Single Mom (61 page)

O
UR
wedding date was set for August 15, 1998, and the wedding band that Denise had picked out for me was dynamite! She told me she wanted me to make sure that people would notice it, just in case I went somewhere and forgot that I was married. There was no way in the world I was going to do that, because nothing in the world meant more to me than taking Denise up to that altar and saying “I do.” I never thought that I would ever anticipate a wedding so much, especially after my divorce, but stranger things have happened.

As far as where we were going to live, Denise understood that it was a “man’s thing” for me to want to start over on neutral ground instead of moving in with her. So we began to put our heads together and look at new homes, while planning to rent out the other, just like I had been thinking. Denise said that her mother, sister, and niece could even move into her home. That was fine with me, too, as long as
I
didn’t have to live there. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind Denise making more money than I did, but I
did mind
not feeling that I could pull my own weight. And you can call it a “man’s thing” if you want, but that’s the way things were going to be, and Denise understood how I felt without an argument. That’s why I loved her so much, she was willing to work it all out with a brother. And besides that, she was simply a hell of a woman; brains, curves, and all.

Brock
   

I
N
less than one full year, a hundred different changes have happened; I was getting married in August, both of my sons’ fathers were doing their jobs, J.D. had matured with steady employment, Walter Jr. was straightening up
his
act, Jimmy had good grades in high school, Walter III was doing well on his school’s track team, Camellia was dating again, Monica had lost her virginity, Levonne was gaining weight, my mother was alive again, Cheron was doing better, and Nikita was still as
trifling
as she ever was. Not
everything
changes, but at least she had a damn job and was not asking me for money so much.

I guess perfection in
this
world is only what you can
hope
to have. Obviously, some people expect more than others. I expected a lot, but I was willing to compromise on some things too. Maybe I compromised too much in the earlier stages of my life, which led me not to give anything later on, not even tears or pity. That’s a hard way to live, yet many single mothers are forced to live that reality: a reality of fear based on too much compromise that makes you weak, or no compromise at all that makes you almost inhuman.

Marrying Dennis Brockenborough was a chance, a chance to see if I could expect to have perfection while I was still alive. Most women would like to have a man, whether they want to admit it or not. And most women want a father for their children, yet many have learned and now
expect
to do without. Again, that’s a hard way to live, even for someone as successful as myself and Camellia. Who knows when that breaking
point will come when you find yourself slipping into darkness, while telling yourself that you’re actually making it. Then you find out years later that your kids actually didn’t get all that they needed to survive in this hard world they must live in. Not to mention the emptiness that you may have felt while living for years without a stable partner. I didn’t want to live that way anymore, with so many questions concerning happiness, and outright lies for answers. So if I offend any superwomen, single mothers out there, then I’m sorry, but I no longer want to be one. And I don’t find anything wrong with that. Whoever said that we were supposed to be single mothers in the first place?

Denise
   

like the sharks and the whales
belong to the ocean
the wind and the birds
belong to the sky
and the roots of the tallest trees
belong to the earth
all by design
and never by accident
.

T
HE
N
ATURE OF
T
HINGS
by Omar Tyree
When I first held my son
Time 4;33 p.m., Date May 31st 1996
I knew I’d never let him go
simply because he was mine
and so was his mother
they belonged to me
and I belonged to them
like the sharks and the whales
belong to the ocean
the wind and the birds
belong to the sky
and the roots of the tallest trees
belong to the earth
all by design
and never by accident.

First off, I want to thank all of the single mothers in the community who allowed me an opportunity to understand the importance of this issue. Single parenthood is definitely one that needs to have an all-out discussion. So let’s not read this book as a “fictional” story, but as a spark plug to begin national forums on single motherhood, as well as responsible fatherhood. Without fathers, there would be no single moms because there would be no children. We are not speaking of test-tube babies and storks dropping kids on the doorsteps of thousands of homes in our communities. Therefore, we need to come to some concrete and realistic solutions that include men
and
women. I also would like to acknowledge the many single fathers in the community. I have not forgotten about you; however, I can only write one book at a time. So feel free to include your concerns.

In the process of getting this book completed, I would like to thank my agent, Denise Stinson, for pushing to have our new contract done and signed in time to continue my work. I am not a “hold-out” kind of guy. However, if we ever make that New York top twenty list, we can expect to up the stakes accordingly (smile). We’ll just have to wait and see if the community of readers supports me enough to push me to that big-time level of American literature.

I want to thank my new editor, Marion Maneker, for your patience and psychological approach; “Omar, maybe for your next book, you want to think about sticking to fewer storylines and creating a definite
plot. Then again, your books cover a lot of different issues with one story often following upon another.” (These are not your exact words, but I did get the point, and I do agree.) So our next book, for the same time next year, will be
Sweet St. Louis
, a classic love story for the relationship-loving ladies, and the emotionally dieting men. Stay tuned out there for a real black love story! I also want to thank Marion for having the courage not to follow trends with our groundbreaking cover design. Fight the power of the copycat! Let’s always do something challenging and new … that is, as long as it
works
(smile).

I want to thank Karintha and Ameer for putting up with Jekyll-and-Hyde Dad again, for four whole months this time. And Ms. Jewly and family for taking Ameer into your tight-knit clan of kids. Bless you! As you can see, the boy has as much energy and persistence as his dad (smile)! I wouldn’t have been able to get anything done without you, Ms. Jewly. Thanks a million!

And then I want to thank all the individuals who helped me in the creative process of this book, as well as new friends who are actively pushing my career forward. My Chicago crew: attorney Randy Crumpton, Dawn Kelly, Beatrice Shoular, Jeff Roshell, DaTasha Harris, DeShong Perry, cousins Derek Hughes and Lee Gray, and authors LaJoyce Brookshire and E. Lynn Harris. My Philly crew: Pamela Artis, Vanesse j. Lloyd Sgambati, Uncle Joe, Larry Robin, Lecia and Joel Brickerstaff, Betty Jean, Kellie L. Dutton, Dawn Jones, Steve Satell, and Stephanie Renee. My New York soldiers: Yvette “Stay Busy” Hayward, Pam Crockett, Esq., Christene Saunders, Jackie Jacob, and Ed Lover and Dr. Dre for putting me on the mike up there. Peace & Love, brothers. Let’s do it again like J. J. Walker, Bill Cosby, and Sidney Poitier in some seventies zoot suits (smile). My New Jersey connections: Evangelia Biddy, Sundiata and Shondalon, and Uncle George. My Florida soldier: author extraordinaire Lolita Files. My D.C./Maryland/Virginia peeps: Brother Simba and Brother Yao, Walter “Rap” Pearson, Kwame Alexander, Mercedes Allen, Georgianna Bodwin, Rashena Wilson, Gigi Roane and Willie Jennings, author Ralph Wiley, Derrick McGinty for putting me on the mike in D.C., and Kojo Nnamdi for putting me on the tube. My North Carolina crew: cousin Priscilla “The AKA” Tyree, Bruce Bridges, Byron Johnson, and Tekoa K. Hash. My Delawareans: Kendra Patterson and family, Teresa Knox, Haneef Shabazz and family, and Lynette Edwards and family. And plenty of new friends I’ve met along the way: author Denene Millner, Kay Burdy, Cathy Harrell, Tammie
Wright, Ann Hart and family, Rod Ambrose, Ebony Williams … And to everyone else, make sure I include you next time.

To all the readers who love my work, always stay tuned for my next one, because whatever it may be, it will always be thoughtful and will always say something to the community.

Peace & Love
   

Omar Tyree
   

O
MAR
T
YREE
, a native of Philadelphia, is an author, journalist, lecturer, and poet. His books include
Flyy Girl, Capital City, BattleZone, A Do Right Man
, and
Single Mom
. He lives in New Castle, Delaware.

To learn more about Omar Tyree, view his Web site at www.OmarTyree.com, send an e-mail to [email protected], or write to MARS Productions, P.O. Box 12814, Wilmington, DE 19850.

More powerful fiction available in paperback from
Essence
bestselling author Omar Tyree

Just Say No!
0-684-87294-3

For the Love of Money
0-684-87292-7

Sweet St. Louis
0-684-85611-5