Guilty By Association

by Pat Simmons

  “I’m a man’s man. I don’t expect pity, neither do I accept it.” He didn’t give her the slightest glance, as he stared straight ahead. Then Kidd lifted his shoulders and rolled his neck. He squeezed his fists so tight, his muscles flexed.

  “He’s to blame for everything wrong in my life. Now I believe my younger brother is on a path to break Samuel’s record with his outlandish activities. I hate my father for my brother’s behavior. I hate my father, period.”

  The more Kidd confessed, the more rage swelled inside him. He had to stop before he exploded.

  “That explains your hard edge,” Eva whispered in a cautious tone.

  “And my edge is sharp too. I don’t let people run over me, or my family, or you. Samuel Jamieson ruined my life from the cradle.”

  “But Jesus saved your life when He rose up from the grave.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Eva’s heart ached for Kidd. Where was the man who picked her up at her doorstep hours earlier with a smile, a kiss, and a hug? Where was the man who had gone to church with her, asked for prayer, and whom she had even caught reading his Bible?

  Eva had been privy to his moods; she had seen him angry. She also knew he was kindhearted. But this accelerated rage was frightening and she had to be bold.

  “Kidd, something wants to destroy you, and that scares me. Not physical destruction by a knife, a gun, or poison. Your inner turmoil and your own hatred will take you down. God has already defeated the devil. The only thing you need to do is cross over to the other side—Jesus is waiting for you.”

  Eva paused to take a breath and gather more courage. “It’s obvious to me, there’s a spiritual battle going on in your life. I don’t think you would try and defeat an entire gang by yourself if they attempted to gun you down in the streets. Why wouldn’t you allow God to send His gang of angels to fight your spiritual battle? Kidd, you can’t do this alone.”

  His steps slowed, but never stopped. He frowned.

  God, what is he thinking? she wondered. Attending Juneteenth was definitely a bad idea. He couldn’t handle his personal past. He surely wasn’t ready for the haunting of slavery.

  “You know I’ve been going to church, but I don’t think it’s kicked in yet. I just seem to snap.”

  “Oh, Kevin, you need Jesus in every facet of your life. You’re so close to your salvation. You’ve passed the first base; don’t let the devil call you out at second base. You’ve got to get to home plate.”

  “God knows I’m trying, but this is where we differ, babe. God wants me to turn the other cheek. I wouldn’t be a man if I did that. I’ll pray, read my Bible, and go to church, but there comes a time when a person shouldn’t bother God with pettiness.”

  She began to silently pray. Father, in the name of Jesus, I come boldly to Your throne of grace because You warned us that the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus, I’m asking You to command the devil to remove Kevin from his hit list. Lord, please restore all that the devil has stolen from Kevin. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

  His voice softened. “I told you I had dark secrets, and you’re still with me despite that. Eva, what I want from you … is your love.” He paused. “Just so we’re clear. I didn’t stutter—I want your love. I know it’s too early in our relationship to expect it, but I plan to earn your love.”

  Eva blinked. Confusion clouded her mind. Kidd went from hot to cold in one setting. She wasn’t prepared for any of what she experienced thus far today. She wondered if Jesus was jealous. What Kidd wanted from her, God wanted from Kidd.

  She didn’t even realize that a tear had escaped, and she hoped the evidence of her emotions went unnoticed. But nothing seemed to get past Kidd. Abruptly, he stopped in the crowd, causing others to go around them. Cupping her face, he gently took his finger and brushed away another tear rolling down her cheek.

  Was this the part in a novel where the heroine confessed her love and the fairy tale ended happily ever after? At the moment, she was on a nightmare of a date with Kidd, and he had the nerve to talk about something as romantic as love. She couldn’t respond to him. Eva was still working through her own feelings. She wanted to love him, but not in his present spiritual state.

  Her head moved toward his face unwillingly, as she stared into his eyes. He tapped one more kiss on her lips. Grabbing her hand, he tugged her along to the next booth. It exhibited a replica of a story printed in The Colored American newspaper. The article was entitled, “Fine Me to Free a Slave.” Silently, they began to read.

  Socialite, Mrs. Clara Middleton, defied authorities who wanted to search her dwelling for a girl child slave belonging to Mr. Henry Bogan. Confident that Sally would not be found, Mrs. Middleton took her seat in the parlor and sipped from her cup as the troops searched each room. Disappointed when they found nothing, officers confronted Mrs. Middleton about her being seen with a Negro girl in her presence. She boasted her opinion of the disgrace of the institution of human cargo and taunted them to fine her. The woman’s family …

  “Mrs. Middleton risked her life,” Kidd whispered, as if he didn’t believe it. “What would have happened if the little girl was found—like Anne Frank? They would have killed her. The article said she was sick with a bad cough.”

  “God always has good people to be a light in the midst of darkness. We can’t assume every White person’s ancestors were slaveholders. That would be to misjudge them. Some risked their lives and were outspoken advocates of freedom.”

  She glanced at the date of the publication, 1840. “It was more than twenty years before slavery officially ended on paper, but not in the hearts of many slaveholders. Black people were the root of their wealth. They couldn’t buy anything without us.”

  “That’s right.” Parke’s voice came out of nowhere. It was deep and strong, but Kidd’s baritone held the authority when he spoke.

  Eva jumped.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. We saw you as we were heading this way,” Parke said, with his family in tow.

  “Anything related to Black history, they seem to know. The baby’s first diaper was probably tattooed with their ancestral chart, instead of cartoon characters,” said Kidd.

  Right. Eva didn’t believe him.

  “Pay my cousin no mind. Paden will know his family tree before he starts preschool, that’s for sure. He didn’t learn it from the cradle, as Kidd implies.”

  “See what I mean?” Kidd smirked. “So what’s your commentary on this, because I know you have one?” He folded his arms and waited.

  Parke shrugged. “Slavery was big business, and the capture of runaways yielded a hefty reward. Officers of the law could receive a bonus if our ancestors were apprehended. Even for wealthy people like Mrs. Middleton, a thousand-dollar fine for breaking the law back then wasn’t pocket change. A person had to really love Jesus to stand up for what was right. I can’t remember where I read it, but by the middle of the nineteenth century, more than fifty thousand enslaved people had escaped from the South.”

  “I do.” His cute little daughter chimed. “That was in our game Runaway. Remember, Daddy?” She smiled.

  Parke winked and the girl glowed with the silent praise.

  “You’re slippin’, old man, when your daughter has to help you,” Kidd taunted Parke, who grinned.

  Eva was fascinated. These Jamiesons seemed to know their dreadful historical facts, yet their reaction was nothing like Kidd’s. She didn’t care how Kidd had characterized them; his cousins were good for him.

  Parke continued, “Remember, enslaved people were the blue chips on Wall Street. The more plantation owners harshly treated laborers and forced them to run away, the greater their losses. There was already a Fugitive Slave Act from the late 1700s, but Northerners defied honoring it and were on the side of the fugitive slaves. But somehow in 1850, slaveholders managed to persuade Congress to pass another sinister Fugitive Slave Act.

  “This time around, it was different. The law basically held everyb
ody accountable for the recapture of slaves. If federal marshals didn’t arrest an alleged runaway slave, they could be fined a thousand dollars. If citizens assisted alleged escapees with shelter, food, or anything, they could spend six months in prison and also be fined a thousand dollars.”

  Eva was impressed with Parke’s knowledge, but it was his calm demeanor that earned him her respect. Briefly, she wished Kidd could be like his cousin, then immediately chided herself. There was a reason God gave everyone unique DNA.

  “Dad, I have to use the bathroom,” the oldest son said, interrupting his father.

  “Me too,” the toddler mimicked, as his hands flew to the front of his pants.

  “C’mon, Parke. We’d better find a Johnny on the Spot. I warned you about giving Paden that second cup of water. You forgot he has only been potty trained for a month,” Cheney scolded her husband to Eva’s amusement. She waved bye again to Cheney, Hallison, and their friend. Eva couldn’t wait to get together with them for lunch or something.

  Instantly, Eva experienced an epiphany moment. She realized how much she wanted a family—children, good-looking husband, and all. As the group scurried away from them, she chanced a look at Kidd. He already had his eyes on her.

  Wrinkling her nose, she playfully slapped her hand on his chest.

  “Don’t hurt yourself,” he teased and then gave her a grin that implied everything was all right in his world. Eva was pulling for Parke to be instrumental in converting Kidd’s stony heart. Admittedly, it was going to take a village to help Kidd on his road to Salvation Lane.

  All of a sudden, loud voices in the background drew their attention. Eva and Kidd looked in the direction of the Old Courthouse. A small group had formed near Broadway and Market where another skit was under way.

  “My fight for freedom started here on these steps in 1847 …” the actor, dressed in period clothing, proclaimed to the crowd. “I tried to buy me and my wife’s freedom from the widow of my master, but she turned me down.”

  “Dred Scott,” Eva mumbled. That much she knew, since his account took place on the very steps where the enactment was taking place. Plus, some of his descendants remained in St. Louis. Whenever she thought about the Dred Scott case, Eva always marveled at the enslaved man’s fearlessness to challenge the law where a Black man, enslaved or free, was invisible.

  “He was my kind of man—a pit bull when it came to being free,” Kidd said.

  Eva leaned into him. “On a physical level, Dred Scott had the audacity to be a pioneer. The odds were stacked against him. My sister is a history teacher. She said that in a slave state, Dred wasn’t considered a citizen or even a full person—only three-fourths of a man—but God touched the hearts of some White men to pay his legal fees.” Eva smiled a knowing smile. “See, Dred Scott was no fool. He didn’t let pride keep him from taking a handout to get what he had the right to have.”

  “It seems Garden Chateau was my handout.”

  “And we both were blessed because you took it. Kevin, there’s one thing I’ve learned about you. You have a kind heart and a thick head. You may think you were coming to the facility to help Parke, but God had other plans. And what did I get out of the deal? I’m blessed with a good, strong Black man.”

  Kidd lifted her chin and brushed a kiss on her lips. “You have no regrets? Even after you’ve learned some of my secrets …?”

  “Oh yeah, and I’ve seen some little demons come out tonight, but I also saw angels coming to your rescue. I’m serving the devil notice. He’s going down.”

  Kidd’s eyes sparkled and he grinned. “You’re lethal when you get mad. The devil better be scared.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “You haven’t gone to church with me since before Juneteenth,” Eva stated. Kidd sat next to her on their favorite bench in front of the fountain at work. It was one Friday afternoon and the day had been hectic.

  “That exhibit a week ago really disturbed me.” He couldn’t even read his Bible, but he wasn’t going to tell Eva that. “I didn’t want to walk in church, full of fight. I know that’s not right.”

  “It is what it is. We can’t change history, but the Bible says the truth will make us free. And God’s Word isn’t talking about physical slavery. It’s spiritual bondage. Besides, my dad has been asking about you.”

  Kidd was thoughtful for a few minutes. “Consider it done. How about I take my girl out to dinner tomorrow night and pick you up for church Sunday morning?”

  “I would like that. Kevin, you told me a while back that you were trying. Don’t stop now.” Eva stood and attempted to tug Kidd to his feet. “We’d better get back inside.”

  Kidd huffed. Eva made him feel carefree. “Do we have to?”

  “If we want a paycheck, yes.”

  On Sunday morning, Kidd went through the motions of getting dressed, eating breakfast, and greeting his family before they headed off to church. On his drive to Eva’s condo, he admitted it to himself. He couldn’t shake the past—what his father had done to his family or what Blacks had suffered under the hands of a cruel White society.

  He just couldn’t see Jesus, the Commander in Chief, allowing His troops to suffer unfairly. By the time Kidd arrived at Eva’s doorstep, he was emotionally drained from his internal battle.

  Her smile and bright eyes greeted him. She seemed to read his moods and know when he needed her hug. When she wrapped her arms around him, Kidd held on tight.

  The drive to church was surreal. He was almost mesmerized, as Eva rested her head on his shoulder and hummed a song he had never heard before. Once they were seated in the pew next to her family, Kidd began to shut out the singing. That wasn’t like him; he didn’t know what was coming over him.

  The day you hear My Voice, harden not your heart, God spoke Hebrews 3:15.

  Kidd shuddered. Eva touched his thigh. “Are you okay?” Concern and love shone in her eyes.

  He could only smile. For the first time in his life, he didn’t know the answer.

  After the choir finished a song that Kidd couldn’t even remember them singing, the pastor walked up to the pulpit.

  “Church, it’s time for a celebration,” Elder Taylor began. “I’m not just talking about the Fourth of July, which is days away. I’m talking about your spiritual freedom.”

  Eva and several other people in the audience shouted, “Amen!”

  “Please turn your Bibles to Galatians, fourth chapter. Verse 28 states we are the children of promise. Now let us read verses 30 and 31: ‘Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.’

  “Finally, verse 1 in chapter 5 reads, ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.’ If you believe this, your life will change instantly because you will live these sacred words. But God knows you cannot confess and live it without a struggle in your flesh. That is why He sent the Holy Ghost. It’s like the smoking gun, ready to aim and fire at the enemy on your behalf. As our nation celebrates its physical freedom, let us celebrate and rejoice in a liberty that is everlasting …”

  Surprisingly, Kidd’s heart began to soften, and he wondered what had overpowered him weeks earlier. Maybe he could walk this walk, he reasoned with himself. When the altar call began, Kidd debated if he should go down for prayer. Take more time to consider this. Don’t get caught up in the moment, an opposing voice reasoned with him. Kidd didn’t budge.

  After the service, Eva’s father pulled him aside. “Haven’t seen you in a while. I’m glad you came today.”

  “Me too.”

  “That’s good to know because Eva’s been concerned about you. Kidd, I’m saying this as a man in love. I don’t care how strong her feelings are for you, if you don’t reconcile your hang-ups and stop holding out on Christ, she’ll grow weary and walk away�
�. A word to the wise, son,” Kenneth said, patting his back a few times. Then after he looked around and found his wife, they walked out of the sanctuary.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Sunday’s sermon stayed with Kidd all week, but Kenneth’s words haunted him every night. He wanted to tell God to leave Eva out of this, because it was between him and the Lord—but something held him back.

  At long last, Kidd made up his mind. He was ready to trade in his old ways of hate and hostility for temperance. No longer did he want to be the bad guy and handle problems his way. Something inside of him made him realize he was getting too old for this bitterness.

  “Yeah.” He bit his lip, nodding his head up and down. “I’m ready for a change,” he mumbled, as he climbed into bed one night. When God got through with him, he may not even recognize himself.

  The next day at work, Kidd sat in his office, listening intently on the phone when Parke called him. Concerned about a suspicious “situation” at Mrs. Beacon’s house, Parke shared his thoughts with his cousin.

  “And the guy says he’s Grandma BB’S nephew, Bay-Bay, huh?” repeated Kidd.

  “You know, Imani’s been watching Grandma BB’S house while she’s at the facility. She says he looks like he’s up to no good, but then again, she says that about every man. I’m leaving work in a few minutes to head home and check into it.”

  “I’ll talk to Grandma BB and meet you there.”

  Kidd quickly reconsidered that move. He didn’t have to talk to Mrs. Beacon to know something wasn’t right. “On second thought, no need to worry her. I have no problem handling this so-called nephew. I’ve got a Missouri license to conceal and carry. It’s about to be ‘show time.’ Not at the Apollo, but in Ferguson, Missouri,” he told Parke.

  “No, cuz. Let the police handle it. I had to talk that nonsense out of Imani. She wanted to get in her repo truck and mow him down, or shoot and ask questions later.” Parke sighed. “I’m so glad my wife doesn’t have a gun. Grandma BB and Imani are trigger happy enough for the whole family.”