You Get What You Pray For (15 page)

“I know you're mad, but before you say anything, let me explain,” Korica said to Unique as Unique sat down in the booth at Captain Souls. Korica had called and invited Unique to her favorite restaurant to make a truce. Unique had immediately accepted, because for one, she couldn't wait to have a conversation with her mother and get to the bottom of the whole Eugene situation, and two, Captain Souls was her favorite restaurant.

“Is this why on the reality shows the women are always out somewhere eating?” Unique asked. “Because they think that because they are out in public, a person won't clown? Or is it because they think they can calm the roaring lion with food?”

“Both,” Korica said.

Unique shook her head. “Mommy, how could—”

Korica put her hands up. “Wait, now, honey. I said to let Mommy talk first.”

Unique settled herself back in the booth and nodded. While Unique was known for her stubbornness and attitude, she'd never aimed them at Korica. She'd always had the utmost respect for the woman who had raised her. “Okay, shoot.”

“That boy is hurting too. That boy lost his son too.”

Unique was quick to lean forward again. “It's because—”

“Wait. Now, you said you'd let me talk,” Korica reminded Unique.

Being a woman of her word, as hard as it was, Unique willed herself not to speak until she heard what Korica had to say for herself.

“First off,” Korica said, leaning in, “I don't want you to think for one minute this is about that boy. I don't give a rat's a—”

The waitress walked up to their booth. “Ladies, can I get your drink order?” she asked the mother and daughter. It was a tense and inopportune moment, indeed. Slightly annoyed, as they were ready to get into the meat of the conversation, the women placed their drink orders. Then Korica continued.

“Unique, I see how angry you are at Eugene.”

“And you should be angry at him too,” Unique spat. “But instead, you're trying to feed that Negro. You're supposed to be on my side. You're supposed to have my back. Any other time, even if I'm wrong, I could always count on you to be there and be wrong right along with me, as I have always been for you. But now it's like you're on his side.”

“You know I've got you through thick and thin. I'm not even about to let you question my loyalty to you, Unique. But this isn't about sides. This is about you getting right. Now, your religion has helped you deal with and heal from the death of the boys, but the anger you have for Eugene is going to be the death of you. You have to forgive him.”

Unique stared out the window. “I have forgiven him, Mommy. But I'm still mad. I have forgiven him, but I haven't forgotten. If I hadn't forgiven him, I'd be waging war.”

“And you are, in your own heart. You have to free yourself completely from all the residue of pain when it comes to your boys. Eugene is part of that pain. You want to heal completely and move on? Then tell that boy to his face that you have forgiven him. He don't deserve to hold that kind of power over you.”

Unique took in Korica's words and allowed them to penetrate her heart. They were so true. For years she'd been harboring anger toward Eugene, anger that she felt she'd managed to keep hidden and under control, but God knew her heart, and obviously, so did the woman who'd raised her. Unique had been too grateful to God for giving her the strength she needed and for keeping her mind sound while she was going through her ordeal of being in jail and at the same time dealing with the loss of her sons. Had she not had Jesus on her side, it could have been a lot more painful.

People had wanted to see Unique broken, battered, crying, and beaten down, because they thought that was how a woman who'd lost all three of her sons at the same time should look. They had wanted to see her fainting and falling out, crying out and wailing while clutching her heart. Pulling her hair out. Not looking good, not smelling good, her hair nappy, and unable to get out of bed. When people didn't see her acting that way—when her pain didn't look like what they wanted it to look—they couldn't muster up any sympathy for her. Well, if they had taken a closer look, they would have seen that Jesus had overtaken her, and not the pain. They would have seen in the sand the footprints of God as He carried her through the pain. If only they'd looked a little closer.

But thank God, they hadn't. If they'd looked too close, they would have seen that scab on her heart with Eugene's name on it. But perhaps Korica was right. It had been there long enough and was now serving no purpose. Maybe that scab needed finally to be peeled off. Yes, it would leave a scar, but that would reflect the healing that had taken place.

“You're right.”

Korica sat shocked after hearing the words that had escaped from Unique's mouth. She had been expecting the feisty, “I don't care if I'm wrong, as long as you ain't right” attitude that Unique used to have. A smile teased the corners of Korica's mouth. This had been far too easy. The waitress hadn't even taken their food orders yet. Korica had been certain it would take dessert and all to get Unique to see eye to eye with her.

“I appreciate you setting up a meeting with Eugene for me,” Unique said. “I now understand that you were only trying to help. I think it would have been better if it had not been a surprise. That was something I needed to prepare for.”

“I agree, and I'm sorry,” Korica said as the waitress brought their beverages.

The women had almost forgotten about their drink orders. It had taken this waitress longer than usual to return with their beverages. Having sensed the two women's agitation when she took their drink orders, the waitress had waited until it looked like the coast was clear to return to their table. Kind of like how motorcyclists had to stop underneath an overpass when the rain started to come down harder. They could handle a little sprinkle, but they had to be smart enough to know when it was time to wait out the storm. It looked like sunshine was now in the forecast, so it was safe for her to address the women again. The waitress took their food orders. A couple minutes later she walked away, leaving mother and daughter alone to continue their conversation.

“So what do you say you two try it again?” Korica asked, hopeful.

Unique stared out the window and thought for a moment. She then looked back at Korica and nodded. “I think it's a good idea that Eugene and I have a one-on-one.”

Korica clasped her hands together in excitement. “Good. I can—”

“No, Mommy, you don't have to do anything. This is between Eugene and me, so I'll set everything up when I'm ready. I'm pretty busy next week. Perhaps I can set something up with him on Friday. I have a luncheon to cater earlier in the day, but then I'm free after that. I'll see if he can stop by later that evening.”

“Well, good. I have his number, and I'll text it to you.”

Unique turned and looked out the window again, as if she was having second thoughts.

“You're doing the right thing, baby,” Korica said, encouraging her and patting her hand.

“I know. This is truly something I need closure to before I go embarking on a new beginning with Terrance.”

Korica's ears perked up. “Yes, this Terrance character,” she said, getting serious. “I know I ruined your surprise with that so-called surprise of my own. But please tell me everything there is to know about him.” Korica was all ears, indeed. She wanted to know everything about the man who had said he was going to marry her daughter. He was the only one who could possibly mess up her plans, so the more she knew about her potential enemy, the easier it would be to take him down, if need be. “The same way an apology was in order for you, I believe I owe one to Terrance. So if you don't mind, text me his number.”

“I'm sure he'd appreciate that,” Unique said, smiling at her mother.

“Oh, darling, trust me, the pleasure will be all mine.”

At that moment the waitress brought out some biscuits for the ladies to indulge in, steering Unique's attention away from Korica and causing her to miss the mischievous grin that was resting on Korica's lips.

“Thank you for inviting me over,” Eugene said as he entered Unique's apartment.

It had taken Unique a couple days, but she had done what she promised Korica she would do and had called Eugene up and arranged for them to talk that Friday. She'd invited him over to her place because she had some things of her oldest son that she wanted to give him for memory's sake. Like Unique, Eugene had been in jail at the time of the triple funeral. Both of them had been denied a release to attend the funeral. For Unique, not being there for their home going was almost harder than her sons' deaths. Not being able to say good-bye. She imagined it had been as difficult for Eugene.

“Thank you for coming,” Unique said.

Eugene was from the streets, so he was always on the lookout for the okey doke, for dudes to leap out of closets and try to jump him or something. He looked around. Everything appeared to be kosher.

His hesitation didn't go unnoticed by Unique, though. “Boy, quit that. What you think I invited you over here for? To beat you up or something?”

“No, but how am I supposed to know whether or not that dude who tried to get all up in my grill at your mom's ain't gon' try to come at me again?”

Unique threw her hands on her hips and tilted her head. “You know me better than that.”

“I don't know . . . between you and that mama of yours . . .” Eugene shook his head.

“Please.” Unique wagged her hand. She left the front door open to let in a little sunshine before the sun went down. There was only about an hour left before the sky darkened. “Whatever Mommy said to you, that has nothing to do with me. I asked you over so that we can talk.”

“I hear you. I hear you.” Eugene was much more relaxed now. He didn't feel that Unique was trying to play him, but the verdict was definitely still out on her mama.

“Can we go talk in the kitchen?”

“Sure,” Eugene agreed, and then he followed Unique into her kitchen, where she had some mini bottles of water and little finger sandwiches laid out on her petite kitchen table. There were chocolate-covered strawberries, as well as some nacho chips. This spread wasn't something special that she'd prepared for Eugene. She'd catered a corporate luncheon earlier that day, and these were some of the items that were left over.

“Help yourself to whatever you want,” Unique told Eugene as she handed him a plate.

He did just that. He picked up a sandwich and bit into it, then grabbed some nachos, more sandwiches, and several other items.

“Hungry, are we?” Unique joked.

“Girl, I've been staying with my moms for the last month,” Eugene told her. “You know the only thing she knows how to cook is—”

“Grilled cheese.” Unique finished his sentence, and they both laughed. Unique remembered clearly how back when she first met Eugene, whenever she went to his house, his mother was always cooking the same thing for dinner—grilled cheese with potato chips and dill pickles on the side.

“I have some meatballs left over, too, if you want something hot,” Unique offered. “They're in the refrigerator, but I can warm them up.”

“No, I'm good. I appreciate this. Anything but grilled cheese.” He ate another sandwich. There was a variety of sandwiches, including tuna, chicken, and turkey. A couple of the turkey ones even had bacon on them. He was sampling them all.

“Please, have a seat.” Unique extended her hand toward one of the chairs at the table. After he sat down, she sat in the chair across from him.

There was silence, broken only by the crunching sound Eugene made as he devoured the nachos on his plate.

“Oh, my bad,” he said after realizing Unique was staring at him, waiting on him to slow down so that she could talk to him. He washed down the food he'd eaten with water, wiped his mouth, then sat up straight in his chair, with his hands folded. “All right, shoot.”

“What I have to say won't take long,” Unique began. “I basically wanted to do something that I should have done a long time ago. It would have set both you and me free.”

Eugene waited for Unique to continue with a puzzled look on his face, as it was not clear to him if she meant free from jail or what.

“I should have forgiven you completely, without anger, Eugene, and freed both our minds, hearts, and spirits,” Unique told him.

“You . . . you forgive me?”

Unique paused for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, Eugene, I forgive you.”

Eugene breathed as if a pillow held down over his face by someone trying to force him to say “Uncle” had finally been lifted. He didn't even know what to say. He was afraid that if he said something, and it was the wrong something, Unique might take it back. So he said nothing. He nodded as his eyes filled with tears.