as well as some campus visits, and Maggie is helping out at the church for Bible School this summer.”

  “Well, let me know if they have time. The stay could just be a long weekend. I know Joshua is hoping to attend a Big Ten school, like Brian did. It’s hard to believe he’s almost done with high school.” Naomi shook her head.

  “That’s true. He’ll be a junior in September.” Sarah sighed. “Time is flying. Momma, I hope the guys come back soon, so we can go to the hotel. I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long day, and I’m a little tired from the ride.”

  “You’re right, these old bones are tired.” Ruth put her hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn.

  “Well, now that you’ve seen our house, perhaps next time you guys could stay with us. We have plenty of room. Since I hadn’t mentioned Monty and I were living together, I couldn’t ask you to stay with me until you knew my true living arrangements,” Naomi said guiltily.

  “We understand, and next time we’ll see. Goodness, Naomi, the last time all of us were here was for your graduation when you got your bachelor’s degree,” Ruth said.

  “Truthfully, it took me a while to come to terms with everything that happened during my first year of school. I was thrown for a loop. I took a year off school to recover from learning who my biological parents are. I’m happy to say that I’ve put it behind me.”

  Ruth smiled happily at her daughter. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

  The men returned from the hotel, and the women continued to chat. A half hour later, Sarah went to round up the family. Montgomery invited them for brunch at a local restaurant the following morning. The family agreed and planned to spend the afternoon with Naomi. They would then head back to the hotel to rest, to prepare for the long drive back to Chicago.

  “Well now that you know where we stay, please feel free to visit us anytime. We would love to have you.” Montgomery extended an open invitation to the family.

  Twenty minutes later, the Wilcox family was riding the ten miles from Naomi’s house to the Marriott Hotel. Before long, they were checked into their rooms.

  Ruth called Alice, then Aron. They made plans to meet Monday. She then took a nice hot soak in the tub. She had just finished putting on her nightclothes, and had stretched out on the king-size bed, when there was a knock on the door. She walked across the room and peeked out the peephole. She was surprised to see Daniel standing there. She threw on her robe and slowly opened the door.

  “Hi, Daniel. What can I do for you?” she asked, clutching her robe tighter to her body.

  “Say, I was wondering if I could talk to you? Can you spare me a few minutes?” Daniel had changed into jeans and a Ralph Lauren striped polo shirt.

  “Couldn’t we do this another time?” Ruth asked. “I’m tired from the long drive here and the festivities of the day.” Her arms snaked around her body.

  “We could, but it’ll only take a few minutes.” Daniel sounded mysterious.

  Ruth didn’t feel like dealing with Daniel right at that moment. “Why don’t you give me a call on Monday? Since I was away from church this weekend, I plan to go to The Temple on Monday. I’m really tired.”

  “Sure, I’ll do that. I’m sorry if I bothered you,” Daniel said in a humble tone of voice as he stepped away from the door. He turned to go down the hall, and then he turned back toward Ruth. “Pleasant dreams, Ruth. Sleep tight.”

  She nodded at him, with a quizzical expression on her face, then closed and locked the door.

  Ruth felt agitated after she returned to bed. She wondered what Daniel was up to. Their relationship before the divorce had been contentious at best. It had taken her a long time to discard the feeling of betrayal she felt when he divorced her. To add insult to injury, Daniel married Lenora in a short period of time after the divorce. Ruth was unaware that Lenora was pregnant at the time of the marriage.

  Ruth’s mind raced a mile a minute. She wasn’t sure what Daniel was up to, but she felt in her spirit he was up to something.

  Her eyelids fluttered as she fought sleep. She pulled the comforter over her shoulders, and within a few minutes, the television stared at her, instead of the other way around.

  Meanwhile, Daniel returned to his room down the hallway. He sat on a chair next to the bed, fuming. He couldn’t understand why Ruth wouldn’t allow him inside her room to talk. I must be losing my touch, he thought. It was bad enough that Lenora had left him for another man. Now Ruth—who, he assumed, still had feelings for him—wouldn’t allow him to talk to her. Then just as quickly as those feelings entered his mind, they dissipated. He knew all he had to do was turn up the heat, and Ruth would succumb to his charm.

  He had asked Sarah questions about Aron following the family dinner. Sarah informed him that whatever was going on was her mother’s business, and not hers to share. Daniel snapped his fingers. Fred had also told him about Aron’s background. Daniel stored the information in his memory banks and planned to use it when opportunity presented itself. Daniel felt little remorse at his actions. Ruth deserved better than Aron, and he counted on her doing right by her congregation.

  Daniel decided it was time to get the competition out of the way, and he knew just how.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Brian had just returned to his and Sarah’s room. They were staying in a two-bedroom suite, and Maggie was in the second bedroom asleep. Joshua had bunked out on the couch in the sitting room, and he, too, was asleep. Brian had gone down the hall to get ice for soft drinks he’d brought from Naomi’s house. When he entered the room, Sarah was dozing off.

  He quickly woke her up, and when she was coherent, he announced dramatically, “Guess who I saw at your mother’s door?”

  Sarah quickly became alert. “Who?” she asked.

  “Your father.” Brian popped open a can of ginger ale and poured it into a plastic cup the hotel had supplied. “Do you want some of this?”

  Sarah sat upright in the bed and shook her head. “You’re kidding me, right?” Her eyes were glued to Brian, who stood on the other side of the room.

  “I kid you not. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”

  “Did he go inside Momma’s room?”

  “I couldn’t tell,” Brian admitted; he was sipping the gold-colored beverage while they talked. He walked to the bed and sat on the other side of it. “I ducked inside the door to the stairwell. When I thought the coast was clear, I came back to our room. Say, you don’t think your parents are going to reconcile, do you?”

  “I don’t think so,” Sarah said decisively. She lay back in bed. “I noticed the two of them holding hands when Naomi got her diploma.” Sarah snapped her fingers. “I bet Daddy was probably trying to hit Momma up for some money when he went to her room. He has this idea in his head that she’s loaded. I can tell by some of the comments he’s made in the past that that’s in his mind. And his finances are pretty tight right now.”

  “Well, he’s right. Momma Ruth does have money. I bet your father’s finances are stretched tighter than a rubber band right now. Who in his right mind would have gotten a mini-mansion in an elite suburb at his age?”

  “An old man trying to please
his young bride,” Sarah quipped. “I agree with you, buying that house with Lenora wasn’t one of Daddy’s smartest moves. He asked me if we would consider taking a loan out on our house for him.”

  “You didn’t tell me that.” Brian looked incredulous. “When did he ask you that?”

  “Hmm ...” Sarah closed her eyes, thinking. “It was a couple of weeks ago.”

  “I hope you told him no.” Brian had bought a bag of chips from the vending machine. He opened it and put a few in his mouth.

  “Of course, I did,” Sarah responded. “I told him that he needed to put the house on the market, and move as soon as he could before he was put out.”

  “What did he say?”

  “That he would think about it. He’d better do more than think. His mortgage is months in arrears.”

  “How did that happen?” Brian asked.

  “Lenora was paying the bills, or so Daddy thought. She was probably taking trips with her boy toy. I loaned him money to pay his utilities until his check comes on the fifteenth.”

  “Well, how the heck was he able to come here for the weekend? I mean, gas money and pay for the hotel?”

  “I loaned him the money for that too.” Sarah looked contrite. “I thought about the times in the past when he loaned us money, Brian, and I just couldn’t say no.”

  “I understand. It just would have been nice had you told me before you did it.”

  “I’m sorry. I planned on telling you this weekend.”

  Brian nodded. “We need to tighten our belts as far as spending. I didn’t mind coming to Edwardsville this weekend. Naomi’s graduation is a special event. There have been layoffs at my job, and I just want to make sure we’re in a good financial position, should one of us lose our jobs.”

  “I understand,” Sarah murmured. “There have been layoffs at my job too. Luckily, I have seniority, and so far, the last hires have been the ones getting pink slips.”