I stared into the bag with a million scenarios going through my mind. The phone rang from the other room. It better be her. I transferred Tyric to my other hip, so I could grab the phone for my good ear. I’d been meaning to get my left ear checked out for weeks.
“Leesa, where you at?”
“Mom?”
Oops. The deep voice on the other line was a child of mine, but not the one I needed to be talking to.
“Junior, honey, how are you?”
“What’s that sister of mine up to now?”
“Calm down. Leesa came by last night with the kids?”
Ralph Jr. remained quiet for a few seconds. “Did you say kids?”
Oops again. Tyric seemed to be a surprise for the whole family.
“When did she have another kid?”
I felt faint. I did not need that, but I needed to take my medicine. “Ralph, look I need to get off the phone and get ready for church.”
“Mom, do I need to come down there?”
“No. You stay with your own family, mister. I don’t need your help here.”
“If I know my sister, she’s probably up to no good.”
“Ralph Jr.” I really didn’t need my oldest, control freak son to echo my deepest fear. “I’ll talk to you later. Say hello to Judy and the boys for me.”
I slammed the phone down before he could get another word in. Junior meant well. He was so much like me, except he handled things with the fixit attitude that God gifted to men. I’d taken all I could take of that same attitude from Ralph, Sr. who was lying six feet under.
“Grandma, I’m ready for my bubble bath.”
“Okay, baby. That’s a good idea.” I placed Kisha in the tub and then undressed Tyric and bathed him at the sink. By the time I got both of the children towel-dried, I was steaming mad at my daughter.
The doorbell interrupted the tirade going on in my mind.
I grabbed Tyric, who at least was fully dressed and stomped down the stairs. I yanked the front door open, “Leesa, you better…”
My facial muscles sagged, switching from anger to confusion. This was not the person I expected. “Amos, what are you doing here?” I’d been up for hours, but suddenly became aware of the gritty texture in my mouth. I hadn’t brushed my teeth, and my ratty robe was practically hanging open. I didn’t have anything to give Amos an eyeful of, but I knew I must have looked like an old hag.
Amos cleared his throat. “Well, I thought I would check to see if you were heading to Missionary Baptist today.”
Okay, now that made me smile.
“I tell you what, hold this fellow?” I passed Tyric over to Amos. Both males looked wide-eyed at the exchange.
“I don’t know anything about babies,” Amos stuttered.
“You two will be just fine. Come on here.” I looked at the grandfather clock in the foyer. “If you could do me a favor, I promise you I will fix you the best fried chicken you’d ever had in your life.”
Amos grinned back. “Sounds good to me.”
“Grandma, look I dressed myself.”
I spun around. My precious Kisha looked like a precious mess. Did stripes and polka dots even go together? That’s alright. She could get away with being cute. We were late. “Baby girl, sit here with Mr. Amos, while I get ready.”
I bounded up the stairs with more energy than my years could handle. I’d noticed Porgy had made himself comfortable on my bed again. Whatever. I had no time to fool with a dog.
Before I headed to the bathroom, I stopped in the guest room and grabbed the diaper bag. I shut the door and sat on the commode. With a bit of trepidation I reached inside the bag and pulled out a bundle of money wrapped with a rubber band.
Ralph had a good life as a doctor and I have to say in my adult years I had enjoyed the comforts of being middle class. But this… I flipped the edges of the money with my fingers and whistled. Where did Leesa get all that money? This was a girl who couldn’t keep a job for more than a few months.
My instincts were tingling. Something wasn’t right the moment Leesa showed up on my doorstep. I’d barely had time to give Mary a thought today, but the creepiness of my former friend’s body and now my daughter’s disappearing act made me nervous.
I stuffed the bundle of bills back into the diaper bag. If I knew my daughter, she would be back for her stash. I prayed if she stole the money, that someone wouldn’t be right behind her. Even more importantly, I prayed they hadn’t caught up with her.
God, what’s happening? My whole world had turned upside down in less than twenty-four hours. So much for the quiet, retired life.