When Everything's Said & Done (12 page)

She touched his face. “I know that. But I wonder how many other people do.”

“What?”

“You kno-ow. People tend to talk. And we have quite a history.”

“Yeah, I guess people are talking.” Michael looked at her. “From the outside this probably looks pretty messy.”

“Well...” Brenda paused. “We can fix that.”

“And how do you propose we do that?”

“By you making a respectable woman out of me. By you marrying me, Michael.”

Michael looked away.

“Is just the thought of it so bad that you have to turn your face away?” Pain was in her voice.

Michael pulled Brenda close. “No. It’s not that. I just don’t know if it would work.”

“Of course it would work,” Brenda encouraged. “We are two good people with good hearts. You’re a hardworking man and I’m a hard-working woman. We care about our community and we care about each other.” She shook her hair that resembled locks in the dark. “So many people get married with much less than that.”

Michael watched Brenda as she talked. Even after Brenda was done Michael continued to stare.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You...you look like...”

“I look what?”

“No. I—just—” He couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth. That for a moment with the shadow and the moonlight she looked so much like Cora. “Get married.” Michael closed his eyes again. “You look so sure. What would your mother think about this?”

“It’s not Mama’s decision.” Brenda’s tone was edgy. “She’s got her life and we’ve got ours. The day I left, I told myself I would not live my life for my mother or my sisters anymore. That I had to do what makes me happy. Regardless of what they think.”

Michael looked at a small woven container that Cora had given him. “So in other words, Miss Laura wouldn’t be too happy.”

“The truth is I don’t know. Once in a while I go by there. But she treats me so cold. Michael, I just can’t stand it. I’m tired of beating my head up against that wall. Whatever battle Mama’s got going on inside of her I can’t do anything about it. But I can live my life. And I want to marry you, Michael. I want a family. I want children. Don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.”

Michael’s bedroom went silent again.

“Did you want a wedding?” Michael asked softly.

Brenda’s eyes brightened, even in the dark. “Just a simple ceremony. We can get dressed up and go down to the courthouse. Maybe we can have someone close to us be a witness.”

“Maybe your mother would agree to that.”

Brenda looked down. She shook her head. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

“I see,” Michael replied. “Her or Miss Nebia would come, wouldn’t they?”

“You never know with Nebia,” Brenda replied. “I think the only reason she might not come is because of Mama. But we can always ask Miss Lucille.”

“No. We’ll just get dressed and go down there our
selves. I’m sure there’s somebody there who can act as a witness.” It was almost a whisper.

“Yes. Yes, we can. As a matter of fact, we can go down there this afternoon and get it over with. It’s al
most the end of the month. I can give notice at my place and move on in here.”

Michael paused a split second. “Sounds like a plan,” he
replied.

“Oh, Michael!” Brenda wrapped her arms around him. “I’m going to make you the happiest husband in all of St. Petersburg.”

“I want you to be happy, too, Brenda.” He put his arms around her and held her tight. “I’ll do everything I can to make you happy.” But his eyes went again to the woven African container on the edge of his nightstand.

“They got married!” Cynthia couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, they did,” Nebia replied. “When I heard about it the deed had been done.”

Sheila shook her head. “Did they invite Miss
Laura

“From what she told me, Brenda invited her. But Laura said she told her she wasn’t doing anything but digging a hole of sorrow in marrying Michael.”

“No, she didn’t.” Sheila sat back in her chair. “Michael was absolutely tripping,” Cynthia said. “It seems like he had this thing where he really wanted Cora so bad that Brenda was the nearest substitute. And that’s horrible.”

“You could look at it that way,” Nebia replied. “But some folks believe in karma.”

“Karma?” Sheila questioned.

“You’re talking about what you sow you’re going to reap. Whatever cause you make you’re going to get the results, good or bad,” Cynthia replied.

“That’s about right. But I don’t believe it’s so simple,” Nebia explained. “I believe we’re born over and over again, making causes all the while. That we come back here surrounded by the same souls. I believe Michael had lifetimes with the Robinsons, and he was working out something this time that was so old that neither his mind nor his heart understood why he did some of the things he did.”

“You can blame it on karma or whatever,” Erica said. “But I say that man had no self restraint. No morals whatsoever.”

Nebia shrugged. “But this is the same man, when Laura’s bathroom flooded and the floorboards were so weak she couldn’t bring the wheelchair or the walker in there to bathe herself, who secretly backed the loan she had been turned down for. Michael never told Laura that.”

“So he really did have a good heart.” Sheila sat for
ward again.

“Ye-
es, he did. And it was open.” Nebia scratched her arm. “Maybe too open for his own good.”

CHAPTER 15

“Hello. Anybody home?” Lucille rapped on Laura’s door again. “Laura, you in there?”

Finally, Nebia came to the door.

“How you doing, Miss Nebia?” Lucille inquired as she entered.

“Just fine,” Nebia said as she turned her back and walked toward the kitchen. “Laura’s back here.”

“I’m dropping in for a minute,” Lucille explained as she followed Nebia. “I’m not going to take up too much of her time. I know she hasn’t been feeling all that well, and must be worn out after the big day today. Hello,” Lucille said cheerily when she saw Laura. “How you doing? ” “I’m doing fair to middlin’, as they say,” Laura replied. “I’ve been better.” She leaned heavily on her walker as she made her way to a chrome framed kitchen chair. “But it’s also been worse. ” Laura dropped into the chair.

“I thought you might still be dressed,” Lucille said. “Dressed?” Laura looked confused.

“Yes. I got off the bus at Tenth South and who was coming up on the side street? Brenda and Michael with ‘Just Married’ painted on the back window.” Her smile

broadened
. “I waved them down and they pulled over. I was so surprised to see them! I told them I was mad because they didn’t invite me to the wedding, but Brenda explained it was a really simple ceremony. That you all went down to the courthouse and did it.” Lucille waved her hand. “So I didn’t feel too bad. And Brenda said there was no reception or anything. That you just had a little something to eat afterward. So...” She shrugged.

The kitchen was heavy with silence, but Lucille didn’t notice.

“So what time were you at the courthouse?” she asked. “I haven’t been to no courthouse today,” Laura replied. “What?” Lucille looked at Laura, then at Nebia. “But I could have sworn that Brenda said that they got married at the courthouse.”

“She might have.” Laura’s shoulder jerked. “I said I haven’t been to no courthouse today. I don’t know what Brenda and Michael’s done.”

“Come on, Laura. You mean to tell me that you didn’t go to your own daughter’s wedding?”

“I didn’t receive an invitation,” Laura replied.

“I can’t believe this.” Lucille sat down at the table. “Now, tell the truth now,” Nebia said. “You didn’t receive an invitation because you didn’t want one.” Laura leaned back.

“Either way, I didn’t get one,” Laura replied.

“It wouldn’t have hurt you none to have at least spo

ken
to her about it.” Nebia took the dishes from the counter and placed them in the sink. “Brenda came over here, then she came upstairs asking me where you were. I hate to lie.” She turned on the faucet. “I told her I thought you were in here asleep. But I knew you were in here being stubborn and not answering the door. You know you don’t do things like that, Laura, and it don’t come back on you.”

“I didn’t want nothing to do with their wedding.
Nothing at all. She went against my word when she decided to marry Michael, and Brenda knew that I wasn’t coming.” Nebia added liquid detergent to the water. “Yeah, and an old, stiff tree don’t do well in a storm,” Nebia warned. “You get a lot of wind blowing and it’s going to break. It’s best to learn to bend a little bit sometimes.” “Well I didn’t see you going, since you thought it was such a good idea. I didn’t see you taking yourself up there,” Laura retorted.

“And have you not speaking to me, too
.^ You need somebody to help you around here.”

“I don’t need no help. I do just fine.” Laura folded up her walker as if to hide the evidence of her lie. “Children. You give them everything you have. Then they go their separate ways and forget everything you ever taught them. And then think you are the enemy,” Laura mumbled. “How can the womb that gave them life be the enemy?” “Sometimes it’s the womb that needs to realize it shouldn’t expect so much from those that come from

it. It’s just a place of birth. All they suppose to give back is love, and—”

“How you know so much about children?” Laura glared at Nebia. “You have never had a child in your life. So don’t stand up there and start telling me about children. I—”

“Speaking of children.” Lucille jumped in between them. “I had a wonderful surprise yesterday. Warren sent me another package and another letter. He’s been so good over the years trying to help take care of his mama. See there, all children aren’t bad, Laura.” She lightened the atmosphere. “I tell you, my boy has seen parts of this world that I never dreamed of seeing. Some of them I didn’t even know existed. Right now he’s in the Philippines, but because of some kind of chest problem he’s going to be coming home soon. His medical condition kept him from being sent to Vietnam, thank God.” She smacked her hands together. “And he’ll be coming back here to St. Petersburg to settle down because he knows I don’t have nobody else.”

“Warren was always a good boy anyway.” Laura looked down. “I’m glad for you, Lucille. That he’s bring
ing you some happiness. We all deserve it, don’t we?” “Sure we do.” Lucille touched Laura’s hand. “You want to see his picture?”

“You got a picture of him?”

“Right here.” Lucille unsnapped her pocketbook and dug inside. She removed the photograph, with loving

care
, from a folded handkerchief. “Here he is all dressed up in his uniform. If he wasn’t my child I’d say he’s one of the handsomest young men I’ve ever seen. ” Slowly, as if she couldn^t bear to let go of the snapshot, Lucille passed it to Laura.

“My goodness. He is a good-looking young man, Lucille.
Very good-looking. I tell you he’s a sight for sore eyes.”

Nebia leaned over Laura’s shoulder. “A mighty sight. Mighty.”

Laura returned the photo to Lucille and then made a show of picking at her nails. “Did Brenda say where they were going

Nebia and Lucille’s eyes met.

“No, she didn’t. But I didn’t ask.” Lucille focused on Laura’s downcast head. “But ohh, did she look pretty. She had this hat with little blue flowers all over it. It was classy, too. You know Brenda has always been such a class act. And the dress she had on matched it perfectly.” Lucille paused for a moment. “She looked happy, Laura.” “I hope it lasts.” Laura continued to look down. Then she looked up slowly. “I really do. But something just don’t feel right around none of it. That’s all I know.” “We need to let the future work itself out,” Nebia replied. “All we can do, is do the best right here and now.”

Two big fat tears rolled down Laura’s face.

“Oh, Laura.” Lucille consoled her. “There’s no need

for
that.” She took a napkin from the old napkin holder and gave it to Laura.

Laura dabbed at her eyes.

“We all do things that we regret. When Brenda comes back, you can tell her that you wish you had gone to the wedding, and that you wish her well.”

“But see, that’s the problem.” Laura crushed the napkin in her hand. “I don’t wish I was at the wedding. I want Brenda to be happy. And I want Michael to be happy. But the two of them together...” She shook her head. “There’s something in my heart that just won’t—can’t—accept it. I don’t know if it ever will.”

Nebia’s Story...

“That is so sad.” Erica gazed at the night sky. “It’s so sad. Here she is, couldn’t even acknowledge her own daughter was getting married. And even though Laura was hurting, there was something blocking her heart so tough, she couldn’t even wish them well. That’s sad.” “And Laura was sad, too,” Nebia replied. “But there didn’t seem to be nothing she could do about it.
Nothing at all. You’re right. Something deep inside of her was the root of it all. And even when I tried to help her she couldn’t hear me.”