The Other Side of Divine (11 page)

—Proverbs 8:9

 

 

 

W
ith the precision of a cat burglar, Paris quietly walked into the house. Her mother-in-law, Paula Holyfield, was in there with Andrew. She'd seen her car parked outside. Paris knew it was wrong of her, but she'd deliberately not parked in the garage because she didn't want Andrew or her mother-in-law to hear her come in. This was the only way for her to hear what they were really talking about, as she knew once she entered, whatever private conversations they were having would instantly cease.

Paula was not a bad mother-in-law per se. But she definitely wasn't Paris's biggest fan. She'd been against Andrew marrying her from the start, which was not a surprise considering most mothers of sons seem to think their precious little boys are too good for whichever woman they choose. And it didn't help any when Paris let Paula know that she had no intentions of getting pregnant anytime soon after they married. It wouldn't have been a big deal except Andrew really wanted a family and, knowing that, Paula felt Paris was totally disregarding his feelings when it came to things in a marriage.

Andrew had been great at shutting his mother down when she said something that he knew would upset Paris. But Paris knew the two of them were close and still talked. Andrew loved his mother and valued her opinion. Paris was pretty sure Andrew had told her when they were trying to have a baby and she certainly would have noted they hadn't been successful, at least not until eight months ago.

Paula had made all the right moves and said all the right things, but she could see that Paula wasn't quite buying into everything that had to do with this pregnancy. All of that would have been fine except Paris knew there was a grave possibility this baby really wasn't Andrew's. Maybe she was being paranoid or maybe the guilt was getting to her, but she just felt Andrew's mother was suspicious of this child actually being his. So what better way to find out what they were really saying behind closed doors than to stand behind it and listen? And just as she suspected, they were discussing her and the baby.

“Mom . . . Mom,” Andrew said. “You need to stop. I've told you, Paris is not the way you perceive her. You've never given her a chance and now you're
still
not being fair when it comes to her.”

“Drew, you can take up for her all you want. But I'm telling you, deep down in my soul, something doesn't feel right,” Paula said, calling him Drew, the name she generally called him unless she was purposely being formal.

“But what you're implying would mean that my wife would have had to have cheated on me.”

“And—?”

“And that's not possible,” Andrew said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“What are you talking about
not
possible? Do you have some kind of lock on her or something? Was she wearing a chastity belt and you were the only one with the key?”

“No. It's called trust. And I trust my wife. I have never had any reason not to or to believe she would cheat on me.”

Paula released a low slow chuckle. “Famous last words. Drew . . . Drew, do you think that when someone is having an affair they tell the person that's what they're doing? Come on, now. I know you're smarter than that. And I've just never been convinced that Paris truly loved you, not the way she should. It's like she was looking for a great opportunity and you came along.”

“I can see that you don't think very much of me,” Andrew said.

“Oh, I think the world of you. In fact, I wanted nothing more than for you to meet a nice girl and settle down. Someone who didn't mind riding in your beat-up old car and not be ashamed when she was with you because being with you was all that mattered to her.”

“Okay. But Paris rode in my beat-up old car with me,” Andrew said.

“One time before she insisted she do the driving and drove you right to a car dealership and helped you pick out a nice new car that you
didn't
need and couldn't afford just yet,” Paula said.

“Well, all of that is in the past. And the woman you seem to always find fault with is about to become the mother of my child, and subsequently, your grandchild. You're finally getting that little grandson or granddaughter you say you've been praying about,” Andrew said. “So you need to move on and get with the program. And the current program involves the coming of a baby in roughly two to six weeks.”

“I thought you said her due date was April twenty-eighth?”

“It is. But as you are already aware, a baby can come two weeks early or two weeks late. It's the end of March now. April twenty-eighth is four weeks away,” Andrew said with a smile in his voice. “Two weeks early could be April fourteenth. And we are
so
ready for this baby to get here. The nursery's all done. Paris has had two baby showers with so much stuff we could actually open up our own baby store.”

“Sounds like this baby is going to be good and spoiled, just like his mother.”

“Mom, I'm not going to tell you again. I'll not let you disrespect my wife.”

“I'm not disrespecting her. Speaking the truth has never been disrespect. And you and I both know your wife is spoiled as they come. Her folks pretty much gave her everything she wanted. Then you continued the tradition by giving her everything she wants now. I seem to be the only one who recognizes her for the person she really is. And I'm telling you, Drew, Paris is keeping something from you. I'm telling you, she's hiding something. I don't know why, but God has been showing me there's something going on with this baby she's carrying.”

“You're seeing what you want to see and you're trying to validate it by bringing God into the picture. But it's not going to work. That baby is mine, and that's the end of any crazy talk.”

“Okay, but just one more thing, and I'll leave this alone. Don't you find it sort of strange that you two had been trying for years to have a baby and nothing? But then she's gone from home with a new job, out all times of the night with who knows who and bam! Baby's on board. It's like some miracle took place or something.”

“All right. The reason we were having such a time in the first place is because, yes, Paris really didn't want a baby at first. Originally, she was doing things to keep it from happening. After that, she had to get those pills out of her system. Ask any obstetricians, and they'll tell you. Then there's the anxiety that comes with trying to make it happen, which can cause stress that keeps one from getting pregnant. Paris just became more relaxed after she started working outside the home. And she really loved what she was doing.”

“And she was hanging out with some guy who probably helped the two of you out when it came to her getting pregnant,” Paula said. “All I'm saying is that you should ask her if anything happened while she was out there ‘working' and ‘loving' her job.”

“Oh, yeah. That will work out great. ‘Honey, I know you're pregnant and all. But I just need to make sure that the baby you're carrying is really mine. Oh, no real reason. It's just my
mother
believes in any marriage it's standard operating procedure to ask.' You talk about me and you both not getting to be in the baby's life after that. That will do it for sure.”

“All I'll say to you, because you know I'm going to be doing it, is to make sure when that baby arrives, you check to see if the baby resembles you anywhere. And I don't mean telling me the baby has ten fingers and ten toes, just like you. I'm talking about we need to see something of
us
in that child, or else I'm going to want a paternity test done.”

“Mom, do you want to be there when the baby comes?”

“Yes, of course I do. What kind of a silly question is that to ask?”

“One that will determine whether you be there or not by you stopping all of this nonsense talk. I'm telling you, Mom, if you keep this up I'm not going to call you when Paris goes into labor. And you might end up not seeing your grandchild until he or she can call you by name. Got it?”

“Fine. Fine. I'll not say another word on the matter. But if down the road it turns out I was right, don't say I didn't give you a word of knowledge beforehand.”

Paris tiptoed out of the area and back out to her car. She quietly closed the car door, let up the garage door, and drove in. She had to figure out what to do. She'd talked to Johnnie Mae Landris a few months ago about what she should do. Johnnie Mae's advice had been to come clean to her husband, but she hadn't been able to bring herself to do that.

In her mind, she thought she could pull this off. Barring anything weird happening, no one had to know she'd ever been unfaithful to Andrew. And, if she was right in the way she believed, this baby would come out looking like Andrew spit him or her out himself. The baby would be the spitting image of Andrew.

She walked into the kitchen, where Andrew and Paula had now moved, undoubtedly after hearing her car drive inside.

“Hi, honey,” Andrew said when Paris stepped inside. “How was your day?”

“It was really good,” Paris said, closing the door between the kitchen and the garage. “Hi, Mama Paula. What a delight to see you here!”

Paula and Paris hugged. “I know. I just had to come by and see my baby boy. He's so excited about the pending arrival.” Paula looked down at Paris's stomach. “He showed me the nursery. It's so lovely. Well, it definitely won't be much longer now.” Paula smiled.

Paris placed her hand on her stomach and smiled back. “No, it most certainly won't. And Andrew is going to make the best father, I just know it. I'm sure you're going to be the best grandmother this child could have as well. We are
so
blessed! All of us. Don't you agree?” Paris tilted her head with her gaze fixed on Paula.

“God is good!” Paula said. She looked down at Paris's stomach again. “It's a boy.”

“Well, we won't know until the baby gets here.”

“I'm telling you. I can see it just as clearly: it's a boy.” She held her hand in the air above Paris's stomach. “May I?” she asked permission to place her hand on Paris's basketball of a stomach.

“Sure,” Paris said, looking as Paula gently placed her hand on her stomach.

“Yep. A healthy baby boy. I'd say he'll be seven pounds, eight ounces.”

Andrew laughed. “I'm surprised my mother didn't make you do the thing with the needle stuck in the eraser of a number two pencil suspended by a piece of thread as she holds it over your wrist or stomach, watching it go sideways to indicate a girl, and back and forth to indicate a boy.”

“Oh, we can do that now,” Paula said. “I have a number-two pencil and a sewing kit in my purse.”

“I'd rather not,” Paris said.

“Yeah, that's why I've never suggested it. I figured you'd ‘rather not.' ” Paula grinned. “Well, son, I'm going to get on down this road. Everything looks wonderful. Paris, let me know if you need anything. I'm sure I'll see you soon and if not, I'll see the three of you at the hospital on delivery day.”

“Oh, you're planning on being there?” Paris said.

“Absolutely. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Unless, of course, I don't get a call to let me know.” Paula looked slyly at Andrew, bending her head down slightly.

“As long as you behave yourself, I'm sure you'll get a call,” Andrew said.

Paula hugged Andrew, and then hugged Paris. “See how he treats his old mother. Well, I'm off. Ta-ta!”

“Oh, yes. I see,” Paris said with a sly grin of her own. She wanted so much to finish the rest of the sentence that formed in her mind. “Oh, yes. I see that you're . . . off.”

Andrew walked his mother to the front door. Paris went and sat on the couch. “Please, God. Please . . . let this baby be Andrew's. Please. That's all I'm asking. Just let this baby be his.”

—Ruth 2:8

 

 

 

“O
kay, Gabrielle,” Zachary said as they walked in the park together, grabbing a little alone time together. “I know we've talked about this and you've let it be known that you're fine with it, but I'm still having a hard time about your father.”

“Has he done anything to validate your concern?” Gabrielle asked.

“Not really. But he came here around the end of January. It's now the twenty-ninth of March. That's been two whole months he's been at your house.”

“I know,” Gabrielle said. She then looked up at Zachary and smiled sheepishly. “Tomorrow is Jasmine's birthday, and I'm so excited! She'll be ten. Can you believe it? Can you believe all that's happened in a little over a year and a half? Last year coming up to this time we weren't sure she'd even
see
nine. And this year, she's turning ten and we're all together.” Gabrielle released a happy sigh.

“And we're also getting close to our big day. Two and half more months to go, and we'll legally all be one happy family,” Zachary said.

“Yes.” Gabrielle smiled. “And I know you're not sure about my father or his motives. To be honest, I didn't know what I'd do if and when I ever came face to face with him again. It's hard to explain. I hated him for so long. Early on in my life as a child, I
hated
him. How could he kill my mother the way he had? How could he take someone else's life as though it was his to take? How he ruined my life. I absolutely despised him. And I missed my mother. Then to have to grow up with folks who treated me as though I didn't matter. But there he was, standing in my doorway. I can't fully explain it, but I couldn't just turn my back on him. I just couldn't.”

“Well, while we're being completely transparent, I'll be honest with you,” Zachary said. “I don't believe I could be as gracious as you. I don't think I would have let him in my house, let alone back in my life. I guess you can see that I'm not quite there yet in my walk as a Christian. Your father didn't even do those things to me, and I'm having a hard time forgiving him.”

“Well, he seems to me to be really trying. He's looking for a job with nothing available to him. I sort of feel sorry for him. Here he is a changed man—”

“So he says,” Zachary said.

“I've been around him these last couple of months,” Gabrielle said. “I've observed him. He reads his Bible daily. I even caught him praying for Jasmine when she didn't know he was doing it. He rests his hand on her head and closes his eyes. One time she looked up and saw him with his eyes closed and asked him if he'd fallen asleep while he was standing.”

“I hear you. But I've not been comfortable knowing he was at your house alone on most occasions with my aunt and then with Jasmine when she comes in from school. I've been doing a lot of praying, making sure everybody in that house is covered by the blood of Jesus. I've called angels to be stationed around them. I would have felt better if he was at my house or somewhere else entirely. I told you I was even willing to pay for an apartment for him if that's what it took.”

“Yes. I know. The apartment was your
first
suggestion the day after he arrived. And as you remember, I shot that down,” Gabrielle said.

“Yes, you did. Pretty quickly, in fact.” Zachary helped her as she walked up the steps on the path back to the car.

“And just in case you think I don't know, my father did tell me how you've given him a ‘piece of money' each week. That's how he said it, that you give him ‘a piece of money.' I was trying to give him something to help out as he's searching for work, but he won't take any money from me. He says the piece of money you've given him has been more than enough to do what he needs to do,” Gabrielle said. “He's really a proud man, in spite of everything. You can't help but feel sorry for him and proud at the same time. The last thing I want to do is kick him while he's down.”

“Aunt Esther says your aunt Cee-Cee has been by a few times when you're not there,” Zachary said. “Has he told you what she wants?”

“Yes, Miss Crowe tells me everything that goes on. She's keeping a really good eye on things. And no, my father hasn't told me what Aunt Cee-Cee wants, but when it comes to her it generally boils down to one thing. She's always in need of more money. The thing is: There's nothing my father can do to help her when it comes to that.”

Zachary nodded. “Aunt Esther believes your aunt is trying to get your father to somehow influence her into dropping the charges against her for stealing your Juilliard money. Aunt Esther says that's
never
going to happen. She's still upset about what was done to you—your aunt taking that money from you that way.”

Gabrielle laughed. “Yeah. Miss Crowe has made it abundantly clear, even if I wanted her to, she's not going to let Aunt Cee-Cee off the hook. I believe her words were something to the effect of she will when Hades freezes over.”

Zachary opened the car door for Gabrielle to get in. He closed the door and walked around, getting in on the driver's side. He buckled his seat belt. “Okay. Where to now?”

“Home. I have to get up really early for work tomorrow. I plan to get off early for Jasmine's birthday.” She clapped.

“Are you glad you went back to work or would you prefer to be staying at home now?”

“Is this a trick question, Zachary?” Gabrielle smiled.

“Whatever do you mean, soon-to-be Mrs. Morgan?” He grinned. “Wow, I love the sound of that. I can't believe we're almost there and then I can drop the ‘soon to be' entirely.”

“Almost is still a long way away. You and I both know from experience a lot can happen between now and then,” Gabrielle said.

“Please don't. Don't speak things like that into the atmosphere. Aunt Esther and Jasmine are working overtime to make this day huge,” Zachary said, looking at her. He hadn't cranked the car yet.

“The two of them are so cute.” Gabrielle grinned. “I think they're having more fun together than either of them have been having with me. Miss Crowe loves Jasmine and Jasmine positively adores her. I don't know what we're going to do after this is over and Miss Crowe goes back to Chicago.”

“Maybe we can talk her into staying. I mean, think about it. She can be there for Jasmine, the two of them continuing to get into mischief together,” Zachary said. “And she would be around to help out with the babies.”

Gabrielle shrieked and released a short laugh. “Babies! What babies?”

“All the babies we're going to have, one right after the other,” Zachary said. He took his hand and gently moved a strand of hair out of Gabrielle's face and lovingly tucked it behind her ear.

“So you want to ask Miss Crowe to stay after the wedding so she can help take care of all the babies, plural, that you and I will be having? That's the plan?”

“You got it. And before you think I'm being chauvinistic, Aunt Esther told me the other day that she would love to stay here and help if we were planning on having more children. My aunt
loves
children. You know that.”

“I agree. But I don't know about us having babies one right after the other, though.”

Zachary smiled. “Well, just being able to be your husband and Jasmine's father will be more than I could ever hope for . . . for the time being anyway.” He raised his eyebrows several times successively. “You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying?”

“Yes.” Gabrielle placed the palm of her hand lovingly on his cheek.

He grabbed her hand and pressed it closer to his face. “I'm going to take care of you. I know you're more than capable of taking care of yourself, but—”

“We'll take care of each other,” Gabrielle said. “And I look forward to being there right by your side for whatever life has in store for us.”

“Now, you're talking. June eleventh can't get here fast enough for me!”

“Have you spoken to your mother since the other day when you told me she called?” Gabrielle asked.

His face showed his defeat. “I have, and she's saying she's not budging on her decision.”

“So she's still not planning to come to our wedding?”

“That's what she's continuing to say. But she's going to cave. I know my mother. She wants her way when it comes to making me do what she feels is right for me. She believes her refusing to attend will make me back down until she decides to give her blessing. But I've told her that I love you and we're getting married whether she's here to witness it or not. I suppose she can always see it on video. But everyone else in the family have already bought their airline tickets and made hotel reservations. We're going to have a great time. And Aunt Esther and Jasmine want me to wear something they call the Prince Charming tux with gold military-looking tassels on each shoulder with a gold diagonal sash.”

Gabrielle laughed. “They're taking this Cinderella theme seriously.”

“Well, if I get what I want, which is to be married to you,” Zachary said. “And they get what they want, which is a fairy tale wedding—”

“But Miss Crowe is spending way too much money accomplishing this.”

“So? Let her,” Zachary said.

“That's what she told me. But I still don't feel right about it. After all is said and done, this wedding—taking months to plan and put in place and great funds being shelled out—will be over in a few hours and that includes the reception.”

“No, we'll get more than that out of the wedding,” Zachary said. “We'll get memories. And although memories
can
cost as little as nothing and carry the same weight as those things that cost a lot, at the end of
this
day, at the end of our wedding day, I believe we're all going to walk away with something that can never be taken away by anything, with possibly the only exception being Alzheimer's.”

“How depressing,” Gabrielle said with a frown. “Alzheimer's? You didn't have to bring up that.” Gabrielle shook her head.

“Well, people used to say there were certain things they would never forget as long as they live. But we know Alzheimer's can indeed rob folks of even those precious memories, no matter how well a stated intention otherwise. So let's allow everybody to do what they feel is right for them, including my mother if, in the end, she denies herself the privilege of seeing me pledge my heart to the woman I love.”

“Ohhh.” Gabrielle said it like a purr.

“I mean it. I'm going to marry
my
girl. Aunt Esther and Jasmine will get the wedding they're dreaming of. And you—”

“And
I
get to know what true happiness looks and feels like because I'll have you to wake up to each and every day of my life, for the rest of my life, until death do us part.”

Zachary nodded, biting down on his bottom lip. “Yes. Until death do us part.”