Family Reunion (24 page)

"Ever been so scared that diarrhea wrung every means of sustenance you had from you? That happens you know, I saw it with my own eyes, little boys and girls so scared they were constantly throwing up and shitting themselves to death! A black man forced me to eat, drink, and accept. He held me, rocked me, and protected me with his life, until Ephraim took his life! So what am I?! I'm a Negro bastard with a white master who happens to be my father and sometimes, I just see things and I get angry! It hits me without warning, the feeling takes over, and I can't stop it."

They were both quiet for a moment until another thought occurred to Mike, "If they knew, you were trying to pass off your Negro bastard as an all important white man, everything you've worked so hard to build for me, and my little bastard sister, for all of these years, would crumble right before your eyes. My father, no matter what I look like on the surface, to them all, I'm still the product of a Negro slave!" Mike saddened with the thought, almost feeling sorry for his father, but his life, and what was happening in it was not of his doing – unable to stop it now, he went on to say.

"God knows, I love Princess Ceś alena with all of my heart and soul and no man white or otherwise is worthy to even kiss my mother's feet. I'm mad at myself sometimes because I feel like a hypocrite. I must keep up this masquerade and not shout to the world what I really am, who my mother really is, or else I would most certainly ruin my life and in turn the lives of those that are now most important to me, my children and my wife. I'm sorry, you asked and so I said it. I am what you and this world has forced me to be. Sometimes, not always…I get angry."

Manny stood thinking,
'My God, what a mess I've made of their lives.'

Thinking back, he wished he had taken Lena and Mike immediately and done what he had at first wanted to do, run off and not worry over money and a means to make it. Maybe, just maybe, he would have been able to work out all the rest. By handling it the way he had, he had aided in stripping away his son's pride and he now fought to give it back the best way he knew how. Yet, after hearing that entire truth, not for a moment did he regret loving Lena; nothing would ever make him regret loving her. His only regret was how he had done so.

Seeing his father quietly ponder over his words, Mike felt a pang of regret at some of the things he had said and regret for neglecting things he should have, like,
'Despite it all my father, I love you.'
To say that now would seem out of place, yet he felt it just the same.

Mike walked to the chair before his father's desk and took a seat,
prepared for whatever Manny had to say to him. Sitting forward, with his elbows on his knees, looking at the floor, he tried to muster the nerve to get it in that he loved him, but it wouldn't come up.

Manny took a deep breath, and finally responded.

"I stand here looking at you son and I truly don't know what it would take to appease you and erase the past I cursed you with. The pain I caused you and your mother was never intentional and I'll probably never live it down." Manny paused not sure how to go on, what could he say that he hadn't already said a hundred times before?

"At the time when I was causing all the pain, I admit I took the easy road. Yes, it was a way of life for me, a convenient way of life because yes, it's one of the privileges of being white, that's me…sorry son, not a damn thing I can do about it. In that convenience, I slipped up and fell in love with what my class would regard as the wrong color woman. I fought it and denied it as long as I could. Michael, I can't go back. I can't undo."

"I can't withdraw what I feel and I have no intention of ever trying despite everything. Believe me or not, like it or not, I still love that incredible black woman more than I will ever love any human being on this earth. Since her, I can't even begin to count the number of women I've gone through trying to forget her, trying to erase Ceś alena, and the past."

"As for you, and the day you were born, I won't lie to you. I was proud and my ego soared. I, as a white man was so potently strong that I produced a totally white son from your mother, a black woman. Let me make this clear to you here and now, I was proud of that because I've always been prideful of what and who I am. I am white as you call it and loving a black woman does naught to lesson my pride. I won't apologize to you or any other man for being white. Michael, my son I cannot and will not, allow you or any other man, black, red or yellow to place the burden of what has been done wrong to others,
on
me! Although I have made many a bad decision in my life, with much regret I cannot live with being constantly choked by it all. With all the wrongs I must carry and face of my own, I won't be blamed and held accountable by you - or anyone else for what other white men do."

"Nothing I do or can do will change anything the others of my race have done yesterday or today. I cannot force others to see things as I do while I have never felt myself to be a better or of a higher ordained race by God! I know too many real men that are not of my race and I know too many spineless, shallow, lechers that are. I employ thousands from every race; good and bad exist with each one!”

“
So you'll have to forgive me for not feeling less about myself for those I have no control over. All I can do is what is in my means to do. Working for me, every man is as fairly treated as the next, regardless of his color or background."

Manny stopped to think a moment as he wondered at his son's understanding of what he was saying, or trying to say. It didn't matter, so he finished with, "There you have it son. I'm your white father, take me or leave me. Know this, God as my witness I am sorry I compromised you and your mother for my father, and those people. Trying to please everyone can't be done. I tried and failed the one person in the world I should have told all the others to go to hell for. Instead, it was she who went through hell ... for me! Until I find her and make all right…I will not be content."

Mike looked up and both men stared into each others eyes.

"As for you, don't walk away from all I've built for you…for her, for

Hope. Mike, in order to live today as we desire we must be independent and strong. Money and prominence
are
power. Don't underestimate it. To us, the people who love you, we know who and what you are, everyone else can go to hell, they don't need to know. Give up your struggle, accept your lot in life and make a difference for those who cannot do what you can. By rejecting what I offer you, you will have failed all those who would have known a better life, if you take your place here beside me. Think beyond yourself son; don't make the same mistakes that I've made. Your sons need you to keep this strong and growing for them. That's it…I've nothing more to say." He stood and walked back around his desk and took his seat, grabbing his pile of pay invoices.

"Well, there's work to be done." He murmured low.

Mike took a deep breath and walked back to his chair, "Can I say one more thing?" He asked. Manny looked up. "Go ahead."

"I – I'm glad you're my father. I – well… I wanted to say something else."

"It's okay son."

"No it's not okay. I said the other stuff…and this is just as important." He swallowed deep and admitted. "When I lay dying…I prayed for you to please find me. If you weren't the man you are, you wouldn't have. And umm, I love you. I do…I love you…and I'm…trying. I don't know what to do sometimes; I don't know what to think…I don't…" Mike looked away, his stomach in knots. "That's all I have to say now."

Manny reached over to pat his son on the back. "Son, you are no longer alone. Everything you need is right here. Stop fighting it. What you need to recover is all here. But I can't make you take it."

Mike couldn't look at him; he was still fighting with his emotions.

"So, what's it gonna be? Gonna work for this white man or not?"

A burst of laughter spurted from Mike as he looked at his father, "Like you said, it's not your fault." Mike was grinning, "Nobodies perfect, well except for my mother maybe." Both men laughed and Manny agreed.

"Yeah…she's as close to it as I've ever seen."

Mike thought about her and smiled nodding, "Um, now, what were you explaining about this? You know dad, you really should learn to stick with the subject at hand. How am I going to learn how to run this business, if you keep sidetracking and slipping into the past? You know what? You should watch that, that could be a sign. Old age creeping up on you when you slip back, yep, better watch that." Mike joked as he attacked his pile with determination. Manny shook his head and chuckled saying, “Yeah, well son you should watch it that old age don't creep up on you and kick you in the ass.”

Mike's mouth flew open at that threat; Manny glanced away as Mike threw his head back roaring in laughter.

"Don't think I can't." Manny pressed, finally grinning.

At that moment Hope walked in. They both glanced up smiling. "What did you bring us to eat little girl? We're just about starved." Manny asked in his deep voice.

"Yeah, what took you so long!?" Mike added in his similar deep voice. Hope looked at them suspiciously as she walked over to the desk setting the food basket down. Both pretended nothing had passed between them and went about attacking their lunch with vigor.

* * *

"Well Mrs. Mason, from my investigation it seems you were right. I checked with the Physician and at first he would give me nothing on your brother but after a little bribery, I came to find out your brother George Sinclair died of repeated stab wounds in the back."

Georgia gasped in shock at the horror of it.

"There was also a very private trial, which I might add also cost me quite a bit to get the files on, which I have here. You can read them for yourself and see the person responsible for your brother's death has been dealt with. I'm sorry to be the deliverer of such bad news but at least you know that justice had been served. Is there anything else you would like me to do for you?" Clarence asked.

Georgia tearfully
read over the document that told of her brother's death, then the court record that listed the proceedings of the trial. "No Mr. Winston, you have done exactly as I requested. Here is the rest of your pay and if you will tell me the amount you paid out in bribes I shall reimburse that as well." Georgia offered somberly, her thoughts elsewhere, she finally paid her bill and left.

After the door closed, a slow smile came across Clarence Winston's face and then a grin, his head tilted back and suddenly he laughed. He reached down, picked up the fold of bills and threw it into the air, laughing louder.

"This - is only a trickle, a trickle of things to come! Best investigation I ever took on. I'll be damned if I didn't dig up more than I ever bargained for! Heh heh." He rubbed his hands together greedily.

'It's over; it is finally over thanks to you Mrs. Georgia Mason. Thank God there are two copies of the trial, one a phoney for regular filing and the other real one for private record. The one I like most will take me straight to my prize. As soon as Greyson is back in town, we will collect our treasure. With Mrs. Mason satisfied with the mock file, there's no one to stand in our way. Come on Greyson, come on back, our ship has finally come in. King LuMaden's has waited long enough.'

Again he laughed looking at the money. "A drop in the bucket, a drop in the bucket!"

* * *

Manny sat at his desk with his son and daughter, listening as Joe and Leon reported their discoveries from Dustinhurst. Once again they all learned more surrounding the events of Lena's past. Joe did most of the talking, explaining how at first it seemed to be another dead end.

"Yet while the warden denied Lena ever being there, right behind her was a young black woman who had been working and cleaning as we talked. The moment we began to describe her and especially upon mentioning her name, she noticeably stiffened. She stopped what she was doing and seemed to be hanging onto every word the warden was saying. The moment Leon looked at her; she turned away and began her vigorous cleaning again."

"Yes, a few times she gave the warden a hard glare and then pointedly looked at me with what seemed like a silent message, shaking her head as if to say the warden had lied." Leon interjected.

"When the warden, Miss Rosenberg, finally caught Leon's gaze going behind her back to Francis, she ordered her from the office until the meeting was over.”

“
On our way out, we saw her again. She was working her way to us pulling her bucket and mop with her, once she was close enough to Leon she pretended to slip. He caught her."

"Yes, she whispered to me, "She was here, I am Francis, come back Tuesday, Rosenberg's not here." She straightened up, apologized and walked away." Leon finished.

Manny's mind was in horrified torment that Lena had once been in Dustinhurst.
'Why!?'
Yet the warden had lied, saying she'd never been there, again,
'Why?!'
He felt his stomach knot up with the thought he hated to bring to mind. If the warden didn't want to acknowledge Lena's presence, there could only be one reason why as far as he knew. He covered his face with his hands. Watching his reaction made Mike's heart pound. "What are you thinking dad?" Mike asked quietly.