Troublemaker

by Trice Hickman

  “My great-grandma, Susan Jessup, used to always tell me, ‘Everything is as it needs to be,’ ” Allene had once said.

  Alexandria knew her wise ancestors were right, so instead of lamenting what she couldn’t change, she chose to focus her mind on what was in front of her. She looked around the room and took in the poignant, complex history that the two-thousand-and-five-hundred-square-foot space held. It was alive with energy. She smiled when a vision of her grandpa John flashed in front of her. She saw that he’d celebrated his graduation from both high school and college here, and that he’d rejoiced with happiness when he and her nana Elizabeth had hosted their simple but elegant wedding reception in this very room, which her great-grandmother Henrietta had personally catered.

  “Look at Daddy and his father,” Victoria said with pride as she pointed at a picture of Isaiah and John Small that hung prominently in the center of the main wall. They were both dressed in tailored business suits, looking like they belonged on the cover of Fortune magazine. “I never knew my grandpa Isaiah because he passed away when I was just a baby. But the stories I heard about him were legendary, and that’s why my daddy turned out to be the kind of man he was.” Victoria smiled and shook her head. “Daddy was all about business, and you couldn’t find a smarter man alive, but he also loved and cherished his family. He was a great man, and I miss him so much.”

  “Yes indeed,” Maxx said. “They was both pillars of this community, respected by blacks and whites alike.”

  Alexandria nodded in agreement. “Yes, Mom and Uncle Maxx. I’ve seen all that you say, and I can feel their spirits right now.”

  “Are they here in the room?” Victoria whispered as she looked at her daughter with hope.

  “Their energy is, along with so many others.” Alexandria scanned the room. “Every face you see in the pictures on these walls is here, and they’re happy to finally be acknowledged.”

  “I’m always so amazed by what you can do,” Victoria said with a smile. “I wish I had your gift, even if for just one day. What a blessing that would be.”

  Alexandria knew that her mother didn’t have a clue, nor did most other people, that her gift could bring a heavy burden, just as she and Allene had discussed last night. Each day was an internal fight to control it. Some days were easier than others when trying to tame the voices and visions that were always competing to be heard or seen. At times like now, when she was both mentally and physically tired, it was all she could do to simply function.

  As Alexandria took another glance around the room, making note of each photograph gracing the four walls of the beautifully restored building, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelming awe. From the moment she’d entered the historic space, she’d been greeted with the intense spirit and energy of the people whose faces decorated the walls, and the physical presence of those who’d been in this very room from as far back as one hundred fifty years ago, when the original building had been constructed as a small, one-room shack.

  Voices and visions from the past shot out at her as if she were watching snippets of a movie. She saw people laughing at celebrations, finger snapping to loud music at parties, and receiving honors at ceremonies held to commemorate special occasions. But she also felt the sadness, mourning, loss, and sorrow that had once filled the great room. She closed her eyes and was instantly transported back to the past. She watched as secret meetings took place in the very spot where she was standing.

  The town’s black activists had strategized under the cover of night, developing plans to keep their community safe in the wake of lynchings, cross burnings, and other atrocious acts committed by the Klan.

  She saw her grandma Allene in these meetings. The only woman in a room full of men, Allene sat close beside her son, Isaiah, who resided at the head of a small wooden table where the quiet group had gathered by dim candlelight. Allene spoke to the men in hushed tones as they listened with rapt attention to every word coming from her mouth. Alexandria strained to hear what they were saying, but try as she might, she couldn’t make out a single word.

  Grandma Allene, what’s going on? Alexandria asked through her thoughts, knowing Allene was close by. I know I’m seeing this vision for a reason, but I don’t know why.

  Alexandria waited for Allene to respond, but she heard nothing except the silence in her own head and the busy chatter of the crowd that filled the room. She looked around for Allene, hoping to see the tall, regal woman who always stood out even when she was sitting down. But she didn’t see a trace of Allene’s signature silver-white mane that was fashioned into a neat chignon high atop her head, or the flowing ankle-length skirt she always wore.

  Alexandria was confused and didn’t know what to think. Although Allene was out of sight, she knew the old spirit was in the room because she could feel her.

  Where are you, Grandma? As Alexandria concentrated harder, fatigue began to grip her body. The visions were coming too fast, and the fact that she couldn’t make sense of them made her feel helpless to what was happening. She made one last attempt to communicate with Allene. She wiped a thin trace of sweat from her brow and reached out through air, space, and time. I’m seeing things that I don’t understand. Please tell me what all this means.

  “Baby, are you okay?” PJ asked as he held Alexandria’s hand in his. He looked at her closely. “You’re trembling and you’re starting to sweat. Are you having a vision?”

  “What’s wrong, sweetie?” Victoria asked as she looked on with worry.

  Alexandria nodded. “I need something to drink. I feel a little light-headed.”

  “I’ll take care of her, Mom,” PJ said to Victoria. “Don’t worry—this happens from time to time when we’re at home. I know what to do.”

  Victoria looked into Alexandria’s eyes, and then at PJ. “Sweetie, are you sure you’re all right? Is there anything I can do?”

  “PJ will take care of her,” Ted said gently as he gave a nod.

  Protection mixed with a mother’s instinct was layered in Victoria’s voice. “Your father and I will be right here if you need us.”

  Alexandria smiled. “Thanks, Mom. But don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I just need a few minutes to sit down and rest.”

  As PJ slowly led her to the other side of the room, Alexandria tried to once again communicate with Allene. Why aren’t you answering me, Grandma? What’s wrong? Suddenly, it all became crystal clear to her in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Allene had never been in the room at all. What Alexandria had thought was her great-great-grandmother’s physical presence had actually been the strength of the all-too-real vision she’d experienced only moments ago. Allene had pulled her into the past. So much was going on that she could barely keep pace with the speed and intensity of it all.

  “Here, sit down,” PJ said as he helped Alexandria to a chair in the corner of the room. “I’m going to get you some water and I’ll be right back.”

  Alexandria nodded. “Thanks, honey.” She watched PJ walk through the crowd and she felt relieved to be off her feet so she could rest for a moment. But before she could calm her mind and body, another vision appeared. This time, she could barely believe what she was seeing.

  She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and concentrated. She’d been transported again, back in time to a place that felt new and familiar at once. As she squinted to focus in for a better view, she nearly lost her breath when she began to realize where she’d landed. She was standing in a room that felt as comfortable as her own bedroom, and she immediately knew that this was her grandma Allene’s house.

  She blinked twice to make sure what she was witnessing was real. “How can this be?” Alexandria questioned in amazement. She watched as two people, whom she’d had no idea knew each other, sat engaged in what looked to be a serious conversation. As she stared more closely she was a hundred percent sure that her eyes had not deceived her. Allene Small and Carolyn Thornton—her father’s mother—were talking about the future.

  Chapter
31

  Alexandria

  Alexandria fought to regain her breath as she looked around Allene’s quaint living room. The furnishings were simple, if not plain, and two antique table lamps lit the small space. The soft glow of light radiated an intimate and cozy feel that made her instantly relax. Allene was obviously a good housekeeper because everything Alexandria’s eyes landed on was neatly arranged and had been polished to a high gloss. From the small mahogany coffee table in the center of the room, to the sparkle of the lead crystal vase sitting on top of it, Allene made sure her humble home reflected her attention to detail and care.

  Alexandria turned her head to the left as she inhaled the smoky scent of wood burning in an old-fashioned potbelly stove on the opposite wall. The stove’s heat helped to combat the bitter cold she could feel trying to push its way through the front door.

  She walked closer to the middle of the room where Allene was sitting comfortably in a worn-looking La-Z-Boy recliner. Her blue gingham print shawl was draped around her shoulders, along with a heavy quilt she’d laid across her lap to create an extra layer of warmth. Alexandria’s eyes focused in on her Granny Carolyn, who looked as though she was in her late teens. She was wearing a plain, long-sleeved grey dress, black stockings, and heavy, black winter boots that looked too rough and too big for her dainty frame. Her long, jet-black hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, exposing the delicate features that made her a natural beauty.

  But, as Alexandria studied her, she realized that Carolyn had the saddest-looking eyes she’d ever seen. Though she was so young, her eyes looked as though she’d lived several lifetimes. She was sitting at attention, back straight and shoulders squared, in a chair next to Allene’s. The two were engaged in what appeared to be a very serious conversation.

  Alexandria had to concentrate in order to control the visions that were flashing in front of her at lightning speed. Focus! Focus! She told herself as she tried to stay in the moment.

  But it was no use. Her visions were coming too fast. She took a deep breath, centered her thoughts, and aimed her mind on Carolyn. Alexandria needed to connect the dots in order to find out why she was witnessing something that no one else in her family had a clue about—the connection between Ted’s family and Victoria’s.

  Carolyn Thornton had passed away when Alexandria was five years old, but she remembered the old woman as if she’d just spoken to her yesterday. And more specifically, she remembered every detail of Carolyn’s wake and funeral because it had been the first time she’d ever communicated with someone who had passed on from the world of the living into the next realm. Alexandria hadn’t understood it at the time, but it had been her first glimpse into the powers of the gift she possessed.

  As Alexandria allowed herself to give in to her visions, she watched her paternal grandmother’s life play out before her eyes.

  Her birth name had been Carol Lynn and she’d been born to an attractive young woman named Sally May Turner, whose life had not been her own. Sally May was a nineteen-year-old domestic, living in the opulent home of Jean Paul Millieux, a fifty-year-old wealthy and successful Louisiana businessman who had his sights set on a position in the state legislature. From the beginning, Sally May’s tenure and standing in the house had been made shaky by the unwanted advances of her employer. One night he took what wasn’t his, sealing Sally May’s fate to become an unwed mother and an outcast in her community. She lost her job once the lady of the house learned of her pregnancy, and her own family turned her away amidst the ridicule and shame of her situation.

  Sally May packed her bags and went to live with distant relatives in Jackson, Mississippi, who were willing to take her in, but only for a short time. After her baby was born, and she and little Carol Lynn became too much of a burden in an already struggling household, her family’s Southern hospitality ran out.

  Sally May was forced to go out on her own and make it the best way she could. Living was rough for a young, uneducated black woman in the rural South raising a mixed-race daughter who looked pure white, with no trace of African blood running through her veins. Sally May cleaned houses, took in laundry, cooked meals, and did whatever she could to scrape together a living for herself and her growing child. But her harsh existence became too much for her fragile body and mind to bear.

  Sally May contracted a deadly infection, the result of a monthlong battle with pneumonia. With no money or access to proper medical care, she quietly succumbed in her sleep, making a five-year-old Carol Lynn an orphan. An already bleak situation was made worse when none of Carol Lynn’s relatives would to take her in, lest they have another hungry mouth to feed.

  With no mother or family willing to care for her, Carol Lynn bounced from foster home to foster home around the small county where she lived. She was emotionally abused, never able to find a good footing in the black community or the white.

  Even though Carol Lynn’s life had been filled with disappointments she’d managed to forge a friendship with Hattie McPherson, a young black girl her same age who would become her lifelong friend. Hattie was the smartest girl in their school and she made sure that Carol Lynn studied and received good grades right alongside her.

  When Carol Lynn turned sixteen, she decided to create a new life for herself by passing as a white woman. She’d heard about light-skinned blacks who looked white and were able to live as such, so she decided that was what she was going to do. Hattie was the only person she told of her plans.

  “If you’re gonna do this, you need help,” Hattie had said. “My grandma has kin folk in South Carolina who know of an old woman with the gift. Maybe she can tell you where to go and what to do, since you don’t know anybody up north.”

  “You think she can help me?” Carol Lynn asked.

  “Anything’s worth a try.”

  Carol Lynn decided to start her new life in the New Year. When the first of January rolled around she set out on her journey up north. But she hadn’t realized how dangerous traveling alone could be for a young woman, or how bitterly cold the winter nights could feel once you were out in it for hours on end. She was relieved when, after several days of walking and hitching rides with strangers, she finally landed in the small town of Nedine, where she met Allene Small, whom Hattie’s grandmother’s people knew. She’d arrived on Allene’s doorstep in the middle of the night, tired, hungry, and ailing from a fever and cold she’d caught while braving the elements.

  Allene kept Carol Lynn’s presence in her home a secret, which was fairly easy to do given that she had very few visitors. She enjoyed having the young girl’s company and was glad she could provide a warm, safe place for Carol Lynn to rest and recover.

  One night, when Carol Lynn was eating a meal of beef stew and cornbread that Allene had prepared, she asked Allene to read her future.

  Allene had known what was going to happen to the young woman even before she had knocked on Allene’s door a few nights before. She’d known Carol Lynn was coming, seeking refuge and guidance, and she’d seen everything that was going to unfold in her life over the decades to come if she listened, learned, and allowed the cards to fall into place.

  Allene looked at Carol Lynn, who she could tell was eager to know what fate would befall her, good or bad. Allene only read people’s futures when her gut told her to, and because she knew that she and Carol Lynn would one day be connected through their children, she felt compelled to tell the young woman what awaited her life.

  But Allene also knew she had to warn Carol Lynn. “What I’m ’bout to tell you is very important, and it’s gonna happen just like I say it will.”

  “Okay.” Carol Lynn nodded with anticipation.

  “In a few years from now you’re gonna remember this night when you see things start comin’ to pass that I’m gettin’ ready to share with you. But you can’t try to change or avoid them. You understand?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Carol Lynn said.

  “If you try to change even one single thing, you gonna end up ma
kin’ a worse mess outta your life and a whole lotta others right along with you. Do you understand me?”

  “I do.”

  Allene looked into the girl’s eyes and saw that she was telling the truth, and that she understood more than Allene had given her credit for. Carol Lynn was young, but she was mature beyond her years and she was ready to accept whatever was going to happen in her life. Allene took a deep breath and told her what lay ahead down the road.

  “You’re gonna get settled into your new life without any problems,” Allene began. “You’re gonna graduate from a real good college, and you’re gonna marry an important man from a wealthy family. He’s gonna be handsome and very smart. Most of all, he’s gonna be a good, decent person who’s kind and loves you. You and him gonna have three beautiful children, and you’re gonna be blessed with longevity into your eighties.”

  A smile lit up Carol Lynn’s pretty face, but it quickly faded when she saw the somber look that came over Allene’s. “What is it? Is something bad going to happen?”

  “It already has, child. The life you’re chosin’ comes with a price. Running from who you are always does.”

  “But I have no choice.”

  “We all have a choice. But I understand that you’ve made yours, and I know you’re not changin’ your mind.”

  Carol Lynn shook her head. “No, I’m not.”

  “You’re gonna have to bury your past, lie to the people you love, and look over your shoulder every day for the rest of your life,” Allene said slowly. “You’re gonna live a long time, but you’re gonna die empty, with pain and secrets. Those secrets will end up hurtin’ the very people you love most, and they’ll struggle with what you did long after you’re gone.”

  Carol Lynn looked down into her bowl of stew and let out a heavy sigh. “My life’s been filled with pain and secrets since the day I was born, Ms. Allene. I guess it’s fitting that that’s the way it’s going to end.”