Chapter Twenty-nine
“Come on in, gul.” Mother Gladstone was sitting up in the bed; rather, tilted on her side. “I’m not gon’ to bite you.”
With a perched smile on her lips, Kenya walked through the doors of the hospital room with an armful of flowers, trying her best to cover her nervousness. Some days had passed since Charlene had barged back into her world and Kenya wanted to get her mind as far away from her as she could and could think of no better way to do so than to visit Mother Gladstone.
“I know you are not gonna bite me. Especially without having any teeth in your mouth,” Kenya shot back.
Squealing like a baby pig, Mother placed her hand over her mouth so she could get a hearty laugh out. “You too much.” She waved for Kenya to make her way farther in. “I didn’t think you’d come back.” Mother reached for the metal triangle above her bed in order to position herself comfortably. “Almost sent a TCB after ya.”
Halfway to her seat, Kenya tilted her head and said, “Do you mean an APB, Mother?”
“Um, huh. That too. But look like them roots can use some good old TCB perm.” She gave herself another holler.
“You know what?” Kenya rose from the seat she had just sat in and pretended to leave. “I think I’ll just take my little nappy-headed tail on back to the house and take my flowers, too.”
“Gul, you bet’sta get back here and put them poinsettias down,” Mother still joked, loving the beautiful red roses Kenya had brought her. She quickly got her act together, definitely not wanting Kenya to leave anytime soon.
Placing a kiss on Mother Gladstone’s cheek before she sat back down, Kenya was all smiles.
“I really am glad you are in good spirits, Mother. I’ve been beating myself up over and over.” Kenya’s brown eyes looked toward the door, hoping not to be disturbed as they were about to skate upon what happened at her home that day.
“I’m Okay. It hurts a mess of greens, but I’m fine. My bump going down too.” Mother attempted to touch the back of her head.
Feeling overwhelmed, taking the blame for Mother having to have hip surgery, Kenya hoped this wouldn’t start a spiral journey down for the active elder.
“You gotta keep in mind though. Chil’, I was already limping ’cause of that old hip. God works in mysterious ways. Lord knows I had been putting off having the surgery and probably never would have. But I needed it.” She bucked her eyes Kenya’s way.
“Maybe, but I shouldn’t have just thrown those gloves on the floor, trying to get away from ...” Kenya knew she couldn’t turn back. Plus she needed to talk to someone who could share some wisdom.
Yes, she had spilled the beans to Mike but there was really no spiritual guidance he could give her since he was struggling himself. Kenya just wanted to be pushed in the right direction.
Since Charlene had made herself known in and around the church, people had started to whisper even more. Kenya was sure Mother had heard about it all the way in the intensive care unit.
“I shouldn’t have been in your business. Being all nosy. My son tells me all the time to keep my nose out of folks’ business.” Mother raised her eyebrows to see if Kenya would take the bait.
“Actually, you were just doing what mothers of the church are called to do. If you don’t speak up about things, who will? It takes those personal relationships, one-on-one time to help others grow ...” Kenya got it.
“Um, huh. Kenya? How in the world did you get caught up in such a mess? Honey, you been saved most of your life. I remember when you were a li’l ol’ gul, singing in front of the church ... praising the Lord.”
Shaking her head, Kenya didn’t know the answer herself. “I can’t blame it on anyone but myself. The devil maybe; but I don’t know. I thought I was stronger than that. Thought I had more power.” It was a done deal. Mother Gladstone knew all Kenya had endured without Kenya having to repeat it.
“Oh you have the power; you just didn’t tap into it. You let your flesh get in the way. And then as tall and strong as that ... that woman look, ain’t a wonder she didn’t pin you down.”
“She didn’t.” Kenya really didn’t want to laugh but Mother Gladstone made it hard not to. “But she did allow the enemy to use her to pursue me. I’m sure I’m not the only one. I get so mad every time I think about it. I haven’t even been with a man and here I am lying next to a woman. Actually thinking, no, acting like I had feelings for her.” Kenya shook her head.
With her lips turned up, Mother said, “It wasn’t an act. The enemy will play on your feelings and your emotions. He will tempt your heart. You just bought into it,” Mother schooled her. “So how do you feel, chil’? Are you struggling with it? What’s going on in your spirit?”
“I’m not going to say I’m confused, but I’m ashamed. I want to get married and have kids. I have the house and the dogs.” Kenya was weak just thinking how she’d set herself back spiritually and emotionally.
“Be specific, daughter. Everybody can get married these days. And I wish they wouldn’t call it marriage for everyone. God ordained marriage for man and woman. If same-sex partners want to get married, they need to think of their own name, shoots.”
With no choice but to laugh, Kenya knew Mother had a good point. “You’re right, Mother. I want to be married to a wonderful man of God. A big, strong, handsome, honest and reliable, dependable man at that; someone who can pray with me and for me. You know. Someone who will be happy to help with the kids. Help me in my ministry and grow in a ministry together.”
Shaking her head frantically, from side to side, Mother wanted to knock some sense into Kenya. “Uh, um. You not gonna get all that, sugar. All those men dead. Gone. Buried. Probably dust by now. So what you need to pray is for God to send you one who is as close as possible to that made-up man in your head. If you stick with God’s plan, He will get you as close as possible,” she continued.
“Now He gonna put y’all some issues in the way, to see if you will depend on Him to help y’all through ... so you all can grow together. But all that other stuff, uh um. Don’t do that to yourself, baby.”
They laughed.
“Something gonna be left out. Trust me,” Mother added.
“But how can I get past what I’ve done? I turned my back on God and did what I wanted to do.” Kenya was serious. The lump in her throat wouldn’t allow her to finish.
“You did what everybody has done. Even someone who proclaims to have never did anything ... oh but they have. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You probably know the scripture better than me.” Mother Gladstone shrugged her shoulders. “A sin is a sin. Shoot, I sinned all the time.” Mother Gladstone eased her bed down from the sitting position. Looking at the ceiling she reminisced. “How else you think I got three boys in this world and they are all older than my anniversaries? Hmm.”
Kenya’s eyes bucked. She’d just assumed as everyone probably had; that her husband had died off years ago. It never dawned on her that Mother had actually been through some real issues in life.
“Gul. My sin just over three score years old and can’t nobody see the remnants lest I tell it. Oh and I don’t mind telling it. That’s what’s wrong with our chil’uns today. We need to be real with ’em.
“I had a price to pay for my sins. Wasn’t all this help these days being a single mother. That makes it far too easy to keep having babies when they don’t have to take full responsibility for ’em. But look how God has blessed me in spite of my mess, Kenya.
“All three of my boys are in the ministry. And you know my youngest boy’s daddy still be trying to get with a sista. I’m too old to go out like a sucka. You know old folk go to hell too.” She tilted her head toward Kenya.
“Yep. I know.” Kenya shook her head.
“So, Kenya, if you truly want to be married and for God to give you the true desires of your heart, why on His green earth are you fooling around with Mick?” Mother butchered Mike’s name.
“Who?” Kenya extended her neck, trying to figure out who Mother had coupled her with. “Are you talking about Mike?”
“Um, huh.” She lay back on her pillow, mumbling an upset thought.
Figuring she’d laid all else on the line, Kenya felt obligated to get the rest off of her chest. She was thankful for the older woman. It wasn’t that she couldn’t confide in her sister Kendra or Gracie, but she truly didn’t want to disappoint them as she had disappointed herself.
“It was all a front. I knew he wasn’t really into me and it ... it kept other men at bay until I had figured myself out.”
“Oh so you already knew he was batting for the other team?” Mother rose up off of her right shoulder to get a look at Kenya. “You lucky I don’t have my cane near me. I tell you what; I’d bop you a good’un right on the top of your head. What is wrong with you, Kenya?”
“I don’t know, Mother.” They treaded into the heap of mess Kenya had gotten herself into. “I was so confused by all I’d gone through with Charlene. I thought my whole life was changing. Thought I was gay. Thought I’d figured something out about myself. But then when I went into a fasting and prayer session, I knew better. I had just gotten caught up. I sinned.”
“What all that mean? Chil’, we already gon’ over all that.” Mother was getting tired.
“Well, when men started flirting with me ... Christian men, I felt dirty and ashamed. There was no way, I figured, I could share with them what I’d gone through. So it was best for me to stay by myself.”
Pushing the up button on the bed’s remote, Mother had to sit up for this one. “Keithe? While you going all around the fruit tree, everybody knows Keithe has the hots for you,” she squealed, bypassing the mulberry bush. “Yo’ mama must’ve dropped you on your head ... twice.”
Laughing along with Mother even though she was the butt of the joke, Kenya said, “Why twice, Mother?”
“’Cause that man has a fine profile view when he is coming and going and you don’t seem to notice. You lucky I didn’t have no girls. I would have put all of ’em in his face. Jerlene, Perlene, and Candy. That’s what I was gonna name ’em.”
Shaking her head, Kenya didn’t know what to do with Mother Gladstone. “I don’t know what to do about that. I could never tell that to him. It don’t matter now anyway.” Kenya shrugged. “He thinks I’ve chosen his best friend over him.” Kenya ducked when Mother picked up the remote and acted as if she’d throw it her way.
“I ought to.” Mother stopped short of losing her religion. “Ooowee, you lucky.”
“What? I have too much going on. Keithe is a good man and I just wouldn’t want to drag him into my mess.”
“Yeah, he a good man, but he gon’ get on my bad list.”
“Why would you say that? He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Kenya stood and walked toward the attached bathroom. Locking the door behind her she kept talking. “It was all on me, not him.”
“Naw. I’m talking about because he was suppose to been back an hour ago with my plate.” The toilet flushed. The faucet turned on.
“What?” Kenya yelled out, looking around for something to dry her hands. “You didn’t tell me he had been here ... today. I gotta go.” She burst through the bathroom door, back into the room.
Sitting all the way up, Mother was about to get a good laugh once she saw Kenya’s face. Keithe had just walked through the door.
“Here you go ... Mother Gladstone.” Keithe saw Kenya standing with the strap of her purse on her shoulder. Kenya saw him standing with the darkest of jeans on, hugging every muscle in his lower torso.
“God, you are worthy,” Mother Gladstone said as she looked in the same direction as Kenya.
Keithe and Kenya hadn’t officially talked since being at the hospital. And ever since the last divorce group meeting when Charlene barged in, Keithe had been holding down the classes himself.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi,” Kenya replied.
He couldn’t help but to see how beautiful she looked, even in a jogging suit and her signature ponytail lying on her shoulder. Keithe still hadn’t been able to pull Kenya to the side and squash all they had birthed the night over dinner.
“Boy, what took you so long?” Mother interrupted their stare down. “Did you have to go make the soul food yourself?”
“Soul food? Mother should you—”
“Gul, don’t start with me. I had a broke hip, not a broke stomach. I’m about to tear them feet up.”
“You didn’t ... ?” Kenya asked Keithe. “Pig feet?”
“I did,” he said and nodded.
“He had to,” Mother said with her eyes closed. “But you were leaving anyway so it shouldn’t bother you. Bring it on, son.” Mother held out her hand.
“You are too much. I gotta get going anyway.” Kenya walked over and laid a kiss on Mother’s forehead. “I have to go help my sister with the rest of the wedding gift bags. You know if I don’t she’ll be calling you and complaining about me.” Kenya eyed Mother Gladstone.
“A wedding, huh?” Keithe said. “Guess this is the season for weddings.” He thought about how busy Stoney had been helping Mercy prepare for her big day.
Nodding, Kenya said, “Yep. I’m officiating my niece’s wedding and of course wanted to volunteer my time as well.”
“Oh, okay. Speaking of weddings, I need to buy someone a gift myself. Thanks for the reminder. Maybe I can pick your brain on what I should get for a young couple?” Keithe figured throwing in a flirtation moment wouldn’t hurt.
“Maybe.” Kenya walked closer, toward the door. “I can possibly give you some ideas,” Kenya agreed. “Just depends on the couple.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Keithe said with raised eyebrows.
Just as he was about to give more in-depth detail of Mercy and her beau, Mother Gladstone said, “You two are pitiful,” as she shook her head.
“What?” the two spoke simultaneously. Knowing without a doubt what Mother Gladstone was referring to, the two stood speechless as the older woman situated herself and the tray in front of her.
Rolling her eyes, Kenya opened the door and was about to make her exit before Keithe stopped her by putting his hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t forget. Maybe we can still get together soon and talk. About whatever you want.”
Looking over at Mother Gladstone, Kenya nodded and said, “I’d like that.”
“Be safe,” he said.
“Always. You too.”
“Look here, when you go to those restaurants, don’t let them give you all these hooves with the nails. You ask for the ones that are clipped off, too,” the elderly lady spoke on how she liked her pig feet prepared. “They know what they be doing ... just giving you what they want to give you. Sit down,” Mother ordered, upset over Keithe just ordering and not knowing what he was ordering. “You just let her go, huh?” Mother Gladstone went back and forth between her pig feet, greens, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and peach cobbler.
“I don’t think she’s really interested in me like that. So why bother?”
“Keithe Wonderboy could sing a tune to that lady liking you.” She spit pig feet bones in her hands and placed them on the plate.
With his nose turned up and a frown on his mouth, Keithe said, “Well that is my name.”
Rolling her eyes, Mother said, “Y’all trying me today, huh? It’s a shame. No respect for your elders.” She spit more bones from her mouth.
Keithe wanted to go more into what he suspected with Kenya, but didn’t want to start rumors. Plus he really wanted to talk to Mike, especially after Charlene had hemmed Kenya up at the church and brought her to tears.
“Look, God has shown me some things with Kenya and its come to pass. He’s also shown me you. That’s your wife.” She crunched on gristle. “Don’t play dumb, boy. You know that friend of yours ain’t no bit more stuttin’ Kenya no more than them there bunny girls stuttin’ Hugh Havenot.”
“Hefner,” Keithe tried to correct her.
“Naw. Havenot. ’Cause old as he is, he have not a grain of salt thinking them young girls want to fool around with his old wrinkled-up self. That man betta get it right with Jehovah. And I ain’t talking about that boy calling himself ‘HOV,’ either,” she said. “Ooooh, they all make me sick. Jesus is coming back soon, you know,” she spoke randomly.
Laughing at the church’s comedienne extraordinaire, Keithe wanted to even the playing field.
“Yep. We all need to get it together.”
“See there. I wasn’t talking ’bout everyone else. Was I? That’s what’s wrong with y’all young’uns. Ain’t used to being called out. Can’t take no responsibility for yourself. Anyway.” Mother grabbed a wet napkin and wiped her hands. “Be boastful, move in God, and be there when Kenya is ready to share who she is. Mick will understand. I’m sure he already does.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Keithe listened, sure she was talking about Mike. “If you say so. I’m prepared.”