by Pat Simmons
The house phone interrupted Talise. Her eyes widened as Sandra stood to answer it. “Hello?” She paused. “You have the wrong number, sweetie.”
When Sandra returned to her seat, Talise wouldn’t look at her. Instead, she picked with her napkin and said, “Sandra, I appreciate you not only opening your home to me, but reaching out to me in the beginning. You’ve really become an unexpected friend and I appreciate that. But I have to ask …” She took a deep breath. “Are you comfortable with me dating Minister Thomas, really? I know we discussed it briefly.”
“I have mixed emotions. As a mother, of course, I want to see my son happy and doing the right thing. I would be ecstatic to have you as a daughter-in-law. You already know that.”
Talise nodded.
“But, most of all, I want us to remain close—no matter what. I know how it can be, going at it alone. I was a single parent.” Sandra snickered. “I guess I still am. And the title didn’t come without sacrifices. I traded in my social calendar for a school calendar, nice lingerie for cartoon underwear, and going back and forth between boy scouts meetings and football practice.”
Talise listened quietly as Sandra continued to share from her heart. “Back then, no man wanted an unmarried woman with two little blockhead boys. In hindsight, I guess that was a good thing with so much molestation of our boys going on. It’s horrendous.”
“I know, that scares me too.”
“My sons didn’t have a full-time or part-time father. I blindly loved Samuel and let him get away with it. I was one of those silly women who suspected he wasn’t upfront with me, but I ignored it.”
Tears stained Talise’s cheeks as she sniffed. “You make your life sound so sad.”
“Children bring you joy—for a little while, anyway.” Sandra rolled her eyes. “I’m surprised you didn’t make sweet potatoes.”
Talise chuckled. “You didn’t have any.”
“Back to your original question. Richard is a confident man who knows your situation and isn’t judging you because of it. He wants to be in your life. That’s love.”
“I wonder how it might affect my relationship with Eva and the others.”
“You have a support system from the entire Jamieson clan. They put their money where their heart is. Although they’ve already given you some money, their intent is to set up a trust fund as soon as the baby is born and issued a social security number. No strings attached.”
Talise shook her head. “When you love someone, there are always strings attached.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
On Sunday morning, Ace attended Kidd and Eva’s church again. Kidd had given him something to think about last week. Yet, days later, Ace still struggled with accepting what was in his heart.
Making him even more uncomfortable, that first sermon he’d heard still lingered in his mind. It challenged him to think about the possibility of being wrong about past decisions. The pastor’s words kept gnawing at him. And Ace was compelled to come back.
This morning, Elder Taylor was preaching on the need to surrender. The pastor recited so many Scriptures, Ace couldn’t write them all down. He didn’t quite get it. He thought that he was surrendering by coming to church, praying, and opening that big, thick Bible Kidd had left at his apartment.
The next day, Ace had come to a decision. On a mission, he walked into his office. Not only was he bent on clearing his desk, but he didn’t plan to do any work remotely from Boston. To stay ahead meant doubling up on his projects. For the next couple of days, he came in early and worked late. The end result was on Wednesday night, Ace was packing his bag.
Giving Kidd the heads-up, Ace asked him not to mention his plans to Eva or their mother. Kidd agreed. Next, he called Cameron. Their relationship was still only held together with Band-Aids. Cameron’s bottom line was family first, second, and third. He didn’t care if the relative was a first cousin or fifteenth. To him, diluted blood was still thicker than water.
“I’m going to make things right with Talise,” Ace said when Cameron answered. “I’m driving up.”
“You know you’re a fool.”
Ace had already figured that out. “For driving? Or for Talise?”
“Both. About time the guilt started to corrode your brain, but I’ve got your back.”
“I knew you would. Thanks.”
Once they resolved the tension, Cameron brought him up to speed on what was going on back home. Ace hadn’t laughed so hard that his side ached in a long time. He hoped that things would go smoothly with Talise.
Thursday morning at five minutes after four, Ace was on the road. “Twenty plus hours,” he murmured, setting his cruise control for his own personal road to Damascus. He was determined not to drive over the speed limit. All he needed was to be jailed or have his driver’s license revoked for violating his probation. Still, if he had to hitchhike to see Talise, he would.
An R&B music lover, he didn’t want any distraction while contemplating what he would say when he showed up at Talise’s apartment. His mind and thoughts was his only companion.
The shocker was he had no idea that Talise had become so close to his mother. For any other son, that would be a good thing. Unfortunately for him, his church-going mother had backstabbed him in favor of a church-going brother.
Ace swallowed and slowed. “Lord, am I on the right course?”
Suddenly, he wanted God to talk to him, tell him what he was doing wrong and how he could fix it. With eighteen more hours ahead of him, God had his full attention.
As the hours stretched on, besides pit stops for the restroom and grabbing something to eat, Ace kept driving. He knew he’d spend more time on the road than with Talise, but they had to talk.
After gassing up twice, he was running out of steam. It was five in the evening when he crossed the Ohio border near Youngstown into Pennsylvania. Ace contemplated pressing on while there were still a few more hours of daylight.
He tried to refocus his mind on the things the pastor had said about surrendering and what his brother had told him in their heart-to-heart talk. What did God want from him? At that moment, the question entered his mind that the pastor had asked the first time he attended service: “Are you living your life the way God wants for you?”
Until now, he hadn’t bothered to directly answer it. But considering where he was, on the road driving like a man on a mission, Ace had to respond with a resounding “no.” Now it was time for him to accept the fact that he’d had it all wrong—and it was time for him to get it right.
Staring into the face of the most important event in his lifetime, he realized this was beyond his control. But how was he supposed to depend on God? His questions were endless to ponder.
Ace always considered himself to be self-sufficient. After his father stopped coming around, he had learned never to depend on another man. Throughout his entire life, he didn’t recall asking God for a dime. When he really thought about it, for the first time in his life, he recognized that he needed God’s help.
Ace was exhausted—mentally and physically. Finally, deciding to check into a hotel, he fell asleep in his clothes, as soon as his body crashed on the bed.
On Friday morning, he was jolted awake by the sun beaming through the window. Dragging himself out of bed, his body screamed with extreme fatigue and all he could do was groan. The mattress was inflexible and the room air conditioning was faulty.
It was a little past seven when Ace willed himself to the shower and was still sluggish as he got dressed. If only he could hold out until he could collapse in his own bed at home.
A short time later, after two shots of Espresso in a large cup, Ace was ready to hit the road. After gassing up and grabbing some breakfast sandwiches, he was behind the wheel. Otherwise, he would be caught in some serious morning rush hour traffic and hit even more in Boston’s evening madness.
Scratching the hairs on his face, Ace wished he had shaved, but it didn’t matter. Whether having the semblance of a bear
d or a clean shaven face, he would look his best when he confronted his ex.
If Talise confessed that her plan to trap him had backfired, Ace didn’t know if his heart would recover.
“God.” He paused and took a deep breath. “If I really can just ask, then I need You to have my back on this. I’m clueless on how this thing is supposed to play out and even what to say to her.”
No answer. Then his next thought was something his mother had told him long ago. “Treat people right, Ace, and you can’t go wrong. Right is right—and right will wrong no one.”
“Got it.”
He would use that and be exceptionally gentle and pleasant with Talise. Unlike how Ace had treated her since he broke off their relationship, Ace was prepared to do a one-eighty. It made sense that God would use something his mother taught him to help him make things right. How could he lose?
Slipping on his sunglasses when the sun began to blind him, it suddenly came to mind about what happened to Paul in Acts, chapter nine. Ace thought, Jesus, I was just kidding when I called my trip the road to Damascus. Yet he couldn’t deny that his attitude and behavior had taken a turn in the right direction. If only God could put his conversion on hold a bit longer. Right now, it was crunch time for Ace.
Nine hours later, he parked in his mother’s complex and stared at “home.” The Boston air even smelled fresher. Getting out of the car, he grabbed his duffel bag, stretched his abused muscles, and headed for the stairs.
Turning the key, Ace walked through the front door and took in the familiar setting. Everything seemed the same since his departure months ago.
“Mom, I’m home,” he called out.
Sandra peeked her head from the kitchen doorway. Startled momentarily, she recovered with a bright smile. Hurrying toward him with her arms wide open, all she could do was call out her son’s name.
“Aaron.” Despite the changes and disappointments he had put her through; his mother’s embrace was nothing less than welcoming. In her loving way, she hung on to him for the longest time before letting him breathe. Then stepping back, realization must have hit. “What are you doing here?”
“I think I still live here. I have a key.” Ace held it up, grinning, and then closed the door behind him. Dropping his duffel bag on the floor, he followed his nose to the kitchen. His mother was on his heels.
“Watch it. I’m still the reigning queen and locksmiths are on call 24/7” she warned and smiled back. “But how did you get here? Aren’t you on a ‘no-fly’ list?”
As if his tired body needed a reminder. “Yes, Mom. I drove. I have seven more weeks on probation and then I can take to the friendly skies again. I’m starved. What ya cooking?” Ace headed to the stove and started lifting lids.
“Shh. Stop making so much noise. Talise is upstairs asleep in Kidd’s old bedroom. She’s caught some type of virus and isn’t feeling well.”
Time stopped as Ace’s jaw became unhinged. “She’s what? Tay is here?” His heart pounded. Talk about perfect timing? Thank You, Jesus. He couldn’t ask for a better scenario.
“What exactly is going on between you two?” Ace stared at his mother for an answer, but Sandra Nicholson wasn’t easily intimidated.
“Number one, none of your business, because if it was, you would’ve been here handling it. Number two, Talise is carrying my grandbaby, and it’s my responsibility to be there for her. Now if you have a problem with my house guest, then there’s a choice of hotels nearby.”
“Been there, done that. I drove here to set things right with her.”
“Humph. It’s about time, but,” Sandra started and paused, “I think it may be too late. A woman as pretty and as sweet as Talise doesn’t stay unattached for long. Her condition wouldn’t deter a good man.”
“Yeah, I heard about the preacher.” Ace twisted his lips in disappointment. “Mom, whose side are you on?”
“I’m on the Lord’s side.” Her words were confident, but sadness filled her eyes.
Ace heard movement above his head. Talise was awake. The next thing he heard was the wrenching sound of her throwing up in the adjoining bathroom. He raced up the stairs, taking two or three at a time toward Kidd’s room. When Ace busted into the unlocked bathroom, she was on the floor near the toilet. Even in her disheveled appearance and weakened state, he found her beautiful.
“Talise,” Sandra called, trying to push past Ace, but he blocked her.
“Tay?” he called softly, as she looked into his eyes. She seemed too weak to respond. “Mom, she’s burning up.”
“Let’s get her in the bed and I’ll call her doctor.”
“No, I’m taking her to the hospital,” Ace said firmly. He reached for a towel, quickly wet it, and began to pat her face. Helping her up to the sink, he pulled back her hair as she rinsed her mouth.
With a little strength, she fussed. “I’m mad at you.”
That makes both of us mad at each other. Scooping her up in his arms, he could feel her extra weight as he carried her down the steps. “Mom, grab her purse and whatever else she needs. And get my extra keys to my Charger,” he ordered.
Ace was comforted when she rested her head on his chest. God, You know I really did miss her and I do love her.
Sandra raced down the stairs with two purses and jingled his car keys. Ace missed his sports car almost as much as Talise. When his mother opened the front door, a tall guy, almost his height stood there with flowers in his fist. Alarm crossed the man’s face when he laid eyes on Talise.
“Excuse me. We’ve got an emergency here.” Ace squeezed Talise tighter, as she slept in his arms.
“What’s wrong with Sister Babe?”
“Who?” Ace frowned. “Man, step aside. I told you I’ve got an emergency and you’re impeding it.”
“Minister Thomas, this is my son, Aaron,” Sandra made the necessary introductions.
It didn’t matter. “Yeah, and the father of the baby.” Ace bulldozed him out of the way and bolted out the door.
“She’s got a temperature. Aaron’s taking her to the emergency room.” Ace heard his mother explain, as she closed the front door and locked it. Then she pointed the remote and deactivated his car alarm.
Carefully, Ace hurried down the steep stairs to the car port where his pride and joy waited for him.
“Then let me pray for her,” the minister said, as his long hurried stride caught up with Ace.
Not now, was on the tip of Ace’s lips when he felt the slight movement of Talise’s stomach against him. Our child.
“Please,” Ace consented, as Talise snuggled closer to him. He could feel the heat permeating from her body against his chest.
As Sandra held the bouquet, Minister Thomas pulled a small vial of oil from his jacket pocket. Unscrewing the cap, he dabbed a bit on his finger and then placed it on Talise’s forehead.
“Can you put some of that on me too?” Ace had to set aside his pride for the safety of the woman in his arms.
Minister Thomas did, and then began to pray, “Father God, in the Name of Jesus, we come boldly to Your throne. We ask that You speak to the condition in Sister Talise’s body. Command the sickness to flee and be cast into outer darkness where it belongs. Saved the unsaved and bless the blessed, in the saving Name of Jesus. Amen.”
Talise mumbled, “Amen.”
“I’ll take my car and follow,” the minister said.
Placing Talise into the passenger side front seat, Ace carefully secured the seatbelt around her stomach. Before he closed the door, Sandra dabbed Talise’s forehead with a cool towel.
“Let’s go, Aaron. Take her to Carney Hospital. It’s closer,” Sandra instructed, as she climbed into the backseat.
After firing up his engine, Ace glanced at Talise. Beads of sweat were forming. He brushed his hand against her cheek and drove out of the complex, heading toward Dorchester Ave.
Unwilling to wait for Minister Thomas, the brother would have to catch up. Ace took his chances pushing the speed limit
. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up to the emergency room entrance and parked. Getting out, he hurried around to the passenger side and unfastened Talise’s seatbelt. She moaned.
Scooping her up in his arms, he stormed inside. When a nurse looked up, she scrambled for a wheelchair to assist him. A few minutes later with Talise at his side, Ace answered the intake nurse’s questions as best he could, estimating how many weeks along, how long she had been running a temperature, and his relationship to the patient.
“Father of the baby.”
When his mother walked in with the minister, Ace realized he had forgotten about them. He had left behind his mother and his car. Another nurse appeared and wheeled Talise into the examination room. Ace dared anyone to keep him from following.
“We’re going to get some fluids in her and give her something to bring her temperature down,” the nurse advised him.
“What about the—my baby?” Ace was scared.
“We’ll monitor the baby’s heartbeat as well. Relax dad, everything will be fine.”
Yeah, that was easier said than done. It didn’t take long for the IV to start pumping fluids through Talise’s veins. Once the wires were attached to her swollen stomach, Ace watched the baby’s heartbeat, in awe.
Holding Talise’s hand, he racked his brain about what to say first and how to say it. As she regained some of her strength, she saved him the trouble.
“Ace, why are you here?” To his relief, her voice was already clearer and stronger.
“I drove here to talk you, but now it doesn’t seem like a good time.”
He exhaled and told her, “Tay, you are the most beautiful expectant woman I have ever seen.”
“Where’s Richard? Is he here?”
He was trying to pour his heart out and she insisted on injecting another man into his spiel. “Richard is not your concern—”
“But I’m his. It’s nice seeing you, Ace, but you can leave and ask Richard to come in.”
Ace tried to regulate his breathing, as he stared into her determined face. He stood. “Tay, I am nowhere as close with God as this man seems to be. But I’ve always heard that God is for the underdog, so don’t underestimate me.”
