Come Share My Love (18 page)

     Shyla chuckled softly.  Then fell into a full fledge laugh.  “Don’t blow this?’  You have got to me f’ing kidding me.”  Shyla continued to laugh and then got deathly serious.  “It seems to me that you are more concerned about you and your husband’s relationship with Zackary than mine, or my relationship with you for that matter.”  Essence began to talk but Shyla plugged her up real good.  “Save it.  I just won’t give into my feelings.  How’s that?  Great?  Great.”  She answered her own question.  “Now you and your close knit family can stay just that.  You won’t ever have to worry about me tearing you apart.  Now if you’ll excuse me I would like to get ready for dinner.  Don’t want to be late,” she smirked.

     “Shyla we need to finish this.”

     “We just did.  At least now I know where I fit into your little world.”

     “Shyla I do love you.”

     “I’m sure you do.”  Shyla picked up her outfit and walked out the door to the bathroom across the hall.  Essence followed closely behind but Shyla was able to close and lock the door before she got to it.

     “Shyla, open up please.”  There was no answer and there wouldn’t be.  Shyla had been trying really hard and it was never enough so she was done.

     Essence explained to her husband what had happened.  She let him know that Shyla was really upset with her for the things she had said.  He saw that she too, was hurting.  They were cousins, close cousins and now felt like strangers bickering.  They got ready to go to dinner.  Shyla wouldn’t answer her door.  Not for her cousin’s or even the man of the house, so they left without her.

     Even though Shyla showered and got ready she didn’t go over to Mr. and Mrs. Trellis’ home for dinner.  She wouldn’t have been good company for anyone.  She found Mama V’s number on Zackary’s desk phone and called to tell her just that.

     When Zackary’s mother asked where she was they told her she wasn’t feeling well.

      “It must have been the long travel here.”  Zackary said.

     “Well she has to eat.  You can take her a plate afterwards.  I sure wanted to spend more time with her.  She’s a beautiful girl.”

     “Yes, mom she is.”

     When the phone rang she hadn’t expected it to be Shyla.

     “Hello sweetheart.”

     She explained that she was not well and she wouldn’t be missed so she would skip dinner.

     “Yes Zackary told me.  I’m sure that once you’re here amongst family dear, you’ll feel a lot better.  It’s probably just the heat.  Are you dressed?”

     “Yes Ma’am.” 

     “Then I will hold dinner for you.  You have twenty minute to get yourself together and over here.  Should I send Zackary back for you?”

     “No I can manage.”

     “Okay.  It only takes seven minutes to walk.”

     “Does that mean I can sit her twirling my thumbs for ten and then start walking?”  Shyla laughed.  It was so easy to talk to Mrs. Trellis. 

     “That’s very funny dear, but no, it doesn’t mean that.”  She laughed, too.  “It means the sooner you get her the sooner we can have dinner and enjoy that delicious dessert you prepared for us today.”  Zackary’s head snapped up.  “Now start walking but do so carefully.  It’s still hot out.”

     “Yes Mama V.  I’ll be there.”

     Was he the only one who had heard his mother speaking?  Everyo
ne else seemed to be talking.  Shyla had made dessert with his mom?  “When did that happen?” he mumbled.

     “What was that son?”  His father asked.

     “Nothing Pop just listening to the news of the week.  How was your week?”

    “My week was j
ust fine son.  CottonGurl is about ready to delivery, any day now.  I’m sure glad you’re here to help, Felton too.  Patch is out of town visiting family this weekend, won’t be back until the middle of next week.”

     “Sounds good.  Felton and I will check on her after dinner dad.”

     “Okay dear.  See you in ten minutes.”  She hung up, turned and saw her son eyeing her then she smiled and winked letting him know everything would be alright.

     “Okay.  Shyla is running a little late but she’s on her way, something about a ruined outfit and the heat.”  It was a little white lie but who needed to know that.  She winked at Zackary. 

     “Do you need me to pick her up mom?”  Brennan asked.  Again Zackary didn’t say anything.

     “No dear.  If she needed a ride I’m sure your brother would be more than capable of going to get his own girlfriend, but she said she would enjoy the walk.  Dinner will be served within the next half hour.  Everyone can reacquaint themselves.  It’s been a while since some of us have seen other family members.”  To Mama V, anyone who entered her home was family, until they gave reason to be booted out, and it had to be something pretty bad.

C
hapter Twelve

     Everyone was seated in the family room when Shyla and Venice walked in.  They met up and introduced themselves at the door.

     “Damn,” three voices echoed but no one tried to accept responsibility.

     “Hello everyone,” said Venice.  She came in giving hugs and kisses to everyone.  “I ran into Shyla coming up the walk.”

     “Hi everyone.  I’m sorry for my tardiness, but it couldn’t be helped.”  She smiled, hoping no one would notice her sad state.  But even with the slight make-up Zackary as well as his mother could tell that she had been crying.  She didn’t wear make-up often so she didn’t know how to conceal the puffiness.  Kemah and Essence were better at that than she was.

   Mrs. Trellis went to her and gave her a motherly hug.  “It’s nice to see you again, dear.”

     “Thank you Mama V. you too.  I had a wonderful time today.”  And she had.  Shyla hadn’t had a mother figure in her life for years.  It’s always been just her and her cousin.  Now this woman that she’d only met hours ago was treating her like a member of her family, a daughter.

     She grabbed Shyla around the waist and escorted her to the kitchen.  She asked everyone else to take their seats at the dinner table.

     When Essence asked her if she needed another pair of hands, she told her no, that she should sit and relax and take care of the little one she was carrying.

     Felton eyed his wife.  “Baby, are you?”

     “No I am not.”

     “But Mama V said-”

     “I should know, Felton.  Now will you sit down and stop hovering over me?  Dang!”

     He sat down but he was still on her back.  “Yes.  But you have to admit that you haven’t been feeling all that well for weeks.  You’ve been tired mostly.”

     “That’s because I’m over worked.” 

     “Honey, have you been late?”

     “Felton Lorenzo Childress!  Don’t question me like that in front of everyone.  You’re embarrassing me,” she poked him in his ribs.  “And move.  My goodness, it’s hot enough without you breathing down my neck.  You’re crowding my space.”  That was a sure sign of pregnancy.

     “I’m sorry baby.”  He moved over to his seat at the table.  “We’ll talk later.”  He said and leaned over and gave a quick kiss to her temple.  The conversation was stopped for the time being but in the back of his mind he couldn’t help praying that it was all true.  He was ready to be a father.

     He looked over at his friend Zackary who tried his best to keep the smile off his face.  He had to clear his throat to keep from laughing.

     In the kitchen Mama V and Shyla were getting a little more acquainted. 

    “Dear are you alright?  You seem distracted.”

She looked at Mama V and smiled.  “I’m fine.  Just something on my mind.”

     “Zackary?” she asked.

     Shyla continued to smile.  She felt like she could talk to this woman about almost anything. She’s never had that connection with any woman, not even her mother when she was younger and her parents were alive.

     “Yes, Zackary, among other things.  Can I ask you a question?”

     Mama V sat down at the kitchen table.  “Sure dear.  Sit for a minute.  We have time.”  Shyla sat and folded her hands in a praying gesture.

     “How do you tell someone that you love them without getting your heart stomped on?  Or maybe I should ask how do you love someone and guarantee their love in return?”

     “Well first, there is no guarantee in love, except with God.  He loves you through your faults and because He wants your love too.  Love between a man and woman or with anyone else really is a gamble.” 

     “It’s like when you play the lotto, you’re gambling that you’ll win.  The odds are stacked up against you but you still play hoping that one day your numbers come in.

     “
It’s the same with love.  It’s a risk, but it’s a risk that people are willing to take in order to find that special someone.  The best way to insure that your love is returned is to ask that person. 

     “Find out the person’s feelings.  It’s okay to tell someone you love them.  How else will they know?  And of course you want that feeling to be reciprocated but it’s not always and it’s
not something you can control.

     “
What you don’t want to do is jump into a relationship expecting something to go wrong, because ten times out of ten, it will.”  They both laughed.

     “The best thing to do is expect the best and prepare for the worst.  It’s a way of life.  When you’re in love you know it.  And even though your partner may not say it you can tell if that person loves you.  Am I to assume that you’re in love with my youngest boy?”

     “Yes.”  She sighed.  “More than I care to admit.”

Mama V raised her brow.  “Why is that, dear?”

     “I guess because I’ve been down this road before and it wore me out and left me battered and bruised pretty badly.  So I never wanted to feel anything remotely close to that emotion again.  And I hadn’t until I met Zack at my cousin’s home.  I fell for him instantly and I’ve been fighting it for nearly two solid years.  I don’t want to fight it anymore.”

     “And you shouldn’t.  Zackary is my son and I love him along with my other boys and I try not to get into their personal lives unless they’re hurting and even then there’s some hurts a mother can’t heal.”

     “I wouldn’t know about that kind of healing,” Shyla said sadly.  Mama V looked but didn’t ask.  She knew it was something other than what she thought.  “My parents are deceased.”

     “I’m sorry to hear that dear.  You can always come to Mama V for anything.”

     “I’d like that.”

     “So would I.  Let’s get this crew fed.”  They both stood and went to wash their hands and get the food ready for the table.  Shyla took a few steps and stopped.  She looked around the kitchen from the stove to the counter.  There were at least seven platters, each having a different dish.

     “Mama V.  This sure is a lot of food.  I don’t know if we can eat all of this.”

     “I cook like this all the time.  You see how big my boys and their father are?”  Shyla nodded.  “They’ve never missed a meal, and, I don’t have leftovers in my refrigerator.  You’ll see.  Whenever Zackary get up in the middle of the night for a snack you’ll find out that it’s one of the dishes from that night’s dinner.  The next day a whole new meal is prepared.  Now you take a platter or two while I get the others.  There’s no telling what that brood is out there doing.”

     She laughed, picked up a platter of homemade biscuits and sliced roast beef and started for the door.  They continued until all the food was on the table.

     “Mama V, this is a meal meant for an army.”  Essence said.

     “No sweetheart, just my family and extended family.”  She patted Shyla on her waist and told her to go sit next to Zackary.  She didn’t hesitate.  Unfortunately the seat was between Zackary and Brennan.  All the men stood and waited for them to be seated.  Big Zack pulled out Mama V’s chair while Zackary and Brennan both pulled out Shyla’s.

     “Thank you, fellas.”  Shyla said.

     “Daddy can you say grace?”

He nodded.  “Everyone link your hands with the person you’re sitting next to, bow your heads and open you hearts to give thanks to God.
”

     After the blessing of the food the gathered family and friends, old and new, continued talking about their
week long events. 

     Zackary was getting upset with his brother.  Throughout all of dinner Brennan was trying his best to monopolize all of Shyla’s attention.  He touched her when he spoke directly to her.  Every other question was to her.  Their mother could see how upset Zackary was getting but he wouldn’t say anything to displease her or the woman that was sitting way too close to his brother. 

   Mama V wondered why she had sat Shyla in that spot.  Sitting her near Braxton or Felton would have been better.  It was too late to switch places now, but next time, if there was a next time, she would be more careful of the seating arrangements.  It was time for Brennan to get out and get himself a woman.