Keyshia and Clyde (16 page)

Chapter 28
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Keyshia and Clyde had planned to leave Charleston on Friday morning but decided to stay until the weekend because Keyshia's mother told them about a gathering. They had until Monday to get back to New York and give Black Sam his money. All Clyde had to do was hook up with Ceasar to get the remaining twenty thousand dollars and give everything to Sonny to square things up. Keyshia's mother insisted that they stay at the house for the night in Kenya's room.

The time had come when Keyshia and her mother were alone inside her mother's bedroom. Both women were uneasy and made small talk.

“So, Keyshia, it looks like ya auntie Ninny done a fine job in raisin' ya.”

Keyshia hesitated, fighting every muscle in her face not to reveal the truth, then nodded. “Yes, Mama, Auntie done take good care of me.”

Her mother beamed proudly. “I's knew I could rely on Ninny ta take good care of my baby.”

Keyshia wanted so badly to tell her the truth, but she knew her mother had enough guilt on her plate and this would surely push her over the edge.

“You look just like them people on TV, and ya speak just like 'em, too.” She giggled. “And you got so tall, I's now have ta look up ta ya.”

Keyshia smiled. There was a long pause, and then Keyshia finally broke the silence.“Mama . . .” She looked down as she gathered her thoughts. “I know how hard everything must have been on you, and you don't have to feel bad anymore. I since moved on, and I hold no grudges against anyone, especially you.”

“But I's still feel bad 'cause I's put you in harm's way. I's suppose ta be the one who care fo' ya, protect ya, 'stead I's let that man tamper with you. I's shouldn'ta been such a fool, being so trustin' and all and stupid.”

Her mother put her head down in shame, but Keyshia lifted her chin and looked her directly in the eyes. “Mama, you ain't stupid or a fool. All you wanted was the best for me and to learn the word of God. That man and that man alone violated me, and he's the one who has to answer to God for his crimes.” Keyshia's mother looked at her in awe and wondered how in the world she'd gained such wisdom at such a young age in spite of all that happened.

“I's always knew you was special, Keyshia. I's knew that from the very first time I's lay eyes on you. You always been the determined type, and I's know you would always be some kinda doctor or one of them lawyers or something.”

“You really thought so, Mama?”

“Yes, chile, ever since you were li'l, and useta try ta do some-thin', you didn't stop till ya master it.” She laughed. “You 'member the time you learn how ta ride a two-wheel bike?” Keyshia shook her head.

“Well, you ain't nothing but four or five years old, and you keep tryin' and fallin' down, cryin' each time, scrapin' yo' knee, hands, chile, everything. We's try ta get you to stop, but ya kept at it. Later that day, ya comes in here screamin' and hollerin', all bloody on ya forehead, arms, and, chile, yo' knee's was so scrape up we thought they was gonna fall off, but you came in here screamin' top of yo' lungs, sayin', ‘Mama, I did it, I did it,' and carry me by my hand outside ta show me.” She smiled, “Then you gets right back on that bike and rides that bike just like the wind. You couldna stop you from smilin'!” Keyshia blushed.

“Yeah, chile, you was always some kinda special. I's know you gots ta be doing well in the big city with them fine clothes and them expensive gifts ya bring us.”

Keyshia grew uneasy. Feelings of guilt arose inside of her. She knew all along what she was doing when she walked in the house portraying that she had her life together, speaking properly and bringing everyone gifts like she was rich. She'd dreamed about doing this for years, and when it finally happened, she was dissatisfied about the person she portrayed herself to be.

“Mama,” Keyshia said as she shook her head, “I's not everything you thought I turn out to be. I's drop out of school, I's got myself put out of Ninny's house, and I was involved in them bad drugs on them streets.” She searched her mother's face for a reaction but saw none. “I's got teased a lot by them folks in New York because of hows I's look and hows I's talk and make myself blend in by talking like 'em. I's lied ta you 'bout Auntie Ninny, too. She treated me horrible from the time I's came near. She beat me all the time and called me trash and worked me like a slave.” Keyshia's mother's eyes began to grow cold and icy. “It got to the point where's I's was tired of all the name callin' and whuppin's that I's finally snap and pulled out a knife and put it ta her throat and warned her that if she ever lay a hand on me again, I's surely would cut her throat.” She looked deep into her mother's eyes and said, “And I's would have, too.” Her mother nodded, and Keyshia asked sullenly, “You mad at me fo' handlin' ya sister like that, Mama?”

“Mad?” her mother said, appalled. “You shoulda done it, if ya ask me. She had no right treatin' you like a dog like she did after all them years I's raised that chile.”

Keyshia felt a burden had been lifted off her shoulders, because despite her aunt's treatment of her, she still felt that she was wrong to fight back the way she had.

“You ain't got ta feel shame 'bout nothin'. Ya did right, and when I's see Ninny it gon' be a whole lot of furniture movin' 'round in this house here.”

Keyshia snickered, because in the South that was how they said there was going to be some fighting in the house. She took a big breath, relieved, but she still had something on her mind. Her mother picked up on it and inquired, “Ya still got somethin' on yo' mind, chile, tell ya mama what it is.”

Keyshia lifted her head and gazed deep into her mother's eyes. Her mother nodded knowingly.

“You want ta know about ya's baby.” She squeezed Keyshia's hand and continued, “Her name is Christina, and she is the most beautiful chile ya ever want to see. She smart and bright just like you.”

Her mother spent the next hour telling Keyshia as much as she knew about her daughter, answering question after question. Her mother told her that she got a chance to see her daughter about twice a year, including Christmas. She told Keyshia that when she first found out that the pastor had her granddaughter, she made a valiant effort to gain custody of her by taking him to court. But being uneducated and poor prevented her from pursuing the case any further. She had even consulted a lawyer, who advised her to drop the case because the pastor would be more suitable to raise the child financially, and that if she really loved her granddaughter, she'd let her be raised in a better environment than the one she lived in.

“I's did everything I's could, but them courts would never give that chile ta me 'cause I's weren't prepared ta raise her. I's was barely able to raise the chillens I's have already; that's why I's had ta send you away. But, don't you worry 'cause—”

They were interrupted by Kenya, who was pounding on the door. “Mommy, I's ready to go ta sleep. I's tired!” Since Keyshia and Clyde were sleeping in her room, Kenya was sleeping with her mother tonight.

Keyshia's mother looked at the clock and said, “Let me let that chile get some sleep. You should do the same and get yaself some sleep 'cause we gots ourself a big day tomorrow, lotta peoples gonna be here.” Her mother opened the door, and Kenya pounced right into the room and into Keyshia's arms as she sat on the bed.

“Mama,” Keyshia inquired, “you ain't say nothing about family joining us tomorrow.”

Kenya said as she played with her big sister's braids, “What do ya mean, Keyshia? Tomorrow the family reunion. A lot of people always show up ta the reunion.”

Keyshia looked inquisitively at her mother, who smiled. “I's thought that was the reason y'all done come down here and all. Ninny ain't tell ya? She comin', too.”

•                  •                  •

When Keyshia entered the bedroom, Clyde was already settled in and lying in the bed reading the book he was given by the Bookman.

“Clyde, tomorrow's my family reunion and I didn't even know it.”

“Huh?” Clyde answered, not looking up from the book.

“I said we having a big family reunion tomorrow.”

Clyde nodded his approval. “Oh, that's cool, you get a chance to see your family you haven't seen in years.”

“Guess who gonna be here tomorrow, too? My aunt Ninny!” Keyshia said enthusiastically. “And I told my mama everything, and she said it's gonna be a whole lot of furniture moving around tomorrow, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh, shit! It's gonna be on tomorrow, then.”

“Yep, sure is.” Keyshia sat next to him and kissed him. “What are you doing?”

“Reading this book,
The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
Malcolm was no joke when he was younger.”

Keyshia looked at what page he was on and asked, “Clyde, you already on page eighty-six?”

He nodded. “Yeah, why?”

“ 'Cause you can read your ass off. I never knew you could read like that.”

“Well, this is a interesting book. Did you know Malcolm X's mother was in a mental institution?”

Keyshia shook her head.

“Yeah, and that turned him into a thief and burglar.” Clyde shook his head. “Damn, all this time I thought I was the only one who goes through this shit.”

Keyshia listened to him and smiled. “We all gotta go through things, baby, some go through more than others, but you definitely gonna go through it. But even if you got to go through painful things, don't let it define who you are.”

Clyde looked up at Keyshia with an amazed expression on his face. “Goddamn, Keysh, where you learned deep shit like that rom?”

She giggled and said, “Reading is fundamental.”

Clyde smiled and grabbed her and began tickling her. “Oh, you want to be smarty pants, huh? You want to be hee hee hee how, huh?”

Keyshia began to laugh hysterically. “Clyde, stop, you know I'm ticklish.”

“Tell me how much you love a nigga?”

“I love you, just stop.” She laughed.

“How much?”

“I love you to death!” she shouted.

Clyde stopped tickling her and with a serious face asked, “Till death do us part?”

Keyshia stared up into his eyes. “Till death do us part, boy!”

Clyde looked deeply into Keyshia's eyes and saw no uncertainties. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would surely do just that.

“Clyde,” she said, “you's is my world, and I want to be with you till I die. I's think I go crazy if something ever happen to you, that's why I want to tell you we got to stop doing what we doing so no harm will come to the both of us. The thought of not having you is too, too much for me to bear, so you got to stay out of trouble, and if you do . . .” Keyshia's eyes began to harden, and she spoke with urgency. “It ain't nothing you or nobody can say to stop me from getting you out of trouble. Do you understand me, Clyde? If we got to go out, we go out together, and I so mean that! Now promise me, promise me that we will, 'cause I'm never letting you go, boy!”

“Till death do us part, baby!” Clyde said, accepting the eternal pact.

They sealed it with a long kiss. That night, they made love like it would be their last time as they both professed their eternal love for each other.

Chapter 29
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Bang . . . bang . . . bang!

The pounding sound woke Keyshia and Clyde.

“Mama said it was time ta get up so we could prepare fo' the reunion!” Kenya yelled on the other side of the door.
Bang, bang, bang!
“Get up!”

“All right, Kenya!” Keyshia yelled and they both collapsed back on their pillows.

“Don't lay back down! Mama said now!”

They both sat up and looked at each other, wondering how Kenya could tell what was happening through a closed door.

Keyshia's mother had stayed up most of the night cooking and preparing the food for the cookout. Keyshia chided her mother for not asking for her help. Her mother told her that it wasn't a problem and that she was used to cooking big meals by herself.

By eight o'clock, Keyshia's other aunts arrived with food and to help with the arrangements. They could hardly believe their eyes when they saw their niece, whom they hadn't seen in years. They all marveled about how tall and beautiful she was, and when she opened her mouth to speak, they commented on how she talked like them “white folks.” They made a big fuss over Keyshia, telling her that she needed to come stay over at each of their houses so they could put some meat on her bones. Keyshia's mother pulled aside her three rather large sisters and told them what Ninny had done to Keyshia, and they grew livid. Since Ninny was the youngest of the five sisters, they had all virtually raised Ninny after their mother and father passed away when Ninny was seven years old. The sisters had sacrificed everything for their baby sister, working hard to put her through school and send her to New York. When she got a great-paying job and was on her feet, she turned her back on her southern upbringing. When she did visit, she tried to make her sisters feel as though they were ignorant because they spoke “geechi,” a thick South Carolinian dialect.

Kenya had bugged her big sister all morning to borrow something that she could wear to the reunion. Even though Keyshia towered over her little sister by at least five inches, they were the same clothing size. So Keyshia went in her bag and found something for her to wear and even gave her a pair of coordinating sandals and brought out the old-fashioned hot comb to straighten her little sister's hair. After her sister was fully dressed with her hair done, Keyshia looked her over and thought Kenya needed one more thing and brought out her makeup kit. When she finished with her little sister, she looked exactly like an African princess. Even her brothers, who joked with her endlessly, told her how nice she looked. Her mother put her hands over her mouth when she saw her baby model and show off her new look.

“How do I's look, Mama?”

“You's looks absolutely beautiful, baby, beautiful, I's say!”

“Thank you, Mama.” To be sure, Kenya ran to find Clyde, on whom she had developed a crush. When she found him in the room playing the Xbox that he and Keyshia had brought them, she said, “Clyde, how do I's look?” She smiled widely as she pranced back and forth like a top model.

“You look just like them models I see on television, Kenya, just like them.”

Her eyes lit up. “You think I can be a New York model, Clyde?”

Clyde nodded. “Hell, yeah. You still got some growing to do, and if you grow anything like your sister, which is most likely, you definitely can be one.” Kenya smiled from ear to ear. She ran up to Clyde and gave him a big kiss on the cheek and ran out of the room with high hopes.

Family members by the dozens began to arrive in cars and trucks.

All their smiles were wide and happy each time any familiar face—or unfamiliar face, for that matter—showed up at the reunion.

Clyde grew amazed at all the genuine love that Keyshia's family gave him—it was almost as if he were their blood family. He was even more happy for Keyshia, who was holding court with all her young female cousins, who asked her question after question about New York City.

“Do you know any rappers?”

“How much it cost ta get your hair did like that?”

“You think I's can get a boy like you got if I's comes to New York?”

“How'd you get ta sound so white soundin'?”

“Can you take me back there wit' ya?”

Keyshia answered each and every one of their queries, separating fact from fiction and telling them that they shouldn't believe everything they see on television.

Within the next couple of hours, the family reunion was in full swing, and the back and front yards were congested with over a hundred black faces. The men of the family all rallied together and set up nearly twenty barbecue grills and had the place smoking with hamburgers, franks, and, of course, spareribs. The women laid out the tables with huge plastic bowls full of potato salad, macaroni salad, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, turnip greens, cabbage, deviled eggs, rice and peas, lima beans, and more. They even had a huge pot of boiled crabs. Beer and alcohol flowed freely, and there was even a batch of homemade corn liquor.

Children ran around playing, and the teens were content to play video games. All was happy and joyous.

Suddenly the announcement was made: “Food is ready, line up for yo' plate!” With that, people lined up at the table, plates in hand, to fill their stomachs with savory food.

Keyshia sat on Clyde's lap as they listened to music and watched everyone dance and have a good time. New York and all their problems seemed a million miles away, as neither could recall in recent memory a family event being so fulfilling. In fact, this was Clyde's first experience at any kind of family function, and he realized what he had missed. But now that he had Keyshia and her family, who accepted him as one of their own, he knew that this one would not be his last.

“All right,” the DJ said as he cut the music, “y'all know what time it is now . . . it's stepping time with R. Kelly. So I want everybody, and I mean everybody, to get up and ‘Step in the Name of Love'!”

With that everyone got up and got in line and began the dance that went along with R. Kelly's song. Keyshia stood up and pulled Clyde by the arm and tried to get him to join in, but he protested.

“Naw, Keysh, you know I'm a gangster, and gangsters don't dance.”

Still pulling at his arm, she joked, “You ain't no gangsta no more. Remember, that mean you normal now.”

Clyde wasn't budging. “Come on, Keyshia, you know I don't know that shit.”

“Then I'll show you,” she offered.

“Naw, that's all right.”

Keyshia called to her mother, and Mrs. Simmons came strutting over doing the damn thing, and Keyshia said, “Ma, Clyde said that he want to dance with you.”

Her mother smiled and said, “Okay, come on and let's do the thing with yo' old mama-in-law, son.”

She grabbed him by the hand, and he couldn't say no to her. As Keyshia watched her mother show Clyde how to do the dance, she smiled so hard that it hurt, and she put her hands over her mouth because she couldn't contain her happiness. Keyshia looked off in the distance and saw a man by a car holding a little girl by the hand. The little girl wore a colorful dress with red ribbons in her hair, and even from afar, Keyshia could see how beautiful she was.

Keyshia's mother saw that something was wrong with her daughter and followed her eyes to where she was looking. Mrs. Simmons touched Clyde's hand and walked over to where the man and child stood. Not a word was exchanged as the little girl took her grandmother's hand and followed her. The music stopped playing, and all eyes were on the older woman and child. The closer they got, the more Keyshia's insides began raging and growing tense. Her mind began growing cloudy and gray. Could it be? she thought.

The huge, silent crowd parted as Keyshia's mother and the little girl approached her. Clyde was emotionally overwhelmed, and tears welled in his eyes. Keyshia didn't know what to do as she stared down at the most beautiful little girl who looked so much like her. In her hand, the little girl had a brown teddy bear, and she raised it up to Keyshia and said, “My name is Christina. Is you my mama?”

Still speechless, Keyshia simply nodded.

“Well, my daddy say this is for you.”

Keyshia accepted the teddy bear, which read, “I love my mommy.” Keyshia fell to her knees and embraced her child for the first time. Then she pulled herself together and looked in her daughter's eyes through her tears. She said, “Yes . . . yes, baby, I's your mommy and I's love you.”

Her daughter threw her arms around her and said, “I love you, too, Mommy.”

Love never fails.

Keyshia picked up her daughter and carried her into the house to spend some quality time with her. As she walked toward the house, she watched Christina's father, who had bandages and bruises all over his pitiful face, nod, back into his car, and drive away.

After Keyshia entered the house, a car pulled into the driveway and two boys jumped out of the backseat and ran toward the gathering. “Don't you boys go far. And don't get your clothing dirty, and let me see the food before you eat it! You hear me?” The boys nodded and continued on. Everyone watched as Ninny exited the car. She frowned as she stepped uneasily through the spotted grass and dirt. She was dressed very conservatively and looked as if she were going on a job interview. When she noticed all her folks staring at her, she asked sarcastically, “My God, who died? I thought this was a family reunion.” The crowd parted, and there stood her four older sisters with their arms folded, staring at her grimly.

Ninny smiled and waved and looked around at everyone's faces, “Hey, Sissy, hey, Carol, Marie, Mary. Why is the music not playing and everybody looking at me like this?”

Sissy—Keyshia's mother—approached her and said coolly, “Hey, Ninny, we got to talk.”

Surprised, Ninny asked, “Talk about what? Girl, I just got here, driving for all them hours.”

Her sister Mary said, “Oh, chile, it ain't gonna take but a second.”

Marie interjected, “Yeah, we just going in the house, that way you can rest a li'l.”

Ninny smiled and said, “Yeah, that sound nice, I do need to change into some slippers. My feet are killing me. Let me just tell my boys to be careful out here.”

Carol, the oldest and biggest sister, said, “Now, Ninny, dem boys is just gon' be fine. Let 'em be boys, I's keep an eye on 'em.”

Ninny nodded and joked, “I see you guys is still speaking country as hell. When are you going to learn proper English?” All the sisters remained silent as the five of them walked into the house.

Clyde watched everything unfold and smiled.

When they got in the house, the four surrounded their sister as they shut the door and locked it. Perplexed, Ninny suspected something wrong and asked, “What is this about, and why is everyone looking at me that way?”

Sissy said, “Ninny, you's gots ta answer ta Keyshia!”

“What?” Ninny stammered as she feigned ignorance. Just then Keyshia and her daughter exited out of one of the bedrooms. Ninny's eyes widened as a huge lump formed in her throat.

Sissy nodded and said, “Yeah, you do remember my daughter Keyshia.”

“Our niece!” Carol said loudly.

Sissy walked up to her face and questioned, “You made my daughter sleep in the closet and put your fucking hands on her?”

“I . . . I . . . ,” Ninny stuttered.

“I, what?” Sissy asked. “She's a black dirty bitch, and she ain't going to amount to shit? Nobody gonna want her?” The sisters stared at Ninny, incensed.

“Ninny, we raised you and raised you well,” Sissy said angrily. “I quit school ta take care of you when Mama and Papa die, put you through school, and sent ya ta New York fo' a job and everything, and you pay me back by treating my daughter like a dog?” The more Sissy spoke, the angrier she got. “Keyshia, take the baby out of here, 'cause I's about ta show yo' aunt some of this here furniture. Excuse me . . . I'm sorry, that's not proper English, is it, Ninny? Allow me to rephrase myself: Please excuse us, Keyshia, because we are about to kick your aunt's ass!”

“Ooh, Mommy, Grandmommy cursed,” Keyshia's daughter said.

Keyshia smiled, picked up her daughter, and exited the house quickly.