Celebrations and Decisions

Saturday, the day of the party was a flurry of activity at the Hendricks's home.

Matheson followed his mother's instructions and prepared all of the deserts. He made a devil's food cake which he knew was VaLysia's favorite, he made banana pudding which Mavis loved, he made a marble pound cake for his parents and threw in a few more things for good measure! That was his sole task for that day and his mother had called the store four times reminding him not to do another thing but prepare for the party. She even called Gary and reminded him that Matheson should leave the bakery by noon.

Matheson rolled his eyes when he received a fifth call from his mother.

"Enough already, Mom!" he snapped in the phone. "I told you an hour ago that I had everything under control!"

"I'm not calling about that!" Emily replied. "I wondered if you had taken your medicine! I don't want your blood pressure to be up rushing around for this party."

Matheson rolled his eyes again. "Yes, Mom. " He now regretted telling her about his doctor's visit. She was going to worry him to death.

He hung up the phone and checked the time. He was right on schedule. Gary helped him put the items in his car trunk and in the back seat and he planned to go straight to his parents' home. He had to admit that it felt great to get off and not be dog tired. He had brought his clothes to his parent's house the night before and he would shower and change there. He then texted VaLysia and told her that he was leaving the bakery.

His mother ran outside as he drove up and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. She was literally jumping up and down like an excited child. He could just imagine what his father was saying.

"Matheson, you're here" she exclaimed clapping her hands. He looked up and saw his father with his arms crossed across his chest standing in the doorway.

"She's been pacing again." He said as Matheson got out and popped the trunk.

"Oh pooh!" Emily replied "I'm just a little excited is all."

"A little?" Matheson teased. "Mom you called me five times at the store!"

"Did you take your medicine?" she asked looking him over carefully.

"Yes, Mom. I told you I took it." Matheson replied patiently.

"I'm so grateful VaLysia made you go to the doctor." Emily said walking into the house with a cake. "You need a wife like that. You've made an excellent choice! "

Matheson looked up at his father who didn't reply.

"At least you think so, Mom" he replied dryly carrying the items into the kitchen.

They made several more trips from the car to the kitchen and Matheson was not the least bit surprised to see that his mother had hired extra help for this party.

"How many people are coming?" Matheson asked looking at the three people that were bustling around the large kitchen.

"Oh, it's just us and Mavis and VaLysia" she replied handing the stuff to the helpers.

"You hired three extra people for a dinner party with just us attending" Matheson replied shocked.

"Only the best for Mavis!" Emily insisted. "I had her favorites professionally done."

Matheson laughed. "I hope it's not fried chicken again."

"Of course not!" Emily replied. "Mavis has several favorites and I've had them all specially prepared. We will have roast beef, veal parmesan, and grilled shrimp and crab cakes."

"Mom, we can't eat all that in one meal!" Matheson protested. He looked at his father who threw up his hands as he stood behind her.

"Well whatever you don't want to take home, we'll take it down to the homeless shelter. I've already called them" she replied smugly.

Matheson had to laugh. His mother was going all out like she was feeding a herd. He followed his father outside on the patio while his mother still rushed around giving the hired help more instructions.

"Why in the world do you let her do this, Dad?" he asked snickering.

"Do you think I have any choice?" his father replied sitting down.

"I really expected you to cancel the party" Matheson replied. "I know you don't like Val-"

"I like her well enough" Gregory relied. "I just wanted you to marry one of your own kind, that's all. You seem to have your mind made up, so all I can do is accept your choice. At least I'm sure that she loves you and it's not about money. It could be a lot worse. "

He looked at Matheson. "I guess I'm just from the old school."

"Times are changing, Dad" Matheson replied.

"I guess" Gregory said. He looked at his hands and then at his son.

"Look, I need to ask you something" he said, his voice hesitant.

"Go on" Matheson replied watching him.

"What is it? What attracted you to her? Did it happen when she was here the first time? I'm trying to understand this."

Matheson looked at his father. "Remember when you told me that a man can choose a woman with his penis, his head or his heart?"

"Yeah."

"Well when I first saw her, the penis rejected her. I wasn't attracted to her at all. My head rejected her because she seemed angry to me and I didn't think I could be with a black girl. I thought we had absolutely nothing in common."

His father was surprised. "What changed your mind?"

"I kissed her" Matheson confessed. "She made me so mad in the music room that I did it without even thinking about it and when I did it, man…I can't explain it except to say it was amazing."

Gregory laughed. "I see"

"After that" Matheson said "She came to the store and she was dressed real nice and well, I was attracted to her. I kept watching those lips of hers and she has really nice legs and I kept thinking about that first kiss. The rest is history."

He looked at his father and lowered his voice. "It bothers me that you don't respect my choices."

Gregory sighed. "Look. I don't like it, but I accept it. You say you love her, well what can I say about that? I know she loves you the way she manhandled me in my own office and then burst out crying when she thought something serious was wrong with you. Women are strange!"

Matheson laughed. "None are as strange as Mom and you married her."

"Yeah, I couldn't help myself" Gregory replied.

"You two seem so different, you and Mom. On one hand, she seems to worship the ground you walk on and on the other you seem …I don't know afraid of her somewhat."

"I'm not afraid of her, son" his father replied. "I just don't know when she will go off that's all."

"How did you know that you loved her?" Matheson asked. "I remember you telling me that she went after you and you were in love with someone else."

"I knew I loved your mother when an old girlfriend tried to get back with me and I had no desire to do so. " Gregory replied. "She had cheated on me and your mother and I ended up together. We had been married a year and Daria the old girlfriend showed up at the store just as I was closing. She was dead broke and needed some money and well she wanted to offer me a little pleasure if I helped her out. Before I married your mother I thought she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She was tall and blond and had these big round boobs that made me salivate. But when she came to the bakery that night, I felt nothing. She took off her jacket and her boobs looked like they were about to explode out of her top. For the first time I thought she looked like a cartoon character out of a men's magazine. All I could think about was your mother and how this woman could never make me feel alive like Emily could. Then I threw her out of the store."

Matheson laughed. "So you've never cheated?"

"No never" Gregory replied. "You may not want to hear this being my son….but since we're talking man to man I'll just say that your mother has an insatiable sexual appetite and breaking trust is not something I will even consider doing. What's the purpose anyway? She's all I can handle and sometimes she just wears me out. Adding another woman in my life would most likely cause me to have a heart attack."

Matheson laughed and got up. "Well since you're being so frank, how'd she get you to change your mind about today?"

His father looked at him sideways. "You will not want to hear this."

"What? Did she tie you to the bed or something?" he asked laughing.

Gregory didn't reply and Matheson stared at him in disbelief.

"You're kidding right? After all this time…all these years you two are carrying on like that? Really Dad, I thought that part of your life would be over by now! You and Mom need to calm down!"

"Over? Matheson I'm only fifty one! Sex for us is far from over." his father protested. "You talk like a child. Besides, I like your mother's eccentricity when it comes to sex and she knows how to use it to get what she wants from me."

"I am a child…yours!" Matheson replied. "And you're right. I don't need to keep getting visual images. I think I'll be traumatized for sure."

"Well that part of our life isn't over." Gregory replied. "Emily has been a good wife to me. She takes care of me and makes sure that I take care of her too. Son If VaLysia is what you want, so be it. You're my only son and I love you. You know that don't you?"

He looked at Matheson and Matheson stared at the ground and didn't reply right away.

"Don't you?" Gregory pressed.

"Yeah, Dad. I know." he said finally.

"The store is NOT the most important thing to me. You and your mother are." he said. "Don't you ever forget that, OK?"

Matheson nodded and hugged his father.

Just then Emily came running out on the patio.

"Alright you two! You need to get showered and dressed!" she yelled over to them.

"Alright, Ma." Matheson replied. He slapped his Dad on the back. "Come on Dad before she gets the handcuffs!"

                                          ((***))

Valysia picked up Mavis and they arrived at the Hendricks's house fifteen minutes before the six o'clock dinner time that Emily had given them.

She was surprised when they walked in and saw several strange people in uniforms in the house.

Matheson came to greet them and Val caught her breath. He was so handsome. He had on a pale sea form green shirt and black slacks. He walked over and gave both her and Mavis a kiss.

"How's my two favorite women?" he asked grinning.

"Fine" Mavis replied. "What's all this? Who else is coming?"

"You know Mom" Matheson replied. "She goes all out "

"Mavis!" Emily shrieked throwing her arms around her as if she hadn't seen her in years.

"Hey baby" Mavis said grinning.

Emily led her to the dining room and sat her down at the head of the table. She had a rhinestone tiara on the table and placed it on Mavis head. She clapped her hands again looking at her and Val had to laugh at Emily's enthusiasm. Mavis seemed to take it all in stride. Val sat next to Matheson who sat across from his father and mother. The dinner was pleasant and the food was delicious.

"See this is like a dream come true, Mavis. We're finally a real family" Emily said grinning.

"We were always a family, Baby." Mavis replied.

"I can't wait for Matheson and VaLysia to give me a grandbaby. After all, Matheson is thirty one years old!"

Matheson rolled his eyes. "Please Mom. Can't Val and I date a while longer and then get married before we produce a baby?"

"Take all the time you want" Gregory replied tartly. "No need to rush into things."

Emily gave him an evil look and turned back to Mavis. "What do you think, Mavis?"

"I think we ought to eat dessert!" Mavis replied laughing.

One of the servers bought out the cake with a big number seventy five on it. They all sang Happy Birthday and Mavis blew out the candles.

"Did you make a wish" Emily asked giggling.

"I did" Mavis confessed "And now I'd like to say something to all of you, especially you Mr. Gregory."

"I want to thank you Mr. Gregory and Ms. Emily for this wonderful dinner." Mavis said looking at them. "I love both of you like my own. Now Mr. Gregory, I know you're disappointed that your only son is in love with my granddaughter. I understand and I don't hold it against you. I come from a time that such things weren't even thought about, marriage between black and white. I wanted to leave Miss Trudy after my mother died and I had made up my mind that nothing was going to change my mind. I was going to leave that house and never look back!"

She leaned forward and reached across the table and patted his hand.

"Then Ms. Trudy had your wife, Miss Emily. She was small with a head full of orange hair like her daddy. She was blue as a dead body and the midwife and I worked on her something fierce. Ms. Trudy insisted on having her at home instead of in the hospital. God told me to breathe life into that baby and I do know CPR so I blew small puffy breaths through her nose and mouth by covering them with mine. All of a sudden she coughed and I heard her catch her breath and she started crying. Her little hand got tangled in my hair and I knew then that she didn't want me to go. She was telling me not to leave her. I saw her and I knew I couldn't do it! Her Momma made me promise to take care of her and I did. I'm telling you this because you may feel one way now, but when you see your grandbaby and that baby looks like you or your Mama or your Daddy, then you will know that God is real and your heart will melt and you won't care if their skins not white like yours."

The table was quiet for a moment after Mavis' speech. Gregory could only nod in agreement and Mavis continued.

"Miss Emily grew up and when she was eighteen and you was only a thirteen year old boy, you came to the house helping your daddy deliver desserts for her party, just like Matheson brought desserts here today. In fact, this reminds me of that party. You was a shy boy helping your daddy put the food where I told you and Miss Emily stood in the doorway watching your every move. You saw her watching you and you smiled shy like at her, and then she smiled back. After you all left, she told me right away that you were the one and that she was going to marry you. I couldn't see it then, but it happened. Now we sit here and its come full circle. You can't see how it's going to work between your son and my granddaughter, but I know that it will as sure as Miss Emily knew that day on her eighteenth birthday that she was going to marry you."

Everyone was quiet a moment thinking about what Mavis had just said.

Mavis looked around the room and laughed. She focused on Emily. "We are a family, baby. Don't you fret none about that!"

She waved the server over to the table.

"Let's cut the cake!"

They had their dessert and retired to the music room at Matheson's request.

"What's this all about son?" Gregory asked.

"You'll see." He said.

He programmed the CD player and jazz music began to play. He then came over to Mavis and handed her a gift.

"This is from me." He said grinning.

She opened the box and found a baby picture of Matheson in a double frame with a baby picture of VaLysia on the other side.

"You can look at this from time to time and imagine what our babies will look like" he said smiling kissing her

"They will be beautiful, of course" Mavis replied. "Thank you, Baby." She said kissing him back.

Mavis opened the envelope that was from Emily and Gregory.

"What's this?" she asked looking at the legal document.

"It's the cottage in Williamsburg. " Emily said. "Remember when we used to go there? Now it's yours."

Mavis looked shocked. "I can't accept this!"

"Too late. It's already yours." Emily said clapping her hands.

"Matheson, you and VaLysia will have to go down to Virginia and check it out." Gregory said. "I'm sure it's going to need some work and I will need you to give me a report."

"Dad when am I going to have time to go to Virginia?" Matheson asked sitting down beside Val.

"We'll work that out later" his father replied.

"Thank you for the lovely gifts." Mavis replied. She turned to VaLysia. "And thank you too, baby for the outfit I'm wearing today."

"You're welcome, Grandma" Val replied.

"Well let's go and pack up the food you want to take home with you." Emily said standing.

Mavis and Emily went back to the dining room to decide what leftovers she was going to take home and what was going to the homeless shelter.

Gregory followed them shaking his head as Emily continued to chatter.

Matheson walked over to VaLysia. "May I have this dance? I have this song I want you to listen to. It's from me to you. I want you to listen carefully to the words. You may know it, I don't know."

He pulled her in his arms and pushed the button on the remote. The song was "What a Difference a Day Made by Dinah Washington. Val thought it was very romantic and as he held her close, she listened to the words.

What a difference a day made….

Twenty four little hours…

Brought the sun and the flowers…

Where there used to be rain…

My yesterday was blue dear….

Today I'm a part of you dear….

My lonely nights are through dear….

Since you said you were mine….

Matheson kissed her as they moved on the floor and VaLysia felt like she was floating. Matheson's mouth moved to her neck.

"After that first kiss, my life was changed forever." he murmured. "That kiss right here in this room."

What a difference a day makes….

There's a rainbow before me…..

Skies above can't be stormy….

Since that moment of bliss…

That thrilling kiss…

It's heaven when you find romance on your menu…

What a difference a day made….

And the difference is you…..

"Marry me" Matheson murmured. as the song ended and he reached and pushed the button of the CD player and it began to play again.

Val looked at him and smiled. "Of course, one day we'll get married."

"No, I 'm asking you now. I don't want to wait" he replied. "I know it's only been six weeks. I don't care. I know in my heart that you are the one I want. Whether its a day, six days, six weeks or six years I know I love you and I want to marry you. For thirty one years I've waited for the right one. For the last eighteen months I've been working myself to death in order to fall asleep and not feel the loneliness that had been consuming me."

The music and stopped and Val stepped back from him stunned.

"Matheson…."

"When we make love, when you join your body with mine, I want you to have said yes to me to be my wife" he confessed watching her face. "You will then be mine totally."

Val stared into his ocean eyes and saw the depth of emotion there.

"I want you by my side. I want you in my bed. I just want you, Val." He said kissing her again.

"That song expresses my feelings for you. I've been lonely so very long…I know the sex may not be good for you at first...I promise to try hard to please you... I know I have my issues-"

"That has nothing to do with my answer" Val replied interrupting him. "I ..I just am shocked. I mean, you need to be sure."

His face suddenly became pained. "I'm sure, Val, but if you need more time-"

"I don't need more time" she replied kissing him again. "Yes"

He pushed the button and Dinah began to play again and he covered her mouth with his, holding her as if he'd never ever let her go.

A/N (See You tube for the song, "What a difference a day makes" by Dinah Washington. It's beautiful)