Unfaithful Ties (47 page)

They sat there dressed in dark suits, their eyes soaking with tears behind dark shades as they tried to get through the tragic devastation.

The humidity was unbelievably hot. The heat wave in Alabama had reached an record high on that day so when the sky began filling up with hazy clouds the guys were looking forward to the rain. The sun had been sizzling that entire day.

When the 3-volley salute sounded, the twins who hadn’t shed a tear during the entire funeral finally allowed a stream of tears to ooze from their eyes.

At the burial they were sitting underneath a tent.

“
In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our brother Tremaine Stenson Sr. and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him and be gracious unto him and give him peace. Amen."

Sobs echoed throughout the tent as the preacher asked for them
to say their last goodbye to Trae.

Just as they started to place their roses on the solid wood casket the wind hollered and whirled at
a increasing high speed, and the rain poured through the clouds blowing most of the beautiful red roses deep into the cemetery.

Jason wasn’t ready to leave his friend just yet he told everyone that he’d meet them back at the church. And he stayed right there underneath the tent.

“I just find it so hard to leave you here” He wept. “I know that we haven’t talked for months and I apologize for my part in that. I’m so sorry for the things that I said. I hope that you knew how much our friendship meant to me. I hope that you truly knew in your heart that I always considered you as the brother that I never had. I hope that as you took your last breath, you forgave me. I hope you didn’t leave here with the last words I said to you ringing in your head.”

“He didn’t” He heard Vanessa say trekking up behind him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m here because I figured this is where you’d be”

“I didn’t see you at the funeral”

“I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. I don’t remember much but even high school
Trae and I never really saw eye to eye. He’s probably tossing in turning in that casket because I’m here now but I knew that it was the only way I’d be able to reach you”

“Jason turned to her” He was shocked to see her pregnant belly. She wasn’t lying about being pregnant after all.

“It’s yours. This baby I’m carrying is yours. After you told me not to contact you I continued calling you because I wanted to convince you that I wasn’t lying. But you’d never answer. And then, well, I guess you got tired of me calling and the next thing I knew you’d changed your cell number.”

“When I found out everything I was angry and I just wanted to forget about you...us. Because of the timing of your pregnancy I just couldn’t believe you. When is the baby due?”

“September thirtieth”

“I want a DNA test?”

“I sort of got the hint the last time that we talked.”

“Is the baby healthy?”

Vanessa walked closer to Jason and handed him an ultrasound photo “Here she is”

“It’s a girl?” Jason smiled.

“Yes. You should hear her heartbeat, it’s beautiful”

“When is the next appointment?”

“Next month on the sixth. Wanna’ come?”

“You’d want me there?”

“Of course I do. You’re going to love it. I cry every time I hear her heartbeat.”

“Can I?” He asked Vanessa, He wanted to touch her stomach.

Vanessa grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly.

“Hey little girl” Jason smiled. “It’s daddy. I can’t wait to meet you. You’re going to be my little princess
” He said. He rested his head on Vanessa’s stomach, exultant in the thrill of becoming a father.

Epilogue

July 2013

“I’m happy to be attending my girls one year anniversary party and everything, but do we have to wear these ridiculous costumes? It’s to hot for this shit!” Stacy complained, tugging and pulling at her bell-bottoms.

She and Lena were in the ladies room standing in front of a mirror, making sure that their makeup and Afro’s were perfect before they headed down the hall to the ballroom.

“Oh quit complaining! It’s a seventies and eighties event and I think it’s going to be fun. I just hope I don’t fall in these platforms.” Lena laughed.

“Sure, it’ll be fun and hot.” Stacy said, brushing her edges with her hand. “And you know I don’t like to be hot”

“Yeah unless it consists of you being hot between your legs” Lena laughed.

“Oh go to hell Lena.” Stacy smiled giving Lena a slight push with her arm.

“Do I look okay?”

“Girl you are wearing that GOGO dress!”

“Thanks! I just want Kenneth to see what he’s missed”

“He definitely will with that donkey butt poking out.”

“I just hope he doesn’t bring that hussy Storm with him.” Lena hissed.

“Well don’t mess up our girl’s party if he does.”

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me fret”

“Let’s go, Malik is probably sitting at our table wondering what in the hell is taking us so long.”

Brandi and Raymond’s one year anniversary party was held at the
Rivercreek Grand Ballroom in San Antonio, which was interiorized profusely with gold and metallic streamers, confetti, a large disco ball hanging from the ceiling, seventies and eighties posters, lava lamps, strobe lights, fog machines, and a large banner that read
The Flinch’s Saturday Night Anniversary Fever
. The Deejay was playing nothing but music from the late seventies and early eighties and the food smelled like it was absolutely mouthwatering.

“Hey you two, I’ve been looking all over for you” Brandi
said as Lena and Stacy were about to ease down into their seats. “Hey B.” They both said walking around the table. 

“You know how Stacy is, she can’t stay out of the mirror.” Lena joked.

“Just like I told you Brandi. I knew that’s what she was doing” Malik smiled.

“You did, didn’t you?” Brandi giggled.

“B, you look so good. Look at you showing off your curves. And that haircut! I love this look on you” Stacy said.

“Thanks. Getting all that weight off hasn’t been easy but I did it and after my hair started growing back I decided to keep it short.”

“Well you look good.” Lena added.

“Thanks”

“I’m so happy for you” Stacy told Brandi almost getting teary eyed. “You’re glowing.”

“I know!” Brandi smiled. “I have so much to be happy about. I have the most caring man in the world to hold me at night and I found out last week that I beat cancer.” She said with excitement. “I’m cancer free.”

“That’s great news.” Stacy and Vanessa agreed nearly squeezing the life out of  Brandi as they hugged her. “

“Where is Raymond?” Lena asked.

“He went to the men’s room. He and I will walk back over here in a few. I need to go and check on my dad. Can you believe my mom and dad are here?”

“Your mom and dad are here?” Lena said shockingly.

“Yeah there over there by the bar.” Brandi said pointing in her parents direction. Dad’s probably driving mom crazy complaining about his knees so let me go over here make sure they’re okay.”

“We’ll come over and speak to the them in a bit” Stacy confirmed her.

“Okay sounds good. They’ll be happy to see you ladies.”

“Where are Jason and Vanessa?” Malik asked once the ladies had sat down at the table.

“Who knows” Lena answered.

“You know Jason and Vanessa are always late
” Stacy added.

Kenneth and Storm walked into the building.

“I know that this bitch is not wearing the same dress that I’m wearing!”

Stacy nudged Lena with her leg.

“I’m not going to let her ruin my evening besides it looks better on me anyway.”

When Kenneth and Storm sat down at the table. Lena didn’t speak. She sat there with a querulous look on her face.

****

There were so many cars in the parking area and not enough spaces to fill them so Jason and Vanessa
were forced to park across the street from the venue.

“We’re super late
” Jason said to his wife Vanessa.

“Hopefully we haven’t missed too much.”

“Yeah hopefully but it’s definitely unlikely.” He said as he pulled into a tight parking space and shut off the engine.

He got out of the rental car. “These pants are too tight” he mumbled pulling on the
pinstriped bell-bottoms he was wearing as he walked around the back of the car. He opened Vanessa’s door. “Come on Sweetness.” He said helping her from the seat.

She wobbled out of the car carrying her purse along with a big belly. “This weather and being pregnant is definitely not fun.”

“Don’t worry Jason Jr. will be here before you know it.”

Vanessa looped her arm through Jason’s. “He’s not going to be a
Junior.”

“Yes he is”

“No he’s not”

“You named our daughter and I didn’t complain.
Although I didn’t like the name Olivia all that well.  So I’m going to name our son.”

“We’ll see” Vanessa laughed and she and Jason argued back and forth about the name of their unborn child until they made it into the ballroom.

Vanessa headed straight for the ladies room and Jason walked through the expansive room searching for the table that had a card with the number fifty-two sitting on top of it. He found it.

“What’s up man?” Jason said to Malik as their hands slapped together.

“What’s up Kenneth!” Jason smiled.

“How you doing man?” Kenneth said getting to his feet.

“Ladies” Jason spoke to the women.

“Where’s Vanessa?” Lena and Stacy asked at the same time.

“She’s  in the Ladies room.”

“I almost thought you two weren’t going to come” Malik told his friend.

“Women man.”

“I know” Malik agreed, cutting his eyes over at Stacy.

“So the next time we get together again. You and Stacy will be getting married, right?’ Jason asked

“Yeah”

“When is it again?”

“You can’t be one of my best men if you’re going to keep forgetting the date.” Malik laughed. “
It’s  September twenty eighth, exactly two months from now.”

“Got it!” Jason laughed.

Vanessa came wobbling up to the table and flopped down into the seat besides Jason.  “Hey everyone” She spoke. She looked miserable.

“I don’t even have to ask how you’re doing because it’s written all over your face.” Stacy said.

Vanessa laughed. “I’m fine. I’m just ready to drop this load”

The deejay stopped the music and Brandi grabbed the microphone. “I just want to take this time and thank everyone that traveled near and far to share this moment with us tonight. I also want to thank this incredible man that has made this last year of my life irreplaceable. Thank you for showing me the true meaning of happily ever after. I love you with all my heart.”

“I love you too” Raymond whispered in her ear.

“Now let’s have some
fun.  Get up and dance people” She shouted.

****

Kenneth got up and walked to the stage where the deejay and the band members were sitting. He grabbed the microphone “If I can steal everyone’s attention for a few minutes I have something that I want to ask the most important woman in my life.  Storm you’re the best thing that has happened to me in a long time and I want you to be my wife, will you marry me?”

The entire room of people clapped and celebrated in unison as Storm raced towards the stage.
Everyone one but Lena, who suddenly felt sick.

After Storm accepted Kenneth’s proposal she headed to ladies room and Kenneth headed over to the food section and started piling food onto his plate. Lena tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to face her.

“Congratulations” She said. “She’s a lucky woman”

“Thanks”

“Well I’m about to get out of here. I guess I’ll see you next week when you come and pick up Mckhi.”

“Yeah” Kenneth said, looking into Lena’s eyes.

“Well okay I need to get going.” She turned to walk away.

“Lena” Kenneth called out.

She turned back around not caring that her tears were visible.

“Thanks again! I really do mean that” He said.

With a low, trembling, voice “Yeah” She said, lowered her head and then walked away.

****

“Come on you lazy folks, let’s go dance” Brandi ordered her friends to do.

They all got up and headed to the dance floor. The deejay was playing
Let’s groove tonight
by
Earth Wind and Fire
.

The couples were getting down, especially Malik and Stacy. Malik’s cell started ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket. It was Jennifer. “
Stace I’ve gotta’ take this. It’s probably about Mackenzie.”

“Okay that’s fine, just hurry back”

Malik rushed out the doors and answered his mobile. “Hello”

“Malik” Jennifer said weeping.

“Jennifer what’s wrong? Is Mackenzie okay?”

“Mackenzie is fine, it’s about me”

“Okay that’s not my concern”

“Yes it is”

“How?”

“Because I just found out that I’m HIV positive.”