Sunday morning service was the first time in a while that most of my children had attended. I often never saw Cedric at a service, but today Carmen sat next to him on the end of the pew. Carmen mentioned her mother had driven back home last night. The young woman seemed to appear more relaxed having her mother around yesterday.
Leesa sat in the middle with Keesha on one side and Tyric on the other. Keesha colored quietly during the sermon while Tyric wiggled for most of the service, until he fell asleep with his head against my arm.
Amos sat next to me, which was feeling more comfortable than I would admit. When we first started sitting together at church I remained distracted due to the stares and grins. I mean we were sitting next to each other in God’s house. We were really good friends. At least that’s what I told the pastor and any other nosy church members.
Amos was practically in some ways a part of the family. My children and grandbabies had adopted him.
Now, he didn’t replace Ralph at all. But his presence filled an empty space.
After service, we walked down the hall waiting to greet the pastor, and Annie Mae and Willie Mae showed up at my elbow. The twins always managed to find me either before church or after. Today wasn’t my day to be an usher along with them so they had to make an effort to approach me.
Willie Mae whispered loudly. “I’m surprised your family came today.”
I whirled around and looked at both sisters. “Why in the world would I not come to church today?”
Annie Mae interrupted. “Well, not you, but her.”
I turned. “Carmen?”
Willie Mae nodded. “We heard the police took her away in the police car on Thursday.”
Annie Mae leaned around me as if to observe Carmen more closely. “What’s going on with your family, Eugeena? Why did the police pick up that girl?”
I sucked in a breath, making sure I remembered I was standing in the Lord’s house. “It was a misunderstanding. No need to worry. She’s a grown woman getting ready to marry my son. Not a girl.”
With that, I turned and caught up to the line. Amos was shaking Pastor George Jones’ hand. I reached out and grabbed the pastor’s hand.
Pastor Jones held my hand and peered into my eyes. “Everything okay? If you need your church family to pray, let us know.”
I smiled, feeling my stomach tense. Something was going on. “Our family can always use prayer. Thank you, Pastor.”
He nodded. “The Lord will provide a ram in the bush. Keep the faith.”
I walked away trying to recall what kind of ram. Would it be the ram that would keep the focus of last Wednesday’s murder off Carmen?
I moved towards Amos. “Something’s going on. People seem to know about Carmen being questioned by the police on Thursday.”
He nodded. “It’s possible. People talk. There could have been someone in the office on Thursday that spread the word.”
Just as Amos said those words, I looked over to find someone staring at Carmen. Iris Canton. A nurse who had worked with Cedric since he started at the private practice owned by Ralph Patterson for years. She’d been at the practice, crying harder than me when Ralph passed away a few years ago.
I knew without a doubt she’d been talking.
I walked towards her.
My walk must have looked like I meant business, because Iris’s eyes widened as though she thought I was coming to hit her. Of course, I would do no such thing outside the church. I would never hit anyone anywhere.
I still wanted to give her a piece of my mind.
She saved me from having to beg God for forgiveness later by scrambling towards the parking lot.
“Mama, everything okay?” I turned to see Cedric, Carmen and Leesa watching me. I glanced back at Amos, who appeared ready to go after me if I did something stupid. I smiled. “Let’s go eat.”
Thirty minutes later, Cedric signed up for a table on the long waitlist at Sweet Mama’s Kitchen. This establishment was barely two years old but had made quite the impression on those seeking soul food with healthy alternatives. No fried chicken here. Only baked, with delicious spices to make you forget the greasiness of a past favorite. Thirty-five minutes later, our hungry, borderline moody group of seven was seated with two tables pushed together near the back of the restaurant. By the time we all hit the packed buffet at least once, any grumpiness had begun to dissipate among forks flying and fresh yeast rolls being delivered and promptly devoured.
I was finishing up the last of my baked chicken when something like a sharp breeze floated over me. We were not sitting near a door so I wasn’t sure why I was feeling this cold air. I looked up and to my shock, a person was walking towards the table. It certainly wasn’t our waiter who’d been a middle-age woman definitely tipping her hair in the jet-black dye box. She was friendly enough, and I wanted to make sure she was tipped nicely.
The woman who approached stopped right in front of Cedric and Carmen. Cedric looked up. In his shock, he dropped his knife and his fork fell to his lap as he seemed to lose the use of his arms. Carmen reached out to touch Cedric’s arm.
All eyes at our table, and probably a few others nearby, were focused on the woman standing in front of us. Her long hair fell over her shoulders in a mess, like the wind had whipped and personally styled it for the woman. Monique Sanders appeared ready for a fight. I scanned the restaurant for her father. Being wheelchair bound, I couldn’t imagine he’d be out in public. I wished he was here. He would have been the voice of reason Monique needed as she stood with her balled-up fists across from my son.
This I could not have seen coming, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. The last five days had been one crazy thing after the other, but I was kind of hoping for a break on the Sabbath.
Monique choked out. “Cedric, you managed to ruin my life again. This time because of her.” She pointed to Carmen. “Was she the reason we broke up?”
Cedric sputtered. “What? No… We didn’t even know each other. What are you doing here?”
“She killed him. I know she did. The police have proof. I’m going to make sure she and you both pay.”
I noticed our waiter and a restaurant manager hovering behind Monique, and I also noticed someone else.
The woman I’d met at the conference. What was her name again?
Anna.
She quietly came up behind Monique, looking apologetic. “Monique, you can’t do this.” Anna apologized, “I’m really sorry. She’s having a hard time.”
Anna placed her hands on Monique’s shoulders, but Monique shook them off. Tears flowed down her face. She pointed at Carmen. “You did this, you killed him.”
Monique bolted across the table towards Carmen. Cedric pushed Carmen out of the way and held his arms up to hold Monique back.
In a flash, Amos leaped from his seat and reached for Monique’s arms which were flailing, making contact with Cedric’s face. A deep red mark started to appear on his cheek.
I jumped up and pushed Keesha towards her mother. Thankfully, I heard the manager yell, “Call the police.”
Monique raved like a lunatic, struggling to break free. Amos guided her down with her arms behind her. Retired or not, he was in full police mode now. I stepped back staring down at the crazed woman then peered over at my family. Leesa was holding tight to Keesha and Tyric, both kids looked frightened. Carmen held a napkin to Cedric’s cheek, her face mixed with questions.
The police arrived, applied handcuffs and escorted Monique out of the restaurant.
Anna stood by clasping her hands.
“Were you two in here already?” I asked her.
She nodded and pointed to a booth that was near the door to the kitchen. “We were eating over there. She saw your family walk in and started talking erratic. Next thing I knew, she flew out of her seat. I’m so sorry. I should have tried to ask her to leave. I had no idea she would do that. I’ve never seen her like that before.” Anna’s green eyes were large and wide.
I rubbed the woman’s arm. “You didn’t know. Do you have her father’s number? Someone should tell him.”
Anna nodded. “I will call him and also see if she needs a lawyer. I’m sorry.”
We were still getting stares, but most people who were around us had left or were in the process of leaving. I felt bad about the commotion during the restaurant’s busiest time.
I sat down. “We should head home.”
Carmen moved away from where she was tending Cedric’s ugly scratch. “Who was she? This crazy woman comes out of nowhere accusing me in public of being a killer. I don’t understand. I’m not a suspect.”
“Monique Sanders,” I answered. “She may have found out when Detective Wilkes questioned her and her father. She was Darius’ girlfriend.” I looked over at Cedric who looked like he might pass out. “Cedric, you did tell Carmen about Monique, right?”
The look he gave me reminded me of when he was a boy and he knew he was in deep trouble.
Carmen stared back and forth. “What were you supposed to tell me about her? Did you know her?”
I smacked my hand against my head.
What in the world was Cedric thinking?
Leesa exclaimed in her pure drama queen, spoiled younger sister fashion, “You didn’t tell her, Ceddie? Good Lord, you almost married that crazy woman. Thank God, you didn’t. I thought she was horrible before when she slashed the tires on your BMW, but this is another whole crazy. I hope she gets some help because she needs it.”
Carmen stared wordlessly at Cedric, whose caramel skin seemed to glow with reddish undertones.
Well, the secret was out.
My son would have to deal with why he chose to not tell Carmen sooner. That’s what he gets. You never get too old not to listen to your mama.
I wanted to know where Monique got off calling Carmen a killer in public. The woman had a temper and maybe it made her go off seeing Cedric and Carmen together out in public. Still, something about the whole scenario didn’t sit right with me.
This has always been at the back of my mind, but I knew without a doubt someone was setting Carmen up to take the fall for Darius’s murder.
Not on my watch.