Stepping to a New Day

by Beverly Jenkins

  CHAPTER

  16

  Della made it clear she didn’t want Paula involved with the service, but that didn’t prevent Paula from honoring her grandfather according to her own traditions. So, on the morning of the funeral, in the pre-dawn quiet of his house, she read aloud from the Book of Common Prayer. “I am the resurrection and the life saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die . . . Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; even so saith the Spirit, for they rest in their labors.”

  Next, came Psalms 46, 90, and 121, followed by two readings from Isaiah—25: 6-9, He will swallow up death in victory, and 61:1-3, To comfort those who mourn. She ended with Psalm 27 and the King James version of the 23rd Psalm. Closing the Bible, she whispered, “Rest in peace, Papa,” and rose to begin her day.

  The wake had been held last night at Della’s house. Paula drove over to pay her respects and to see if her aunt needed any help, but upon arriving she’d received such a hateful glare she hadn’t stayed long, telling herself she didn’t want to add to Della’s grief. The funeral slated for eleven would be held at the local Pentecostal church where she assumed Della was a member. Calvin offered to drive her over but she’d declined. She wanted to drive herself. That way if she needed to leave right after the service she could and he’d be free to concentrate on comforting his mother, Anna Lee.

  Paula arrived at the small cinder-block church a half an hour before the service was due to begin. She found a parking space on the gravel lot and got out. Two women and a man dressed in their Sunday best made their way to the door and she followed them. One of the faces was vaguely familiar but the others were not. After all, she’d left Blackbird almost forty years ago and her face was probably unfamiliar to them as well, but at the door, she was approached by a woman wearing all white.

  “Good to see you, Paula. Nan Willis. We were in typing class together freshman year.”

  The prompt was helpful. “Good to see you, too, Nan. Been a long time.”

  “It has. I heard you were here and that you’re a reverend now?”

  “Yes.” Paula had chosen not to wear her collar out of respect for Della’s wishes.

  “Are you helping with the service?”

  “No. Just here to pay my respects.”

  “Della said no, I take it.”

  Paula didn’t respond.

  “You’d think she’d appreciate having a woman of God in her family, but she is who she is.”

  Paula remained silent.

  “Well, let me get inside. I’m working with the Nurses Guild today. Need to let Pastor Gordon know I’m here. My condolences on your loss.”

  “Thank you.” The Nurses Guild, a staple at Black churches, were at funerals to help those overcome by grief. She wasn’t sure if they’d be needed.

  Inside, Paula nodded at the six people in the pews and wondered how large the gathering might be. A red-eyed Anna Lee and a stoic-looking Calvin were seated up front so she went to greet them. She didn’t see Della or Robyn and assumed they’d arrive with the casket. Della hadn’t shared any details about the funeral home and Paula hadn’t pressed.

  “Why aren’t you with Della?” Anna Lee asked after they’d shared hugs.

  “Wasn’t asked.”

  Anna Lee shook her head and dabbed at her tears with the tissue in her hand. “And she calls herself a Christian.”

  Not wanting to feed dissension, Paula said, “It’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not. You’re family just like she is.”

  “You can sit with us,” Calvin offered.

  Paula thanked him and sat silently in the quiet of the small sanctuary. The things she’d learned from Anna Lee about her past continued to ache inside and would undoubtedly do so long after she returned home. She didn’t doubt her ability to handle it. After all, she had God on her side. She just hoped her mother was at peace.

  The numbers of people who’d come to pay their respects didn’t increase. According to Anna Lee, Tyree hadn’t set foot in a church in fifty years.

  Della and Robyn arrived a short while later and were escorted to the front pew by two solemn well-dressed men Paula assumed were from the funeral home. The casket was rolled in and the top opened. Della had on a black suit and a large black hat with a nose-length veil. Robyn was in a simple but dingy white blouse and blue skirt.

  Anna Lee leaned Paula’s way and whispered, “Why does Della look like she just stepped out of Nordstrom’s and Robyn from the thrift store?”

  The contrast was noticeable but Paula didn’t respond. She did however get up and walk over to where they were sitting. She wanted to give Robyn a hug. They hadn’t had any time together since the dinner at Della’s and she was saddened by that. While speaking with Robyn in hushed tones to ask how she was doing, Paula ignored Della’s icy demeanor. When Paula finished speaking with Robyn, she said to Della, “My condolences on your loss, Aunt Della.”

  She didn’t reply.

  Releasing a quiet sigh, Paula walked over to the casket and looked down into the face of the man who’d asked for her forgiveness on his deathbed. “Rest in peace,” she said to him and returned to her seat.

  The service was short—only a few prayers. There was no choir, sermon, or eulogy. Only later would she learn that Tyree insisted that he be buried without ceremony and would probably haunt Della for eternity for putting him on display in a church.

  The burial took place at the old cemetery outside of town. There was no marker. By the time the pastor released them, Paula was numb inside. All she wanted was to go home to Kansas and lick her wounds, but there was more to do.

  Calvin stopped her and Della to say, “Tyree’s lawyer wants us to meet at Mama’s place at two o’clock to go over the will.”

  “What will?” Della demanded.

  Calvin didn’t address that. “I’ll see you both at two.”

  As Della and the silent Robyn walked to their car, Paula checked her watch. It was nearly one. There would be no repast so she had time to drive back, grab a bite to eat, and gird herself for Della’s reaction to Tyree’s startling last will and testament. It wasn’t going to go well.

  The lawyer, a tall, powerful-looking man with ice-blue eyes, arrived promptly at 1:55. Della didn’t or couldn’t hide her shock when Calvin ushered him in. His name was Martin Jeddings, and he was the lawyer for the Crane family, who’d employed Tyree.

  “My condolences,” he said to start things off. “The Cranes send their condolences as well. Mr. Tyree will be missed. I know it’s been a trying day. I won’t keep you long but I need to go over a few things. The Cranes, with Mr. Tyree’s consent, began investing a small portion of his salary in stocks about forty years ago, so you can imagine how much those investments have grown.”

  Paula saw surprise fill Della’s face before her aunt asked, “How much?”

  “His portfolio is worth a bit over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”

  Her eyes widened and Paula braced herself for Della’s reaction to the revelation the lawyer was about to share.

  Jeddings continued, “There are two beneficiaries, and his instructions are that the portfolio be divided equally between his son, Calvin Spivey, and his granddaughter, Reverend Paula Grant.”

  Della cried angrily, “What! There must be some kind of mistake. My name should be on there, too. I’m his daughter, Ardella!”

  Jeddings looked uncomfortable. “He left you the property at 662 Lawson.”

  “I don’t want that damn house!” she screeched.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am, but—”

  Calvin got up and went to her. “Della—”

  She shook him off. “Get away from me, you bastard! Look at those papers again, Mr. White Man, and find my damn name! Look again!”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am.”

  “Sorry?” she raged. “After all I did for him. After cooking and cleaning and putting up with his whoring ways! I ev
en killed—”

  The hair rose on the back of Paula’s neck.

  Jeddings’s attention snapped to Della.

  “You killed—what?” Calvin asked urgently.

  “I killed my life because of him! I hope he roasts in hell!” She grabbed her purse and stormed out.

  In the silence following her exit, a thoughtful-looking Jeddings remained focused on the door.

  When Calvin’s startled eyes met Paula’s she didn’t know how to respond.

  Anna Lee, seated on the piano bench on the other side of the room, said matter-of-factly, “I told Tyree fifteen years ago that hateful bitch killed Lisa.”

  Paula spun.

  Wearing a grim smile, Anna Lee raised her drink in toast.

  Back at her grandfather’s, Paula hoped Anna Lee was wrong and that Della hadn’t killed her daughter. Such an act was too horrific to contemplate but the images from the dream with her mother and the skull continued to haunt her. Stepping out onto the back porch, she scanned the trees and the open field behind the house. Was her cousin Lisa buried out there somewhere? Gooseflesh traveled up her arms and she hugged herself. She’d come back for a funeral not knowing she’d be stepping into a nightmare. Her thoughts moved to Robyn. If Della was indeed responsible for Lisa’s death what would happen to her? Who would claim her and raise her? Paula knew very little about the teen’s father and had no idea if he still lived in Blackbird or was an active participant in his daughter’s life. Being a woman of faith she knew it was best to turn this over to a higher power, but letting go and letting God was difficult because she wanted to do something even if she didn’t have a clue as to what that something might be, so she prayed and girded herself with the knowing that He had this in hand.

  She wanted to see Robyn before flying home and even though she knew Della would probably say no to a visit, Paula called her anyway.

  “What did you do to my father to get him to leave you his money?” Della demanded when she answered the phone.

  “I didn’t know anything about the will until Calvin shared the information the day after I got here.”

  “Liar!”

  Paula held onto her patience. “I’d like to see Robyn before I leave in the morning.”

  “And I’d like the money you and that bastard cheated me out of. You can’t see her. Take yourself back to Kansas. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

  “Della—”

  But she’d ended the call.

  With a heavy sigh, Paula went into the bedroom to pack.

  The next morning, she called Calvin to say goodbye.

  “It was good seeing you, Paula.”

  “Same here. You’ll keep an eye on Robyn?”

  “Sure will. I’ll send somebody to look at that sump pump, too. If Della doesn’t want the house maybe Jeddings can work it so Robyn can have it. She might want to live there once she turns eighteen and can get away from Della.”

  That gave her hope. “When I get home, I’m going to call him and make arrangements for her to have most of my share of the portfolio.”

  “That’s real generous of you.”

  “She needs options and having money will give her some. My mother’s insurance money changed my life. I want to do the same thing for Robyn.”

  “Sounds good. Make sure you text me when you get back so I’ll know you got home safely.”

  “Will do, and I’ll be in touch.”

  “You’d better,” he said with affection in his voice. “Take care, Rev.”

  “You, too.”

  Before leaving for the airport, Paula took one last look at Tyree’s house. Ghostly memories of all the heartache, bitterness, and pain made her never want to return. With that in mind, she placed the key he’d given her on the mantel in the spot where her mother’s graduation picture, now cushioned inside her suitcase, had lain facedown for over fifty years, and with nothing else to hold her, she closed the door and walked to the car.

  Since he didn’t have to work Sundays, Riley used the time to begin clearing out the debris littering Eustacia’s place. The looters had left a broom so he started upstairs in one of the bedrooms he planned to use as his own. He didn’t have a bed so he’d still be sleeping on the floor but it wouldn’t be in the kitchen and it would be clean. Cletus was outside eating the last of the rice cereal purchased for him by Clay. Riley had made enough in tips to be able to buy more but he also had to feed himself so economically the situation would be tight until he got his first paycheck. Deciding not to worry about that or the rest of his problems for the moment, he looked around for something to put the pile of rubbish into so he could haul it downstairs when he heard knocking on the front door. Puzzled by who it might be, he went downstairs to see.

  It was Ben Scarsdale, the California animal trainer. Seeing him filled Riley with panic.

  “Hey there, Riley,” the older man said, showing an easy smile. “How are things?”

  “Uh, good, Ben. How’d you find me?”

  “Got a nephew who’s a cop with the LAPD.”

  Riley swallowed and blinked. “What can I do for you, Ben?”

  “Came to collect the four thousand dollars you owe me.”

  The panic increased. “I’m a little short on cash at the moment.”

  “Figured that. Not a problem, though. Have a court order here,” he said, showing Riley the papers he held. “Going to take Cletus back with me.”

  Riley gasped. “No!”

  “You look surprised. Did you think you’d never have to pay me?”

  Sweating under Scarsdale’s now icy-blue glare, Riley tried to think. He’d been able to bamboozle the man before. “How about we try and work something out?” he asked congenially.

  “No thanks. You’re a liar and a cheat—two qualities honest men abhor. Where’s my hog?”

  “You can’t have him,” Riley declared firmly.

  “Court order says I can. Got a nice county sheriff named Will Dalton standing out by his car just in case I need assistance.”

  Riley peered past him and sure enough Dalton was down by the road. Parked in front of the patrol car was Scarsdale’s familiar blue truck. A large metal trailer was hitched to the back.

  “I’m calling my lawyer!”

  Scarsdale shrugged. “Go right ahead. In the meantime, Cletus and I are heading home.” He pulled a silver whistle out of his shirt pocket and blew into it twice. A minute or so later, Cletus came trotting around the side of the house.

  Riley snarled, “Clete, go back and finish your breakfast.” He leaned toward Scarsdale to let him know he meant business. “He’s not leaving.”

  “Sure he is. Watch.”

  Scarsdale waved his arms toward the road and a man Riley knew to be the trainer’s assistant stepped out of the blue truck. He moved around to the trailer, opened the back, and unfolded the heavy ramp. Down the ramp came the white sow, Cleo. Riley’s eyes went wide. She was the sow Cletus had been sweet on in California. Upon seeing her, Cletus raised his snout and squealed. She squealed in reply. Cletus set off toward the road.

  “Cletus, get back here!” Riley demanded.

  Cletus turned, eyed his former owner for a second, and kept going.

  “Cletus!” Riley ran to stop him, but he was no match for a six-hundred-pound hog. When Riley tried to grab him, Cletus grunted angrily and bit him on the hand. Riley yelped with pain and jumped aside.