The Other Side of Divine

by Vanessa Davis Griggs

  “What’s wrong?” Jasmine asked. “Why are you crying?” Gabrielle hadn’t realized tears were flowing down her face. She wiped the tears that had managed to squeak out and forced a smile. “Nothing’s wrong. In fact, I am soooo happy for you.”

  “If you’re happy, then why doesn’t it feel like that?” Jasmine said.

  “Jasmine . . . honey, you know how much I love you, right?”

  “Yes. I know.” Jasmine nodded, and then glanced up at Lawrence, who was now standing beside Gabrielle. “No! Don’t say it.” Jasmine began to shake her head quickly. “They’re taking me away from you, aren’t they? Something went wrong and you’re losing me!” Jasmine threw her arms around Gabrielle and clung to her as if it was for dear life. “I don’t want to live here! I don’t want to leave you! I want to stay with you, Mama! I want to stay with you and Miss C and after June eleventh, Dr. Z! Please don’t let them take me from you. Please—”

  Gabrielle pushed her back to look in her eyes. “No, Jasmine. Nobody’s taking you away from me. You’ve gotten it all wrong.”

  Jasmine was crying hard now. “Then why are we here? Why did you tell me to wear my favorite dress? Why is the whole family standing around looking at me like they are?”

  Gabrielle knew at this point it was best to just rip the Band-Aid off quickly. “Jasmine, I want you to meet your father.”

  “What?” Jasmine wiped her eyes with her hands.

  “What?” Gabrielle heard an echo of that same word, only it was coming from Imani.

  “What do you mean?” Imani said, turning to her mother.

  Lawrence stepped forward and kneeled down before Jasmine. “Hi, Jasmine.” He gave her a warm inviting smile. “I’m Lawrence Simmons. I’m your father.”

  Jasmine looked at him, then at Gabrielle, who was now standing and really crying with her hands clasped tightly across her mouth.

  “My father?” Jasmine began backing away from him.

  “Her father?” Imani said, now on her feet.

  Lawrence stood up, grabbed Jasmine, and hugged her. “Yes, your father.”

  “Daddy,” Imani said as she came over to them. “What’s going on? Daddy, what are you talking about?”

  Lawrence reached over and pulled Imani into the group hug, although Jasmine seemed to be trying hard to break loose. Lawrence took both of them by the hands, and again dropping to his knees, he said, “Imani, I want you to meet your sister. Jasmine, I want you to meet your sister. You two . . . are sisters. And I . . . I am both your father.”

  “We’re sisters?” Imani said, looking at Jasmine. “I’m not just your bone marrow donor but your sister?”

  Jasmine was wiping her eyes. Gabrielle was on her way to pull Jasmine safely into her arms, but Imani beat her to it.

  “You’re my sister,” Imani said to Jasmine with a jubilant smile. “You’re my sister!”

  Jasmine was nodding while being tightly embraced by Imani. “Sisters.”

  It wasn’t long before Imani must have realized she was the only one of her siblings reacting to the news. With one arm still around Jasmine, she looked at her sister and brother. Paris was wiping tears and nodding. Malachi was sitting with a big grin on his face but saying nothing.

  “Why aren’t either of you surprised?” Imani directed her attention first to Paris, then Malachi. “Did you already know about this?” She looked at her mother. “Am I the only one who didn’t know anything?” Tears rolled down Imani’s face.

  Deidra rushed over and hugged Imani. Jasmine ran into Gabrielle’s awaiting arms.

  “I’m sorry, Imani. I’m sorry. But we couldn’t tell you until now,” Deidra said. “It was best this way.”

  “Best?” Imani said, pulling away from her mother’s embrace to look her in the eyes. “Best for whom? Best for Daddy? Best for our family? Oh, I’m sorry. Everybody in the family apparently except for me. So what does that say about me? How long have you known? How long has everybody known this, except me?”

  “It’s been a few months,” Deidra said. “That’s all; only a few months. We always planned on telling you. We just had to wait for the right time.”

  Imani broke away from her mother and went over to her father. “Why couldn’t you tell me? If you could tell Paris and Malachi, then why not me? Is it because you thought I couldn’t keep it and I might somehow ruin your reelection chances? Oh, wait. You dropped out of the race around the first of September. So what would have been the reason for you not telling me after that?”

  “Imani, we didn’t tell you because we were well aware of the special bond that exists between you and Jasmine, and I’m not just talking about the incredible gift of bone marrow you so unselfishly gave,” Lawrence said. “There was something between you two. We were certain if you knew the truth, you’d want to be with Jasmine more and you’d have a hard time keeping the secret until it was the appropriate time to disclose it. Understand?”

  Imani didn’t say anything. She merely stared at her father with a hurt look.

  Paris went over to Jasmine. “Hello, little sister. Welcome to the family.” She hugged Jasmine.

  “Thank you,” Jasmine said.

  Malachi grinned as he stepped up to Jasmine. “Hello, little sis. I’m your big brother.” He bent down and hugged her. “I’m the one you can come to if you need me to beat up some boy who might not be doing right by you.” He laughed. “But seriously though, I’m your big brother so know that I’m here for you, and that I’ve always got your back. Ask our other sisters; they’ll tell you.”

  “Oh, yes,” Paris said, laughing. “Malachi has your back all right. And he’ll be the first one to throw you under the bus if it suits his agenda. But he’s really a great brother and he really will be there for you when you need him most.”

  Malachi grinned as he looked at Paris. “Well, thank you, sister dearest. I’m truly touched.” He placed his hand over his heart and winked at Paris.

  “So I have two sisters and a brother now?” Jasmine said, looking at Gabrielle, who was battling hard at wiping away her flowing tears.

  Gabrielle nodded. “Yes, you do,” Gabrielle said.

  Andrew brought in a box of tissue and began servicing everyone in need of them. Gabrielle yanked out a few and smiled as she gave him a quick nod of appreciation. He smiled and gave her a quick nod back.

  There was a lot of hugging exchanged that afternoon. They then went into the dining room for dinner, sat down, and went around the dining room table stating what all they were thankful for. Everyone with the name Simmons anywhere in their name stated how glad they were to have Jasmine now as part of the family.

  They ended with a prayer led by Lawrence before digging into food that had been made to nourish their bodies but was somehow becoming the bridge that also blessed their souls.

  Chapter 30

  Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

  —Ecclesiastes 7:8

  Just after everyone had eaten and gotten full, Paris grabbed her stomach. “Whoa,” she said. “Now, that didn’t feel good at all.”

  Andrew came over. “What is it?”

  “I’m not sure, but that was uncomfortable and a little bit of pain for sure,” Paris said.

  “Do you think you might be going into labor?” Andrew asked.

  “She just probably ate too much,” Malachi said. “Paris was sort of putting down the food like she was eating for three.”

  “Well, there’s only one other in this body besides me, so I assure you it was just for the two of us.”

  “We need to monitor you,” Deidra said. “And if you have another pain, we’ll see how far apart they are. It could just be you ate too much, but it could be labor.”

  Gabrielle was glad she and Jasmine were already in the process of leaving before this all began. She would have hated to announce their departure at this juncture. Knowing Paris, she’d likely take it the wrong way. She could only hope Paris
had turned the corner with her past attitude. But when it came to Paris, Gabrielle knew it was best to keep a guard at the post at all times.

  “Okay,” Paris said. “I think we need to make our way to the hospital.”

  Deidra rushed to her side. “Was that another pain? That soon after the one you just had?”

  Paris shook her head quickly. “Nope. Not another pain. But I think my water just broke.”

  “You’re having the baby? Today? The baby is coming now?” Imani said. “But the baby isn’t due until Thursday.”

  “Well, some babies prefer to choose their own dates and couldn’t care less what a doctor marked on the calendar,” Paris said. “Because this one here”—she pointed at her stomach—“appears to have decided to make an early debut.”

  “But your stuff is at the house,” Andrew said. “We’re not prepared for you to go into labor while we’re away from home.”

  “Sweetheart, we can get my bag later. In the old days, you needed a packed bag,” Paris said to Andrew. “Today, hospitals pretty much have everything you need, which at this point, will most likely merely be a birthing gown.”

  Andrew nodded quickly. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s time.” He looked at Deidra. “It’s time! Oh, my goodness, we’re having a baby! I need to call my mother. I’m about to become a father!”

  “And I’m about to become a grandmother!” Deidra put her hand up to her mouth. “Granny. Granny Dee. Grandmother. Oh, my goodness. It’s time to decide.”

  “And we,” Imani said, hugging Jasmine, “are about to become aunts!”

  “An aunt?” Jasmine said. “Me? I’m going to be an aunt, too?”

  “Yes,” Imani said with a laugh. “You’re going to be an aunt, too.”

  “Wow,” Jasmine said. “I arrived here as an only child, and I’m leaving with a new father, a stepmother, two sisters, a brother, a brother-in-law, and now I’m about to be an aunt, too? Whoa, Nelly!”

  Everybody laughed.

  “What do you know about ‘Whoa, Nelly’?” Lawrence said to Jasmine with a grin. “That’s way before your time.”

  “Oh, I guess you haven’t heard,” Jasmine said. “But everybody says I’m smart beyond my years.”

  “That what you just said,” Lawrence said as he hugged Jasmine, “was more than just smart beyond your years. That was old soul smart. That was something my grandmother used to say back in the day.”

  “Yeah, back when they had horses,” Malachi said with a chuckle.

  “Can we please table this conversation?” Paris said. “I don’t want to make it seem like everything is about me. But at this moment . . . everything really is about me and this baby who’s definitely coming pretty soon, I’d say.” She let out another half scream.

  “I’d say your pains are about ten minutes apart,” Deidra said. “Anybody who’s going to the hospital with us had better make your way to my car.”

  “I’m taking Paris in my car,” Andrew said to Deidra.

  “I know. I wasn’t talking to you and Paris. I was talking to anyone in my family who’s planning on going. Because I’m not going to miss one minute of this. In fact, unless you want to fight me for it, Andrew, I hope I can cut the baby’s cord.”

  “Mom . . . Andrew,” Paris said, waddling quickly toward the front door. “Can you two talk about this after I get to the hospital?” Paris said.

  “Come on, baby, let’s get you to the car.” Andrew helped her. “I’ll call my mother after we get to the hospital. You know she wants to be there, too.”

  Paris let out a moan and looked at Andrew as though she wanted to make a comment. But Gabrielle decided that possibly it was just the pain she was experiencing, although that one wasn’t ten minutes from the last time.

  Gabrielle and Jasmine left along with Paris and Andrew. But not before Imani and Jasmine got in two more hugs, promising to keep in close touch from here on out.

  Chapter 31

  But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

  —Isaiah 42:22

  Paula had been present when the baby was born, a little boy (just as she’d predicted), at a healthy seven pounds eight ounces (again right on the money as she’d said). She wasn’t in the birthing room when the baby was born even though Paris’s mother was. In fact, Paris’s mother got to cut the umbilical cord, which Deidra commented was the highlight of the morning, after seeing the baby being born.

  Paris had gone into labor on Sunday night, but didn’t deliver the baby until six-seventeen on Tuesday morning, April the twenty-sixth. It was a long, hard labor. But Andrew was right by her side, holding her hand and feeding her ice chips. Deidra had sent her family home early Monday morning without her. They returned that afternoon with Lawrence bringing Deidra her requested change of clothing. He and Imani left that night, only to get a call at five-thirty Tuesday morning, and they were able to make it back just in time to hear the glorious proclamation that the baby boy was here.

  Ironically, it was as if the baby knew something in advance of his original April 28 due date. As though the baby knew that even Wednesday wasn’t the best day to make an entrance. Because on Wednesday, April 27, the worst devastation Alabama and other states had ever seen or experienced, weather-wise, hit.

  Several tornadoes touched down, killing people in Tuscaloosa, Pratt City (which was only thirty minutes, if that much, from where the baby was born and forty-five minutes from his new home). A tornado touched down in Cullman, a town that always seemed to receive its share of tornadoes. Black folks with knowledge of Cullman’s history when it came to black folks (a board advising them not to let night catch them there) had their own theory about why that might be. But the destruction everywhere was devastating.

  Just before 6 AM (even before the second wave of tornadoes touched down, the ones that arrived after two o’clock that afternoon), a brewing storm knocked out the power around Birmingham and surrounding cities stretching more than forty miles in each direction. Most who called to report the outages heard the recorded message stating outages were known and would be fixed no later than eleven that morning.

  Well, that didn’t happen. And most who had no power and no other backup method to get news reports had no idea what was about to hit next. Fortunately, hospitals had backup generators. Paris and her newborn were in the best possible place since their home didn’t have electricity, as was the case at both Paula’s and her parents’ houses.

  In fact, the power was off from Wednesday to Friday morning at Paula’s house. Paula told Andrew her power was back on and they were welcome to come there with the baby when they were released since their power was still off. But Paris was set on the first place she’d be taking her baby being her own home. And Andrew, the ever dutiful husband, and now proud papa, was determined that Paris would have her heart’s desire. So he managed to borrow a small generator from a coworker (the only one he could find available to him in the entire state, it seemed) with the hopes that the electricity would be back on no later than Friday evening.

  Well, he, his wife, and son were left without power until Sunday night at around 9 PM. Paula knew all of this because Andrew had kept her informed of all that was going on after Paris and the baby went home from the hospital Friday morning. Certainly not the homecoming they’d planned or envisioned. Andrew was shouting about how God’s hand was in all of this because their power did miraculously come on just as the television networks were promoting the President of the United States’s pending special announcement, which turned out to be that Osama bin Laden was dead.

  Paula had intended on being at the house to help Paris during her first days of being home. But Paris insisted they were fine. So most who stopped by to visit only stayed about an hour so as not to cause them undue hardship. The generator was only a tiny help. Andrew told Paris, “We can only plug in a few things so we need to decide whic
h electrical appliances are the most important to have.” He was praying that things would be back to normal soon. Sunday night was a good first step.

  But normal, during these times, appeared to be overrated. People didn’t have food because, after three days without power, even a freezer with built-up ice (because the freezer wasn’t one that self-defrosted) couldn’t save anything.

  However, a month later, things had indeed settled down. Pretty much most everyone’s power had been restored and there was a plan to restore some of the loss of food many had incurred because it had taken longer than ever expected to get the power back on.

  Andrew told his mother he’d learned many of those who’d lost power hadn’t even been from the deadliest of the tornadoes (the one that hit in the afternoon when most of them had no power to even hear what was coming). It had been because of a transformer that had been picked up and blown so far away early that morning that the power crew couldn’t find it and it couldn’t be easily or quickly fixed. That’s why it was originally believed things would be restored sooner until they saw they didn’t possess what they needed. Then after the other tornadoes touched down, it was too much, too overwhelming, definitely one for the record books.

  Paris never seemed to miss an opportunity to tell Paula how much certain things about the baby were so much like Andrew. The baby’s nose, the way the baby smiled. Paula didn’t believe it much since, in her experience, babies didn’t possess the motor skills to smile as early as Paris was trying to say theirs was. Paula got so tired of Paris saying that about the baby smiling that she just told her it was most likely gas the baby was expressing.

  Paula noticed how much Paris tried to get her to agree with her on the things she said were like Andrew. But truthfully, and it could be that it’s just really hard to look at a newborn and honestly find things that match an adult unless you’re already inclined to do so, even if there were things one could link to baby pictures. But Paula didn’t see anything that indicated in the least that this baby was like Andrew.