In Times of Trouble (29 page)

“Is working sometimes enough to feed everyone?”

“Yes.” As proud as Lisa was of her daughter, she was also proud of her sister. Callie had decided not to continue her tenure at the college where she taught and had applied for several grants looking to begin The Callie Jamison Foundation, a non-profit organization whose primary mission was to help people living with HIV find healthcare and other resources needed to live a healthy lifestyle. Things were still in the beginning stages, but all was going well. “RJ gave me money for most of the stuff,” she explained, putting several packages of dinner rolls in her cart. “Mama called earlier and said that she would pick up the turkey and green beans. She won some money the other day, so I guess she's feeling extra generous.”

“When is that woman going to give up gambling?”

“You got me. . .I'm done preaching to her about it. She's just going to have to learn the hard way.”

“It seems to me like she should have learned already. Anyone who takes bill money to play scratch offs has a problem. I couldn't believe it when you told me she'd played the lottery with the money Daddy gave her for bills.”

“Daddy is a better person than I could ever be because I would've been right back in Maryland. He's sticking it out, though. He's been trying to get her to get some help.”

“That just goes to show how much he has changed.”

“I'm starting to see that. At first I thought it was all a charade, but he really is a different person. I guess it took Mama leaving him for him to get it together. He's been very active in the church as well, although he has been down that road before.” Their father had previously been one of those who served the Lord in spurts. It was sort of like a three-three rotation: three months walking with the Lord, and three years backsliding.

“Well, I think he'll be alright. I'm sure Mama's gambling addiction will keep him coming to Jesus, because Lord knows she has to be driving him crazy.”

“Speaking of Jesus, did I tell you I got an email from Eric the other day?”

“What did he say?”

“Just that he was aware of everything and wanted to let me know he was praying for us.”

“Aw. . .that was nice. I hope you responded.”

“I did, but it was short and sweet. All I wrote was ‘thanks.'”

Callie laughed. “I'm sure he was hoping for a little more. After all, the man
called
you to be his wife.”

“Girl, I thank God that He did not let me make the mistake of marrying that man because it would have been awful.”

“Your prayer life would be the bomb though, because he would have made sure of that with his morning ritual.”

“You're silly. Anyhow, let me let you go so I can hurry up and get out of this store. My goal is to get everything I need because I am not trying to come back out tomorrow. You know the store is going to be packed tomorrow night with it being Thanksgiving Eve.”

“Yeah, I need to finish packing before Bryan and Tyra get here. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.”

Lisa spent about another thirty minutes or so shopping, and stood in line for what seemed like forever. She was in the parking lot loading bags into her trunk when she heard the wicked voice. “Well, well, well. . .look who I've run into.”

Lisa's muscles tightened and she silently prayed, “Father, in the Name of Jesus, deliver me from evil.” She ignored Olivia as she had done the last several times they'd run into each other. Lisa was starting to get the feeling that these meetings weren't coincidental. This was about the sixth time she'd seen her former best friend in the last couple of weeks since the trial date had been set. Olivia didn't live on the same side of town as Lisa and yet she kept popping up. This was the first time Olivia had spoken to her. She normally just gave Lisa the evil eye. Olivia approaching her and actually speaking was, to Lisa, a definite sign of nervousness and fear.

After the first couple of “run-ins,” Lisa had stopped telling RJ about them because he was being excessively protective of her. He had finally given up the guest room at her house and was back with Pastor Burlington, but he was still over every night. His presence didn't bother Lisa, though. For the first time since their divorce, she could actually say they had become friends and she enjoyed his company.

“How's the little pregnant slut of yours doing?”

She had some nerve calling Chanelle a slut! Lisa took a deep
breath and shot a piercing glance Olivia's way. For a brief millisecond, Lisa felt sorry for her. Liv's birthday had been in September and she had turned fifty. Lisa would be thirty-nine next month and Olivia used to pass for someone her age or younger, but today she looked every bit of fifty and then some with the large bags and dark circles under her eyes. Even her cheeks seemed to sag. She looked awful! No one in their right mind would guess that the figure dressed in a jogging suit, baseball cap and not a stitch of makeup, was the wife of multimillionaire Isaac Scott. Liv always had a Kodak-moment-ready appearance. Lisa continued unloading the cart, praying that God would enable her to move quickly so she could get away from this woman before she gave in to the urge to attack her.

“It's not too late to end this, you know?”

“No thanks!”

“C'mon, this is ticking me off, Lisa. Justin has missed out on playing football this year because of this stupid ordeal.”

Even without Justin on the team, Ohio State was doing very well. They'd only lost one game and that was after going into overtime. Yeah, Justin had been a great player, but the team had learned to survive without him; and the cop who'd brought Chanelle home drunk earlier this year hadn't been by to bug Lisa for tickets anymore. “How dare you make this about football! Justin is a rapist, so his playing sports is not high on my list of priorities.”

“It is on mine. He'll be allowed to play next year once he's cleared of these ludicrous charges. You better hope that happens.”

“That'll be up to the jury.”

“My husband has been practicing law now for over twenty years. He knows the ins and outs of the legal system. How do you think he was able to get a trial date so quickly? Don't you think he knows how to stack a jury?”

“If Isaac stacks the jury, then they'll vote in Justin's favor, so you don't have anything to worry about, do you?”

“My son's reputation and future are at stake! Tell Chanelle not to testify. We will make sure that she and the baby have enough money to last them for the rest of their lives.”

Lisa got irritated at Olivia's reference to their grandchild as “the baby,” as if Chanelle had been impregnated by a stranger. She laughed cynically as she wheeled her shopping cart to the designated area. Olivia followed to her annoyance. “We don't want your money; we want justice.”

“Remember. . .justice can be bought.”

“Maybe. . .but peace can't be. That's obviously something you don't have. You continue to rely on your money and we'll continue to rely on God. No matter what the outcome of the trial, we will be at peace—will you?” Lisa slammed her cart in with the others and jogged back to her car, not giving Olivia a chance to speak further, and quickly sped off.

T
hanksgiving morning, Lisa got up early to start dinner, assisted by Chanelle and her mother. RJ ran around making sure everyone got picked up from the airport. Between Lisa's home, her parents' apartment and Pastor Burlington's place, all the out-of-town guests had places to stay, so no one would need to stay in a hotel. RJ was still staying with the Burlington's most of the time, and was giving up his guest room to his brother and sister-in-law. RJ could really afford to get his own place, but it seemed like Pastor and Sister Burlington enjoyed his company.

Dinner was ready around four and everyone was present; Kyle and his family had just arrived. The men had set up tables in the basement so that all twenty something people could fit comfortably for dinner. Callie, Tyra and RJ's sister-in-law, Sheila, were down there putting on tablecloths and place settings, while Chanelle was busy playing with baby Naomi, Callie's granddaughter. Lisa's mother was in the kitchen with her putting all the food into serving dishes when Kyle came into the kitchen carrying a pan. “Where should I put this, Miss Lisa?”

“What is it, sweetie?”

“Some baked beans that Stacie made.”

Lisa still cringed when Kyle referred to his mother by her first name, but that was an issue she didn't have the right to correct him on. Lisa was, in many ways, a young parent; not as young as Stacie, but young nonetheless, having Chanelle when she was only twenty. But Lisa was “old school” when it came to raising children. She believed in butt whuppins, saying “Ma'am,” and “Sir,” and she definitely believed in drawing the line between parent and friend. Friends call each other by their first names, but children called their mamas, “Mama” or something similar. “You can just sit it on the counter and we'll take it downstairs with the rest of the food.”

“Hello. . .” Stacie poked her head into the kitchen.

“I'm sorry, I was coming out to properly greet you guys.” She gave her a hug. “Thanks for the baked beans. You didn't have to bring anything.”

“I know. . .I wanted to throw in something Chanelle said you weren't making. I didn't feel right coming empty-handed with all the mouths I brought to feed.”

“Girl, please, I knew how many people you were bringing when I invited you. I do appreciate it, though. Kyle, hang up their coats for me, please. Then you guys can get settled downstairs. We're going to bring the food down in a minute.”

When Kyle, Stacie, and the rest of the Lewis crew were safely out of earshot, Lisa's mother leaned over to her and whispered, “You're really not going to put them baked beans out with the rest of the food, are you?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Humph. . .you don't have to worry about me eating any of them. Lord knows, I don't eat no white folks' food. It just don't taste the same as ours.”

“Mama. . .,” Lisa said with as much patience as she had left after
having been up since four this morning. “In case you didn't know, every time you eat out, unless it's a Soul Food restaurant, you're eating ‘white folks' food,' so don't even start that mess.”

“What mess, Skeeter?” Her father rounded the corner.

Lisa rolled her eyes. “I don't even want to repeat it. Here, carry this downstairs, please?”

Everyone gathered in the basement, holding hands as Pastor Burlington said grace. Dinner turned out to be great. All the food was delicious and even though several people had commented on how good Stacie's baked beans were, Lisa's mother stuck to her word and didn't have one bite.

After eating, everyone talked, laughed, and a few people even dozed off a bit. Pastor and Sister Burlington were the first to leave, followed by Stacie and her kids. Kyle, unsurprisingly, stayed behind with Chanelle. Eventually, the women trickled upstairs into the living room and left the men in the basement watching a basketball game.

“Anyone want to go shopping with me in the morning?” asked Lisa. Shopping on the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving was one of those traditions that she and Olivia had started together that she was now forced to continue on her own. She used to go for fun, but now she was going because of necessity. If anyone was going to get anything from her for Christmas, in light of her current employment situation, it would definitely have to be bought on sale. “I plan to be there as soon as the stores open.”

Callie was the first to speak. “Girl, naw. Tomorrow is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. I never go to the store then; and anyhow, you know I don't like dealing with crowds.”

“I'm with Callie,” echoed Tyra.

“You know better than to ask me,” scolded her mother. “I am not that much of an early bird.”

“What about you, Sheila?” Lisa asked David's wife who was always so quiet and reserved.

“I won't be able to. David and I are headed back in the morning.”

“Chanelle, are you going shopping with me in the morning? I want to leave the house no later than five.” Lisa hollered out to her daughter who was sitting in the kitchen playing a game with Kyle.

“No, I'm straight.”

“Why all of y'all have to be such party poopers?” she sulked.

“At least we'll be some well-rested party poopers,” snorted Callie playfully, and stuck her tongue out at Lisa.

• • •

Later that night, RJ lay on the sofa bed in the Burlingtons' living room, thanking God for allowing him another chance to spend this day with his family. It had been an extremely long time since both sides of their families had gathered together for a holiday. When he and Lisa were married, it used to happen at least once a year, but their separation and subsequent divorce put an end to all of that.