by Shana Burton
Lawson faced Angel head-on. “Angel, you’re a nurse. Christian was barely two pounds at birth, and he’s in an incubator, on breathing machines. Speaking as a medical professional, do you think that baby is going to survive?”
“A lot of preemies live and go on to have normal lives,” replied Angel, hoping to keep Lawson encouraged.
“What about ones delivered three months early, like Christian? What’s the likelihood that he’ll survive or live to see his first birthday?”
Angel lowered her head. “I won’t lie. The odds aren’t in his favor. We just have to pray that the Lord’s will is done and that His will is that both that baby and Sullivan will be okay.”
“Sullivan would lose her mind if anything happened to that baby.” Lawson sighed. “If only they could’ve kept him inside of her a little longer . . .”
“Every day—every hour, really—that he stayed in utero would’ve helped him, but it would’ve been detrimental to Sully. Charles didn’t want to take that kind of chance with her life. I don’t blame him for telling the doctors to deliver the baby in order to save Sullivan.”
“It’s such an awful position for Charles to be in. Can you imagine having to choose between saving your child and saving your wife?”
“I think he made the right decision.”
“I hope Sully sees it that way. I think we all know that she isn’t the most selfless person in the world, but she does love her kids. I think if it was up to her, she’d risk her life to give her son the best chance at survival. Any mother would. I know I’d give up my life in a heartbeat to save Namon.”
“I’m not a mother, so I’m probably not to the best authority on this, but I think that’s different,” replied Angel. “Namon is here. He’s a living, breathing person. You’ve loved him and taken care of him for eighteen years. I’d expect you to feel that way, but Christian is practically a fetus. Sullivan hasn’t had time to form the same kind of attachment to her son that you have to yours.”
Lawson shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. From the moment a woman finds out she’s pregnant, she’s a mother to that baby, and she’ll do anything to protect her child.”
“Hopefully, knowing how much her baby needs her will give Sully the will to keep fighting. I think once Sully wakes up and sees Charity and Christian, she’ll be fine.”
Lawson turned solemn again. “You mean if she wakes up, don’t you?”
Angel was riled up and bolted from her seat. “No, I don’t! Sully will make it through this, Lawson.” She took in a breath and sat back down. “She has to.”
Lawson squeezed her friend’s hand. “You’re right. She will.”
Angel nodded in agreement. “Christian will too.”
Lawson was less hopeful about his chances. “I pray he does. If he dies, I’m scared a big part of Sully will go right to the grave with him. We both know how destructive Sullivan can be when she’s hurt or desperate. Charles could end up losing both of them.”
“He won’t let Sullivan self-destruct again.”
“How can he stop her?” Lawson stood up and walked toward the glass panel on Sullivan’s door. She peered into the room and saw Charles kiss Sullivan on the forehead. “He’ll probably be the one she lashes out at the most. I know her.”
“So then we’ll keep praying. Sullivan can’t lose that baby, and she certainly can’t lose her husband and the only real family she’s ever known.”
“And we can’t lose our friend.” Lawson turned to Angel. “Angel, Sullivan’s been my best friend since we were nine years old. What in the world am I supposed to do without her?”
Chapter 3
“I don’t care how old he is. He’s still my baby.”
–Lawson Kerry Banks
Lawson dragged herself into the house and found Garrett loading plates into the dishwasher.
“Any change?” asked Garrett, but one look at his wife’s downcast eyes confirmed that there was no change in Sullivan’s condition.
Lawson set her purse and keys down on the breakfast bar. “She’s just lying there, you know? It’s weird because Sullivan has always been so full of life and zeal. Now she’s . . .” Lawson pursed her trembling lips together, and her eyes began to water.
Garrett pulled Lawson into his broad and comforting arms. “I know it’s hard seeing her like that, but Sullivan’s a trooper. She’ll get through this.”
Lawson nodded and wiped her eyes. “That’s what I’m believing God for.”
“Then that’s what will happen.” Garrett slowly released her. “I think I have something that will put a smile back on that gorgeous face.”
Lawson composed herself and smiled. “Is he here?”
Garrett chuckled. “Namon just called. He’ll be here in about twenty minutes.”
Lawson squealed, her mood lifted. “My baby is coming home! I know it’s been only a couple of months, but it feels like we haven’t seen him in forever!”
“I know you miss him. We all do.”
Lawson quickly snapped into Mommy mode. “We’ve got to make sure his room is fixed up.” She glanced over at the clock. “I wonder if I have time to run to the store and get those caramel apple cookies he likes so much. I’ve been so swamped with work and Sullivan that I completely forgot about them. What about that portable speaker thing he’s been talking about? Were you able to pick it up? Oh, and his favorite cereal. We need to get that too.”
Garrett grabbed his wife by the waist. “Whoa! Calm down, woman! I know you want to baby him, but Namon’s a college man now. He doesn’t want his mama making a big fuss.”
“I don’t care how old he is. He’s still my baby.”
“Well, he’s Shari’s baby too now,” Garrett teased her. “Don’t be surprised if he’s a little more interested in spending the weekend with his girlfriend instead of his mother.”
Lawson wrinkled her nose at the mention of Namon’s lady-love. “Little Miss Shari will have to get in line and wait her turn. I don’t remember seeing any tuition checks for him coming in or going out with her name signed on them.”
Garrett laughed. “Babe, Namon is in love. Shari has her name signed on his heart and probably a few other places too!”
“Don’t joke like that.” She shoved him playfully. “In my eyes, Namon will always be my sweet, innocent little boy.”
“I’m sure he will. All I’m saying is that I remember what I was doing at that age. Shoot, you know what you were doing at that age!”
“Yes, I do. I was changing his diapers! That’s why I’m hoping he has enough sense to keep it in his pants or at least wrap it up.”
“Don’t worry. Namon has the good sense and morals you gave him. If that fails, he has the box of condoms that I gave him. He’ll be fine.”
Lawson’s brow furrowed. “It’s not just about sex, though. I don’t like him spending so much time with her.”
“Shari seems like a pretty good kid to me.”
“Under the circumstances, she is. It’s a wonder she even made it to college, with that jailbird daddy of hers and cracked-out mother, who is usually either getting high or coming down off of something. Shari’s siblings haven’t fared much better. She’s the only one in the family who’s trying to be something, and that’s probably due to Namon’s influence.”
“You’ve got to give the girl credit for trying, Lawson.”
“I applaud her efforts. I do. But she’s not going to be able to shake that lifestyle. I don’t want her bringing down Namon in the process.”
“Namon is too smart to get caught up in all that. You raised him right.”
Lawson smiled up at her husband. “We both did.”
Lawson looked out the kitchen window when she heard the sound of hip-hop music booming from the driveway. “He’s here!” she shrieked. Lawson’s face dropped when she saw Shari step out of the passenger side of Namon’s truck.
Garrett sidled up next to her at the window. “It looks like he brought home more than just his laundry.” H
e wrapped his arms around his wife. “Now, don’t trip. He probably brought her over to say hello before taking her home.”
Namon unlocked the door and walked in with Shari at his side. “Hey, Mama. What’s up, G?”
“Namon!” Though Namon stood more than six feet tall and towered over his pint-size mother, Lawson still managed to pull him into a bear hug. “Oh, I’ve missed you so much!” She stood back and beheld him. “Look at you, all grown up! You look bigger. Have you been working out?”
Namon blushed. “Yeah, I’ve been doing a little something.”
Lawson stood on tiptoe to squeeze his jaw. “And what’s all this? Where did this hair come from? You left here with a little peach fuzz. Now you’ve come back looking like Santa.”
“I’m trying to grow it out a little.”
“Looks good, man.” Garrett hugged Namon. “So I’m just G now?”
Namon laughed. “I was messing with you, ole man!”
Garrett was taken aback. “Ole man? I think I prefer G.”
Namon ushered his shy, pretty, but gangly girlfriend, Shari, in front of him. “Y’all remember my girl, Shari, don’t you?”
“How are you, Mr. and Mrs. Banks?” asked Shari with a timid smile.
“We’re fine, especially now that this guy’s here.” Lawson forced a smile. “How are you, Shari? Classes going okay?”
Shari nodded. “I was having a little trouble in my math class, but Nay’s a great tutor. I got a B on my last exam.”
“So the two of you have been burning the midnight oil, studying and whatnot,” observed Lawson. “Hopefully, you’re doing more studying than whatnot.”
Namon diverted the conversation. “How’s Sullivan? Is she getting better?”
“No change, but you should still go by and see her while you’re home this weekend. Maybe you can go after dinner. I’m making all your favorites. Shari, you’re welcome to stay for dinner if you want,” offered Lawson.
“Actually, we can’t hang around here too long,” Namon informed them. “We’ve got to go to Shari’s place and see her folks.”
Lawson was peeved. “Sweetheart, you haven’t been home five minutes. You and Shari have all day, every day, to see each other at school. This weekend is for your family. The two of you can go without each other for two days.”
Namon and Shari exchanged glances. “It’s more than that. We’ve got to talk to her mom and you too. We just decided to come here first,” Namon explained.
Lawson fastened her hand to her hip. “Talk about what? Boy, don’t tell me the two of you are thinking about marriage!”
“Not yet . . . maybe moving in together,” admitted Namon.
Lawson’s mouth fell to the floor. “What? Did the two of you have a big ole bag of crazy on the way over here?” She raised her voice. “We sent you to that school to get an education! You can play house after you graduate. Furthermore, just who do you think is about to finance this love shack? ‘Not I,’ said the cat!”
Namon tried to get a word in. “Will you hear us out before rushing to judgment?”
Lawson pointed at Namon. “You see that, Garrett? This boy has been gone two months and is already coming back, smelling himself!”
“What brought this on?” Garrett asked in a calm voice as Lawson seethed at his side. “I know that you’re in love, and it feels like you want to spend every waking moment together, but I don’t think either of you is ready for all that. You’re just eighteen—”
Lawson cut in, moving her hands wildly as she continued ranting. “Namon, I don’t care how old or how infatuated you are, you’re going to stay your behind right there in that dorm room! Ain’t nobody paying for some nest for the two of you to be holed up in. The answer is no! Shari, take it from me. Don’t even waste your parents’ time having this discussion with them. They’re going to tell you the same thing I did!”
Namon groaned. “We don’t want to move in together to be doing it for no reason, Ma.”
Lawson shook her head. “I’m sure that to you being in love is a very good reason, but you can be in love without cohabitating.”
“What’s going on, Namon?” asked Garrett. “What’s the rush?”
Shari spoke up. “We think it may be the best thing to do for our situation right now.”
Lawson rolled her eyes. “Why now? What situation?”
Namon looked down.
Shari nudged him. “Just tell ’em, Namon.”
Garrett crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Tell us what?”
Namon took a deep breath. “Ma . . . Dad . . .” He paused and reached for his girlfriend’s hand. “Shari’s pregnant.”
Chapter 4
“Sister or no sister, I won’t hesitate to throw some blows
if that’s what it takes. . . .”
–Reginell Vinson
Mark Vinson crept up behind Reginell as she reached for a roll of paper towels on top of Mark’s refrigerator. “I see London. I see France. I see Reggie’s . . .” Mark playfully lifted the oversized T-shirt Reginell was wearing and squinted his eyes. “Wait a minute. Why aren’t you wearing underpants?”
Reginell giggled and swatted Mark away. “Stop looking up under there!”
“Why should I do that?” He picked Reginell up, sat her on the counter, and kissed her. “You’re mine now, Mrs. Vinson.”
“Yeah, but no one else knows that. They all think we spent last weekend in Biloxi, gambling, not in Montego Bay, getting married.”
“Well, I guess technically, it’s not legal until we have it cleared in the United States, but as far as I’m concerned, you were my wife last week, today, tomorrow, and forever.” He kissed her again. “Now, if I’m not mistaken, Mrs. Vinson, I do believe this shirt belongs to me. I think I want it back.”
Mark started lifting up her shirt, but Reginell stopped him and pulled the shirt back down. “No time for all that, baby. Did you forget that your son will be here any minute?”
Mark reluctantly pulled away from her. “I didn’t forget. I was just hoping you’d be down for a quickie.”
Reginell laughed. “So what do you want to tell Namon when he gets here?”
“I’d like to tell him and his sister that we’re married before we announce it to anyone else, but we don’t have to say anything right away if you’re not ready to.”
Reginell wrapped her arms around his neck. “Good, because I like having it be our little secret. I want to enjoy being here and being newlyweds without all the well-intentioned interference.”
“Are you positive you don’t want to at least tell Lawson?”
“Telling Lawson is the same as telling all of them. Baby, the last thing we need is my sister and her friends nagging and asking a bunch of questions.”
“Don’t you think they’d be happy for us?”
“Their happiness comes with a lot baggage—trust me! Plus, everyone should be focused on Sullivan and everything going on with her and the baby.”
“How is she, anyway?”
Reginell sighed. “Still in a coma. Lawson went by to see her today. It’s hitting her pretty hard. She thinks of Sullivan like a sister.”
“You do too, don’t you?”
Reginell chuckled a little. “More like an evil stepsister. Sully and I don’t exactly have the best track record with each other, but I have to admit that life wouldn’t be the same without her. Nobody can give a good read quite like Sullivan. Sometimes it’s fun having people like that around.”
“Maybe the reason you two butt heads so much is that you’re so much alike. You’re both feisty and tough, and it’s no secret that you both know how to drive men wild!”
“Correction—used to drive men wild! I drive only one man wild these days.”
“And you do that very well, I must say.”
Reginell winced and clutched her stomach.
Mark was alarmed. “What’s wrong, baby? Is your stomach still giving you trouble?”
She shrugged and brushed it off.
“I’m cramping a little, that’s all.”
“Your stomach has been bothering you for a few weeks now, and you said your period has been a little off. Maybe . . .” He flashed her a mischievous grin.
“The pregnancy test came back negative, remember?”
“That was a week ago. It could’ve just been too soon to tell. I think we need to make an appointment with your doctor to be sure one way or the other. And if you’re not pregnant, we need to find out why you’ve been in so much pain lately.”
Mark’s phone rang before Reginell could respond. He answered and found a hysterical Lawson on the other end of the line.
“Mark, I need you to come over right now!” demanded Lawson.
“What’s going on? Where’s our son?”
“He’s here. I can’t get into this with you on the phone. Just come and hurry up.”
Mark stared at the phone for a few seconds after Lawson abruptly hung up on him. “That was your sister.”
Reginell hopped off of the countertop. “What does she want?”
“I don’t know, but it sounds serious. I think it has something to do with Namon.” Mark searched for his car keys. “She wants me to come over.”
“Okay, let me grab my shoes.” She looked down at her bare legs. “And some pants. And some panties.”
“The panties are optional.” Mark kissed her on the cheek. “Babe, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”
“Mark, I’m your wife now. Your problems are my problems too. Plus, Namon is my nephew and stepson, and Lawson is my sister. We’re family. If something is going on, I want to know about it.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing and Lawson is overreacting, as usual.”
“Then, in that case, she’d needs a stern lecture from me for interrupting our honeymoon.” Reginell slipped into the pair of jeans lying across the sofa. “I’m serious, Mark. Now that we’re married, she can’t be calling here all hours of the night, expecting you to rush over and deal with some crisis she’s manufactured for attention.”
