Chapter 7

 

 

A few days passed since Harding had spoken to anyone in his family. That’s why, today, after he left the office, he headed straight for his mother’s house. The thick, hearty aroma of collard greens and lemon-pepper chicken slapped him in the face when he opened the front door. He hoped she would be in a better mood by now. She was furious when they parted ways a week ago at Zoya’s celebration dinner.

“Mom, where are you, beautiful?” he asked on the way to the kitchen. He could sure use a rational listening ear and a home-cooked meal right about now.

“Oh, don’t come in here trying to sweet talk me, boy,” Florence said, then took a playful swat at him with a kitchen towel. He leaned down, embracing his apron-clad mother. He, as well as Mordecai, had gotten their height from their father. Their mother was about five-foot-six. Amira and Zoya were slightly taller.

He let his mother go and said, “I owe you an apology.”

“No, you don’t,” she said, returning to the stove with a spoon.

“I do. I should’ve told you I contacted my half-brothers. I didn’t mention it because I didn’t want you to talk me out of it.”

“And I probably would have tried,” Florence admitted.

“I know.” Harding pulled out a chair and a sigh of relief left his mouth when he sat down at the six-chair dinette in the kitchen.

“So you met them? Your brothers, I mean?”

“Yes. I did.”

“And?” she asked, stirring the pot of greens.

“And they look just like me and Mordecai. We look like we could have the same mother and father. They look that much like us.”

“Your father definitely had some strong genes,” Florence said, then stared off in a daze like she was reminiscing. “Hey, do you want a plate of food while you’re here?”

“Do you really have to ask? Of course, I want a plate.”

Florence chuckled and took two plates from the cabinet. She prepared a plate for the both of them then sat down opposite of him, watching him eat like a starved maniac. “When are you and Savannah going to sit down and have a good home cooked meal together?”

“You know the deal with that. She’s still trying to get her affairs in order with her job and her parents.”

“Humph,” Florence groaned. “Has she ever cooked a meal for you?”

“She has. Remember this past summer…she spent the weekend with me. I invited you and the family over. She cooked lasagna.”

“Lasagna…” Florence shook her head. “A man needs a good nutritious meal…not all of those misplaced carbohydrates. Go on over there to the stove and get some more of those greens, son.”

He chuckled, standing. “Yes, ma’am.”

When he was back to the table, she said, “You don’t talk much about it, but I feel like it’s taking a toll on you?”

“What’s that?”

“Being so far away from Savannah.”

“Ma—”

“Don’t try to convince me otherwise because I have a sense for these kinds of things. Tell me what’s going on with you and Savannah.”

He took a sip of water, cleared his throat, and still holding his fork above the collard greens on his plate, he glanced up at his mother and said, “We’re not seeing eye-to-eye on a few things.”

“What things?”

He dropped his fork and sighed. “I love Savannah.”

“I know you love Savannah, and she loves you back.”

“Well, I um…I broke up with her.”

“You did what!” Florence said, dropping her fork in her plate and placing a hand on her chest.

“Mother, she’s not ready for marriage. I’m convinced.”

“Did she come right out and say that?”

“No.”

“Then what makes you so certain?”

“Because she’s still in Charleston, still making me promises of when our lives are going to begin and nothing ever pans out. I’m tired of being her hidden, secret husband. Tired of meeting her at a hotel because she doesn’t want anyone in her hometown to see us together.”

Florence’s face twisted. That’s when Harding knew he’d said too much.

“I don’t believe what I’m hearing,” Florence said.

“Forget I said anything, Mother.”

“I will not. Explain exactly what hidden, secret husband means.”

Harding frowned, then said, “It means Savannah hasn’t told her parents we’re married.”

“And you haven’t told your own mother! When did this happen?”

“A year ago. We had a simple beach wedding ceremony.”

“Without your family being a part of it? Without your brother being your best man? What kind of nonsense is that, Harding?”

“It was a spur-of-the-moment ceremony with just me and her. Forgive me.”

Florence stewed for a moment, then said, “Do your brother and sisters know about this?”

“No. Well, actually, I told Mordecai at the restaurant after you stormed out. Zoya and Amira don’t know.”

All Florence could do was shake her head. “You married Savannah and now you’re ending it? Am I understanding this right?”

“What you don’t know is, when I leave Wilmington to go visit her, I’m not actually going to her house. I was meeting her in Hilton Head because she’s afraid her parents or some of her parent’s associates would see her with me.”

Anger screwed up her face. “So what if they did? She doesn’t want to be seen with you?”

“She says she does, but she cares too much about what her parents will think of me—well of us as a couple.”

“Why?”

Harding suspired, tired of talking about it already. “I don’t want to get into it.”

“Too late for that. I just found out my oldest child is married. We’re into it now. Talk to me, Harding.”

Harding rubbed his hand across his head. “I told Savannah I couldn’t hide anymore, mother. That’s why I’m ending it. How would you feel if you loved someone with all your heart and they kept you hidden?”

Florence’s expression saddened. “What do you think your father did to me, Harding? Do you think he took me out to restaurants and spoiled me with vacations and everything was hunky dory?”

“You’re right. I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry.” Harding could see the sadness in his mother’s eyes. It still cut deeply for her to think about their late father, Nolan Champion, being married to another woman, yet professing to love her.

Florence ate more and said, “If it’s that way between you and Savannah—if she has a secret life outside of you, meaning there’s another man involved, then I can understand your reason for ending it.”

Another man…

He didn’t want to replay Savannah and Dudley’s interaction with each other. What man wanted to see his wife with some other man who possibly had some interest in her? What man wanted to see his wife with another man, period?

“Is there someone else?” Florence probed.

“There’s no need to ruin dinner over this.”

“Then let’s ruin it talking about your father,” she said. “When I first met Nolan, I thought he was too good to be true. He was a gentleman and on several occasions, I thought to myself, why isn’t this man taken by now? I felt like I was somebody, you know, because he chose me. Then I found out the truth, but it was too late. I was already in love with him.”

“That’s why you continued the relationship? Love?”

“Yes. And I wanted you kids to have some kind of a father, even if it was only a few times a year.” She took a breath. “It hurts, even to this day to think about how he was there for his other kids, but when it came to you, Mordecai and the girls, he was only available when he could make time. I say that to say this, son. In life, you either accept things as they are or change them. I could’ve changed…could’ve put my foot down and ended my unhealthy relationship with your father, but I didn’t. Now, I’m an old, single gal who no one wants.”

“Oh, quit that. It’s not like there’s a man out there who’s good enough for you anyway, Ma.”

Florence smiled. “If you want to meet your brothers, I’ll support you one-hundred percent.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I will.”

“When I talk with Dante and nail down a meet and greet, would you be interested in going?”

“No, but I’m okay with you going. I’ve prayed about it. It’s the right thing to do, Harding, and I’m proud you’ve taken the initiative to do so, even when you didn’t have my backing.”

“Then, why were you so upset when I mentioned it last weekend?”

“Because it was a shock. I didn’t realize you were looking for your brothers and I had no idea you wanted a relationship with them. It just caught me off guard is all, but I’m okay now so let’s get back to you and Savannah.”

“Ma, don’t concern yourself with that.”

“Why not? She’s my daughter-in-law and I know how much you love her.”

“Savannah is afraid to tell her parents we’re together.”

“But you’ve been together for two years.”

“Exactly.”

“And her parents still don’t know about you?”

“No, they don’t. How can they when she refuses to tell them?”

“Why?”

“Because of who they are. They’re high-class, wealthy, well-known people in Charleston. They want Savannah to marry another lawyer who’s from a family that has money to keep up their image. Savannah hasn’t told them about me because I think she’s afraid of what they might do to her. They could cut her out of the will. Disown her. Apparently, my job isn’t prestigious enough. I don’t make enough money to be worthy of their daughter.”

Florence’s nostrils flared. “They have some nerve, trying to run Savannah’s life.”

“But Savannah’s allowing it to happen. There’s no way her parents should have this kind of grip on her.”

“Some parents are like that, especially if they’re as snooty as you say they are.”

“They are, trust me. I met her father when I did some work for his law firm. Funny thing is, he seemed down to earth at the time. He’s a businessman, but nonetheless, he was cordial. I imagine her mother is the crux of her problem.”

“Maybe, but guess what, son?”

“What’s that?”

“You won’t know until you go there. Meet with her and her parents. You can’t hold Savannah accountable for the actions of her parents.”

Harding shook his head. “That’s not what I’m doing. I’m holding Savannah accountable for her own actions. She made the choice not to tell them about us.”

“And that’s a reason to end your marriage? If that’s the case, did you ever really love Savannah?”

“Of course, I did. I still do, but I’m not going to be the man who isn’t good enough for someone’s daughter.”

“Harding—”

“Mother, I appreciate the advice and your concern, but this is a problem I have to handle my way.”

“All right,” Florence said with her hands up. “I’ll leave you to it.”