“Thank you so much for coming,” Elroy said, shaking Leon’s hand. “I don’t know how we’re going to get through this. I never thought I’d outlive my own son.”
“I understand.”
They were seated in the lobby area when Misty walked in, surprising them all.
“What are you doing here?” Elroy demanded, rushing to his feet. “You’re not John’s wife anymore. You have no right to be here. This is family business.”
“I’m still the mother of his daughter,” Misty responded. “I came to be a source of support. Not to fight with you.”
It was clear to Leon that she refused to let herself be intimidated by this brute. He watched her in amazement.
Pulling on his sleeve, Clara pleaded, “Elroy, please don’t make a scene.”
“Just go home, Misty. We don’t want you here or at the funeral.”
Leon glimpsed the hurt in her eyes. They were all in pain and it bothered him that John’s death still couldn’t bring them together as a family. This was not the time for fighting.
She swallowed hard before saying, “So, you will deny your granddaughter a chance to say goodbye to her father?”
“No,” Clara quickly interjected. “Misty, you must attend the service. John would want you there.” She met her husband’s enraged gaze. “He would want her at his funeral, and you know it.”
“Your wife is right,” Leon said.
“Y’all think you know my son better than I did. I’m telling you that woman over there ruined his life.”
Leon decided not to remain silent. “This has gotten way out of hand, Elroy. I know you’re grieving, but I’m not going to let you attack Misty like this—she was the love of John’s life.”
“You don’t have to protect me, Leon,” Misty stated. “I’m leaving.”
“Elroy, you’re making a scene.”
He glared at his wife. “Stay out of this.” Turning his attention back to Misty, he said, “We’re gonna sue for custody of Talei.”
Misty kept her voice low. “Give it your best shot. Once my attorney sees the police report, you’ll be lucky if you get visitation because trust me, I intend to let the judge know about your history of physical abuse, as well.”
Her words rendered Elroy speechless.
She glanced at Leon before leaving.
“You see what a hateful woman she is,” Elroy stated. “Misty is nothing but a selfish woman looking to take advantage of the kindness of others. She tried to get my son to leave the family business.”
Leon knew that John was not happy as a truck driver but didn’t have the courage to stand up to his father. “Misty was John’s wife,” he stated. “She is the mother of his child. I’ll say it again. She should be allowed to attend the funeral.”
“I don’t agree.”
“I want my granddaughter there to say goodbye to her father,” Clara said. If Misty can’t come, she won’t allow Talei to attend. Let’s just keep the peace for John’s homecoming service.” Tears slipped from her eyes. “I’m tired of all this fighting. That poor girl hadn’t done nothing to you. She and John had their issues, but none of that matters now.”
Leon embraced her. “Everything is going to work out, Clara.”
“I’ve lost my son, Elroy. Isn’t that enough?” She broke down into sobs.
Having witnessed Elroy’s venom, Leon had a much better understanding of what Misty and John had to deal with through the course of their relationship and marriage.
A wave of disappointment flowed through him. Elroy had verbally attacked Misty and it was unwarranted. If he didn’t work through his anger, he would end up missing out on a relationship with his granddaughter.
Leon knew Misty would fight them with her all—even if it meant keeping Talei away from Elroy and Clara. She was determined to protect her daughter from a toxic environment.
He prayed it wouldn’t come to that.
* * *
“I DIDN’T EXPECT you back here so soon,” Eleanor said when Misty walked into the shop.
“Elroy started acting a fool when I showed up,” she responded. “He didn’t want me there, so I left.”
Disgusted, Eleanor shook her head. “That man needs to be ashamed of himself.”
Misty shrugged in nonchalance. “It’s fine. He’s probably right. I have no right to be there. I’m no longer married to John.”
“You’re still the mother of his child,” Eleanor countered.
“Your nephew was there, and he stepped up to defend me. I felt bad for him. He was so uncomfortable.” She pasted on a smile. “Leon is the nicest man I’ve ever met.”
“He’s one of the good ones for sure,” Eleanor said. “He and Trey never gave me an ounce of trouble. Don’t get me wrong. They did the normal kid stuff, but that’s about it.”
“It’s a testament to you.”
“I did my best to give them what they needed.”
Misty nodded in understanding. “That’s all I want to do for Talei.”
“Don’t trouble your mind, sugar. You’re doing a good job with that little girl.” Eleanor frowned. “I can’t remember if I ordered the meat for the box lunches. They have to be ready by Friday.”
Misty slipped on her apron. “I can do a quick check.”
“Thank you. If not, we need to do it right away.”
This was the second time Eleanor had forgotten to restock the kitchen. Misty knew she had a lot on her mind these days. Maybe it was becoming more of a challenge to run both the bakery and the café.
“We’re good on meat,” Misty told Eleanor. “The only thing we need is more condiments. We have enough to put in the boxes, but we’re going to be wiped out pretty much after that.”
“Thank the Lawd.”
“Miss Eleanor, would it be easier if I focused on working the bakery? This would leave you to manage the café.”
“I like that idea.”
“Really? Please don’t think I’m trying to tell you how to run your business.”
“This is why I hired you, Misty. It made good business sense.”
“Thank you for your faith in me, Miss Eleanor.”
Misty spent most of her day in the kitchen, preparing baked goods for the next day.
“We just got an order for your key lime layer cake,” Eleanor said. “They want to pick it up by noon tomorrow.”
“I can do that.” Misty stirred the ingredients in the bowl to make frosting for the carrot cake baking in the oven.
At three o’clock, she left to pick up Talei from day care. From there, they drove home.
Their daily routine was pretty low-key, Misty thought. Home, dinner, bath, bedtime story, sleep, then do it all over again the next day. However, she wouldn’t trade the simplistic and peaceful life they led for anything in the world.
She made spaghetti for dinner, a choice that thrilled Talei.
Misty quietly observed her daughter as they ate their meals. Her heart was saddened at not being able to say a final goodbye to John. She wanted a sense of closure.
Later that night as she prepared for bed, the telephone rang. She looked at the caller ID and debated whether or not to answer. She didn’t want to deal with any more drama.
“Hello.”
“This is Clara...”
“What can I do for you?” Misty worked to keep her tone neutral and devoid of any emotion.
“I would like for you and Talei to attend John’s funeral and sit with the family.”
“Elroy made it clear that he doesn’t want me there. I really don’t want to be humiliated in front of your family and friends.”
“This is my decision. Elroy’s not thrilled about it, but he won’t make a scene, Misty.”
“I know how he feels about me, Clara,” she responded. “I’m sorry but this feels like a setup.”
“It’s not. I give you my word.”
“You and I both know that you can’t control your husband.”
“I promise you Elroy will be on his best behavior. My family will be here. All my brothers are coming. Trust me... With my family present, my husband will be on his best behavior.”
CHAPTER SIX
ON THE DAY of John’s funeral, Leon got up early to drive to Orangeburg. He was not particularly looking forward to saying goodbye to yet another person he cared about. In truth, he was tired of grieving, having lived with it for so long. Despite his feelings, Leon felt it was his duty to attend.
When he arrived at the church, Leon was surrounded by somber-faced mourners dressed in black. He accepted a program one of the ushers handed him.
Leon was standing near the door to the sanctuary when he spied Misty and Talei entering the church. He had never seen a simple black dress look so stunning on a woman. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail. Talei’s white dress was trimmed with a black-and-white-striped ribbon around the collar and the waist.
The little girl saw him, smiled and waved.
Grinning, he waved back.
Leon bent down to speak to her as they approached him. “Do you remember my name?”
Talei looked up at her mother.
“This is Leon, remember? He was your daddy’s friend,” Misty said.
“Eon.”
He glanced up at Misty. “I’m glad to see you.”
“I had no intentions of coming, but Clara called me last night and insisted that we attend the service.”
Leon responded. “You have as much right to be here as any of these other folks.”
“I don’t know about that.” She glanced over her shoulder, then back at Leon. “Elroy has done a pretty good job of poisoning almost everyone’s thoughts about me. You see how people are staring and whispering.”
Leon shrugged with nonchalance. “Don’t let it bother you.”
“I’m not. I’m just here for my daughter.” Misty pulled gingerly at the collar of her dress. I’m also here out of respect for John.”
“Eon,” Talei patted his hand.
He kneeled down so he could better hear her.
“Daddy in heaven. He get better.”
Leon didn’t know how to respond so he remained silent. She was so young and seemingly unaffected by her father’s death.
“I didn’t know what else to tell her,” Misty said.
Standing up, he nodded in understanding. “I can imagine it’s difficult.”
“She thinks he can come back. Talei keeps looking for him, Leon.”
The funeral director signaled for the family to line up for the processional.
Inside the sanctuary, Misty sat beside Clara in the front row while he sat on the opposite side of the sanctuary on the second row.
Leon could tell by Elroy’s body language that he wasn’t happy about Misty being there, but he didn’t make a scene.
When it was time for him to speak, Leon walked up to the podium. His gaze traveled and settled briefly on Misty.
“I met John when we attended Clemson University. He was my roommate. It didn’t take us long to realize that we had a lot in common. We were instant friends. One of my memories of John was his boundless enthusiasm. He and I had a lot of fun and laughed a lot. When his daughter, Talei, was born, it was clear that she had stolen his heart. John was beside himself with happiness.”
His eyes watered. Leon inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly before he continued. “I had dinner with John the day after Mother’s Day. Ten days later, he was gone, and to be honest, I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it. Instead of celebrating his birthday with him at his favorite restaurant in Charleston like we planned, I’m here to say a final farewell. There are no words to explain the hole he’s left in my life—in all of our lives.” Looking upward, he said, “We’re going to really miss you. Rest in heaven, John.”
He could feel Misty’s eyes on him. Leon felt uncomfortable showing his vulnerability in her presence. He preferred to be seen as a pillar of strength.
* * *
CLARA EMBRACED HER during the repast. “Thank you so much for coming, Misty.”
“I wanted to be here...to say goodbye to John.”
“I hope he can finally have peace,” Clara murmured. “Losing you and Talei broke his heart, Misty. He truly loved you. I hope you know that.”
She gave a slight nod. “I believe that he loved me. He just didn’t know how to show it.”
Careful to keep her voice low, Clara said, “You should know that you’re the sole beneficiary on John’s life insurance.”
She handed Misty a business card. “You need to call and give them your information.”
Misty was stunned. “I had no idea about this.”
“He wanted to make sure you and Talei were taken care of in case...”
“Clara, we need to speak with Pastor Reynolds before he leaves,” Elroy muttered, taking her by the arm and whisking her away.
Misty saw Leon standing by a window. She walked up to him saying, “What you said about John—it was really nice. He would’ve loved it.”
“Thank you.”
They joined the buffet line to get something to eat.
“Talei seems to be having a great time with Elroy,” Leon observed. It thrilled him to see the little girl in such a happy mood despite the somber surroundings.
“He’s always been very good with her.”
They got their plates and found a table with empty chairs.
Misty discovered she didn’t have much of an appetite.
“Are you okay?” Leon inquired; his expression filled with concern.
“I’m not really hungry right now.”
“I always thought John and I would grow to be two old men...” Leon’s voice trailed off momentarily. “He was looking forward to scaring the boys away from Talei. He always said she was going to be stunning like you.”
Misty’s eyes became bright. “We shouldn’t be here in this place. John should be alive and well.”
Leon nodded in agreement.
She scanned the room, her gaze landing briefly on Elroy. He was seated across the room glaring at her.
When Leon prepared to leave, Misty asked, “Do you mind if I follow you back to the island?”
“Are you ready to go?”
“Yes,” Misty responded. “I’ll get Talei and meet you outside.”
She stayed behind Leon’s truck the whole way back to Polk Island. He’d called her a couple of times to make sure she was fine.
“Do you want to grab a bite to eat before we cross the bridge?” he asked. “You didn’t touch your food earlier.”
“I’d like that.” Misty was grateful Leon couldn’t hear her stomach growling.
They stopped at a fast-food restaurant and sat in a corner booth.
“You love French fries, don’t you, Talei?” Leon chuckled when their food arrived. “I love them, too.”
Turning up her smile a notch, Talei nodded. “Fench fries and hot dawg.” She pointed to his plate. “Shilli dawg.”
Misty and Leon laughed.
“She’s a sweetheart.”
Misty placed an arm around her daughter. “I love her more than my own life. She’s such a beautiful blessing.”
She looked at him, noting the pain etched in his expression. “I’m sorry. It must be so hard for you.”
“It’s not as bad as it was,” Leon responded. “I couldn’t be around children for a while. To be honest, Talei is the first child I’ve held since my daughter died.”
“Oh, wow... I had no idea.”
“I want to be here for you and Talei as her godfather,” Leon stated. “It’s what John would have wanted. I hope it’s fine with you.”
“It’s definitely okay with me,” Misty said.
Pointing to Leon, she stated, “Talei, this is your godfather.”
“Gawfather...”
He burst into laughter when Talei scrunched up her face at him. “Is that a happy face or a sad face?”
“Funny face,” she said before bursting into giggles.
Misty and Leon cracked up laughing.
“She can be a little silly at times.”
“I love it,” he responded. It was nice to be able to laugh after such an emotional day that started in sadness.
Encouraged, Talei continued to make faces and Leon responded in laughter and light banter.
When they finished eating, Leon walked them to their car. “I’m sure it’s been a long day for you both. I’ll check in with you tomorrow.”
“I’ll talk to you then.” Misty unlocked her car door and helped Talei into her seat. Once her daughter was all buckled in, she climbed into the driver’s seat. “As soon as we cross the bridge, we’ll be back on the island, sweetie. Almost home.”
“Almost home,” Talei repeated. “Eon in car.”
“Yes, he’s in his car. He’s in front of us.”
Two hours after they arrived home, Misty put Talei to bed, then went down to the kitchen to work on a new recipe that had been floating around in her mind for days.
She opened the refrigerator and retrieved the carton of eggs. Next, she went to the pantry and took out a bag of flour. Minutes later, Misty had all the ingredients she needed to make what she called a buttery cinnamon cake. Baking was a way to relieve her stress. At the moment, she was feeling very stressed. By midnight, she had baked a cake, a dozen cupcakes and peanut butter cookies.
* * *
THE NEXT DAY, Leon woke up with his brother, Trey, weighing heavy on his mind. They texted often but he hadn’t had a real conversation in over a month.
He picked up his phone and punched in a number.
“Hey, big brother.”
Leon exhaled a long sigh of contentment. “Trey, it’s so good to hear your voice. I miss you, man.”
Harlequin Heartwarming June 2021 Box Set Page 53
