Secrets Uncovered

by Shelia M. Goss

“She’s going to need somebody. Tell her when she’s ready to talk about what’s in the letter, I’m available.”

  “Thank you. Do you need a ride somewhere? I can have the driver drop you off.”

  “No, my son’s on his way.”

  Brent rubbed Kem’s back with one hand while using the other hand to call the driver. “Please be up front. We’re going to be leaving here shortly.”

  Two men dressed all in black entered the room. Brent looked at Betty. “I contacted the RJ Jones Funeral Home to come get the body,” Betty said.

  “Betty, sorry to hear about Sister Suzette,” Royce Jones, one of the owners of the funeral home said.

  “She just died. How did you get here so quick?” Brent asked.

  “We were here to pick up someone else when we got the call,” the other man standing next to Royce said.

  “No. You can’t take her,” Kem said.

  “Baby, let the men do their job.” Brent pulled Kem off the bed.

  She collapsed in his arms.

  Royce handed Brent a card. “Call me tomorrow and we can go over the funeral plans.”

  “We will,” Brent assured him.

  Kem leaned on Brent as they walked down the long hallway and out the doors to the waiting car.

  The driver opened up the back door. Kem seemed to be going through the motions as she got in the back of the car. Brent got in beside her.

  “What am I supposed to do now?” Kem asked.

  Brent didn’t have the answer. “We’ll get through this together,” he responded.

  Kem laid her head on Brent’s chest and cried.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Kem felt hopeless. It’d now been four days since her mom passed. She and Brent checked out of the hotel after the first night and were staying at her mom’s house located on the south side of Shreveport. She’d slept in her old room. She’d recalled the day her mom brought her here. She could hear her voice. “Kem, your mama’s not rich, but I will work day and night to provide you with the best.”

  She did just that. The Southern Hills neighborhood was a good neighborhood to grow up in. After her dad left them, they’d lived in the projects and there were days and nights where they didn’t eat, but once her mom got on her feet, she’d worked long hours until she could afford a decent place for them to stay.

  Kem’s mom had lived in the same house ever since. Even after Kem could afford to buy her something bigger, Kem’s mom refused.

  Kem looked up from the dining room table and saw Brent leaned back in the La-Z-Boy chair. His eyes were shut and she could hear him snoring.

  She wouldn’t wake him up. He’d been a godsend. He’d helped her plan the funeral and he’d been a buffer between the phone calls and people stopping by to offer their condolences when Kem was close to losing it.

  Brent had lived up to his name of being Mr. Rescue. He’d gone beyond the call of duty of just a boyfriend. Kem knew for a fact that the man in the chair asleep loved her deeply. His actions showed the pureness of his love.

  The doorbell rang and Kem answered it. “Cousin Betty, what are you doing here?”

  Betty, carrying a casserole dish, eased past her. “I know you haven’t been eating so I came over here to make sure you ate something.”

  “I’m going to get Brent for telling my business.”

  “Don’t be mad at him. That boy cares about you. I called him to check on you and that’s what he told me.”

  “When did you get his number?”

  “I got his number the night I called you in L.A.”

  “Oh. Brent’s just full of surprises.”

  “Now, come on. I’m hungry. Come eat with me,” Betty said.

  Kem followed Betty into the kitchen. Betty warmed some of the food in the microwave. “I don’t care for microwaves but I’m too hungry to wait for the food to warm in the oven.”

  Betty fixed them both a plate. She sat at one end of the kitchen table while Betty sat at the other.

  Kem toyed with the food on her plate.

  “Girl, if you don’t eat some of my homemade macaroni, I’m going to be offended.”

  “If she won’t eat it, I will,” Brent said from the doorway.

  “Sleepyhead finally woke up,” Kem teased and attempted a half smile for the first time since her mom died.

  Betty stood. “Have a seat. I see all this food in the refrigerator that people have brought over. I’ll fix you a plate. What do you want?”

  “Some of everything,” Brent said. “Let me wash up and I’ll be right back.”

  Betty’s visit lightened the mood. Kem enjoyed hearing some of the stories of Betty and her mom’s adventures in their younger years.

  The mood changed a little when Betty brought up Kem’s dad. “Your dad was a looker. If your mom hadn’t gotten to him first, I would have jumped on that.”

  “Ewww. Betty. I don’t want to hear that.” Kem wanted to puke at the thought.

  “I might be ten years older than Suzette, but I’m here to tell you I was the original cougar.” Betty made a roaring sound.

  Brent laughed. Kem tried not to, but followed suit.

  Betty looked at Brent. “If you were a few years older and I was a few years younger, you would be like, Kem who?”

  “Now see, you’ve gone too far. Trying to flirt with my man right in front of me.” Kem pretended to be offended.

  Betty patted her blonde wig. “You got to admit, I still got it.”

  Kem shook her head. “You better use it on one of these men in Shreveport and leave my man alone.”

  “I’m going to try, but he’s a fine one. You got an older uncle that don’t need Viagra you can introduce me to?”

  Brent laughed. “You know what, I actually do.”

  “No,” Kem said. “There will be no matchmaking going on here.”

  Betty whispered loudly, “Give him my number.”

  A loud horn blew from outside.

  Betty said, “That must be my neighbor. Thank you both for a good time. I enjoyed talking to you both.”

  “Same here, Betty.”

  Brent helped Cousin Betty out of the chair. Brent and Kem walked her to the door and waited for her to get inside the car before closing the front door.

  “Cousin Betty is a trip,” Kem said as she walked back to the kitchen.

  She started cleaning up.

  “I got this, baby. You don’t have to clean up,” Brent said.

  “I don’t mind. Being busy right now helps.”

  “Let’s do it together,” Brent suggested.

  Thirty minutes later, they were seated on the couch. Kem lay on Brent’s chest. She attempted to go to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes, visions of her mom on the breathing machine filled her thoughts.

  Brent brushed the hair from over Kem’s eyes. “Baby, do you plan on contacting your father while you’re here?”

  “He’s dead to me. He died the moment he left me and my mom alone when I was eight,” Kem responded.

  Brent didn’t want to press her for any more information about her dad because he didn’t want to stress her. She talked about her mom all the time, but she rarely, if ever, mentioned her father during the course of their conversations.

  He rocked Kem back and forth until he could hear her breathing slowing down. Before long, she was asleep. Brent eased from under her and gently laid her head on a pillow. He located a blanket and covered her with it. She was so exhausted that she didn’t wake up.

  He went to another part of the house to return phone calls.

  A phone call with Charlotte turned into a three-way call when she insisted they get Mona on the line.

  “An article in the Los Angeles Times mentioned Kem’s mom’s passing,” Mona informed Brent.

  “I saw a few things online earl
ier about it as well,” Brent responded.

  Charlotte asked, “Are you sure she’s okay? I’m prepared to come down there now.”

  “Me too,” Mona added.

  “She’s as well as can be expected. She’s just going through the motions right now. I’ve made your reservations so all you have to do is show up. You’ll be staying at Sam’s Town located in downtown Shreveport.”

  “I’ve been there. It’s part of the riverboat casino,” Mona shared.

  “Right. I keep forgetting you’re from Texas,” Brent said.

  “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call,” Charlotte said.

  Brent ended the call with them and then called his aunt. “Aunt Edna, what is that noise I hear?”

  “I’m at the airport.”

  “You’re where?”

  “You heard me correctly. You don’t think I’m going to let that child go through this alone. You’re not equipped to handle matters like this,” Aunt Edna lectured.

  “I’m doing the best I can.”

  “I know you are. But a situation like this needs a woman’s touch. One of our cousins is picking me up from the airport. I’ll touch base with you sometime tomorrow.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Brent was relieved to know she would be coming. She was right. There was only so much he could do to help, and seeing Kem in the emotional state she’d been in rendered him helpless.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The day Kem dreaded was now here. She stayed in the bathtub longer than she should have. The hot water turned cold. She’d taken a long time to get dressed. Charlotte and Mona arrived the day before. Charlotte brought her a black Dolce and Gabanna knee-length dress suit. Mona brought the matching black hat with a veil to cover her face.

  She looked at herself in the mirror. Her puffy eyes stared back at her. She’d cried so much that she didn’t think she had any more tears left.

  Everyone wanted to help her get dressed but she insisted on spending these moments alone.

  “Baby, the car’s here,” Brent said from the other side of the door after he knocked.

  “You can come in.”

  Brent entered. He was wearing a suit his Aunt Edna brought for him from home. Seeing her there was a welcome surprise.

  “Can you help me put these on?” Kem picked up a strand of freshwater pearls. “They were my mom’s. I bought these for her with the check I made from the sale of my first screenplay.”

  “Wonderful, baby.”

  “She’d always said a lady should own at least one good pair of pearls.”

  Brent closed the clasp on the pearls. She looked in the mirror. “Perfect. Thanks.” Kem kissed him briefly on the lips.

  Brent didn’t say much.

  “I’m not ready but I guess we should go to get this part over with,” Kem said.

  The ride over to the RJ Jones Funeral Home was the longest ride of Kem’s life. She looked out the window and her mind replayed her childhood with her mom. She wanted to focus on those times because, when she thought about life over the last few years, it saddened her. She hadn’t spent as much time with her mom as she could have because she was too busy working and trying to build her career. The guilt was almost too much to bear.

  Brent squeezed her hand. “We’re here.”

  “Brent, I can’t do this.” Kem’s hand started shaking.

  “You can and you will. Lean on me if you have to. I’m here for you,” Brent assured her.

  Brent wiped the tears off her face. He then reached into Kem’s other hand, took her sunglasses and placed them over her eyes.

  The back door of the limousine opened. Brent said, “You can do this.”

  Kem didn’t want to get out but she needed to say her final farewell to her mother. She owed her at least that. Kem took a few deep breaths and exited the limousine.

  Although Brent had only met Kem’s mom briefly before she passed, her funeral had a major impact on him. Old memories flooded his mind about his own mom. He didn’t know what to do. Seeing Kem in so much pain tugged at his heart. He wished he could wave a magic wand and erase her pain. The grief process was something she would have to go through. He could offer an ear or a shoulder to cry on, but the journey was one she would have to travel on her own.

  The funeral service was beautiful. The chapel was filled with people paying homage to the life of Suzette Phillips. After the funeral, many stayed around to offer Kem and her family their condolences. Some of the people they both knew had flown down to be there for Kem. Kem was just going through the motions. She probably wouldn’t remember half the people there. He became her voice when she was speechless, saying thank you when appropriate.

  A man who looked vaguely familiar walked over to where they stood. “Kem, I’m so sorry.”

  Kem looked at the man and then at Brent. “Please get rid of him. I don’t want to talk to him. Ever.”

  Brent didn’t understand who the man was or why Kem sounded so harsh. “Babe, who is he?”

  The man said, “I’m her father.”

  “He’s the sperm donor. I have no father,” Kem responded, with venom in her voice.

  “Baby, I know you’re hurting but now’s not the time,” Betty said. She’d been standing on the other side of Kem.

  “Betty, I can handle it. She’s hurting. I understand why she feels the way she does,” Kem’s father responded.

  “I don’t need you speaking for me. You don’t even know me to speak for me,” Kem snapped.

  Brent could feel Kem’s body shaking. He needed to do something to intervene. “Sir, I don’t know your name, but maybe you should try to talk to Kem at a later time. She’s been through enough today. That, I think we all can agree on.”

  “You’re right. I just wanted her to know I was here for her.” Kem’s father backed down.

  Brent had never seen a look of hatred on Kem’s face like the one she displayed at that moment. Betty grabbed Kem’s hand. “Come on, dear. There’s someone I want you to meet. She used to work with your mom and I promised her I would introduce you.”

  Kem looked at Brent. Brent said, “Babe, I’ll handle this. Go with Cousin Betty. You won’t be out of my view.”

  Kem reluctantly left and went with Betty. Brent noticed her looking back at him.

  “You must be my daughter’s husband. Let me officially introduce myself. I’m Kyle Phillips, Kem’s father.”

  Brent moved closer to him so others wouldn’t hear. He didn’t correct him about his role in Kem’s life. If he wanted to think Brent was Kem’s husband, then so be it. “Kyle, I don’t usually get involved in family business, but you should have known coming here would upset Kem.”

  “I started not to come to the funeral, but when I heard Suzette had died, I needed to see my daughter.”

  “Where were you all these other years when your daughter needed her father?” Brent tried to contain his anger.

  “It’s a long story. One that I want to share with my daughter, if she would speak to me. Do you know how long she plans to be here?”

  “No, I don’t. Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. Kem doesn’t want to talk to you and I’m not sure I should be at this point, either.”

  Brent started to walk away, but Kyle grabbed his arm. Brent stopped and looked Kyle up and down. Kyle loosened his grip and dropped his hand.

  “Please. I love Kem. Maybe now I can talk to her and tell her what happened.”

  “She doesn’t want to talk to you.”

  Kyle reached into his pocket and held out a card. “This is my number. Please give it to her.”

  Brent could see the pain in Kyle’s eyes. Maybe it was time for Kem to face her father so she could move on. Brent took the card and placed it in his pocket. “We’re staying at her mom’s house. I can’t make any promises that she will talk to you, bu
t if you want to try, you know where she is.”

  “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” Kyle repeated.

  Brent scanned the room and didn’t see Kem. He’d lost his view of her. “I have to go check on Kem. Don’t make me regret telling you where she is,” Brent said, before walking away.

  “Where’s Kem?” Brent asked Betty.

  “She’s in the car with your Aunt Edna. They’re ready to take her to the cemetery.”

  “Do you want to ride with us?” Brent asked.

  “No. I’m going to ride with my son,” Betty responded.

  Brent got into the limousine. Mona and Charlotte were also inside with Kem.

  He placed his arm around Kem. He leaned and whispered in her ear, “I handled it.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Kem thought getting through the funeral was hard, but seeing the funeral home attendant lower her mother’s casket into the ground broke her spirit in two. She screamed out in pain and then passed out in Brent’s arms.

  She didn’t know how long she’d been out. She heard Brent call her name. “Kem, baby, wake up.”

  She opened her blurry eyes. She could make out Brent and she noticed others standing around him.

  “She’s going to be all right. Y’all give us some room,” Brent said as he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the limousine.

  “I’m so embarrassed,” Kem said as Brent helped her inside.

  “Baby, you just buried your mama so don’t concern yourself with what someone else might be thinking.”

  “You’re right. It’s just the whole day seems surreal. You know, we think our parents are immortal so when this day comes…there are just no words for how I’m feeling right now.”

  “I understand. I’ve been where you are.”

  “I’m so sorry. I’ve been so selfish. I know this must be hard on you too.”

  “No worries. I just want to see you through this,” Brent assured her.

  “Thanks for everything.” Kem squeezed him tight. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythm of his heartbeat.

  “Baby, we’re here,” she heard Brent say.

  Kem opened her eyes. The sun beamed through the tinted window causing Kem to squint. She placed her sunglasses on and exited the limousine behind Brent.