“Do you remember a girl named Christine Jones?” She plows ahead.
“Yes,” I say immediately. I didn’t even have to think about it. Her name was engraved in the stone that was my heart. “We went out before I went to prison. She was terrific. But after I messed up my life. I wouldn’t destroy hers too. Besides she probably would have nothing to do with me anyway. But before that day, I wanted to marry her. Gave up all the groupies. I was even trying to get off the drugs. I hid that side of me from her. But, I think she knew. That’s why I wanted to change so much. She made you want to be better.”
“Christine went to college. Wanted to be a pediatrician. I wanted to be who she saw when she looked at me. But after that party everything changed. I didn’t even want to go, but my boys we’re punking me. So, I lied to her and went to the party.”
“She wrote me while I was in jail. But I just sent them back unopened. It was better she forgot about me.” I was embarrassed. That was the first time I spoke about her to anyone. “Wow, where did that come from? Sorry,”
Maggie just smiled. “Where did you two meet?”
“At a club.” Now that the gate was open I didn’t need much encouragement. “She was with a group of girls that were hanging all over me and my boys. But, she didn’t seem interested. She wasn’t even drinking. She said it was because she was the designated driver. She seemed to like the music. So, I asked her to dance. After a couple of no’s she finally said yes and that was it.
I took her to dinners in between road trips. She took me to galleries and plays. Seems crazy. But, I liked it. I could just be me with her. You know? Even without sex, a night with her was better than any groupie party. It was four months before I even tried anything besides sneaking a kiss. Crazy huh?”
“Not really.” Maggie let me continue.
“Not that I didn’t want to. But we watched one of her favorite movies and they were talking about the three-month rule. She never said anything. But I felt like it was important. So, I waited. Besides I still had a few groupies. I mean I aint no saint. But after I finally got the nerve, everything changed. I looked at women differently. Not something to be used. Know what I mean? But then I went to jail. So much for that.” I stop spent.
“Well Maggie said taking a deep breath. “Apparently Christine was pregnant and gave birth to a little girl she named Aliah eight months after you were arrested. Her parents disowned her. Seems they didn’t agree with her being pregnant even though she was twenty-one.”
“Wait you mean to tell me she was twenty when I meat her?”
“Well, yes, depending on the date. But let me finish. There’s a lot more for you to get a hold of. When Aliah was about eight. Christine was diagnosed with AIDS. She lived another 6 years without speaking her parents or they wouldn’t speak to her. When Christina died Aliah’s grandparents did take her in. She was fourteen by then. Apparently she constantly ran away and at sixteen the grandparents stopped reporting her missing. Just took the checks. She shows up again at eighteen giving birth to Jasmine at Memphis Memorial. That’s where Aliah lived with Jasmine’s dad until they ran away about last year.
“Well where’s her father now?”
“They found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in an crappy hotel a couple of blocks from the alley where Aliah died. Same gun.
I sat there in a haze. “But I can’t be her grandfather. That’s just crazy”
Maggie raises her hands. “Now don’t be mad at me. But I wondered why Jasmine was so attached to you. She says her mom use to talk about how great you were and that they were coming to see you. It got me thinking. So I kept your glass from dinner one night and had a friend run a DNA test. They came back a match.”
“You did what?” my hands slam hard on the table. I regret it the moment I did it. Maggie doesn’t move.
“I’m sorry, but it’s all right there.” She slides a folder to the middle of the table and we both just stare at it.
“Now what? It’s not like they’re gonna let me keep her. And those bastards don’t deserve her.”
“Well the good news is they want nothing to do with her. We can’t keep the secret about the ticket much longer. So, I’m hoping' we can get a custody hearing quickly. I think with your approval I can at least get temporary custody and we can go from there. But first we have to tell her everything. The sooner the better.”
“Just tell me when and I’ll be there.” I sneak through the back gate and slither home. I don’t have the energy or courage to go back inside and see her little face.
****
Chapter 8
That Friday we have Jasmine’s favorite, fillet mignon. I got the money by carrying what felt like a couple hundred boxes off a truck and into the storeroom. I was sore as hell. But it was worth it to see her smile.
Telling her was the hardest thing I ever had to do. She went from happy to sad and back several times over. She cried in Maggie’s arms over an hour. Maggie paid to have Aliah buried and I vowed to pay her back even if I had to carry boxes for the rest of my life.
Christine’s parents didn’t show at Aliah’s funeral or the hearing. Instead, they just sent a notarized letter waiving all rights. The court gave Maggie custody and her friend assured her he would push the adoption papers thru quickly.
A few weeks later our story was all over the news. We collected the lottery money and put it in a trust for Jasmine to be dispensed at the discretion of her soon to be adoptive mother Ms. Maggie.
Of course the good pastor came flying in screaming of hellfire. But it was too little, too late. I was more than happy to explain this to him and discourage him from making a stink. How? I just explained that I would tell the whole story to whoever would listen. That and the slap of a bat in my hand seemed to convince him.
Jasmine only wanted a few things. She gave up on the big house. Agreeing to a fence, a puppy and a place for me. I agree and we buy the place next door to Ms. Maggie. I didn’t need much so it didn’t take long. Jasmine made me give Redd some money for helping her. I told her $1,000 was a lot of money. I kept the part about it being more than he deserves to myself. She was fine with that but wanted $1,000 for Rich too. They beamed when she gave it to them. I frowned at them behind her back so they didn’t start thinking of her as an ATM.
****
Epilogue
Jasmine and Maggie were there to hold my hand as I waited for my time to end. We reminisced about the life we had. Even with my regrets, I was a happy man. Jasmine started college at sixteen. Maggie let her move on campus her sophomore year. I didn’t agree, but I rarely won an argument with those two.
I try to motion for Maggie to come closer. Thankfully she moves in because all I can do is whisper. “Thank you for loving me and agreeing to be my wife. I’ll love you always.” Her eyes glisten with tears as she kisses me for the last time. Jasmine leans in on the other side.
“Big G” that’s what she calls me because I refused to be called grandpa. “Say hi to mama and g’ma. Tell them that I love and miss them.” She kisses my forehead. “Thank you Big G. I won’t let you down.”
“You never could.” I try to smile. “But you’ve got to do me a few favors. Make sure Mama Maggie’s happy. Let her know it’s okay to find someone else.”
“Okay.” She says in the tiny voice I remember from when we first met. I feel her tears drop on my shoulder, and soak through my gown.
“And you be happy too. I’ll only tolerate crying for a little while. You’ve got a great life ahead. And a lot of work if you’re going to be a pediatrician.”
“Yes sir.” She smiles between the tears.
“And there’s just one more thing.”
“OK” she say timidly as the tears slow and concern creeps across her face.
“Stay away from football players.”
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Is It Ever Easy? Page 3
