All in a Day

by Alexis Nicole

  Maybe I spoke too soon on him being able to handle being in charge. I pushed him off of me and gave him a look that said, “Don’t play about my money.”

  “I’m just playin’, man.” He chuckled. “I’m happy for you. Go out into the world and do great things. You know I’ll hold you down here.”

  I loved that things looked to have a happy ending. Morgan and I were friends and I got to see her marry the love of her life; I was about to embark on an opportunity of a lifetime; and Beau was going to flourish as a businessman. It was like I had made the winning touchdown at the Super Bowl, so I didn’t understand why I wasn’t completely at peace. I looked past Beau’s shoulder to see Janette sitting by herself, nursing a drink. I told Beau I’d catch up with him a little later, and made my way over to her. A piece of me still wanted to be mad at her for almost ruining my life, but with the way things turned out it was only right for me to let it go. If I can be friends with my lesbian ex-girlfriend, I think I can make amends with her sister.

  “Not having a good time?” I took a seat beside her and crossed my hands on the table. She didn’t make eye contact with me, and watched as Morgan laughed and danced with Ahvi.

  “I think people are keeping their distance after what happened at Daddy’s funeral.” She gave a saddened smirk and took a sip of her drink.

  I could tell it was a little painful for her to realize that she caused a lot of drama and I didn’t want to make her feel any worse. “I’m sure it’ll be old news by the end of the night.” I stretched my hand out to rub her back. We sat in silence for a few moments and I proceeded to open my mouth to tell her that I had no hard feelings about what she did.

  “Congrats on the new job, by the way,” she said before I could get anything out.

  “How did you know about that?” She either had immaculate hearing or she was a witch.

  “I like to correct my mistakes.” She took another sip of her drink and stared back out at the dance floor.

  It was taking me a minute to really comprehend what she was telling me. It finally hit and I was a little speechless. I was wondering why Don had changed his mind about doing business with me, but I didn’t think Janette had anything to do with it. I wanted to ask so many questions. What did she actually do? How did she persuade him to give me a better job than the one we previously discussed? Did she sleep with him? That last question got me a little uneasy and I thought it was best to just leave it alone. Knowing Janette, she’d found a way to convince him that I was worthy of this opportunity.

  “Whatever you did, thank you.”

  “You don’t have to thank me. Take it as my apology.”

  I wished I had the words to describe how I was feeling right now. I knew that Janette had her manipulative ways, but she’d never been a bad person. I appreciated the fact that she realized her mistake and fixed it. It meant a lot to me, especially since I got to have a better job out of the deal. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Maybe you can come up to New York to visit me one weekend,” I whispered in her ear.

  Her eyes grew big and I could see her trying to contain her excitement. I wasn’t sure if I really want to pursue an intimate relationship with Janette, but it didn’t hurt to give her a chance. I grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor. Now that I’d tied up all the loose ends, I was going to enjoy my last little moments in my hometown.

  Chapter 36

  Morgan

  Lord knows this week had been one big rollercoaster, but I was so happy that it was about that time for Ahvi and me to go home. I missed everything about London: the vibe, the people, my own bed; I even missed the weather. Even though we had a ceremony, Ahvi and I were not legally married in Georgia so I planned on getting things legalized as soon as we got back home. I did appreciate my family getting over all the drama and supporting me. I actually had a good time yesterday. Nobody was tripping, everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves, and even though our reception was a part of the family banquet everyone still kept a focus on us. The funniest thing about yesterday was watching my aunt Wynona explain to Ahvi what Kool-Aid was. It took Ahvi ten minutes to grasp the concept that red was an actual flavor to black folks.

  Ahvi and I stayed in the master suite at the manor. It was so nice to be back in her arms all night. Even though we weren’t officially married, it definitely felt like we were.

  I put the last item of clothing in our bag and zipped it up. We had to make two stops before we headed to the airport: to my parents’ house to get the rest of our stuff and to the reading of my uncle’s will. I had no idea what to expect at this thing, but the man hid the fact that I was his daughter for over twenty years. He might have been a millionaire as well.

  “You ready, love?” Ahvi’s voice echoed from the bathroom.

  “You know, honey, maybe we should skip this whole thing and just head to the airport.”

  I sat back on the bed as Ahvi walked out of the bathroom. She took a seat next to me and stroked my back.

  “Morgan, you have endured a lot this week, but I’m pretty sure the worst part is over.”

  I hated the fact that she was right. I was pretty sure all the tragic surprises had been uncovered, but I just didn’t want to face the fact that Bug was my biological father. It was shocking to hear yesterday, but because there was so much going on it really hadn’t sunk in. Going to this will reading felt like me driving head-first into a Mack Truck.

  “Let’s go deal with it and then we can go home.”

  Ahvi leaned over and kissed me on the lips. Without me giving her a response, she jumped off the bed and pulled me to the door. I guess I was going to face it whether I liked it or not.

  I was quiet the whole ride over to the lawyer’s office. I wanted to get my thoughts together and be completely prepared for anything. Every time Ahvi would inquire about something she saw or heard one of my family members say, I gave her brief answers. Now the walk into the building was becoming real. Ahvi and I appeared to be the last ones to arrive. Everyone was already in their seats, looking like they had been here for hours. My parents, my aunt, Janette, and JJ were sitting silently in front of the lawyer’s desk.

  “Sorry I’m late. We overslept.” I took a seat and Ahvi scrambled behind me to find somewhere to sit.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am. Who are you?” the lawyer said to Ahvi.

  “Ahvianna Patel. I’m Morgan’s spouse,” she answered so proudly. It was so nice to hear those words.

  “Legally?”

  “Not here in the States, no.”

  “I’m sorry, but if you are not legally bonded then I can’t allow you to stay.”

  I looked at Ahvi and nodded to her that it was okay to wait in the sitting area. I couldn’t wait to get back home and fill out the appropriate papers because I never wanted this to happen again. The lawyer waited until Ahvi was out of the room before she continued.

  “Welcome back, everyone. I know the last time we were here, things got a little uncomfortable.”

  I looked around the room to get an understanding on what she was talking about. I could only speculate that things hit the fan just like at the funeral.

  “Is everyone okay today to proceed with the reading of the will?” The lawyer looked at each of us, waiting for a response.

  “Yes,” we all said in unison.

  “Excellent, then we shall proceed.”

  My stomach was in knots. I didn’t know why I was so nervous because I already knew he was my father. I guessed I was worried about what he could have for me. Whatever it was, I hoped he was just as generous to JJ and Janette. It was bad enough they had to find out I was their half sister; me getting more than them would not make it any better.

  “First let me start by saying I am extremely sorry about your loss. I had the pleasure of working with Joe for a few years and he was a wonderful man.” She took a breath and continued. “I, Joseph Lee Maxson Sr., of sound mind and body leave the following to my love ones after the conclusion of
my life.”

  I could feel the butterflies in my stomach kick up. I glanced over at Janette and she seemed just as nervous as I was.

  “To my lovely wife: thank you for always being by my side. I know there are things that you have discovered that are disheartening, but know that I have loved you since the first time I saw you until I took my last breath. I leave you the house, all my belongings, and my life savings you can find in the attic in a box marked ‘green.’ It should amount to a little over a hundred thousand dollars.” The lawyer took a moment to give my aunt time to process what just was read to her.

  My aunt flashed a sweet smile and I peeped a single tear fall down her face. I couldn’t imagine what she was feeling at this moment, but I hoped this brought her a little peace.

  “I wish I would have known that when I was burying him. He probably coulda got a nicer casket,” my aunt joked. We all gave a little, uncomfortable chuckle and quickly recovered to allow the lawyer to keep reading.

  “To my children JJ and Janette,” she continued, “I have raised you from babies into well-functioning adults. I know I fell short sometimes as the father you needed, but know that I did everything because of you and your mother. I have set up a bank account for the both of you. I leave you fifty thousand dollars each. Spend it responsibly; especially you, Janette.”

  JJ and Nettie looked stunned. I couldn’t tell if it was because of what he said or because he left them a substantial amount of money. I couldn’t help but to wonder how Uncle Bug acquired all this money, but I remembered he played a lot of poker and bet on dogs and horses every week. My mother always said he had a lucky remedy. I guessed that was true.

  “To my baby sister and brother-in-law,” she continued, “words nor material things cannot express or amount to the gratitude I have for you both. You were my strength when I was weak. You allowed for not only my family, but yours as well, to function as a unit. I could have destroyed a lot of lives with my poor judgment and decisions, but you were the glue that kept everything together. I won a vacation home in Hawaii off of Troy Wilkes in 2009. I put the deed in your name last month. Thank you for being amazing parents to Morgan.”

  My mother burst into tears. I wasn’t sure if they were happy or sad tears, but I thought it was a beautiful gesture of my uncle. My parents worked so hard without any down time; they deserved to take a break sometimes. A vacation home in Hawaii seemed like what they needed. My father wasn’t a big fan of airplanes, but I thought he would make an exception for this.

  “And last but not least, baby girl.”

  My stomach dropped to my feet when I heard my name. It seemed like everyone’s eyes were on me.

  “There are a lot of things that I need to explain to you. I can understand if you are angry with me, but know that I did my best to involve myself in your life. I’m leaving you an envelope that will help you further understand the circumstances by which you were conceived. Know that I love you with all my heart. You were a miracle to not only your parents but to me as well.”

  The lawyer closed the will and handed me a yellow envelope with the words “open in private” written on the front. I wasn’t sure if I was grateful or upset to only be getting a packet. I was leaning toward grateful because I did need to know exactly who I was and what really happened. My parents were related to me and I knew they would always be a piece of me, but I needed to know the other half of me.

  “That concludes the reading and execution of Joe Maxson’s will. I know losing a loved one is tragic, but I hope this helps your healing.” The lawyer gave us a polite smile and gestured toward the door for us to leave her office. “You all have a nice day.”

  We all quietly got up from our seats and filed out of her office one by one. When Ahvi and I saw each other in the waiting area, she popped up from her seat.

  “What happened? What did he leave you?”

  “I don’t know yet.” I flashed the envelope and Ahvi’s face began to fill up with confusion. I grabbed her hand and told my family good-bye as we headed to the parking lot. I wanted to hurry up and get to a private place where I could see what he gave me. My parents stopped us before we got to the car.

  “Are you okay about everything?” my mother asked as she gave me a hug.

  “I don’t know yet, Ma. But whatever is in here it doesn’t change the fact that you guys are my parents.” I glanced over to my father and noticed he was trying to hold back tears. It was the first time this whole week I saw him letting out some emotion.

  “We brought your stuff. We didn’t know how long this would take and we didn’t want y’all to miss your flight,” he said, trying to change the subject before a tear fell.

  Ahvi went to retrieve our bags and my parents and I had our final moment together.

  “You guys try to go to that vacation home at least twice a year please.” I didn’t think saying good-bye to my parents was going to be this hard, but it was. I was becoming emotional.

  “We’ll try,” Mama said through her tears that were beginning to fall.

  Without another word I fell into my mother’s arms and I immediately felt my father join in on the hug. We never did a group hug, but this felt so appropriate.

  “I love you guys,” I was able to whisper.

  “We love you too,” they said in unison.

  We finally let go of our embrace and I took my last look at the people who raised me. I didn’t think I could have had better parents, even if I had picked them. Ahvi and I said our last good-byes and got in the car.

  I let her drive because we both wanted to see what was in the envelope. As soon as we were safely on the highway, I ripped the thing open like a Christmas present. A bunch of pictures and documents fell out of it. I noticed a folded-up letter and opened it.

  My Dearest Morgan,

  If you are reading this than you have found out that I am your biological father. I first want to apologize for keeping such a big secret from you, but I did it for your own good. You deserved the type of parents Beanie and Earl are to you. Your birth mother’s name was Norma Rae Lewis. She was a runaway from Chicago and I met her in Atlanta. She had such a beautiful spirit for someone who went through as much as she did. You remind me of her sometimes. My marriage was in a rocky stage and I gravitated toward Norma Rae. I genuinely cared a lot about her and at one point I could see myself with her forever. It wasn’t until I patched things up with your aunt that I found out Norma Rae was pregnant with you. I wasn’t there for her, so when I got the phone call that she had passed due to complications during childbirth, I needed to make sure you were taken care of. Beanie and Earl had just lost a son and I knew they would give you all the love you could handle and more. I tried to do as much as I could as your uncle. You have always been so precious to me and I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me for betraying your trust. I have enclosed a few pictures of your birth mother so you know what she looks like. All you really have to do is look in the mirror because you are a spitting image of her. There is also a bank card for an account I opened up the day I gave you to Beanie. It has a little over fifty thousand dollars in it. I love you with all my heart, my beautiful daughter.

  Sincerely,

  Your Bug

  Water was just dripping down my face onto the letter. I couldn’t stop myself from crying. I was overwhelmed with emotions. It was a shock when Janette blurted it out and my parents confirmed it, but reading it from Uncle Bug was sad and beautiful at the same time.

  I wiped my face and picked up a picture of Norma Rae. She was gorgeous. She had big, curly shoulder-length hair, a Coke-bottle shape, beautiful caramel skin, and big, pouty lips. She was a vision and I did look just like her. She had a smile on her face in the picture but I could tell behind her eyes she was a tortured soul. I could see she had been through a lot in her short life.

  I picked up another picture of her while she was big and pregnant. I flipped it over and there was writing on the back of it:

  “Seven months pregnan
t with the most beautiful gift I’ve ever received. My baby girl.”

  I tried to hold it back but I began to weep uncontrollably. I was so grateful to Uncle Bug for giving me this beautiful gift: to know of her. There was no way I could be upset about the circumstances. At the end of the day I knew I was loved unconditionally, and that was really all that mattered.

  Urban Books, LLC

  97 N18th Street

  Wyandanch, NY 11798

  All in a Day Copyright © 2013 Alexis Nicole

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the Publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.

  ISBN: 978-1-6228-6242-9

  This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.

  Distributed by Kensington Publishing Corp.

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