Read The Ties That Bind Online
Authors: Electa Rome Parks
The Ties That Bind (9 page)
“Brice is out of town this weekend. Don’t worry. I’ll get there, though.”
“Okay, baby. Let me give you the number at the hospital. Try to get here as soon as possible. And say a prayer for your uncle.”
“Bye, Mama. I’ll see you soon.”
I hung up the phone with the start of fresh tears and immediately called Christian. After telling him of my predicament, he volunteered to drive me to Georgia and make arrangements for Brice to be contacted to meet us there. That way we could leave right away, as soon as we packed some overnight bags. We could get there by early morning.
Once we had fueled up and hit the interstate, the tears started flowing freely again. I didn’t want to cry in front of Christian, but every time I thought of losing my favorite uncle, I couldn’t contain myself. Uncle Larry reminded me of my daddy so much because they looked alike, but also because he had this easygoing, laid-back manner.
I could tell that the crying made Christian a bit uncomfortable. He was driving and trying to console me by saying that everything would be okay; Uncle Larry would be fine. He tried to get me to laugh and talk, but I wasn’t up to that. I finally was all cried out, so I curled up over by the passenger door and tried to nap for a while. Christian had turned the radio to some golden oldies station as we drove into Georgia. It was raining most of the way, which made me think of that song “A Rainy Night in Georgia.” We drove in a comfortable silence while the sounds of soft music filled the air with only my occasional sobs.
I must have finally dozed off because I awoke to find Christian sitting beside me in the car, staring at me as I slept.
He said,“Do you have to use the restroom, or can I get you some coffee?”
“No, no thanks. I’m fine. Where are we?” I asked as I sat up and stretched.
Christian said,“We have about another hour and a half before we reach Atlanta.”
“God, how long have I been asleep? You should have woken me and had me drive some. I know you’re tired.”
“No, I’m cool. Driving has always relaxed me, and you were knocked out. You look so peaceful when you sleep. Like an angel.”
I laughed and said, “An angel with drool and all.”
He looked at me for a few moments as if there was something more that needed to be said. I lowered my eyes first, and Christian got out of the car to finish gassing up. After our pit stop, I was fully awake, and I was determined not to start crying all over again. Uncle Larry was going to be all right. He was strong with the will to live. So as we rode into the early morning and watched the sun rise from Christian’s car, I talked and talked and talked about my uncle Larry.
Right before we arrived at the hospital, I thanked Christian wholeheartedly for being there for me. He said that he would do anything for me because that’s what friends are for.
As soon as we arrived on the eighth floor of the critical-care unit and went into the sterile waiting room looking for Mama and my other relatives, I spotted Mama over in the corner and I knew that we were too late. Uncle Larry had died only thirty minutes earlier. I don’t remember much from that point other than Christian holding me in his muscular arms, rubbing my back and telling me over and over that everything was going to be all right. He said that he would take care of me and everything was going to be all right. With those soothing words whispered in my ear, I believed him. It felt strange being in another man’s arms, but with Christian I felt safe and secure.
17
Christian
T
ime stood still. It seemed like I sat in that sterile, cold waiting room consoling and holding Mia for hours. She was quite upset, as were other members of her family. Uncle Larry was loved, that was obvious. I think Mia had convinced herself that he was going to make it. I found out later that he had suffered a milder heart attack a few years earlier. Some people can never change old habits to healthier ones. I sat there and rocked and rocked and rocked Mia until her crying subsided.
ime stood still. It seemed like I sat in that sterile, cold waiting room consoling and holding Mia for hours. She was quite upset, as were other members of her family. Uncle Larry was loved, that was obvious. I think Mia had convinced herself that he was going to make it. I found out later that he had suffered a milder heart attack a few years earlier. Some people can never change old habits to healthier ones. I sat there and rocked and rocked and rocked Mia until her crying subsided.
Everyone started getting up in a daze and making plans. Somebody finally got her uncle Larry’s widow, Aunt Ruth, to a car and home. We were meeting back over at her house. They decided that the funeral would be Monday, so they had to make most of the arrangements that Saturday, since the next day would be Sunday and businesses would be closed.
Mia and I volunteered to make most of the phone calls to loved ones to give them the sad news and to do some of the running around for the older people. Mia was great; once she composed herself, she was up and running—ready to help out any way she could. And I was more than willing to assist. I made some phone calls and finally got in touch with Brice’s superior and left an urgent message for him to call.
Mia and I were back at her aunt Ruth’s house, sitting around as friends, relatives and acquaintances were constantly in and out, bringing food and their condolences. There was food everywhere you looked, and we had tried to get Ruth to eat, but she wouldn’t touch a thing. She kept crying for Larry to come back to her. They had been married for almost forty years.
This was bringing up so many memories that I thought I had forgotten or had at least tried to forget. This reminded me so much of when my Moms died. The food, the people, the looks of sympathy in my direction, the crying . . . This was too much. I had to get out of there and get a breath of fresh air. I had gone to the coatrack to retrieve my blue down jacket when Mia came around the corner.
She asked, “Are you going out?”
“Yeah, I need to get some fresh air. I was going to ride out if you don’t need anything.”
“Do you mind if I come along? I need a break. We finally got Aunt Ruth to eat something, but I feel like I’m going to break down any minute. Christian, I loved him so much,” she said, close to tears again.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here for a while,” I said as I gently took her hand.
Mia grabbed her jacket, and we headed out the door. We drove around for a little while, not really going anywhere in particular, just lost in our own separate thoughts. The town had changed so much over the years. Mia and I ended up over at Carver Homes, my former home in the projects.
I don’t know why I even went there. When I was in town, I usually avoided that area like the plague because it held too many memories. Memories that I had long ago suppressed. But today, I don’t know . . . today made those memories resurface.
I parked the car and told Mia, “Let’s walk for a while.”
She nodded, and I went around and opened the door for her.
“I used to live here in that brick building on the third floor.You see, the one over in the corner at the end of the hallway,” I said as I pointed it out for her.
“Brice told me what happened to your mother. That must have been devastating with you being so young.”
“Yeah, I guess it was, but shit happens.You have to deal with what life throws your way. Brice’s family took me in and made me feel like family, like I belonged somewhere.”
We walked some more in silence. The neighborhood was even more rundown than I remembered. Beer bottles, cigarettes and the smell of reefer was in the air as little kids ran around dirty, shoeless and unchaperoned. Nothing had changed.
Mia said, as if sensing my mood, “Well, one good thing came out of here: you.”
Later, we were back at her aunt Ruth’s, and even more people had arrived, if that were possible. Everybody had a story to tell about Larry that had us all laughing. He must have been a good man. Mia, I don’t know where she was, somewhere trying to take care of someone. Brice had called earlier and said he would make it into town on Sunday on Delta Air Lines. As I watched Mia talking to him, I noticed her almond-shaped eyes light up and she was even laughing a little. Mia hung up with, “I love you, baby.”
I must have dozed off on the sofa because I awoke to someone making a lot of racket with this loud laugh.
“Oh, no, it can’t be. Oh my God.”
When I opened my eyes to see who was making all the noise, it was Reggie, Brice’s cousin. I hadn’t seen that man in years.
“Hey, what’s up, man?” I asked as we shook hands.
“You know a little this, a little that. I thought that was you. So where is your partner?”
I explained that Brice would arrive the next day and that I had driven Mia down.
“How are they doing, man? I still can’t believe that that sweet little thing married that dog,” he said jokingly.
“Fine, I guess. Mia is around here somewhere.”
Reggie finally stumbled off down the hallway. It looked like he had had a few too many beers. He said that he would check with me later. Yeah, Reggie and I went a ways back. I dated his sister for a minute when we were in high school. That chick was crazy about me. I had heard that she was married now with four or five kids.
I laid my head back against the sofa again and people-watched for a while. I spotted Mia over in the corner talking to some lady dressed from head to toe in black. She was taking this grieving thing to the extreme. I talked with Gloria, Reggie’s wife, for a few minutes also. She said that things were going all right for them, but Reggie still loved to drink a little too much.
I was still sitting in my spot on the sofa and was alone at last. Mia had brought me a plate earlier, but I didn’t really have an appetite. I saw Reggie headed back in my direction more intoxicated than ever.
“My man, my man. You still sitting over here? You should have come out back and gotten yourself a brew,” he said.
“No man, I’m fine.”
Reggie was standing there, peering down at me with this stupid look and a grin on his face. Just grinning.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“Nothing, you and Brice are a trip, that’s all.”
I looked at him with a confused expression on my face. I was really trying hard to follow him and figure out what the hell he was talking about.
“You really blew it, man, with sis.”
“Reggie,” I asked, “do you know how long ago that was? We were children.”
“I know, but you hurt her, man. She loved you, and you stepped all over her heart. No you stumped all over her heart. She would have done anything for you, and how did you repay her? You fucked her and dumped her.”
“Man, that’s water under the bridge.”
“Not for her. Not for me it isn’t,” he said.
I looked at this drunken fool talking about stuff that had happened over twelve years ago like it happened yesterday. Yeah, I fucked his sister. Who didn’t? She got what she wanted in the backseat of my car a few times.
“You and Brice used to think y’all owned all the pussy in town. I’m not playa hating now, but shit, man, don’t y’all care about anybody? Brice, Brice was just cold-blooded with women, but I thought you were a little different. Just a little different.”
“Reggie, what right do you have to try to tell me how to live or to place judgment on me? Get out of my damn face until you sober up and can talk with some damn sense.”
“No, man, you hear me out first.”
Reggie was starting to get loud, so I decided to listen for a few more minutes.
“Okay. Okay.”
“Sis never got over you or the abortion.”
My face must have registered much shock and surprise, because he gave me a look of smug satisfaction that he had finally broken through and gotten to me.
“You didn’t know, did you? Yeah, she was pregnant and had an abortion. She told Mama that it was yours, but she knew you wouldn’t want it. You had just left for the military. So she got rid of it.”
“You know she has four boys, living down in Alabama. She even named one of them after you. But payback is a bitch, ain’t it?”
“What are you talking about now?” I asked as I recovered from the shock of what he had just told me.
“Man, I can see how Mia has your nose wide open. You are in love with her; it shows all over your face. You and Brice really do share and share alike, huh?”
“Man, get the fuck out of my face.”
“Okay, but I can tell. You are in love, probably for the first time in your life, and she doesn’t want you. Every time she walks into the room your eyes light up. I’ve been watching, man.
“Yeah, my man is in love with his best friend’s wife. Ain’t that some shit? Yeah, payback is a bitch,” he repeated as he stumbled off, laughing.
That muthafucka. I would have kicked his ass if we hadn’t been in Mia’s aunt Ruth’s house. I didn’t want to disrespect her like that. All that bullshit he was talking. Reggie could be a mean muthafucka once he got a little liquor in him. I could care less about that sister of his . . . Like I said, she’d gotten what she wanted . . . several times. But that shit about Mia. I love Mia . . . just like a sister and would do anything for her.
Mia chose that moment to walk back over to check on me.
I said, “Look, Mia, I’m going to go out for a while to visit a few people.” I had a certain female in mind, but I didn’t tell her that.
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