The Preacher’s Son

by B. D. Anderson

  “I guess they didn’t tell you because they thought you’d be upset,” Aura said. “Why did you think it was Matt who’d be with a black girl instead of Jeremy?”

  “Upset? They have been doing it all along! They just never married. I mean, I’m an old lady. What can I do about it?” She cackled again. “Now to answer your question, when Matthew was little and his mama put him in the day care, he was always hugging on all the little colored girls. I used to ride with them sometimes to pick you and Matthew up, and the teacher would tell your mama and Rachel about it.”

  “But, Grandma,” Jeremy protested, “Matthew is totally against interracial marriage. He wouldn’t even agree to be my best man.”

  She cackled again. “He protests too much. He likes ’em. I saw it with my own eyes. He’s a fast one for sure. He ain’t married yet, is he?”

  Jeremy shook his head. “Nope. He runs from woman to woman. I guess he is a fast Ferguson.”

  “Don’t have no steady girlfriend neither, I bet. That’s ’cause he ain’t willing to pay the price for the one he really wants, or he has a whole lot of women and can’t make up his mind. I bet though that a colored one is in the bunch somewhere! That’s for sure!”

  “Do my father and Uncle Matthew know about all this?” Jeremy asked.

  “Nope. Never told them. No need to,” she said. “Like I said though, Charles and Wilbur and some of the older ones know. They just don’t talk about it.”

  “Maybe they wouldn’t have given us such a hard time if they had known. I mean, Uncle Matthew won’t claim the babies that Eric has with Nadine, and he has basically disowned him. A lot of the family is in an uproar about our marriages. Pop has come around, but not Uncle Matthew. When a lot of them came to Tara’s birthday party, and I announced my engagement, you could’ve heard a pin drop.”

  Grandma shook her head. “I was feeling poorly that day. I wish I had been there, and then I’d have told ’em all about the Ferguson history. I bet though they didn’t want you to know so you wouldn’t go out there and marry one, but looks like you did that anyway!”

  “So, Grandma… you’re not bothered by this?” Jeremy asked again. “I know that most of the family is.”

  “Boy, what’s there to be bothered about? At least you’re married, not like that hellion of a son of mine who got married and kept running around on his poor wife! And then there’s Charles, making all those babies out of wedlock,” she said, shaking her head.

  “I wouldn’t do that,” Jeremy said. “I’m a focused Ferguson. Remember?”

  “I know you’d better not!” Aura said, trying to sound stern.

  Grandma Ferguson patted her on the knee. “Don’t you worry none. He acts like one of the focused Fergusons.” She leaned forward and whispered to Aura even though Jeremy could still hear her. “Do his eyes roll back in his head… when he… you know?”

  Aura nodded, grinning. “Yep!”

  “Hot dang!” she said, looking at Jeremy. “Another Ferguson trait, girl! He ain’t going to let you rest a minute! I’m warning you!” she said, cackling again.

  Jeremy turned beet red and looked at his grandmother, mortified by what she’d said.

  Matthew Ferguson Jr. reluctantly took his mother to the hospital to see Eric and the babies after his father had refused.

  Well this would be his one and only visit. His father went to work, and he guessed that was a good enough excuse to put it off. He had taken the time off to help his mother with Eric’s graduation party. So much for that! A lot had happened in a short period of time.

  He was surprised when they walked in the lobby of the hospital and a tall, black girl walked over to his mother. Matthew’s eyes raked over her. She had on tight jeans with sandals with six-inch heels that made her appear even taller. Her shoulder-length hair was parted on the side, and her makeup was flawless. He lips were lined, and she wore dark-red lipstick. Her skin matched the color of the Sugar Daddy candy bar that she was unwrapping. She gave it a couple of licks.

  “Hey, Rachel. What’s up? Are you just getting here?”

  “Yes. Eric’s father is still stubborn as a mule,” Rachel replied.

  The girl continued to lick the Sugar Daddy bar. The smile she was wearing faded when she noticed Matthew, and she eyed him suspiciously.

  “Max, I got my son to bring me to see Nadine and the babies,” Rachel said. “This is my other son, Matthew.”

  She continued to lick the candy bar and looked him up and down at the same time. “So, you’re the racist brother, right?”

  “Who said that?” Matthew snapped. “I’m not a racist!”

  “Whatever. I am surprised you lowered yourself to come here,” Max said.

  “Max, please be nice. I don’t want any trouble. Matthew, this is Nadine’s sister Maxine. Maxine, this is Matthew. You two will be cordial, right?” Rachel pleaded.

  Max looked at Matthew and turned up her nose as if she smelled something unpleasant. “Only for you, Rachel. Mom came to see Nadine!” she said, smiling again, giving Rachel her full attention.

  “That’s wonderful, Max,” Rachel said, smiling.

  Matthew was irritated. Who the hell did she think she was ignoring him like that? She walked ahead of them to the elevators, and he noticed the narrowness of her waist and the full roundness of her behind. She would be beautiful if she didn’t have such a bad attitude!

  She crossed her arms across her chest and leaned against the wall of the elevator, which pushed up her full breasts. She was totally ignoring him.

  They walked off the elevators, and Matthew found himself watching the movement of her hips. His mother cleared her throat, and he realized that she caught him watching Max.

  “Something wrong, Ma?” he asked, trying to play it off.

  “No, something wrong with you?” she asked mockingly.

  “Of course not!” he replied coolly. “I was just wondering why she is so bitchy.”

  “She’s really nice, Matthew. I guess Eric was upset and told her about you and your father,” she said.

  “Hey, Ma!”

  Rachel looked up and saw Eric headed in her direction.

  “How’s Nadine?” she asked.

  “She’s so much better,” he said happily. He turned to his brother. “Hey, Matt. I’m glad you came.”

  Matt did not reply. He saw Max watching him, still licking the candy bar.

  They walked into the room and saw Nadine. She smiled at them.

  “My mother and brother came for a visit,” Eric said to her.

  “How are you feeling, Nadine?” Rachel asked.

  “I’m fine,” she said, looking at Matthew. “Just a little sore, that’s all.”

  “This is my brother, Matthew,” Eric said.

  Nadine looked at him and watched as he was hesitant in taking her hand. She glanced at Matthew and then looked back at Eric.

  “What the hell is your problem?” Max hissed at Matthew. “It don’t rub off, you know.”

  Matthew turned red. He scowled at her. “What are you talking about!”?

  “The black don’t rub off!” Max snapped.

  “I was just thinking that maybe I should wash my hands first. I didn’t want to pass any germs!” Matthew said defensively.

  “Yeah right!” Max said, rolling her eyes. “I’ll let your family visit, Eric. I’ll wait out in the lobby.”

  She then turned and walked out the room. Eric shook his head. “We named the babies,” he said, smiling at Nadine. “We decided just a little while ago.”

  “Their names are Erika and Derika,” Nadine said. “Have you been to the NICU and seen them yet?”

  “What’s a Nick You?” Matthew asked.

  “That’s where the premature babies are,” Eric said. “They are doing great! It looks like they are only going to have to be here a few weeks.
They are breathing well, and their lungs are developed, and their heart rate is great also. Max is going to help us get things ready. We’ve got to get car seats and clothes and so much stuff.”

  “Don’t worry,” his mother said. “You know we’ll help you.”

  “Come on, Matthew, let me introduce you to your nieces!” Eric said proudly.

  Matthew and his mother followed Eric out of the room. They stood at the glass as Eric went in the back. They then saw him on the other side of the glass in a yellow gown with a face mask and gloves on. He picked up one of the babies with the aid of the nurse and turned to the window so that they could see.

  The baby opened her eyes and yawned.

  “She’s so small,” Rachel declared. “She has blue eyes!”

  “She does look like you, Mom,” Matthew said. “I guess Uncle David was telling the truth.”

  Eric gave the baby to the nurse, who put her back.

  “They will most likely get darker as they get older,” Matthew said. “I doubt if they’ll continue to look like they do now.”

  “You mean white, don’t you?” Max snapped.

  Matthew ignored her. “Mom, I’m about to go. Maybe your friend Max can take you home.”

  “Of course I’ll take you home,” Max said, looking at him as if he had a disease. “Obviously your son has better things to do.”

  She then walked off, and Matthew followed her. He waited until they were out of earshot of his mother and grabbed her by the arm.

  “What is your problem? You don’t know me!” he hissed.

  Max spun around and faced him. “Did you or did you not tell your brother that you didn’t want to be part of his mixed-up mess he calls a marriage? Did you not also tell him that ‘those people,’ talking about my family, were just—and I quote—money-grubbing ghetto trash?”

  “I may have said a few things. I was upset,” Matthew snapped. “My brother is barely out of high school, and your sister has latched on to him, married him, and tied him down. He didn’t have to marry her. He could take care of his babies without doing that!”

  “I don’t recall a gun being placed to his head!” Max said, walking into his personal space. “He married her because he loved her.” She looked at him full of contempt. “But obviously you know nothing about that type of relationship!”

  “He married her because she insisted on it! She trapped him!” Matthew growled at her. “Obviously the babies are his. They look just like my family; otherwise I’d have told him to get a DNA test. Your sister wasn’t just seeing him. I know that for a fact. She’s just a conniving little whore!”

  Max smacked his face hard. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the elevator, furious that she’d strike him.

  “Let me go,” she said, trying to yank her arm out of his grasp.

  “We’re going to settle this outside right now!” Matthew spat, shoving her inside the elevator.

  He pushed the elevator button for the first floor and glared at Max.

  “I’m not afraid of you!” Max said.

  The elevator stopped, and they walked out of the elevator to the parking lot.

  “I can’t believe you and Eric are brothers. You are such an asshole!” Max said, turning around to face him. “You must take after your father because you’re nothing like your mother.”

  “I’m just not gullible and naive! You people are always looking for an opportunity to cry foul. My brother will wake up! He’ll see your sister for what she really is.”

  “You don’t know anything about us! You shut your stinking mouth!” Max yelled.

  Matthew looked at her breathing hard and spitting nails. God she was something! He didn’t know why he was antagonizing her so much, or why he liked it. He thought that her breathing fire at him was sexy as hell.

  “Look, you don’t like me, and obviously I don’t like you. Our feelings are mutual. Why don’t we just agree to stay the hell away from each other?” Matthew said, taking out his car keys. He watched as she licked the Sugar Daddy bar again and put one hand on her hip.

  “Well that’s the most sensible thing you’ve said since I’ve been here!” she said, rolling her eyes at him. “Just stay away from my family and keep our names out of your mouth!” She then turned, walking hard back into the hospital.

  Matthew stood there and watched her walk off. He noted how her hips jiggled as she walked. He watched her until she was inside the building and realized that he was still staring even after she was gone. He turned and headed for his car. Damn! What was wrong with him?

  CHAPTER 20

  CULTURE CLASH

  Jeremy left his grandmother’s apartment, shaking his head in disbelief. He still could not believe all that she had told him and Aura about his family history.

  “You Fergusons are something else!” Aura teased him as they pulled out into traffic.

  “You just remember that I’m one of the faithful ones,” he said.

  “What time do we have to catch our flight?” Aura said, looking at her watch.

  “Well, luckily I scheduled our flight at 6:00 p.m. because I thought we’d be attending Eric’s graduation party. We still have plenty of time.”

  “Are you going to tell your father what your grandmother said?” she asked.

  “I sure am. I can’t wait to spill my guts!” he said, laughing. “I’d love to see the look on Uncle Matt’s face. Remember the two older men who surrounded me at the grill after we made our announcement?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That was Uncle Charles and Uncle Wilber! What nerve they had! Especially Uncle Charles who has four children by Nadine’s aunt!”

  “You’re not going to tell Nadine are you?” Aura asked. “Besides, you’d better be sure that this Betty James is her aunt before you say anything.”

  “I’m going to tell Eric,” Jeremy said. “I’m tired of all these family secrets!”

  Maxine Elizabeth James was still pissed. The nerve of Eric’s brother calling her family trash. She waited until Eric came out of Nadine’s room and pulled him aside and told him what happened.

  Eric was shocked. “I’ve never seen Matthew act like you are saying. I don’t know what got into him. He’s really not such a bad guy. I guess the quick marriage and finding out about the babies was just too much for him.”

  “Your mother must have dropped him on his head or something when he was an infant.” Max frowned at the thought of him.

  “Dropped who?” Rachel asked, walking up to them.

  “She’s talking about Matthew,” Eric said. “It seems things got a little ugly between them. I can’t believe that Matthew acted like Max described.”

  “I’m not lying, Eric. He grabbed me and took me outside.” Max said.

  “I’m going to have a word with him,” Rachel said. “I noticed how hard he was staring at you when we got here. You two have never met before?”

  “Absolutely not!” Max said. “I hope I’ll never have to be in his company again!”

  Rachel watched her as she walked back into Nadine’s room.

  “I think your brother has the hots for her,” Rachel said to Eric.

  “Ah, Ma. You’ve got to be kidding! Matthew doesn’t like black girls, and I am sure he doesn’t like Max. She’s too outspoken. He likes quiet, complacent girls, those girls who fawn over him and hang onto his every word.”

  Rachel laughed. “Oh, he likes her all right. He just won’t admit it.”

  Eric shook his head. “You’re way off, Ma.”

  “I don’t think so,” Rachel said. “He has a steady stream of dates but has not been serious about one girl. After a while, he says they’re boring or he finds some other excuse to break up with them. I tell you, Eric, when your brother does fall, he’s going to fall hard!”

  “I doubt if it’s Max, though,” Eric said, grinning.
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br />   Just then, Jeremy and Aura walked up.

  “Hey, guys,” Jeremy said. “How are Nadine and the babies?”

  “Great,” Eric replied, walking toward the room. Max was helping Nadine get back in the bed.

  “You guys are just in time,” she said. “I need to go out and make a call. I’ll be leaving here to go to work in about an hour.”

  Aura began talking to Nadine, and Jeremy nodded his head toward the door, catching Eric’s and Rachel’s attention. He then followed Max out into the hallway. He stopped her once they were outside the door.

  “Max, what is your grandfather’s name on your father’s side of the family?” he asked.

  “Well my father’s father name is Drayton James. Why?”

  Jeremy looked at Eric and Rachel, who had followed him into the hallway. “Let’s all sit over here. I have some information to share with you.”

  Jeremy told Eric, Rachel, and Max all that his grandmother had related to him and Aura. Max looked at Eric, and her mouth dropped in disbelief.

  “My Aunt Betty’s children are kin to Eric? I can’t believe that! But then again, now that you mentioned it, I can tell a family resemblance between her children and your cousins. They are all about the same age! I can’t believe this crap!” She shook her head. “Relatives could end up marrying each other. This is really messed up!” She shook her head again in disbelief.

  “How many children does your daddy’s aunt have?” Rachel asked.

  “Four. Two girls and two boys. Aunt Betty told them that their father was killed in the war! I heard my father and mother talking about it. This is a trip. She even has a picture of some light-skinned black man, saying that he’s their father. Aunt Betty is dark, and all the children are light. Now I can see why!”

  “I had heard rumors about this, but I didn’t know for sure,” Rachel said “Are you going to tell your father, Jeremy?”

  “I certainly am, and I am going to tell Uncle Matthew.” He looked at Max. “What are your cousins’ last names… you know, your Aunt Betty’s children.”