A Family Reunion

by Jackson, Brenda

  She glanced around the patio, wondering what was taking Grady and Ron so long. She had been left alone with Candace on the patio sipping martinis while the two men had gone upstairs to check out Ron’s new state-of-the-art music system he’d had installed.

  “I know you’re of mixed heritage,” Candace was now saying, reclaiming Rae’jean’s attention. “What is it? Mexican? Italian?”

  “African,” Rae’jean said quickly with just enough of a sweet smile on her lips to let the other woman realize she had known that simple word would set her on edge.

  After Candace recovered, the smile she gave Rae’jean did not quite reach her eyes. It was coy and as phony as a four-dollar bill. “How does your family feel about you and Grady getting married?”

  Rae’jean crossed her legs to get comfortable. “We haven’t told them yet. Although they know I’m dating Grady, they haven’t actually met him. Once they do I’m sure they’ll be happy for us.”

  “You think so?”

  “Yes.”

  “And if they’re not?”

  “Then they’ll have to deal with it, because Grady and I plan on being happy anyway. We’re marrying each other and not our families.”

  “So their opinions don’t matter?”

  “Only up to a point. Grady and I will be getting married, Candace, with or without our families’ blessings,” Rae’jean said pointedly.

  Silence ensued for a moment and Rae’jean took that time to study her surroundings. Everything around her indicated money, and plenty of it. The grounds were immaculate and included a swimming pool, a tennis court, and a garden with beautiful blooming plants.

  Candace saw her studying everything and said, “The Fitzgeralds and the Stanhopes are both very old and distinguished families. Our history can be traced back to England, before they sailed to America aboard the Mayflower.”

  Rae’jean smiled. “Is that a fact? Well, the Bennett family is one that’s rich in history, too. We traced our roots and discovered there were a number of African kings and queens in our family.” She leaned forward on the chaise and added, “Of course that was before they sailed to America aboard the Amistad.”

  Candace settled back on the rattan love seat and reached for her drink and took a sip from it. Then another sip. “You’re not the first, you know.”

  Rae’jean lifted a dark brow. “The first what?”

  “Fiancée. Grady’s been engaged before, while he was in medical school.”

  Rae’jean nodded. Evidently Candace thought she was telling her something she didn’t already know. “Yes, I know about her. Lynn, wasn’t it?”

  Candace sat up. “Grady told you about her?”

  “Yes.”

  Candace’s eyes narrowed. “Did he also tell you that he loved Lynn very much?”

  “He didn’t have to. I assumed if he asked her to marry him he felt some deep affection for her. But he did tell me why they broke up. She chose the opportunity to teach school in England over marrying him.”

  Candace placed her glass back on the table, evidently ready to set the record straight. “It wasn’t just any school in England. It was the school inside Buckingham Palace, and her students were part of the royal family.”

  Rae’jean glanced down at her watch, wondering for the umpteenth time what was taking Ron and Grady so long. She was getting weary of her conversation with Candace. “Should I be impressed?”

  “Most people would be.”

  Rae’jean took a sip of her drink. “But then we’ve already established the fact that I’m in a class by myself.”

  “Ah, that’s right. We did, didn’t we?” Candace didn’t say anything else for a moment longer. Then, “Lynn’s back in the States. In fact, she moved to Boston a few weeks ago. Isn’t that a coincidence?”

  Rae’jean shrugged. “Not really. I think it’s a good place to live. Boston is a beautiful city.”

  “Yes, that’s what I told her. I also told her that she should look Grady up when she got there. I was sure he’d be glad to see her. Evidently he was. When I talked to her last week Lynn told me she had looked him up and that he’d taken her out to dinner.” She smiled.

  So did Rae’jean. Although she wanted nothing better than to throw the rest of her drink in the woman’s face. “I wouldn’t expect Grady to treat an old friend any other way.”

  They both looked up when Grady and Ron made their way back to the patio. From the hard set of Grady’s jaw and the frown on his face Rae’jean could only assume Ron had taken the liberty to give Grady his thoughts on their engagement like his wife had done to her.

  Grady came straight to where she sat and pulled her to her feet. “Missed me?” he asked, replacing his frown with a smile and planting a kiss on her lips.

  “You’ll never know how much,” she whispered.

  His chuckle gave her the distinct impression that he did.

  Two days later, during the drive back to Boston, Rae’jean’s thoughts kept dwelling on what Grady’s sister had told her. His old girlfriend had moved to Boston and he’d not only seen her but taken her out to dinner as well. Why hadn’t he mentioned it to her?

  “Grady?”

  “Yes, baby, what is it?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the road.

  “Why didn’t you mention that Lynn had moved to Boston and you had taken her out to dinner?”

  He casually shrugged his shoulders. “It wasn’t a big deal. I thought it was the decent thing to do. You aren’t concerned about it, are you?”

  “Should I be?”

  He pulled the car to the side of the road, turned off the ignition, and twisted his body around to face her. “No, and I resent Candace telling you about it to put any type of doubt into your mind about us. I would have told you myself had I thought it was a big deal.”

  Rae’jean nodded. “She and Ron think we’re making a mistake getting married.”

  Anger crossed Grady’s face. “They can think whatever they like.” He studied her. “Candace didn’t get to you, did she? You’re not beginning to think that we shouldn’t—”

  “No,” she quickly assured him. “What about you? Ron didn’t get to you, did he?”

  Grady’s face broke into a relieved smile. “No, but it wasn’t from lack of trying on his part. He claims he’s concerned about all these babies we haven’t had yet. He thinks they’ll grow up confused.”

  “About what?”

  “What race they’ll belong to.”

  Rae’jean rolled her eyes. “What race did you tell him?”

  “The human race.”

  Rae’jean’s shoulders shook in laughter. “Good answer. Good answer.” When she finally got her laughter under control Grady pulled her into his arms and captured her mouth in a kiss.

  When he finally released her, she slid a manicured finger along his cheek. “Promise me if for some reason you change your mind and begin having doubts about us I’ll be the first to know.”

  Her words spoken softly in a whisper penetrated the tender and loving moment they’d just shared. “I won’t change my mind, Rae’jean, and I won’t have any doubts.”

  “But promise me that if you do, I’ll be the first to know.”

  He looked at her intently. “I promise. And what about you? Will I be the first to know if for some reason you change your mind or begin having doubts?”

  “Of course, but that won’t happen.”

  Grady chuckled. “You haven’t taken me home to meet your family yet.”

  “You’re marrying me, Grady Fitzgerald, and not my family. Speaking of which, I know the perfect time for you to meet the entire Bennett clan.”

  “When?”

  “In a few months. They’re having a family reunion in Macon in July. Will you go with me?”

  Grady smiled. “Sweetheart, I wouldn’t miss it.”

  Monday morning Rae’jean left her apartment on her way to work and walked across the hall to the elevator. Her mind was on one of her patients, and she didn’t see the man until she�
�d bumped into him.

  “Oh, excuse me; I’m sorry; I wasn’t looking—” She suddenly stopped talking. The man she had just bumped into was the same one she had watched from her window moving into the apartment complex almost a week ago. “—where I was going,” she said, finishing her apology. Up close, he was even more handsome than he’d appeared through the window. She glanced down at him, dressed in Wrangler jeans and a denim shirt, and thought, on top of that, he was even more well built.

  “No problem,” he said, dropping his hand from her elbow, where he’d automatically reached out to keep the both of them from tripping over each other.

  Hearing him speak made Rae’jean’s pulse rate increase. He had a voice as deep and melodic as Barry White’s. He’d removed his hand from her arm too late, she thought. Already the heat of his touch had swept a wave of desire over her so thick, it had her mind reeling in confusion. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before, and certainly not with a stranger. She loved Grady. Why was the mere touch from this man having such an effect on her?

  She didn’t know and she didn’t want to know.

  She took a step back, inhaled, then let out her breath slowly. “Thanks for not letting me fall.”

  His intense dark eyes held hers. They were brown eyes, the color of early-morning coffee with a touch of cream. “Don’t mention it.”

  Rae’jean nervously moistened her dry lips before saying, “I’d better go so I won’t be late for work. I’ll pay better attention to where I’m going.” Without waiting for a response, she rushed off toward the elevator door when it opened. Turning around, she saw he was still standing there watching her with an intense look. Then suddenly, without warning, his lips smoothed into a warm smile.

  When the elevator door closed on him she thought his smile had charmed her. By the time the elevator had reached the ground floor her mind was a mass of confusion.

  How could you love one man and lust after another?

  When the elevator let her off on her floor later that evening as she returned home from work, Rae’jean glanced around. Evidently the stranger lived on her floor, since it was here they had bumped into each other that morning. Not wanting to run the risk of bumping into him again, she walked quickly to her apartment, unlocked the door, and went inside.

  With all the activity that had gone on at the hospital that day, she had managed to keep thoughts of the stranger at bay. But now, the fact that they lived in the same apartment building and shared the same floor was something she couldn’t help but think about.

  She had placed her medical bag on the table when the phone rang. She immediately crossed the room to pick it up. “Hello?”

  “Dr. Bennett, please.”

  Rae’jean’s brow raised inquiringly as she tried to recognize the feminine voice. Had a family member of one of her patients somehow obtained her phone number and called her at home? It wouldn’t be the first time. “Yes, this is Dr. Bennett.”

  “I swear, girl, you’re one hard person to get ahold of.”

  Rae’jean shook her head, smiling, finally recognizing the voice. “Taye! Girl, it’s been years. I never see you when I come home to visit. What’s going on with you?”

  “Not a thing. What’s going on with you, pretty girl?”

  Rae’jean laughed. “OK, Octavia Louise, don’t start that mess with me,” she said as she plopped down in the armchair. “But to answer your question, I’m doing fine, just keeping busy. How’s the girls?”

  “They’re fine, just getting bigger each day. Sebrina turned thirteen two months ago.”

  “Get outta here! Boy, I feel old. And Monica is ten now, right?”

  “Yeah, can you believe that?”

  “I don’t want to believe it. I was there when you gave birth to her, remember?”

  “How could I forget? You were a medical student, yet you fainted watching me give birth.”

  Rae’jean snorted. “I didn’t faint. That was the lie Alexia told.”

  “Then why were you on the floor?”

  Rae’jean chuckled. “A contact popped out of my eye and I was down there looking for it.”

  “Flat on your back?”

  “Again, that’s Alexia’s version and it’s a lie.”

  Taye couldn’t stop laughing. “Rae’jean, I hate to tell you this, honey, but there was another eyewitness. Have you forgotten Sharon was there that night, too?”

  “So? She was so busy bawling she didn’t see a thing.”

  Taye continued laughing. “That’s right; she was crying all over the place. The doctor threatened to put her out.”

  “He threatened to put us all out. He almost did, too.”

  Taye wiped tears of laughter from out of her eyes. Her grandmother Idella had died a month before she’d discovered she was pregnant with Monica and hadn’t been there for her. Her mother, Otha Mae, had barely spoken to her the entire time during her second pregnancy. Taye had felt alone and unloved except for Sharon, who had promised to come home from college during the time she was due and had attended Lamaze classes with her. But then, so had Rae’jean and Alexia. Both of them had come home from college just to be with her during that time, to give her support and to prove that they still loved her no matter how many mistakes she made. “Those was the best of times, weren’t they, Rae?”

  “Yeah, Taye, you want to do it again?”

  “Hell, no!”

  “Go ahead; get pregnant. It’s time Aunt Otha Mae had another cow.”

  “She’ll have more than a cow. She’ll have a heart attack.”

  “No problem. We got a doctor in the family. Heart attacks are my specialty.”

  “Well, you can forget about me having another baby. I’m safe.”

  “Girl, you didn’t get a tubal, did you?”

  “No, I just don’t do the thang anymore.”

  Rae’jean raised a brow. From the last photo Christmas card Taye had sent of her and the girls, Rae’jean knew that Taye was still a very attractive woman. She couldn’t imagine her not having a lover. “You’re kiddin’. You mean to tell me that you’re celibate?”

  “Yep. I haven’t been serious about anyone since Monica’s father. I guess you can say he cured me for life.”

  “Dang, girl. Are you trying to tell me that you haven’t had any in ten years?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”

  Rae’jean shook her head. If she continued to hold Grady to that promise it might be a good six to seven months before she got any again herself…but ten years? That was a bit much. “How do you manage to keep sane?”

  “I don’t think about it. Besides, with working at the salon, going to school, and taking care of the girls, I don’t have the time or the energy.”

  Rae’jean chuckled. “I think for that I’d always make the time, and as far as energy goes, all you gotta do is lay there and enjoy it. That’s why it’s called a good lay. A man is supposed to do all the work anyway.”

  “Is that a fact?”

  “Yes.”

  “Speaking of a man, rumor has it that you’ve finally got one. Only problem is that he’s white.”

  Rae’jean smiled. “Oh, that’s supposed to be a problem?”

  “For some members of the family, but not for those who could care less what color he is as long as he has all the necessary body parts in working order and treats you right.”

  Rae’jean shook her head. “Trust me, he has all the necessary body parts in working order and he treats me right.”

  “Is it serious?”

  “Definitely. He asked me to marry him last week and I accepted.”

  “Rae’jean, that’s wonderful! Congratulations, girl. When will I get to meet him?”

  “At the family reunion. You going?”

  “Yeah, I think so. I wasn’t at first, but then I decided to go.”

  “So have I. Besides introducing Grady to the family, there’s something else I want to accomplish while I’m there.”

  “What?”


  “Somebody is going to give me information about my daddy.”

  “Good luck. That’s been the best-kept family secret for years.”

  “Well, I got news for you: when I get to Macon somebody’s gonna talk.”

  “I don’t know about that. On some things those Bennetts stick together like glue.”

  Rae’jean frowned. “Then I’ll find one that’s no longer so sticky.”

  “Like I said, good luck. When was the last time you heard from Alexia? Do you think she’s coming?”

  “Lex’s still on tour in Europe with her singing group. She probably hasn’t heard about the reunion yet. She won’t be back in the States for another two weeks.”

  “What about Michael?”

  “Gosh, I haven’t heard from Michael in years. Last I heard he was still a pilot for a major airline and still living in Minnesota. He sort of lost touch with the family after finding out he’d been adopted. He was really torn up about it. Lex and I went to his wife’s funeral six years ago and tried keeping in contact with him, but he stopped returning our calls. Last time I was home I asked Cousin Henry about him and he said Michael rarely calls him, too.”

  “So you don’t think he’ll come?” Taye asked, hoping Rae’jean didn’t pick up on the disappointment in her voice.

  “I don’t know, but I hope he does. I think he needs to know that no matter what, we’re family and we’ll always be there for each other. Right?”

  Taye couldn’t help but smile. “Right.”

  Chapter 3

  Michael

  Michael Bennett took in his hotel room at a glance. Tonight it was his home-away-from-home due to a flight layover. After studying the weather reports, as the captain of the 737, he had decided it was too risky to fly to Chicago due to the snowstorm there.

  He dropped his gear on the bed and went immediately to the phone to place a call home. His live-in housekeeper and baby-sitter picked up the phone on the second ring. Mrs. Duncan had been with him for a year now, ever since his last housekeeper, Mrs. Boswell, had moved away from Minnesota. The one thing he liked about Mrs. Duncan was the way she handled his thirteen-year-old daughter. Kennedy was known to be a handful at times. The tricks she used to get away with things while in Mrs. Boswell’s care didn’t seem to work with Helen Duncan. Having been a single mother who had raised six kids and three grandkids, she’d heard and seen it all.