Hope Springs (39 page)

Lindell kissed her again. “Missed you too, babe.”

Stephanie hugged her mom and dad next, then—“Oh, look at Chase!” Stephanie lifted him from Cyd. “Hi, sweetie! You're so big now. And your birthday's coming soon.” She kissed his cheek. “You didn't forget Aunt Stephy, did you?”

Chase wrapped his arms around her and laid his head on her neck.

“Aw, you're gonna make me cry,” Stephanie said. “Oh, I guess I should greet your parents, huh?”

“Yeah, we were wondering.” Cyd had a big smile as she hugged her sister.

Janelle opened her arms wide to hug Cyd herself. “So happy for you,” Janelle said. “Last time I saw you, you were single. Now you're married with a baby.” She turned to her husband. “Hi, I'm Cyd's cousin Janelle.”

Cyd's husband hugged her. “Hey, Janelle. I'm Cedric. Great to meet you.”

“So wait . . .” Janelle glanced between the two of them. “You and Lindell are brothers, right?”

Cedric smiled. “I claim him sometimes.”

“How long are you all staying?” Janelle asked.

“Unfortunately, this one's a quick visit,” Uncle Bruce said. “We fly back tomorrow evening.”

“But Stephanie and I are driving back together,” Lindell said.

Janelle looked at her cousin. “So you're leaving us for real this time?”

“For real.” Stephanie hugged Lindell's waist. “I miss my hubby.”

Todd and Travis had come over to greet everyone.

Uncle Bruce hugged Todd. “Still can't believe your dad is gone. Knew him all his life. And, son, I'm really proud of you for what you're doing at Calvary.” He grabbed Travis's hand and brought him to a hug. “You too, Travis. Stephanie's been updating me. Both of you have grown up to be fine men of God.”

“Thanks, Bruce.” Travis had a gleam in his eye. “But you said that like you're surprised.”

Uncle Bruce laughed. “Uh, a little.” He glanced around. “Momma's in her room?”

Stephanie nodded.

As he and the others started down the hall, the door opened again. Libby walked in, followed by Omar, the guy she'd brought a few Sundays ago to dinner. Janelle had to give it to her—he was good-looking.

“Hey,” Libby said, “sorry I'm late. Y'all remember Omar, right?”

“How's everybody?” he said, shaking each hand. “Nice to see you all again.”

“You as well,” Travis said.

Travis looked as if he were about to approach Libby to greet her, but she turned to Omar.

“Let's find my mom and dad,” she said. “I want you to meet them.”

Grandma Geri was all dolled up in her wheelchair, surrounded by a family room full of loved ones. Aunt Gladys had gotten her a new outfit, and she and Estelle had helped their mother dress and do her makeup. They'd also gotten a stylist to come shape up her short 'fro—her new style when her hair began falling out. After resting earlier she'd been out socializing for more than two hours, opening gifts, ordering people to eat—even if she didn't eat herself—and getting a kick out of her video, telling them to rewind it twice. Much as she'd said she didn't want a party, she was wearing it well.

Janelle left the main party site and went to the living room to see if she'd left her camera there. She picked it up, and when she turned, she was facing Kevin, Kory's older brother.

“Hey,” she said, ready to move around him. She'd already made casual—and quick—conversation with him and his family.

“Janelle, can I talk to you a minute?” he said.

Her heart slipped into an erratic beat. Didn't help that he and Kory favored one another. “Okay.”

“Kory told me what you did, and I wanted to tell you how much I admired that.”

“Okay.” She didn't know what else to say.

“I hope you know how much he cared about you.”

Past tense. Nice. Thanks for clarifying that, Kevin
. She had nothing to say to that either.

“Well. That's all I wanted to say,” Kevin said. He turned to leave.

Don't do it, Janelle. Do
not
ask him—
“Kevin?”

He turned around.

“So . . . they're together?”

“Shelley's with him and Dee at the house, yes.”

“Okay.”

Instead of going back to the party, she went to her room, closed the door, and sat cross-legged on the bed. There was no other explanation for Kory not calling the last three weeks, but hearing it—
knowing
it . . .

In the morning she'd sort through her feelings in her journal. With God's help she'd get to a place where she could pray for him and Shelley again—wasn't this news an answer to her prayers? But right now, it hurt. And she only wanted to cry.

Janelle still had the camera in hand. She turned it on and pushed the button to view the pictures. She scrolled through ones just taken today, then back, back she went until she got to Todd's reception at Calvary and the pictures she'd taken with Kory. The only ones they'd ever taken.

She stared at the two of them, his arm around her, her head tucked close to his chest. She remembered his words, his tone, his touch, his feel. She moved her finger to the button and clicked the picture into the trash. Then the next. And she had her cry.

Minutes later, she heard a quick knock at the door, and then it opened. Libby stuck her head in. “Janelle, there's a taxi—what's wrong?”

Janelle swiped her face. “Nothing.” She jumped up. “A taxi's here?”

“It's coming down the road, and it's got to have Keisha in it at least. People are headed outside.”

Janelle followed. They took the side door near the kitchen, and indeed, most of the family stood in the dark to greet the yellow taxi. Looked like the driver had his high beams on, which wasn't unusual around there if you didn't know your way, but it prevented them from seeing who or even how many were in the car.

Several seconds passed, then a back door opened and a woman stepped out.

“Is that Keisha?” Libby said. “I can't hardly tell with that stupid bright light in my eyes.”

“I don't know if that's Keisha, but whoever it is isn't alone, because she's helping somebody else out, an older woman. That must be Aunt Floretta.”

“I didn't know she was coming,” Libby said.

“Me either.”

Janelle expected the door to close, but a third woman got out. Everything in her seemed to pause—she knew it must be Aunt Gwynn.

Libby knew too, because they were both struck silent.

The driver gave them their luggage, and the taxi with the bright lights pulled away. The three women stood in place, looking at the house, the family that had gathered outside, and each other.

Uncle Bruce, Aunt Gladys, Estelle, and Uncle Wood were the first to go to them. Seeing their parents move, Janelle and Libby were seconds behind. Faces were lost in hugs, questions lost in tears. Janelle hugged Aunt Floretta and then Aunt Gwynn, who was then corralled by her siblings to a separate powwow. She then hugged Keisha, who even in the dark looked pretty much the same—smooth café au lait skin, wavy hair layered short, maybe a little leftover baby weight.

“I'm so glad you came.” Janelle wished she could stay a week so they could talk all day and night.

“I honestly wasn't sure until the last minute. I didn't want to come without my mother, and the only way my mother would come was if Grandma came. I ended up charging a ticket for her.”

Janelle and Libby glanced at one another. It was strange hearing Keisha refer to Aunt Floretta as “Grandma.”

“Your very first time in Hope Springs,” Libby said. “This is truly a moment.”

Keisha looked around. “I'm looking forward to tomorrow when I can see the town better.” She looked to where her mother appeared to still be in deep conversation with her siblings. “It's weird. My mother has her memories to contend with here; I have none.”

Cyd and Stephanie came over and hugged Keisha as well. As they all shared small talk, Janelle said, “Forgive me for staring. You and your brother have the same eyes.” She spun around. “Where is Todd?”

He was in the distance, giving the family space. Janelle waved him over.

“Todd, this is Keisha. Keisha, Todd.”

They took one another in, and the resemblance really was obvious.

“Can I . . . hug you?” Todd said.

Keisha seemed overwhelmed, perhaps more than she thought she'd be. She didn't answer. She just reached for him and they embraced.

Janelle wanted to cry again, happy tears this time.

“You said you wouldn't come unless you were open to building a relationship,” Todd said. “I'm hoping this means . . .”

Keisha nodded with a slight smile. “I'm open.”

Aunt Floretta had moved inside with other family members, to where Grandma Geri had remained in her wheelchair. More family came to greet Keisha, many for the first time. Keisha was a little guarded, not at all chatty, trying to feel her way in a new environment with a lot of new family.

“Should we go inside?” Janelle asked her.

Keisha looked back at her mom. No telling how long the five siblings would be in conference. “Might as well,” Keisha said.

But when Keisha began to move toward the house, Aunt Gwynn called to her. “We'll go in together,” Aunt Gwynn said.

The rest of them walked on into the house. Family was still gathered around Grandma Geri, but much more somber, no one knowing what to expect. Grandma Geri looked more nervous than Janelle had ever seen her, fidgeting with a napkin, leaving it in shreds in her lap. Janelle grabbed one of her hands and held it. She prayed what she'd been praying for weeks.

Lord, please bring peace where there's been strife. Bring healing where there's been hurt. Bring forgiveness where there's been bitterness. May Your love flow in our hearts
.

Janelle tried to read her mom when she walked in, but she seemed lost in her own thoughts. Same with each one who entered after her. None of the usual banter. Almost a heaviness.

Aunt Gwynn walked in next with Keisha. In the light Grandma Geri's youngest looked a lot like her older sisters, but with a leaner frame. She wore a sweater with matching cardigan and slacks, small pearl earrings in her ears. Her hair, layered short like her daughter's, looked recently styled. Life appeared to be treating her well, at least on the surface.

With all the remodeling the house had to look vastly different. This family room didn't exist when she left home. Aunt Gwynn didn't look at anyone in particular, just at the room, the ceiling; then she disappeared down the hall, Keisha by her side, as they took in the rest of the house. Hardly anyone spoke. They waited until the two did what they needed to do and made their way back.

Janelle could hear them coming, and Aunt Floretta met them down the hall. They paused there in conversation, then continued on, only to the edge of the family room. There they stood.

Family members looked at one another. What now? The principle players were in the room, but they couldn't be made to talk. Meanwhile, the party had come to a screeching halt.

Suddenly Keisha moved out from her mom and “grandmom.” She walked over to the wheelchair and knelt in front of it. “I'm Keisha,” she said, extending her hand.

Grandma Geri's eyes bubbled with tears. She stared at Keisha as if noting every aspect of her, then she ignored her hand, pulled her close, and hugged her. Keisha leaned in, returning the embrace.

Janelle had never heard her grandmother weep like that, not even when Grandpa Elwood died. Her upper frame shook as she held tight to her granddaughter. “I'm sorry,” she said. “I'm so sorry. I hate that I never knew you. Please, please forgive me.”

Libby looked at Janelle as if trying to hold back tears, but it was useless. There was hardly a dry eye in the family room.

Janelle was surprised to see that Keisha was crying too. She pulled back a little, looking Grandma Geri in the eye. “I spent a lot of my life being bitter about what happened, and I'll bet you've spent a lot of your life regretting it. I don't want to talk about that anymore.” Keisha wiped tears from her face. “I want to talk about you. I want to get to know . . . my Grandma Geri.”