Troublemaker (22 page)

S
amantha was so mad she wanted to spit. She knew that fighting, especially in front of her son, would have been a terrible thing to do, and a horrible example for a young boy who was already trending dangerously to the wild side. But she couldn't help it. She'd wanted to give Brandy a beat down right there in the kitchen in front of everyone.

She was glad that her levelheaded husband had stepped in and made her act like she had some sense. “Baby, you know that's not the example we want to show Chase,” Tyler had whispered into her ear when he'd gently pulled her off to the side.

“He's looking at that hoochie mama's legs and thighs so hard he doesn't even notice that I'm ready to kick Ms. Thang's ass.”

“Kids notice everything, Sam. Whether we think they do or not.”

Samantha knew Tyler had been right again, and she was glad she hadn't reacted the way she'd wanted to. She knew she had to control her mouth and her actions, and this practice in self-control was good training for when she came forward to her family with the secret she'd been keeping.

She put her emotions to the side and joined in as everyone partook in the delicious breakfast that Victoria and Ted had prepared. Despite the physical incident that had nearly just transpired, Samantha was still amazed by how much she was enjoying this trip. She'd known from the beginning that being in Nedine was going to help her family, but she hadn't anticipated that she'd actually have fun.

After everyone finished breakfast, she and Tyler let Chase know that he was responsible for cleaning the kitchen.

“You mean I have to do the dishes and clean this whole kitchen by myself?” Chase said, surprised and slightly annoyed.

Tyler nodded. “Boy, you act like you have to do hard labor.”

“It's gonna feel like it.”

Samantha looked at her son and shook her head. “You have no idea what hard labor feels like. There's a heavy-duty dishwasher to help you and an army of cleaning supplies under the sink.”

“Yeah, but I still have to do all this work by myself. Eight people had breakfast but only one has to clean up. That's not fair.”

Samantha shrugged. “Neither is life.”

“You're the youngest person in this house,” Tyler said. “So you should have more energy than any of us to get the job done. Now stop complaining and get to cleaning.”

Chase wasn't bold or crazy enough to give Tyler any back talk, so he sucked up his attitude and pulled out the cleaning supplies. As Samantha and Tyler walked upstairs to shower and get dressed, she hoped the rest of the day would go as smoothly.

 

It was a little after lunchtime, and even though they'd devoured a hearty breakfast, Samantha, Tyler, and Chase were eating again. They were sitting outside the Masonic Lodge, finishing their meal of cheeseburgers, French fries, and chocolate milk shakes before going inside to check out the black history exhibit. For someone so thin, Samantha had always had a ferocious appetite, eating anything she wanted without gaining a pound. She loved that there were dozens of food vendors set up at every celebratory event location throughout town.

“Are you two ready to check out the exhibit?” Tyler asked as he polished off the last of his shake.

Samantha wanted to laugh because it was him they were waiting on. She and Chase were fast eaters, but Tyler always took his time. Now that he'd finally finished, they were ready to head inside.

Samantha was impressed and inspired by the attention to detail and obvious effort that the city's African American community had put into making sure the town's celebration included black people who'd made significant contributions in Nedine's history. Having grown up in D.C.'s “Chocolate City,” she'd always had a healthy appreciation for and knowledge of black history and culture. But as she looked at some of the pictures hanging on the walls, which spanned from grainy black and white photos of slaves to a colorful canvas of this year's NAACP officers, she felt a new kind of pride. The photos showed that struggle could lead to triumph, and Samantha felt the same way about her life.

If anyone had told her during her late twenties that she'd be happily married with two children, living in a sprawling suburban neighborhood in the South, she would have laughed and told them to stop drinking. Even with the difficulties that lay ahead involving her son, along with the difficult task of revealing her true paternity, Samantha knew that life was good, and that she'd been blessed in spite of herself.

 

“This history lesson is better than anything that Chase could learn in school,” Samantha said to Victoria as she watched her son and husband walk around the room, taking in the displays. “I'm so glad he and Tyler are spending this kind of time together, bonding and sharing. This really means a lot and I'm so grateful to you for allowing us to join your family on this trip.”

“I'm thankful that my beautiful daughter received the vision from our grandma Allene, because that's what brought us here,” Victoria said, giving Alexandria a big smile.

Ted nodded in agreement. “Even though we've had a few bumps early on, we're going to put those behind us and enjoy the rest of this weekend. From here on out, it'll be smooth sailing.”

Samantha hoped Ted's words were going to ring true, but as she looked at Alexandria, she wasn't so sure. Victoria and Ted seemed not to notice that their daughter looked as though her mind was in a different place. Samantha wondered if Alexandria was having one of her visions or if she was simply tired. She wanted to ask, but she also didn't want to alarm anyone. Just then, Chase and Tyler came up.

Tyler was smiling and she could see that he had good news.

“While Chase and I were looking at one of the photos, a guy came up to me who happens to be head of the local Urban League. We started talking, I told him about YFI, and he's interested in starting a chapter here in Nedine.”

“That's great,” Samantha said.

“My father's little town is making big connections,” Victoria said with a smile.

Tyler nodded. “It sure is. As a matter of fact, he invited us to come over to the Urban League office because they're having a reception that starts in an hour. I figured we could head over there if it doesn't interfere with your plans for us.”

“Sure,” Victoria said. “We're going to stick around here for a while and then take Uncle Maxx to the old neighborhood where he grew up before we head back to the house.”

“Sounds good,” Samantha said. “We'll see you later.” She gave Victoria and the rest of the family a hug before following Tyler and Chase out the door.

Three hours and hundreds of handshakes, smiles, and two slices of pound cake later, they were back at the house. Samantha didn't realize how tired she was until she kicked off her stiletto sandals and lay atop the cool comforter in her and Tyler's room.

“This has been a full day and we still have the evening gala tonight,” Samantha said as she wriggled out of her skirt and summer tank top.

Tyler pulled off his shorts and polo shirt, then walked over to the bed to lie down beside her. “What time does it start?”

“At eight.”

“Good, we've got a few hours.”

Samantha yawned. “Yes, and I'm going to take a nice long power nap to keep me going for tonight.”

Tyler turned onto his side so that he was facing her. “Sam, I need to talk to you about something.”

The seriousness in his voice and the intensity in his eyes told her that whatever he wanted to talk about wasn't going to be good. “Okay, I can tell this is something serious. What's wrong?”

“It's about Chase.”

Samantha shot up in the bed. She'd been sleepy only moments ago, but now she was on full alert. Her heart started beating fast and she had to remind herself to breathe. “What's happened now?”

“Several things. Not just what's going on at the moment, but what's happened in the past.”

Samantha sat in the middle of the bed looking stunned as Tyler told her about the other two pregnancy scares their son had experienced last year. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought that Tyler was making it up as a practical joke. But she knew her husband didn't play around like that, and nothing about what he was telling her was remotely funny.

“I wanted to tell you,” he continued. “But I didn't know how.”

“How about, ‘Guess what, Sam, our son just got a girl pregnant!' ”

“It wasn't that easy.”

“And why the hell not?”

“Because I've always told Chase that he can come to me, man-to-man, and tell me anything in confidence. I want him to trust in my word, Sam.”

Samantha shook her head. “But he's not a man. He's a child. Our child.”

“He's growing into a man, and what he's facing right now is a grown-up situation and responsibility.”

“I don't care what kind of trouble Chase finds himself in, I'm his mother and I deserved to know what was going on. How could you have stood by, knowing he'd gotten two girls pregnant, and not say a word to me?” Samantha was incredulous. She hopped off the bed and started pacing the floor. “This is the reason why LaMonica is pregnant right now.”

Tyler stood to his feet, too. “You think that because I didn't tell you about the others, this is the reason Chase is in this situation? You can't mean that.”

“I absolutely do. If I had known about the others I would've done something to put a stop to him going out and getting another girl pregnant.”

“If you had known about the others you would've done exactly what you did two weeks ago, which was get upset, start yelling, and then worry yourself into a glass of wine.”

Samantha glared at him. “Did Chase come to you about this before he sat down with both of us?”

Tyler nodded.

“This is fucking unbelievable. How long did you know before our little sham of a family meeting?”

“He told me that morning, after you'd gone to work,” Tyler let out a heavy breath. “This made his third strike, and I told him it was time for us to handle his mistakes as a family. If I could change things I would. I'd have told you last year after I found out about the first girl. But I can't go back in time, Sam. All I can do is move forward.

“And I promise you here and now, from this point on you won't ever have to worry about me keeping anything from you. We're a family, and I want us to be strong for each other.”

They stood far apart in silence for several minutes, Tyler looking at her, Samantha looking up at the ceiling. Her head was swimming with painful realizations.

“Say something?” Tyler said.

“I feel so empty right now.”

“Baby, I'm sorry.” Tyler walked to her and took her into his arms. “Please forgive me.”

Samantha laid her head on his shoulder. “I guess it's me who should ask for forgiveness. Neither you nor Chase trusted me with the truth because you were afraid I'd go off, and that's not right. I have to own up to my shit and start controlling my actions . . . and my mouth.”

“Yeah, you do,” Tyler said with a chuckle. “I made a mistake and I'm sorry.”

“What you did is exactly what I've done for years. I've held on to a secret that affects other people, all because I wanted to protect them from hurt. But now I know it's best to tell people the truth, show them love, and then get through it together, like you said, as a family.”

Tyler pulled back and stared at her. “Have you been reading self-help books?”

If the situation weren't so serious Samantha would have either laughed or felt offended. “What? I can't be deep and thought-provoking?”

“That's just such a healthy approach. I'm proud of you, baby.”

Samantha was actually surprised and proud of herself, too. “Thank you, I'm learning.”

The truth was, taking in the exhibit at the Masonic Lodge, which had featured several pictures of Victoria's grandfather and father, and then hearing a historian talk about the legacy they'd built, had inspired Samantha. And now, standing in the room that John Small had once slept in, in a house steeped in history and a lifetime of love, family, and dreams, she felt hopeful.

Samantha placed her head back on Tyler's shoulder and smiled. “We both dug up and then buried our past, and now we can move on with a new beginning.”

A
lexandria and her family, sans Christian, were standing among the large crowd assembled at the Masonic Lodge, which was located on the south side of town and home to most of Nedine's black residents. The unassuming structure, which had undergone several expansions through the years, and most recently a complete renovation, was a time-honored gathering place for the African American community.

More than two hundred people were milling around, inside and out, all there as part of the town's Flower Festival activities which had been organized to observe and pay homage to Nedine's black residents, community leaders and business owners who'd done extraordinary things in the name of progress.

“Ali, even though this morning started off a little rocky, things are looking up. This is turning out to be a great day,” PJ said as he stood beside Alexandria and her parents.

As her family, local townspeople, and tourists enjoyed the artful history displays, historical photos, and abundant food stations throughout the room, Alexandria thought about the conversation that she and Grandma Allene had had last night. There were some things that were simply out of her control, and even if she could use her abilities to intervene and change them, it was best to step back, watch, and let things take their own course.

“My great-grandma, Susan Jessup, used to always tell me, ‘Everything is as it needs to be,' ” Allene had once said.

Alexandria knew her wise ancestors were right, so instead of lamenting what she couldn't change, she chose to focus her mind on what was in front of her. She looked around the room and took in the poignant, complex history that the two-thousand-and-five-hundred-square-foot space held. It was alive with energy. She smiled when a vision of her grandpa John flashed in front of her. She saw that he'd celebrated his graduation from both high school and college here, and that he'd rejoiced with happiness when he and her nana Elizabeth had hosted their simple but elegant wedding reception in this very room, which her great-grandmother Henrietta had personally catered.

“Look at Daddy and his father,” Victoria said with pride as she pointed at a picture of Isaiah and John Small that hung prominently in the center of the main wall. They were both dressed in tailored business suits, looking like they belonged on the cover of
Fortune
magazine. “I never knew my grandpa Isaiah because he passed away when I was just a baby. But the stories I heard about him were legendary, and that's why my daddy turned out to be the kind of man he was.” Victoria smiled and shook her head. “Daddy was all about business, and you couldn't find a smarter man alive, but he also loved and cherished his family. He was a great man, and I miss him so much.”

“Yes indeed,” Maxx said. “They was both pillars of this community, respected by blacks and whites alike.”

Alexandria nodded in agreement. “Yes, Mom and Uncle Maxx. I've seen all that you say, and I can feel their spirits right now.”

“Are they here in the room?” Victoria whispered as she looked at her daughter with hope.

“Their energy is, along with so many others.” Alexandria scanned the room. “Every face you see in the pictures on these walls is here, and they're happy to finally be acknowledged.”

“I'm always so amazed by what you can do,” Victoria said with a smile. “I wish I had your gift, even if for just one day. What a blessing that would be.”

Alexandria knew that her mother didn't have a clue, nor did most other people, that her gift could bring a heavy burden, just as she and Allene had discussed last night. Each day was an internal fight to control it. Some days were easier than others when trying to tame the voices and visions that were always competing to be heard or seen. At times like now, when she was both mentally and physically tired, it was all she could do to simply function.

As Alexandria took another glance around the room, making note of each photograph gracing the four walls of the beautifully restored building, she couldn't help but feel overwhelming awe. From the moment she'd entered the historic space, she'd been greeted with the intense spirit and energy of the people whose faces decorated the walls, and the physical presence of those who'd been in this very room from as far back as one hundred fifty years ago, when the original building had been constructed as a small, one-room shack.

Voices and visions from the past shot out at her as if she were watching snippets of a movie. She saw people laughing at celebrations, finger snapping to loud music at parties, and receiving honors at ceremonies held to commemorate special occasions. But she also felt the sadness, mourning, loss, and sorrow that had once filled the great room. She closed her eyes and was instantly transported back to the past. She watched as secret meetings took place in the very spot where she was standing.

The town's black activists had strategized under the cover of night, developing plans to keep their community safe in the wake of lynchings, cross burnings, and other atrocious acts committed by the Klan.

She saw her grandma Allene in these meetings. The only woman in a room full of men, Allene sat close beside her son, Isaiah, who resided at the head of a small wooden table where the quiet group had gathered by dim candlelight. Allene spoke to the men in hushed tones as they listened with rapt attention to every word coming from her mouth. Alexandria strained to hear what they were saying, but try as she might, she couldn't make out a single word.

Grandma Allene, what's going on?
Alexandria asked through her thoughts, knowing Allene was close by.
I know I'm seeing this vision for a reason, but I don't know why.

Alexandria waited for Allene to respond, but she heard nothing except the silence in her own head and the busy chatter of the crowd that filled the room. She looked around for Allene, hoping to see the tall, regal woman who always stood out even when she was sitting down. But she didn't see a trace of Allene's signature silver-white mane that was fashioned into a neat chignon high atop her head, or the flowing ankle-length skirt she always wore.

Alexandria was confused and didn't know what to think. Although Allene was out of sight, she knew the old spirit was in the room because she could feel her.

Where are you, Grandma?
As Alexandria concentrated harder, fatigue began to grip her body. The visions were coming too fast, and the fact that she couldn't make sense of them made her feel helpless to what was happening. She made one last attempt to communicate with Allene. She wiped a thin trace of sweat from her brow and reached out through air, space, and time.
I'm seeing things that I don't understand. Please tell me what all this means.

“Baby, are you okay?” PJ asked as he held Alexandria's hand in his. He looked at her closely. “You're trembling and you're starting to sweat. Are you having a vision?”

“What's wrong, sweetie?” Victoria asked as she looked on with worry.

Alexandria nodded. “I need something to drink. I feel a little light-headed.”

“I'll take care of her, Mom,” PJ said to Victoria. “Don't worry—this happens from time to time when we're at home. I know what to do.”

Victoria looked into Alexandria's eyes, and then at PJ. “Sweetie, are you sure you're all right? Is there anything I can do?”

“PJ will take care of her,” Ted said gently as he gave a nod.

Protection mixed with a mother's instinct was layered in Victoria's voice. “Your father and I will be right here if you need us.”

Alexandria smiled. “Thanks, Mom. But don't worry. I'll be fine. I just need a few minutes to sit down and rest.”

As PJ slowly led her to the other side of the room, Alexandria tried to once again communicate with Allene.
Why aren't you answering me, Grandma? What's wrong?
Suddenly, it all became crystal clear to her in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Allene had never been in the room at all. What Alexandria had thought was her great-great-grandmother's physical presence had actually been the strength of the all-too-real vision she'd experienced only moments ago. Allene had pulled her into the past. So much was going on that she could barely keep pace with the speed and intensity of it all.

“Here, sit down,” PJ said as he helped Alexandria to a chair in the corner of the room. “I'm going to get you some water and I'll be right back.”

Alexandria nodded. “Thanks, honey.” She watched PJ walk through the crowd and she felt relieved to be off her feet so she could rest for a moment. But before she could calm her mind and body, another vision appeared. This time, she could barely believe what she was seeing.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and concentrated. She'd been transported again, back in time to a place that felt new and familiar at once. As she squinted to focus in for a better view, she nearly lost her breath when she began to realize where she'd landed. She was standing in a room that felt as comfortable as her own bedroom, and she immediately knew that this was her grandma Allene's house.

She blinked twice to make sure what she was witnessing was real. “How can this be?” Alexandria questioned in amazement. She watched as two people, whom she'd had no idea knew each other, sat engaged in what looked to be a serious conversation. As she stared more closely she was a hundred percent sure that her eyes had not deceived her. Allene Small and Carolyn Thornton—her father's mother—were talking about the future.