Southern Gossip: A Complicated Love Story
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“I’ll pour my own, anyway.” Mrs. Gray uttered while purposely filling her glass and emptying the bottle. For as long as she’d been in the Gray family, Mama Gray still didn’t fully embrace her the way that she’d wished she had. In return, their relationship was about as iffy and rocky as the city they lived in.
Mama Gray ignored her smart remark for the simple fact that she was right. That was asking a bit much of her and at the moment all she was concerned about was grandson. “How’s A’keem? I know you’ve spoken to him.”
“As a matter fact, I have and he’s on his way here once he gets his license straight.”
“Good, I need to lay my eyes on him.” Mama Gray said. She was a firm believer that her prayer and the laying of her eyes on her family kept them safe. It was even known to some that anytime the men were having hard luck it was because they’d slacked up on visiting her.
“I told him that you were gonna get on his butt, too. So don’t be all sweet on him when you do lay your eyes on him.” Mrs. Gray stated.
Mama Gray smacked her lips. “I know how I talk to my boys. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Trust me, I’m not worried about that, because if it’s anything we do have in common it would be the love we have for our Gray men. I just want you to be stern with A’keem and let him know that he’s getting too old to still be getting in trouble for things that should’ve been behind him years ago.”
Marlon had sat there listening to the two women going back and forth long enough and decided to ease back into the family room. Before he could make his exit, Mrs. Gray called him out.
“Uh Marlon, come back in here.”
Marlon shook his head with regret of not leaving when she first walked in. He knew exactly where this conversation was about to head. “Yes mom.” He dry responded.
“Your dad was fussing about you taking the path this morning. You did take the path didn’t you?”
“I did take the path, but I was hoping that he wouldn’t find out.” He said with a nonchalant attitude.
“So,” Mrs. Gray said looking him directly in his eyes. She studied him over as she watched for any signs that would tell her if anything was off about him.
“So what, mom?” he pondered. He was well aware of her degree and how manipulative she could be, but he maintained his composure while directly staring back at her.
“Did you see her?” She asked without hesitation.
Even though he didn’t want them in his business or trying to figure things out, he decided to tell the truth. “Yes I saw her, BUT we only spoke briefly.”
“I knew it,” Mama Gray expressed with a low chuckle.
Mrs. Gray looked over at her mother-n-law with an irritated shake of the head. “Let’s be serious here, Mama Gray. Don’t act like you don’t know how this could turn out.”
Mama Gray eyeballed Mrs. Gray for a moment. “Seems it turned out just fine looking at you,” she commented.
“You should know,” Mrs. Gray shot back.
Marlon cut in. “Don’t y’all start this mess about a hex, a loveless legend, this bittersweet history and all that crazy stuff.” He looked over at Mama Gray. “It’s just a coincidence that granddad and his brother couldn’t come to terms with loving the same woman.”
“A Kent woman,” Mrs. Gray mentioned with a frown on her face.
“Yes, a Kent woman, but so what.” Marlon said an annoyed roll of his eyes. “Mom, you ended up with dad and Mama Gray you ended up with granddad. Neither one of them ended up with a Kent woman.”
“That’s true, but there were many years that I had to compete with Eleanor Kent for your grandfather’s affection. Strangely, she couldn’t decide if her love was stronger for your granddad or your great-uncle, Gray. Too bad for her, she ended up choosing neither and got knocked up by some other white man. And even though your grandfather denied it, I’ve always believed that that’s the reason why he asked me to marry him, not because I’d gotten pregnant with your Uncle Evan.”
“I know a familiar story,” Mrs. Gray chimed in thinking that Denise Kent, Eleanor’s youngest daughter, pulled the same stunt which resulted in Mr. Gray choosing her. From the looks of things Jada was playing the same old Kent women games. Hopefully, her sons would realize it and move on too.
Mama Gray continued. She wanted to make things crystal clear for her grandson. “I didn’t like being your grandfather’s runner up, but he knew that just like Eleanor, I had mad love for him too. So, he kept me close, because Eleanor was unpredictable.” She said taking in a deep breath as she thought back. “Your great uncle Gray, that old bastard loved drama and wanted nothing more than to know that even after his death, drama would still be going on as long as Eleanor Kent was close by this family. Even though he’s taking great care of her from the dead, he still knows that she’s suffering in her own way too. If you ask me he was just a fool for love.”
“He may have been a fool in love, but he had to be seriously in love with the woman to leave her all of that money. Not to mention that big house he left her. I mean what wealthy white man do you know that would’ve done something of that nature for a black woman back in those days that was feeling him and his brother? So, you can’t tell me that he didn’t really love her. Or hey,” he said deciding to lighten the subject. “Maybe he was infatuated or probably lusting over her if she had given him some of that wet, wet,” he grinned.
“Boy, watch your mouth,” Mrs. Gray said with a light roll of the eyes. Marlon smiled at her as a sign of teasing with them at times.
“Anyway, like I was saying. I’m sure she did give him some of her goodies,” he added making Mama Gray grin under her breath. “But again, he had to love her to leave her set like that financially for life.”
Mrs. Gray could see where he was coming from, but she wasn’t trying to hear it without reasoning. “You’re right, Marlon. However, we’re not going to bring color in the equation because both your grandfather and your great uncle had jungle fever. They were going to end up with black woman regardless. I mean look at Mama Gray.” She said with sarcasm followed by a friendly smirk.
“And, look at you,” Mama Gray shot back thinking that the pot couldn’t call the kettle black.
Mrs. Gray cut her eyes at her mother-n-law. “Having jungle fever shouldn’t even apply to Ian. Technically, thanks to you, your son isn’t a full blooded white man.”
“Well, he should’ve been. Besides being a darker color and having curlier hair, he’s every spit of his father.” Mama Gray stated.
Mrs. Gray redirected her attention back to her son. “Anyway Marlon,” she continued while overlooking Mama Grays slick comeback. “Your uncle was in love, but my point is that he would never have the woman that he was in love with. She could never choose.”
“It’s just sad that all those years Gray and your grandfather never made amends over a woman who left both of them behind. He should’ve just moved on with someone else like your granddad did with me.” Mama Gray added.
“He probably couldn’t. Sometimes love can grab you so tight around the heart that you can’t shake it out of your system. I believe Unc died of a broken heart.” Marlon commented.
“I’m sure he did with his bitter ass and even with that bitter heart he wanted to make sure that the love of his life would be taken care of, but that she’d never find love. I bet his ass is laughing from his grave at all the drama that the Kent women have caused in this family over the years just by him doing that shit.”
“He was foolish.” Mrs. Gray chimed in while noticing a frown on her son’s face. “Don’t look at me like that. He was foolish. That woman gets mailbox money just like Mama Gray gets every month. He left her things in his Will like they’d actually gotten married.”
“He was an Oil Baron, mom. He had money to literally burn if he wanted too. We’re all set for life thanks to him and Granddad, but why couldn’t he do what he wanted to do with the rest of his money? He couldn’t take it with him.”
“God blesses people in different ways,” Marlon chimed in. “Maybe it was God’s doing to have Unc make sure that Eleanor and her family would be taken care of for the rest of their lives. I don’t see what’s so bad about it.”
Mama Gray totally sided with Mrs. Gray as she chimed in with her two cents. “It wouldn’t have been bad if Eleanor would’ve chosen him. I mean, what else can I say? He was always a stupid man.” She hissed. “Not only did he leave her that house, but in his will he specifically stated that if she accepted the money and the twenty acres of land that she could never sell or rent it out to anyone. The house and the land must and will always remain there for the Kent’s.” Mama Gray disappointedly shook her head. “Not to mention that it’s on the Gray Plantation. I never cared about her getting the mailbox money, but her mailbox should’ve been in another state somewhere, not out here.”
“And because it’s here, history just keeps on repeating itself,” Mrs. Gray added drinking the last of her wine.
“Okay mom. I know the story.” Marlon cut in not wanting to hear it again.
“It’s true, Marlon.” Mama Gray added. “I went through it with your grandfather, watching him and Gray bicker over a Kent woman. Your mom went through it with your dad, watching him and your Uncle Evan fall out over a Kent woman.”
Marlon cut in. “And now you’ve witnessed me and Keem fight and quarrel over none other than another Kent woman.”
“Finally, you get it.” Mrs. Gray chimed in with sarcasm. “I believe that Gray put a curse on them too, or something, because it has been nothing but Kent women that have grown up in that house. First Eleanor had Daphne & her twin sister, Deena, and then she had Denise. Then her girls turn around and have nothing, but more girls. They’ve never had any boys in that family.”
“I’ve thought about that for years,” Mama Gray chimed in. “I wouldn’t put it past Gray. He was truly bitter that Eleanor couldn’t decide which brother she wanted. However, he wanted your grandfather to suffer by also knowing that he couldn’t have her, either. They competed so much in everything and Eleanor was the first thing that neither could win. Even though it hurt them both, Gray got peace out of seeing your grandfather in such low spirits. However, nothing pissed him off more than to see his brother move on with me since he seemed to be at a standstill in his love life. It crushed him to think that his brother could end up happy and not him.”
“I can only imagine how that hurt him,” Marlon chimed in thinking that it had to have been bad.
Mama Gray looked at Marlon with the side eye, totally disagreeing. “I don’t believe that it hurt him. I think it only tapped into the darkness that hid inside of him. Not only was he known as a bad boy, but he was also known to be very impulsive.”
“Like A’keem.” Marlon slid in.
“Although A’keem looks just like him, he’s really not like Gray at all. I have to admit that Gray certainly passed him and Seth his care free spirit and deep gray eyes.” Mama Gray stated thinking that that’s where Gray got the nickname from. It wasn’t because of his last name, but because of the color of his eyes.
“I believe that he passed down his criminal record to my child, too.” Mrs. Gray added feeling that A’keem was definitely a bad boy like his great uncle.
Mama Gray slightly agreed. “He tends to get in a bit of trouble just like Gray, but A’keem is not him. That man also had a twisted mind. A’keem seems to be bad, but he’s just misunderstood. He has a heart as pure as gold. So, no telling what Gray did before his miserable death,” she said looking at Marlon like she was very serious.
“Okaaaaay, I get it. But, that’s over. The myth doesn’t exist anymore. If anybody ends up with a Kent woman it’ll be Keem or Seth, not me. I’m not falling out over Jada again and if my brother ends up with her then I’ll be happy for him.” He said, but Mrs. Gray was a few steps ahead noticing that his body language spoke differently.
“I heard my name.” Seth cut in as he and A’keem entered the house. A’keem lingered behind him knowing that he was about to get the third degree about his arrest. Seth walked into the kitchen and instantly kissed Mama Gray on the cheek as soon as he was near her. “Hey Mama Gray,” he spoke.
She smiled at just the sound of Seth’s voice. He was the youngest of the three grandsons and indeed a clown that always kept her laughing. He was 6’1 and very handsome. He had deep curls in his hair, but he kept it cut low, with a slick dark shade do to not liking the fact that he looked biracial. His gray eyes matched perfectly with his last name, but he’d rather think he was a full blooded black man through and through. Because he was the baby of the crew, he was spoiled rotten by her and she always told him that he was her favorite.
“Hey baby,” Mama Gray spoke back smiling from ear to ear. “Where’s your dad at? He normally checks on me every morning before he leaves, but he didn’t knock on my door this morning.”
“He left the house around three this morning. Being a Sheriff has some very unpredictable work hours. You know he stays on call.”
“I know, but that usually doesn’t stop him from letting me know that he’s leaving the house.”
“He is a grown man,” Mrs. Gray chimed in causing Mama Gray to look her way with a slick roll of the eyes. Seth quickly continued before they’d have a quick round or two in sarcastic word play between the two.
“He probably didn’t wanna wake you since it was so early. He did walk in my room to tell me that he was headed to investigate a fatality. I think some guy shot and killed his wife.”
“I saw that on the news this morning when I got up,” Mama Gray stated.
“My goodness, that’s awful,” Mrs. Gray stated with a saddened expression on her face just as A’keem entered the kitchen.
“Hey Mama Gray,” A’keem cut in with a smile on his face. She beamed inside to see her handsome grandson, being that she hadn’t seen him in nearly three weeks. He kissed her on the cheek. “I’m sorry I hadn’t been by.”
“I’m just glad to see you now, baby.” She spoke giving him a tight hug. A’keem was the bad boy. He was also the wild one that stayed into something. However, Mama Gray always saw a softer more loving side in him and no matter what he always showed her the upmost respect.
A’keem looked over at his mom. Quickly he began the sound language behind Mama Gray’s back asking, “Did you tell her about the weed?” as he pretended to puff an imaginary blunt with his fingers up to his mouth. Without saying a word, Mrs. Gray shook her head from left to right indicating that she hadn’t mentioned it. He smiled thanking God that she didn’t, because he didn’t want to hear Mama Gray’s mouth, and then he spoke to his mother.
“Hey Mom,” he said walking over and kissing her on the cheek. He then whispered in her ear, “Thanks.” Mrs. Gray smiled. He was still her baby no matter how old he got and she was equally happy to see that he was alright.
Seth opened the refrigerator. “Keem,” he called out. “I think they were in a heated discussion when we walked in. Sound like I heard the Kent name being tossed around.”
“Seth,” Mrs. Gray called out to hush her nephew.
Seth grabbed an apple, closing the refrigerator back then looked over at Mrs. Gray. He smiled. “Okay Auntie, I won’t mention that y’all were probably talking about Jada Kent being back in town.”
A’keem frowned. “Why you say that, Cuz?” Mrs. Gray irritably shook her head at Seth. He was always the outspoken one that thought the drama between the Gray and the Kent’s was quite amusing. A’keem was caught totally off guard as he directed his attention to Mrs. Gray. “Mom, did you know that she was back?”
Mrs. Gray took in
a deep breath then let it out as she attempted to explain. “Yes, but I’d just found out son.”
A’keem then looked over at his grandmother. “Mama Gray, did you know that she was back too?” he questioned.
“A’keem, this is her second day home.” Mama Gray explained. “I haven’t seen you in almost three weeks.”
A’keem ignored that part as he continued. “Two days, but I’m just finding out about it?”
Mrs. Gray hated to even be discussing this, but she felt she should to calm A’keem’s thoughts. “A’keem, it’s not a big deal. Serenity’s mom called me last night and told me that Jada was back. She didn’t say how long she would be here, because she didn’t know. I called Mama Gray afterwards to tell her that she may be getting some company soon and that the company was Jada, because I’d gotten word that she was back.” A’keem was quiet for a brief moment while gathering his thoughts. Hearing the name Jada Kent was one thing, but to know that she was possibly within reach of him was another. She was the one girl that fully had his attention at all times, but loving her became a game of being one up on his brother.