Guilt Trip

by Pat Simmons

  Rounding the corner to the baggage claim area, three women stood out from the crowd. One held a sign: “Welcome, Talise!” A shorter woman cradled a small bouquet of flowers, and the third one bore a gift-wrapped box.

  As they got closer, the tearjerker was the little girl dressed with tender care. As a stylist, she couldn’t help but notice the straight parts in her hair. The ponytail twists were almost textbook perfection, and the oil sheen gave the desired effect as a crowning touch. Kudos to the child’s mother, Talise knew how to groom natural hair.

  Jumping up and down and grinning excitedly, the girl held up a smaller sign that read: “And baby!”

  Slowing her steps, she wondered, Who are these people? Talise was under the impression that only Eva was meeting her. Sandra smiled as the fan club rushed toward them. Their hair, facial features, and attire seemed to blur as the rocks on their fingers blinded her. Somehow, over the past months, Talise had become increasingly sensitive to the presence or absence of a wedding ring on a woman’s finger.

  The shortest, spunky woman, who was all smiles, had to be Ace’s sister-in-law. With a broad grin and no immediate words, she handed Talise a colorful bouquet of mixed flowers. Talise had barely accepted them before the woman quickly pulled her into a tight hug and blew her air kisses.

  “I’m so glad you came! I’m Eva.”

  In Talise’s opinion, Eva’s most striking feature was her eyes. They were the clearest brown she had ever seen. A rose colored, two-piece outfit complemented her fair skin. While the two women embraced, Eva glanced over her shoulder and taunted the others, who appeared impatient to give their hugs. However, Sandra seemed content to wait her turn for her share of affections.

  Talise was shuffled into the next set of waiting arms. “I’m Cheney Jamieson. I’m married to Cameron’s oldest brother, Parke.” Excitement shone from her eyes. Cheney was the tallest, maybe even six feet. But the height added to her attractiveness. Similar to Talise, she had healthy, shoulder length, jet black hair. Their dark features also mirrored each other, with one distinction. Talise would describe Cheney’s complexion as having a dash of lemon flavoring.

  “And this is my daughter, Kami.” Cheney put her arm around the girl’s shoulder. “When I told her we were going to Josephine’s Tea Room, she begged to come along. I hope you don’t mind. She especially likes the gift shop.” Cheney explained her daughter’s presence and smiled with a hopeful expression.

  “Not at all, considering I don’t know what you all have planned.”

  Kami’s eyes lit up. She contained her jubilation to a wide grin. Briefly, Talise wondered if she would have a daughter. Who would she favor, her or Ace?

  Pulled into another embrace, the third woman introduced herself. “I’m Hallison Jamieson, but please call me Hali. I’m married to Malcolm, Cameron’s middle brother.”

  Hallison was a stair step between Eva and Cheney. She was equally as beautiful with her golden honey skin tone and almost the same tint in her brown eyes. Out of sheer habit, Talise did a quick assessment of Hallison’s hair. There were no split-ends apparent to the naked eye.

  Kami bounced on her toes. “I was hoping you had the baby.”

  “Not yet.” Talise surprised herself when she took the liberty and tweaked the girl’s nose.

  The others laughed. The innocence of a child. Finally, Sandra got her turn and received her round of hugs and kisses.

  Eva pointed to an older woman reclining in one of many chairs that lined a back wall of the baggage area. “That’s Grandma BB. She invited herself.” Eva bit her bottom lip. “I hope that’s okay too. She’s the matriarch of the family, but no men were invited or even know.”

  Sensing her emotions about to take over, Talise hadn’t expected this warm welcome. With new faces, strange names, and loads of unexpected affection, her head was spinning. Tears sprang forth, and then one by one, they trickled down. She had grown weary of surprise emotional outbursts like this one. But the kindness of these women overpowered her. Sniffing, she rummaged through her purse for a tissue.

  Immediately, the Jamieson wives encircled her with more hugs. She heard Sandra whispering prayers of blessings and peace. Suddenly, Talise felt an unusual moment of well-being, reminding her of days gone by with her mother and Sinclaire.

  “How embarrassing,” she said aloud, daring not to look around and see how much attention she was attracting. “So sorry.” Talise wiped at her eyes, disregarding her carefully applied makeup.

  “Girl, blame it on our hormonal imbalance. I do.” Eva consoled her, squeezing her hand.

  “I’m a little overwhelmed,” Talise explained with a shaky voice. She used her hand to fan herself. Pulling out an envelope from her purse, Cheney used it to give Talise additional cooling. Once she was composed, Talise busied herself by smoothing imaginary wrinkles from her blouse.

  “Ready?” Cheney whispered.

  Not really, but Talise nodded. She fell in step, as they headed toward their Grandma BB. Sitting regally, the woman watched intently as they approached. Upon closer inspection, Grandma BB didn’t favor any of the women. Talise reasoned she had to be a Jamieson. Her glossy silver hair looked freshly done with the curls expertly set on top of her head. Gold looped jewelry dangled from her ears. No wrinkles, moles, or blemishes marred her face.

  Hmm, Talise thought, the Jamiesons must possess good genes.

  Grandma BB was stylishly wearing a white sleeveless dress with bits of red accents. The senior oozed sassy sophistication, and … as she scanned downward, Talise blinked … a pair of black Stacy Adams shoes with red shoestrings swallowed up her dainty feet. Uh-oh, something wasn’t normal here.

  Get Ace’s medical history ASAP, was the first thought that came to her mind. Every family could be susceptible to mental illness, but she prayed it wasn’t a dominant gene in the Jamiesons’ bloodline.

  Eying her up and down, Grandma BB grunted. “The boy’s got good taste, if not good sense.”

  Caught off guard by the remark, Talise sucked in her breath. Was Grandma BB referring to her grandson, Ace, as “the boy”? The woman’s eyes twinkled. Another ally, perhaps? Would the grandmother ask for her pregnancy test results? She hoped not. Talise swallowed and formally introduced herself.

  “Chile, I know who you are. I wouldn’t be Grandma BB if I didn’t know you were Ty, giving her a new nickname. I won’t meddle in your business—”

  The Jamieson wives murmured and faked coughs. Grandma BB glared at them. “Anyway, my services are for hire. If you need me to roughen him up a little, it ain’t a problem.” The woman jutted her chin, as if she had made a firm declaration.

  Talise released a hearty laugh. That’s exactly what Ace needed—someone to knock some sense into him. “I wish.”

  “She’s not kidding,” the wives said in a seemingly rehearsed harmony.

  “Really?”

  “Uh-huh. Grandma BB always says to tell it like it is, and she tells it like it is,” Kami chimed in, bobbing her head.

  Cheney and Hallison positioned themselves on either side of Grandma BB to assist her in standing. A walking cane with a rhinestone-covered handle rested beside her. Reaching for it, the senior citizen shooed them away, as if she didn’t need their help.

  “Come on. Sandra’s luggage should have made it off the plane by now,” Eva reminded them.

  Clasping onto Sandra’s hand, Kami skipped alongside her. Minutes later, when they stepped up to the baggage carousel, her two small pieces of polka-dot luggage were circulating the ramp. Cheney and Hallison reached for the bags.

  Activity around Talise blurred as she focused on the Jamieson family. They were a close-knit, fun-loving bunch. So far, only the grandmother was questionable. Hopefully, Grandma BB’s oddity was limited to her sense of style, not her mental faculties.

  Talise also noted that none of the women acted as though they questioned her condition. She reasoned that if one were to look hard enough, one could see that she had something to show. But, be
ing totally honest, someone might have to first suspect it. Otherwise, she probably looked like any other woman who had a bit of flab around her midsection. Talise had tried to show off her “pouch” to Sinclaire during their last video chat. Her sister had flatly told her she couldn’t tell.

  Once the luggage was retrieved, Talise and Eva excused themselves to the ladies’ room before leaving the airport. Their potty break quickly became a family affair as all the women gathered in the restroom to freshen up. Minutes later, they walked outside toward the parking garage.

  “Ugh! It’s so humid here and it’s barely noon.” Talise tried using her hand again as a fan when beads of sweat began to dot her clothes. “How do you stand it?”

  “We don’t.” Cheney groaned. “That’s why air conditioning is a wonderful thing.”

  Talise could tolerate some heat, but this intensity was suffocating. After crossing a wide walkway, they huddled into an elevator and rode to the open parking level at the top. Without the benefit of the lower level shelter, it was almost intolerable, as the sun beamed down on her head.

  The lights on a new black SUV blinked. Cheney climbed in behind the wheel. Once again, Grandma BB resisted any help, while she was clearly struggling to climb into the passenger seat.

  “The pregnant ladies sit in the middle. Kami and I will get in the back,” Sandra announced.

  “I’m not pregnant,” Hallison reminded them.

  “Not yet, but if Malcolm doesn’t stop looking at you like you’re a doe during mating season, then you’ll be next.” Cheney snickered.

  “Be quiet! Can I help it that Malcolm and I agreed to wait until M.J. was two years old before we started on another baby? And he turned two last month?”

  “Oh, it’s on, ya’ll,” Eva teased, while she and Hallison sandwiched Talise between them. Thankfully, the vehicle was roomy enough.

  As they travelled along, Cheney and Grandma BB were having their own personal conversation. Kami was a chatterbox, while Sandra politely listened. Eva acted as a backseat tour guide, drawing Talise’s attention to several points of interest. Riding east on I-270, they passed the exit to the St. Louis Mills Mall. Eva leaned closer and informed her new pregnant buddy, “They have a Babies R Us. We’ll have to go shopping.”

  “She’s not even here for twenty-four hours. You all don’t have the sixty you take when we go shopping,” Grandma BB chimed in. “Girl, you’re like a mouse caged in a maze of cheese.”

  Scrunching up her nose, Eva laughed. “Give me a break, Grandma BB. Since Kevin demanded I cut back my hours, it’s boring just sitting at home,” she defended. “I’m so glad that now Talise and I can compare our baby notes.” Adding that, she stuck out her tongue. Kami caught her in the act and laughed. It was a good thing Eva was sitting behind Grandma BB and out of her sight.

  “Save your money. I keep telling you that you can always come to my house. I’ve got a big collection of videos,” Grandma BB boasted. “And they ain’t all Disney movies either.”

  Talise blinked. She didn’t even want to know what that meant. Instead, she reflected on Eva’s option to reduce her work hours because she had a husband to support her. That thought caused her to sigh deeply. Talise needed the money and health benefits. She had no choice but to work two jobs. Still, something had to change soon. She was becoming increasingly tired.

  At the most, she was counting on her six weeks paid maternity leave to bond with her baby. After that, she didn’t have a clue about their future. If her options ran out, she would have to move back to Virginia and start over.

  Her eyelids fluttered, as she tuned out the conversations swirling around her. Talise didn’t want to think about the absence of a good, loving man in her life. She longed for the kind of man who would pick up the slack and dote on her and the baby.

  Soon Eva tapped her on the arm. “We’re almost there.”

  Glancing around at the view, Talise was wowed by an artistically constructed bridge, as they crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois. She didn’t realize St. Louis was so scenic. A small casino was docked at its bank. Immediately, it sparked a memory of a getaway weekend with Ace. Shaking her head, Talise refused to reminisce about the good times that had become the prelude to the bad ones.

  “This charming town is called Alton. It’s known for its bluffs overlooking the river. It’s also known as the birthplace of the world’s tallest man. Robert Wadlow died here when he was twenty-two years old and weighed more than four-hundred pounds. A medical condition caused him to grow to eight feet and eleven inches tall,” Cheney noted, breaking into Talise’s reverie.

  Impressed by her knowledge, Talise admired the quaint feel of the town.

  “Interesting,” she commented.

  “Paranormal fanatics claim it’s the most haunted city in America. I don’t believe it,” Grandma BB added in dispute. “Supposedly, there’re some hot spots of activity where builders used stone from a Civil War prison, and Confederate soldiers had died of dreaded diseases inside the prison walls.” Grandma BB grunted. “I’m bad, but I ain’t that bad. I’ve got to sleep at night, and I don’t want any ghosts—bad or good—messin’ with me.”

  Squeals of laughter rang out as Grandma BB shivered at the thought of it.

  “But for every legion of demons, God’s got thousands on thousands of angels ready to be dispatched for battle. All He has to do is speak His Word,” Sandra informed the group, with a snap of her fingers.

  “Humph. I came along for the food, Sandra, not for the preaching,” Grandma BB countered. “If I want a sermon, I’ll rent an audiotape from the library.”

  “Would you be nice, Grandma BB? Don’t show Talise how ugly you really can get,” Eva scolded respectfully.

  “I may not go to church anymore, but I know ain’t nothing ugly—but the devil. I looked gorgeous when I went to bed last night. Not to mention when I woke up this morning too.”

  “We’re not going to win against you,” Cheney stated, playfully swatting Grandma BB’s shoulder.

  “This is one crazy family,” Eva whispered, nudging Talise.

  “No comment,” Talise mumbled, as the scenery changed on God frey Road.

  “Kami,” her mother called, glancing in the rearview mirror. “Why don’t you tell Miss Talise the historical significance of this town?”

  As the girl sat in a rare moment of quiet reflection, Talise felt bad that maybe her mother had put her on the spot.

  “Native Americans settled in Alton thousands of years before the Europeans. Artifacts have been discovered here to prove it. Some homes in Alton were built with tunnels and hiding places for enslaved people to run away before and during the Civil War,” Kami recited and took a deep breath.

  “That’s good, sweetie. What did enslaved people call the escape route?” her mother quizzed the girl.

  “The Underground Railroad.”

  Applause erupted in the vehicle and Talise joined in, wowed. With her beauty and brains, the girl would be dangerous when she grew up. Those are traits Talise hoped would be passed down to her child.

  “I’m blown away. How old are you, Kami?”

  “Ten. My brother’s eleven, but I’m smarter because I got all As last year. I’m going to the sixth grade.”

  “You are very smart. I’m impressed that your school would teach local history from all perspectives.”

  Kami leaned forward and rested her chin on the back of Talise’s seat. “I didn’t learn all that in my school. My dad taught me when we have family game night. We have a lot of fun and food and games. My brothers, cousins, and I can play along with the adults.”

  “Wow,” Talise said.

  “We even have team T-shirts. Do you want to come, Miss Talise?”

  “We’ll see,” she said to pacify the girl. But in her heart, she had the strangest feeling that before the day was over, she would regret this visit. Not because they mistreated her. Rather, because she would never be a Jamieson. And at the moment, for the first time since she lea
rned she was pregnant—she wished she was a Jamieson.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Finally!” Eva and Grandma BB almost chimed in unison when their destination came into view. Everyone around Talise applauded and cheered as Cheney passed a college campus.

  Minutes later, she turned into the parking lot behind an oval sign that read “Josephine’s, Est. 1979.” Talise’s stomach growled. She was surprised her snacks on the plane had lasted this long.

  Eva laughed. “Potty break?”

  “Yes!” Talise agreed.

  As usual, Cheney tried to assist Grandma BB in getting out of the car. And once again, the woman waved her away with her cane. This time, Cheney appeared to be just as stubborn, as she tangled with the old woman until Grandma BB let her help.

  “Is she always so feisty?” Talise whispered, as Eva looped her arm though hers and steered her toward the door.

  “Yep!” Eva replied with a giggle. “Even in her sleep. She had suffered a stroke when Cheney and her husband admitted her to Garden Chateau years ago. That’s the nursing facility where Kevin and I work. Grandma BB didn’t last six months in that place before she ‘escaped.’”

  Eva made quotation marks with her fingers. “Since her breakout, her recovery has been amazing. Still, we don’t want to take any chances of her falling and injuring herself. Grandma BB sings the praises of Dino, her boy-toy private duty nurse. She leans on him for the most part. But we give Jesus all of His glory. She’d better stop playing with God, if you know what I mean. Anyway, we try to be near her in case she becomes unsteady on her feet.”

  “Yeah, but she ain’t fooling anybody. Our friend Imani, who also happens to be her neighbor, says Grandma BB has woken up the neighborhood more than once with her Janet Jackson workout videos,” Hallison mumbled, chuckling.

  “I heard that,” Grandma BB twirled around and grunted. Cheney almost stumbled, but recovered.