Nobody's Son (2 page)

Ellen knocked several times on the door of her sister Jenise's apartment. While she waited for an answer she cautiously looked around the parking lot of the complex. Although she'd grown up in the area, Ellen felt more than a twinge of anxiety whenever she had to return to Sand Poole Manor Apartments. When her parents had moved into the complex in the early eighties, it had been a nice place to raise a family on a modest income. Over the years, drugs and gangs had turned it into a frightening war zone that Ellen detested coming into. However, she loved her sister dearly, and no matter what, she had to make sure she was okay.

“Hey, Auntie Ellen,” her niece Aaliyah said, as she opened the front door.

Ellen reached down and gave her niece a hug, then quickly entered the apartment. In her mind she was wondering what alarmed her more, the fact that her five-year-old niece had just opened the door without inquiring who was on the other side, or the fact that the child should be in kindergarten and not at home answering the front door.

“Where's your mommy?” Ellen asked.

Aaliyah took a seat on the floor in front of the television and picked up a bowl of cereal, then pointed down the hallway. “She's been in her room all day,” she said. “I think she might be sick, cus she hasn't come out, and I didn't go to school.”

“Where's your daddy?”

Aaliyah shrugged her shoulders as she shoveled a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

Ellen walked down the hallway and lightly tapped on her sister's bedroom door. “Jenise, it's me. Open the door,” she said.

A few seconds later her sister peeped out of a crack in the doorway. “Is Aaliyah with you?” she asked.

“No, she's watching cartoons.”

Jenise opened the door and backed away, allowing her sister to enter, then quickly closed it again. Ellen gasped loudly as soon as she saw her sister's face covered in bruises. Jenise's lips were busted and swollen, and her left eye was a garish shade of purple.

“I don't want Aaliyah to see me like this. It would frighten her,” Ellen said.

“It's frightening to me. Jenise, why do you let him do this to you?” Ellen didn't wait for an answer to her question because she had asked it many times before and the answer was always the same. Instead of listening to Jenise say once again how much she loved her husband, Ellen walked to the bathroom and came back with a cold towel that she pressed lightly against her sister's face.

“He's been under a lot of pressure this week, that's all, Sissy. He apologized, and it's okay. Don't worry about it.”

Ellen slowly shook her head. “What kind of pressure could he possibly be under? He doesn't even have a job.”

“He's trying to get his music career started. You know that. If he took a full-time job, he wouldn't have time to practice his music or record his CD. You just wait and see; my hubby is going to be the next Kirk Franklin.”

“I bet Kirk never punched his wife because he was under pressure.”

Jenise scowled at her sister. “I don't know why I even bothered to call you. I mean, you've never liked Reggie anyway.”

“I like him just fine. It's what he does to you that I can't stand.”

Jenise began to cry. “The only reason I called you is because I need you to take Aaliyah for a few days so she won't see me like this. If you can't do that, you may as well leave.”

“Don't cry, Jenise. You know I don't mind taking my niece. She told me that she missed school today, but I'll make sure she goes tomorrow, and then she can spend the weekend with me. She thinks you're sick, so I won't tell her any differently.”

“Thank you, Sissy.” Jenise wiped her tears and gave her sister a big hug. “Are you sure she won't be in the way? I know you have lots of wedding planning stuff to do. I got fitted for my bridesmaid's dress the other day. It's beautiful.”

Ellen knew her sister was trying to change the subject and deflect her attention away from her face, but she didn't protest. “As a matter-of-fact she can help me. I've got a few do-it-yourself projects to complete, and she's pretty good with a glue stick.” Ellen smiled for the first time since entering the apartment.

“That's great. Aaliyah loves spending time with you.”

Ellen flashed another fake smile. It pained her to see her sister in such a state. Her physical appearance was ghastly, but Ellen also felt pain for what was going on inside her sister. She couldn't believe that Jenise saw nothing wrong with the fact that her husband chose to hit her whenever he was upset, under pressure, or just in a bad mood.

During their seven-year marriage he had sprained Jenise's arm, fractured her jaw, and placed dozens of bruises all over her body. Each time he swore that he was sorry and begged for her forgiveness. Ellen begged her sister to leave him, but nothing seemed to penetrate that shell of marriage. Ellen wholeheartedly believed in the sanctity of marriage and was excited at the thought of marrying Semaj, but she couldn't help but wonder if saying marriage vows sucked the brains out of some women. She watched her outgoing, boisterous, happy, single sister turn into a reclusive, quiet, withdrawn married woman, who used her wedding vows as a reason to stay with a no-good man.

“God wants me to remain with my husband. God doesn't approve of divorce,” Jenise had often said. Ellen only half agreed because no matter what scriptures Jenise chose to quote, there was no way she could convince her that God wanted her to be used as a punching bag.

Ellen left the bedroom and helped Aaliyah pack her lavender miniature suitcase with her favorite pajamas, her sneakers, socks, underwear, several pairs of jeans, and matching blouses. When they were done, they returned to the living room and Ellen asked Aaliyah to wait for her by the front door.

“I just want to say good-bye to your mommy, and then I'll be right out,” she said.

“Can I say bye to Mommy too?” Aaliyah asked. Her little face was filled with excitement.

“She's sick, honey, and . . . well . . . I don't want you to catch what she has.”

“What about you, Auntie Ellen? How come you won't catch what Mommy has?”

Ellen loved Aaliyah's inquisitive nature and detested having to lie to her. “Tell you what, let's both just say good-bye through the door,” she suggested.

After saying good-bye to her sister, Ellen and Aaliyah went down the steel staircase of the building and out to Ellen's car. Ellen popped the trunk and placed Aaliyah's suitcase inside, then closed it.

“Auntie Ellen, isn't that Uncle Semaj over there?” Aaliyah asked.

Ellen looked in the direction that Aaliyah was pointing and saw her fiancé hugging a strange woman. She stared at them for several dumbfounded moments before finally getting into her car and driving away.

Later that evening, Aaliyah happily ate the dinner of spaghetti with meatballs that Ellen cooked for her. After taking a bath, she begged her auntie to read her a story, but she fell asleep before Ellen finished reading three pages. Ellen laid the book on the nightstand by the bed, and then gently kissed her niece on the forehead. As she left the room, she clicked off the light, while leaving a soft blue night-light burning in the corner near the window.

As soon as she was inside her bedroom she dialed Semaj's cell phone number and anxiously waited for him to answer.

“Hello.”

“Hey, it's me,” she said softly, while trying to keep her voice from shaking.

“Hi, baby, how was your day?” he asked cheerfully.

“I saw you and that woman over at Sand Poole Manor. Who is she?” she blurted out. Ellen did not mean to say it so abruptly, but after waiting all day to speak to him she was unable to hold it inside any longer.

“What woman? What are you talking about?” Semaj asked.

“I was at Sand Poole Manor today picking up Aaliyah, and we both saw you with a big-boned light-skinned woman. I saw you hug her. Who was she, Semaj?”

“I wasn't at Sand Poole Manor today. You guys are mistaken.”

Ellen mentally scratched her head while rewinding the afternoon through her brain. “I was positive that it was you. Besides, Aaliyah pointed you out first.”

“I don't know who you saw, but I can assure you that I was nowhere near Sand Poole Manor today. Anyway, I was just in the middle of working on a story for tomorrow's show, and I need to finish it, so I'll call you back later.”

Semaj quickly hung up before Ellen could protest.

Semaj tossed and turned for several hours, unable to rest. In their entire relationship he had never lied to Ellen. In his heart he knew that she was his soul mate, his best friend, and his queen. Every fiber of his being was deeply in love with her, and he was furious with himself for telling her a bold-faced lie. He deeply regretted it, but he just didn't know how to explain to Ellen things that he himself was struggling to believe.

Semaj turned over and looked at the clock. Although it was close to three o'clock in the morning he knew his cousin would still be awake, so he quickly dialed his number.

“Yeah,” his cousin Rip said as he answered.

“Hey, man, I need a favor,” Semaj said.

“Anything for you, Cuz; what is it?”

“I need you to cover for me with Ellen. She saw me at Sand Poole Manor with a woman today, and well, of course, she's upset. It was all innocent, but I can't explain it to her yet.”

Rip suddenly began paying closer attention. “I'm intrigued. Are you sure your visit to Sand Poole was innocent?”

“Yes, I had a meeting with a woman who had some information about my biological father. The whole conversation has me freaked out, and I just can't explain it to Ellen yet.”

“So, Gwen finally decided to call you? I'm really glad.”

Semaj sat up in his bed. “You know Gwen?”

“Come on now, Cuz. Do you really think there is a woman living in these projects that I don't know?” Rip laughed loudly.

Semaj laughed along with him. “I should have known that big, pretty, yella girl had not gotten past your radar.”

“You know me, man. I love the honeys with the big juicy booties, and so do you. So are you sure it was all innocent? I mean, you've never asked me to cover for you with Ellen before.”

Semaj's mind went back to his conversation with Gwen. “Yeah, it's innocent. She told me who she believes my natural father is, and honestly, I think she's correct. I mean, I've heard so many outlandish and wild stories over the years, but she had some real facts to share. She knew things about me that nobody could have told her, and she certainly could not have found on Google. She knew where I was born, and that I have a strawberry allergy and birthmark. She knew the name of the building that caught fire when my mother was killed. It was almost scary talking to her, as if she could see right through to my soul. After all these years of searching, I think I've finally found my real father.” Semaj grinned with excitement.

“So, are you gonna tell me who it is or keep me in suspense?” Rip asked.

“I . . . I can't. Not yet.”

“Are you kidding me?” Rip exclaimed. “We've been tight as long as I can remember, and you know I love you like the brother I never had. I encouraged Gwen to talk to you, and now you don't want to tell me what she said? That's messed up.”

Semaj tried his best to explain. “I am going to tell you everything, but not right now. I need time to process the information within my own spirit before I can talk about it. Man, what Gwen told me is so mind-blowing that I'm honestly afraid to say it aloud. That's why I lied to Ellen, and I need you to back me up. Trust me, man, when the time is right, I will tell everyone everything.”

Rip sighed loudly and yawned. “All right, man. You know I'm in your corner no matter what, so when you are ready to talk, I'll be ready to listen.”

“Thanks for understanding, I really appreciate it.”

Semaj hung up the phone and finally drifted off to sleep. He awoke the next morning to the sound of his phone ringing loudly. “Hello,” he mumbled sleepily.

“Semaj, where are you? Our appointment with the caterer is at nine this morning, and it's way past eight thirty. Did you forget?” Ellen wailed.

Semaj looked over at his bedside clock. Eight-forty-five stared back at him. “Ellen, sweetheart, I am so sorry. I overslept, and honestly, I did forget. Why didn't you remind me about this appointment last night?” he asked as he jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom.

“I was going to remind you, but you never called me back last night. What's going on with you, Semaj?”

“Nothing, baby... Nothing's wrong,” he stammered. “I was up late working on, um, a missing person's report, and I fell asleep and forgot to call back. I also forgot to set my alarm clock. Just let me hop in the shower and I'll be there to pick you up in twenty minutes.”

“No, we'll be late for the appointment. I'll go ahead and drive my car and leave now. Just meet me there as soon as you can.”

“That sounds good. Text me the address and I'll be there in a jiffy.” Semaj hung up the phone and rushed into the bathroom.

Ellen was about to say, “I love you” when she realized that the line was dead. She quickly texted the address to Semaj, then left her apartment. Ellen arrived at the catering company office just in time to make their appointment. A friendly blond gentleman greeted her at the front desk.

“Hello, Miss Winston, it's so good to see you,” he said. “Our personal chef Cedric is excited to meet with you and your fiancé.” He looked over her shoulder. “Is he parking the car?”

“Um, no, he's running a little late, but he should be here soon,” Ellen replied.

“That's fine. If you'd like, I can escort you into the meeting room, and you can begin looking at menu choices. I'll show your fiancé in as soon as he arrives.”

Ellen nodded her head in agreement and followed the gentleman into a small conference room. After she was seated comfortably, he laid out a series of menus in front of her with dozens of choices for her wedding. She and Semaj had decided to have a small wedding ceremony at their church with only a few guests and a medium-sized reception. The guest list was less than 100 people, but she'd insisted that they have one splurge item, and that was the catering company.

Cedric Grier, the owner and head chef, was a former classmate of Ellen's who supplemented his college finances by cooking and serving meals to his fellow students. The first time Ellen bit into his spicy fried shrimp with orange sauce, she told him that when she got married he would be the one cooking the meal. He was flattered and happily agreed. Now, almost ten years later, he was one of the most successful and sought out caters in the city of Atlanta. He'd catered parties for celebrities like Tyler Perry and most of the area's rap artists and sports stars. After becoming engaged, Ellen felt intimidated calling him and asking him to be a part of her small affair, but he happily agreed. He'd also agreed to give her a 25 percent discount, which helped tremendously in her quest to convince Semaj to have him as their caterer. However, even with the discount he was still the most expensive item on their wedding budget.

She'd been flipping through the menus for about fifteen minutes when the door swung open. “Ellen, it's so great to see you again,” Cedric exclaimed as he walked into the conference room. “It has been ages, but you are still fine as ever.” He pulled her into a big hug.

“Thank you, Cedric. It is great seeing you also.” She reached up to hug him back.

“I'm sorry I'm running a little late. I just had a meeting with the producers of
Revelations
and they put in a bid for me to cater their season-ending cast party. My wife loves that show.” He sat down in a chair facing Ellen.

“Don't apologize, I wasn't on time myself. Besides, you are big time these days. I'm just proud to know you and glad you are willing to cater my little wedding.” She grinned excitedly.

“Oh, please, I'm nothing special. I'm just a country bumpkin from Columbus, Georgia, who loves to cook and eat, as you can tell by my big frame.” He patted his ample belly and laughed. “I feel blessed that God is allowing me to be successful doing the thing that I love most. When I broke my ankle and lost my football scholarship freshman year I thought my life was over, but God had other plans. I'm thankful, that's what I am.”

Ellen nodded in agreement. “Yes, I agree, you have a lot to be thankful for. I mean, you were one of the best running backs in the state, and everyone believed that you'd play professional football one day. It had to be disappointing to have it all taken away from you so quickly.”

“It was all part of God's plan, Ellen. Sometimes in life we chase after our dreams without consulting God, and then we are devastated when those dreams don't materialize. As I was lying in the bed in that hospital with my leg in a cast I couldn't imagine doing anything other than running a football down the field. My entire focus was on getting well and getting back out on that field. Then when my scholarship was revoked, I realized that I couldn't play football if I wasn't still in school, so I had to find a way to pay for my education until I was well enough to play. That's when I began cooking for other people just to make ends meet, and I realized that I loved it more than I loved playing football. I love trying out new recipes and creating new dishes from unique items. It's truly my passion.”

Ellen's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. “I thought that I remembered you eventually playing on the team during our junior and senior years. I didn't realize you quit after that injury.”

Cedric laughed heartily. “I rode the bench those two years. My ankle never healed enough for me to play seriously again, but I no longer had the heart for it anyway. I went back to the team and received a partial scholarship, but I knew that football would end with college and that catering would be my life's work.”

“Well, I'm certainly glad for that. I've been skimming over these menu selections, and I must admit that I am totally overwhelmed by all of the wonderful choices that you have. It's going to be very difficult to decide.” Ellen spread the papers out on the table.

“Where's your fiancé? I bet he could decide quickly. No offense, but brides tend to be picky, but when I speak with the groom they make quick decisions.”

Ellen looked at her watch and suddenly wondered why Semaj had not arrived yet. “He should have been here by now,” she answered. “Excuse me a moment while I give him a call.”

She allowed the phone to ring until voice mail picked up. She hung up without leaving a message and dialed again, and again. Semaj still did not answer. Ellen sat staring at the phone with a bewildered look on her face. “He's not answering his phone. That's not like him at all. I hope nothing is wrong,” she said.

“I'm sure there's no need to worry. He's probably stuck in traffic.”

Ellen shook her head. “Semaj always answers his phone. He has a Bluetooth for when he's in traffic. My fiancé is a news anchor, and he specializes in locating missing people. He gets lots of tips by phone, so he always answers.”

“Semaj Matthews from Channel twenty-seven, is that your fiancé?” Cedric eyes widened with surprise.

“Yes. Are you a fan?”

“Wow, and you called
me
big time? Semaj Matthews helped locate my younger sister who was kidnapped last year. Cyndi Lawson is my baby sister.” Cedric noticed the confused look on Ellen's face. “We have different fathers, so we have different last names,” he explained. “Your fiancé found her when the police weren't doing anything for us.”

“Are you talking about the nine year old who was taken from the playground in her neighborhood over by Sand Poole Manor?”

Cedric nodded rapidly. “Yes, she had been missing for over a week, and the police did not have any leads. They were doing all they could, I suppose, but it just wasn't enough. So we decided to contact Semaj. He found her a few days later and even escorted her to my mom's house. I saw on your paperwork that it was the Winston-Matthews wedding, but I had no idea that Semaj Matthews is your fiancé.”

Ellen beamed with pride. “Yes, he's the love of my life. We met at a picnic at our church about two years ago and got engaged last year.” Ellen glanced at her watch again. “He's really very dependable and never misses appointments. I'm so sorry he's not here yet.”

“Do not apologize. He's probably out helping some other frantic family locate their loved one. It's no problem at all. I don't have any other appointments scheduled for today so we can wait as long as you need to for him to arrive.”

Sighing loudly, Ellen looked at her watch once more. “Unfortunately, I can't wait all day. I took the morning off from work, but I am scheduled to be there by eleven. It's almost ten now.”

“I'll tell you what I'm going to do. You go ahead and pick out three menus that you like, and then you can go. We'll set another appointment time and for that one I will prepare each of your selections for you and Semaj to taste and make your final choices from.”

“That's a good idea. Let me just look over this and see which three choices fit into our budget,” Ellen replied.

Cedric covered the price sheet with his massive hand. “Forget the prices. I know I told you that I'd give you a 25 percent discount, but that was before I knew that you were marrying Semaj Matthews. My family owes him a debt of gratitude, and he refused to take any money after bringing my sister home. I will prepare whatever you choose, for no charge. It's the least I can do.” He smiled broadly.

“Cedric, you don't have to do that. Semaj is dedicated to his work, and he doesn't do it for money. The way that you feel that cooking is your calling from God, he feels the same way about his work with missing persons. I mean, he enjoys being an anchorman, but finding people and bringing them together with loved ones, now
that's
his passion. The discount is very generous, and we appreciate it. We don't need any more than that.”