“Okay.”
When the jet halted, she got off and walked over to where the woman and the boy stood waiting. “I’m Bernadine Brown.”
“Lorna Stevens,” the woman responded, and extended her hand. “Nice jet.”
Bernadine returned the shake and the smile and looked down at the boy holding Lorna’s other hand. “You must be, Devon.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Pleased to meet you, Devon. I’m Bernadine Brown.”
“Pleased to meet you, too, ma’am.”
The flowered pillowcase near his feet apparently held his belongings “Are you ready to go?”
He looked up at Ms. Stevens with a solemn glance then replied, “Yes, ma’am.”
He seemed so wooden and resigned, Bernadine wanted to hug him and never let him go.
Lorna Stevens bent down and said to him softly, “I’m jealous. You get to fly off in a fancy jet plane and I get to go back to my office and do paperwork.”
He smiled a little.
She touched his cheek. “You stay well now Devon Watkins, hear?”
“Yes, ma’am. God be with you.”
“You too, angel.”
She stood and met Bernadine’s eyes. “Take real good care of him, Ms. Brown. He’s very special.”
“I will. I promise.”
She nodded.
Bernadine took his warm hand in hers. He picked up the pillowcase, and she led him over to the waiting jet.
If Devon was awed by the plane’s luxurious interior, he didn’t show it. Instead he stood silently in the aisle as if waiting for instruction. Bernadine introduced him to Lily.
“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Fontaine.”
“Same here, Devon.”
“This is Crystal Chambers.”
The teen gave the little boy and his suit a critical once-over. “You just come from a funeral?”
Confusion filled his face.
“The suit,” she explained. “Where I come from only time you wear a suit is to a funeral or to court.”
“I wear this all the time.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “I just do.”
Crystal wasn’t buying it. “Ms. Brown, we’re going to have to get him some real clothes. If we’re going to be flying on jets and living in a mansion, he’s gotta dress way more tight than this.”
“I don’t own a mansion, Crystal.”
“Yeah, right.” She then stuck out her hand to Devon. “Welcome to the family. Have Ms. Lily give you some gum so your ears don’t pop. You ever been on a plane before?”
“Once to San Francisco and the other time to Washington, D.C.”
Crystal looked impressed. “Well, get a seat and buckle up. We got three more stops to make.” She then yelled into the comm console. “We’re ready back here, Ms. Katie.”
The pilot responded with a laugh. “Thank you, Miss Crystal.”
Bernadine buckled her seat belt. She could have kissed Crystal for welcoming Devon the way she had. It proved that beneath the bad hair and the drug-thug tattoo beat a good heart. She vowed to remember that when times ahead with Crystal got hard, because she knew they would.
Next stop, Miami. This time the social worker was a young Black man, and beside him, standing no bigger than a minute was Zoey Raymond.
While Bernadine went outside to facilitate the transfer, inside the jet Crystal barked, “A White girl?”
Devon made his way over to Crystal’s side of the plane so that he could see out too.
Lily, who’d known about Zoey’s race, said, “Yes, Crystal, a White girl. She’s got a lot of issues, and I expect you to be as nice to her as you were to Devon.”
Devon said quietly, “She looks sad.”
Lily agreed. The little face was as pale as milk, but the bowl-cut hair and bangs were so black they made her appear almost ghostly. She was a pretty little girl though. Bernadine would be pairing her with the Paynes. They thought Sheila would be the perfect foster mother to give the girl all the special love and attention she’d need.
Crystal asked, “So what’s wrong with her?”
“She’s mute.”
Crystal looked confused.
“She doesn’t speak.”
“At all?”
Lily shook her head.
“That’s rough.”
They all watched silently as Bernadine and Zoey walked toward the plane. Devon quoted just loud enough to hear, “And when the demon had been cast out, the mute spoke.”
Lily turned to him. Crystal did as well.
“Mathew nine, verse thirty-five,” he said.
Crystal groaned like only a fourteen-year-old can, “Oh Lord. A Jesus boy.”
Lily gave his thin shoulder a small squeeze and said reassuringly, “You keep quoting the Word, Devon. We’re going to be needing all the Scripture we can get before this is over, I’m betting.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Crystal must have taken Lily’s warning seriously because when Bernadine and Zoey got on, she said, “Hey, Zoey. I’m Crystal. Back there is Devon. They told us you can’t talk, so I don’t expect you to say hi or anything. Welcome to the family.”
Zoey dropped her head a notch in what could have been shyness or recognition or who knew, but she didn’t act afraid, and that gave Bernadine hope.
Devon said, “Hey, Zoey, you can come sit with me, if you like.”
She looked up at Bernadine, who replied, “Up to you.”
Zoey let go of Bernadine’s hand. Dressed in a battered pair of jeans and matching shirt, her pale feet stuck in green flip-flops, she went down the aisle and settled into the seat next to Devon.
Crystal was turned around watching. “She get her gum, Ms. Lily?”
Lily grinned. “I’m on it.”
“Make sure she’s buckled in, Devon,” Crystal added.
“I will.”
And once everything was done, Crystal called to Katie, “We’re ready back here, Ms. Katie. Fire this baby up!”
“Aye-aye, Captain.”
A few minutes later, they were winging their way north to the Motor City.
There was no social worker waiting with Amari Steele, but there were two uniformed police officers standing to his left and right. Bernadine had never seen an eleven-year-old in leg irons and handcuffs before, and she stared stunned as she viewed the scene from the jet’s window.
“Is that him?” Crystal asked.
Bernadine sighed, “I think so.”
Obviously impressed by the shackles and the po-po escort, Crystal said, “Now that’s gangsta.”
Devon and Zoey looked out at the window and then shared a silent glance.
Bernadine left the plane and walked over and introduced herself.
The female officer said, “Sorry about the hardware, but he got away from us a little while ago. We wanted to make sure he was here when you came to pick him up.”
Amari shrugged. “It was a Chrysler Prowler. I’ve never driven a Prowler before.”
They went on to explain that he’d given them the slip once they arrived on the airport grounds. They found him behind the wheel of a Prowler.
“You can release him now.”
Amari grinned. “Thanks, Ms. Brown. Excuse my manners. I’d shake your hand but I’m a little tied up at the moment.”
She groaned inwardly at the pun. The mischief in his eyes equaled the wattage in his crooked white-toothed smile. Once he was freed, he stuck out his hand, “Amari Steele.”
“Bernadine Brown.” She knew right there and then that this handsome charmer was going to be trouble with a capital T.
“Whose jet is that?” he asked gesturing in its direction.
“Mine.”
“How fast will it go?”
Bernadine studied him. “Why?”
“I’m into engines.”
“You’ll have to ask my pilot.”
“Can I ride up front with him.”
“Pilot’s female and, no, all passengers h
ave to sit in the cabin.”
He looked disappointed.
The policemen were shaking their heads.
“Are you ready?” Bernadine asked him.
“You sure I can’t ride up front?”
Bernadine gave him the same look her mama used to give her when the discussion was closed.
“Okay. I get it.”
“Good.”
The male police officer produced a small rolling suitcase. “Here’s your stuff, Amari.”
“Thanks.”
He gave the officers a smile and wave and walked with Bernadine to the plane’s lowered steps.
As he got on and took in the laid interior he whistled long and low. “Man! Now this is the shit.”
“Watch your mouth,” Lily warned sternly.
“Sorry. Didn’t know this was a noncussing flight.”
Behind him, Bernadine coughed to hide her laugh.
Lily fought to keep a straight face.
“I’m Amari,” he said to Lily, and walked up and stuck out his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
“I’m Ms. Fontaine. I work for Ms. Brown.”
He glanced at the other kids.
Crystal asked, “Why were you with the po-po?”
“Car theft.”
Devon said, “And the thief shall make restitution. Exodus two, verse one.”
Amari turned and stared at Devon then looked him critically up and down. “Who’re you supposed to be, Creflo Dollar’s Mini-Me?”
“I’m Devon. This is Zoey.”
“She looks like that girl from The Addams Family. Tuesday? Wednesday?”
Crystal said, “Her name’s Zoey. She’s mute. Hurt her feelings and it’ll be me and you.”
Amari tossed back. “It ought to be you and a hairdresser. Those tracks look like something Amtrak runs on.”
Crystal jumped up in defense of her blond weave. “You little mother—”
“Crystal!” Bernadine snapped.
Crystal had fury in her eyes. “He can’t talk to me like that. He don’t know me!”
Amari was grinning. He ignored her and turned to Zoey. “I’m sorry, Tuesday. Wasn’t trying to play you. You, too, Creflo.”
The young ones stared back but didn’t respond. Amari shrugged and took a seat.
Lily and Bernadine shared a look that said silently, “Do you believe this?”
Crystal was still shooting daggers at Amari.
Bernadine said to her, “Sit down, honey. Tell Katie we’re ready.”
“Katie, we’re ready,” she snarled, and sat.
When they reached the small airport outside of Milwaukee, Bernadine was surprised to find a short, overweight kid with braids waiting alone at the prearranged pickup point.
When she approached, she asked, “Are you Preston Mays?”
“Yep. You Ms. Brown?”
She nodded and took a quick look around the hangar area in a search for his social worker. “Where’s your worker?”
“She didn’t want to be late for court, so she dropped me off.”
“She was supposed to stay with you until I got here.”
“Welcome to the zany world of foster care,” he offered cynically.
“I’ll be calling her supervisor.”
“Doesn’t matter. Nice jet.”
“Thanks. Come on,” Bernadine urged, still irritated that the child had been left to fend for himself. “Let’s get you settled.”
“Are we really going to Kansas?”
“Yes.”
“You got cable?”
“Yep.”
“Good.”
On the plane, Preston looked around. “Nice,” he said to Bernadine in an impressed voice. “Real nice.”
He checked out the other passengers. “I’m Preston.”
Amari introduced himself and added, “This here is Creflo and Tuesday.”
Devon said, “Our real names are Devon and Zoey.”
Preston nodded. He looked at Crystal, who was still sulking.
Amari said, “The blonde’s Crystal.”
“Hey, Crystal.”
“Hey,” she said disinterestedly, then turned back to the view outside her window.
Preston said, “Okay, then.”
After his introduction to Lily, he asked, “Where should I sit, Ms. Brown?”
“Wherever you’d like.”
Amari called out, “Back here, man.”
Preston looked pleased and hurried down the aisle to take the seat next to Amari. Bernadine watched them exchange a handshake and grins. Pleased, she retook her own seat, glad to be heading home.
Once they were airborne and Katie had the jet leveled off, Bernadine and Lily passed out lunch. Sandwiches, with a choice of ham or turkey were joined by bags of chips, raw baby carrots, and juice boxes.
“Juice boxes are for babies,” Crystal pronounced, turning down the drink. “What else you got?”
“Water,” Lily replied flatly.
She huffed. “Give me the box then.”
Lily handed it over and shook her head. Looking on, Bernadine did the same. While eating her lunch she discreetly checked out her kids. Zoey and Devon looked so small in the large white seats, but they seemed to be getting along well, as were Amari and Devon, who were talking a mile a minute about everything from sports to video games and wolfing down food right and left. Between them they ate three sandwiches apiece, went through four juice boxes, more chips, and all the rest of the carrots. From her social worker training and from the foster care videos she’d seen, she knew that children in the system often gorged themselves at meals because they weren’t sure if there’d be another any time soon. Hopefully they’d find out that food was as plentiful as love in their new lives.
Crystal on the other hand ate nothing but the meat in her sandwich. She didn’t like the lettuce, tomatoes, or the brown bread. She’d also not spoken a word to anyone since the terse greeting she’d given Preston. Until Hurricane Amari’s arrival, Crystal had been in charge of their little adventure and had appeared to be enjoying her role. Bernadine doubted anyone had ever been in charge of Amari, and she guessed Crystal was having problems with not being able to boss him around. This was typical of teens, she knew, and that the pecking order issues would be resolved over time.
After lunch, she and Lily went to the small galley kitchen at the back of the plane to take care of the cleanup. When they returned to the cabin, all of the children were asleep, even Crystal.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Lily said, with soft emphasis, “Hallelujah!”
“Amen. Let’s enjoy this peace and quiet for as long it lasts.”
CHAPTER
12
Bernadine had arranged for the kids to be taken back to town in a sleek stretch limo. She knew it was over the top, but she wanted them to feel special because there’d been so few special moments in their lives in the foster care system. Because the kids had slept during the last leg of the flight, Amari and Preston were energized by the sight of the long shiny black car, but Zoey and Devon were so groggy they had to be helped in. It was plain that Crystal was impressed by the vehicle as well but she played it off as if she’d had limos at her disposal her entire life.
Amari looked around the interior and asked, “Ms. Brown, you think anybody famous ever rode in here?”
“I have no idea, Amari, how about you ask the driver?”
The driver, an elderly gentleman with snowy hair replied with pride, “I had the governor a few years back.”
“Naw, man,” Amari said, “famous famous like Paris Hilton or Flava Flav or 50 Cent.”
The man’s puzzled eyes were reflected in the mirror. “Who?”
Amari waved him off. “Never mind.”
Crystal drawled, “Boy, you are truly ghetto.”
“Tell that to your hairdresser, Ms. Amtrak.”
Amari and Preston rolled with laughter, making Crystal jump up and yell, “Shut the hell up!”
Lily grabbed the back of her shi
rt. “Everybody! Freeze!”
Lily’s mama’s voice impressed everyone. Even the once-groggy Devon and Zoey were sitting up at attention.
Lily looked around and upon seeing the rigid faces of the little ones, said softly, “Devon and Zoey, you two relax. You aren’t in this. But you three,” she said, turning flashing eyes on the main culprits, “Ms. Brown didn’t go through all this trouble and spend all this money for you act like you don’t have any damn sense. Crystal, you started it, so apologize.”
She opened her mouth to protest but the look in Lily’s eyes must have changed her mind. She mumbled a terse, “Sorry.”
“Amari. Same thing.”
His voice was clear, “Sorry, Crystal.”
“Now,” Lily said with finality, “Until we get home, we’re going to play Peace and Quiet, understand?”
Bernadine figured they must have because no one made a sound.
However, a few moments later Amari started asking questions: Ms. Brown, how come I don’t see any MacDonald’s? Hey, driver what kind of tractor is that? Ms. Fontaine, do any trees grow here?
He must have asked ten questions for every mile they passed. It was so nonstop Bernadine could feel a headache starting, but she and Lily answered as many as they could, patiently and with a plastered-on smile.
When the questions finally stopped, a relieved Bernadine leaned over and said softly to the sullen Crystal, “You shouldn’t let Amari push your buttons, otherwise he’s gonna make you crazy.”
“I hate teenage boys. Give me an old man any day. You know, somebody in their twenties.”
Bernadine knew Crystal had no idea how naive and silly that statement sounded, so she just nodded.
“How come there are no houses?” Preston asked as they continued to pass acres and acres of open land.
“It’s called the American plains. Not a lot of people live out this way.”
“Looks like nobody lives out this way.”
“I felt the same way when I first got here,” Bernadine told him truthfully. She had no idea how the urban kids were going to like being out on the Great American Plains, but she couldn’t worry about that now. She looked over at Devon and Zoey seated next to each other. “You two doing okay?”
Bring on the Blessings Page 11
