Chapter Thirteen
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw him standing at the foot of the stairs that led to the door of the church. It wasn’t the fact that he was there, standing like some hot as hell model. Oh, no that could not be it, right? I felt like I couldn’t breathe at all for a moment there. “That must be Anthony.” But when I said it, I sounded like a little boy going through puberty, my voice had changed a bit as I hadn’t gotten enough air in my lungs yet..
My mom even looked at me funny as we got out the car once we parked. “Are you all right?” she asked.
“I’m fine, my damn allergies acting up and of course, the post nasal drip.” I lied and I know my mom knew I was lying because she gave me that snarky eye roll of hers as we made our way toward the front.
Anthony looked over and saw us. His face lit up with a smile as he waved. “Hello.”
“Why hey there, look at you,” I told him as I got a good look at the navy blue suit that fit his body like a glove.
Lord, please give me strength today.
“Let me introduce you to my parents Jane and Wilfred Taylor, Mom and Dad this is Anthony Stone.”
“Nice to meet you at last, our daughter has told us so much about you,” my mom said as he took her hand in both of his and held it.
He then shook my father’s outstretched hand.
“Nice to meet you Anthony.”
“It’s a pleasure meeting you both.” He looked over at me with his eyes wide as if to ask me, ‘Well, what’s next?’
“Why don’t we head on inside then?” My father broke the awkward moment as he took my mom by the arm and walked up the stairs as Anthony motioned for me to go ahead of him.
When Tupac said in that song ‘All Eyes on Me’ he wasn’t lying because as soon as we walked inside and towards one of the pews to sit down, every eye was on me and Anthony. It was as if they had never seen a white person before. Well, let me take that back, it was as if they had never seen a white person in this church before. I could hear whispers around me and I noticed some of the older women looking back and talking behind their church fans. I honestly couldn’t help but smile as I took one of the fans myself and put it in front of my face as I leaned over to Anthony and told him, “It seems you are the talk of the church now.”
Smiling big, he told me, “I figured as much from all the head turning and whispering.”
Soon Mr. Cobb the organist began to play as the choir came in with Reverend Nelson and the Deacons not far behind.
I had to admit that church was never the same that day for me. Anthony was so open and carefree throughout the service. I could tell he was really into what Reverend was preaching. Even saying ‘Amen’ every once in a while, even got up along with us as we clapped and sang along with the choir. Then afterwards, was a trip because most of the women were clamoring over him, especially the older ones who to which I noticed that one in particular had taken a liking to him, Ms. Calhoun who was in her eighties and always was dressed to the nines when she came into church. She had taken his arm, as he was gracious enough to walk with her out of the church, taking his dear sweet time as he had helped her down the steps as her daughter went to get the car.
“Where have you been hiding this young man at girl?” Mrs. Calhoun joked as she cackled while looking up at him with a smile.
“Well, Mrs. Calhoun he’s been real busy working and all but today, I brought him out for everyone to meet including you.” I saw Anthony look at me funny but I gave him a playful wink and he smiled.
“You need to bring him by and have lunch with me sometime. My daughter can cook you a home cooked meal that would fill you up.” She told him patting his hand which made him happy.
“I think I would like that, it’s not often I get the chance to have a home cooked meal.”
“Well, Melanie needs to bring you on over to my place since she knows where I live and have supper with us.” We saw a white Trailblazer pull up and I knew it was her daughter Margaret as she got out the car to open up the door as Anthony slowly walked her to the car. When he made sure that she was seated in while Margaret put on her seat belt and closed the door, Mrs. Calhoun opened the window, poking her huge red hat out the window as she held out her hand once more for him to claim it. “Now don’t be a stranger, come by the church anytime and Melanie, I will call your momma to let you know when we will be having supper.”
“I’ll be waiting to hear from her then, now you take care Mrs. Calhoun,” I said.
“Take care, Mrs. Calhoun, I’ll be hearing from you soon I hope.” Anthony inquired and with a nod, they left us.
An exasperated Anthony looked back at me with a smile.
I gave him one back. “You are a very popular fella you know that?”
“Well, what can I say? I’ve always had a way with the ladies.” He grinned, looking around before looking back at me. “You know I really liked this, coming to church with you. I haven’t been to church in a very long time.”
We started to walk towards the parking lot. “When was the last time you went?”
“Oh that’s been a long time, probably about five years ago. I was touring with my band and the owner of one of the bars we were playing at invited us to his church. I really enjoyed myself that day even though I was the only one from the band that went, the rest had gotten wasted. But I appreciate you letting me come.”
“Well, you are welcome. Now, I hope that you haven’t had anything to eat this morning.”
“Oh no, my stomach is emptier than a bottomless pit at the moment, didn’t you hear it growling?”
“Actually, I did but I didn’t say anything much less look at you but I know Mom made a huge meal for supper today. So make sure you loosen your belt afterwards because she’ll have dessert waiting and ready for you too.”
“I honestly can’t wait for it.”
When we were making our way back to my parent’s house, my mom was in a tizzy about Anthony. She went on and on about how handsome he was, how all the women at church asked about whether or not he was my new boyfriend or not which we both had a good laugh about. “Lucille kept poking at me throughout the service and when I went to the bathroom, you saw her follow up behind me. She interrogated me while I was in the stall. I was like girl will you stop!” She howled with laughter.
I could only shake my head. This was something that would ALWAYS happen when a new member would come to church ESPECIALLY if it was a new man.
New man meant fresh, yummy gossip amongst the ladies.
When we pulled up into the neighborhood, I suddenly felt a sense of dread come over me. I don’t know why I felt that way, usually after service I felt real good. But when we turned onto our street and came towards our home, I saw the car…
Aunt Reva’s car
Now just like Aunt Reva, her car was just as eccentric as she is. The car which was a birthday present from her last husband Roy was a 1966 Chevy Camaro. She always talked about wanting that car for the longest time and he had the chance to find it after months of calls, getting it repaired and a new paint job in her favorite color Salmon Pink with Apple Green leather seats, a true testament to her allegiance to her sorority AKA. I remember her sometimes picking me up from school in that thing. Oh, the embarrassment was too unbelievable to bear.
“Oh no,” I mumbled as when we pulled into the driveway, I saw her sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs that my mom had in the front yard.
She had an umbrella over her head to protect her from the sun with another one of the odd creations for a purse in her lap and wearing a matching dress along with it. I could tell by the look on her face that she was irked and when we got out of the car, the first thing to come out of her mouth was, “What the hell took you all so long!”
“What do you mean what took you so long? You knew good and well we were at church.” I looked over and saw Anthony pulling up along the curb.
When she saw his head pop up from out of the car, she flashed a glare at me. Trying to get herself up from the chair, which honestly was a chore in itself since those chairs had a tendency to sink you in without trying to let you out. “I didn’t think it would have taken you that long but I know why now. What in the hell is he doing here? Didn’t I tell you that he was nothing but bad news?” she shouted just in ear shot of him.
Anthony now made his way towards us. “Hello Ms. Reva, nice seeing you again.”
“Don’t hi Ms. Reva me. What are you doing here?”
“I’m here for supper.”
“Supper, you invited this fool to eat with you all.”
“Reva yes, now what are you doing here?” My father demanded to know as he continued to walk towards the garage.
“I came here to get something out of your basement that I had but I might as well stay for supper too.” Her eyes were glued onto Anthony who only smiled at her as she grabbed hold of me, pulling me towards the garage. “I thought I told you to stay away from that man.” She started pinching my arm.
I winced from the pain. “Damn Auntie, how am I going to stay away when he’s doing my demo tape for Christ’s sake, now stop that. I invited him to church as well as to supper today since he’s done so much for me.”
“Are you guys fucking?”
“Reva!” my mom exclaimed.
“Oh hush, you all act like you ain’t heard anyone say that word in your life. You need to be worrying more about whether or not she is fucking this guy. He’s bad news.” Once inside, she sat down in my father’s favorite chair, which she knew my dad hated.
He told Anthony, “Make yourself at home Anthony.” He motioned for him to sit over on the couch which he did.
All along Aunt Reva was watching him like a hawk stalking its prey.
“Let me help you with the food momma.” I went back to the kitchen where my mom had been getting things together to warm up for supper. “Did you invite her?” I asked her.
“Of course, I didn’t. I don’t know why she came over in the first place and her coming to get something in the basement is a lie. She got the last of her things from this house ten years ago, you remember that.”
“I wonder who tipped her off?” I thought about it and I knew of only one person that could have said something. Grabbing the phone, I quickly dialed the number, all along my mom watched me.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Did Aunt Reva call you?” I asked, drumming my fingers against the wall.
“Yeah, she did.”
I deeply sighed out the frustration while running my hand through my hair. “Lil’ Pud, did you tell her that Anthony was coming over for supper?”
“Yes, I told her that you were having some company over because she had been looking for you.”
I could have snatched him up through the phone. “Well she’s here, in my parents’ house, in my dad’s chair, giving Anthony grief and staying for supper.”
“Oh Melanie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know she was going over there.”
“Well, she is and I know she’s planning on making life hell on a Sunday. She’s already asked me once again in front of him as well as my parents if we were fucking.” I saw my mom eyeball me but I just turned away while she turned on the burner. “You know I’m going to kill you right?”
“Yeah, I know.” He sighed.
“I don’t know when and I don’t know how I’ll do it. But I promise you I will do it.”
“Oh, come on Melanie, it’s not that bad is it?”
“She asked me if I was fucking him in front of my parents, so yeah that’s bad enough.” Then a devilish idea popped up in my head. “If you want to make it up to me, you can do it right now.”
“What is it?”
“You can come over here and have supper right along with us.”
“But I’ve already eaten.”
“I didn’t say you were going to eat, I just wanted you to come over for supper and keep Aunt Reva calm and at bay from Anthony. I know she’s planning on going on the warpath on him today and I didn’t plan on doing that. I just wanted to show my appreciation for him doing my tape.”
There was silence on his end for a moment but he then asked, “Can I get some cake?”
“He wants to know if he can have some cake.”
“Was it he who had her come over?”
“Of course.”
“Then no, no cake for him.”
“You heard her, if you come over, no food or cake.”
Grumbling for a bit he sighed. “Fine, let me get my stuff on and I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
Hanging up, I rubbed my eyes in frustration as I heard my mom say, “You know I’m going to give him some cake.”
“Oh, I know you will. He knows I’m just playing with him as far as the food is concerned. I really did not want this to happen.” I pouted.
She walked over and gave me a hug from the side. “I wouldn’t let it worry you sweetheart. We both know how your Aunt can be. All we can do is pray to God that this meal will go by without any problems. And I think she’ll warm up to him eventually, since I can tell that he’s going to be around more.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Just cause, now go and grab the china and silverware from the sideboard and set the table.” She shooed me out of the kitchen.
I went on to set the table, all along praying that this wouldn’t be a disastrous meal to remember.