Free from Guilt

by Pat Simmons

  Gabrielle seemed disappointed. “That’s it?”

  He had chuckled. Was she testing or teasing him? “That’s all I’ve got in me right now, babe.”

  Evidently, that had been the wrong answer. Gabrielle disconnected without saying another word.

  “What have I done now?” he asked himself in utter frustration. If only Cameron could take another peep inside her notebook—he’d be sure to find out.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  As the Labor Day weekend approached, Cameron’s anticipation was building about meeting the Jamieson clan. He agreed with Denise that the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was the perfect setting for a grand get-together. A week before the trip, Cameron dabbled in a little historical research about the accomplishments and struggles of African-Americans in that particular Southern state.

  In doing so, he came across an interesting piece of historic information. According to Cameron’s research, the story recounted the life of one Horace King. As an enslaved human being in Alabama, Horace King was respected; but as a freed man, he was a force to be reckoned with. Horace constructed bridges and was a freemason, proving that African-Americans were worth more than a piece of paper. In fact, he represented a proud race of flesh and blood human beings—not currency to be exchanged, like a mere commodity.

  Robert Jemison—a variation on the spelling of the Jamieson name—was touted as one of the state’s largest slaveholders. Cameron found articles suggesting Robert passed legislation to secure Horace’s freedom. As a result, after the death of his second slaveholder, Horace wouldn’t be sold to pay off debts.

  Cameron’s research extended beyond the digging Denise had done. In this case, his diligent search found out that the practice of slavery had divided an ancestral household. Slaveholder Robert Jemison was a distant uncle of the Robert Jamieson who helped Cameron’s family escape through the safe houses in Illinois used in the Underground Railroad.

  Cameron speculated about whether the abolitionist Robert changed the spelling of his last name to distance himself from the slaveholder. Cameron also discovered one more interesting tidbit. Robert Jemison-Van de Graaff had an MIT connection as a research assistant. This was sure to be an eye-opening adventure.

  On Friday after work, Cameron was hyped as he and Gabrielle boarded the plane for the hour-and-a-half flight to Birmingham.

  Of course, he would have preferred to drive in the caravan with the other Jamiesons, albeit eight hours on the road. But the airline industry had spoiled Gabrielle, which prompted him to give up the road trip for the airstrip.

  A few times, he thought Gabrielle was about to back out, but she assured him that she had no intention of doing so. Although they had kissed—actually hugged—and made up after their argument, Gabrielle seemed slightly withdrawn from him.

  Then out of nowhere, she had begun the oddest requests for him to pray for her. Where did that come from?

  “Consider it done, babe,” Cameron replied with a smile.

  After they settled in their seats and strapped on their belts, Cameron turned to Gabrielle who was glancing out of the window with a smile on her face.

  The reflection of Gabrielle’s smile was a display worthy of an encore—the faint dimple, a slight opening of her lips, and the twinkle in her eyes. It was sheer seduction. And Cameron had to force his mind to think pure thoughts, a worthy task that proved virtually impossible for him.

  Preferring not to disturb her, Cameron simply catalogued the moment. She was classy in whatever she wore. On this particular day, it was a gray sundress and matching shawl. The look of strappy pewter sandals, boasting her shapely legs, were nearly driving him crazy.

  Time and again, he had to catch himself from succumbing to naughty thoughts. Rebounding quickly, Cameron banished such taboo scenarios. Instead, he concentrated on what was safe: her graceful hands, luscious lips—scratch that—her gorgeous hair. He reached out and fingered a few strands, which drew her attention.

  Facing him, her face glowed. “You enjoy checking me out,” she teased.

  He leaned closer and cooed, “And how do you know that, Miss Dupree?”

  “I can feel your eyes fastened on me.” As she met him halfway, Cameron puckered his lips, hopeful that a kiss was forthcoming.

  “And you’d better not be undressing me either,” she whispered, brushing closely but never touching his mouth. “I want us to date with Christian dignity. That’s what I’ve been praying for—without ceasing.” She emphasized the last two words.

  Blinking, Cameron bowed his head. “You caught me, so I confess.” He grinned, hoping to cast an innocent look. It didn’t work.

  “You know, the Bible says if your eyes offend you then pluck them out.”

  “Now you do know that’s one of many things in the Bible that Christ didn’t literally mean,” he stated in a hushed voice.

  “Wrong. Jesus is serious about us making it to heaven by any means necessary.”

  When she didn’t appear amused, Cameron accepted that Gabrielle meant business. As a matter of fact, not long after they hugged to make up—instead of kissed—she seemed recharged on her religious kick.

  However, he too had been giving the Scriptures more thought lately. Retreating from any additional Bible discussion, Cameron wasn’t ready to reveal that he had called Philip for some clarification of God’s Word.

  “Yes, dear. Forgive me?”

  “Seven times seventy.” When she didn’t blink, Cameron challenged her in a staring dual. When his nostrils flared, Gabrielle giggled and lost.

  Taking her hand in his, he massaged her slender fingers. “I won.” Cameron winked. “So what was on your mind earlier? When you have that faraway look in your eyes, I know you’re thinking about something significant.”

  “Remember the last time we flew together, and your seat mate—”

  Cameron grunted. “That type of woman I would dare not bring home to Charlotte Jamieson. You’ve already met my mom, so no other woman need to try to apply for that position.”

  Toying with her ring finger, Cameron wondered what size she would wear if he were to slip a ring on it. The bigger question was how to actually get her to the wedding altar. That is, without her thinking she needed to get him to the prayer altar first. It was no secret between them that she thought he was lacking something major in the spiritual department.

  “Thanks for coming along, especially after you told me about your rough week.”

  “I had decided to be a reunion crasher long before you and Denise double-teamed me, but you’re welcome anyway. Besides, I’m excited about seeing my girl.” She paused and sighed. “As for work, the honeymoon period is definitely over. Chaos is out of the gate, and my job is to rope in the bulls.”

  He listened, but his mind was elsewhere. Reflecting on their journey, he was now ready. They first met back in March. They started dating in St. Louis—somewhat in Boston. Then, when Gabrielle relocated, he stepped up his game. Now, six months later on their way to Tuscaloosa via Birmingham, Cameron was prepared to pop the question.

  Suddenly, he wished they were en route to a secret destination for an exotic honeymoon. Before the weekend came to an end, Cameron planned to convince Gabrielle why she fit not only into his life, but also into the rich Jamieson history.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Once she felt reassured that Cameron’s lust had dissipated, Gabrielle captured the way he lovingly looked into her eyes. God knew he was the one she desired. Now she just hoped her prayers would be answered. Was he the one God had chosen for her? The uncertainty of it all caused her to refrain from dwelling on that thought any longer.

  When they landed about an hour later, Gabrielle thrived on Cameron’s possessive touches—holding her hand, encircling her waist to keep her close, and whispering soothing thoughts in her ear. Adding to that, he refused to let her carry anything.

  Gabrielle felt cherished, adored, and … cheated. The man whom she loved refused to put more energy
into making room in his life for Christ. No, she wouldn’t allow that concern to plague her this weekend. She took her burden to the Lord and left it in His lap.

  While Cameron stood at the car rental counter in the airport, Gabrielle texted Denise to let her know they had landed and would be there soon. Taking a nearby seat, she admired how God had formed Cameron perfectly in every way.

  She was still amazed at how she fell for a bald-headed man. As if he sensed her attention, Cameron glanced over his shoulder and winked. Caught in the act, she blushed. Well, at least she could say she wasn’t lusting; she was only giving the Lord His kudos.

  Ten minutes later, he programmed the GPS and they were on I-20, heading toward downtown Tuscaloosa. Gabrielle suddenly remembered that she didn’t give God thanks. Bowing her head, she said a silent prayer of thanksgiving for their safe travel. When she opened her eyes, Cameron was watching her. “What?”

  He lifted a brow. “I thought you were about to take a nap on me.”

  Scrunching her nose, she grinned. “Nope. I was thanking God for allowing us to arrive safely.”

  Cameron nodded. “Yes. Amen. Still, I don’t want you to get any ideas about a snooze. We’re only about an hour away.”

  “Get real. Denise says we’re closer than that.” Almost instantly, she yawned and they both laughed. Gabrielle guessed he was thinking about the last time they traveled together for the short ride from Boston to Hartford.

  “It’s okay, baby. As long as you stay in your seat belt, you can snuggle next to me. I won’t complain.”

  Gabrielle did just that. A few minutes later, she couldn’t help herself as her lids fluttered and sleep succumbed her. Then, all too soon, he was nudging her awake. Blinking, she sat up and noted her surroundings. “How far are we from the hotel?”

  “Not far,” he replied.

  Taking in the surroundings, something caught her eye. “Jameson Hotel, without the ‘i’? Your family even has a hotel chain?” Gabrielle squinted. “Hmm. I’m surprised Denise didn’t book the gathering there,” she commented, finger-combing her hair.

  “Me too, but the Courtyard by Marriott has roomy suites, so you’ll get no complaints from me.”

  “Good, since I’m sharing a room with Denise’s sister,” she announced. Gabrielle might have agreed to fly in with Cameron, but there was no way her reputation would be tarnished with any inkling that they might stay together. And she told Denise as much.

  They pulled into the parking lot and observed several groups making their way to the hotel entrance—Blacks and Whites. “Do you recognize anybody?” she asked.

  “I don’t, but that’s the fun of a reunion.”

  After Cameron located a parking space, hand in hand they walked toward the lobby. About that time, Denise was coming outside. It wasn’t long before she spotted Gabrielle and made a beeline to her. Thrilled to see each other again, they hugged and kissed and hugged a second time.

  Cameron cleared his throat. “I thought family was supposed to be first,” he teased.

  Denise obliged and then excitedly gave them a rundown of the next day’s activities. While Cameron’s full attention was with his cousin, Gabrielle relieved him of her small piece of luggage. Brushing a kiss on his cheek, she walked away to check in. While still in close range, Gabrielle heard Denise say, “You’d better take care of my girl.”

  Cameron responded, “I love her.”

  I love you too, she said silently, and I’m scared to death we might not be equally yoked. Then it’s over.

  Very early the next morning, Cameron and his brothers reported downstairs to help Denise sort through the welcome packets and pass out Jamieson Family Reunion T-shirts. Under the guise of assisting, Cameron was searching for Gabrielle’s packet. Once he found it, he slipped an envelope inside. As far as he was concerned, his mission was complete.

  The hotel was teeming with folks in all shapes, sizes, and colors who could be blood-related to him. Any other time, Cameron would be thrilled to be surrounded by family. But at this time, unsurprisingly to those closest to him, he craved a moment of privacy.

  Since his heart wasn’t in it anyway, Parke and Malcolm took pity on him. Relinquished of his duties, his mind was on one person alone. Finding a comfortable spot for them, he stared at the bank of elevators. Frowning, Cameron stood and checked his watch, wondering what was taking Gabrielle so long. He was about to reach for his cell phone when he was suddenly blinded by a set of sweet-smelling hands that fumbled to cover his eyes. Gabrielle. How did he miss her?

  Placing his hands on top, he guided the owner around to face him. Just as he prepared to deliver a kiss, he realized the face didn’t even come close to resembling his Gabrielle. The woman was pretty, inches shorter, and happened to be the one he had chatted with through Skype.

  “Hi, cousin. I’m Queen Jamieson from Oklahoma. Finally, we get a chance to meet,” she said proudly.

  As soon as Queen reached out to hug him, Cameron saw Gabrielle bouncing carefree down the stairs. Immediately, he poised to take flight, practically dragging his cousin along with him.

  “Ah, me too. Let me get back with you,” he uttered. With no further hesitation, he rushed away.

  By now, she had made it to the reunion table. Someone had given Gabrielle her envelope, and she was holding it in her hand. When they made eye contact, she waited for him to come to her. He was less than three feet away when one of his little nephews came running toward him and grabbed him about the knees. The small boy intercepted the path, and he wasn’t pleased about it.

  “Go find your dad,” he said, without identifying which child it was. Finally, he made it to her and lifted Gabrielle up with a crushing hug, then placed her back on her feet.

  “It takes a special woman to put up with a Jamieson man. I love you.” She recited the words from the note tucked inside her packet, then mouthed in return, “I love you too.”

  Before they could engage in an intimate conversation, the sound of Denise’s voice called for the group’s attention.

  “Okay, everyone. I’m so excited that you’ve all come. Our transportation will be here in thirty minutes, so please make sure you eat from the buffet before we head out. We have more than one hundred and twenty Jamieson family members here. There’s lots to do! So stay tuned, we’ll talk more when we get to the Jemison Mansion.”

  Cameron reached for Gabrielle’s hand and led her to the dining room. Taking her order, he had her find a cozy corner while he went to prepare their plates.

  Once seated at the table, he took her hand. Her love seemed to empower him, as he bowed his head and prayed, “Jesus, I do thank You for the safe journey with my lady. Thank You for blessing our food and for the family I have yet to meet. I also thank You that I am growing in You, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

  A shocked look appeared on her face.

  Cameron smirked. “Close your gorgeous mouth, sweetheart, before I feed you your breakfast.”

  “You know I love to hear a man pray. Thank you,” she said slightly above a whisper. Her eyes were misty.

  “You act like you’ve never heard me pray. After all, you’ve been requesting a lot of prayer lately.” Without skipping a beat, he changed the subject. “So what do you want to do today?” He asked while smothering his bagel with cream cheese.

  “It’s your family reunion, remember? That’s why we’re here.”

  Cameron shrugged nonchalantly. “I guess so.” Glancing around, he noticed his niece and nephews had found children about their ages. “With so many Jamiesons here, I doubt I’d be missed. So you and I can go sightseeing—”

  “You’ve been touting this Jamieson dynasty ever since I met you. Now I’m curious to see what all the hype is about.”

  “Well, shut my mouth.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Denise announced there were two buses outside and that it was time to load up. Disposing of their trash, everyone gathered their cameras and things and boarded the transportation for the short ride. Since they w
ere only going several blocks away, Cameron thought the bus was unnecessary. But when they arrived, he realized the house consumed most of the property, which left very little room for parking. The three-story mansion was huge and breathtaking.

  Once the group got off the buses, Denise and Queen gathered them around. A jubilant Denise remained the spokesperson. “I’m so glad that you all responded to the phone calls, tweets, Facebook requests, and even snail mail to represent our ancestors here today. My siblings and I poured over many court documents and stayed up long hours doing research on the web. We also requested death and birth certificates to learn more about our family tree. I was truly inspired by an article I found on accessible-archives.com.”

  She began reading from an index card. “A Reverend W. S. Johnson wrote in the Christian Recorder, which is supposedly the oldest existing African-American periodical today. Reverend Johnson reported about the reunion of ex-slaves throughout the South on August 3, 1893. That was thirty years after slavery, and loved ones were still searching for those who were sold away.”

  Pausing a moment, she added her own words. “Now, more than a hundred years later, none of us are enslaved. As my good friend Gabrielle would say, Jesus made us free.” She grinned and waited while “Amens” made their way through the crowd before continuing.

  “Anyway, we’re all connected by a prince who was captured in Africa, kidnapped to America, and escaped to freedom. No one knows more and can speak so eloquently about our heritage than our cousin, Cameron Jamieson, who I will now ask to come and give us a brief account of our history. It’s all in his head.”

  A wave of laughter spread throughout the group. Nudging him, Gabrielle teased, “Go on. Dazzle your audience.”

  Cameron didn’t budge. “Although I love to talk about the Jamiesons, I wasn’t expecting to be on the program. I planned to share every moment today with you.”