18. Acceptance
Chapter 18
Acceptance
Marcus
M ia and I held Harley’s hand as we walked inside the church.
Behind me was Corner, Bebe, Ms.
Renee, and the entire Armadillos football team.
Somehow, Mia convinced Corner to put on a suit.
He showed all his remaining teeth when she smiled at him.
I didn’t understand a word he said outside of she is pretty.
The Jordans escorted my granny’s body back to Arkansas in their family jet with a police escort.
The team insisted on coming to the funeral and I didn’t have the energy to fight with them on it.
Bryce sat on the family bench next to me because he wouldn’t allow anyone else to do it.
He was my rock when I needed to give Mia a break.
Harley laid her head on Mia’s lap before the preacher stood.
It’s surreal seeing a pure white casket in front of the church with gold detailing.
White roses rested on top, surrounded by several bouquets of flowers.
The sight of the brown and purple pews sent my mind back to my grandpa Earl’s funeral.
Holding my granny as they closed the casket still haunted me.
Here I am again, performing the same act for another parent.
Although the room crawled with people, everything was a blur.
“Mrs. Edith Allen, but Eddy for short, you were loved . . . ”
I cried at the mention of her name, and Bryce wrapped his arm around me.
Several people stood and gave remarks, but I couldn’t hear half of them.
But when Mia and Harley walked to the podium, I straightened in my seat.
“During the short time I’ve gotten to know Mrs. Eddy, she was a light and I’m forever grateful. She accepted me into her family, leaving me responsible for two of her most precious gifts: my fiancé, Marcus, and our daughter, Harley. I will miss our talks, your recipes, and your instruction on how to take care of Marcus,” Mia said, and a few people chuckled.
“Now we will honor you with how we live and we will continue to carry your light,” Mia continued and then she passed the mic to Harley.
“We will miss you, Granny, but Mom said we will honor you and I will keep saying my prayers,” Harley said.
Sobs sounded from behind me, but I couldn’t turn around.
I opened my arms for my daughter and lifted her into my arms.
The ushers blocked us as people viewed the body for the last time and exited.
Family and friends remained in the church with Granny.
Corner sniffled hard.
“Old Eddy left me. I ain’t got nobody to argue with now,” he said.
Harley sat beside him and tapped his hand.
“You still got us.”
“I guess you right. What we gon’ argue about?” he asked and Harley shrugged.
I touched the casket one last time and nodded for them to shut it.
With us not having much family, I didn’t have five other people to help me carry the casket.
At least, that's what I thought.
Bryce, Keyshawn, Ed, Roundtree, and two linemen lifted her casket and walked it out of the church. I followed behind it, holding Mia and Harley’s hand. My team surrounded me after they put the casket in the hearse.
“We are family, Marcus. Let us carry you,” Ed said, and I nodded.
Finding Mia, I secured her hand and headed to the family car until an image paused my movement. My mother was coming full force across the street in my direction. Not much about her had changed outside the shorter length of her hair. Mariah Allen maintained her petite frame and wasn’t any taller than Granny. Our skin tones matched, both being darker in hue.
“Marcus, why didn’t you tell me momma died? You hate me, don’t you?” she said in a hard, harsh tone.
I licked my lips to keep from calling her a bitch. Adult Marcus and the ten-year-old version of us were fighting for control.
“I want to see my mother,” she screamed with tears streaming down her face.
“Who is this lady?” Harley asked.
Mariah’s position softened as she peered down at Harley. “I’m your grandmother.”
“Granny is in heaven, and you are not my grandma,” Harley yelled and broke her hands with me.
My eyes followed as she ran over to the Robinsons. Clarence scooped her into his arms and Trendy caressed her back.
“She is not my grandma,” Harley cried out.
“You coached her to hate me, too. I want to see my mother turn the hearse around right damn now. If you would have answered, I could...” Mariah’s voice elevated.
“Lower your voice. You will not blame Marcus for your failed communication with your mother. And you will stop making a scene. Marcus is not your punching bag. Now, if you want to visit the grave site, you are welcome to do so, but the blaming stops now,” Mia roared as she stood next to me.
Mariah scanned Mia and twisted her face. “Who the fuck are you to tell me about my son and mother,” she said, and adult Marcus won.
“Bitch, watch your fucking mouth talking to my wife sideways. You were gone for twelve years,” I said and smacked my chest. “And you got the nerve to come back and complain? Where was this energy when you were soaked in piss, drunk in your bedroom? Where was this energy when you left me at ten without food or any place to go? Don’t come to the gravesite or I will have you escorted off the grounds. Make peace on your own time. And stop texting my damn phone,” I voiced with hard venom, bringing the crowd to a hush.
“Watch how you talk to your mother,” a man said.
With my focus on Mariah, I didn’t register the man standing behind her. He stood tall with a muscular frame and a low haircut. I untangled my hand from Mia.
“You’re defending mommy of the year. I will beat yo ass out here,” I said.
“Marcus, no,” Mia said as she stood in front of me, planting her palms in my chest.
Kindness reached for Mia’s hand, but she wrestled free from her grasp.
“Don’t worry. We got this,” Bryce said as he stepped from behind me and removed his watch.
I turned to see the football team standing behind me with folded arms. “You don’t want this smoke,” Ed said to this guy with Mariah.
“I swear he don’t,” Roundtree said.
“It’s been a few weeks since I hit somebody,” a lineman said from behind.
The guy lowered his head and whispered in Mariah’s ear. “But he is my son. And I want to see my mother,” she cried out before agreeing to leave.
I bent down and kissed Mia, and moved toward the family car.
Mia
A week later.
“We got you,” Kindness said, as she and Stacie sandwiched me on her couch.
Things hadn’t been the same without Mrs. Eddy being around. Yesterday, Ms. Renee moved to North Carolina with her daughters. Marcus and I gave her a bonus package with promises to stay in touch. She packed up Mrs. Eddy’s things because Marcus couldn’t bring himself to walk down the hall. Harley sits in her Granny’s chair for everything, and she requested her cane.
“Thank you, I feel bad crying in front of Marcus and Harley,” I said to my village.
“You can cry with us,” Stacie said.
I snuggled more into my friends and exhaled hard with flowing tears.
“Tell us what you need. I can help with Harley and pay someone to cook,” Stacie said, and I chuckled.
I earned twisted faces from my friends as I continued to laugh with tear-filled eyes.
“Stacie, you still haven’t learned how to cook?” I asked, and she scoffed.
“Cooking is an overrated, unnecessary skill. I’m a trendsetter honey; we pay for convenience,” Stacie said with pride.
“Grilled cheese and tomato soup,” Kindness and I said in unison.
“We agreed not to discuss the cheesy soup incident,” Stacie reminded.
Kindness and my mouth parted before we all burst into a cackle. Stacie will be Stacie. She had always been the glam of our group, certified daddy’s girl with the attitude to match.
“Now, I have a chef friend who can cook for a few days. Max, with his fine ass,” Stacie said and then shimmied.
I patted her knee. “I’ll pass. Marcus is not letting another man come into his house and cook. And by the way you’re dancing, he must be fine,” I said.
Stacie smiled and caressed her invisible pearls. “Max is gorgeous, but Marcus does not have anything to worry about. He already secured his place,” Stacie said, as she caressed my stomach.
“Two times,” Kindness said.
Stacie lifted from the couch and stared at me. “One of you better name a baby after me. Another Stacie Estelle would be priceless and do the world good.”
Kindness and I looked at each other and back over to Stacie.
“Hate has entered the room,” she said, creating a popping noise with her mouth.
“Man, I’ll miss this place,” Kindness said, as we scanned my home.
I contacted the realtor to put it on the market after the Elite Bowl. From the website, she already had offers. The contractor assured us our house would be ready before the twins’ birth.
“The movie nights,” Kindness said.
“The fuck men parties,” Stacie followed.
“And the best sex of my life,” I added.
Stacie raised from her seat. “You didn’t have sex on this couch. Did you?” she asked and I shrugged.
Before pulling out of the driveway, I smiled at the for-sale sign. Great memories happened here and new beginnings. My purse vibrated but the screen on my dash said meet at our new home.
A smile adorned my face once I saw the exterior of our house complete. Things would have been done earlier, but I made a few changes after the engagement. Viewing the light brown stone and stucco with the black window frames sent my heart leaping. The large archway porch and huge windows would provide natural lighting.
Marcus stood in the driveway in a pair of gray fitted sweats and a T-shirt, holding a large bouquet of roses. The smile on his face warmed my heart because I missed seeing it. He opened my door and handed me the roses. I pulled them up to my nose and inhaled the freshness.
“What’s going on, Mr. Allen?” I said, and he chuckled.
He seized my hand without answering and I followed him around the house. A big red bow sat on the glass tinted door. Marcus pressed his thumb against the scanner, and the door unlatched. Opening the door, my mouth parted in awe. One side of the room was arranged in conversation style seating, with a pink and gold patterned couch. Mics and soft box lights were suspended in the air next to the pink chairs. On the opposite side of the room was a custom wooden desk with mics and monitors, if I wanted to switch things up.
“Baby, you did this for me,” I shifted toward him.
He kissed my forehead. “You deserve this and much more. I wouldn’t have made it without you. You carried me, Harley, and the Mia bunch. I promise I’ll do better and...”
“Marcus, I don’t expect perfection, only effort,” I interrupted.
The tightness from his face erased more as I caressed his skin. A calm jaw line and relaxed shoulders appeared. I gripped his T-shirt and pulled him down for a kiss.
I sat next to Marcus in Dr. Choice’s office as we decided to open the letters Mrs. Eddy wrote us with support.
Mia,
Thank you for being the wonderful southern woman Marcus needed, and the momma Harley prayed for. Let your mother love and spoil her rotten. They are her only grandparents she has left. You came out just fine with your momma’s checkbook. Make sure Marcus marries you and don’t let him get cheap. The greatest gift you gave me was a peace of mind. I know I’m leaving them in good hands, but you take care of yourself. It’s okay to lean on Marcus a little. He won’t break, but he is hardheaded. I left my recipe book for you. It’s in Harley‘s bottom drawer. You are the woman of the house. Remember our conversations.
PS: Help Harley with her letters. They’re labeled.
I hid my face in Marcus’s arm, overcome with emotion. Mrs. Eddy gave me the confirmation I needed to care for her babies. Marcus held me with one hand and his letter in the other. He tried reading the first line, but he couldn’t. I offered to read it for him, and he agreed.
Marcus
I love you, but Granny is tired. I was holding on for you and Harley. But Mia got you. The day you stomped into our house with your arms folded changed our lives. I’m grateful for my little chocolate hard headed baby. You brought light in a dimmed place, and you better remember that. I’m sorry about your momma. Hurtful words sometimes can’t be undone but forgiveness can prevail. You were put in a tug of war between me and Mariah. It has nothing to do with you but it’s up to you to figure out if you want a relationship with your momma. Either way, make peace with the hurt. Mia and the kids don’t deserve to carry the weight and it’s about time you stopped carrying it. Stay with the doctor and he can help you. It’s okay to have friends, not everybody is crazy. You act like your granddaddy. And you better get Mia down the aisle. I have one last wish for you and it’s living. Baby, live. It’s time.
PS: Make sure your momma gets her letter. Let Mia help you do it.
Marcus wailed as he hugged me. I caressed his back, and Dr. Choice sat two boxes of tissues on the table. After we settled, Marcus held his mother’s letter in his hand.
“What are your plans?” Dr. Choice asked.
Marcus sat back and caressed my hand. “I’ll get a private investigator to get her address, and I’ll mail it to her, but I don’t want her in my life. Seeing her at the funeral brought pain and hurt. The way she disrespected Granny confirmed everything for me. Under no circumstances will her energy be around me, Wifey and my babies. Granny said live and I intend to do it.”
He pulled out his phone, and I watched him block her number.