Promise To Keep

by Rainwater, Priscilla Poole

  Inwardly, he cringed at the mere mention of the word ‘banana’. For weeks she had been craving little else but banana this, banana that. In fact, she was worse than the one guy had been in the movie “Forrest Gump”, the one who constantly talked about shrimp. Except with her it was banana cream pie. Peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Banana ice cream. Banana pudding. Banana flips. The list went on and on. “Alright, but I think I’ll pass on the shake. I’ll grab myself a burger and coffee.”

  Contented, she looked out the window at the passing scenery and began humming to herself. My life couldn’t get any better… she thought.

  The drive on the way to get their treats was filled with her explaining her plans to him, for when the happy day finally arrived. The only sad part was she wouldn’t be sharing the joyous occasion with her family. Their children would never get to know either of their grandparents, or uncle and aunt.

  ************************************************

  Spotting the newlyweds walking through the door, the owner of the diner, Betsy Green, greeted them and said, “Well hello you two! What can I get for you today?” She watched as Connell helped his wife take her seat.

  “Just give her the usual. I’ll have a cheeseburger with the works, and some of that divine coffee of yours.” Connell replied.

  Not needing to jot the order down on her pad, she smiled and said, “Sure thing, hon.“ As she walked away to prepare the order she reflected. It was obvious the two were genuinely in love, and she was happy for them. She also knew that for a while, they had had half the town in an uproar. While she had heard plenty of folks say nasty things about Connell (behind his back, of course) she was still the type of person who reserved judgment until she had met a person herself. And every encounter she had had with his lovely young wife had been nothing but positive She always seemed to carry herself as a lady, and always had a respectful, yet commanding air about her. She thought they complemented each other perfectly.

  She made the milkshake, with extra bananas and a healthy scoop of peanut butter, just the way Aisha liked it. When the burger was ready, she carried their order out to them in person, and poured Connell a cup of coffee. “Here we go now. By the way, how did yall’s doctor appointment go?” she asked, giving Aisha a warm smile.

  “We’re having twins!” she replied happily, then took a drink of her shake.

  Betsy chuckled.”Ahhh, is that so! Judging from the look in your eyes, hon, I take it you’re both pleased as punch! You know what else, I’m so happy for the both of you, everything for you two is on the house today!” Giving Aisha a look of motherly concern, she said, “And now that you’re eating for three, you need a little more than a shake. I’m gonna’ serve you up a steak with a baked potato, also on the house!”

  **********************************************

  “Here we are, sweetie.” Carlito announced. Looking in the rear view mirror, he saw Zamora’s eyes grow wide as she drank in the sight of the lovely farmhouse. He had to admit himself that it was indeed like something out of a picture postcard.

  Raven turned around and looked at the girl. “Now, remember what I told you. If things don’t work out….” she said, and handed her a piece of paper with two phone numbers written on it. “These are our numbers, and you can get in touch with us anytime. If you find yourself in a fix for any reason, just call either one of us, and we‘ll come get you, aright?”

  Folding the paper carefully, Zamora placed it inside her small purse and clicked it shut. Smiling, her eyes misted as she leaned forward and hugged Raven tightly. “Thank you both for everything.” she croaked.

  Leaning over, Carlito gave her a peck on the temple and replied, “You’re welcome, hon. Like she said, just call us if you ever need us.”

  “Go on to you family, now.” Raven whispered.

  Releasing her stranglehold, Zamora sniffed, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, picked up her suitcase and purse, and got out. Shutting the door, she walked several paces, stopped, and turned around for one last look. Smiling, she waved goodbye slowly with one hand, turned back around, and began walking.

  They both watched in silence as she approached the front porch.

  “I don’t know, you think we should wait around a bit?” Carlito asked, finally breaking the silence.

  Leaning back with a sigh, Raven closed her eyes and said, “No, I’m getting nothing but good vibes about this place. Besides, she has our numbers.”

  “Well, if you believe she‘s gonna‘ be alright here, then I‘m satisfied. Needless to say, I trust your judgment.” he replied as he restarted the engine.

  “Let’s go grab us another cup of joe somewhere. Damn I’m having trouble staying awake this morning.” What she didn’t tell him was that, in her excitement, Zamora had kept her up all night, watching television and talking.

  “Betcha’.“ he replied. Turning the vehicle around, he glanced in the rear view mirror and caught one last look at her as she rang the doorbell. “Good luck, little Angel.” he muttered.

  **************************************************

  Jonus finished stacking the last of the firewood behind the house. He had already cut and stacked a full winters supply. Smiling to himself, he muttered, “My house. Imagine that.” Whistling softly, he thought about his recent good fortune. After moving in, he had made the decision to finally get back in college. In time, he planned to complete his business degree, maybe even buy Fred’s Hardware afterwards. Word around town lately was that Harry was thinking about selling the place, since his daughter Patty had up and left town without notice. No one knew where she was, she had left without even saying goodbye to her own dad.

  Even though he felt most of his life had fallen into place, his smile faltered as he thought of his last visit to his parent’s house. His mother had begged him to come for Sunday brunch late one morning, and he had gone. He had enjoyed spending time with her and his brothers, that was, up until his father came in and began reminding him how disappointed he was in him. As usual, it ended with him storming out of the house with his dad hot on his heels, yelling, his mother trailing behind both of them, weeping, pleading, and wringing her hands.

  The sudden sound of Thelma and Louie barking caught his attention. He had been around both of them long enough to tell the barking was friendly instead of agitated. “What are you two raising Cain about?“ he half-yelled in a good-natured voice.

  Walking towards the front of the house, he turned the corner and stopped in his tracks. A stranger was standing in front of the door, apparently ringing the doorbell, a battered old suitcase down on the porch floor by her feet. She was glancing over her shoulder worriedly (her face partially obscured from his view) at the two dogs, who stood at the bottom of the steps, still barking and wagging their tails.

  When she turned her attention back to the door, he walked up the porch steps and said, “Hello there, can, I help you?”

  The girl spun around and looked at him with wide, timid eyes. His mouth fell open, as he was instantly thunderstruck by the girl’s natural beauty. Oh my Lord, she’s BEAUTIFUL!..was his first thought.

  “Ohhh…hi..” the young woman stammered.

  Still thunderstruck, he turned around and absently scolded the dogs. “Thelma, Louie, shoo! Go on and play, now!”

  Turning in unison, they ran towards the nearest barn, probably to chase field mice as they so often did.

  “Sorry about that, I hope they didn’t scare you. They’re perfectly harmless, really. Not a mean bone in their entire bodies.” he apologized. “Uhhh, something I can help you with?” he finished, unable to tear his gaze from her lovely face.

  Wringing her hands, she replied nervously, “I’m looking for my sister, Aisha. But she… uhhh, wasn’t expecting me. Is she here?”

  He actually felt his heart begin to pick up speed, and he stepped a little closer. Looking even more carefully at her, he could see a slight resemblance to Aisha. They shared the same beautiful brown eyes, thoug
h her skin was a little darker.

  “Uhh, she lives on the other side of the farm now. I can take you there, if you’d like. By the way, my name is Jonus, Jonus Thompson.” Wiping his hand on his tattered jeans, he offered it to her.

  She hesitated for just a moment, then placed her small hand in his large, calloused one. She felt an unfamiliar bolt of excitement running through her body, and was disoriented by the feeling. Pulling her hand away quickly, she looked up at him. “I’m Zamora, pleased to meet you, Jonus.” she replied shyly, feeling herself blush. Oh, he’s sooo good looking, and I bet he thinks I’m acting like some eleven year old with a crush… she thought miserably.

  Damn it, snap out of it! You’re acting like a complete dork!…Jonus scolded himself.

  She wrapped her arms around herself nervously, and he noticed the long sleeved dress may have fit her like a gunnysack, but it took absolutely nothing away from her natural beauty.

  Zamora was thankful her skin was dark, otherwise he would have surely noticed how embarrassed she was by her own reaction to him. From the moment she had laid eyes on him, she knew without a doubt he was the most handsome man that she had ever seen. His tanned skin gave his green eyes an intense look. His long blond hair softened his chiseled facial features, giving him a look similar to the men on the covers of those hidden romance novels she had once had to read in secret. And something about his eyes and kind voice told her she could trust him. “Thanks, I would be most grateful if you could take me to see her.“

  He simply nodded, then picked up her suitcase.

  “Most grateful?” You idiot, you sound some geek nerd wallflower… she thought.

  “Aisha never said she had a sister, guess this will be a nice surprise for her.” he said as he led her to his truck.

  Following close behind him, she replied nervously, “I hope she’ll be surprised and pleased. I sort of ran away.”

  Stopping, he turned around and looked at her. She looked young, but he found it difficult to believe she was underage. This could be trouble.. he warned himself.

  Stopping in her tracks also, she held her breath in silence, wondering why he was looking at her the way he was.

  “How old are you?”

  Looking down at the ground, she moved some dirt around with the toe of one of her old, worn-out looking sneakers.“ I’m twenty one, I’ll be twenty two in December.” she replied softly.

  Breathing a sigh of relief, he opened the truck door for her. She said she ran away from home. Maybe she means she left a bad relationship with a boyfriend or husband, or something… he thought.

  She watched as he placed her suitcase in the bed of the truck, then walk around to the drivers side door, all the while marveling at him in silence. He definitely didn’t walk, talk, or act like all the men who had lived at the compound, not even the younger ones that were around her age. All of them, on the other hand, could have easily been mistaken for clones, had it not been for distinctive facial features.

  As he got in and started the engine, she climbed in as well, her thoughts drifting back to her older sister. She hoped and prayed she would welcome her. Their father had said for years that Aisha was evil, and would die in the belly of the beast. But she didn’t believe that, not anymore. Why else would she ever have taken the time to write her, after all? Her main concern was whether or not she would allow her to stay. Just because she had written to her a few times didn’t mean she didn’t want privacy. She obviously had a life of her own. As Jonus drove she looked around the farm in wonder, thinking how blessed her sister was to live somewhere like this. The place was everything the compound had not been. There were no drab, bleak looking buildings void of decoration, or even a coat of paint. The land itself looked well tended to, not raped and trampled under foot in order to get the most out of it with minimal effort. Gazing at some cattle in the distance, she was unaware that the truck had slowed down.

  “We’re here.” he announced.

  Turning back around, she gasped. The house he was pulling up to looked like one out of storybooks she had read at the school library, when she was younger.

  Jonus smiled at her reaction. “Her husband Connell had the place built, just for her, as a wedding gift.”

  She was familiar with the name, Connell, and was mildly shocked at the news. Connell had been the husband of her sister’s best friend, Jenny. Remembering the last letter she had received, the one that had included the obituary clipping, she frowned and asked, “Aisha, she married him after Jenny passed away?”

  “It’s kind of a long story, but your sister actually saved him After Jenny’s death he had completely given up on living. She kept the farm running and took care of his children, and eventually got him to see that life was still worth living. He fell in love with her, and eventually, she fell in love with him, and the rest, as they say, is history. They’re good for one another, believe me. And, she’s having her own baby soon.“ he explained. “But I’ll let her tell you the whole story, seems only right, you being blood kin and everything.”

  “Oh my goodness, I’m going to be an Aunt again!” she replied happily. “My older brother has a son, but I never really got to do fun things with him, take him anywhere, or….well, never mind.” she finished as her smile faltered a little.

  Not knowing what to say, and feeling it wasn’t his place to ask anyway, he replied awkwardly, “Well, I can tell you this, your sister is a real sweetheart. She’s one of the most thoughtful, kind, and loving people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Trust me, you’ll love it here.”

  Taking a deep breath, she got out to meet a woman she barely knew, barely remembered even. A woman she had known most of her life through only a handful of photographs and letters.

  ***********************************************

  Aisha watched Abby following her brother, as he did a combination of a walk and run.

  Abby was excited that she would be a big sister again soon, and it would be with two babies, no less.

  Hearing a knock at the front door, she got up off the couch and made her way there. The main door was already open, and she could see through the glass porch door that it was Jonus. Smiling, she motioned for him to come inside, wanting to give him the news about the twins.

  Opening the door, he stepped inside and stopped right over the threshold. With a huge grin, he said, “There’s someone here who wants to meet you.”

  With a questioning look of her own, she cocked her head sideways just as he stepped all the way inside and stood to one side.

  Her eyes went wide and she felt her heart begin to race as a young, vaguely familiar black woman stepped inside.

  “Hi, Aisha? I’m Zamora, your sister.” the young girl said hesitantly, with an awkward, uncertain smile.

  ********************************************************

  Aisha stood in stunned silence, her heart beating a mile a minute. She looked at Zamora, then Jonus, and back again.

  Zamora’s heart sank at the look of shock on her sister’s face. She doesn’t want me here after all.. she thought. She began backing out the door, blindly, when a strong hand grabbed her arm firmly, holding her in place. Eyes misting over, she looked up and could barely make out Jonus’ smile. Wiping her eyes quickly with the back of one hand, she saw his green eyes were gentle and understanding, and it calmed her instantly.

  “You’ve got to understand, this is a tremendous shock for her. Just go give her a hug.“ he urged in a soft voice, then gave her a gentle push in Aisha’s direction.

  Still, she hesitated.

  Aisha snapped out her stupor, and slowly walked towards her sister, tears beginning to stream down her face. This isn’t real, I must be dreaming. I’m going to open my eyes and wake up on the couch… she thought. With a trembling hand, she reached out tentatively to her face, and released a sob when she felt her sister’s warm flesh against her palm.

  Closing her eyes, Zamora leaned forward into her sister’s soft, reassuring touch. />
  “Zamora…oh my God, it‘s you, it‘s really you!” she said in a nearly suffocated, broken whisper. Reaching both arms out, she pulled her into her embrace as if she were a fragile piece of china. “Ohhh darling, I’m so glad you got away from that awful place! How did you get here? Are you Ok?” With a loud, hoarse, braying sob she suddenly embraced her tightly, eyes closed, crying like a baby. “The last time I saw you…you were just a little thing, running around, singing and playing.” she managed in between sobs. Rocking her back and forth slowly, she thought, My Lord, thank you for so many blessings, thank you!

  “I was terrified you wouldn’t want me, Aisha.” she muttered as returned the embrace and began weeping with joy herself.