Mending Fences
I woke to the harmonious breathing of my baby sister. She lay next to me snoring lightly. We’d talked for what seemed like hours before I drifted into a dreamless sleep. Our conversation ranged from our teen years to her somewhat troubled relationship with Reginald.
Reginald and Dawn had been dating for more than five years. She loved that brotha’s athletic supporter after a basketball tournament. Reginald White was twelve years Dawn’s senior and was almost divorced from his fifth wife. In my opinion Mr. White had some serious issues. I thought back to a conversation we’d had at my college graduation party when I explained how difficult it was to understand his finger pointing to his five previous wives when he was the one who’d made the choices.
According to him, everything that had failed in his marriages was no fault of his. He’d been the model husband. Yeah, okay. I felt sad for Dawn because her self-esteem had plummeted her into a quagmire of self-doubt and she felt Reginald was all she deserved.
On one elbow I watched her sleep and said a silent prayer that she would soon realize that no one could neglect or use her without her consent. I leaned over and kissed her, then got up to head into the bathroom before the rest of the crew awakened. I was so grateful for my first dreamless sleep since all of this had happened. I really wanted to go for a run to clear my head, but I still felt so heavy. As I stepped on the scale in Daddy’s bathroom, it revealed that I’d lost three pounds. I thought of Dr. Barnett from my flight and dismissed the inclination to call him.
I showered quickly and dressed in my running clothes in case I changed my mind. The smell of fresh-brewing coffee signaled Uncle Thomas’s arrival in the kitchen. I went to join him.
“Good morning. How’s my favorite uncle?”
“Yo’ only uncle is jus’ fine. How ’bout chu, baby?”
“I actually slept really good last night. Dawn’s snoring didn’t even keep me awake. Uncle Thomas, please don’t tell the others, but I’ll be so glad when this is over. I feel so guilty for even thinking that.”
“Why ya feelin’ guilty? Chile, lookie here. If I could git away wit’ not bein’ a part of all of dis mess, I’d be somewhere fishin’ and remembrin’ da good, good times.”
“Oh, Uncle Thomas, I’m so glad to hear you say that. I didn’t want anyone else to know I just want this to be over. It’s too hard. And the hard part hasn’t even started yet.”
“Baby, don’t I know it. I sho’ ’nuff don’t know how Ima be able to look down at my brother in a coffin. I just don’t know.” Uncle Thomas hid his face in his hands to muffle his sobs.
“It’s okay, Uncle Thomas. Somewhere in the Scriptures it promises that God won’t put more on us than we can bear. He’s really putting that one to the test. You makin’ any grits to go with that coffee?”
“Grits? Chile, I could undastan’ biscuits or even toast. But grits?”
“Just a country girl caught up in a big-city world.” I hugged him tight and kissed him on the cheek. “You remember when we were kids, shortly after Mama died, you’d come over every Saturday morning to make breakfast for us. Daddy was a wonderful father, but it was no secret he was gourmetically challenged.”
“If dat means he couldn’t cook, den say ya right!”
We both laughed.
“That was the only area in which he lacked, though. From the very first day as a single parent, Daddy was so dedicated. He never missed a beat. Sister Greene always came by, but she hardly had anything at all to do. Daddy cleaned, washed clothes, helped with our homework. I can’t remember one time he failed to meet the challenge. He never complained, either. I know he’d be so tired after working all night, making sure we got off to school on time. I hadn’t ever really thought about it, but I can’t remember ever seeing him sleep. He was always up when we got home from school. Ready to help with whatever we needed. Made dinner, such as it was, then would watch TV with us until we went to bed. Then he would be here when we got up in the morning.”
“He was some kinda man, dat’s fo’ sho’.”
“Who do you think Nina Blackford is?”
“Honest ta God, I don’t know. Yo’ daddy was a proud man. According to dem papers, she is three years olda dan Renee. I sho’ don’t believe it’s ’notha woman. He’d a told me fo’ sho’.”
“We found her phone number yesterday and called her.” I braced myself for his reaction.
Turning slowly, he stared through me before speaking. “And?”
I was in emotional turmoil. I wanted to believe him, but how could I? “She wasn’t there. Edwina answered the phone.” I searched his face for a reaction.
There was none. I didn’t know what to make of his lack of reaction. “Uncle Thomas, you know the truth will come out. You should tell me what you know. Don’t make this harder than it already is!” My voice had raised a few octaves.
“I don’t rightly know what chu talkin’ ’bout. I was waitin’ on ya to tell me who she is.” He didn’t make eye contact.
Cross-examining my uncle was the last thing I wanted to do. “She’s a smart-mouth teenager who said she would give Nina the message to call us back. Since she didn’t call last night, I plan to call back today after I speak to the lawyer. As soon as the others get here, we’re going to get to the bottom of this mystery.”
“Jus’ be careful where you dig, ’cause you may jus’ hit a gas line and cause an explosion.”
“Don’t go lookin’ fo’ answers ta questions betta left unaxed.”
“I’m a lawyer, Uncle Thomas. There’s no such thing.”
“I hope you don’t make yo’self sorry, is all I’m tryin’ ta say.” Uncle Thomas busied himself with breakfast preparations. I watched his aging body move about the kitchen. He was hiding something. I could feel it.
“Call yo’ sisters to see what time dey’s comin’ ovah. I don’t want to make breakfast and have it get cold.”
“They said by eight-thirty. But I say we concern ourselves with those who are here and let those not here fend for themselves.”
The phone interrupted Uncle Thomas’s response. “Good morning. This is Glynda Naylor.… Good morning, Mr. Shapiro.” My heart started pounding at the sound of the lawyer’s voice. “I’m anxious to know the answer to our question.”
“Well, Ms. Naylor, I don’t know how much help I’m going to be. There’s no indication in the file as to Ms. Blackford’s relationship to your father. We do have an address and phone number for her, however. Do you want the information or should we make the contact? Are you aware you have been named as executor?”
“No.” More eloquent conversation escaped me.
“Is that the answer to both questions?”
“I’m sorry. No, I don’t want you to make contact, and no, I didn’t know I was named executor.”
“Again, we’d like to express our condolences to you and your family. Mr. Naylor had been our client for only a short time, but he left quite an impression with the staff.”
“That’s how Daddy was, Mr. Shapiro. I’ll be sure to convey your message to my sisters.”
“We’ll need to set a meeting for the official reading of the will, whenever it’s convenient for you.”
“I’ll get back to you in a day or so. I’d like to get that done before I return to California, if possible.”
“Not a problem, just speak with my secretary, and she’ll schedule it. Again, I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.” I hung up the phone.
Uncle Thomas was transfixed. Standing in the middle of the kitchen floor with the cooking spoon in hand, he asked, “Well?”
“We’re no closer to solving the Nina mystery. He has the same information we found in Daddy’s phone book. Who’s this mystery woman?”
“Baby, I dunno.” Uncle Thomas turned to the stove.
“You know the truth will come out eventually. So if you’re holding out on me, there’s no point. He’s dead. What can we do to him?”
“I done tol’ chu I don’t know, now quit axin’ me. Actin’ like ya don’t believe me!” An exposed nerve had been hit.
“Uncle Thomas, I don’t know what to believe. Please don’t get upset with me. We just need answers.”
“Well, I ain’t got ’em.”
There was a long silence before I left the kitchen. I returned to Daddy’s bedroom, where Dawn had finally stirred. She was sitting up in bed staring into space.
“Good morning,” I said in a defeated tone.
“Morning. I reserve the good for later. I heard your conversation with the lawyer and then words with Uncle Thomas. I just don’t understand this.” Dawn climbed out of bed.
“Yeah, me either. But I know I couldn’t stand to have Uncle Thomas mad at me. So I’m just going to leave it alone. The truth will come out sooner or later. I find it interesting that Nina Blackford didn’t call back last night. I wonder if Edwina gave her the message.”
“It’s still early in Missouri. Why don’t you call her now?” Dawn called from the bathroom.
I stared at her for a long moment. For the first time I realized I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to speak to this woman who obviously held the answers to many questions. “I’ll get the number.”
Derrick and Devin had slept on the sofa bed with the television on low volume. The morning news told of overnight violence that had claimed the lives of two teenage boys. My heart immediately wept for the families of the victims. I could remember hearing news reports of deaths for nearly my whole life, but it had never affected me quite this way before. I could now comprehend the horrible pain that those left behind had to survive.
Thumbing through Daddy’s phone book, I saw the names of many women whom I didn’t know. Did they, too, have secrets about my daddy?
My hands trembled as I dialed the number. Ring one, heart pounding. Ring two, palms beginning to sweat. Ring three, mouth going dry. Ring four, voice mail. Breathing a sigh of relief, I began, “Ms. Blackford. My name is Glynda Naylor, and it’s imperative that you call me as soon as possible. I left a message for you yesterday with Edwina. This concerns Edward Naylor.” I left the number and hurriedly hung up the phone.
“I guess she’s an early riser. This will all work out, Glyn.” Dawn stood next to me, smelling of Listerine.
“Promise?”
“It has to. Did everyone get in okay last night and this morning?”
“I’m assuming they did. I didn’t call Rico and Jonathan yet. They’re probably still sleeping. I know Jamaica is still sleeping. I’ll call around ten if we haven’t heard from them. Should I call Lette and Renee to tell them what the lawyer said or wait until they get here?”
“Gurl, now you know you’d better call them. We’re already in deep ca-ca!”
I laughed despite my heavy heart, and reached for the phone to dial. “You’ve got a point.”
Renee picked up on the first ring.
“Good morning.” I added about a teaspoon of cheer to my voice.
“Morning, gurl. How’s everybody over there?” Renee sounded tired.
“The boys still aren’t up, but the rest of us seem to be okay so far. What time are you coming over?”
“I’m getting everyone ready now. Derrick has them marching like little soldiers, of course. So I’d say around nine-thirty or ten. Why?”
“A couple of things. Uncle Thomas, of course, is making breakfast, including stewed apples. And the lawyer called this morning.”
“Already? Dang! So what did he have to say? Please tell me he told us who this Nina person is.”
“Sorry, he was no help at all. He said Daddy didn’t indicate his relationship to this person. He did have her phone number and address. Asked if I wanted to contact her or should he do it. I told him I’d handle it. I left another message for her, but this time it was on her voice mail. I guess she gets out kinda early.”
“Have you told Collette yet?”
“No, I’ll call her next. I guess we should’ve done a three-way.”
“Hang on. Let’s do it now. You know she is going to want to know why the lawyer doesn’t know, why the woman didn’t answer the phone. She’ll just be ranting and raving. Maybe with both of us on the phone it won’t be so bad.”
“You’re kidding, right?” We both laughed.
Collette was out of breath when she picked up the phone. “Hey, gurl, how’re you this morning?” Renee’s number had come up on Lette’s Caller ID box.
“As Sissy said, so far, so good. She’s on the line, too.”
“Good morning,” she said.
I wasn’t certain, but I think I heard a different tone in her voice as she spoke to me. “Good morning to you, too. Why’re you out of breath?”
“Trying to work out some of this stress. This tae-bo will kill your ass! Let me grab some water. Hang on.”
“She sounds like she’s in a good mood,” Renee said, using Collette’s time away from the phone to assess her mood meter—something we’d all learned to do when she was a teenager. When she was in the red zone, we all stayed out of her path. Misreading Collette’s mood could prove fatal for one’s psyche.
“But we know that can change in a microsecond,” I added without hesitation.
“Okay, I’m back. So to what pleasure, or displeasure, do I owe this joint call, so early in the morning?”
“The lawyer called and said he doesn’t know who Nina Blackford is either. Relationship isn’t listed. He had her address and phone number, which of course we have already. I left her a message on her voice mail this time. Told her it was imperative she gets in touch with me. Hopefully that will do it.”
“You shoulda told her she had some money coming. She would’ve called you by now. Well, let me shower and I’ll be right over in case she calls. Where’s Dawn?”
“She’s right here. She says good morning, too.”
“Tell her to pick up the extension,” Collette barked in her normal, no-nonsense tone.
“I’ll ask her to get the extension,” I replied sarcastically.
“You know what I meant.” Our civility was short-lived.
“Good morning, my sisters.”
“Hey, baby sis,” Renee responded.
Collette wasted no time with pleasantries. “So what do y’all think?”
“About what?” I asked.
“Like you aren’t thinking the same thing. Do you think this Edwina person is our sister?” Collette couldn’t help being the way she was all the time.
“I can’t believe Daddy would have another daughter and not tell us. Didn’t tell Uncle Thomas, Estelle, nobody?” Renee added.
“That’s pretty hard to believe. Who the hell can Nina Blackford be? Why would he have an affair with someone, marry Estelle, and then leave her in his will? None of this makes sense,” Dawn interjected.
“We should find out soon enough. I’m hoping she calls when she gets the message I left this morning. I’m not convinced that child, Edwina, gave her the message.”
“You guys just get over here. We need to be together when she calls. I love you,” Dawn continued. The feeling of love and closeness that Daddy had instilled in us returned to me.
And with a warmth and kindness I hadn’t heard from Collette in a lot of years, she replied, “Give me forty-five minutes.”
“Well, Derrick is getting the kids ready so I should be able to just get me ready in an hour. I’ll see you all soon. Tell Uncle Thomas to save me some food.” With Renee we all knew that meant two hours.
We said our good-byes and broke the connection. Dawn slowly entered the kitchen with tears streaming. “What if Daddy has a secret life and we find out he was a horrible person. That would be worse than him dying to me.”
“First of all, there’s no way Daddy was a horrible person. At worst he has a teenage daughter who’s out of control. Why he chose not to tell us, we’ll just have to wait and see. Second, with each other we can weather any storm. Remember God promised not to take us where His grace can’t keep us.” I hugged her.
“Y’all go wake dem boys up. I declare young people need da most rest I evah seen. Breakfas’ll be ready in a few minutes. I want y’all ta have mah biscuits right out da oven.” Uncle Thomas waved the spatula as he spoke.
We woke Devin and Derrick, telling them that Uncle Thomas was going to get the switch after them if they didn’t get a move on and to clean up the mess they had made in the den.
Before we got through the first course of breakfast, Collette arrived. Though the dark circles under her eyes were prominent, she looked rested and color had returned to her cheeks. Even in biker shorts and a tank, my sister looked gorgeous.
“Good morning, all. Uncle Thomas, I worked out for an hour and a half this morning, and I’m going to blow it all in a matter of seconds at this table.”
“Oh, Auntie Collette, you’re foine! My homies asked me just the other day how old you are. They wanted da hookup.” Derrick beamed with pride.
“Boy, I would be put under the jail. But some of them brothas on the football team need to call a sistah when they get out of college.” Collette laughed as she spoke.
“Lawdhamurcy, we gonna pray for your yellow school bus–chasing butt. Mothers hide your sons, my sister Collette is in town.” Dawn looked to me for backup.
“Gurl, I can’t help it I like ’em young. You only gotta date one old geezer to appreciate a black man in his youth. Whoa, Glory!” Collette pretended to feel the moving of the Spirit.
“See you ain’t right,” I said. “You betta get a plate. You can worry about that tiny waist if you want to and leave these grits here for me to finish off. This is why I wear stretch pants.” Dawn and I high-fived each other.
It felt so good to laugh like old times. I didn’t know how long it would be before grief would seep back into the very pores of my existence, but I was going to enjoy this moment.