LAST COUPLE MONTHS, EJ and Henrietta been working real hard together, trying to be real sweet to each other too. They started lobbying for changes in the local government—met with developers and town council people in Mount Pleasant and with Jackson Hemmingway’s help, you just won’t believe what they done. It took a little while, but Henrietta found a developer to donate land to The Grass Roots Society. They gonna use it to grow sweetgrass. That’s it. Just to grow sweetgrass and nothing else. Don’t that just beat all? There’s a nice piece o’ land down by the Cooper River Bridge they gonna turn into a regular sweetgrass farm. It’s taking lots of doing, seeing as special farming folks got to be brought in to figure out how to grow it there.
Next thing Henrietta done was talk property owners on 17 to lease the town of Mount Pleasant that little strip o’ land that sets right up ’gainst the highway. Yes sir, ain’t nobody got to fear losing their stand no more. Hallelujah, Jim and me can’t believe what we seeing. I ain’t never been so proud of Henrietta in my whole life. And she’s happy too. Working close with EJ like that’s made her happier than I ever seen her. She sure is working hard to make him proud of her.
And EJ? I’m real proud o’ him too. He’s running the business part of The Society and getting to be real respected, sure ’nough. He visits all sorts of organizations and school groups, talking ’bout Gullah culture and how important it is to keep it alive.
And Felicia ain’t about to be left out neither. She got up with her artsy friends and’s working on putting together a festival. If the first one comes off good, there’s gonna be one every year right smack dab in the middle of winter to try and get more tourists to come ’round. She talked with the mayors of Charleston and Mount Pleasant and the South Carolina Department for Tourists or something, and they helped her work out a plan. She’s pulling together storytellers and artists and singers, poets and chefs and of course, sweetgrass basket ladies. Yes sir, the whole works. And she been calling on all sorts of businesses, too, to get ’em to donate money and be sponsors. And you’ll never believe who she called on one morning.
“May I speak with Jeffrey Lowes, please? Hi, Mr. Lowes, this is Felicia White with The Grass Roots Society. I’m EJ’s wife—you know, Essie Mae’s grandson?” She went on to tell him ’bout the project and asked him would La Belle Fleur be interested in becoming a member and sponsoring the festival this year. He said yes and he was so honored to be asked, so he come on over to meet with her.
Now after my funeral, Jeffrey’s kinda kept to himself. He’d come out the closet, and people ain’t talked to him much that day, what with nobody knowing what to say to a man holding another man’s hand. Plus, he was grieving ’cause I was dead. Miss Nancy’d offered to sell him some baskets every month, same as I done, and he’s been pickin ’em up reg’lar, sure ’nough. And EJ’s had lunch with him couple times just to see how he’s holding up. But this was before The Grass Roots Society got started. Jeffrey ain’t known a thing ’bout that.
I’m waiting for Jeffrey when he pulls on up in the driveway. He has to sit still for a second when he sees that big Grass Roots Society sign stuck up ’gainst my fresh-painted lime-green house.
“Sweet Essie Mae,” Jeffrey says on his breath as he walks up. Little Cassie runs out the front door when he comes in, and Henrietta runs out after her, threatening to pop her little fanny if she don’t come back inside. Felicia greets Jeffrey at the door. “Hey there! Come on in, I’ll get you some iced tea. How’ve you been?”
“Good. Real good, thanks. Boy, I know this house so well,” Jeffrey says, “and I love what you’ve done with it.”
Felicia stops and looks around at the walls. “Well, there’s a lot more to do, but we’ve painted and fixed the yard some. We’re happy here.”
EJ’s sitting at the kitchen table, yapping on the telephone. He’s shuffling the papers all stacked up next to him. When he gets off he comes over and shakes Jeffrey’s hand. “Jeffrey Lowes. You’ve probably spent as much time here as I have. Nice to see you again.”
“Good to see you too, EJ,” he says, smiling and running his hand over the back of my sofa.
“Have you met my daughter?” EJ asks him.
“Not yet, but I’m pretty sure she skimmed me on the way in.”
“Mama, come here! Jeffrey, this here is Essie Mae’s great granddaughter, Cassie Mae,” he says when Henrietta carries her kicking and wiggling in the door. That child is just a-giggling.
“Hi, Miss Henrietta. What a beautiful granddaughter you have. Hey there, Miss Cassie Mae. She’s beautiful. Truly,” says Jeffrey.
“Uh-huh,” Retta says, nodding in his direction. Seems pretty rude, tell the truth.
“Well Jeffrey, how’s the flower business these days?” asks Felicia, filling in Henrietta’s quiet space.
“Can’t complain,” he says. “I’ve been doing a lot of weddings lately. Just did a fabulous one down at the William-Aiken House for the governor’s daughter. It was unbelievable with roses and orchids . . . we even had wrought-iron chandeliers hanging from the live oaks.”
“And Victor?” asks EJ. “How’s he doing? Still enjoying that new job?”
“Just fine, thanks for asking,” says Jeffrey, looking a little uncomfortable talking about his boyfriend.
“Good grief,” Henrietta says real low. She’s over in the corner, trying to weave a basket and eavesdrop at the same time. Her nose keeps a-twitching, and I know that ain’t good. Whenever that girl gets to twitching, better look out, ’cause there’s a storm a-brewing, sure ’nough.
“Tell him we said hello,” says Felicia. “I don’t think I’ve seen Victor since the funeral. Hey, we ought to have you two over some time.”
EJ looks over and sees his mama’s face. He remembers his daddy calling her “old-fashioned” so he says real quick-like, “Uh, I know Essie Mae would be happy you’re here. She’d be real happy you’re thinking of helping us out.”
“I am so thrilled you’ve started this group, EJ. It’s so, soooo important. And I’ll tell you a secret,” he says, leaning in to EJ real close. Henrietta’s ears perk and her back shoots up so straight she ’bout falls out her chair. “I know some people in this town. A lot of powerful people. You just say the word and let me know what you need. I can find a way to get it done.”
EJ ain’t sure what to say to that. Has to let it sink in on him a second or two. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he says, putting out his hand for him to shake it. “Like I said, we just appreciate anything you can do to help.”
“My pleasure. Well, it’s been so nice to see you all and to see Essie Mae’s house again. I miss her so much. EJ?” He nods at him and EJ nods back. “Henrietta? Nice to see you again.” Jeffrey backs up toward the door and sticks his fingers up next to his head like he’s talking on a telephone. “I’ll talk to you soon, Felicia. Call me and let me know when and where you need me.”
After Jeffrey shuts the door, a big ol’ green monster swells inside Henrietta, and she pipes up. “I always knew that guy was a fruitcake,” she says, scowling up her face. “Don’t know why Mama loved him so much. He just gets on my last nerve. Oh, and he just lo-oved Mama. Well, why wouldn’t he? She doted on him like he was her very own or something.”
Well, there it is. I never knew Henrietta was jealous of Jeffrey. Not in a million years would I ‘a guessed that! It might sound real naïve, but I swear it’s the truth. She was the most independent child I ever seen and didn’t seem to need me much a’tall. Pretty much handled her own affairs. Is it possible Henrietta’s been jealous of all them children I watched over the years? There were a lot of ‘em too. Great God in heaven, I just keep learning new stuff ’bout that girl.