Getting the woman he loves

Chad sat in first class wondering what he was going to say to Quisha and wondering how she would receive him.

“Champagne?” the flight attendant asked him and got him out of his thoughts for a moment.

“Yes, thank you,” he said and went back over what he would say to Quisha.

* * *

Quisha hadn’t heard from Chad in a week. She had refused to answer his calls and didn’t listen to his voice messages. He wouldn’t have told her something as important as his mother passing on a voicemail. She was still in the dark, until she talked to Heavenlee.

“Hey, Quisha, girl, when are you coming back? I miss you,” Heavenlee said.

“I don’t know,” Quisha responded.

“Guess what? Heavenlee asked.

“What?” Quisha said.

“Thaddeus’ ass is off the streets. I don’t know how it happened but he got busted. Word on the street one of his friends set him up. So our hands are clean,” she laughed not knowing Chad was behind it all.

“That’s good. I was scared.” Quisha said.

“Me too—my condolences by the way,” Heavenlee said.

“For what?” Quisha asked.

“Oh, I’m sorry; I assumed you knew. Your mother-in-law passed a few days ago.”

A sick feeling hit Quisha—she wasn’t there for Chad.

“No, I didn’t know. Thank you for telling me,” Quisha said.

“How are you and Chad doing?” Heavenlee asked.

“Well the fact that you told me Elizabeth had passed should tell you something.”

“Yeah,” Heavenlee responded. “Sorry it didn’t work out between you and Chad.”

“Me too,” Quisha said.

“Everything ok, baby,” her mother came into the kitchen as Quisha sat on the bar stool after finishing her call with Heavenlee.

“Ok as it will ever be. I guess,” Quisha responded.

“Being in love and raising children ain’t always easy,” her mother said, looking down at Quisha’s stomach.

“I’m feeling tired,” Quisha said. “I’m going to go lay down for a while.” She went to one of her sister’s rooms to lie down. Since coming back home, her siblings didn’t give her a moment’s peace, but they were outside and she took that opportunity to rest.

The rest didn’t last; her mother hurried to her room out of breath.

“Girl there is this tall, fine well-dressed White man standing at my front door asking for you.”

Quisha got out of bed and took a quick look in the mirror and fixed her hair.

When she got down the stairs, there stood Chad with a big bouquet of flowers and a strained look on his face. When he saw her, his face brightened up and he walked towards her. He embraced her. When they pulled apart, Quisha’s mother, Tony, her sisters and brother were staring at them.

“Mama, everybody, this is Chad. Chad this is my mother, her boyfriend, Tony, my sisters Amiya, Ayanna, Janeen, and my little brother, Jayden.”

“Nice to meet you all,” Chad said with a smile and turned towards Quisha.

“Is there somewhere we can talk in private?” Chad asked, cognizant of the eyes that were appraising him.

“Yes,” Quisha said and led him back to her little sister’s bedroom.

“Mom is gone,” he started.

Quisha nodded.

“You know?” Chad asked.

“Yes, Heavenlee told me; she thought I was already aware. I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you. I will miss her terribly,” he said and continued, “about the other night when I called. I was drunk.” He furrowed his brow. “I think I was scared of the responsibility of marriage. It’s no excuse, but I called myself being funny and it came out wrong—”

“Who was the woman I heard laughing in the background?” Quisha interrupted.

“Jessica,” he said without hesitation. He had nothing to hide.

Quisha cocked her head to the side.

“There was absolutely nothing going on. There were other people in the room. I’ll admit she still has feelings for me. But I am not in love with her. I told her that I was in love with my wife and have moved on. Nothing happened that night. I learned a lesson—don’t try to be funny when I’m drunk.” He laughed to lighten the situation and looked briefly down at her stomach.

“How far along are you?” he asked.

“Ten weeks,” she responded.

“You gave me quite a scare,” he said and then his face brightened.

“I’m going to be a dad,” he said with a big smile and leaned over to kiss Quisha.

“I just hate your mother won’t get a chance to meet him or her,” Quisha said and placed a hand over her stomach and Chad placed his hand over hers.

“I don’t want us to be apart again,” he told her sincerely. “Let’s go bury Mom.”

The couple left the room.

“It’s nice to finally get to meet you, Chad,” Quisha’s mother said.

“You too,” he said with a pleasant smile.

“Sorry to hear about your mother,” Quisha’s mother said.

“Thank you,” Chad responded.

Elizabeth’s funeral was in two days, but Chad stayed an extra day with Quisha and her family before they headed back to Michigan. There were hugs and kisses all around and promises of not being a stranger in the future.

“I’m going to miss you, baby,” her mother said, hugging her close. “You be good to my baby,” she told Chad in a warning tone.

“I will.” He flashed a perfect smile and ushered Quisha out the house and into the cab to head to the airport.

* * *

The funeral

The day of the funeral was rainy and cold; the Allencourt children and their spouses, Gretchen’s former husband and Jessica stood at the edge of Elizabeth’s grave as she was lowered into the ground. Chad absently put a protective arm around Quisha.

It didn’t go unnoticed by Jessica, who stared slyly at the mismatched couple throughout the whole service.

In the two years Jessica was with Chad she had become close to Elizabeth and didn’t let the bad blood she felt for Chad keep her from paying her last respects for the woman she thought would be her mother-in-law.

After the ceremony Jessica walked over to Chad and Quisha.

“Nice to see you, Chad. I’m so sorry for your loss,” she said, all but ignoring Quisha.

“Thank you for coming, Jessica,” he said without emotion.

“I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure,” Jessica said, swallowing over the knot in her throat as she turned her attention to Quisha.

“Quisha Allencourt.”

“Allencourt…and who are you to this family?” Jessica asked, being funny.

“I’m Chad’s wife…” Quisha’s voice drifted. Just then, another mourner got Chad’s attention and pulled him away.

Jessica gave Quisha a half-calculating smile and whispered in her ear, “Not for long, dear.” She walked away to hug and console other mourners. Quisha stood still wondering how to respond to that and placed a hand subconsciously over her stomach.