At nearly half past two, T.L. finally strode in, holding Tamia by the hand. "Sorry for bein' so late, Mama. We had trouble gettin' away." The truth of the matter was that T.L. and Tamia had been overcome with desire for one another and pulled off down a secluded country road and into a small clearing between patches of thick forest. Pearlina knew that something was wrong. She could smell the all too familiar smell of sex in the air. She thought that it must be the newly arrived couple but also knew that she couldn't say anything to anyone.
The matter was pushed aside, as were all others. Everyone got to know Tamia and grew to like her more and more with each passing moment. The rest of the day went surprisingly well, everyone filling their bellies to their maximum holding, joking, laughing, celebrating their togetherness and happy family bond. That was until, an hour or so after finishing their meal, when Josiah blurted aloud, bellowing clearly over the numerous conversations and over the TV., "Shylah, Baby, you gonna let your Uncle Josey walk you down the aisle? I know you ain't let that fool over there do it. He's gonna get lost before he gets you up to the front!"
"I know you didn't just say that, Joe," Darius angrily chirped. "I am her daddy, and I will walk my baby girl down that aisle! I will give her away, like any father should! You ain't walkin' nobody but your drunk ass."
"I may be a drunk, but I can still find my way around. The way you are, you can't even find your feet on a good day!"
"I found my way into Pearlina's arms, in case you forgot!"
"How could I forget? She was my girl, and you stole her away from me! You stole from your only brother!" Josiah sat with his arms crossed and his eyes averted from the gaze of his younger brother.
"You ain't my only brother!"
"I'm the only one that's livin', you triflin' bastard!"
"If I'm a bastard, what does that make you, Joe? I was born after you, and we got the same mama and the same daddy! You always was the stupidest man I ever knew! And me and Pearlina been married for thirty years! When you gonna let it all go, Joe?"
"When you die! I'll come piss on your grave, you stinky ol' thief! I'll be drinkin' my Hennessey and pissin' all over you! Make it rain! Make it rain!"
"Do I have to separate you two again," Pearlina shouted. "I will not have that talk in my house! You two learn to get along, once and for all, or Thanksgiving is over, and Darius, you will sleep on this couch, and Joe, you will go home and not be welcome back! Ya'all hear me?!" Seconds went by with no response from anyone, making Pearlina all the more angry. "I said, 'Did ya'all hear me?!'"
"Yes, Ma'am," Darius huffed, his eyes turned to the wall.
"Joe, you hear me," Pearlina demanded. "Do you want to be thrown out of here and never to come back? Don't you dare test me, Josiah King!"
Josiah hesitated, slowly choking down his pride, afraid to answer but more afraid not to answer. "Yes, Ma'am."
"Ok. That's settled. Now, how come we can't have a good time and be together as a family without a fight breakin' out? You two was doin' good all day. Why can't it be like last year? You two actually got along and even seemed to like each other for once. It was the first time in many years I saw you happy and bein' brothers. Do that again. Remember the good times."
"Pearlina, why you ever want this fool anyway," Josiah begged, nearly breaking into tears.
"Joe, you shut your mouth, right now! You know why I left you all those years ago? You didn't know how to treat me. You saw me more like a thing to be proud of and show off but not somethin' to cherish. Darius showed me that I was worth more than that. He showed me what it was like to be truly loved! He has his faults, Darius King does, but he knows how to give a woman what she needs."
"I gave you what you needed, Pearlina," Josiah protested. "I gave it to you good all the time."
Pearlina, despite her desire to end all of the fighting, felt compelled to let everything stirring within her out of its bottle. "First of all, Joe, don't be sayin' that in front of my children. Second of all, maybe you did, but for your information, I needed way more than that. Third of all, your brother was always better. Now, you know the truth. Get over it, Joe! It's been more than thirty years! Your are damn near sixty years old and still dwellin' on somethin' that happened a lifetime ago! Move on, Joe. That's why you never found you a good wife. You found anybody that would fill the hole in your life, and neither of you loved the other one. Then, you acted like it was a big surprise when she up and left you and took your kids with her. You been a drunk since the day me and Darius got married. You were still a drunk when you got married. You're still a drunk to this day, and sad to say, Joe, if you don't get you some help, you gonna be a drunk til the day you die, which might be a lot sooner than you think. Get on with your life, and mend the pieces!"
Much of the rest of the day was passed in general silence, only the occasional, short conversation breaking out between James and Mark, between Mark and Shylah, Shylah and her mother or her cousin, Mark and T.L., and on a very rare occasion, between Tamia and one of the other women. Tamia was still to unaccustomed to the King family or their ways. She liked them already, immensely, but felt confused and a little scared. She worried that they might not like her as much as she hoped. T.L. tried, time and again, to initiate Tamia into talks with the other people in the room, but her answers were usually short and carefully woven.
Josiah eventually left, downtrodden, feeling forgotten and unwanted, not to be heard from until the day of Mark's and Shylah's wedding, weeks to come. The wedding was so quickly approaching that it worried Mark, Shylah, and Shylah's parents to no end. They were all certain that it would go well and be one of the happiest days ever to be shared amongst the King clan, but it all seemed too surreal and too close to let the fears surrounding it fade into oblivion.
T.L. and Mark attempted to piece together a bachelor party for the groom-to-be, but they could not come up with anything that the felt would not anger or upset Shylah. They thought of gathering as many of their friends as possible and heading to a gentleman's club thirty miles away or even, as far away as Atlanta, but they knew that Shylah, if she learned of what had happened, would likely throw a fit. Mark had no intentions of causing his bride any pain or jealousy.
With some kind words and one thousand dollars in cash slipped into the hand of the owner of the Muddy Water Tavern, Mark had a place to hold his party. The plan was that he and his friends would have the place to themselves for an entire night and drink themselves into a haze. They were told that they must buy all of their alcohol, but it was of no concern to Mark. He knew that he could easily afford it all. There would be nothing more than drinking, music, pool, and darts. It would be much like so many Friday nights but more private and relaxed. He had no idea, however, that T.L. and Darius hired a stripper for the occasion.
Shylah, on the other hand, despite a temporary thought of perhaps going to Atlanta to a club featuring numerous bulky and well-oiled men, quickly let the idea dissipate. She, too, did not want to upset her soon-to-be spouse. It was agreed that given this and that she could not drink alcohol, that she, her mother, her cousin, her maid of honor, and her bridesmaids would have a catered dinner at Mark's house, followed by bachelorette games and gift giving. There had been no engagement party, and everyone wanted to give Shylah something that they would not be able to give at the wedding reception.
While Mark was getting plastered and having a gyrating woman force her way all over him, much to his regret and reluctance to allow it, Shylah played games that made her feel just as uneasy, followed by receipt of gifts that made her feel even more so. Things were somewhat tolerable, until one of her friends broke out the game, "Pin the Tail on the Hunk," a game in which participants were to be blindfolded and attempt to attach a cardboard male appendage to a picture of a rather muscular and completely nude man. When the game was over, Shylah felt more relief than she ever had in her life. She enjoyed the game, but it made her feel far too uncomfortable to play with her mother in the room. A part of her even felt bad that
she was delighted at the sight of the man whose "tail" needed attaching. The real discomfort came when Shylah received numerous "marital aids." Though she already had some and knew that Mark did not mind her using them, so long as she still had the desire to give herself to him, seeing her mother's face as each package was opened made her want to die. Pearlina sat watching the event, stoically sipping her non-alcoholic champagne, never displaying the slightest emotion.
Shylah was certain that the affair had to cause her mother as much unease as it caused for her. When Shylah lifted a very scanty negligée from a large gift box and held it high in the air, she turned to see how her mother might react, giving Pearlina a look of apology for what was paraded before her. "Mama, I'm... I'm sorry," Shylah finally pled, afraid of gaining her mother's lecture.
"Baby, you think I don't know what you and Mark do. You're pregnant. I know you didn't get that way from nothin'. You ain't the Virgin Mary. It's ok." As Pearlna filled the room with deep laughter, Shylah felt the pain of the moment start to disappear.
Tamia attended Shylah's party but was the only one to give a non-sexual gift, instead giving Shylah a gift card to a nearby spa to pamper herself soon after the honeymoon. Even Pearlina, much to Shylah's surprise, got her daughter a coupon for sexual favors to be shared between the honeymooning couple, along with various oils. It was at the moment of opening this gift that Shylah's face turned ghostly white, eliciting the uproarious and raucous laughter of everyone else in the room, Tamia included. Tamia now felt like she could say just about anything and do just about anything and still be welcomed into the King family. She could finally start to open up more and not have to feel so uncomfortable and scared. If T.L.'s mother were laid back enough to get such gifts for her own daughter, Tamia thought, then she must be the easiest person on Earth to get along with and someone worth getting to know.
With the rehearsal dinner over and the bachelor and bachelorette parties soon to be, there was a great air of the washing away of anxiety pervading everywhere that Mark, Shylah, or any of Shylah's family were. Mark, however, drunk as he soon was, still felt uncomfortable and worried over having the stripper grind and touch all over him. He received what most would call "total V.I.P. treatment" all night long. He enjoyed it but felt that he might have to pay for it all later. He could only hope that all of the other men would never let the secret be made known to Shylah, for any reason. Mark was thankful that he would not be around Shylah that night. If she smelled the oil and other scents of the other woman, she would be apt to want to kill him.
The wedding was to be held the next day, at ten a.m. Some wondered why the bachelor part was scheduled so close to the wedding, but it seemed to work out better that way and was the only night that the Muddy Water could be rented. T.L. already had his tuxedo at Mark's house, the plan being for him to accompany Mark home and sleep there, both of them to arrive at the church together by a little after nine. Neither was in adequate shape to drive home but somehow, followed by Darius, arrived safely at nearly one in the morning. Shylah was already long gone, fast asleep at her parents' house. Mark feared that he might not be in good shape to get married the next day, but he was also very ready to begin his new life with the most beautiful woman he had ever known.
When Mark stepped from T.L.'s truck, he began to feel himself sober up, and tossing his keys to his friend to allow him to go inside, Mark stepped toward the cypress grove that he and Shylah so loved. He quickly traced the initials of his parents carved into the trunk of one of the trees, and staring up at the December sky above, could see the ample light of the moon shining through the tall cypress trees. It was that cypress moon that let him know how blessed he was, how wonderful his life with Shylah would be, and that his Creator had a plan for him.
Dropping to his knees in front of his parents' tree, Mark threw his hands up in a supplicating manner, pouring out his heart to the Lord, giving thanks for everything that He brought into the life of one so mortal and frail. Mark prayed for guidance, for the ability to make Shylah happy, to be the best husband and father possible. He prayed that the wedding would be all that Shylah ever dreamed of, the fairytale that so many girls wished for but never got to live. He even prayed that if Shylah ever found out about what he had done that night, that she would find it in her heart to forgive him and let it go.
Rising from his knees, Mark slowly wandered back to the house and into to his room. In less than nine hours, he would be bound to Shylah, before God and before everyone that they knew. He was certain that he would feel the effects of his bachelor party, but it would not matter, so long as he could say the two words he had practiced so many times and stare into the eyes of his wife.
Chapter 33
Mark woke at exactly six-thirty, ready to begin the biggest day of his life so far. He could already smell fresh coffee sifting its welcoming aromas down the hall and through his bedroom door. He wondered if it would be enough, no matter how much had been made, to jolt him to full alertness and ease the pounding that he was sure would come soon to his head.
Mark walked into the kitchen to find T.L. sitting at the table, a cup of coffee in front of him, a cigarette in his hand. "Mornin', Man. Glad you're up. I hate sittin' here alone."
"How long you been up," Mark asked as he pulled a coffee cup from the cupboard.
"Woke up right at six, got up at more like a quarter after. I didn't wanna get up, but I knew I had to. It feels weird, not goin' to work today. I hope they do ok without me."
"You know they will, Man. It'll be ok. You're only missin' one day, and you get paid for it. Sorry you had to use a personal day for this, though."
"Hey, not a problem. You're my best friend. You gettin' married to my little sister, how often is that gonna happen, once, maybe four times in a lifetime?" T.L. could not hold back his laughter and lost himself in the hearty clatter, nearly falling from his chair.
"Yeah, well, we better just be gettin' married this once. I know I won't wanna do it again, and we ARE NOT gonna be one of those couples that gets married, divorced, remarried to each other, divorced again, and so on. Your sister better take me for better or worse until the end of time. Think about this. This is a scary thought. In just four hours or so, me and you are no longer gonna be like brothers. We're gonna be brothers! It only took close to twenty-four years, too." Mark's laughter now matched that of his friend but much more for his own comment than for T.L.'s.
"Guess so. It does seem kinda odd. I guess you really are gonna be part of the family. Think about that, the great-great whatever grandson of a slave bein' brothers with the great-great whatever grandson of the guy that owned his family. Funny how life works out, huh?"
"Yep. It is. But you know, as much as I hate what they did back then, it did provide some good things, like me bein' able to keep people workin' that need it and me bein' able to provide for your sister. I know it's awful how the money got here, but it does do some good. Well, anyway, I gotta know... you gonna be ok without your girlfriend at the wedding? I wish she could be there, but I couldn't let the rules be broken for her. She's a new employee, and she couldn't get the day off so soon. I know it sucks. It's just how it is. I can't show favoritism."
"Nope," T.L. stated, downing the last gulp of his coffee. "I understand. I wish she was there, but oh well. I understand. She said she understands. I'll see her when she gets off work tonight. She's gonna come straight from work to the reception, what's left of it anyway."
After finishing his first cup of coffee and his first cigarette of the day, Mark excused himself and walked out the backdoor of the house, heading to the family cemetery a few hundred yards away. Kneeling in front of his parents' graves, Mark opened his mouth as though his parents were there with him. He felt that they must be, that they could, at least, hear every word that he spoke.
"Mama, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, I know you already know, but your little boy is about to tie the knot. I know ya'all knew Shylah, at least for a good while, but if you saw her today, saw the beautif
ul, amazing woman she is, you'd be so proud of me. She's the best I could ever find, all I could ever want. She's... She's the light in my dark world. I wish all ya'all were here to see this. If you could see it, I know you'd probably laugh, but you'd be so happy. I can even see Daddy wipin' his eyes. Daddy, I know me and you had our differences. I know I wanted to blame you for so many things. I know you made a lot of mistakes in your life, and maybe all you really showed me was what not to do with mine. I want you to know I do love you, Daddy. I know you really had good in your heart, no matter the bad things you did. I wanted to hate you for cheatin' on Mama, and I'm sure she already knows about it. That whole mess not only pained me but put me through Hell. I suppose, though, that Sara might be right there with you. I hope she understands that I don't hate her for what she did, and I know she has to be in a better place now. Her life wasn't easy, and she couldn't help the things she did. She needed help and never got it. I hope that one day, when I get to Heaven, we can all sit down together and put aside all the differences and just be happy, all of us. Mama, Daddy, I'm sorry you didn't get to be around to see your first grandbaby. I just want each and every one of you to know how much I love you. Mammaw, Pappaw, you two were inspirations. You meant everything to me, and I can't wait to see you again someday. Mama, you were the light in my life from day one til the day you passed. No offense, Mammaw. You were, too. Both of you instilled in me the ways a man should treat a woman and the ability to keep on fightin', through the worst of life. I would stay and tell you so much more, but I know you know how I feel 'bout all of ya. Wish me luck. I love you, every one of you, and I'll see ya'all one day, on the other side. Just hold a place in Heaven for Marcus James Crady and his family."
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