Talise wasn’t expecting the call and had no doubt Sandra was behind it. But by the time the conversation ended, she had to smile and admit that all Jamiesons weren’t created jerks.
Without having ever met her, Talise could tell that Eva Jamieson was a gregarious woman who oozed contagious enthusiasm. To Talise’s delight, Eva’s outgoing personality had made it easy for the two women to engage in an enjoyable thirty-minute exchange.
The woman’s timing was uncanny. Talise had just returned from her doctor’s appointment. The baby’s vital signs were good, and Talise was maintaining a healthy weight gain. She was happy.
Lois had tagged along and fired one question after another at Dr. Sherman, as though she was the patient. Although amused at her best friend’s excitement, admittedly, she learned more than she would have imagined.
However, nearing the end, the pleasant visit took a turn—in her opinion—for the worse. The obstetrician was once again harping on needing the father’s medical history. Talise voiced her reservations about asking his mother for help. She couldn’t believe how Lois betrayed her and sided with Dr. Sherman. Outnumbered, Talise was irritated that she had no choice but to call Sandra again and admit she needed something from her.
After one final attempt to encourage Talise that it would be okay, the doctor’s visit was over. The two friends managed to part ways on good terms. Lois had to get back to the campus, leaving Talise stressed and on her own about contacting Sandra.
Since Thursday was her regular day off, Talise looked forward to relaxing the rest of the day. She showered and felt refreshed and pampered after being in the summer heat. Climbing in bed for a nap, she let out a long sigh. It seemed as though she had just crossed over from consciousness to dreamland when her cell phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Talise Rogers, please.”
“Speaking.” She didn’t recognize the number or the voice.
“Hi. You don’t know me, yet, but we have something in common. We’re both having babies by Jamieson brothers.”
Catching her breath, Talise gripped the phone tighter. What? The only thing her brain registered was “something in common,” “having babies,” and “Jamieson.” Not another woman deserted and pregnant by Ace. Please.
“I hope you don’t mind me calling. My name is Eva Jamieson and I live in St. Louis. My mother-in …”
Sandra’s daughter-in-law? Talise somewhat relaxed that it wasn’t another victim of desertion. But why was she calling her? Groaning, Talise rolled her eyes. It didn’t matter. She was not about to have another debate, defending her condition.
“Don’t you mean if I’m pregnant? Listen, I just came from the doctor and I’m not in the mood—”
“Really? What did your doctor say? Is the baby okay?”
Talise stared at the phone in disbelief. This woman could not be seriously quizzing her.
“Eva, why are you calling me?”
If she came off rude, then too bad. Talise felt cranky and the Jamiesons had an uncanny way of taking her attitude to the next level.
“To be honest …” she started, then exhaled. “I’m in baby solidarity with you, girl, because I’m mad at Ace too.”
“Get in line,” she said dryly. “What’s your beef with him?” Talise didn’t really care. She wasn’t up to another enlightening moment.
“I have a list of them, but the top one is he’s cheating me out of a sister-in-law.”
Talise almost choked on her own air. “What?” Was it possible to get dizzy while lying down? So far, this short conversation was making her head spin. “What are you talking about?”
“We’re both pregnant and we could be sisters-in-law, doing baby stuff together. Instead, his sorry self is hiding out at my house and you’re there.”
“Ace is staying with you?” So that’s where he was. If Talise knew how to contact a hit man, she would … nonsense. She had to redirect her thoughts. Despite how badly he had treated her, Talise didn’t thrive on that type of drama.
“Yes, and don’t think I’m making it easy for him either. The only reason he gets a home cooked meal is because I have to feed my husband. Otherwise, I would starve him.”
Talise withheld her laughter. Unlike Sandra, who came at her in a hesitant manner, Eva was a tell-it-like-it-is person. Talise liked her for that.
“I hate to disappoint you, but we’ll never be sisters-in-law.”
Unfortunately, it was the truth. She swallowed back the hurt. But there was one thing. Talise wished Eva could help get answers to her many questions: what was the real deal behind him leaving? How could he walk away? Yet to ask would make her seem desperate.
“Does Ace know you’re talking to me?” she asked, as a tear dropped.
“It’s your call. He doesn’t at the moment, but I can change that if you want. Nothing’s more frustrating than a stupid Jamieson. I didn’t take anything off Kevin. Come to think of it, I did hear them arguing outside my door.”
“I would prefer he doesn’t know.” She would die if Ace refused to speak with her. Talise couldn’t take another rejection.
“So Kevin is Kidd. Right?” She wanted clarification.
“Yes, ma’am. Oh, I hate that nickname. It sounds too thuggish for me. Plus, I wanted a man who was ready to put away his play toys. Unfortunately at the time, Kevin was an angry Black man. Talise, believe me. I know about rough patches, but it was worth it for Kevin and me to hang in there and make it to our smooth sailing.”
Talise teared-up at Eva’s happy ending. “Humph. Ace’s nickname is fitting. He’s a gambler with women’s hearts. In trying to explain his pathetic behavior, Sandra disclosed his conquests. I’m just the latest, so I’m sure you’ll understand that I’d rather keep my distance from the Jamiesons.”
“You’re having one in less than nine months. By the way, when is your baby due?”
Grinning with anticipation of that glorious event, Talise rubbed her growing pouch. “At first, my doctor thought the baby was due at the end of January. Now, she estimates mid-January.”
“Cool. I’m due around Christmas. Our babies will be first cousins. Do you have any siblings with children?” Eva asked.
“I have one sister, Sinclaire, who is serving in the air force, but she isn’t married.”
“Oh,” Eva’s voice softened. “God bless her and keep our troops safe. Please tell your sister thank you.”
Talise always sniffed when people said that. “I will. What about you, any brothers or sisters?”
“I have a twin sister who has been engaged for a year.”
“Do you know if you’re having twins?”
“Nope. Only one, and Kevin and I can’t wait to find out what God’s blessing us with.”
“Well, we both know Ace doesn’t care, and I don’t think I want to know yet. If it’s a boy, then I’ll worry about how to do a better job than …” Talise let her words fade so she wouldn’t insult Eva’s mother-in-law.
“The Jamieson men are a special, stubborn breed. But this is God’s world, and things will work out according to His plan. You’ll see.”
Talise didn’t see God anywhere in her situation. Even though she had picked up on reading her Bible, it felt like not much was sticking. It seemed as though every time she read an encouraging Scripture, the next thing she knew, she would turn around and have a bad day.
Sinclaire’s last email listed Scriptures about God’s will in her life, but Talise just couldn’t see it. And now Eva brought God into the conversation.
“If I were to have a little girl, I would still have to break her heart one day. The time will come when I’ll have to feed her lies about why her daddy deserted us. I’m not looking forward to that.”
The line was quiet. It was the first time Eva didn’t have a positive comeback. Maybe she finally comprehended the hopelessness of Talise’s situation.
“I hope you don’t mind me sharing this. We make mistakes, but God knows. He is in control of everything that happens in our lives. From your last breath, to your baby’s first breath, and everything in between—God knows. He is blessing you right now—and me too. And we don’t even know the details of what’s going on behind the scenes.”
Talise listened with tears in her eyes. She needed to hear that God hadn’t taken His eyes off of her. A while back, she had prayed that He would put people in her path to help her. So far, He kept sending Jamieson people, just not the right one. Talise didn’t realize tears were falling until she heard herself sniffling.
“My mother-in-law and I are praying for you and your happiness. God’s going to take care of you and that gorgeous baby, so lean on Him.” Eva paused. “If you start crying, I’ll start. Then Kevin will be mad and take it out on Ace because he would be the cause of it.”
Talise burst out laughing. “Can you ask him to get in a left hook for me?”
Eva giggled. “I’ll put your request in.” They chuckled. “Say I’ve been on bed rest for weeks and I’m pretty bored.”
Talise gasped. From reading her baby books, women who were on bed rest ran some type of risks. “Is your baby okay?” she asked, concerned.
“Oh, yes. I had a little spotting at first. Kevin didn’t want to take any chances and tried to convince the doctor that I not only needed medical leave, but should stay in bed. That man got on my nerves, so we reached a compromise. The doctor said I didn’t need to go on medical leave, just light duty as an LPN. Once the doctor gives the okay, I’ll probably be off bed rest too.”
How odd that Talise had suddenly become concerned about someone she didn’t know. She never had any spotting and, according to Dr. Sherman, she and her baby were fine. Praise God, as Sinclaire would say about the Lord’s goodness and mercy.
“I haven’t been to Beantown in a while. Maybe I can fly up, so we can go baby shopping and baby eating. I can spend the night at Sandra’s. You should come over, so we can have a pregnant PJ party. I’ll have Kevin check the air rates.”
Where Sandra was extending an olive branch, Eva seemed ready to plant a tree. Talise liked her and would welcome the company of a fellow expecting mother who didn’t question the paternity of her pregancy.
She was going to throw caution to the wind. Talise needed a getaway. She had planned to visit her dad and his wife in Virginia in a few weeks, but that could be put on hold. The thought of swapping pregnancy tidbits with another expectant mother was too appealing to resist. Suddenly, it appeared as though she had a Jamieson solidly on her side. Amazing.
“I’ll tell you what. Since you’ve been on bed rest, I can fly to St. Louis. I work for an airline, so it won’t cost me anything. It’ll have to be in the middle of the week when I’m off.”
“Don’t worry about a place to stay because—”
“Oh no, I won’t be spending the night. I’ll come for lunch and then fly right back.”
“Then let’s make it a girls’ day out.”
As Talise listened to Eva’s bubbling personality, she was reminded of a high-strung, high school cheerleader. Instead of a nap rejuvenating her, the phone call had not only lifted her spirits, but gave Talise a surge of new energy.
“I’m so excited, I can hardly wait! I feel like jumping up and doing a praise dance,” Eva exclaimed.
Talise giggled and reprimanded her, “Don’t you dare! You’re on bed rest, remember?” For the first time, she actually looked forward to meeting a Jamieson.
“Thanks for not hanging up on me. When Sandra called me, she sounded a little sad. She didn’t think she’d made a good first impression with you,” Eva confided, “but she’s on your side.”
Talise really didn’t have a problem with Sandra. It was who she represented—Ace. Plus, as the doctor and Lois had sternly reminded her today, Talise needed Ace’s medical history. “Do you think Sandra would want to come with me?”
“She’d jump at the opportunity.”
Almost instantly, she had second thoughts. “But it’ll be in the middle of the week.”
“Trust me. Sandra will still jump,” Eva assured her.
“Then I guess I’ll call and invite her,” Talise said. “I’ll plan to come next week. But there’s one condition.”
“Name it.”
“Under no circumstances do I want to see Ace or be within ten feet of him.”
“Done. That’s Ace’s mess to clean up, not ours.”
When Lois walked through the door later that evening, Talise was all smiles.
“What’s up with you?” She eyed her suspiciously.
“I’m going to St. Louis.” Talise began to recap the entire conversation while they ate dinner. “So, what do you think?”
Lois didn’t answer right away. “Well, I’m surprised, considering earlier today and last night you were adamant about staying as far away from anyone with the last name Jamieson, Jamison, Jemison, or any derivation thereof.”
“True.”
“My biggest concern is Ace, since he lives there now. What’s got me worried is he could upset you. How do you plan to handle that?”
After draining the rest of her glass of milk, Talise gave the question some serious consideration. “Maybe, just maybe, I spoke too harshly about the Jamiesons. It’s Ace who’s the jerk. His mother and his sister-in-law reached out to me. I don’t think they’ll let him do that.”
“Hmm-mm. One phone call and you did a one-eighty?” Lois pushed away from the table and folded her arms. When she lifted one brow, Talise knew her roommate wasn’t convinced.
“When I met with Sandra, I know I couldn’t get pass the ‘ifs.’ But when I spoke with Eva, she jumped right in there. I didn’t detect any sign of doubt in her mind that she was suspicious of me. Basically, like you said, my baby will be part Jamieson. No one can change that. Not even me.”
Talise had all afternoon to reflect on the last couple of months without Ace. “I have to move on. He isn’t coming back and my objective is not to go to St. Louis and get him back. I’m hoping it will lessen the blow to my baby’s self-esteem to know that it wasn’t the entire Jamieson clan who didn’t want him or her, just one bad apple. Unfortunately, it will be the most important apple.”
“Sounds like you’ve really made up your mind. Do you want me to go with you?”
Talise shook her head and smiled. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to ask Sandra if she wants to go with me. I’m planning to make it a day trip and come back the same day. Don’t worry I put Eva on notice. If I come face-to-face with Ace, then they’ve failed my trust test.”
“Well,” Lois declared, as she stood and began to gather up their dirty dishes. “I’m scared to ask, but what is their penalty if they fail?”
“I don’t know, but I refuse to use my child as a bargaining chip.”