Guilty By Association

by Pat Simmons

  “What has been the purpose in my life—to have an invisible father, or a brother who is following in his pitiful father’s misguided footsteps?” He truly wanted to know the answers.

  As Kidd continued to contemplate his life, he knew Eva was the reason—the only reason—he didn’t quit the nursing facility on day one. Looking back on his stint there, he actually had no complaints. No one demanded him to change diapers or do aisle cleanups. His main responsibility was to give elderly residents some attention—provide entertainment of sorts for them.

  Two weeks later on a Saturday, Kidd was in the middle of moving the boxes of glassware and dishes Eva had made him purchase to the kitchen. As he prepared for his housewarming guests, the doorbell rang. Now, who has the audacity to arrive early? he thought.

  A little irritated, he went to answer the door. On the way, Kidd smiled, wondering if it might be Eva. She had gone shopping for more party stuff, but she hadn’t been gone long.

  Swinging open the front door, he teased, “Back so soon—” Kidd was rendered speechless for a few seconds, then he stuttered, “Ma, Ace?” Engulfing them into a tight group hug, they remained united until Ace fought his way out of Kidd’s stronghold.

  “What are you two doing here?”

  “We were invited, silly.” His mother elbowed him out of the way as she and Ace entered. Glancing around, Sandra’s eyes sparkled with approval. Kidd was glad he had hung the pictures.

  “I can’t wait to meet her,” Sandra whispered. Immediately, she began her home inspection.

  Kidd knew exactly who his mother was referring to. He was about to shut the door when Cameron swaggered up the walkway. Now what was he doing here? Why did he come?

  This shindig was Eva’s brainchild. He expected a few coworkers and neighbors who accepted the invitations she mailed. Her parents were out of town, but if they made it back in time, surely they would come. And of course, the St. Louis Jamiesons were on their way. Yeah. His woman was amazing. She really pulled one over on him; he wasn’t expecting anyone from Boston.

  “Whatz up, cuz?”

  “What are you doing in town?” Kidd may have accepted Cameron’s brothers, but he was another story. Cameron had become Ace’s new crutch.

  “You might as well let me in, because I think that pretty little lady needs help.” Cameron smirked.

  “And why didn’t you help my woman?” Kidd shoved Cameron aside and hurried to rescue Eva from struggling with three assorted bags of party goods and food.

  Gladly handing them over, she commented, “There are a couple of boxes in the trunk. Has your family arrived yet?”

  “Yep, you little event planner. My mom and brother are here. My cousin Cameron’s here too. How many people did you invite?”

  “Oh, not many. Just the mayor, the entire police force …” She laughed. “Just kidding, pun intended. Did I do good?” She batted her eyes.

  With a broad smile on his face that revealed his true feelings, Kidd steadied his breathing. “No, you didn’t do good, woman. I don’t even like those people,” he teased.

  “Behave. You know I can kick up some dust too, Kevin Jamieson.”

  As the late afternoon sun played hide-and-seek with her eyes and the wind tousled her hair, Kidd kissed her. After a lingering kiss, he took his time ushering Eva inside. Thoroughly enjoying their moment of solitude, he told her, “You know there’s a small pond near here. Every time I jog past, it reminds me of you—peaceful, beautiful, and powerful.”

  After walking inside and taking the bags into the kitchen for Eva, Kidd returned to the living room. Ace and Cameron were sitting and talking over a beer. A few minutes later, he heard the sound of voices approaching the door. Kidd opened it in time to greet four Jamieson children bouncing up the walkway. The two oldest raced to the door as their makeshift finish line, while the toddlers took up the rear.

  “Hi, Cousin Uncle!” Pace and Kami shouted in unison.

  He was promptly hugged, squeezed, and then kissed by Kami. Whatever gifts they were bearing were definitely smashed in the process. Coming up behind them, Parke and Cheney were empty-handed, followed by Hallison and Malcolm, who was lugging an overflowing basket.

  Cheney stepped up first. “You are welcome to visit any time, but leave that gun at home,” she whispered in Kidd’s ear, as they embraced.

  “Cheney, I’m really sorry about that. I did have the safety on it. I’m not used to being around children. But to my credit, I kept it in a safe place; it wasn’t lying around.”

  “Doesn’t matter. My children love to play hide-and-seek in their own house.”

  Kidd understood her point and nodded, then received Hallison’s hug. Once the women entered, he was standing face-to-face with the brothers Jamieson.

  “Forgiven?” Parke asked.

  “Who? You or me?” Kidd questioned, narrowing his eyes.

  “Let’s call us even.”

  “Yeah. Sounds good.” Kidd smirked and stepped back. Silently, it was the official signing of their peace treaty. When they walked in, his place suddenly came alive.

  Angela and a reluctant Lance were the last of the guests to arrive. Throughout the evening, a few neighbors stopped by. Some coworkers came, enjoyed the food, and dropped off their gifts. Eva helped him open the abundance of presents. Watching her excitement over each gift, one might think it was her housewarming. Her constant expressions of ooh and ahh made him appreciate the offerings that much more.

  Meanwhile, Cheney and Hallison’s toddlers turned his two-bedroom home into a playground. Observing their innocence, he was reminded of Cheney’s warning over the gun incident and truly understood what she was talking about. He would never want to see a child hurt because of his lack of thoughtfulness.

  When their parents ordered them to be still, Kidd assumed his authority. “This is my house. Let them do what they want.” He grinned.

  “All right … spoken by a man who doesn’t know how destructive little Jamiesons can be,” Cheney said, while everyone laughed. Kami and Pace sat on the floor in the corner, content with playing handheld video games. Unrestrained, Paden and MJ continued having a field day, shredding gift wrap paper and littering it throughout the house.

  When Kidd’s mother spearheaded the cleanup, the women gathered in the kitchen and exchanged decorating tips for the house. It just so happened that he caught the moment when his mother slipped outside with Eva.

  The Jamieson men were left alone in the living room to argue over sports—all in the name of good fun. Witnessing the scene, there was no doubt in his mind that, as Rodney King suggested long ago, the cousins could all get along.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  “You’ve done a good job.” Tears filled Kidd’s mother’s soulful eyes, after Eva closed the sliding door. As the day was winding down, they were about to have a private talk on Kidd’s small deck.

  “Your son follows good decorating directions. Wait until Kidd sees the kitchen bar table set Cheney and I picked out as the Jamieson family gift. It should be delivered on Monday.”

  Sandra shook her head. “I’m not talking about this house,” she spread her arms and turned from side to side, “or the decorating. I’m referring to Kidd. How on earth did you tame him?”

  They walked down the stairs to put some distance between them and the house. “I didn’t, Miss Nicholson.”

  “Please call me Sandra. When I spoke to you over the phone, I felt a kindred spirit as far as Kidd was concerned. Now that I have actually witnessed his happiness, it makes me want to have church in this yard.”

  Dont send out the invitations to the Holy Ghost party yet, Eva wanted to tell her. So far, Kidd hadn’t scored a spiritual deliverance touchdown. He was still teetering on the sidelines.

  “The Lord knows I’ve prayed for Kidd to be delivered from his angry spirit. Hatred is like a sponge. It picks up ugliness along the way until it’s saturated with all kinds of filth,” Sandra said with a faraway look. “I never thought when I fell in lov
e with one man—who I didn’t know was married—it would cause the son I brought into this world not to have room in his heart to love. I begged God not to make my sons pay for my mistakes. Then God spoke and corrected me. He said nobody can pay for my sins or the mistakes I’ve made—because He already did it.”

  Eva placed her hand on Sandra’s arm.

  “I’m so thankful,” Sandra continued, “I now feel his spirit is finally settling. I haven’t seen Kidd this content since he was a boy and knew his father was coming to visit. If you don’t marry him, then …”

  “Kevin has to ask, and I won’t accept unless he surrenders to God. So it’s three of us in the equation. At this point, I can’t understand what’s stopping him from repenting. It’s frustrating.”

  “Welcome to my world. I’m surprised I don’t have white hair by now, skipping the gray stage altogether.” Her eyes sparkled.

  Sandra Nicholson was a pretty lady with dark brown hair. Not a gray strand in sight. From what Kidd shared with her, Eva was surprised his mother had never married—ever. Well, who knows, maybe with her focus off her oldest son, she would concentrate more on her personal happiness.

  “He’s getting close.”

  “Sandra, I’m sorry to burst the bubble. But Kidd has come to church; he’s walked down the aisle for prayer more than once. I’ve seen him reading his Bible … he respects me.” Eva threw her hands up. “What is taking him so long?”

  Sandra grabbed Eva’s hands. “The race is not given to the swift, and we know Kidd’s not running to the altar. So it looks like he’s not in any hurry. Still, I believe once my son gets there, he will stay strong and endure until Jesus comes back.”

  “Only a mother’s love would say that. I love Kevin, despite his stubborn ways … but a woman can only hold out for so long,” Eva confided. She sniffed, determined not to cry. Then she welcomed Sandra’s hug. “I’m sorry for venting. I know Kevin really is a good man, a wonderful boyfriend, and a very tenderhearted person.”

  “Hmmm, that’s an interesting description for a man who left home as an angry Black man. But God can save anybody, even a moody man.”

  Laughing, they separated. Before rejoining the group, they exchanged a confident glance. A strong bond had just been formed.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  When the weekend was over, Kidd couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed himself so much with his family. His good mood lingered into Monday, until he walked into work and got the news. Miss Jessie passed away in her sleep hours earlier, making her the first resident to die in the facility in months.

  Kidd kept an eye on Eva as she sat silently praying outside the elderly woman’s room. The woman’s only visiting relative sat inside mourning. It had been a display of uncanny timing. Miss Jessie’s granddaughter was coming down the hall at the same time the head nurse was making the call to the next of kin for the death notification.

  “Tissue and a glass of water never seem adequate when trying to console a family member,” Eva told Kidd when she first learned about the death. “I’ll pray with her granddaughter, if she wants me to.” Eva had made it her standard offer. Kidd didn’t comment when she added, “Only a few people have been so upset that they declined.”

  By the time he was making his third patrol through the hall to check on her, Eva hadn’t moved.

  Death. Kidd reflected on his own accomplishments and disappointments. Did Miss Jessie have any regrets in her life? What about his mother? His only regret in life would be if she didn’t live long enough to witness his transformation. Movement broke his trance. Eva got up and disappeared inside the room.

  Fifteen minutes later, she still hadn’t emerged. As he rushed down the hall toward the room, Eva came out distraught. When she saw him, she practically fell into Kidd’s arms. He nudged her into a corner for more privacy.

  “Whoa. Are you all right?” He wrapped both arms securely around her. Eva shook her head and hiccupped, as she collapsed in his embrace.

  For the next couple of days, Kidd ignored any whispers of death talk. Shaking his head, he dismissed the superstitious, inane sayings people have a habit of conjuring up by calling such things stupid-stition.

  Eva slowly regained her cheerfulness. He had never seen someone grieve so hard over a person who wasn’t a relative.

  Back to business as usual, he performed his rounds of resident visits, ignoring the annoying ones like Mr. Johnston. Leaving his office, Kidd turned down the corridor to Mrs. Valentine and Mrs. Beacon’s suite. Let’s find out what bizarre story Mrs. Valentine will be sharing today, he joked to himself.

  When he knocked on their door frame, Mrs. Valentine glanced up with merriment dancing in her bright eyes. The opposite was true for Mrs. Beacon who looked totally indifferent.

  “Good morning, ladies.”

  “Hi, Adam, have you seen your Eve today?”

  “Umm-hmm, and she’s lookin’ real cute too.” Kidd winked and the old woman beamed, as if he was flirting with her.

  “How ya been?” he asked her and then Mrs. Beacon.

  “I’ve been better. I’m ready to go home,” Mrs. Beacon said with weariness in her voice.

  Kidd tried to engage Mrs. Beacon in a spirited discussion, but she pretty much ignored him. Standing to leave, he was surprised Mrs. Valentine didn’t have any tales to pass on. He had just walked out when Mrs. Valentine called after him.

  “You know what’s wrong with your generation today?”

  Kidd snickered. He knew it. Mrs. Valentine couldn’t let him escape without some Black history lesson.

  “I’ve been thinking about Jesus lately and all His promises. I also thought about the promised land and how the Lord was so mad at the children of Israel. He allowed them to get lost in the wilderness for forty years, until all the generations that had done evil in God’s sight were consumed.”

  “So what are you saying, Mrs. Valentine?” Kidd folded his arms and waited patiently.

  “Racism is an insidious form of sin. And when all the generations that are infected die out, folks will finally see the promises of God that have been waiting for them for many generations.”

  “That’s a lot of generations,” he responded, not wanting the conversation to go any further. Kidd felt he had enough of her lectures to last a lifetime. Changing the subject, he focused again on the stubborn and bullheaded Mrs. Beacon. “Soooo … what are the therapists saying about you going home?”

  “They ain’t. They say my attitude and determination are key to my comeback. And I’ve got plenty of both, but not lately. I’m tired. I think my old age of fifty-nine is catching up with me.”

  Mrs. Beacon didn’t crack a smile, having just lied about her age. So Kidd kept his poker face, even though his belly was ready to explode in laughter.

  “Yeah, but this isn’t the Biggest Loser TV show. The therapists aren’t about breaking you down. So you can refrain from cursing them out.” Kidd grunted. “I heard your mouth is as bad as mine—or at least as bad as mine used to be,” he corrected. “I don’t need any competition up in here.” He spoke with great authority and then left their room.

  Kidd was determined to stay away from those two ladies—especially Mrs. Valentine—for a while. Although her stories were most times depressing, he mulled over what she had said about God’s promises throughout many generations. Her words began to haunt his thoughts. “Did it skip me?” he mumbled under his breath.

  A week after Miss Jessie’s death, he and Eva had just returned from lunch when they got the news that another resident had passed away. This time, it was Mrs. Valentine. Kidd’s heart dropped. He didn’t realize how much of an impact she had on his life—until it was too late.

  Suddenly it was his turn to be emotionally affected by a resident’s death. He tried to recall all the stories she had told him when he was barely listening. At the moment, only the last conversation about generations dying out stuck with him. Maybe that was her way of saying good-bye—and a final warning to him.
r />   “That’s the second one,” he heard Eva whisper. It was yet another death to deal with and another round of tears. She succumbed to a silent sob. “They go in threes.”

  Kidd wondered if Eva had picked the wrong profession. Death was inevitable, usually occurring at an accelerated rate within a nursing facility environment. Again he would have to keep an eye on her as best as he could.

  “I’ve got to go into a meeting, text me if you need me. Okay?”

  She nodded, sniffed, and walked back to the nurses’ station.

  Even though he loved his woman, he still didn’t believe in “stupid-stition.” Nevertheless, Kidd knew he had to get his act together before it was too late.

  Why haven’t you repented? God spoke.

  A chill went down his spine. He was momentarily in a state of shock. It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

  Come unto Me. You who are heavy burdened. My yoke is easy and burden is light, God softly beckoned.

  “I’m coming, Lord. I’m coming,” Kidd whispered in hope to appease God.

  Hours later and he hadn’t caught a glimpse of Eva, he went in search of her. Walking through the campus grounds, he ignored the whining and yakking coming from the petting zoo animals.

  There he discovered Eva meandering aimlessly along a path. When she looked up and saw him, she waited as he took long strides to her. Her eyes were puffy. He crushed her to his chest and didn’t let go until she began to struggle.

  “I can’t breathe.”

  “Sorry, baby.” Letting her go, he remembered too that they were at work. However, his main concern was to console her. “Are you sure nursing is for you? I think you become too attached.”

  “I worked in the business sector for a few years and walked around numb because of office politics. Whether I was a nursing candidate or not, I’d still mourn for the lives of those who die. It doesn’t matter if they were sick, killed in a car accident, murdered, drowned … it just makes me value life all the more. I’ll miss her calling me Eve. And you know she was a great storyteller.”