Her Kinsman-Redeemer

by Darlene Tallman

  “Good morning to you too. Coffee’s ready. Is Renda up yet?”

  Dex, busy fixing his first cup, looked at her before saying, “Uh, not really. She’s moving a little bit slow this morning.”

  “I bet she is! It was a lot of fun last night, wasn’t it?” she asked, getting up to check on the casserole. Seeing it was done, she pulled it out to cool, and set the timer for the cake before she made the frosting.

  “Yeah, it was, Angel. Their parties are as crazy as ours are, too,” he replied, sipping on his coffee. “Do you know the meaning of the word ‘relax’?”

  “I am relaxing, you goof! But I didn’t have time yesterday to make something for today and I woke up early enough to make sure that I could take care of that this morning. Once the cake is out and cooling, I’ll get the girls up and fed and even with taking the time to frost the cake, we should still make it to church on time.”

  “Let me take some of this into Renda and see if I can get her moving so she can give you a hand, yeah?”

  “She needs to get moving, but I’m good. I’ve got this, Dex, I promise,” she told him.

  ***

  Each week, the sermons got better she thought as she prepared to get the girls from the nursery. Feeling a hand at the small of her back, she glanced up and saw Zeke standing there. “You going to get the girls, Cherub?”

  “Yeah. I brought them clothes to change into since Eva mentioned something about water guns and balloons. What is that about?”

  “On the first hot day, we usually let the kids have a bit of fun with both,” he told her as he took her hand.

  “Ah, I see. What about us adults?”

  “We occasionally get hit, but we’re supposed to be off-limits,” he replied.

  After collecting the girls, he helped her get them into her SUV then kissed her quickly before saying, “I’ll see you there, okay Cherub? I’m on grill duty today and need to get a move on.”

  “Oh! You should have said something, you didn’t need to help me,” she said to him.

  “I never do anything I don’t want to do, Cherub, yeah?” he told her, brushing his fingers down her cheek. “Now, I’ll see you there. Do the girls prefer hotdogs or hamburgers?”

  She started laughing and then said, “Mellie likes hotdogs but Cailyn prefers hamburgers.”

  “I’ll make sure there are plenty made so they don’t have to wait long.”

  “See you there, Zeke. Be careful,” she said, noticing that he was on his bike. She wondered if she would ever be behind him on his bike, then shook her head for her wishful thinking.

  ***

  With lunch now over, the adults sat in the “water free zone” and watched the kids run around, tossing water balloons and using super soakers on one another. Conversation was, as always, free-flowing. Angelina looked for Eva and seeing her, waved her over. “Hey, Eva, I know y’all met last night, but Debbie owns the salon down in South Georgia. She’s the reason I know even a smidgen of what I know about your industry.” The two women started talking and Eva told Debbie about their pending trip to Premiere Orlando, which had Angelina hollering for Dex. “Dex? Listen, we started paying for the stylists’ trips to these continuing education seminars, do you want to do the same for Debbie and her girls that want to attend?”

  “Whatever you think is best, Angel,” Dex replied. “If it helps them, it will help us, right?”

  “Right. Okay then, Debbie? You want to check with your stylists and let me know how many want to go so I can coordinate everything? I wasn’t sure if Dex would go for it, but I’ve got a block of rooms pre-booked and only need to confirm the reservation for those and I also need to buy the tickets. I figured the Heaven’s Sinners folks would want to be together, will that work?”

  Both Eva and Debbie looked at her before Debbie said, “Girl, this has me so excited I can’t wait to tell the rest of them! And Eva said she’s liking the new inventory system.”

  “Yeah, I figure it will take a month or two to iron anything out, but we should start seeing a positive upswing soon. Plus, I found some great sets that will work the closer we get to the holidays.”

  Eva started laughing. “Angel, we haven’t even hit summer yet!”

  “I know, I know, but I want to be prepared so that both locations do a bang-up business. I have a few other ideas as well, but will run them by Zeke and Dex before I share them, okay?”

  “Are you talking shop?” Zeke asked, coming up behind her. “What did I say about Sunday being a day of rest?”

  “I wasn’t working, I was merely sharing some needed information,” she informed him. Without warning, he scooped her up and headed toward where the kids were still playing, eliciting shrieks and giggles as she started getting soaked from the water balloons. Seeing Tally and Thad, with a shyly smiling Amelia next to him, holding super soakers, she said, “Zeke! Don’t you…oh my word!” Totally drenched now, she glared at him because the three teens had bombarded her with their super soakers. “Just look at me!”

  He looked down at the woman in his arms, hair dripping wet, make-up running, T-shirt soaked and plastered to her body, and said, “My beautiful hot mess,” before he kissed her.

  How can I stay mad when he says shit like that she thought, returning the kiss before little girl giggles reached her ears. Pulling back, she saw Melora and Cailyn standing there watching him kiss her. “Zeke, the girls!” she hissed into his ear.

  He smiled down at the two little girls before he leaned back in and said, “Cherub, nothing wrong with them seeing someone being affectionate with their Momma.” Putting her down, he reached for Melora and swung her up in his arms causing the little girl to burst into giggles. Cailyn, still a bit shy, watched her sister until he put her down and scooped her up. She liked him, he made her Momma smile a lot and was always doing fun things with and for them. As Zeke played with the girls, Angelina tried to sneak away to get changed, but he spotted her and giving the little one in his arms a quick kiss and putting her down, he reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward him.

  “Zeke, what are you doing now? I was going to see if I could find something drier, I can’t sit out here like this,” she said while her arm did a Vanna-like sweep down the front of her.

  He grinned, she painted a beautiful picture, standing there with a wet T-shirt, hair that was equal parts wet and dry and of course, what make-up she had on now smeared. Reaching out, he ran a finger across her cheek before he leaned in and said, “Want some help with that, Cherub?”

  He watched as a blush stole across her cheeks and then said, “As much as I would love to do just that, my Cherub, don’t think now is the time or the place. But I will take you to my room so you can clean up and change, yeah?”

  Still stuck on his earlier comment which had sent her mind off on a whirlwind of thoughts, she merely nodded and let him lead her into the clubhouse and down to his room. Once there, he grabbed her one of his T-shirts and told her he would be waiting outside until she was done. Looking in the mirror, she saw that she was beyond a hot mess and set about repairing the damage.

  Twenty minutes later, face scrubbed free of make-up and hair now braided, she walked out of the bathroom in his dry T-shirt and a pair of capris she had tossed into the girls’ bag. Her bra was still damp but she didn’t think it would be enough to wet his shirt, which was huge on her. She stopped short when she saw him lounging on the bed, back against the headboard. He motioned for her and she found herself next to the bed before she knew what was happening. “Zeke?”

  “Hmm, Cherub?” he asked as he pulled her down next to him and then worked to arrange her how he wanted.

  “What…what are you doing?”

  “Well, I have the girls laying down in Preacher and Eva’s room, so I thought we could take a Sunday nap as well.”

  “Together?”

  “Yeah, Cherub, together. You okay with that?” he asked as he pulled a cover over her.

  “Uh…well, no one is going to think anything abo
ut it, are they?”

  He glanced at her face and saw the worry written there. “No, Cherub, no one is going to say or think anything. I’ve set the alarm but Eva said she’d keep an ear out for the girls, okay?”

  “Okay, Zeke. I trust you.”

  I trust you. Three words that resonated deep in his soul. This woman, whose full story he still didn’t know nor did he care if he ever did trusted him and that said more to him than if she had uttered declarations of undying love.

  He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her, being careful not to get things stirred up too much. After all, he was looking at forever, eventually, so he could afford to be patient now. Ending the kiss, he again got her comfortable before he said, “Now sleep, Cherub. This is one of the best parts of Sunday, a nap.”

  ***

  Waking up in his arms was a delicious feeling she thought. Tilting her head back, she could see his profile. He had fallen asleep with his arms surrounding her and his head turned toward her. She reached up and smoothed back the hair that had fallen over his brow and was surprised when his eyes opened and he smiled. “Hey Cherub,” he said, voice raspy with sleep. “You sleep okay?”

  “I did, yes. I kind of like the idea of a Sunday nap.”

  “Me too. I especially like them when you’re in my arms.”

  She shook her head a little and he reached up to cup her jaw and tilt her head back so she could see him. “I’m serious, Cherub. Best two-hour nap I think I’ve ever had. Want to go see if the girls are back up?”

  She didn’t know what came over her, but seeing him and being warm and cuddled up against him, she reached up and kissed him. What started out as an innocent peck on the lips quickly turned into a passionate, no-holds-barred kiss and before she knew it, she was on her back and he was half laying across her, his hands running along her sides as he kissed her.

  She’s going to be the death of me, Lord he thought as he struggled to regain control. He pulled back slowly, kissing her cheeks, her forehead, the side of her neck where her pulse was rapidly beating. “Cherub?”

  “Hmm?”

  “We need to get up before we can’t get up,” he told her as he sat up and pulled her up alongside him.

  “I…I guess.”

  “But I want you to know, someday, when the time is right, we won’t be getting up, yeah?”

  ***

  Back outside with everyone, the girls ran down to the playground and she sat with the old ladies, somewhat surprised that Sass was there. She raised an eyebrow at Eva and nodded in Sass’ direction, which prompted her friend to say, “Butch asked her to be his old lady last night.”

  “Sass that’s awesome!” Angelina said.

  Sass looked over at Angelina and a light blush came over her face. “Uh, Angelina?”

  “Yeah, babe.”

  “I owe you an apology.”

  “For what?”

  “For how Tina was acting last night. I should have known the only reason she befriended me was that she was trying to become an old lady. Butch had told me that’s what he had heard, but I didn’t want to believe it. I’m sorry for whatever she said last night.”

  “Not your apology to make, babe. It’s all good, yeah? She’ll never become an old lady going from Brother to Brother and especially not if she chooses to act like a bitch toward other old ladies.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think she’ll be coming around any longer. She said some things last night after you left that made me angry and I don’t like how she’s done some of the Brothers.”

  “Well, you have us,” Marta said, having come in on the tail end of the conversation. “And we rock, right? In fact, we need an old ladies’ night out to bring you into the fold.”

  Angelina smiled. She remembered those girl’s nights fondly, even though Laser had always instigated a fight either right before or when she got home. “You’ll have a great time, Sass,” she told the new old lady.

  Eva spoke up and said, “Uh, you’ll be coming with, Angel.”

  “Newsflash, girlfriend, I’m no longer an old lady.”

  “Once an old lady, always an old lady,” the other woman said. “Besides, I’m thinking that status is going to change if what I think is happening is actually happening.”

  Angelina rolled her eyes at her friend. “Whatevs. Fine, I’ll go, but only because I need a girl’s night out, okay?”

  As the women continued to talk, Renda and Debbie looked at one another and smiled. Their girl was finding her way and adding to her posse. They felt no jealousy, knowing that whenever they were up visiting, they would be enfolded in the group as if they lived there.

  “So, Angel, what’s going on between you and Zeke?” Marta asked.

  Angelina glanced at the group of women and saw every eye was on hers. “Uh…can I plead the fifth?”

  Cries of “no” chorused throughout the women. Realizing she wasn’t getting out of it, she finally gave in, saying, “He’s told me he’s interested and that he’s been praying for God’s will in all of it. We spend a lot of time together, mostly for the businesses, but last night was our first date.”

  “And?”

  “And I had a marvelous time. He brought me flowers and has been great with the girls.”

  “Girl, I think what I said earlier on is coming to pass; he’s your kinsman-redeemer.”

  “Too soon. It’s too soon.”

  “You know that His timing is perfect. Not too late and not too soon. Just roll with it, yeah? I’ve never seen him like this and it looks good on him,” Eva said.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Two Months Later

  As spring slid into summer, Angelina found herself with extra time on her hands since the books were current and everything was running smoothly with the inventory sheets she had put into place. She smiled thinking about the upcoming week-they were leaving on the family run the next day and she had a lot to get together.

  While she worked in the kitchen baking brownies and cookies, her mind drifted to Zeke. Since their first date, he had taken her out weekly. Sometimes with a group of Brothers and their old ladies, sometimes just the two of them. They still did their breakfast meetings twice a week, but now spent more time talking than going over anything. All the businesses were thriving and he had just received the check from the prosecutor’s office for the monies the accountant had stolen. Even though the trial still pended, because the prosecutor had all the needed information, the monies were released. She smiled thinking of how the Brothers were going to react next week. Zeke had her cut the checks for their portion of the monies and they were going to be ecstatic with the amounts. He still popped over frequently, sometimes with food and sometimes, to take her and the girls out. And the girls? They adored him and his open affection toward the both of them had them blossoming further. Thad also spent a lot of time at her house. Sometimes to do something his dad asked him to take care of, like cut the grass. Other times, he would bring Amelia over.

  Thoughts of Thad and Amelia had her laughing quietly. She remembered when she overheard him tell his dad that he didn’t know how to dance. Not thinking twice about it, she had pushed the furniture back and queued up a music station on her television and then she had proceeded to teach him how to dance. For the slow dances, Zeke assisted, showing his son through his actions how to respect the young woman he wanted to date. It had been a fun-filled night, especially when the girls joined in, because both Zeke and Thad danced with them. She wanted that for her girls; a solid man who would love them so that they would know how to be treated properly. The best part was when Thad brought Amelia over to see her before they left for the dance. She had taken some pictures of the two of them, as well as Tally and her date since the foursome were riding together.

  She smiled contentedly. Thank You God for these many blessings she thought. Her house was a home and people felt welcome in it, something she had always wanted since leaving the Cooks all those years ago. The only wrinkle in her life was the fact that she hadn’t t
old Zeke everything. She knew he had said he didn’t care, but she wanted him to know. Tonight, she reasoned with herself. I’ll tell him tonight.

  ***

  The girls finally settled for the night, she returned to the family room where Zeke was waiting, a bowl of popcorn and two sodas on the end table beside him. “C’mere, Cherub,” he said to her as she walked into the room. I love our movie nights she thought.

  As she got comfortable on his lap, she said, “Can we talk, Zeke?”

  “Yeah, Cherub. What do you want to talk about?”

  Seeing the slight unease cross her face, he mentally braced himself for whatever she was going to say and sent up a silent prayer as well. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, saying, “You know you don’t have to tell me anything, Cherub. Or you can tell me everything. Regardless, it won’t change how I feel.”

  She drew in a deep breath before she exhaled quickly. “No, I think you need to know this but it’s hard to know where to start.”

  “The beginning’s always a good place,” he said softly.

  “Okay, well you know how Dex and Laser found me and rescued me from the streets already so I won’t cover old history. Dex has always been a straight-shooter around me. Laser was his best friend, but apparently he had a shitty home life and it colored everything. He never beat me- physically, anyway- but his words were just as cutting and hurtful and it played hell on my mind for a long time. It was almost as if, whenever things were going well that he would deliberately sabotage it by making an ugly comment. Sometimes he did it in front of Brothers but never when Dex was around because I think he would have hurt him. Anyhow, he wasn’t faithful to me, not by a long-shot. Because of that, I always insisted that he wear protection, but I still ended up with an infection he gave me. The doctors got it cleared up, but it put a wedge between us, one I couldn’t get past. You see, the doctors said I most likely would never get pregnant because the infection caused some damage inside. The night he died, it…it had been months since he had touched me. The fact that I got pregnant, to me, was a miracle. I…I just wanted you to know because I probably can’t have any more kids.”