Crowning Glory

by Pat Simmons

  Linking hands around the table, Levi’s father, Victor, began the traditional holiday blessing. “Jesus, we are blessed today not because of the meal You have provided and the hands You sanctified to prepare it. I thank You for each member around this table and for our ancestors before us. Help us to continue a legacy of a strong people.”

  Levi’s mother continued, “Lord, we worship You because we are healthy. Our sons have prospered even as their souls have prospered…”

  The prayer chain continued until it was Jet’s turn. She cleared her throat. “I’m thankful for the Tollivers and my precious niece. Help us never to forget my younger sister who has gone on before me,” she mumbled and choked.

  Levi understood, holidays were hard for him too. Standing next to Rossi, Levi knew his cousin would speak comforting words. After spending time at his parents’ home, Rossi always dropped by to sample his aunt Sharon’s turkey dressing with apples.

  “Jesus, we thank You for the memories You’ve given us of family. We especially thank You for the blessings yet to be released. Help each one of us to receive them.” Rossi paused for Levi to piggyback.

  “Lord, thank You for the special people You have placed in my life. I’m grateful for your blessings and trials…”

  Finally, as customary, it was the children’s turn. Gathered around a kiddie table with a few cousins, and neighborhood children, Dori shouted, “Lord Jesus, I’m hungry, and thank You for Grandma’s food, my auntie Jet, my daddy, and Miss Karyn. Amen.” The adults added their Amens, clapping.

  Levi held his breath, waiting for someone to rib him about Karyn. He had been hush-hush except with Rossi who knew about the failed first date and the new details.

  Jet stood and fixed her niece a plate before returning to her own seat. The conversation was lighthearted and changed every five minutes. Eventually, gravy stains marked a few spots on the white tablecloth as Levi’s brothers, paternal grandparents, parents, and a couple of neighbors showed the turkey no mercy. As the dessert was about to be decimated, Sharon started her fishing expedition.

  “Son, I was hoping Karyn would have been our guest today.” Lifting a brow, she stared at Levi. “The only thing I know is what my grandbaby tells us, which is she’s pretty, nice, and pretty. Is there anything you would like to add?”

  “She likes kids, too, Grandma,” Dori said between sips from her cup of milk.

  Jet’s expression became stoic. Levi already knew she was itching to get answers as well. Her argument, as always, would be it was too soon for him to move on. “I didn’t know you were dating—seriously. I definitely would like to get to know her.”

  I bet you would. He ignored his sister-in-law. There were a lot of reasons why that request wouldn’t happen. The two main ones were Jet would eat any woman alive who was remotely interested in her late sister’s husband and niece. The second was Jet was plain evil—well, since Diane’s death anyway.

  “Karyn and her church are serving Thanksgiving dinner at a homeless shelter.” Levi felt proud of a woman who was busy with the Lord’s business instead of busy in other folks’ business. She was a jewel he wanted to keep hidden as long as possible.

  “How convenient,” Jet said snidely.

  “How humbling,” his father complimented. “If President Obama and his family can pass out Thanksgiving turkeys, as a family, we should look for ways to bless others.”

  Levi relaxed when the pending inquiries about Karyn turned into an open discussion of performing charity work. The family agreed to do something the next year.

  “We have an announcement,” his brother said, standing and tapping a spoon against a crystal goblet. Seth was Harvard educated and on the faculty at Washington University, a prestigious St. Louis university known for its medical research.

  Seth and Solomon were six feet one, two inches taller than their big brother. Where Seth was easygoing and saw good in everybody, Solomon was quiet, almost sinister—if a person didn’t know him.

  Solomon was a master at keeping his thoughts to himself, then at the midnight hour, would show his hand. He wouldn’t trust anybody until he did a mental assessment on an individual’s assets versus pitfalls.

  Lifting a champagne glass of sparkling white grape juice, Seth smiled at Tia Rogers, his girlfriend, of two years. She blushed. “Tia has finally agreed to marry me.”

  The congratulations exploded around the table. The men pushed back their chairs and started the ceremony of slapping Seth on the back. His mother sniffed, then shoved the towering Tolliver men out of her way to get to her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.

  “Hold on,” Seth said firmly, lifting his hand. He snarled at Tia, then winked. “It appears my woman wants a winter wedding as close as possible to Christmas next year.” Seth appeared tortured. “That’s twelve months, three hundred and sixty-five days—”

  Tia shrugged. “What can I say? I’m into the white fur look.”

  Everyone chuckled, including Seth. “Although this woman is testing me to wait a year, if I need a snow plow to get to her, I’ll put my order in now.”

  Not only did Tia and Seth complement each other physically, but they were each other’s confidant. They were Levi’s inspiration to find happiness again. He still couldn’t believe he had told Karyn he was in love with her. Women held onto the L word as ransom. Not that it couldn’t happen, but it was too soon for Levi.

  In the midst of all the hoopla, Jet quietly stepped back and gave the future Mrs. Seth Tolliver a critical eye as if Jet was born a Tolliver and had the right. The family had learned when to tolerate Jet and when to ignore her. Since it was a day of thanksgiving, they tolerated her, knowing her loneliness was real.

  Reluctantly, Jet embraced Tia. “Well, we’ll have to spend more time together.”

  Seth huffed, Rossi’s blank expression gave nothing away, and Levi adjusted his glasses. They probably all were thinking the same thing. Once again, Jet was sticking her nose in someone else’s business, but Tia was the epitome of a strong black woman, and she could tangle with the devil and put up a good fight without the boxer Laila Ali, daughter of Mohammad Ali, as backup.

  CHAPTER 15

  Jesetta was hurt, upset, and downright mad. Depression and holidays were conspirators in her life. Her last good memory of Thanksgiving Day was at Diane and Levi’s home in North St. Louis city. It seemed longer than five years ago.

  Once dinner was finished, the kitchen restored, and leftovers put away, Jet said her good-byes with a smile to mask the hurt that wouldn’t heal. Driving back across the bridge into Illinois, Jet returned to her upscale twenty-five-hundred- square-foot house.

  After disarming her alarm, Jet flipped on every light en route to her bedroom. She changed into sweats before strolling into the adjoining home theater. Jet dropped the remote as soon as she picked it up.

  She wandered through her house before settling into the living room where she turned on her gas fireplace. Folding her arms on the mantel, she rested her head and stared into the flames. Without the Tollivers and Dori, Jet wouldn’t have any family at all. Her parents, who were only children, were deceased.

  “I can’t let the Olympic torch go out on her memory.” She wiped away a tear. Although she had an upper management position at a large banking institution in the area, a luxury car, and minks among her size twelve clothes, she felt empty. Anger woke her up in the morning and kept her going throughout the day—especially since one person involved in Diane’s death had yet to be caught. Jet lived her days to see them all die.

  The bitterness that had consumed Levi was dissipating, which meant she would have to turn hers up more than a notch. Yes, he had the right to have another wife, but where did that leave Jet? She couldn’t get another sister. She relocated from the city to Illinois to be close to her niece and to help Levi pick up the pieces.

  With genuine love, Jet had driven a half hour one way into suburban downtown Clayton for work on a good day. When she was trapped in a traffic nightmare, it was fifty minu
tes easily. She did it for more than a year until the banks’ officers noticed her commitment and performance. After that, the CEO created an impressive position with all the perks at their satellite location in the Metro-East area. That had been perfect.

  Lifting her head, Jet stared at her image in the art deco mirror. People said she had a pretty face—a darker version of actress-turned author Pam Grier. She had a curvaceous body endowed with the black woman hips and her height of five-foot-ten turned men’s heads. Most of the time, she preferred her long hair to be natural and carefree, putting Diana Ross to shame. Yet, her life was so empty. Where was her future?

  Before her death, Diane had discussed all the dreams she had for Dori. Her happiness was so contagious Jet was hoping to find a man as loving as Levi. She met men, but none had captured her heart. Jet even considered artificial insemination, so the sisters could be new mothers together.

  As Diane’s lifeless body was lowered to the ground, Jet made a promise to fulfill all the dreams Diane had for Dori. Not only had her younger sister died first, her life was stolen, snatched away as if God didn’t have any control over how Diane was to die. That was Jet’s torment, knowing Diane had no say in how she left this earth. “It’s not fair.”

  At Diane’s funeral, her former pastor had given Jet a copy of Janice Harris Lord’s book, No Time for Goodbyes. Then months after the tragedy, Jet even sought counseling from him.

  “Reverend Joe, do I really have to forgive?” She held her breath, wondering if she really wanted to know. Regardless of the answer, her life wouldn’t be the same.

  “Forgiveness comes from the heart. If it’s not in yours, Jesetta, then they’re meaningless words. Right now, you need to cope, do whatever it takes for you to get up in the morning and to go on with your life. I pray that your heart does find forgiveness. It may take a while—even years—so if anger is your coping skill, be angry…”

  Jet couldn’t remember what else he said, but he gave her permission to be mad, establishing her new mission in life. She was angry that Thomas Foods stores didn’t have night security, angry that Levi let Diane go out at night instead of going himself, angry that Levi and Diane wanted to live in a depressed area that was under rehab, angry that some people survived, but her sister didn’t. She was just plan angry period.

  To fuel her rage she became an active member of the Victims Advocate Crime Survivors. In the past four years, she hadn’t missed an annual National Crime Victim’s week. Why did Diane die before her? Jet was the oldest. People didn’t understand death had many definitions: natural death versus violent murder. Four years was four years. She wished she could move on, but how could God replace what the devil stole?

  Tears stained her face. She wiped them away. She had made progress. Instead of having crying spells every day, she could hold out for weeks. One time, she made it to three months. Levi had fared better. Once he had officially moved on past the grief, others would expect Jet to fall in line and let go emotionally. At least he found interest in another woman. No man could tolerate her crying binges.

  The phone’s insistent ringing interrupted her self-induced depression. The Tolliver name flashed on the caller ID. Clearing her throat, she sniffed before answering.

  “Hello.” She plastered a smile behind the words to pull off a light-hearted mood.

  “I’m checking up on you,” Rossi said cautiously. “You okay?”

  Jet lifted a brow. The man seemed to know when she wasn’t. “Didn’t I look okay when you saw me a few hours ago?”

  “Looks are deceiving. Your prayer around the table confirmed that you are still struggling. When Aunt Sharon mentioned Karyn, you almost broke out in a sweat.”

  “How observant, Minister Tolliver. If you want to pray for me, please do it when I’m not around. It’s hard for me to talk to God when I know God allowed Diane to be murdered.”

  The line was quiet. Jet knew Rossi hadn’t hung up on her. Maybe he was offering up a silent prayer on her behalf. Did he and everyone else think she enjoyed living in misery? She wanted to be released from her cage, but no one seemed to have a key that fit her lock.

  “Jet, you know you’re like a sister to the Tolliver men. If you need me, I’m here. I’m accessible twenty-four hours…”

  Sighing, Jet cringed. Rossi was starting to sound like those who had offered their condolences at the funeral and then went missing in action a month later. “I know.”

  “Brush me off if you want, but Aunt Sharon will be calling you next to check up on you.”

  “I know,” Jet whispered as her eyes misted. Touched by their abundance of love, she said good-bye and disconnected. She took a deep breath and regrouped. Jet had two things to look forward to: an all-day shopping spree the next day on Black Friday and meeting Karyn, Diane’s competition.

  CHAPTER 16

  Levi had to make a decision. His late wife would always have a part of his heart, but what remained was fighting for fulfillment, happiness, and love. His eyes were set on Miss Karyn Wallace. Something about her made him utter the premature words I love you. Could he fall in love again? It was a question he asked during his nightly prayers.

  He considered himself a meat-and-potatoes man, even in pursuing a relationship. The bookstore meet-ups with Karyn weren’t cutting it. Salads were meant to be appetizers only, and seeing Karyn at work was just that. If she needed another dress, he would open a store charge account for her.

  With Dori in tow, Levi returned to the bookstore the day after Thanksgiving. He braved the weather, the sparse parking and the lunatics that apparently would fight over underwear for a bargain. If the undies were Victoria’s Secret, he might agree. Otherwise, Black Friday was a day for the crazies.

  Worming their way through the store, the two searched for a petite woman in the thick of the customers. Levi spotted Karyn first. His heart shifted. That was going to be his woman. Levi tugged on Dori’s hand. Although their joint mission was to surprise Karyn, Christmas toys and gifts distracted his daughter.

  Squatting, Levi put a finger to his lips, then pointed to where Karyn was stationed. Dori’s eyes widened with excitement. Grinning, she was about to break away, but he gently restrained her. “Shh. Let’s surprise her. Okay?” He nodded.

  “Yeah,” she shouted, dancing in place.

  Before Levi could stand, Dori yanked on his hand, almost dragging him forward. When they were within a foot of Karyn, Levi began to tiptoe and Dori mimicked.

  “You missed some good cooking,” Levi whispered in Karyn’s ear as he and Dori snuck up behind her. Startled, she jumped, losing a few books to the floor. Levi steadied her before picking them up. A beautiful smile weakened a frown that was sprouting on her forehead. The sparkle in her eyes gave Levi hope that she was glad to see him.

  “Boo.” Dori giggled, covering her mouth.

  Karyn knelt and gave her a hug. Their affection was so thick he felt it. When Dori fingered Karyn’s hair, Levi’s envisioned Karyn completing the task on Dori’s hair.

  “Miss Karyn, I read all the books you gave me…”

  Gave? Levi grunted. Karyn sold him every last one of them.

  “Mmm, and my momma’s black-eyed peas were ’licious,” Levi teased, vying for her attention as he rubbed his stomach.

  “Come on, Karyn, we’re swamped,” Patrice said, appearing from nowhere. “I guess your boyfriend doesn’t see we’re busy. I wish I didn’t have to work the register and find books for the customers at the same time while you flirt. Can’t you two—”

  With his nostrils flaring, Levi gently moved Karyn to the side. Levi had had enough. “Who do you have a problem with today? Me, Karyn, or my little girl?” Levi didn’t want to act a fool. As a child, he didn’t tolerate bullies—mainly because there were too many Tollivers—and he definitely had no mercy on them as adults.

  She scanned him up and down. “Right now, I have a problem with my feet doing the job of two people,” she said snidely. “I have diabetes and don’t get good circulatio
n. I’ve been diagnosed with arthritis in my lower back. I get heart palpitations…”

  Levi could hear God’s voice reaching out to him, but he was shutting it out. He was about to exercise his free will, and he didn’t want to hold his tongue. “If Karyn quits and walks out this store, you’re going to wish you had four people to replace her. Doesn’t the store have a policy, the customer is always right? Right now your rudeness is offensive. My purchases—and I spend a lot of money—pay your salary.”

  As Patrice stormed off, he faced Karyn who was holding Dori’s small hand. He didn’t know how Karyn would respond to him stepping in to defend her honor—be her protector—but hero worship was not shining in her eyes. She didn’t appear to be impressed.

  “What?” Levi hoped his face shone innocence.

  “I believe in the Lord fighting my battles.”

  “He sent me.”

  ***

  Karyn didn’t argue that point. Who knows? But one day, Patrice was going to mess with the wrong person and Karyn prayed it wasn’t her. It would be a test she couldn’t afford to fail. Maybe God would dispatch a person to give Patrice the whipping she was begging for. Buttercup wouldn’t have any qualms about it. But her coworker wasn’t worth anybody violating parole and going back to jail.

  “Are you okay?” Levi’s face was etched with concern.

  Whatever was developing between them, if God didn’t step in, Karyn wasn’t sure she could stop it. Levi was becoming the next best thing after Jesus’s salvation. “Yes.”

  “It’s wild in here. Do you get a break?”

  “If I can get out of here on time, it will be my break,” she said with a sigh. Her back was beginning to ache from being on her feet nonstop.