Two weeks later, August
It was sort of a family reunion. The Pattersons and the Jones. Alexa had arrived with Douglas two days ago. They stayed over in the house with Briana. My whole family was in attendance. Junior and his family traveled down from Greenville for the weekend. So, my house was full for a change.
Amos started early with cleaning fish for one of his famous fish frys. After stuffing ourselves with food, I gave instructions to a trusted teen at our church. She would be in charge of watching the kids while we traveled down to the Sugar Creek Cafe.
Now we all sat, Alexa, Junior and Judy, Cedric and Carmen, Leesa and Chris.
Even Jocelyn was there with a man. I didn’t even know she was dating. I would have to get with Louise about this new development later.
Briana told me earlier that she has not seen Theo in weeks. Probably for the best since he’d been working with his brother’s defense lawyer. Damion would more than likely serve a life sentence. Two people died that night. One, Damion had beef with for a long time and one who’d given his brother grief.
Gladys was spending time in a rehabilitation center. She not only had the heart issues, but the fall had resulted in some brain injury as well.
Theo had official custody of his children. I wasn’t sure how that would go, knowing their uncle was responsible for their mother’s death.
I felt most sorry for Charlene. The Brown sisters have kept me in the know about their cousin. In many ways Charlene was an accomplice to Damion’s crime that night. She knew what happened between Damion and Sondra, but still made an effort to frame Briana. There was a side to Charlene that longed to avenge her sister’s death. The sad thing was the guy she was protecting was the root cause. Apparently she’d been taken to a facility after having a mental breakdown.
Amos touched my hand, “Are you okay?”
I smiled. My knight in shining armor checking on me. “I’m good. Just thinking about the events from last month still. A lot of heartache.”
“I know.” He patted my hand, and then stretched his arm around the back of my chair. “Let’s enjoy the night.”
The cafe owner, Fay, came out dressed in a stunning copper gold sundress. “We want to welcome one of our very own here at Sugar Creek Cafe to the stage. Here to provide some songs for the evening is the very talented Briana Jones.”
Briana was in her element, dressed in black jeans and a olive green short sleeve shirt. We had been talking more. Some of the tension that plagued us seemed to have dissolved. Briana even confided in me where she had gone those few days, something that she hadn’t even revealed to Amos or the police when questioned. She went off to St. Helena Island, which was off the coast of Beaufort, about eighty miles from Charleston.
Her mama grew up on the island when she was younger. The folks there spoke Gullah or Geechee. A few folks in Charleston also fancied speaking the language which mixed West African and English. The house and land where Francine had been raised had been passed down to her daughters. Neither daughter ventured to the humble house on the island, not until a few weeks ago when Briana was looking to get away.
She told me, “I hadn’t thought of that house in years. When I left to go find it, I wasn’t sure if I could. Once I was there, it was like I felt my mama and her ancestors. I prayed, and I haven’t done that in a long time.”
I blinked back tears as I recalled Briana sharing her experience with me. Afterwards we prayed together, a bond established between us.
I watched as Briana beamed at the audience, her face appeared fresh and beautiful under the stage’s light. “I want to thank Fay for having me here tonight. Thank you for letting me be a part of the Sugar Creek Cafe family. She’s been asking me to sing for some time now. To be honest, I lost my desire to sing for a while. And a few weeks ago I didn’t know if I would have an opportunity like this again.”
She held her head down. When she lifted it, her eyes shone with tears. “My mama used to say ‘Ain’t God good.’”
The audience responded, “All the time.”
Briana perched her guitar on her knee. “I believe that with all my heart even more so. My family is here tonight.”
We all hooted and shouted like we were at a ball game.
“My dad remarried earlier this year and my family’s been extended. I’m grateful for all of them.” Briana sucked in a breath. “I miss my mama, but I know she’s looking down on me and I feel like she would approve of the new person in my life. I’m dedicating this first song to Eugeena. You being in my corner has meant the world to me and I know I haven’t always embraced you but I want you to know I appreciate you.”
I think someone was cutting onions near me because my eyes flooded with tears. I tried wiping them away with my hands.
Amos pressed his handkerchief into my hands.
Now that’s a gentleman right there. My husband!
As Briana sang, “Thank you, Lord, for all you’ve done for me.” I glanced over at my husband. Amos’s eyes were shining bright as he beamed with pride for his youngest daughter. They both had entered a new direction the past few weeks.
As for me and Amos, married life had never been better.