It was one week since Talise’s argument with Ace. She was still shaken by his mean-spirited and pompous attitude. The five minutes of praying routine that she was trying to adapt into her lifestyle only caused her to cry more.
When Lois escorted her to her next doctor’s visit, she blurted out possible causes for Talise’s mood swings and forgetfulness. Finally, Talise gave her the eye to be quiet.
Dr. Sherman paused in examining her. “You’re fourteen weeks now, so you’ll experience more of your hormones being out of control. Just try and keep your stress level down. Have you talked to the baby’s father about his medical history?”
“That’s the major part of her stress. The loser,” Lois spoke up.
“I asked his mother, but never followed through. I’ll call her today.”
“Good. On your next visit, I’ll have Kathy take your blood so we can test for any birth defects. It’s nothing to cause alarm. Just routine. But if your baby is having any problems, we want to know early enough so we can intervene. The father’s medical history is important.”
When the doctor left the room, Talise snapped at Lois. “You’re a bad pregnancy partner.”
“I’m better than Ace. I just want her to know you’re having a rough time, that’s all. You know I’m here for you.”
“I know, but the next time I come, will you please be the elephant in the room and remain quiet.”
Lois shrugged. “Just trying to help.”
They left the office and grabbed a bite to eat. Lois headed back to the campus and Talise drove to the apartment to take a nap. After an hour of twisting and turning, she gave up and got out of bed.
She didn’t think it was possible, but basically, Ace called her a tramp. Where was the Ace she fell in love with? Booting up her computer, Talise fired off an email to Sinclaire.
I’m not a tramp! She typed in the subject line, with tears streaming down her face. How am I going to make it? I have twenty-six weeks left. I’m definitely getting fat now. Lois is irritating me. I’m irritating myself. I’m losing my mind. I’m venting. T.
Talise had upset herself to the point where she was nauseated. Hurrying to the bathroom, she regurgitated everything, including last night’s dinner. After freshening up, it wasn’t two minutes before she started crying again. When she finally came out of the bathroom, her cell was ringing. Hurrying across the room to answer it, to her pleasant surprise, Sinclaire was calling.
Taking a deep breath, she answered. “Hello,” she was able to say before the flood gates opened.
“What’s this about a tramp?” Sinclaire was hot, as Talise repeated the phone call she had with Ace.
“Maybe you need to go home where you’ll have a better support system. It’ll be another nine months before my tour is up. I dislike very much that Ace is making you feel that way. He needs God to intervene in his life—quick.”
“I need Jesus more than he does. How am I going to get through this? How?” Talise sniffed, as she curled up on the bed. “I feel like my life is over. Who would have thought when I moved to Boston, my life would have gone downhill?”
“Okay, it’s time for me to get military tough with you. You are a woman soldier who has been injured on an emotional battlefield. You’re not the only one. Others have been on the front line and injured too. God is sending His angels to pick you up. I’ve been praying for God to send good people your way.”
Talise nodded through her sniffles. “He has. Sandra has called a few times to check up on me. I really like her, so has Eva.”
“Only God knows why those people are in your path. But if they’re lifting you up and not letting you fall, hang on to them.”
“That sounds good, but being with them is a constant reminder that I’m not part of them.”
“We don’t pick our friends, Talise. But in the end, we value true friendship. I love you, sis, but I’ve got to go. Remember, give God five minutes and your investment will pay off. I promise you.”
Sinclaire said a heartfelt prayer before they disconnected. Talise only felt peace when others prayed for her. God seemed so far removed from her situation. He hadn’t given her any assurance in a while to let her know He was concerned. It was hard to be strong when she felt all alone.
Her mind was confused. Talise craved company. She thought about calling Eva, but that wasn’t the same. Then her stomach growled. She was hungry but didn’t feel like cooking. After wrestling with herself for long enough, she gave in and called Sandra.
“I was just thinking about you. How are you, now?”
“Hungry.” She put on a cheery front.
“I’ll bet you are,” Sandra teased her.
“I am and so is the baby. Do you want to keep me company? Maybe you can tell me about my baby’s father’s childhood illnesses.”
“What ya got a taste for?”
“Boston Market.” Talise couldn’t get enough of their sweet potato casserole.
“Okay, I’m leaving work in ten minutes. I need to stop by the house and then I’ll meet you at the one near you. Wear some flat shoes too. Maybe we can do a little window shopping afterward, if you feel up to it.”
Talise smiled. “I would like that.” Then she added in a whisper, “Thank you for being a friend to me.”
“I thank God you allow me to.”
Sandra brought along Ace’s baby pictures and grade school photos. They gave Talise an idea of what her son or daughter might look like. Either sex, her baby would be beautiful. Ace was one of those pretty baby boys with long lashes—an unnecessary asset for a boy—a head full of curly hair and an adorable smile.
Sandra described him as an inquisitive toddler, happy and very sociable. She also made a list of some of his childhood illnesses. He suffered with childhood asthma and was allergic to fish and peanuts.
“Besides that, Aaron was a normal, hard-headed little boy.”
Yeah, a little boy who grew up to be a cold-hearted man, thought Talise.
When they finished their meal, she declined a stroll, but Sandra accepted a rain check for the next evening. It was ironic that Sandra would be replacing her son. Usually, Talise and Ace were always together on Fridays after work.
The next day, Talise found out that she and Sandra had very different definitions of window shopping. Sandra was like a caged pet set free at Faneuil Hall Market Place. Talise looked, but didn’t spend.
The older woman splurged without hardly giving an item a once over. It didn’t escape Talise that most of the things weren’t for Sandra, but keepsake gifts like a snow globe, a picture album, and knickknacks for a child’s room. Talise assumed they were for Eva’s baby, until she noticed many of the articles Sandra purchased were two of the same thing.
By the time she got home and climbed into bed, Talise had no doubt in her mind and heart that Sandra was a gift from God. As she laid her head on the pillow, it was as though God seemed to whisper in her ear.
“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
Talise blinked, recognizing the words were from something she’d read in the Bible. It had been a while, yet she sensed God’s presence. The only thing is she didn’t exactly know where to find the Scripture. That bugged her, yet it intrigued her.
Suddenly, curiosity got the best of her. Talise got up and pulled out her Bible, sandwiched in between a stack of baby books. As she began to flip through the pages, she realized she was clueless.
Gnawing on her lip, she asked, “What did You mean, God?” Frustrated, she logged on to her laptop to Google it. Once she typed in as much as she could remember, the search engine directed her to www.biblegateway.com, the Book of Ruth 1:16. Bingo, or maybe she shouldn’t say that in the same sentence with a Scripture.
The entire chapter was about a daughter-in-law whose husband died, and the young widow was determined to follow the religion and customs of her mother-in-law. That night, Talise didn’t doze off while reading. She actually read the entire story. In the end, Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi, had led Ruth to her blessing. Talise realized that once trouble came Ruth’s way, if she had turned back, she would have missed the blessing of a new husband and baby.
“Jesus, what does this mean? Is Ace going to die? Are we going to get married and Sandra will be my mother-in-law? What does it mean?”
Talise closed her Bible and held it to her chest. She wished God would just write what He wanted her to know. Sitting there in deep thought for a moment, she then chuckled at herself. “I guess that’s what the Bible is—God’s Word on a lot of paper.”
She would email Sinclaire later and get her take. In the meantime, maybe she might up her prayer time to six minutes. Turning off the lamp, Talise snuggled under the covers.
Saturday morning, she woke up happy, content, and hopeful. Perhaps, she was experiencing a different type of mood swing.
Talise showered and ate in record time. It was the dressing that had become challenging. She wished she would have purchased some articles when she and Sandra went “window” shopping the previous night.
On her way to the salon, she phoned Sandra. “I know it’s early for me to call, but I was wondering if you want to go shopping with me later today.”
“Nonsense, I’m up and doing my morning workout. Shopping? Did you say mall?”
Talise laughed. “Believe it or not, I need a few maternity clothes.”
“I would love to go with you.”
“Great, I’ll call you after my last customer.”
“Okay, sweetie.”
Talise disconnected with a smile. Ten minutes later, she parked across the street from Sassy’s and strolled into the salon just ahead of her first customer.
After finishing three clients, Talise waved her favorite client back to the shampoo area. They exchanged a quick hug, and then she whipped a plastic cape across Priscilla’s shoulders. Once she was reclined in the chair, Priscilla sighed in contentment as Talise massaged warm water through her hair.
“So how’s Tammy?” She asked about Talise’s alias.
Glancing over her shoulder, Talise scrutinized the few clients and stylists milling around. “Although I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes, I think she’s starting to handle her situation better.”
“Good for her. Does she need anything?”
“Nah, except to cope better with her mood swings. I think Tammy will be glad when it’s all over.”
“It goes slow in the beginning. And then once she reaches four or five months, that precious baby really begins to grow. I’ve been through it three times and, believe me, I was a force to be reckoned with.
“My husband said I was downright hateful. Couldn’t nobody stand me, but once I held little Stella in my arms, I promised to be the sweetest mother ever. That was, until I got pregnant with Macie, and then I was back to my mean self again.”
Talise laughed so hard, she had to race to the bathroom to relieve herself before she had an accident. Once she returned and rinsed the conditioner out of Priscilla’s hair, she wrapped a towel around it.
“So how many more customers do you have today?” Priscilla asked, as she sat in Talise’s chair at her station.
“Two.” She turned on her blow dryer and began to comb through Priscilla’s hair.
“How are you going to make a living with doing only three heads on a Saturday, girl?”
Talise whispered, “I had to cut back. The fumes from the chemicals make me sick. If I move too fast, I get dizzy. Plus, my feet are starting to swell.”
“Get some good support shoes,” Priscilla whispered back and reached for a magazine. She didn’t utter another word as Talise began to flat-iron and then bump her hair. An hour and a half later, when she was about to spray oil sheen to top off her style, Priscilla lifted her hand.
“Nah. Not today. I like the bounce.”
Talise frowned. “You complain when it looks dry.”
“Then I’ll oil my scalp.” Priscilla stood and removed her own cape. As she rummaged through her purse, Talise could see the woman’s thick whipping belt.
“How much I owe ya?” she asked, as if it changed from her last appointment.
“Seventy-five.”
Priscilla handed Talise a one-hundred dollar bill, then added a twenty. “Keep the change.”
“Is this extra money a down payment on a hair weave or something? This is way too much.”
It’s for Tammy’s baby, she mouthed.
The light bulb went on. Talise was starting to recognize the people whom God was placing in her path.