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Authors: Mary Monroe

BOOK: God Don't Make No Mistakes
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CHAPTER 8
I
LIKED TO KEEP UP WITH THE NEWS, LOCAL AND WORLDWIDE.
I watched CNN,
Dateline,
and most of the other news programs on a regular basis. It was amazing how the media could give a detailed report within a matter of hours on something that had occurred in some remote part of the world. They had satellites and all kinds of technology to work with, though. But some of the people I knew had all of those reporters beat when it came to spreading news. On any given day, news shot through Richland faster than a speeding bullet.
I knew that before the day was over, the local grapevine would be buzzing like wasps about Lizzie's pregnancy.
Lizel Hunter, one of the two young women who helped Rhoda manage the child-care business that she operated out of her home, called me up five minutes after I ended my conversation with Rhoda.
“Annette! I am so glad I caught you! I wanted to make sure you were all right!” Lizel exploded, talking in a voice so loud my eardrum throbbed. “I was so worried about you.”
“Hello, Lizel,” I replied in a tired voice. “You don't have to worry about me.”
“I'm going to pray for you anyway. Lord knows you're going to need it more than ever now. You poor thing, you. As if Pee Wee and Lizzie haven't hurt you enough. Now this baby thing! I wish to God that I was there with you now so I could give you a hug and rub up and down your back 'til you feel better. People have been telling me all my life that I got healing hands.”
“I appreciate your concern, Lizel,” I murmured. “I appreciate your taking the time to call me, but I'm doing just fine, thank you. I know you're busy with the kids, so I'll let you get back to work. My inbox is overflowing with things that I need to address.”
Lizel kept talking like she had not heard a word I'd just said. “Annette, you know I'm in the church, so I won't say anything too harsh. But if I was you, I would skin Lizzie's pale ass alive for what she did!” Lizel thundered. “Bless your soul.” There was so much emotion and pity in her voice, you would have thought that somebody close to me had died and she was calling to offer her condolences. I couldn't have felt any worse if someone close to me really had died. “Why that hussy wasn't using protection is beyond me! She is going to look like a fool walking around pregnant at her age—and by a married man.”
Before I could respond again, Lizel's cousin Wyrita Hayes, the other woman who worked for Rhoda, came on the line. “I've been through the same thing you're going through myself. Remember my ex, Vincent Proctor? That real cute cabdriver with that cone-shaped head? He got my cousin's best friend pregnant while he was still living with me. The boy is nine now, and even though Vincent denied Jeffrey was his son, I know he's that boy's daddy because they got that same long-ass head. But you know what, he's a real sweet little boy. Me and my whole family just love him to death. Don't you worry none. In time, Lizzie's child will become a joy to have in your life because of a daddy like Pee Wee.”
I was listening to Wyrita, but I couldn't stop thinking about what Rhoda had said. She and Wyrita seemed to be on the same page. I wondered if they both truly believed that something pleasant was going to come from Lizzie having a child by my husband. Would Lizzie's child become a “joy” in my life? Would my daughter having a sibling benefit her and enrich her life the way that Lillimae did mine? I wondered.
Despite those thoughts, and what Wyrita had just said, just thinking about my husband's baby growing in Lizzie's belly left a bitter taste in my mouth and a headache that felt like my brain was on fire.
“Annette, I know you are mad as hell right now, and you should be, but you can get over this. Just like you got over Lizzie stealing Pee Wee. And you know me and Lizel always got your back.”
I couldn't figure out what made anybody think that I'd gotten over Lizzie stealing my husband. Especially Wyrita. I was surprised that she would even say something like that. She was still angry about losing her first boyfriend to another girl when she was still in high school, more than ten years ago. I knew that I would eventually get over losing Pee Wee to a woman who I had thought was a friend. But it was one thing that I would never forget. And busybodies like Lizel and Wyrita would make sure of that.
I didn't even want to know how Lizel and Wyrita had found out about Lizzie's condition so fast. When it came to gossip, rumors, or any type of juicy news, these two must have had some type of radar. It was a good guess that Rhoda had told them, but it didn't matter to me how they found out. It wouldn't be long before everybody else knew too.
This was a situation that I never expected to face. I didn't even know what to say to Wyrita, a woman who had already experienced something similar. I said the next thing that came to my mind. “So you really got to know your ex's child, Wyrita?”
“Uh-huh,” she replied in a dry voice.
“I know that must have been hard for you to do.”
“Honey, you don't know the half of it. I cussed and fussed up a storm until I got tired. But then after a while, it didn't even faze me. Look on the bright side; Lizzie's child might bring more joy into your life—just because it'll be part of Pee Wee.”
Lizel and Wyrita were two of the most meddlesome women I knew. They were good workers and they had lots of friends, but they could be pretty vicious. If they could come around and embrace Wyrita's man's illegitimate child, anybody could embrace an illegitimate child.
Anybody but me ...
“Wyrita, that child will be a constant reminder of your man's infidelity. That doesn't bother you?” I asked.
“It bothered the hell out of me for a long time. But I had other things going on in my life, so I couldn't spend too much of my time being pissed off about something that I couldn't change. Well, the boy and his mama lived in Sandusky the first few years. Four years ago, when she came down here for her family reunion, she brought the boy with her. He was such a sweetie; so once I got to know him, I was all right. Me and Vincent ended up getting back together. I got attached to his son, and before I knew it, that boy was like the child I always wanted. I see him all the time now, even though me and Vincent are no longer together. But while we were trying to work things out, he dated other women, I dated other men. Just like you and Pee Wee, huh?”
I didn't respond to Wyrita's last comment. I had just found out about Lizzie's baby a few hours ago, so there was no way I could “look on the bright side” this soon. If there was going to be a bright side, it was going to take either divine intervention or a pair of 3-D glasses for me to see it.
After I got Wyrita off the phone, I called up my mother to tell her to keep my daughter, Charlotte, with her until Saturday morning. She wasted no time getting on my case about Lizzie's baby. “It was bad enough that you let a
white
woman take your man! Now you are gwine to have to deal with your husband draggin' his half-breed child around town and up in your face. Lord have mercy on you, girl.”
I didn't even bother to remind my mother again that Lizzie Stovall was only half white, and I didn't bother to ask her how she had already found out about the baby that Lizzie claimed she was carrying.
My mother answered one of the questions that was on my mind. “Everybody in Claudette's beauty shop was talkin' about that baby when I went to get my hair done this mornin'. Them women were clickin' their thick tongues like pigs lappin' from a dipper. I thought I would fall out in the middle of the floor and ball up and die. Listenin' to all that gibberish about my only child was the hardest thing I ever had to do! If you had treated Pee Wee right and not let that white woman get too close to y'all, you wouldn't be in this mess.” For a woman who lived in a “glass house,” she sure tossed a lot of stones.
“Muh'Dear, Lizzie is only half as white as the woman who stole Daddy from you,” I reminded. “And from what I remember, you treated him right, and he still left us.”
My mother's prolonged silence told me that I had struck a nerve in her. “Well, that was a real long time ago. I was a fool in love back then. I always prayed that you wouldn't make the same mistakes I made with men. And anyway, Frank eventually came to his senses, gal.”
“He sure did. And it only took him thirtysomething years to do it,” I said with a sneer. I heard my mother sigh with disgust, but I kept talking anyway. “Thirtysomething years and three half-white kids later. I'll bet that if that woman hadn't left him, he'd still be with her.”
“Don't you try to change the subject! You are the one with the mess on your hands now! This ain't about me and Frank and his white woman. This is about you and Pee Wee and his white woman. Lord have mercy! Jesus would weep! My poor grandbaby Charlotte! She's lucky I'm still around to keep her life halfway normal, praise the Lord.”
I groaned. Then I had to rub my forehead to ease the sudden new headache that I had developed. “Muh'Dear, I have to hang up now. There is a huge pile of work on my desk, and I have a staff meeting to attend in a little while. I'll call you back later. We'll talk about this some more then.”
“We sure will,” my mother assured me. I could hear her grinding her teeth. “Is your spare house key still under that flower pot in the corner on the front porch?” My mother didn't wait for me to respond. “I'll be at the house waitin' on you when you get home from work this evenin'.”
“Muh'Dear, please don't come over this evening. I have a date—”
“A date? What in the—do I have to keep remindin' you that you got a husband? How in the world do you expect to get your marriage back on track with you slippin' and slidin' around town with other men? Poor Pee Wee. What's wrong with you, girl? You want to grow old and die alone?”
“Muh'Dear, please make up your mind. You go on and on about how ‘poor' Pee Wee betrayed me, and then you turn around and jump to his defense. Do you even know what you think I should do?”
“What you do is your business. I just like to let you know what I think, but you ain't got to listen to me if you don't want to.” My mother's voice dropped from a near roar to a whimper. “I ... I'm just tryin' to keep you from makin' more mistakes with men. I ... don't want to see you keep on settin' yourself up to get hurt.” She ended with a sniff.
“Muh'Dear, Pee Wee and I decided to take things very slowly before we make a decision about our marriage. I've told you that at least a dozen times. In the meantime, he's datin' other women, I'm datin' other men. I've told you that a dozen times too.”
In a flash, the harshness returned to my mother's voice. “Humph!” she snorted. “Only God knows what's gwine to become of your generation, girl. If you take Pee Wee back, I don't want that heifer's baby in that house. The dearly departed Judge Lawson originally left that house to me. When I married the dearly departed Albert King, I put your name on the deed. I made you promise me that you would never put no man's name on that deed, not even Pee Wee's. If you do and somethin' was to happen to you, Lizzie might be sashayin' around that house like Queen of Sheba, raisin' her young'un in it. I paid too high a price to get that house to let that happen. Judge Lawson was one hard old white man to please. Buh'lieve you me, it took a whole lot of blood, sweat, and tears out of me to keep him happy enough to remember me in his last will and testament. But I done it for me and you, and your children, and nobody else. That's why I ain't never gwine to leave nothin' to your daddy Frank, because I will never accept his other young'uns.
Never
.”
CHAPTER 9
I
HAD NO IDEA THAT MY MOTHER'S WORDS ABOUT MY FATHER'S
other children would come back to haunt her a few hours later. Around seven
P.M.
, as I was running around the house trying to get ready for my date, somebody knocked on my front door. Roscoe wasn't due for another hour, so I knew it wasn't him. Bracing myself, fearing that it might be Pee Wee or that bitch Lizzie, I padded across the floor to the front window and pulled the curtains back just far enough for me to see who was standing on my porch.
I could not believe my eyes! It was my half-white, half sister Lillimae from Miami, clutching a large suitcase in each hand. She wore an off-white shawl over her flowered muumuu and a pair of sandals with straps wrapped and knotted around her ankles like nooses.
“Speak of the devil!” I exclaimed as I snatched open the door. “Your name came up earlier today.”
Lillimae set her largest suitcase down by her feet. “Associated with somethin' tolerable, I hope.” She stood in the doorway, fanning her face with her hand and moaning like she was in pain. “No wonder my ears were burnin' ever since I got on that airplane.” She paused and moaned some more. “Lord, I feel like I've been run over by a bus. Travelin' ain't what it used to be. All that rippin' and runnin' up and down those airport corridors and standin' in those mile-long lines just about wore me out! Not to mention babies squallin' like pandas all the way. And that damn turbulence once you get on the damn plane is enough to make a person want to get a lifetime ticket with Greyhound.” She offered me an ear-to-ear smile. “And don't let me forget those weak drinks they serve.”
“Well, what strong wind blew you up this way?” I asked.
“I've left Freddie for good. He's drinkin' like a fish again and throwin' away our money with both hands. I need to stay with you for a while,” Lillimae told me. “I hope you don't mind... .”
“Well, come on in the house and have a seat,” I muttered, waving her into my living room.
Lillimae picked up her other suitcase and stumbled across the threshold like a drunkard with a club foot. I thought she was going to drop to the floor, but she steadied herself as she set her suitcases on the floor by the couch and gave me a one-armed hug. I had to hold my breath to keep from gagging because there was the strong smell of alcohol on her breath.
“I ... I wish you had called to let me know you were on your way. I could have picked you up at the airport.” The door was still open. I looked over Lillimae's shoulder. The dusty yellow cab that she'd just piled out of backed out of my driveway, turned around, and zoomed back down the street. “You're lucky I happened to be home right now,” I said with a broad smile as I kicked the door shut.
I was glad to see my sister. However, I was slightly aggravated because she had not been courteous enough to check with me beforehand to make sure it was all right for her to visit. I rarely dropped in on folks uninvited or unannounced. And this was the worst time for me to have a houseguest—especially Lillimae—while my mother was presently on one of her rants about the evils of “white women.”
“You know me. When I get a notion, I usually do things ass-backward,” Lillimae said with a sheepish grin, looking around. “I see you got some new furniture since my last visit.”
“I did,” I replied, sticking my chest out. “I hope you like it.”
“I love anything in plaid,” she told me, admiring my brown and gold couch and love seat with nods of approval.
I glanced at my watch. “Uh, I'm expecting company in a little while. I'm going out to dinner, so I hope you don't mind spending a few hours alone.”
Despite my initial annoyance, I was so happy that my sister had come to spend some time with me. Had I known in time that she was on her way, I would have postponed my date with Roscoe. But I didn't know. And since I didn't want to disappoint him and risk the possibility of running him off while I still needed him, I decided that it was better for me to keep my date with him and deal with Lillimae later.
“Pshaw!” Lillimae responded, waving her hand. “You know me. As long as I can find my way to the refrigerator and the liquor, I can be happy as pie.”
“The refrigerator is full of food, and the liquor cabinet is full of all the goodies you like. Knock yourself out,” I chirped.
“Sugar, you go on your date.” Lillimae leaned forward and gave me a conspiratorial look, then added in a low voice, “And you knock yourself out too ... if you know what I mean.” I was glad that she didn't encourage me to change my plans.
I was not worried about Roscoe coming to the house and meeting Lillimae when he did not know about her in advance. He got along with everybody. Therefore, I knew that the two of them would hit it off. My main concern was my mother and her reaction when she found out that I'd let one of Daddy's other children move into the house that meant so much to her.
Lillimae reared back on her thick legs, slapped her hands on her spacious hips, and frowned as she looked me up and down. Her lips barely moved as she let out a loud yelp. “My God! Your hips have practically disappeared! You done lost almost half of yourself, ain't you?”
“Almost. I've lost a little over a hundred pounds since the last time I saw you,” I replied, sucking in my stomach and patting my almost-slender hip.
Lillimae gently slapped the side of her head. “You poor thing, you. It's that bad, huh? Somethin' kept tellin' me that your life had become as raggedy as a hillbilly's teeth. I'm sorry to see that I was right.” My sister and I called one another up on a regular basis. She knew that Pee Wee and I were separated, and why. “It's a cryin' shame that you've been neglectin' your health and not even eatin' right all on account of a man. Well, don't you worry none, sugar pie. I'm here to help you get your life back together.”
This was a strange comment coming from a woman who had just left her own husband.
“We can still be happy, husbands or no husbands. I know for a fact that they are makin' sex toys these days that are twice as good as the real things,” Lillimae chortled with an exaggerated wink and a loud sniff as she looked toward the kitchen. “Mmmm. Somethin' sure smells good. Greens, I suspect.”
I had cooked some cabbage greens two days ago. Only a dog with a keen sense of smell, or somebody like my sister, could still smell those greens. “You're right,” I laughed. “And there's plenty left in the refrigerator.”
“Good!” she hollered, clapping her hands like a trained seal. “Girl, you wouldn't believe the pooh-butt snacks they gave us on the plane! It would make Mickey Mouse weep! One pack of peanuts an hour after the plane left Miami, and after that, all we got was an itty-bitty pack of pretzels! And if that wasn't stingy enough, those airline scrooges made us
pay
four dollars for an itty-bitty plastic cup of wine!
Four dollars,
girl! I don't know what this world is comin' to! I'd better hurry up and eat a little somethin' before I pass out.” Lillimae fanned her face some more and swayed a little, an indication that she was gearing up for a feast.
I motioned for her to sit down. She plopped down on the couch so hard its legs squeaked like mice. I eased down on the love seat facing her.
“Well, like I said, there is plenty of food and alcohol in the house.”
“Praise the Lord for that,” Lillimae swooned. “After I fortify myself with a few plates of food, then I'll get settled in. Is that first bedroom at the top of the steps still empty? The one closest to the toilet?”
“No, that's where my daughter sleeps. She's spending the night with Muh'Dear and Daddy. You can put your things in the room next to hers. How long do you plan to visit us?”
“Honey chile, I just might stay up here 'til the cows come home. I want to teach Freddie a real good lesson this time. Maybe Pee Wee can introduce me to one of his men friends. My coochie could sure use some fresh meat, and a mighty big piece, I declare.” Lillimae giggled like a horny schoolgirl. “Freddie is the only man I've been with in twenty years. Ain't that a damn shame?” I didn't think that it was a bad thing for my sister to have been faithful to her husband for twenty years. As a matter of fact, I admired her for doing so. “I took my marriage vows real serious.”
“I wish that I could say the same thing about myself,” I admitted, looking at the floor. I looked up in time to see the embarrassed look on Lillimae's face.
“Uh, I only slipped up a few times durin' the last twenty years,” she confessed. “But I didn't get caught like you did. As far as Freddie and everybody else knows, my record as a virtuous woman is spotless. Speakin' of Pee Wee, did he move back home with you yet?” Lillimae looked around the living room, then back to me with both of her eyebrows raised. “Last time me and you talked, things were goin' real good between you and him.” She wobbled up from the couch and waddled over to me. She leaned down and hugged me with both arms and patted my back.
“Things are not going too well between Pee Wee and me right now,” I told her, my voice cracking. “That woman he left me for, she claims she's pregnant by him.”
Lillimae's mouth dropped open and her eyes got big. She shuffled back to the couch with a groan. “Why, that heifer! Oh, good gracious alive! You poor thing, you! Sugar, are you all right? That's a mighty nasty piece of news to swallow.”
“I'm doing as well as can be expected,” I mouthed. Somehow I managed a weak smile. “Bad news is nothing new to me.”
“Wait a minute.” Lillimae held up her hand and gave me a curious look. “I thought that wench was the same age as you? Isn't she too old to be havin' a baby?”
I shook my head. “I guess she wasn't.”
“Well, it looks like I got back up here just in time. Like I said, don't you worry none, sugar. I am goin' to help you get through this mess.”
“I'm glad to hear that.” I looked toward the front door. “And we'll have a nice long talk once you get unpacked and settled. Are you sure you don't mind spending the evening alone? My date is probably on his way, so it's too late for me to call him up and cancel our plans,” I said, looking at my watch again. “Feel free to make yourself right at home,” I added. “You know where the bathrooms and kitchen are.”
“After the way they neglected us on that airplane, I'm goin' to eat and drink myself into a spasm,” Lillimae assured me, looking toward the kitchen again. “As you can see, I haven't let a bad marriage or anything else interfere with my appetite.” She laughed as she lifted one of her massive thighs and gave it a mighty slap.
“Everything is where I always keep it,” I chuckled. “There are extras in the freezer in the basement and in the pantry.”
I knew that I had to talk to Pee Wee again soon. He hadn't called since I hung up on him earlier, but I knew that it was just a matter of time before I heard from him again. Lizzie's pregnancy had already become a major thorn in my side, and it had not even been twenty-four hours since she'd dropped her bombshell.
I was tempted to call Pee Wee up, but I wasn't sure yet what I wanted to say to him next. In the meantime, I was looking forward to getting out of the house for a few hours—and with another man. I knew that if I kept myself busy and distracted, I would spend less time sitting around fuming about Lizzie.
In spite of Lillimae's unexpected appearance, this felt like one of my blackest Fridays ever. But it was just the beginning of one of the most destructive, multilayered catastrophes in my life.

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