A Family Reunion (12 page)

It was Friday morning and all the Bennetts, at least those thirty-something and older, decided to sleep in late. The others, those younger and who possessed an endless amount of energy, had gotten up early to take advantage of the delicious breakfast buffet the hotel had served.

No activities had been planned for the family until noon. After lunch they were to get in their cars and motorcade the five miles to Mount Olive, the cemetery where most of their deceased relatives had been laid to rest. In consideration of the heat, a very short memorial service, which included placing fresh flowers on the graves, was planned.

A shudder passed through Taye. She had an aversion to cemeteries. “What are my chances of getting out of going?” she asked Rae’jean and Alexia over lunch near the pool.

“Don’t even think it,” was Rae’jean’s quick reply as she cocked a dark brow at Taye. “Poppa Ethan expects everyone to come, and that means everyone, even the teens who’ve been trying to talk their way out of going all morning.”

“Did any of you see how Uncle Victor was checking out that lady who works at this hotel, the one who served us the food last night?” Alexia asked, changing the subject. “I bet he’s hit on her already.”

Rae’jean frowned. “You think so?”

“I’ll be willing to put some money on it.”

Taye pasted a smile on her face, trying to follow the conversation between Alexia and Rae’jean and force her gaze from Michael, who was sitting on the other side of the pool at a table with Victor Junior. “I’m not so sure Uncle Victor will be too quick to mess around on this third wife he has,” she decided to put her two cents in and add to the conversation.

“Why?” Alexia wanted to know. “Having a wife never stopped him before.”

“Yeah, but he’s never had a wife like this one before, either. Rose is the jealous type, and rumor has it she’s threatened to cut Uncle Victor’s you know what off if she ever caught him being unfaithful,” Taye informed the others about their uncle’s third wife.

Rae’jean couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, I’m serious,” Taye said, chuckling. “So I expect him to be on his best behavior at this reunion.”

“I don’t know about that,” Rae’jean said as her gaze shifted around and lighted on her Uncle Victor, the youngest of the Bennett siblings. He was standing across the patio talking to Taye’s father, Uncle Joe. Victor Bennett, Sr., had always been an extremely good-looking man, and even now he still looked pretty good for fifty. Rae’jean doubted if he would ever slow down his womanizing ways. It was rumored he had fathered close to twenty kids, including one belonging to his second wife’s sister.

After checking her watch, Taye reminded everyone it was time to go pay their respects to the deceased Bennetts.

As far as cemeteries went, Mount Olive was a really nice place, with lush green grass, sloping hills, and huge oak trees. Currently the grounds were being maintained by a number of black churches in the area that still buried their members there.

Back in the 1930s, the Bennetts had purchased enough land in the cemetery to bury their kin for generations to come. This particular section of the cemetery had been named Bennetts Row.

The day was hot. The cars had been left at the entrance of the cemetery, and everyone had taken the walk to the family plots. Nearly everyone had dressed comfortably for the walk and the heat, except for Cuzin Sophie and Aunt Virginia. They had decided to dress up for the occasion by wearing their Sunday-best dresses, fashionable hats, and high-heeled shoes.

When Cuzin Sophie stopped to rest her sore aching feet and leaned against a huge oak tree in Bennetts Row, she remarked to everyone, “This is a good spot with plenty of shade.”

Taye whispered to Rae’jean and Alexia, “I guess now isn’t a good time to tell the nosy old bat that we’re glad she liked that spot since it’s hers anyway. That very plot has her name on it.”

It was hard for the three women to keep straight faces and not break up into stitches.

Later that day back at the hotel, Rae’jean, Michael, Taye, Alexia, and Victor Junior were sitting at a table near the pool playing bid whist. After glancing at her watch, Rae’jean pushed her chair back. “Don’t deal me in this time around. I need to run up to my room and make a phone call.”

Victor Junior, who was already sore about losing the last couple of games, glanced up at Rae’jean and sneered. “Whatcha gonna do? Call your white man?”

Rae’jean heard the scorn in his voice and frowned. He had snarled the words loud enough to get everyone’s attention, including those relatives who were sitting at another table playing their own game of cards. Conversation at the table faltered, then stopped altogether. Apparently everyone was interested in how she would respond to Victor Junior’s question. She met his narrowed gaze with one of her own. “Yeah, I’m going to call
my
white man. You have a problem with it?”

“Yeah, I do, and so do others in this family. I can’t believe that you don’t. You know the black folks’ history. You know what the white man did to our black women long ago. How he treated them.”

The look Rae’jean gave Victor Junior sent chills down everyone’s spine. “Oh, you mean the same way
you
and some brothers are treating them today, Victor Junior, by screwing their brains out and getting them pregnant with more babies than you’ll ever be able to claim?”

Rae’jean’s words hit a nerve with Victor Junior. He stood up. “I claim any baby I make as mine.”

Rae’jean stood up as well. “Really? In that case, you must never have any money for paying out child support for each and every one of them.”

Embarrassed because he knew he was not doing so, Victor Junior sat back down. “I said that I claimed them, Rae’jean. You know damn well that I can’t financially take care of every single one of them.”

“Then you should keep that thing in your pants and not use it so often if you’re not willing to be a man and take full responsibility. And I mean full responsibility. Now getting back to the issue of Grady, I would appreciate it if you never question my choice of a mate again. And don’t ever throw up in my face what his ancestors did to our black women, ’cause the way I see it, you and a number of other brothers are doing a whole hell of a lot worse to them. Take my advice and get a vasectomy.” Picking up her sunglasses, an angry Rae’jean placed them on her eyes and walked off.

Victor Junior looked around the table and saw the frowns Alexia, Taye, and Michael gave him. “What’s the matter with her? I was just telling it to her like it is.”

“Yeah, and she told it to you like it is, too,” Taye said curtly. “One day, Victor Junior, you’re going to learn not to rub Rae the wrong way. And if you have any thoughts of showing your butt when Grady arrives tomorrow, don’t. Or you just might find yourself on the way to the emergency room. Rae’jean just might decide to personally give you that vasectomy herself.”

Victor Junior squirmed in his seat at the thought of that happening. “Rae’jean ain’t
that
crazy.”

Alexia giggled. “That’s the same thing you said right before she tied your butt up to the bedpost and shaved half your head when you really got her mad about something when we were teenagers. Remember? I would hate for you to lose your balls over some foolishness.”

He tightened his legs together. He would hate to lose them over some foolishness, too.

After making her phone call to Grady, Rae’jean made her way back downstairs and stopped when she got to the lobby area. She sat down on a love seat, not ready to rejoin the group just yet. Victor Junior had pissed her off big-time.

She smiled. Talking to Grady had helped. Just listening to the excitement in his voice had renewed her spirits. His patient, the one he hadn’t expected to make it through surgery, had. He wanted the two of them to celebrate when he arrived and had told her to expect him sometime tomorrow. A part of her had been tempted to tell him not to bother coming, but she changed her mind. He would have to deal with her family sooner or later, so it may as well be now. Besides, Grady could handle the likes of Victor Junior.

“You all right, girl?”

Rae’jean turned toward the deep-timbred voice and saw her grandfather standing beside where she sat. “Oh, hi, Grampa. Yes, sir, I’m fine.”

Poppa Ethan eased his body in the seat beside her. “I heard you and Victor Junior had some words earlier.”

“Yes, sir, we did,” she mumbled.

A smile broke into her grandfather’s wrinkled features. “Just like old times, uhh?”

Rae’jean couldn’t help but return his smile. “Yes, sir, just like old times.” She reached out and took his hand into hers. “How have you been doing?”

“Fairly well for a man who’ll be ninety in a few months. What about you? I hear you’re thinking about getting married.”

Rae’jean lifted a brow. “Yes, sir, and what else have you heard?”

“Enough. But I’m not paying that garbage no account. I like to size a man up for myself no matter what color he is.”

Her grandfather’s words gave Rae’jean a measure of relief. She wished every other person in the family would be as open-minded. “Thanks, Grampa. I appreciate that.”

“Will your man be here for the family supper tomorrow night?”

“Yes, sir,” she responded, staring at her grandfather. “Grady is coming.”

“Good. I wanna meet the man my oldest granddaughter has chosen to marry,” he added.

“I think you’ll really like him, Grampa.”

Poppa Ethan bowed his head for a moment before lifting his gaze back to her. “Do you like him, Rae’jean?”

The tenderness in her grandfather’s expression touched her. “Yes, sir.”

“Then that’s all that matters. You’re a grown woman, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well then.”

Unable to help herself, Rae’jean reached over and hugged her grandfather. This was why she loved him and would always love him. He could make her feel so good about herself. But there was something else that was bothering her. There was something else she needed to know.

“Grampa?”

“Yeah, girl?”

“Is there anything you can tell me about my father?”

Rae’jean felt his body stiffen and heard his soul-weary sigh before he pulled away slightly and looked at her. “No, chile, I can’t. I gave my word.”

Rae’jean lifted a brow as confused thoughts raced through her mind. “You gave your word to whom?”

“I can’t say, Rae’jean.”

Rae’jean nodded, knowing that he had given her his final say on the matter. She knew that if her grandfather had given someone his word about anything then he wouldn’t break it. But she was determined to leave the reunion with the information she wanted. If her grandfather wouldn’t talk, she was determined to find someone who would.

“That’s fine, Grampa. I understand.”

After a few moments of silence her grandfather gestured to an exquisite atrium containing beautiful flowers not far from where they were sitting. “Your grandmother would have liked all those flowers, wouldn’t she?”

Rae’jean smiled as she remembered her grandmother’s love for flowers. “Yes, sir, she would have,” she said quietly.

“I’m sure she liked the flowers we took her today, aren’t you?”

Rae’jean thought about the fresh flowers they had placed on Gramma Idella’s grave earlier that day. She drew in a long breath, then slowly released it. It was days like this that she missed her grandmother more than ever. “Yes, sir, I’m sure she did.”

Rae’jean studied her grandfather’s features. Suddenly he looked older and there appeared a faraway look on his face. He had loved her grandmother very much, and she knew his life must be lonely without her. “Grampa, how would you like to come visit me in Boston sometime?”

His bushy brows arched at her invitation. “That place too cold, Rae’jean. Besides, you ain’t gonna get me on a plane; you know that,” he added as his lips twisted in a chuckle before he reached up and tweaked her nose. “If God had intended for man to fly he would have given him wings.”

Rae’jean smiled as she snuggled closer to him on the seat, just like she used to do as a child. “Yeah, Grampa, I know,” she said, remembering how often she’d heard him say that while she was growing up. At that moment she silently thanked God that she still had a grandfather in her life to love and who she knew loved her.

Michael retired to the comforts of his hotel room and lay stretched atop the covers watching the evening news on television. He glanced up to see Kennedy enter the room.

“Oh, hi, Dad,” she greeted him, smiling brightly. “Why aren’t you downstairs by the pool having fun like the other old people?”

Michael pasted a smile on his face.
Old people?
For crying out loud, he was only thirty-three and his daughter thought he was old. “I decided to come up here and chill for a while. People as
old
as I am need frequent breaks from so much fun.”

She nodded like she understood completely, which made Michael roll his eyes to the ceiling. “What have you been up to? I haven’t seen you practically all day,” he asked her.

Kennedy came and sat next to him on the bed. “I’ve been having so much fun, Daddy. I’m glad I came.”

Michael looked up at her, surprised but glad. “Really? What do you like about being here other than finding out that you’re related to
the
Alexia Bennett?”

A flurry of excitement immediately lit his daughter’s eyes. “Oh, there’s Victoria, Lauren, Monica, Sebrina, and Cody and all my other cousins. We’re having so much fun together. It’s been off the chain.”

Michael chuckled. “That good, huh?”

“Even better. Victoria, Sebrina, and I will be attending the same school next year. Isn’t that cool?”

“Yeah, I guess.” While in his teens he had attended the same school as Victor Junior, but he hadn’t found anything cool about that experience.

Kennedy stretched out beside him on the bed. He braced himself. This was her
let me butter Dad up to get what I want
approach.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, Kennedy?”

“You know about our trip to Disney World next month?”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“It’s going to be just me and you, right?”

“That’s right. Why?”

“Well, I was thinking.”

That could be dangerous,
Michael thought as he waited for what he knew was coming. His daughter was about to try to weasel something out of him. Before Lynda had died they had gone away every year for a family vacation. He had continued that trend after her death. Because he was a pilot, he would occasionally rent a Cessna and he and Kennedy would fly to a number of places within the boundaries of the United States. It had proven to be a great experience for Kennedy as well as a relaxing time for him.

When Kennedy hesitated in getting whatever she wanted to say off her chest, he prompted her on. “What were you thinking about, Kennedy?”

She looked at him and smiled brightly. It was a smile that reminded him so much of Lynda it suddenly made his heart ache. The older Kennedy got the more she resembled her mother. There was no doubt in his mind that his daughter would continue to blossom into a beauty, which was another thing that was beginning to worry him. How was he going to deal with her interest in boys when it became a major issue? The thought of some father’s son checking out his daughter didn’t sit too well with him.

“I was thinking how nice it would be if Sebrina and Victoria were to come with us. Monica won’t be able to come. She’s going to Texas to spend the rest of the summer with Lauren and her parents. Just think of all the fun me, Sebrina, and Victoria will have.”

“Yeah, at the expense of me going bonkers. Kennedy, you by yourself are a handful. I don’t relish the idea of being responsible for two others like you. We’re talking about a full week vacation, sweetheart, not a couple of days.” He could just see it now with him trying to keep up with three energetic thirteen-year-olds, all females. Michael tried returning his attention back to the news, but his daughter was determined not to let him.

She rolled over on the bed and got on her knees before him, claiming his full attention. “What if we got you some help?”

Michael lifted a brow at her. She was tenacity at its best. “I doubt there’s another human being a glutton for such punishment, Kennedy.”

“Sebrina said her mother would do it. In fact, she said her mother needs to do it. According to Sebrina, Aunt Taye doesn’t have a life.”

Michael smiled at how easily Kennedy had adopted Taye, Rae’jean, and Alexia as honorary aunts, although in truth they were distant cousins. “Why does Sebrina think her mother doesn’t have a life?” He hated admitting it, but curiosity had gotten the best of him.

“Because she doesn’t have a boyfriend and has never had a boyfriend since Monica was born, which really doesn’t make sense since Aunt Taye is so pretty and all. Sebrina thinks that since her mother doesn’t have a boyfriend she doesn’t have any fun. Going to Disney World would be fun. Everyone has fun at Disney World.”

Michael shook his head. There was fun and then there was
fun.
He doubted the kid type fun would really interest Taye. Like him, she was probably into the grown-up stuff. But he was even more interested in Sebrina’s claim that her mother didn’t have a boyfriend. He agreed with Kennedy. Taye was too pretty not to have one.

“Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand Sebrina, Kennedy? Could she have said that her mother didn’t have a current boyfriend?”

“No, I heard her right, Daddy, because when she said it, it suddenly occurred to me that you don’t have a girlfriend, either. You’ve been by yourself since Momma left, but you seem to be doing OK.”

A part of Michael regretted that Kennedy had not known about Stephanie. “How will taking Taye to Disney World get her a boyfriend?” he asked.

“Maybe she’ll meet someone there. Even if she doesn’t, at least she’ll have fun for a change. Sebrina says all her mother does is work, go to school, and take care of her and Monica. She thinks a week of fun will do her good. So can they come with us, Daddy? Please?”

He gazed thoughtfully at his daughter. No longer on her knees, she was now sitting in the middle of the bed, Indian-style, looking at him with such beseeching eyes. “Has anyone talked to Taye about this?” he asked, trying to ignore that look.

“No, we thought you could do that.”

Michael couldn’t help but smile. Oh, he just bet they did. He could recognize a well-thought-out manipulative plan when he heard one. No doubt the three girls had the week in Orlando pretty much planned already. “What if Taye doesn’t want to go?”

“Oh, Daddy, she’ll go if you invite her and then talk her into it. You can do it. I know you can. Don’t you want her to finally have some fun in her life? Aunt Alexia said you used to look out for her, Aunt Taye, and Aunt Rae’jean while they were growing up. We think Aunt Taye still needs someone to look out for her.”

“We? Who are
we
?”

Kennedy smiled brightly. “Me, Sebrina, and Victoria, of course.”

“Yes, of course.” At that moment it suddenly occurred to Michael that this was the happiest he had seen his daughter in months. Maybe even in a couple of years. She was reacting positively to being around the cousins she had met. Maybe that was what his daughter needed, cousins she could consider friends who were good kids and not like those incorrigible twins, Grace and Faith.

“Please, Daddy, will you talk to Aunt Taye about it? Please?”

Michael released a deep sigh. His daughter had him wrapped around her finger and had him wrapped tight. Besides, he was concerned with the information she had given him about Taye. She was either too busy to get involved with anyone or, like him, had managed to keep the involvement well hidden from her daughter. “All right, Kennedy, I’ll talk to Taye, and if she agrees, the girls can come with us.”

“Cool!” Kennedy exclaimed like she knew it was a done deal and that she and her cousins were already Orlando-bound. And then she did something that she had not done in a very long time. She reached out and hugged him and said, “Thanks, Dad, and I love you.”

Michael was able to talk to Taye later that night after dinner. A group of them had gathered in Alexia’s suite to play a game of How to Become a Black Millionaire. The questions asked were those pertaining to black history. Unfortunately, with the amount of wrong answers most of them were giving, it was apparent they didn’t know a lot about their history. No one had made it to millionaire status yet.

While everyone took a break from playing to catch their breath, revamp their muddled minds, and take a sip of wine, Michael got Taye off to the side. “Kennedy and I are going to spend a week in Orlando next month. I’ve rented this huge condo and wondered if you and Sebrina would like to come with us. I’m also extending the invitation to include Victoria. I understand Monica will be in Texas with Darryl and his family during that time.”

Taye shook her head, smiling. “So those little brats have been busy plotting, have they?”

Michael returned her smile. Evidently Taye knew where the idea had originated. As he studied her, he couldn’t help but again notice how pretty she’d gotten over the years. There was no way she wasn’t involved with anyone. “Seriously, I don’t mind. It’s a huge place, and I want Kennedy to continue to develop the relationships she’s formed with the girls. She resented having to leave Minnesota, and I think the more time she spends with her cousins the quicker she’ll get over it.”

Taye nodded. She knew it was probably crazy, but the thought of spending a week with Michael made her feel giddy. For heaven sakes! The man was her cousin! A nagging voice in the back of her mind insisted she not go and that the only reason she felt an attraction to him was because she’d been without a man for too long. But deep down Taye knew that was not the case. There had always been something about Michael that had pulled her to him even when they’d been kids growing up.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” she asked him. “With me going that would make three additional females invading your space. How much rest do you think you’ll be able to get?”

“As much as I would have gotten, anyway. Kennedy is a handful. At least this way we can rotate the parenting duties that week.”

“Exactly what week is it?”

“The first week in August. I think it would be a good trip for them before school starts. I can rent a van and drive us all down.”

“I’ll split the cost of everything.”

“No, Taye, it will be my treat. Besides, I want to spend some time with you and the girls.” What he’d just told her was true. They had discovered from earlier conversations that he and Taye didn’t live too far from each other. At one time while growing up they had been tight. As tight as two cousins could be. They used to spend a lot of time together and used to talk about everything. For some reason he wanted to recapture that closeness.

Taye knew not to make a big deal out of Michael wanting to spend time with her and the girls. After all, they were family. “We’d like to spend time with you and Kennedy as well, Michael. You were gone from the family a long time.”

“Hey, you two!” Alexia called out. “The game is starting up again.”

“We’ll be right there!” Michael called back. He looked down at Taye. “So what about it? Do you think you’ll go? Kennedy is going to bug the hell out of me until I have your answer.”

Taye looked at him and smiled. It was hard to think straight when he was looking at her with those same dark, dreamy eyes that used to make her heart go pitter-pat when she was a fifteen-year-old. “I’d love to go. However, I think you and I will have to work out a plan so the girls won’t think they’re so smart that they can pull us into another one of their schemes.”

Michael laughed. “OK, that’s a bet. We’ll come up with something.”