Faith Alone Read online

  “Do we have to cut the little brown babies on the sides?” Those ponytails on her look so real, and those Jordan’s on his feet. Who made this cake?”

  Tracy laughed. “I’ll try not to cut too much of the babies. Details later.” After we’d eaten, we sat in a circle, and First Lady Kendra stood. “This is the time when we’re going to give you advice; our pearls of wisdom. I want you to remember that you have a village who will always be there to help you.”

  Attending baby showers hadn’t been one of my favorite things to do in the past, but when I attended them, this time of the shower was always my favorite.

  Lady Kendra encouraged others to come up. “Now, I know I’m not the only one who has words of wisdom. Who’s next?”

  People picked up their champagne flutes, looked at their phones and did other things to avoid speaking. I heard the squeaking of a chair and saw Janis, my co-worker, strutting up to the front.

  She tapped the microphone before speaking. “There was no way I could let today pass without telling you how I love you, or I’ll say how much we love you. Will everyone here from Loving Our Babies please stand.”

  Six of my co-workers stood at their places.

  “Not only are you our supervisor but our friend. Remember to love yourself as much as you love everyone in your life and that baby will grow to be happy, filled with joy.”

  With my arms outstretched I reached up, and she walked over to my chair and reached down to hug me.

  “Thank you for that reminder. You know it’s hard sometimes.”

  “Just remember I’m here and can’t wait to babysit.”

  Brian’s Aunt Louise from Philadelphia had a full Pentecostal moment when she stepped to the microphone.

  Without blinking an eye, she began. “This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Will everyone from the Jackson side of the family stand.”

  At least ten people did as Aunt Louise directed. From the time that I spent with her while Brian was alive, I knew that she craved attention. She got it today.

  “Lachelle, we are Brian’s blood family. And my nephew loved him some you. Although he is not here in the body, we are. We’ll be here to help you raise that baby in the Lord. Stay focused on Proverbs twenty-two and six which says, ‘train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it.”

  Then I noticed her feet moving, faster and faster and she broke out into a shout. Her husband, Uncle Cleveland, got up and assisted her back to her seat.

  Tracy and Vanessa stepped to the forefront together to share their wisdom with me, and already I had tears in my eyes because their love permeated my heart.

  But before they could speak, Keisha stood and tapped her spoon against her flute. One of Brian’s cousins encouraged her to sit down, but she didn’t. “No, I’m gonna get this off my chest.”

  Tracy gave me a look. I’m giving her the hook.

  With my eyes, I signaled. Let her talk.

  Tracy gave Keisha the microphone and the look that everyone could interpret. Don’t play with me.

  Keisha rolled her eyes. “Word on the curb is that I don’t like my sister-in-law. I want to set the record straight.”

  Sister-in-law. Uhm, first time I’ve ever heard her call me that.

  “My brother was so much to me; brother, father figure and my best friend. I want to keep it real wit’ y’all. I felt that Lachelle took my brother away from me. But, that’s all squashed.” Looking at me directly, she continued. “I ain’t got nothing against you. I wish you happiness and I know that you and the baby will be fine. Shoot, I hope you let me babysit.”

  Babysit? She was going a bit too far. That probably wouldn’t happen until my baby could talk, walk and everything else.

  Appreciating her openness, I got up to hug her but felt woozy. I stumbled as I walked toward her. Tracy and Vanessa’s eyes widened. Before everything faded to black I felt arms around my waist and heard Vanessa scream. “Lachelle.”

  Chapter 23

  After fainting at the baby shower, Dr. Price ordered me to stay home on bed rest for a week. My blood pressure was higher than she would’ve liked, but not high enough to admit me into the hospital.

  I kept Brian’s crumpled paper with baby names under the pillow on his side of the bed; the one with his cologne scent. I studied the paper. Brian was my angel and this note was proof that God allowed him to speak to me from heaven.

  Tracy stayed with me while I was on bedrest but she worked late this evening. I laid on the bed, flipping channels, landing on ‘This Christmas’, the movie with Idris Elba and Chris Brown. As I laid the note on my chest, right above my heart, my text alert rang. It was probably Tracy telling me that she was on her way here.

  I leaned up and pulled the phone from my nightstand almost knocking over the bottled water.

  I was surprised but I shouldn’t have been. The text was from John, asking me how I was doing.

  Me: I’m doing well. I go back to the doctor in two days for a follow-up.

  Him: I can’t bust you outta that joint yet?

  Me: Not yet. I’ll keep you posted.

  Him: Do that. Get some rest. Me: Thank-you

  Would I let him know when I was released from bed rest? He expressed that he always thought about me over the years. But he promised to be a friend and he had kept his promise. Was it wrong for me to want to hang out with him?

  Brian had been gone six months and part of me felt that it was too soon to go out. I mean I didn’t go online or anything. I didn’t go on social media finding anyone. He was at the cemetary. The cemetary…Brian led me there. Was that a sign?

  That week, Dr. Price gave me approval to get back on my feet. “Take things slow. Don’t rush into your normal routine.” “I won’t. I promise you. These fainting spells have scared everything out of me.”

  While driving home, Tracy’s message was, “I’ve got my eye on you.” I loved her for that.

  “Let me run this past you.” I thought that it might be a good time to sneak in the fact that I was considering going out with John. And I did.

  “Chica, go out and enjoy yourself. You wouldn’t be doing anything wrong. Okay? Get that out of your head.”

  And as in Tracy style, she followed up with a funny. “I can’t tell you to go get your groove back, because you never really had one. But have fun.”

  “Whateva.” We couldn’t contain our laughter.

  After letting John know that I could hang out, but nothing strenuous, he responded. “Don’t worry, I gotchu. We’re not going parasailing.”

  “I know that. I just needed to say it.”

  “Seriously, I wouldn’t put you in harm’s way. We can stay in if you prefer.”

  I didn’t feel comfortable having John in my house, Brian’s house, like that yet. It felt like cheating.

  “I need out of the house.”

  Saturday arrived and I was ready to enjoy a night out.

  Tracy did my hair and helped me pick out a cute maternity outfit; plum colored stretch jeans and a navy blue blouse that flowed as I moved. My cute low heel boots still fit me, although my ankles were a bit swollen. She had her own date so she left the house a little before me.

  It was six-fifty; dark because the days were shorter. John was supposed to arrive at seven o’clock. I peeped out of the living room blinds. John was outside leaning against the passenger door of his midnight black on black Cadillac Escalade.

  The light from his cell phone illuminated his caramel brown face outlined by his dark mustache and goatee. His olive green suede jacket hung nicely on his lean six foot seven frame.

  I’d seen John over the past few months but tonight I was really seeing John. Whew! This man was fine.

  I was sure that he didn’t want to scare me by coming to the door like he did last time. I called him so he’d know I was coming out.

  As I walked down the stairs, his grin told me we were gonna have a nice evening.

  Just hanging out
.

  “What’s up, Miss Lachelle?” He opened the car door and helped me up into the SUV.

  I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. “Where are we going?”

  Pulling off he told me his plans. “I thought you might like riding around for a while looking at the Christmas lights.”

  My mouth dropped open.

  “Close your mouth. You didn’t think I’d remember that you loved riding around looking at the Christmas decorations when you were younger?”

  My father, mother and I would ride around town when I was a little girl looking at the lights on the houses and the decorations of the department stores downtown.

  “I haven’t done this in the longest time.”

  At that point, snow fell, painting a soft white blanket on the ground. The alluring silver and gold trimmed decorations adorned the stores in Georgetown. I even heard the Salvation Army Santa Claus sounding the call for donations and his hearty, “Ho, Ho, Ho.”

  The houses were just as beautiful. Lighted reindeer and huge Santas filled the yards.

  Turning my head away from the joy that felt like it was seeping through the window, I faced John. I didn’t say one word, but I gave him a look to let him know that I cherished this surprise.

  “Oh, the lady is impressed.” “I am.”

  “Ready to eat?”

  My attention had been so focused on the beauty of the city lights and the snow that I didn’t think about my empty stomach.

  “Absolutely. What did you have in mind?” “Is seafood good for you?”

  “Yes, yes and yes.”

  We hit route fifty east to head to Bowie, MD. Jerry’s Seafood was a metropolitan favorite. The snow must’ve kept people away because we only waited ten minutes for our table, a little before eight thirty.

  As the hostess walked us to our table, John followed me, touching the small, intimate part of my back, right above my butt. It threw me for a second, but I didn’t turn around nor did I swat his hand away. Although it felt a little uncomfortable, he was just being a gentleman.

  Fidgeting with my napkin, I inspected the menu.

  “Are you okay?”

  My nervousness was obvious. I hadn’t been on a date with anyone other than Brian in fourteen years.

  Just hanging out.

  I threw down my napkin. “I’m fine.”

  We enjoyed calamari as an appetizer. Both of us ordered their signature crab bomb for our meal. Lump crab meat filled the bomb, very little mayonnaise to hold it together with absolutely no filler; exquisite.

  “We literally stuffed our faces.”

  He was right. I decided to ask a question that I’d been wondering about, not sure why, but the thought had crossed my mind. “Do you consider D.C. home?”

  He wiped his mouth and seemed to contemplate the answer. “D.C. will always be my home. But, I have roots in the other cities where I’ve played; Dallas, Minnesota, and Houston. Once I left for college, I never really moved back here to live.”

  After picking up a fork full of broccoli, and chewing it much longer than I would’ve, he continued. “My mother planned my life for me.”

  That surprised me. John’s mom was very controlling. She pushed him to play basketball; that was obvious when we were young. But, I didn’t realize that he recognized just how controlling she was.

  “But don’t get me wrong, I wanted to play ball and it’s afforded me a great life.”

  That was one thing that impressed me with this evening, John made a nice salary playing for the NBA but he kept it low key, focusing on me and what I’d like. He could’ve done anything tonight, from renting out a restaurant to sailing down the Potomac River on a yacht.

  “To answer your question, I plan to settle down here in the D.C. metro area. My daughter’s here. I owe her that.”

  My chest deflated with a sigh of relief. Why?

  After John paid the bill his attention returned to me. “Miss Lachelle, are you ready?” He leaned onto the table and looked at me, I mean really looked at me. I leaned forward, too.

  “I feel tight as a tick.”

  We both laughed.

  “I’m glad that you enjoyed dinner.”

  “I enjoyed the evening. Thank you for getting me out of the house and into these streets.”

  He stood up and reached for my hand. I took it and we walked out of the restaurant to the car.

  By the time we arrived at my house, I had fallen asleep. John woke me up, smoothing my hair away from my face.

  How did John know that physical touch was one of my love languages? I smiled at him. “Well, I’ll get on in this house. The baby and I need to get some rest.”

  “Okay. And I hope we can do this again. Soon.”

  He got out and jogged around to my side of the car. After he opened the door, we walked up to my door.

  “I’m glad that you enjoyed your evening.” He took my hands in his. “You know we can call this ‘the remix’.”

  Nooooo. Don’t kiss me.

  His lips kissed my forehead. Then he tilted my head upward.

  Nooooo.

  John pecked me on the lips and kissed my nose. “I’ll call you when I get home.”

  I nodded.

  Then he jogged down the sidewalk and hopped in his SUV. He watched me open the door and go inside. I waved goodbye.

  The remix.

  Chapter 24

  A few weeks passed and I felt like a stack of buttermilk pancakes with butter dripping off the sides; just good.

  “Light the fireplace.” Vanessa had flown back into town for Christmas and because I was thirty-four weeks pregnant. One thing Vanessa loved about the East Coast was the winter. We couldn’t get her out of those Uggs.

  The smell of the live Christmas tree that we decorated a week before permeated the living room.

  After Tracy lit the fireplace, we sat on the floor to wrap a few dozen Christmas gifts; John’s foundation would deliver them to foster homes and shelters on Christmas Eve. In anticipation of delivering a few gifts ourselves, Vanessa purchased three very ugly sweaters which were lying on the couch.

  “I’m not wearing that sweater,” Tracy told us. “Don’t they have some sexy ugly sweaters?”

  “That would defeat the purpose,” Vanessa responded with a smirk.

  Leaning against the couch to support my back, I rubbed my right temple. I’d had a nagging headache for a few days that didn’t want to go away.

  “I’ve seen you do that a few times today.” Tracy’s eyes stayed on me waiting for a response.

  “It seems like a headache that wants to stay around.”

  “Let’s call the doctor.” Tracy got up and pulled my purse off of the dining room table. “I’m trippn’ that you didn’t say anything.”

  Pulling the medical card out, I complied with her request and called. They told us to come into the office.

  Vanessa helped me up off of the floor, “Better safe than sorry, right?”

  I lifted my arm so that she could help me up. She grabbed my boots while Tracy grabbed my coat. I still didn’t feel like anything was wrong, just this slight headache. But, I agreed with them, better to waste a few hours at urgent care than regret not going.

  We piled into the car after putting out the fireplace and locking everything up.

  Our ride was short and I focused on the beauty of the city.

  There was nothing like this time of the year.

  We arrived and I checked in, Vanessa walked with me while Tracy parked the car.

  It was Christmas Eve’s Eve, so not many people were there. Once I explained everything to the advice nurse, they were expeditious in their movement. They took my vitals and blood.

  Tracy and Vanessa were with me when they completed the sonogram. When we heard the baby’s heart all three of us let out an audible sigh of relief.

  Within ten minutes the doctor on call came in to tell me that I would be admitted to the hospital because my pressure was too high and that I had developed preeclampsia.r />
  “Your baby is fine. But, we want to monitor you over the next day or two. If your pressure doesn’t come down, we’ll consider inducing labor.”

  Due to the apparent severity of my case, they called an ambulance to take me to the hospital. The urgent care personnel assisted by placing me on the cot, then rolling me out to the ambulance. Tracy and Vanessa scurried out with us one on each side of me. Vanessa rode in the ambulance while Tracy followed us in the car. They stayed with me that night.

  When they were sound asleep, my nurse introduced herself. “I’m Nurse ReAnn and I’ll take care of you while you are here.” Her smile was nice and her demeanor warm. “I’m sure that the last place you wanted to be on Christmas Eve was here in the hospital, but we’ll take great care of you and your little one.”

  I nodded my affirmation and smiled. I was tired.

  The beeping from the monitors lulled me to sleep.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The Christmas Eve sun made its way through the blinds and woke all three of us up. I convinced them to go home and get my bag for me.

  “I think one of us should stay with you.”

  “I’m fine. I really want you both to help John deliver some of those toys.”

  They both gave me a look that asked, ‘What have you been smoking?’

  “No really. I looked forward to this and I want y’all to represent me.”

  Tracy put her hand on her hip.

  With a pout, I pleaded. “Please, do that for me; pack some of my things from the house and at least make one delivery to the kids.”

  They looked at each other.

  “Okay, and once we come back, we are not leaving this hospital without you,” Vanessa was the first to respond.

  “Deal?” I said to Tracy with my pinky finger held high for her to grasp like we did when we were kids. Her grip was her confirmation.

  “Do me one favor and text John first. I want him to know what’s going on.”

  Tracy texted him and within two minutes her phone rang.

  She answered. “Hey.”

  Tracy turned the speaker on so that we all could hear. John sounded upset. “What happened? Is she okay?”

  Tracy continued. “She’s fine but her blood pressure is higher than they would like so they want to monitor her.