“Count me in,” Jewel said. “I want to learn how to fix healthier food as well.”
“Hold on now,” Dontae said, “I’m a red meat and potatoes man. You can’t be feeding me these vegetables all the time.”
“You’ll live longer, so we’re doing it.” Jewel turned back to Carmella. “Like I said, count me in.”
“Jay, wouldn’t you like me to fix some of these recipes. I want you to be healthy and live a long time, so that we can enjoy our life together.”
Chowing down on the meal, Jay finished chewing his food and said, “Sure thing, baby.”
“What do you think he’s going to say,” Dontae interjected. “The man is getting married tomorrow; he’s not trying to make any waves until the honeymoon is over.”
After dinner, Dontae and Ramsey stood together whispering about the meal. “Everything was good, but something just ain’t right. Where was the mac and cheese... where was the sweet potatoes?”
“I feel you, Dontae, but Mama Carmella and Daddy are getting older. Maybe they just want to be healthier.”
“Something don’t smell right here. And I’m going to find out what’s going on.” Dontae gathered his brothers and sisters in the family room and said, “We need to find out what’s going on with Mama and Ramsey.”
“Why do you think something is going on?” Raven asked.
“I know my mother. She has never been concerned about whether or not there were enough vegetables on the plate. And did any of you notice that there are no cookies around the house? She normally has dozens of cookies made by this time of year. Each table would have a plate of cookies on it.”
“I didn’t think much of it. But she wouldn’t even share the donuts she made for me at her bakery. She was sipping on a protein shake instead,” Joy told the group.
Carmella and Ramsey walked into the family room and stepped in the middle of the conversation. Renee quickly asked, “Why are there no cookies?”
“Huh?” Ramsey Sr. looked surprised by the question. “I thought you all enjoyed the dinner.”
“We did. Mama can cook anything and make it taste good, but that’s not the point,” Dontae said, then added, “I know something is wrong, and I want to know what’s going on.”
Chapter 7
“Sit down,” Carmella said to her children as she and Ramsey held hands. “We need to tell you all what’s been going on.”
“You’re sick, aren’t you?” Dontae’s hands went up in the air as he strutted back and forth, rubbing his forehead. “I knew something was wrong when you didn’t come to see Cammie.”
“Dontae, please sit down and let me explain.” Ramsey squeezed Carmella’s hand as she said, “The doctors say I’m sick. But I’m telling you that I’m healed. The Lord that I serve has healed me.”
“What’s wrong, Mama. Will you at least tell us that?” Joy asked, fear gathering in her eyes.
“At least let us know what we need to be praying about. It’s not fair to keep us in the dark like this. Because I’m really not in the mood to lose another mother,” Ram said.
“You’re not going to lose me. The doctors say that I have diabetes. They said that my numbers were so high that I could have had a heart attack or a stroke.”
“But they have medication to fix diabetes, right?” Renee asked.
Carmella shook her head. “The medication the doctors offer for diabetes does not cure the disease. It may help moderate your blood sugar, but I worry about what it does to the body in the long term, so I’ve decided not to take any medication.”
“What?” the room exploded with objections from each of their children.
Ramsey lifted a hand to quiet the group. “Hear your mother out, please.”
“I truly believe that diabetes is a lifestyle disease. I have thoroughly researched the matter and I believe that my cure lies in the very foods that God has blessed this world with. So, Ramsey and I are now eating more vegetables like spinach and broccoli and lean proteins. I’ve started working out and I feel better now than I have in months.”
“But are you monitoring your blood sugar levels? That’s really nothing to play with,” Jewel said.
“Yes, hon, I monitor it daily. I’m also working with a dietician and seeing my doctor regularly.”
“Okay.” Dontae came to stand in front of his mother. “Since you’re telling us that you’re not going to take medication and that you’ve been healed, I want to see proof. Have your blood sugar levels come down? Show us the proof of this miracle.”
Carmella turned to her husband. “Would you get the tablet I’ve been recording my blood glucose reading on?” Then she turned back to her son and said, “I don’t appreciate your sarcasm, but since I know you are worried about me, I’m going to let it go this time.”
“No disrespect meant at all, Mama. I just don’t want you sick.”
She gently touched her son’s face as she said, “I’m doing better, so stop worrying.”
Ramsey came back into the room. “Here it is.” He set the paper on the table.
Carmella pointed to the top of the page. “When I first started keeping track my blood sugar levels, they were staying at around 230 every morning.”
“What is it supposed to be at?” Lance asked as he looked over Joy’s shoulder at Carmella’s log.
“Non-diabetic people are below 100.”
Raven pointed at the paperwork and then said, “Yesterday it was 123. What does that means?”
“It means that I’ve come down over a hundred points. But if I stay at that level, then I am considered pre-diabetic. My goal is to totally reverse diabetes. So, I won’t be satisfied until I see below 100 numbers on a consistent basis.”
“You know what, Mama? Dontae mentioned the fact that we don’t have cookies this year, but if it means that you are living a healthier life, I don’t ever need you to make any more cookies,” Joy told her.
“I’d like to make you all a promise,” Carmella said. “If my blood sugar level drops below 100 on Christmas, I will spend the day baking cookies and then Ramsey and I will mail each of you a box. But I don’t want you eating all those cookies... take a few and then share the rest with friends. I want all of us to start thinking about eating healthy and indulging in sweets in moderation. Okay?”
“I know it sounds strange that Carmella has now become the sugar police. Especially since we own a bakery full of sugary goods.” Ramsey smiled at Carmella as he continued, “But just so you all know, we have decided to sell the bakery.”
“But you love Hallelujah Cakes and Such,” Renee interjected, “How can you just let it go so easily?”
Smiling, showing that she was okay with the decision, Carmella said, “Getting healthy is one thing. But Ramsey and I want to ensure that I stay healthy. And all that sugar and flour is just not good for us on a day in and day out basis. I just don’t want those everyday temptations in my life anymore.”
***
Renee and Jay’s wedding was beautiful, and the reception hall had been decorated to perfection. Everyone loved the French vanilla cake with all of its gold and burgundy flowers on top of each layer. The guests were eating, dancing and having a good time at the reception.
However, Ram and Dontae couldn’t get into the festivities. They were too busy watching Carmella and thinking about everything that transpired the night before. “I don’t like it. She’s over there laughing and acting like she’s having a good time, but who knows how she’s really feeling.”
“I just wish she would take the medicine. That would make me feel better about leaving her here while we head back to Charlotte,” Ram told Dontae.
Dontae’s eyes widened as if inspiration had just hit him, he then told Ram, “I think I know what we need to do; we just need to convince the wives.”
“What do you need to convince your wife of?” Jewel asked as she came up behind Dontae.
Dontae swung around, looked at his wife as if she was the loveliest vision he’d ever seen. “I can
hardly believe how good you look in that dress. Girl, you better get on that dance floor with me, so I can show you off.”
“You really like my dress?” Jewel twirled around. “I worried that my stomach wasn’t flat enough yet.”
“Jewel, please, I can’t even tell by looking at you that you had a baby three weeks ago. I might as well hurry up and have a brother for Cammie because being pregnant obviously doesn’t bother you at all.”
“Nice try,” Jewel said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the dance floor. “Hopefully you can dance without thinking about getting me pregnant.”
Ram laughed at Jewel’s comment. But it was a bittersweet kind of laugh because Ram wanted to give Maxine the world, but the truth was, the one thing that she wanted, was the only thing he couldn’t make happen for her.
***
“What are you going to do with this baby? You have no wife and you don’t even have a stable home since you travel from country to country.”
RaShawn knew that Erline, his nurse was only thinking of him with her comment, but RaShawn felt God in this new situation he found himself in. Abeni was a part of his life for a reason bigger than RaShawn could comprehend, but when God was up to something, RaShawn knew enough to get out of the way and let God do what He wanted to do. He told Erline, “The way I see this is that Chima wanted me to make sure that her baby went to someone who really wanted her, and if the African council approves, I’m going to take Abeni home with me and ask my family to help me with this task.”
“Just as long as you aren’t thinking of keeping her for yourself. As young and handsome as you are, you don’t need to be strapped down by a baby. You need to get out there and find a wife so you can have a bunch of children yourself.”
“I’m only twenty-nine, what’s the rush?”
Shaking her head, Erline told him, “I think you’re just scared of falling in love. That’s why you have such wanderlust. Flying from one continent to another. Yeah, you’ve been doing a great service, but you’ve also been running from love, and I’d like to know why?”
RaShawn picked up Abeni and said, “Maybe I’ve got all the love I need right here.”
Erline took Abeni out of his arms and as she began walking out the room with her, she said, “You better hope they let you keep this baby.”
That was the thing RaShawn worried most about. He had a feeling that God already had a family in mind for Abeni; he just had to get her to them. But if he was denied a travel visa for the baby, then they both were going to be stuck here for Christmas.
Chapter 8
Joy’s phone rang at 6 a.m. on Christmas morning. She was tempted to just let it go to voicemail, but she checked the caller ID and saw that it was Renee. Since Renee and Jay were in the Bahamas on their honeymoon, Joy figured something must have happened for her to be calling so early. She sat up in bed and answered her phone. “Hey honeymooner, what’s got you up so early?”
“I could hardly sleep last night,” Renee said in a whisper.
“Does that mean Jay stayed up all night with you?” Joy’s voice was full of merriment.
“You are a funny girl. But if you must know, we are very much enjoying our honeymoon and have decided to extend our stay in the Bahamas for an extra week... but I can’t stay if Mama Carmella isn’t doing better. So, I’m calling to see if you know what her numbers were yesterday?”
“She wouldn’t tell me. But I’m getting ready to get up and go over there this morning. Remember, she said that if her blood sugar levels were below 100 today, she would be up baking cookies all day. I plan to help her bake as many cookies as she desires.”
“Send me and Jay a box to our hotel.”
“First thing in the morning,” Joy said as she flung off the covers.
“Listen to us, we sound like we actually believe in miracles or something. You do know that most doctors don’t believe that diabetes can be reversed,” Renee said.
“Most doctors don’t know the God that Carmella Marshall-Thomas serves.”
“The God we all serve,” Renee said and then added, “I have been praying like never before that God would move this thing out of Mama Carmella’s life.”
“I think we’ve all been praying... well, most of us, we still have a few in this family who don’t realize that God answers prayers.”
“Once Mama Carmella is walking in total healing, maybe we should get a prayer chain going for my knuckleheaded brother, Ronnie. I still can’t believe he wouldn’t take two seconds from his career to come to my wedding.”
“He’ll come to his senses,” Joy assured Renee, then said, “I’ll call you back when I get to the house and see what Mama is up to.”
***
Raven had taken two weeks off work so she could spend time with her family. As she got out of bed that morning, her mind spiraled back to when she was ten years old and went into her parents’ bedroom and watched as her mother threw up blood into the toilet. Not long after that day, her dad had come home from the hospital and told all of them that they wouldn’t be seeing their mother ever again, because she had died.
Standing at her father’s and Carmella’s bedroom door, Raven wanted to knock on it and ask Carmella what her test results were this morning, but she was afraid to ask. Then the doorbell downstairs rang and it gave her an excuse to do something else... anything else but discover whether her mother of the last ten years was healthy or not.
***
As Carmella opened her eyes that morning, she felt a sense of unease kick her in the gut. Why had she given her children a date for when she expected her numbers to normalize? Why hadn’t she just she said that it would happen sometime in the near future and not given them a day to look forward to? Joy had called and asked about her numbers yesterday and she had changed the subject, because when she had tested she had been at 112. Which was good, but not good enough to prove to her children that she no longer had to worry about all the horrible ways in which diabetes can wreak havoc in her life.
She looked over at the blood glucose meter that she kept on her dresser and dreaded the thought of checking her levels this morning. Carmella knew in her heart, mind, body and spirit that God was working this thing out for her. She just didn’t know the day or the hour it would be worked out, so she never should have given her children false hope, especially on a day like Christmas.
Closing her eyes, she said a quick prayer, asking God for the healing that He had already promised to give to her when Jesus was wounded on the cross.
Fear not, Carmella, God has heard your prayers and He has healed you.
Carmella tapped Ramsey on the shoulder, “Did you just hear that?”
“Hear what?” Ramsey asked, struggling to get his eyes opened.
“Nether mind, go back to sleep,” Carmella said as she got out of bed and quickly made her way to her bathroom and shut the door. She then danced for the Lord as quietly as she could. Because she had just heard the voice of an angel right in her bedroom, in the midst of her doubt and wavering. But Carmella wasn’t wavering about the situation anymore. Just as soon as she finished giving praise to God, she opened that bathroom door and boldly strutted back into her bedroom. She sat down her the bed, took out her equipment, did what she had to do, and then sat back and waited on the blood glucose reading to show up on the monitor. The machine beeped and within one, two, three beats, the monitor read 98.
Carmella started screaming, she shook Ramsey. This time, he sat up, “What’s wrong?”
“Look baby... just look.”
Carmella put the meter in his face and as Ramsey saw the two-digit reading, his eyes filled with tears and he began worshiping God for His goodness.
The bedroom door burst open, Raven and Joy rushed in, terror etched across their faces.
“Merry Christmas, you two,” Carmella said.
“I thought something was wrong. I heard screaming,” Raven said.
“No, hon, nothing is wrong. In fact, everything is all right.” C
armella lifted the glucose meter and showed the reading to her children, then they joined Ramsey in praise to God while Carmella sat back down on the edge of her bed, lifted her head heavenward and simply said, “Thank You.”
“I guess we need to get started baking those cookies,” Joy said as they finished their praise party.
“Where is Lance?” Carmella asked.
“He’s still asleep.”
“Girl, you better get back home with my son-in-law and start your Christmas morning with him.”
“He’ll be over here after he drops a few presents off to his parents. I’m here to help because I know for a fact that all of my brothers and sisters are going to be looking for a cookie delivery this week.”
Smiling, Carmella said, “Let’s head to the kitchen, then. I’ll make you all my famous egg white spinach omelet and then we’ll start baking the cookies.”
“You are really embracing this new way of eating, aren’t you Mama Carmella?” Raven asked as her father put his arms around her and they headed downstairs.
“I’m actually excited about it. I have so much more energy and I feel better since cutting sugar and white carbs out of my diet.”
“She’s made a believer out of me,” Ramsey said, while patting his stomach. “I’ve taken twenty-five pounds off since we changed our eating habits.”
Carmella rolled her eyes. “Don’t that just prove that life isn’t fair? While my weight loss is inching along, he’s dropping pounds like it’s nothing.”
Chapter 9
Lance arrived an hour after the cookie baking began. Joy kissed her husband and then handed him a rolling pin. All hands were needed in the kitchen today because Carmella was feeling ambitious and had decided to make ten different kinds of cookies, from sugar, chocolate chip, and snicker doodle to macadamia nut with white chocolate chips. But no one seemed to mind, the kitchen was full of laugher and joy.
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